A Trip Down Memory Lane

by E.D. Hackett

A wedding, a snowstorm, and a road trip with your ex…what could possibly go wrong?

Cassidy McCarthy, a Tampa singleton, is headed home to Boston for her best friend’s wedding. The last time Cassidy saw her parents was when they foreclosed on their home to pay for her college. Ashamed for being the reason why her parents’ life disintegrated, Cassidy has stayed away, ignoring the cost her family paid so she could follow her dreams.

A freak snowstorm shuts down the plane and the Universe sends her into the path of her ex-boyfriend Dusty Michaels. Both snowbound, they rent a car to road trip it up the Eastern seaboard together. Through atrocious weather, difficult conversations, and exhausting days, fifteen years of history and buried emotions surface, and Cassidy can't help but wonder if their story isn't over yet.

When Cassidy attends the wedding solo, she spies Dusty on the arm of another woman. Gutted, Cassidy faces a pattern of behavior she must break to preserve the relationships she holds close to her heart. Will Cassidy let go of the responsibility that prevents her from moving forward and fix her past mistakes or will she return to Florida alone?

If you enjoy closed-door romance, personal growth, and second chances, you’ll love E.D. Hackett’s A TRIP DOWN MEMORY LANE.

129 pages, Paperback

Published October 1, 2024

About the author

E.D. Hackett has dreamed of being an author since she was a child. Life got in the way and her writing was placed on the back burner for most of her adult life. One day, she decided to write a novel, write it well, and write it scared. She lives at home with her husband, two kids, and three fur-babies in Massachusetts.

Reviews

[Ferne (Enthusiastic Reader) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cassidy McCarthy thought she had everything lined up for success. The upcoming week was dedicated to helping her best friend in the days leading up to her wedding. She had sent a package containing her attendant's dress, shoes, and jewelry to her parents' apartment in Boston. Traveling light, she only had her carry-on for the flight from Boston, so checked baggage wasn't a concern. However, there was one thing Cassidy overlooked. When you live in sunny Florida, you forget that at this time of year, checking the weather is as important as packing for your trip, especially when you leave your apartment in flip-flops.

How can you keep a promise to your best friend when your flight is canceled due to a snowstorm? The last available rental car is a manual transmission you can't drive. And then, like a scene from a romantic movie, the love of your life from high school appears before you, offering to drive. In that moment, a surge of emotions stirs up long-buried memories and feelings.

I read the novella in one sitting. I couldn't put it down; it was mesmerizing. Fifteen years later, life has changed Cassidy, and Justin (Dusty) Michaels has changed too. The character development is well written, with depth in exploring communication, healing guilt regardless of whether it is parents/child, the estrangement from a friendship once so meaningful, or a breakup that happened because of your actions. It encapsulates all the emotions of your first love, the memory of how and why it ended, and the lingering thoughts of what life might be like now if it became your forever love. If only. If only you still lived in Boston. Or, if only he had relocated to Tampa, too.

Thank you to E.D. Hackett, and Book Sirens for the opportunity to read an eARC of this book.

[Debdutch · Rating 4 out of 5]

“A Trip Down Memory Lane” by E D Hackett is a sweet, second chance romance centered around unresolved feelings and miscommunication. The main characters, once deeply in love, are forced to confront their past when a snowstorm traps them together. With a charming blend of tension and nostalgia, the story explores whether they will find closure or rekindle their romance. It's a heartwarming, clean read with a satisfying journey of emotional growth and love.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Jacqueline Johnston Cotton · Rating 5 out of 5]

A heartwarming story of love and second chances. You will easily fall in love with the wonderful characters. An unexpected road trip ends up being quite a journey and has old loves Dusty and Cassidy reconnecting and unpacking their old relationship. Excellent character development. Loved this cute, entertaining and enjoyable read. Adorable cover! I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Danielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun book to read! I wish the book was in Dual POV, but single POV is still good. There seems to be miscommunication when the FMC and MMC first broke up but at least they found a sort of closure during their road trip to Boston. There is no spice at all so if you are looking to read a clean romance book, this is the one for you :)

[prettysureannereads · Rating 4 out of 5]

"We had been walking parallel lives for so many years, carrying around a brokenness that stopped us from becoming our best selves. With time and understanding, our hearts had mended and we found each other again."

I am a sucker for second chance romances and this book filled that craving. This follows Dusty and Cassie, exes from college who happened to bump into each other yeaaaars after, looking for a car ride home after their flights got cancelled. They were both going home, Cassie was to attend her best friend's wedding. They took on the road trip, and it was literally and figuratively, a trip down memory lane. One memory led to another and they had to have the "talk."

