From the New York Times bestselling author of On Mystic Lake comes a powerful novel of love, loss, and the magic of friendship…
In the turbulent summer of 1974, Kate Mularkey has accepted her place at the bottom of the eighth-grade social food chain. Then, to her amazement, the “coolest girl in the world” moves in across the street and wants to be her friend. Tully Hart seems to have it all — … it all — beauty, brains, ambition. On the surface they are as opposite as two people can be: Kate, doomed to be forever uncool, with a loving family who mortifies her at every turn. Tully, steeped in glamour and mystery, but with a secret that is destroying her. They make a pact to be best friends forever; by summer’s end they’ve become TullyandKate. Inseparable.
So begins Kristin Hannah’s magnificent new novel. Spanning more than three decades and playing out across the ever-changing face of the Pacific Northwest, Firefly Lane is the poignant, powerful story of two women and the friendship that becomes the bulkhead of their lives.
From the beginning, Tully is desperate to prove her worth to the world. Abandoned by her mother at an early age, she longs to be loved unconditionally. In the glittering, big-hair era of the eighties, she looks to men to fill the void in her soul. But in the buttoned-down nineties, it is television news that captivates her. She will follow her own blind ambition to New York and around the globe, finding fame and success… and loneliness.
Kate knows early on that her life will be nothing special. Throughout college, she pretends to be driven by a need for success, but all she really wants is to fall in love and have children and live an ordinary life. In her own quiet way, Kate is as driven as Tully. What she doesn’t know is how being a wife and mother will change her… how she’ll lose sight of who she once was, and what she once wanted. And how much she’ll envy her famous best friend…
For thirty years, Tully and Kate buoy each other through life, weathering the storms of friendship — jealousy, anger, hurt, resentment. They think they’ve survived it all until a single act of betrayal tears them apart… and puts their courage and friendship to the ultimate test.
Firefly Lane is for anyone who ever drank Boone’s Farm apple wine while listening to Abba or Fleetwood Mac. More than a coming-of-age novel, it’s the story of a generation of women who were both blessed and cursed by choices. It’s about promises and secrets and betrayals. And ultimately, about the one person who really, truly knows you — and knows what has the power to hurt you… and heal you. Firefly Lane is a story you’ll never forget… one you’ll want to pass on to your best friend.
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I have read many of this author’s books and knew when I saw this would be a Netflix film that I needed read before I watched.
This is the beautiful story of a friendship that spans 3 decades from the 70’s to the 2000’s. Tulley Hart and Kate Mularkey meet in high school and forever after become known as TullyandKate.
Though they are very …
An entertaining read, especially for those of us who grew up during the same decades and can relate to the music and fashion references. I wanted to read this before watching the Netflix series. The book is better than the series IMHO, which deviated from the book way too much.
This is a great story of where friendship can sometimes take us. Ups and downs. Highs and lows. Happy and sad.
Forever friends make us take chances, risks we normally wouldn’t and most of all bring a sense of belonging and home to the heart.
Kate has my heart completely. I understood and felt so much of her insecurity, her loneliness … her …
All the words I picked to described this book and more. I just loved Firefly Lane. The main characters, Kate and Tully, became friends as young teens, totally opposite, but as they said, friends for life. Through their lives, their ups and downs, good times and bad, they leaned on one another. Kate became a stay-at-home mom and Tully became a …
I absolutely loved this book!
I have long been meaning to read a book by the infamous Kristin Hannah, and I am so glad I chose to do my first (Firefly Lane) as a buddy read. There is a lot to unpack in this novel and it evoked a wide range of emotions. I wasn’t a big fan of either Tully or Kate, and there are so many times I questioned their friendship. This is a book set over …
This is the story of Kate and Tully’s life long friendship. The up’s and down’s but always the love they shared.
This is my first book by Kristin Hannah and it won’t be my last. I can see why Netflix wants to make this one of they’re series. This book made me laugh and made me cry, It pissed me off at the end. How could it end like that? Ms …
just left a good flavour…
While it’s not my favorite of this incredibly talented author’s work, I found this book to be entertaining and creative, and just realistic enough when it came to the complication of long-time female friendships.
Outstanding book!!! I absolutely loved the story of two friends growing up together and the twists and turns their lives take. The characters are layered & realistic. It’s not often I come across a book that is written with such raw realistic emotion that I found myself tearing up not once but a couple times. I highly recommend – you won’t be …
Loved this book! It reminded me of how things were when I was that age!
4.8️
Literally could not put this book down – I read until my vision started to blur. I enjoyed Kristin Hannah’s style of writing, I was hooked from the beginning, and I LOVED that it was following the span of a friendship. Looking forward to reading more of her books.
Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah was an extraordinary book. Being from Seattle myself, I was able to relate to the settings and the characters were well developed and interesting. The story was endearing and the characters complex and I felt for their struggles. I would definitely recommend this book.
This was a story of love and friendship between two women that was
broken but was mended while one of the characters was facing the end
of her life and needed her friend’s strength, love and caring.
A total tearjerker. But could not put it down!
Firefly Lane is absolutely phenomenal! One of the best stories I’ve ever read. I enjoyed it immensely, and can’t wait to read book two. Highly recommended!
Brought back good memories of times with my friends I grew up with!
exceptional story of real life’s complexity. i felt a deep personal connection and thoroughly enjoy Kristen’s writing style.
Excellent read, she’s one of my favorites!
very good book to read