Narrow the Road

Narrow the Road is a mix of western adventure and Southern Gothic. The narrative follows a protagonist searching for his father.

The prose is solid and consistently elevates the story. The novel tackles heavier themes like loss and morality without coming off as preachy, while the humor lands well and provides much-needed comic relief.

This isn’t quite a can’t-put-it-down read, but that’s actually a strength. It unfolds at a steady pace and is never boring. Each encounter on the journey brings fully realized characters, each with a distinct, authentic voice. Wade has a remarkable knack for fleshing out characters so they feel real and memorable.

Overall, this is one of the best 2025 releases I’ve read so far. I’d recommend it to anyone who enjoys westerns or Southern Gothic, especially readers drawn to character-driven storytelling over plot-driven suspense.