Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for an e-galley of The Lucky Escape.

Perfect for fans of Christina Lauren and lovers of rom-coms, The Lucky Escape is the perfect beach read.
Annie is ready for her big day, the day she says "I do" to the love of her life, Alexander. Her dress is perfect, everything has been planned to a T, and she can't wait to start the rest of their life together. All this comes to a screeching halt when Annie arrives at the ceremony, only to have the wedding planner tell her that Alexander will not be coming. In fact, he's already left and please don't contact him.

As her world crumbles around her, Annie's former in-laws insist that she still take the honeymoon to Australia they had paid for. She already had the vacation request in, why shouldn't she go? While planning for her departure Annie runs into an old friend from summer camp. On a whim, Annie asks Patrick to join her on this trip. As they explore Australia together, where will Annie and Patrick's budding friendship take them?

This book sat in my TBR pile for entirely too long and for that I am ashamed. Annie Wiig is jilted at the alter. Leaving the wedding planner to break the news, she's done up and arrives at the ceremony only to have her heart broken. After a few days of sadness, her soon to be in-laws gift her with the honeymoon she was supposed to be on. After meeting up with her childhood friend Patrick, she realizes hes the perfect person to non-honeymoon with. Platonically of course. 🙄

What follows is a mix of a fun fiction, romance, and sort of self help novel that I wish I had read sooner. One I'll also be getting in paperback because it deserves a reread. Annie and Patrick teach each other how to love again and how to live. Just as you are. With sizzling on the page chemistry and descriptions of Australia that made you feel like you are there, this was a five star read for sure.

🏖🏖🏖🏖🏖

Thank you to NetGalley, Laura Jane Williams, and Avon Books UK for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Unfortunately, this story did not do it for me.

There is too much inner monologue and since the main character is not very likable, this got very monotonous very quickly.

There is also a lot of telling and not enough showing. This made the story quite boring after a while and I found myself not caring about the story or the characters.

Also, the one-liners randomly put in this story regarding social commentary from body shaming to feminism, you name it, was not done well. It felt like the author had a checklist and ticked which -isms she intended to include. It did not add to the story. It just made the main character quite contradictory.

So after a third try of reading this author, I think it's safe to say that this author is just not for me.

This is one of those books that has been sitting neglected on my shelf for way too long. Finally opened it and I loved it! Annie Wiig gets jilted at the altar. Her inlaws agree to send her on the honeymoon in Australia they paid for. She reconnects with an old friend, Patrick, from a teenage theatre camp. He tags along, on the trip, and of course, sparks fly. More importantly, Patrick helps Annie learn about herself and she becomes a stronger person in the process - learning to stand up against bullies (her mom) and rethink what truly makes her happy.

Thank you NetGalley and Avon Books UK for the opportunity to read this digital ARC in return for an honest review.

Life never goes as planned and our protagonist Anne learns this in this story. Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for letting me review this book.

This is the story of Annie who was abandoned by her fiancé on her wedding day and then has to find herself. Along the way she does re-find herself and love, but this isn’t really a romance but rather “women’s fiction”.

Annie was dealt a very bad blow and has to pick herself up. Running into Patrick and going on a trip with him seemed to be the bolster she needed to start feeling better. I liked Annie, she felt like a truly realized character. I however wasn’t too fond of Patrick. I felt like he moved in on her too fast and that wasn’t too cool.

Overall, this was okay. Not the frothy romantic comedy I thought it would be but nevertheless a satisfying read.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

I have written so many quotes in my journal from this book and am going to most definitely have it on my shelf at home ASAP!

What a vulnerable and strong lead character Annie is?!?! And meeting a man who has gone to therapy? Man, so good!!

This is a must read!!

