Road Maps: A Novel

by Angela Youngers

336 pages, Paperback

Published November 11, 2025

About the author

Angela Youngers is a high school English and speech teacher in the Des Moines metro where she lives with her husband Jeremy and her two children, Tobias and Aubriana. She has her Bachelors of Education degree in Theatre and Communication Education from the University of Northern Iowa, an English endorsement, and her Masters in Education from Viterbo University. Angela has enjoyed having an audience, whether willing or captive, since singing in her father’s band at the age of five, performing in her first theatrical play as a freshman in high school, and teaching in the public school system since 2008. Angela has directed numerous plays; coached several events for IHSSA speech teams; written original ensembles and adapted several theatrical works for performance; encouraged and mentored students’ original writings; and worked to constantly foster a love of reading, writing, speaking, and performing in her students. She values communication, empathy, and creativity, and she believes the sharing of stories to be one of the most important human experiences.

Angela loves reading; singing and dancing in her kitchen; attending her son’s soccer games; jamming out to the car radio with her daughter; having late night tea and deep talks with her husband; sending exasperated yet comical texts and memes to her friends; and, of course, writing whenever she is not grading student work or taking care of her family.


My writing is a personal endeavor and is in no way affiliated with my school district of employment.

Reviews

[Ann Hanigan Kotz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Angela Youngers’s second book, Road Maps, delighted me as much as her first novel, Another Dance. Readers are taken through both a romantic journey as well as a journey through Iowa. Logan Sterling, the main character, travels through her home state with her estranged father, who is trying to rebuild their relationship before he dies. This storyline tugged at my heart as I thought about my own father-daughter bond. The romance storyline—a liaison between Logan and actor, heartthrob, Tom Price—pulled me in and had me cheering for their eventual hookup. The best part, though, was the twist. I audibly gasped. If you think you know where this book is going, you’re wrong. Loved the book and am looking forward to her next work.

[Mia · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are from Iowa, you will catch yourself smiling while reading- this novel has site specific details from all over the state that showcases the author traveled, did research, and had a reflective journey throughout Iowa landmarks. Playing with different forms of prose throughout, I was kept engaged and intrigued. The suspense of the story (and building of the love interest) kept me turning pages, and was emotionally satisfying with its realism. As someone who is also a member of the “dead dad club”, this novel helped me heal along the way.

[Maddy Turpin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting twist! Also like that it’s based in Iowa