One thing I loved about everything is Cassie's closure with her past, her relationship with her best friend, and her parents, and eventually leading her to finally accept that she can be happy too.

Read this if you like—
💖 Second chance romance
💖 Coming home
💖 Closure and acceptance
💖 Anxiety rep

Giving this book four stars because I found Cassie's character annoying for her jealousy, I agree that this made her more human, but it was hard to read at times. I also didn't like how Dusty was insensitive with his words.

All in all, this novella is worth the read, I finished it in one sitting, under two hours. I love how fate, timing, and second chance worked hand in hand for Cassie and Dusty, and how every "what if?" turned into "I'm ready."

Thank you author E.D. Hackett and Book Sirens for the ARC. It was an honour to read this.

Rating: ★★★★
Song for the book: invisible string - Taylor Swift

[Crystal Gehris · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
*Heartfelt, Uplifting, and Full of Second Chances*

E.D. Hackett’s *A Trip Down Memory Lane* is a wonderfully crafted novel that hooks you from the first page. Cassidy McCarthy’s emotional evolution from guilt and regret to redemption is relatable and touching.

The road trip with her ex, Dusty, creates the perfect backdrop for unresolved tension and buried emotions to come to the surface. Hackett skillfully intertwines Cassidy and Dusty’s past and present, reminding us that time doesn’t always heal old wounds. Their chemistry is evident, but the standout element is Cassidy’s internal struggle as she confronts her past and what it means for her future.

While the book doesn’t offer much in the way of spice, the depth of the characters and their emotional journey more than make up for it. *A Trip Down Memory Lane* is still a must-read for anyone who enjoys heartfelt romance and personal growth. E.D. Hackett has written a true gem with this feel-good story.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Linda Dominick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dusty is not just Cassidy’s ex, he’s her first love. There’s a lot of things that have never been said, they both have a lot of questions about their break up. They talk about what happened to their relationship more than once and sort of got some closure about their past even though there’s still sparks in the present. This is nice and sweet with all the feelings of what if. I loved that once they were both in Florida, that Cassidy kept running into Dusty. Even though some might have taken that is a sign, Cassidy thought it was impossible because they live in different states. Would she move for him or vice versa?
I love the way E.D. Hackett pulls the reader into the story immediately. This is the second book I’ve read of hers, and I got all the feelings of sadness, hope, excitement for what could be. Her books are pure joy to read!

[Linda J · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cassidy, single and from Tampa, is heading to Boston for her best friend’s wedding. There are a lot of reasons she isn’t really excited about going back home, but the main reason is she feels bad for her parents whose home was foreclosed on so she could attend college. When a snowstorm derails her plans to fly, she ends up driving with Dusty, an ex-boyfriend (interesting how this came about). There are some bumps along the way, including the snowstorm. Once back in Boston, she finds out more about the foreclosure on her parents' home and why they are living in a small apartment. She also has to rectify her friendship with her best friend.

I enjoyed this book, but only gave it 3 stars because I thought the ending was really rushed.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Shilo Goodson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought this was a cute story. Unfortunately, as is the case with many novellas, I felt like the story wasn't fully developed. Cassidy and Dusty are our two main characters. They dated about 15 years ago, and while some of the details of their break-up were mentioned, I really wanted to understand what went wrong a little better. I kind of felt like we needed a novella from 15 years ago, or at least a prologue. Then we needed this novella to fully understand their story.

This book has a few swear words. There is some behind-the-scenes sex going on, but we don't get the graphic details. Thank goodness! There was no violence. The novella caught my attention enough that I'd at least consider reading another novella or even a full-length novel, by this author.

I received a free ARC, and I am leaving a voluntary review.

[Lia Lorimer · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars for the Road Trip, 3.5 stars for the Boston weekend

