Firefly Lane    by Kristin Hannah Order:  USA  Can St. Martin's, 2008 (2008) Hardcover, CD      Reviewed by Joan Burton Kate Mularkey is a quiet girl in the eighth grade. She has no close friends and at times feels like a social outcast or very uncool. In the summer of 1974, a new girl moves into the neighbourhood, across the street from Kate on Firefly Lane. Tully Hart is beautiful, smart and very outgoing. The girls become instant friends even though they are opposites. Kate has the support of a loving family, while Tully has a drug addicted mother who leaves, comes back, and leaves again. The girls make a pact to be BFF, best friends forever, and become inseparable. After her mother leaves her, Tully is taken in by the Mularkey family. Kate and Tully grow as close as sisters. Tully wants to prove her self worth to the world so she excels in school, where Kate struggles to keep up. Tully wants to be a newswoman, so Kate goes along with the plan of some day working together. Soon they are off to college, where they both study broadcasting and journalism. They work hard and party hard. Kate discovers she does not want the same things as Tully does. Kate wants to get married, become a mother and raise her children. Tully, on the other hand, seeks fame and fortune as she climbs the ladder of success in TV entertainment. As the years go by their lives move in different directions. Tully is single, famous and lonely, while Kate marries and raises a family. Kate battles self doubt and worries that her husband still has feelings for Tully, having had a one night stand with her when they were younger. Kate's young daughter idolizes Aunt Tully for her fame and lifestyle, causing problems between the two women. Over a span of thirty years, Kate and Tully help each other through the ups and downs of life. They battle hurt and resentment, but always reminisce about the good times growing up on Firefly Lane. They feel they can handle anything together until an act of betrayal comes between them just when they need each other the most. Firefly Lane is a moving story of love and friendship through the years. In the end, it comes down to the one person who truly knows you. This is a great read for friends, as well as for mothers and daughters. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Contemporary books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews