Dawn on the Road

Lea
Waterhouse
Genre: 
Young Adult

CHRISTIAN:  Dawn feels trapped by her family’s expectations for her future. She dreams of being a professional photographer and is suddenly given an opportunity to gauge her chances for success when she runs into an old friend. Justin is touring the country on the back of his motorcycle when he sees Dawn again. It’s been years since he confessed his love for his childhood friend only to be rejected. Still, now that he has found inspiration, he wants to help Dawn do the same, even if that means driving her to Canada so she can check out an art school and submit her portfolio for review. Unfortunately, Dawn isn’t truthful with her parents or Justin. With her lies quickly catching up to her, and Justin proving to be more than a little distracting despite the newfound religious beliefs she doesn’t understand, Dawn must decide what she really wants in life and how far she’ll go for it.

A contemporary Christian YA story, “Dawn on The Road” is a coming of age tale with a young woman who needs inspiration not only in her photography, but other areas as well. The romance in the story is interesting because the tale is less about Dawn and Justin as a couple and more about determining her dreams, so it takes a secondary position to what Justin is trying to teach her. Although the quick pace and abrupt ending detract from the story, overall, it’s a great read for teens trying to decide their own life’s direction.

Sarah E Bradley