Temple on the Highway

One crash. One temple. One choice that changes everything. Yuki Hayashi's life is falling apart. A struggling artist in Tokyo, she's late for the meeting that could save her career when a summer storm sends her car careening off the highway. Stranded and desperate, she stumbles through the rain to find an ancient temple hidden beside the modern expressway—a sanctuary that shouldn't exist. There she meets Ren, a young Buddhist priest with dark, knowing eyes and a past he walked away from. He offers her shelter from the storm, but what he really gives her is something far more dangerous: a mirror that reflects everything wrong with the life she's been living. As days turn into weeks at the temple, Yuki finds herself torn between two worlds. Tokyo calls with promises of gallery shows and recognition—everything she's worked for. But in the quiet of morning prayers and the beauty of ink on paper, she discovers an artist she never knew she could be. And in Ren's steady presence, she finds a connection deeper than anything she's known. But Ren has made vows he cannot break. And Yuki must choose between the prestigious career she's always wanted and a life that's truly her own. Temple on the Highway is a breathtaking romance about courage, creativity, and the collision between ambition and authenticity. Perfect for readers who love emotional journeys, spiritual awakenings, and love stories that defy convention, this modern Japanese romance explores what it means to crash spectacularly—and find yourself in the wreckage. For fans of: Contemporary romance, Japanese culture, artist stories, forbidden love, self-discovery, and second chances.