I love Connie Willis, and I did read this entire novel, despite not really being engaged much of the time. The alien is great, but Willis goes a little overboard with her trademark wackiness. Constant artificial obstacles are pretty much the entire plot-line. I liked this in To Say Nothing of the Dog, and it worked well in Passage; but in this one it got a little old.

In a world full of serious sci-fi with unknown worlds and freaky aliens, The Road to Roswell is set on earth with tumbleweed alien. Sign me up!

This book was such a fun romp. A ridiculous Roswell-themed wedding, a florescent bridesmaids dress, hilarious characters, Vegas wedding, an adorable alien, and an RV (ahem! Western Trail Wagon). It was an original, fun ride that kept me turning the pages.

This is my first Connie Willis book and it won't be the last. Also, if there's any movie producers looking for new content, I would 100% watch this movie and drag everyone I know to see it too.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

If were to rate the experience of reading this book, I would give it five stars. In fact I was ready to give it a five-star rating until I was about 2/3 of the way in and the author used a word that left me cold. I know it was intended to be funny because Indy learned English from watching Westerns, but that word has a lot of history behind it and is not lighthearted at all.

Other than that one word, this a weirdly wholesome book. As menacing as the abduction should have felt, I fell in love with Indy, the tumbleweed-shaped alien, at first sight. I also loved the motley crew of people Francie and Indy abduct throughout their road trip.

Another madcap sci-fi comedy with heart from Connie Willis! Admittedly I love her more tragic books more - you know the ones - but despite the fact that I'm not interested in aliens, UFOs, and the mythos of Roswell, I couldn't help but be completely engrossed.

Francie comes to Roswell, New Mexico to act as maid of honor when her college roommate marries an alien conspiracy fanatic. Francie is not a believer in aliens, until she is kidnapped by a tumbleweed-shaped alien and forced to drive him to parts unknown. Along the way, the alien, who comes to be known as Indy for his whiplike dexterity with his “extendable arms”, also kidnaps a con man, a preternaturally calm little old lady, an hysterical believer in every outrageous alien theory and a western movie aficionado with a fancy RV.

This book is the scifi equivalent of a cozy mystery. It is humorous and has a mild romance. Indy is definitely the best character and he is really adorable once he and the humans learn how to communicate with each other. What begins as an abduction turns in to an attempt to help Indy. The narrator of the audiobook did a great job with Indy. The book was charming, although it would have been improved if it lost about 50 pages. 4.5 stars

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.

This sci fi abduction road trip story is good for anyone wanted something fun and light. The plot is interesting enough and the characters were fun, but I did feel some of the writing bogged down the pace a bit. Too much discussion of different roads and areas of the Southwest and too little action. It might appeal to non-sci fi readers wanting to dip their toe in the water.

Connie Willis is hilarious. I read her book To Say Nothing of the Dog several years ago, and I always intended to look up more of her books, because that one absolutely delighted me. When I saw she had an alien comedy coming out, I requested, and received a copy of the ebook. Then Penguin Random House gave me a free audiobook as well (thank you! @prhaudio).
So I alternated between the two versions and enjoyed them both very much.
The plot is a zany, byzantine romp through the deserts of the Southwest, as Frankie, our intrepid protagonist, is abducted by an alien in her hideous maid of honor gown. The cast of characters is colorful and entertaining, and the alien is creative and clever. I loved it!

I’ve only read one book by Connie Willis before— Doomsday Book, a pretty heavy cerebral book that I really loved. So I was utterly unprepared for The Road to Roswell, which is not only a completely different type of novel, but also beyond bonkers! In Willis’ latest novel, practical Francie arrives in Roswell, New Mexico to attend her kooky best friend’s wedding. Francie is pretty skeptical of all of the UFO-chasing eccentrics in Roswell (her best friend’s fiancé included); therefore, she is pretty shocked when right before the wedding she is abducted by an alien.

I won’t go into the details for spoiler reasons and also because I’m not sure I can adequately convey how over-the-top this road-trip comedy/adventure gets! This book reads like a love letter to Westerns and alien flicks – neither of which I’m particularly familiar, so a fair amount of the cultural references went over my head. I also really struggled with some of the leaps of logic in the first third of the book; however, around the halfway mark this book accumulated a motley cast of characters, settled into an adorable road trip narrative and I finally got on board.

If you are passionate about Westerns or UFO sightings, then you are going to want to check out Willis’ wonderfully weird new novel.

Thanks to NetGalley, Ballantine and Del Rey Books for the advanced readers copy! What Connie Willis book should I read next? I definitely want to read some of her holiday short stories later this year.

hilarious and goofy, this was a great read

thank you to netgalley and to the publisher for this review copy.