3.5 stars! This book was a fun summer beach read. It didn’t quite meet my expectations but I did enjoy it overall. The first half was a little cheesy and slow but it picked up once it got to the honeymoon portion. The story was well written and the characters were great. The last 1/4 of the book had a lot of potential to have a few heart breaking scenes (which are my faves) but it fell flat on that end. If you’re looking for a quick, fun & heart warming book, this one might be the one for you!

Thank you to the publisher and @netgalley for providing a free advanced copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

Another great summer read. Annie is jilted at the last moment on the wedding she thought was going to be as perfect as the life she’s always tried to have. The aftermath, including going on her ‘non-honeymoon’ leads her to discover the ‘perfect’ life she wanted wasn’t right for her. Cliches abound, from overbearing mother to the feisty best friend, but this was a light, fun read in the sun.

After being together for ten years, Annie is set to marry Alexander. When he did not show up at the wedding, everything crashes away. While she is trying to recover and makes sense of what happened, she meets an old friend Patrick. As they get to know each other again, they embark on the honeymoon. Life becomes real when they get back to London and they are to discover if they are meant to be together or not.

The premise of the cancelled wedding made me interested in this book. Like how do you recover when the groom didn’t show up at your wedding. The honeymoon part is still interesting as they try to put their past behind and enjoy the happiness they each deserve. And it’s Australia, love Margaret River, one of my favorite places to go! But it put me off that being there with an old friend who she lost contact with enjoying the honeymoon after being stood up. Then I lost interest when they get back to London and gets boring and not much has happened. From the very start, it’s way predictable and I wonder why the story drags on. The main character is so indecisive, can’t decide what she wants and I feel like it’s just gong back and forth. It also seems like there is no deeper connection of Annie to her friends an even her parents.

Thank you NetGalley and Avon Books UK for the advance reader’s copy in exchange of honest review.

This story has a good story and a solid message… but based on the cover and what the synopsis, it just wasn’t what I expected.

I enjoyed this book, a very cute and romantic story. A great summer read!

If only we could get to a summer hotspot this year, but a staycation will have to do!

Annie is all ready to marry her university sweetheart Alexander…the dress is on, hair and makeup done and when she arrives at the church with her little sister and dad at her side, the last thing she expects is to be left standing at the altar. Alexander has done a runner and instead of speaking to Annie, he texted the wedding planner asking her to break the news. Annie is left wondering how could life have taken such a cruel turn?

Grieving for her relationship, Annie decides to channel her sorrow into Boot Camp classes and it was there that she bumped into Patrick, an old friend who she used to attend summer camp with - and he is a reminder of happier days. So when Alexander’s parents insist that Annie still goes on the honeymoon to Australia that they arranged and paid for – she reluctantly agrees but spontaneously Patrick says he’ll go as her friend and companion, but what is it like to go on honeymoon with a man who isn’t your husband?

I loved, loved, loved this book and want to shout about it from the rooftops, but I suppose my blog will just have to do!!

This is a story of crippling heartache and I could really feel that – we’ve all had our hearts broken at some point in our lives, so we know both the physical, mental and emotional pain that Annie is going through – that moment when you first wake up and for about five seconds, you’ve forgotten that your life has turned upside down, and then when reality strikes, you want to growl like an injured lion at the pain you feel. All this came through on the pages – I felt Annie’s pain, and I longed to hug her and tell her that it will get better but thankfully she had a wonderful group of friends the “Core Four” who supported her during this harrowing time.
A large part of this book was set in Australia, a country I have been lucky enough to visit it was nice to hear about the trip to Manly, and the visit to the Royal Opera house, but this is a city so iconic that I think even if you haven’t been, you can see it in your imagination when it’s described on the pages.

This was a really lovely story that I didn’t want to finish as I became so invested in Annie and her life that I was desperate to know how things will pan out for her – a WONDERFUL read!

