The Road to Roswell by Connie Willis
“The Road to Roswell,” by Connie Willis is a delightful romp of a sci-fi romance novel set in the American southwest.
Francie, our story’s protagonist, has traveled to Roswell, New Mexico to be the maid of honor at her best friend’s wedding. Of course, Francie’s true intention in attending is to talk her best friend out of her ill-matched nuptials, something that’s become a bit of a recurring pattern in their friendship. However, her plan to rescue her friend from making a huge mistake is derailed when she is kidnapped by an extraterrestrial and taken on a road trip across the southwest. Humorous hijinks, adventure and a slow-burn romance ensue.
Throughout “Road to Roswell,” Willis pokes fun at various alien conspiracy theories and the conspiracists who believe them, while also crafting a captivating adventure story of alien friendship – think of a cross between “ET” and “Close Encounters.” Francie nicknames her non-communicative alien abductor as “Indy,” so named because of the alien’s whip-like tentacle appendages.
As the pair ventures out on their journey, they quickly accumulate a colorful collection of travel companions as each new “close encounter” necessitates yet another abduction to keep Indy secret and safe. Francie and her new companions work together to unravel the mystery behind why Indy came to earth and what exactly Indy is trying to accomplish here.
Willis’ story satirizes the lore of space alien mythology and other conspiracy theories while also simultaneously telling an endearing tale of first contact. This is a fine line to walk, but Willis accomplishes it with aplomb.
“The Road to Roswell” should appeal to readers of romance, sci-fi, tales of first-contact, or anyone looking for a fun read. Visit wcls.org to find “The Road to Roswell” and other similarly themed stories.
“The Road to Roswell” is the April selection for the Books and Bites book group. Join Books and Bites at 1 p.m. Friday, April 18 at Blaine Public Library for a time of community and lively conversation.
Jonathan Jakobitz is an avid reader and the branch manager of the Blaine Library.
(Originally published in The Northern Light, Wednesday, April 2, 2025.)