Rainey Valentine is 35 years old. She’s been married and divorced two times and now she’s facing her life alone.. Her mother has just died and while Rainey still has family in her father, brother and sister, she now realies that a vital part of her life is missing.

Rainey’s mother was a religious woman and lived her life according to her beliefs. She tried to raise all of her children the same way and Rainey took everything her mother ever told her to heart. Now, Rainey has inherited her mother’s old half-ton truck and barrel-racing horse and has decided to go on the road and give-barrel racing one more shot. Rainey hopes that somewhere along the line, she’ll find herself.

Late one night, on a lonely stretch of road on her way to Abilene, Rainey sees a man stagger in front of her truck. Certain that she’s hit the man, Rainey turns around and goes back to where she thinks she saw him. Harry Furneaux is the man whom she has hit and he is just as lost in life as Rainey is. Rainey offers to take Harry into Abilene. She’s concerned that he’s far more hurt then he’s letting on and she hopes to persuade him to go to the local hospital’s Emergency room once they reach their destination.

With nowhere else to go, Harry agrees to accompany her and thus begins a new way of life for both of them; a life of discovery of just who they are and what their lives are all about. Rainey’s mother’s philosophy in life had always been that nothing happens by coincidence and this definitely holds true in this story.

Lost Highways was a book that I could not put down. The story was so well told that all I could do was turn one page after another, hoping I wouldn’t have to stop and put the book down. Rainey and Harry are both lost souls looking for their mates, even though Rainey’s track record with men paralyzes her with fear over getting involved with him. When Harry walks into her life, she realizes that there is a definite attraction between them, but she fights it all the way.

Lost Highways is a great title. A person can take it at face value at first but as you get into the nitty-gritty of this book, you’ll realize that what Ms. Matlock is really talking about is the highway of life and how it can twist and turn leading you in one direction and then in another. This story is very true-to-life, and the realistic nature of the characters makes it fascinating.

I loved this book and it’s definitely a keeper for me. The only downside that I could find in the total tale is that the ending was a bit rushed. However, don’t let that deter you. It’s a really great read and a wonderful way to spend a lazy, summer afternoon.