To my sisters, Melanie and Amy, for the quiet, gentle ways they have been blessings in my life and in this project. The encouraging e-mails, texts, and Facebook comments have sustained me. Our roads have all been broken in different ways, but they always lead back to one another. I am so grateful.
To Amy S., who drove eight hours to be background talent and spend the day with me at church scenes during filming, and who offered her loving support through every step of this process. Our adventures continue . . .
To seasoned author and former classmate Travis Thrasher, who answered my slew of novel-writing questions. Who knew back in our college days in Chicago that we’d end up connected in this way? Thank you.
To Kyle L., a former NASCAR mechanic (and now friend), who helped me tweak the racing scenes to sound exciting and authentic. Thank you for indulging my racetrack ignorance and making this novel better!
To my agent, Julie, thank you for believing in me and opening amazing new doors! I’m sure signing on with me has been an unconventional ride. I promise you more adventure to come!
To my editor, Beth, for seeing the potential in this project, and for her patience and encouragement. You can’t imagine how relieved I was after sending you the first draft to hear you say, “You did a fantastic job!”
To Steve and Bess. What a gift your friendship has been! All because of this story.
To the amazing cast and crew of God Bless the Broken Road. During the shoot, you all rose to the task, day after bitter, cold Michigan day. You were never mediocre. You were always excellent! Thank you!
And to Ryan, my husband. You were there when GBTBR was just that little mustard seed of a story. You understood (and graciously endured) my crazy hours, late-night meetings, and bouts of writer’s angst. You flew to the set three times during filming to be a part of the Clarksville world. And then on the way back to LA, you took the wheel thirty-four of the thirty-six hours across the United States as I furiously pecked out this novel on my dinosaur MacBook, barely looking up to see the country go by. The journey has been so much bigger than just this project. You never doubted. You never let me quit. Thank you for blessing me with your love on all the roads we’ve traveled together. I love you.
About the Author
JENNIFER DORNBUSH is an accomplished screenwriter and penned the script for the film version of God Bless the Broken Road. This is her first novel. She lives in Los Angeles.
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Howard Books
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This book is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, real people, or real places are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and events are products of the author’s imagination, and any resemblance to actual events or places or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
Copyright © 2017 by Jennifer Dornbush
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First Howard Books trade paperback edition June 2017
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Interior design by Davina Mock-Maniscalco
Auhotr photograph © Jennifer Dornbush
Photograph of couple by Cavan Images
Photograph of flag © Shutterstock
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Dornbush, Jennifer, 1971– author.
Title: God bless the broken road : a novel / Jennifer Dornbush.
Other titles: God bless the broken road (Motion picture)
Description: First Howard Books trade paperback edition. | Nashville, TN : Howard Books, 2017.
Identifiers: LCCN 2016044796 (print) | LCCN 2016050324 (ebook) | ISBN 9781501159596 (softcover) | ISBN 9781501159602 (ebook) | ISBN 9781501159602 (ebook)
Subjects: LCSH: Man-woman relationships—Fiction. | Mothers and daughters— Fiction. | Life change events—Fiction. | Single mothers—Fiction. | Widows—Fiction. | Grief—Fiction. | Domestic fiction. | BISAC: FICTION / Christian / Romance. | FICTION / Media Tie-In. | FICTION / Romance / Contemporary. | GSAFD: Christian fiction. | Love stories.
Classification: LCC PS3604.O763 G63 2017 (print) | LCC PS3604.O763 (ebook) | DDC 813/.6—dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2016044796
ISBN 978-1-5011-5959-6
ISBN 978-1-5011-5960-2 (ebook)
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