Katie Powner’s When the Road Comes Around describes the unshakable bonds of family, with unique perspectives into the minds of mothers, sons, and those with special needs. This heartwarming tale is a must-have for every bookshelf!
I absolutely loved Powner’s ability to take the outcasts of society and make them the stars of this novel. The high school failure, the autistic kid, the snobbish rich girl…we might shy away from them in real life, but Powner powerfully demonstrates that we miss something very special when we are quick to judge those who are different.
Seeing beyond the surface of a person’s life is difficult. Not many people can do it, or even want to. But when we are quick to love and show grace freely, that’s when lives are transformed.
The Themes of Grace and Trust
The protagonist, known affectionately as “Tad,” has done little else except mess up since…well…forever. No one in his small town of Montana believes he’s capable of achieving anything great in life. When a rancher and his wife (Dan and Anita) take a chance by hiring Tad as their summer help, Tad is desperate to prove he can be trusted.
But as the mistakes pile up, even the never-ending patience of Anita is running thin. Will they keep giving Tad second chances, or has his bad reputation proved irredeemable?
When Tad is abruptly handed the biggest plot-twist of his life, he also has to learn to show himself grace and believe that he can change. He has a choice: to continue living the reckless and wild lifestyle that has him ensnared, or find the strength to reach out and ask for help. Trust is terrifying, but it might be the only way to survive what’s coming next.
Tad’s character was so real and authentic. I wanted to groan as he slipped back into old habits and cheer him on with each victory. It was an absolute delight to follow along with his story.
The Theme of Releasing Control
Another main character is Sam – Dan and Anita’s special needs son and only child. Sam is most likely autistic, and while he deeply loves his parents, elderly dog, and Tad as his new best friend, he’s starting to wonder if there’s more to life than his parent’s endless rules, invisible boundaries, and suffocating attention. Why can’t he have his 21st birthday party in the town’s finest restaurant and bar? Why can’t he get a job in town? Even rules such as “Don’t go outside at night” don’t make any sense.
Sam knows that secrets are bad, but “pinkie promises” are exciting ways of keeping friends close. When one pinkie promise after another goes wrong and Sam finds himself experiencing far more of life than his parents ever intended, Anita struggles to accept that her child is growing up. In a hard and mean world, who will keep her precious son safe from the dangers he is clueless about?
It goes against all of her motherly instincts and Anita wrestles with surrendering her need for control to God. When she finds herself unable to solve every problem and protect every person, she has to learn to trust the One who can.
The Theme of Special Needs
It was moving to read several chapters from Sam’s perspective. The entire tone and terminology changed. Powner gave the reader an intimate look into how Sam saw the world, not as someone broken or in need of fixing, but as a precious individual who simply sees life differently.
Discussing developmental and neurological differences can be difficult. I greatly appreciated how Powner presented this sensitive theme with compassion and love. Sam was great with the animals, a fiercely loyal friend, and deeply loving son, but Powner was also honest about the struggles and tension neurodivergence adds to a family. I would wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in seeing how autism affects individuals, but doesn’t want to wade through an impersonal psychology textbook.
Sometimes, stories are the best way of seeing people for who they really are – beyond a diagnosis or list of symptoms.
Final Thoughts
This was a heartwarming story of love, redemption, and the importance of second chances, especially with family. It has a beautiful perspective on special needs and the grace that everyone deserves. You can read When the Road Comes Around for yourself HERE.
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