This delightfully odd story follows Francie, who finds herself abducted by an alien while on her way to her best friend’s alien-themed wedding in Roswell, New Mexico. Ridiculousness ensues post-abduction, as Francie and her new tumbleweed-like alien friend pick up a unique cast of characters on their travels at the direction of said alien who they come to call ‘Indy’. It is obvious that Indy is on some sort of mission as he orders them where to drive and what to do, but communication barriers mean Francie and friends are along for the ride until they can figure out what they need to help Indy achieve and how to get everyone safely back home.

I have to be completely honest in that I’m still not quite sure what to think about this book. I was definitely entertained and enjoyed reading it in general, and I particularly loved the uniqueness of the aliens and their world. But at the same time, it felt a bit boring at times and maybe about 100 pages longer than it needed to be. So much of the plot consisted of driving around, talking about Western movies and conspiracy theories, and trying to communicate with Indy. While there were certainly times that it made me laugh, at the same time it just felt like it dragged on and on, playing on repeat, until I got maybe 75% of the way through when the plot picked up. Once the main crew of characters figured out what Indy wanted and where he wanted to go, everything moved rather quickly. Having been advertised as a rom-com, the romance subplot also seemed rather abrupt/forced and not really focused on until the end, which made it feel a little less genuine. I think I wish there was more character development throughout, but at the same time, I guess you don't necessarily pick up a rom-com about aliens because you're looking for character development 🙂. The ending also left something to be desired for me - I even thought I had an unfinished copy!

All in all, this was a fizzy, light summer read that doesn’t make you try too hard. There’s some fun moments and unique world-building, and it feels like something meant to be tossed in the beach bag to drink down as an escape, but maybe not necessarily something you’d expect to stick with you once you return to reality.

Thank you so much to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

A comfy read about alien invaders and the people who believe in them. Funny, romantic, this is vintage Connie Willis. Great fun!

As an avid Connie Willis fan I was more than excited to pick up her newest release. A road trip story set in Roswell? Aliens? My X-Files loving heart was ecstatic!!! That being said, I think this will be a hit or miss for most people.

I loved the absurdity and the humor of it. It read quickly and was full of unlikely and hysterical scenarios. I laughed out loud. This book was 100% up my alley. It was a charming light hearted romp of a sci-fi novel.

There are a couple cons that I feel the need to mention. The ending was definitely too abrupt, I actually checked to see if my e-arc was missing a chapter. Also, the romance seemed completely unnecessary and somewhat forced.

Do I recommend? If a comedic road trip alien story sounds like something you would enjoy then absolutely yes!!!

A witty and fun romp with unexpected depths and in an easy to read and digest package. Par for the course with Connie Willis. Francie is not impressed with her college roommate's fiancé, nor is she excited at the prospect of the wedding being during and a part of Roswell's UFO Festival. However she still dutifully is performing maid of honor duties in the lead up to the wedding, fully believing her friend will come to her senses before they actually tie the knot. Until Francie is abducted by an alien.

This is a first contact story that makes fun of true believers while acknowledging the possibilities. I love how Willis strides the line here, with a skeptical mind and tongue in cheek dialog. As silly as the premise is, it develops into a compelling read with themes of kindness, honor, and loyalty. An uplifting read that would be the perfect antidote for a day when the world seems like a dark place.

This is more like three and a half stars- rounded to a 4.

Rom-com's can be a dime a dozen. This book summary felt fresh with the alien sci-fi component, and that intrigued me. I enjoy sci-fi, but this is grounded in Earth and would be an easy read for someone who may not want to dive into a complete sci-fi book.

Overall this was a fun read. There were a few things that were clunky. There were a couple of times the author thew in content that the characters would need in the middle of the desert to exist and it didn't feel natural. But those instances were minor.

Overall, this was light and fun and perfect for summer nighttime reading.

I absolutely loved this story about an alien abduction! Francie is in Roswell for a wedding when she’s taken hostage by a little alien. Along the journey there are others taken along for the ride as well. The first half of the book moved a little slow for me but we do get to really know the characters! I grew to really like the little alien and hope there’s a sequel . This was a book recommended by Anne Bogel and I’m so glad I was able to read it!!
Thank you netgalley for providing an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Connie Willis’s latest is billed as “part alien-abduction adventure, part road trip saga, part romantic comedy.” I’d argue that the first two largely overshadow the romance, but, all in all, the mash-up makes for an entertaining read.

To Say Nothing of the Dog is one of my favorite books, and The Road to Roswell is a very similar story in some ways. Both novels feature strangers travelling together, an unknown destination, and a mysterious mission. Part of the fun of reading them is figuring out what’s going on along with the main character, whether that’s Ned or Francie. Because their knowledge is limited, the plots of both books include some rather aimless wandering around, and readers have to be prepared just to sit back and enjoy the characters and their journey.

