"The Road To Grace" Leads To "Beaches"

I'm on the fence about almost being done with "The Road To Grace," by Richard Paul Evans. I love reading his books, but I hate getting through them so quickly! They deserve to be savored like a fine wine, not polished off like a couple of hors d'oeuvres! I'm beginning to think I was wrong when I assumed that the title was a double entendre; thus far, Alan has not met anyone named Grace. He did, however, meet a Holocaust survivor named Leszek, who takes Alan in after finding him on the side of the road having a dizzy spell. Leszek, who is Polish, shares his story with Alan; it is a story of survival and forgiveness. Leszek weaves a tragic story that Alan will not soon forget. He even convinces Alan to contact Kyle Craig, his former business partner who betrayed him during his wife's illness and death. What will come of that, I cannot yet say. What I can say is that I have decided that once I finish reading "The Road To Grace," I will begin reading "Beaches," Iris Rainier Dart's bestselling novel that was the inspiration for the movie of the same name that starred Bette Midler and Barbara Hershey.
"Loudmouthed, redheaded Cee Cee Bloom has her sights set on Hollywood. Bertie White, quiet and conservative, dreams of getting married and having children. In 1951, their childhood worlds collide in Atlantic City. Keeping in touch as pen pals, they reunite over the years...always near the ocean. Powrful and moving, this novel follows Cee Cee's and Bertie's extraordinary friendship over the course of thirty years as they transform from adolescents into adults. A bestselling novel that has become a hugely successful film, "Beaches" is funny, heartbreaking, and a tale that should be a part of every woman's library." I can't wait to see how it compares to the movie, though I can see some differences already, just from the summary. In the book, Cee Cee's friend is called Bertie, while in the movie, she is called Hillary. It has been my experience that the book is usually better than the movie, though I have to admit that the movie is a favorite of mine! It always brings a tear to my eye. I'm anxious to find out if the book will elicit the same response. Does anyone have a Kleenex?