The Road to Roswell by Connie Willis
Publication Date: June 27, 2023
Summary from NetGalley:
When level-headed Francie arrives in Roswell, New Mexico, for her college roommate’s UFO-themed wedding—complete with a true-believer bridegroom—she can’t help but roll her eyes at all the wide-eyed talk of aliens, which obviously don’t exist. Imagine her surprise, then, when she is abducted by one.
Odder still, her abductor is far from what the popular media have led her to expect, with a body like a tumbleweed and a mass of lightning-fast tentacles. Nor is Francie the only victim of the alien’s abduction spree. Before long, he has acquired a charming con man named Wade, a sweet little old lady with a casino addiction, a retiree with a huge RV and a love for old Westerns, and a UFO-chasing nutjob who is thoroughly convinced the alien intends to probe them and/or take over the planet.
But the more Francie gets to know the alien, the more convinced she becomes that he’s not an invader. That he’s in trouble and she has to help him. Only she doesn’t know how—or even what the trouble is.
Part alien-abduction adventure, part road trip saga, part romantic comedy, The Road to Roswell is packed full of Men in Black, Elvis impersonators, tourist traps, rattlesnakes, chemtrails, and Close Encounters of the Third, Fourth, and Fifth kind. Can Francie, stuck in a neon green bridesmaid’s dress, save the world—and still make it back for the wedding?
ARC provided by Random House via NetGalley for an honest review.
Confession:
This was a very fun and enjoyable read. I enjoyed all of the alien and western movies references, the quirky yet likable characters and the road trip through New Mexico and Nevada. The book had me grinning and chuckling to myself almost the whole time.
The story is told through Francie’s point of view, and she was a delightful character to spend time with. She reacts to getting abducted pretty well, and finds some inner strength to help Indy find what he is looking for. I really enjoyed her interactions with Indy and with the other characters and how she keeps everyone calm and on task, as well as figuring out a way to communicate with Indy.
All of the other characters were fun and managed themselves well. I loved reading all of Lyle’s kooky UFO conspiracy theories and Eula Mae’s unending cheerfulness. Joseph was a hoot as well, with all of his knowledge of western movies and their locations. Wade was also very likable, but I never felt like there was a romantic connection between him and Francie. There were a couple of times when Francie thought romantic things about him, but she was so busy with Indy, it never seemed to last long. I just never quite got the romantic vibe from the two of them.
Indy was certainly the star of the book. I just adored him and all of his quirky ways. It was fascinating watching him learn our language and all of the questions he had about our culture, he really just wanted to understand and for Francie to understand him, so that they could help him. He is my favorite alien by far!
The whole plot of the story was well done with the road trip, Indy abducting people and the whole group working to get communication going between them and Indy. Things got a little slow in the middle, but it was well paced otherwise. I loved some of the descriptions of the scenery and of the lonely places they pass through on their trip. Although I think the time they spent in Las Vegas was my favorite. The ending was a bit abrupt, but it was somewhat open ended, which might mean we will be seeing Indy again.
If you are looking for a quirky and fun book to read this summer, this is definitely one you want to consider. Especially if you enjoy alien conspiracy theories, road trips, the Men in Black and Close Encounters of every kind.
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