"The Road Before Us" by Janine Rosche

Here's a story for fans of Route 66 and split time novels! This is a sweet tribute to The Mother Road and also pays homage to a special connection between the author's parents and this famous highway.

Jade Jessup's past swirls all around her, a vortex of the pain and misdeeds of others that has once again left her at the end of herself. When an unexpected offer comes along, she finds herself driving down Route 66 with an old Hollywood movie star and her documentary-making son, capturing the retelling of the actress's love story and her start in the film industry.

Three timelines weave their way through the pages. The contemporary Route 66 trek, Benny's journey to California in 1956, and Jade's childhood adventure with her father that was not all as it seemed. Memories arise—both good and bad—as Jade, Benny, and Bridger travel west from Chicago through the heart of America.

I have traveled a little down Route 66 and enjoyed the mentions of places I have been to. The characters even stayed one night at a motel that I've stayed at, which was a fun to read. As far as the characters, I had a little trouble connecting with them. The story starts so fast that I felt like the road trip began before I knew who these people were, and the connections between them didn't always make sense to me. 

 

However, the author does a great job with descriptive language and she touches on a lot of sensitive topics that give this book a bit of a dark, gritty tone. And perhaps that's why I didn't connect with it personally at this moment in time, but it might be perfect for another reader. I can see why someone might feel themselves represented in this story in ways that can be overlooked in other Christian fiction.

 

I hope you'll give The Road Before Us a try if you like road trip adventure stories and deep tales that aren't afraid to look at real topics.

I received my copy of the book from the publisher. All thoughts in this review are my own.