A series of weather-related crises results in an unexpected reunion between high-school couple, Cassie and Dusty, fifteen years after separating. Travelling together from Florida to Boston in a small car, they initially tiptoe around the reasons they lost contact with one another, until Cassie is unable to rein in her curiosity.
Arriving in Boston, the author suddenly accelerates their friendship, amid further coincidences.
I enjoyed the part of the book describing the trip and their re-ignited friendship. However, the Boston weekend depicted Cassie as a totally different person and, besides the wedding party interaction and dialogue being overly dramatic, events were rather unrealistic and disappointing for this reader.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Kath · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story had just the right amount of realistic hopes and dreams that came true, so unexpectedly for Cassidy, a sweet 33 year old who is carrying around a lot of un-necessary baggage on her heart. Cassidy's life took some strange twists and turns on her way back home from Florida. to be in her long time friend, Lanna's wedding. As fate would have it, her long time love, still after 15 years, Dusty drove her stick shift rental car home during a blizzard. Turns out Dusty still loved Cassidy, but it was not an easy do over or second chance. Plenty of twists and turns and wondering how fate is going to help or hinder.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Heather Kelley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a digital ARC of this novella. Cassie has been avoiding going home for a long time but when her college roommate asks her to be in her wedding she can’t say no. But then her flight is cancelled due to weather and she finds herself road tripping with her ex boyfriend. What she doesn’t expect is the memories and feelings from high school and college to come flooding back. But that ship sailed a long time ago when she broke his heart. Or did it? This story of what ifs and second chances will have you turning the pages to keep reading. I read this story in one sitting. I feel like this could be a Hallmark movie.

[Brandi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this concept of a second chance tale. It's got to be a little heart-stopping to run into your first love after so much time has passed. In this case, the couple gets the opportunity to work through all of the things that separated them before. The tale is warm, sweet, and inspiring. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Ellen · Rating 4 out of 5]

What happens when your flight is canceled and you find yourself driving through a snow storm with your ex boyfriend. That’s what has happened to Cassidy and Dusty. Really good storyline and I liked the main characters. The only part that I was not fond of was the references to sex. When I think of a clean romance I think of only kissing. However others might find it appealing.

[Kelli Murphy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a super cute second chance at love story. The characters were relatable and not too complex for the simplicity of the story. I wish it had a little more depth and plot/story line but I did love the surprising twist, too. Overall definitely recommend for a quick warm hearted read!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Justins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Trip Down Memory Lane is a cute second chance romance. I enjoyed the fun banter, but felt like the MFC was too hard on herself. At times the hard feelings between the two characters felt a little forced but also I realize that some people are good at communication. Overall. I enjoyed the book and would recommend.

[Suze82 · Rating 4 out of 5]

so much heartbreak
We all make mistakes we are not proud of in hindsight so I had mixed feelings reading about returning home, facing all the ghosts from the past again and trying to avoid making new mistakes or repeating old ones.

[Bernadette Cinkoske · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Trip Down Memory Lane is an entertaining, closed door, second chance romance. I really enjoyed the road trip with Cassidy and Dusty. I loved the character development and their growth. The main characters are not perfect, but who is? Easily read in one sitting!

[D. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I connected so easily with Cassidy. Her trip back home had a lot of twists and turns. It was such an amazing story. I really enjoyed this story. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Katherine Hayward Pérez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very nostalgic, and shows the real value of friendship and how loyal good friends can be. It's heartwarming.

4 stars

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[D. Rivera · Rating 4 out of 5]

This checked off everything I look for in a book. Was not disappointed. Really enjoyed this book. I will read more from this author. Must read. Historical fiction oh yeah.

[Lisa J Page · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story of Cassidy and Dusty. By a chance meeting after many years apart, these two make a road trip to remember and one as the reader wish you were there with them. Loved this story E.D Hackett, as always your work gives me all the laughter and love a girl wants in a book.

[Coffeenbooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

- Second chance

- Close proximity

- Roadtrip

This quick read was so much fun! After a snowstorm cancels her fight, Cassidy is in a bind. She has to reach her best friend's to help with last minute wedding preparations. She thought she had everything planned, but forgot to check on the weather forecast.

Now with the only car being a stick, which she cannot drive, Cassidy is panicking. Luckily, or unluckily, her former high school boyfriend Dusty offers to drive her. Will this impromptu road trip rekindle their romance?

Such a fun book that took no time at all to read!

[Lonny · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cassidy is headed to Boston from Tampa, to be a bridesmaid in her college buddy's wedding. Unfortunately, her flight is cancelled because of a snowstorm in the Northeast, so she rents the only car left only to find out its a standard shift. Behind her in line is Dusty, her old boyfriend, who was also headed to Boston. Since he can drive standard, she invites him to drive with her. This is a cute second chance at love story.

Thank you to to BookSirens for the opportunity to read and review this book.

[Nicola “Shortbookthyme” · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved reading A Trip Down Memory Lane!
What happens when you run into your first love after 15 years of no contact?
Cassidy and Dusty have so many unresolved issues.
Can they get past the past?
This story is a sweet and cozy second chance romance that I couldn’t stop reading once I started. I consider this a clean romance.
Highly recommended!
I loved everything about this story!
#shortbookthyme
@shortbookthyme