I’ve read both of Laura Jane Williams’ other books and enjoyed them but this was my favourite of the the three. It made me feel like I’d had a holiday! I warmed to the main characters and really enjoyed their travels in Australia. Sure it was quite predictable but that’s what I wanted when I picked this up, a nice easy feel good read!

On the day that Annie is meant to marry her university sweetheart, Alexander, she is left at the alter and left wondering if her relationship wasn't as perfect as it seemed. She can't seem to see a way out of the pain and is questioning her life choices. Whilst trying to cope with what happened, she meets an old theatre friend, Patrick, at a bootcamp session and suddenly she is trying to be as carefree as he is. She vows to take life by the horns and do what actually makes her happy.

Annie decides to go on the honeymoon to Australia after persistence from Alexander's parents and after a drunken decision she takes Patrick along for the ride. Along the way, she discovers that there is more to Patrick than meets the eye and he is struggling with his own pain. Will they help each other to move on or will the holiday make things more complicated for when they get back home?!

I really felt for Annie and I cannot imagine how humiliating it must be to have been left at the alter. I thought Alexander was spineless and definitely not the star in the relationship. She was quite an indecisive character but I think she is so lost and unsure of herself that she doesn't want to make the wrong decision. It's hard knowing what is the right decision and making changes when you are settled in your life can be tricky. I also really wanted to steal Annie's dog Carol, I absolutely adore King Charles Spaniels and it made me want one even more. Patrick was an incredibly patient guy and very mature for a male character. He was supportive, cheesy and cracked me up at times.

I loved Freddie who is Annie's little sister and am secretly hoping that Laura Jane Williams will write a book about her, she sounds like she is going to be a force of nature and definitely a handful as an adult. I definitely feel there is a story there and it would be nice to see Annie again down the line. Annie's mum was a piece of work and I was jumping with joy when she finally stood up to her!

I really enjoyed reading The Lucky Escape, it was an easy-read and I got swept up in the story. It was all very Sex and The City like and the perfect escape from reality. It was an entertaining romance story and it will be a lovely beach read in the summer.

A good light read which would be ideal when on holiday. Annie is jilted on her wedding day and reacts like you would expect, however I was surprised at the amount of time between the wedding day and the planned honeymoon. Were the newlyweds going back to work between the two? I can only imagine they were as Annie was given extra leave on top of the planned time off for going away. The idea of her (should have been) future in-laws telling her she should still go and paying for the first class airline ticket name change for another man to go with her did seem rather unbelievable but then if the were rich enough to do so, why not.
The honeymoon was good and enjoyable to read about with the characters easy to empathise with.

So cute! I laughed out loud during several parts and had a goofy smile on my face during a lot of this book! It is the perfect pick me up book! Light fun easy read highly recommend!

This book sounded so cute when I first heard about it. Unfortunately the beginning was so slow and dragged on I just lost interest. I ended up skimming most of the way through this one.

I always love a good Williams book and this one certainly did not disappoint. I am a sap for vacation romances which is what led me here to begin with, but I am definitely glad I stayed.

Annie ends up being dumped at her own wedding and left not knowing what to do with her life. When she bumps into an old friend, Patrick, she decides to be a bit more spontaneous. Annie’s would be in laws are adamant that she should go on the honeymoon anyway and has no problems with her taking Patrick with her.

This book had such a fun idea behind it. I imagine that if I had been in Annie’s situation then I would like to think that I’d take up the honeymoon as well, rather than it go to waste. It was nice that there was a bit of a lead up to this part of the story though instead of it just being rushed into.

I loved the Australian setting but I wanted more. Some parts, Sydney in particular, seemed really rushed. Certain parts of the story could have been fleshed out a little more, just so it didn’t seem like some parts were skipped.

I also thought that there was a bit too much emphasis on the diversity of characters. Everything seemed a bit overkill for me. Some things could have been added in a more subtle way without it seeming like something was being forced.

However, although I had a few niggles, I did really enjoy this book. It was a fun read,

Thanks Netgalley for allowing me to read this book. Annie was excited about marrying Alexander, but was shocked when he left her at the alter. Annie decides to say to every opportunity she is offered. I enjoyed the chemistry between Annie and her friend Patrick.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for letting me read an e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Lucky Escape is an enjoyably fluffy rom-com read, but at times the storyline felt just a little too predictable for me to rate it higher than 3 stars. I have really enjoyed all of Laura Jane Williams’ books, and I do really like the fact that they all cover themes of finding your own happiness and learning to love yourself, but I think sometimes this narrative can feel like it’s being hammered home a bit too much? That’s definitely what I felt was the case with this book.

The portion of the book where the honeymoon takes place is super enjoyable to read, and the flirty tension between Annie and Patrick is great. I was a bit disappointed by the last third of the book when they return from the honeymoon, and then the plot threads seem to get a little bit messier. The final-act conflict between Annie and Patrick felt too easily resolvable and inconsistent with how well there characters had been communicating previously.

