Found on the Road to Damascus: Blessed are the Opossums

by Robert Hornbeck

What happens when it is life that starts throwing you curve balls?

Minor league pitcher John Locklear has made isolation into an art form. Haunted by childhood trauma and hardened by years of struggle on the road to the majors, he’s committed to keeping his head down and his heart closed. But life has other plans.

When a series of personal crises collides with a chance encounter in the Pacific Northwest, John is forced to reckon with the past he buried long ago. From roadside diners to rainy baseball fields, he stumbles through grief, memory, and unexpected connections, guided only by the strange, gentle persistence of those who refuse to let him slip away.

Found on the Road to Damascus (Blessed Are the Opossums) is a moving work of contemporary Christian fiction that explores healing after childhood abuse, faith found in unlikely places, and the quiet power of kindness. Book 1 in the John Locklear series, it is perfect for readers who enjoy redemptive stories, spiritual transformation, and character-driven fiction with heart.

A heartfelt debut by Robert Hornbeck, a retired pediatrician and grandfather, this novel reminds us that even the loneliest roads can lead to grace.

230 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 8, 2025

About the author

Robert Hornbeck is a pediatrician retired after 40 years of practice, 10 of them spent leading a multidisciplinary team devoted to evaluating and treating child victims of physical and sexual abuse. He is an active member of his church in Jonesboro, AR, where he teaches Sunday School and volunteers at the church's large recovery ministry, Breaking Bonds He has been married for 40 years to his wife Vicki. They have 4 grown children and 9 beautiful grandchildren. In his spare time he enjoys writing, gardening, listening to music, raising chickens, and tending to a large koi pond. His e-mail is rghornbeck58@gmail.com and he would love to connect with readers. God bless!

Reviews

[Clara Booklovers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading Found on the Road to Damascus felt like walking alongside John Locklear rather than simply observing his story. Having finished the book, what stayed with me most was its honesty, healing is slow, faith is fragile, and kindness often arrives in quiet, unremarkable moments that end up meaning everything. John’s isolation, shaped by childhood trauma and years on the road, is portrayed with such care that his gradual opening to connection feels deeply earned.

The novel taught me that grace doesn’t always come as a revelation, it often comes through persistence, presence, and people who refuse to turn away. From rainy fields to chance encounters, the story gently shows how God works through ordinary places and imperfect hearts. This is a thoughtful, compassionate book that respects pain while still offering real hope.

[Maryann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting, Opossum Blessings

Weaving opossums, a persons many thoughts while facing past and present unexpected life experiences. A
well written story, learn a few new things, ideas to explore further. Ee
motionally engaging and a satisfying conclusion.
Hard to put down and yet after finishing I will probably read again.

[Colton Reeves · Rating 5 out of 5]

You can feel the author’s compassion guiding every page of this novel. The writing is gentle but confident, allowing the story to unfold naturally. It’s rare to find this level of sincerity in fiction, and it’s why I keep thinking about it. I’d easily recommend this to readers who value depth over drama.

[Jeff Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novel understands something important: healing is not dramatic, it’s slow, awkward, and often found in unexpected places. Robert Hornbeck writes with the steady hand of someone who truly understands human pain. The story never rushes John’s transformation, and that honesty makes it deeply moving. A beautiful debut and a strong start to what I hope is a long series.

[Derek Nolan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I haven’t started it yet, but the description alone already touched something in me. A man learning to reopen his heart after years of silence? That’s exactly the kind of healing story I need right now.

[Seth Coleman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story unfolds with a rare kind of patience and care. The writing is gentle yet emotionally layered, allowing the characters to feel real and deeply human. Nothing is rushed, and that’s what makes it powerful. The quiet moments speak just as loudly as the emotional ones.

[Jasper Fields · Rating 5 out of 5]

There’s a warmth in this book that makes you feel safe while reading it. Even when it explores pain and loss, it does so with compassion and understanding. The hope here feels earned, not forced, and that makes all the difference.

[Brandon Pierce · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novel carries a calm, steady emotional rhythm that stays with you. The author trusts the reader, letting the story breathe instead of pushing drama. That restraint makes the journey feel honest and meaningful.