A big thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for the ARC. I am voluntarily reviewing this book. I have not read this author before. You just have to feel for Annie-who wants to get jilted at the altar? Alexander was a jerk-but truly a lucky escape for Annie. Patrick was a fun find. I found this to be a cute, different, little odd and out there yet also a tad funny. But I also found it dragged in a few places. Overall I think this is a great beach read/summer read. 3.5 stars

1.5 ⭐️

I didn’t like this one. It started off strong! But I became bored quite quickly, I found the story predictable and the steamy scenes were very cringey. I didn’t feel overly connected to the characters, Annie was bland. Not for me! Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the free preview in exchange for an honest review.

ONE CANCELLED WEDDING

When the day finally comes for Annie to marry Alexander, the last thing she expects is to be left standing at the altar. She was so sure he was Mr Right. Now, she has no idea how she could have got it so wrong.

First off, this is the perfect summer read! A cute book I didn’t want to put down, make sure this one goes on your TBR stack!

Annie is about to walk down the isle when her groom, pulls a Runaway Bride. Devastated, embarrassed, confused, poor Annie is just a mess.

Life starts to perk up a bit when she runs into Patrick, an old friend. Workouts and smoothies turn into a late night drinking, and Annie invites Patrick to the be +1 on her honeymoon. Pack your bags, because we’re heading to Aus!

This one checked all the boxes. Cute story, well rounded characters, and vivid description- I can’t wait to read her next!

Annie is jilted at the alter by Alexander and decides to go on their honeymoon with her friend Patrick who she has recently reconnected with. It takes them off on an adventure and what will happen next.

This is a fun summer read that is easy to read.

The Lucky Escape

Despite having ‘Our Stop’ sitting on my kindle for ages - I’ve still not read it. So I started my foray into Laura’s books with this - The Lucky Escape. Annie is jilted at the alter by Alexander and throwing caution to the wind she goes on her honeymoon without him - taking along an old friend she has recently reconnected with. Annie is a good girl - she goes what is expected of her and tries to keep the status quo and keep everyone happy. Patrick has a lighter outlook on life. So together they take on Australia.
I found this a bit of a slog at first. It just didn’t feel like it was going anywhere fast. However once the story picks up in Oz it was much easier to breeze through. Some bits actually made me laugh out loud. For that I’ve given it 4 stars. I think this book is hard to put in a category - it’s sort of a soul searching/finding yourself/rom com story all bundled it one. I enjoyed it none the less and I’m looking forward to finally reading ‘our stop’.

Wasn’t that just a cute story 🥰 it gave me a sense of a holiday that so many of us want right now 🌎

This was a light story with some important topics sprinkled throughout. Annie’s journey of self discovery, her willingness to experience new things, & her promise to live her life on her terms, made her VERY relatable & real ♥️ And Patrick’s past helped mold him into the person who lives for every moment 🥰

I also really liked Annie’s bonds with her little sister Freddie, & her group of friends (the core four) 💕 the loyalty made their relationships more real.

After a little bit of a slow start, this one dragged me in until the end 😊

This was my first Laura Jane Williams book and while I liked it, I didn’t love it. It was cute and an easy read - I just don’t think it’s a book that will stick with me beyond today. And that’s okay because we all need books like this sometimes.

Annie gets left at the altar by her fiancé, Alexander (whom she had been dating for over 10 years). He didn’t even have the decency to let her personally know - instead, he texted the wedding planner and then he disappeared off the grid and out of the country leaving Annie to pick up all the pieces. After Alexander’s horrified mom convinced Annie to still go on the honeymoon, she agrees - and then she asks someone to join her - a man she recently ran into again after not seeing him since theater camp when she was 14. We find out later that the man she asked, Patrick, is a widow and still grieves his wife.

You can see where this is heading - after a three week honeymoon in Australia, these two “fall in love” with each other. But seriously - can someone really jump from a 10 year relationship being dumped at the altar to a new relationship where that person is in love? I guess you will need to read it to find out. But the title is appropriate - Annie did have the “lucky escape” by not marrying Alexander.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. The opinions stated above are mine without biases.