‘Two-Way Street’ by Lauren Barnholdt is yet another great addition to her collection of books. The premise revolves around main characters Courtney and Jordan, who have just broken up but are road-tripping to college together since they already had the trip planned. The issue is that their being apart is not something Jordan really wanted in the first place, but circumstances spiraled out of control, and he found himself at an impasse regarding how to avoid the situation altogether. Making matters more difficult is Courtney’s dad, who despite being nice to Jordan, doesn’t seem to want them together, at least from Jordan’s viewpoint. As the novel progresses, we learn more about the intricacies of Jordan’s relationship with Courtney’s dad, and how everything got to be more mixed up than Jordan could have ever thought possible.
Other characters in the story include Jordan’s mom, who plays a pivotal, yet not overbearing role within the novel, as well as Jordan’s best friend B.J., who is dating Courtney’s best friend Jocelyn. The friendships in the novel are well worth reading, as they are realistic and engaging, and they show how sometimes judgments on the part of some can result in misunderstandings that can lead to annoying, yet other times humorous, results.
I was quite shocked when the main twist in the story was revealed, as I did not see it coming. It shows the strength of Barnholdt’s writing style to make the reader curious early on and then, as the storyline progresses, reveal the truth of the matter. Even after this point, the story still kept me hooked, as Courtney still didn’t know the truth, and Jordan was keen on sharing it with her in the hopes that maybe, just maybe, he would have the chance of being with her again. The time never seemed to be right, however, which heightened the suspense of what would occur when he actually revealed the truth to her.
Their relationship woes and their friendships are traced through the back-and-forth viewpoints of Courtney and Jordan. I especially liked how we were not only immersed in their present-day relationship, when they were broken up and driving together, but we also were able to flash back to their past, learning how they met, started dating, and eventually broke up. Stepping into the future at the end of the novel by learning what happened after the trip was over was also a nice addition to the plot. I will definitely be picking up more of Barnholdt’s novels, as I have enjoyed several of them already and am eager to share in more of her characters’ journeys.
You can find ‘Two-Way Street’ by Lauren Barnholdt here.