[Micah Langston · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of those books you recommend without hesitation. Robert wrote this with wisdom, compassion, and remarkable restraint. It’s deeply moving in a quiet, lasting way, and I am not even done with it yet. I strongly recommend it.

[Felix Donovan · Rating 5 out of 5]

What stands out most is the sincerity of the storytelling. The book focuses on small, human moments that quietly add up to something profound. By the time you pause, you realize how much it has settled into your heart.

[Fern Patterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the tone of this book. Nothing felt forced or overdone, and the characters came across as real people rather than ideas. Robert gives the story room to breathe, which made the emotional moments feel honest.

[Gabriella Hayes]

I spent a lot of time sitting with this story after each reading session. The emotions unfold slowly, and that gave me space to really feel what the characters were going through. Nothing felt rushed or exaggerated. The quiet moments ended up being the most powerful for me.

[Julian Carter · Rating 5 out of 5]

I spent a lot of time sitting with this story after each reading session. The emotions unfold slowly, and that gave me space to really feel what the characters were going through. Nothing felt rushed or exaggerated. The quiet moments ended up being the most powerful for me.

[Alexander Porter · Rating 5 out of 5]

There’s something very steady and comforting about the way this book is written. Even when the story moves through pain, it does so with care and balance. The writing feels thoughtful and grounded. It made the experience feel calm but meaningful.

[Malcolm Stone · Rating 5 out of 5]

John Locklear is the kind of character you slowly grow attached to. His silence, his guarded nature, and the way he moves through the world all feel very real. Watching him confront pieces of his past felt intimate and honest. The story gives him space to change without rushing him.

[Aurora Mitchell · Rating 5 out of 5]

What stayed with me most was how carefully John Locklear is written. His struggles aren’t exaggerated, and his growth happens in small, believable steps. The author lets his inner world unfold quietly. That patience made his journey feel deeply human.

[Ethan Cole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Found on the Road to Damascus is one of those rare novels that doesn’t shout its message, it whispers it, patiently. The faith elements are subtle but powerful, woven naturally into moments of kindness, loss, and human connection.

[Avery Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

A heartfelt debut that proves you don’t need grand miracles to tell a story about faith, just truth, compassion, and humanity. Found on the Road to Damascus is about broken people finding light in unlikely places. I always closed the book with tears in my eyes and gratitude in my heart.

[Damien Giovanni · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m already emotionally invested and I haven’t even turned the first page. The idea of following someone like John through his quiet struggle and slow redemption is irresistible.

[Charloette Keep · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love books with soul, and this one sounds like it was written straight from lived experience. I’m adding it to my weekend read, something tells me it will hit deep.

[Eliora Vexley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve been looking for a story that feels both tender and true, and this one sounds exactly that. Can’t wait to start it and experience John’s journey for myself.

[Khloe Liam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Currently reading and honestly, it’s hitting harder than I expected. The small towns, the silence, the emotional weight, everything feels lived-in and beautifully real.

[Wesley Morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m a few chapters in and the emotional depth is unreal. John feels like someone the author genuinely knew, and loved enough to rewrite with hope.

[Daniela Cortez · Rating 4 out of 5]

I started this last night and I’m already attached. John’s loneliness and slow return to himself feel painfully real in the best way

[Madeline Brooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

There’s a raw honesty in this book that stayed with me. The author writes brokenness with compassion, and redemption with patience. It’s one of those rare novels that makes you feel seen.

[Bianca Reed]

What struck me most is how gently the book handles pain. Nothing is glamorized; everything is honest. It shows that sometimes the bravest thing we can do is simply face ourselves.

[Ronan Hayes · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m drawn to books that feel honest, and the author’s real-life experience adds a weight you can’t fake. I already know this is going to be an emotional journey.

[Ryan Calder · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story feels like it was written slowly, with care. It listens more than it speaks, and somehow that makes its moments of grace land even harder.

[Jason Whitlock · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was struck by how ordinary the setting is, and how extraordinary the emotional truth becomes. It proves that healing doesn’t need spectacle, only honesty.

[Owen Bradford · Rating 5 out of 5]

John isn’t presented as a hero or a victim. He’s simply a man carrying weight, and the book respects that complexity. That restraint is what makes it so powerful.