So, fans of plots with a lot of action would want to give this a miss. For most of the novel, Francie and her fellow abductees simply drive from place to place as directed by the alien they call Indy. Attempting to communicate with him and learn what he wants involves much conversation, including discussions of UFOs and alien lore, as well as old Westerns.

I enjoyed it all. The side characters are wacky, and Indy is completely adorable, especially when he plays matchmaker. The story is light and often very funny, and the romance, while understated, is sweet.

That ending, though! What a tease.

A copy of this book was provided through NetGalley for me to review; all opinions expressed are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the ARC of this novel. This unfortunately felt like a slog to me. There were some twists that I did not expect and I did enjoy the alien encounter at the end. The very end was quite abrupt but somewhat satisfying. Francie was fine and once Indy was able to communicate, that was nice. Overall I just wanted to get through this to see the plot without caring about the characters. 2 stars.

To be honest, I requested this on a whim. I didn't really know anything about it, other than maybe a romantic comedy set amongst UFO hunters. It sounded silly and light, and I thought I would give it a shot.

It was so worth it, y'all. This is a science fiction buddy road trip romantic comedy with a delightful, zany cast, an ACTUAL alien, and innumerable escapades with said alien. Yes, the blurb tells you Francie is going to get abducted, but they don't tell you that you'll fall in love with Francie, Indy, Wade, and the rest of the crew. You'll be rooting for them in their quest and laughing CONSTANTLY from beginning to end.

I don't want to say too much because you should discover their hijinks yourself. However, I will say that though the plot was a touch predictable, it didn't matter, because this novel is fully character-driven. Even if you DO guess the plot twists, you'll be too busy holding your breath and praying they don't get caught by the Feds, Men in Black style.

Highly recommend this delightfully silly, 100% fun read. Half a star knocked (maybe!) because the ending seemed to happen really fast and I was a little confused by it. It was still charming, but I wanted more information!!

TL;DR: An incredibly funny, charming buddy road trip with a perfect dash of romance and close encounters of every kind!

The Road to Roswell is a remarkable tale that showcases Willis' unparalleled storytelling abilities. Her unique talent lies in her ability to craft sparkling, rapid-fire dialogue, create suspenseful and intricate plots, and construct dramatic scenes that leave a lasting imprint on the reader's mind.

Willis possesses an extraordinary knack for weaving words together, captivating her audience with her vivid descriptions and engaging narrative. Her dialogue is sharp and dynamic, propelling the story forward with irresistible energy. Each conversation crackles with life, drawing readers deeper into the narrative and allowing them to truly connect with the characters.

Furthermore, Willis is a master of suspenseful plotting. She expertly constructs intricate webs of mystery and intrigue, skillfully leading readers down unexpected paths and keeping them on the edge of their seats. Her ability to build tension is unparalleled, leaving readers desperate to uncover the truth and discover the secrets hidden within the story's pages.

But it is in her creation of dramatic scenes that Willis truly shines. These moments are so intense and powerful that they sear themselves into the reader's memory, leaving an indelible mark long after the book is finished. Willis' vivid descriptions and evocative language bring these scenes to life, immersing readers in a world of raw emotion and breathtaking intensity.

The Road to Roswell is a testament to Connie Willis' exceptional storytelling prowess. With her unparalleled ability to craft sparkling dialogue, construct suspenseful plots, and create dramatic scenes that linger in the reader's mind, Willis has firmly established herself as a master of her craft. This captivating novel is a must-read for anyone seeking a thrilling and unforgettable literary experience.

I adore Connie Willis, but I also think her books should come with a label so you know which Connie Willis you are going to get. This book was written by the funny Connie Willis of *To Say Nothing of the Dog*, rather than the rip-your-heart-out-and-stomp-on-it Connie Willis of *The Doomsday Book* or, God help me, *Passage*.

Great science fiction is famous for asking the proverbial big questions. Who are we? Where are we going? What does it mean to be human? *The Road to Roswell*, on the other hand, asks the question: What if an alien abduction was, like, super embarrassing?

Francie arrives in Roswell, New Mexico, to be the maid of honor in the wedding she is determined to prevent from happening. Her friend is planning to marry a UFO nut; despite not being one herself, she has been talked into having a wedding at Roswell’s UFO museum, during Roswell’s UFO festival. So imagine Francie’s embarrassment when she finds herself abducted by an actual alien. While she’s at the cheesy UFO festival. And wearing a hideous bridesmaid dress.

And then when the next person the alien abducts happens to be a very cute guy.

So it goes, while Francie tries to A) learn to communicate with the alien (who is a ball of tentacles and looks like a tumbleweed; B) get back in time to convince her friend not to go through with the wedding; and C) cope with everything that just keeps getting more and more ridiculous.

Connie Willis has won more Hugos and Nebulas than any other living author, and deserves them. This book might be silly and fun, but it’s also a solid first-contact story that made me laugh out loud every few pages. Highly recommended.