However, despite these grievances I would still recommend The Lucky Escape as an easy-to-read escapist (literally) romance.

The Path Of True Love Never Did Run Smooth❣️

Annie is jilted on her wedding day, her now ex contacts the wedding planner to give his excuses. After trying to come to terms with what's happened, memories of how she and Alexander met, their past, Annie needs to decide what's next... After bumping into a face from her past, Patrick whom she knew from her childhood, a night of free flowing conversation and alcohol, Annie agreed to take Patrick on her non honeymoon. With a start of the new day and a clear head, Annie's not so sure this is a good idea. After much deliberation, Annie decided to go with it, and the story unfolds from here...

The Lucky Escape is full of highs and lows for Annie, events over time eventually making her take a look at her life and stand up for herself, where the old Annie would've let it go. A great read with humour, romance and heartbreak, a book you can lose yourself in. For me this is my favourite book from Laura Jane Williams so far, would be good to read a sequel to this to see where the main characters go. Look forward to reading more from this author.

I DNFed this- it was not my favorite and I couldn’t get into the story. I feel like the plot moved fairly slow and I had a hard time relating to any of the characters.

What a fun read! I started reading The Lucky Escape in the days surrounding my decision to postpone my own upcoming wedding due to the ongoing pandemic - and what a welcome relief it has been from that stress! The Lucky Escape has excellent character building, and transported me from the same four walls I’ve seen nothing other than for the last 11 months in the snowy UK to the heat of Australia. I felt I was on my own luxury holiday with Annie, experiencing the wider world again - such a treat. A little slow to pick up, it took me a while to get into, but once Annie got on the plane, everything fell into place and began to race along (something I recall feeling when reading Our Stop a few years ago too). The Lucky Escape is perfect reading for a pandemic year, and one I’m certain people are going to find a lot of comfort in. Would definitely recommend.

This was a fun read. I really liked the situation that Annie is put in right at the start, it leads to a great character arc through the course of the novel. I also enjoyed her moments with Patrick and found myself smiling through reading them.

This was such a fun story with an unexpected theme. The main character goes through a period of growth and its nice to see her move from people pleasing victim; to a confident independent woman. Original idea that really works!

When Annie is left standing at the altar on her wedding day she thinks that she has lost everything that matters. A chance encounter with an old friend and a honeymoon to take are impulsively seeming like a good idea. The holiday most people could only dream about in Australia turns into something more magical as friends become more. Can this become real when they get back home to England, or was it really just a holiday romance?

I was so glad to get approved for Laura's third book as I really enjoyed the previous pair; and I must admit to not being disappointed with The Lucky Escape.

Jilted outside the church, with her groom letting the wedding planner break the news, Annie is understandably devestated and struggling to piece her life together without Alexander, her college sweetheart and The One. When she finally tracks him down, Annie realises that things may not have been as perfect as she'd first thought and she starts moving on with her life. When she meets Patrick, a man from her past life as a theatre kid, Annie throws caution to the wind and drunkenly invites him on the honeymoon her not quite mother in law has insisted she still goes on.

Armed with the persona she thinks people want to see, Annie starts to come out of her shell, the more time that she spends with Patrick, the more she realises that she has been hiding her true self away.

This book was funny, heartwarming and at times a tad cringe but it was afantastic read. The second hand embarrassment was real several times haha. Definitely recommend this one, it is the perfect holiday read!

Oh my goodness - what a lovely book. It takes you from the emotional lows of being left at the altar to the beautiful skies of a honeymoon without a husband. The book is well told, with a witty input of humour as the trip around Australia puts the couple into new and awkward situations. The happy ever after in romantic terms is never guaranteed and it almost doesn't matter! The journey that Annie goes on, ably assisted by mad friends and an adorable little sister is worth it whatever happens to Annie and Patrick!

Another wonderfully charming romance from Laura Jane Williams. I absolutely adored this and ended up reading it in two sittings!

The Lucky Escape was an unexpected favorite. While I generally have a hard time connecting with characters living across the pond, I felt an immediate pull from Annie and Patrick. Who hasn’t been dumped or felt they needed a drastic change in their lives? While most of us haven’t dealt with a tragic end to a relationship, I connected with Patrick’s calm demeanour and quiet optimism. His apprehension diving into a new romance was relatable. I thoroughly enjoyed the easy banter, Australian honeymoon and blossoming romance. I found the story uplifting and heartwarming. A good 4 star read.

3 stars!

I thought this book was a little slow and lost direction at times. I wasn’t a huge fan of Annie, the MC, so I think I had a hard time becoming fully invested. It starts with Annie getting left at the alter by her fiancé and then she goes on her honeymoon with a man from her fitness class. She used to go to camp with him and he always had a thing for her. The trip was pretty decent but when they returned from their ‘honeymoon’ it got pretty boring for me.

Overall, it was a quick read. I needed something light after a few heavier books!

Thanks Harper Collins and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.