“I don’t care about almost. I care about what really happened. Everyone’s got the potential to do the wrong thing - if we were measured that way, we’d all come up short. It’s about what you do.”

Quick Summary: Dylan and Addie broke up and now they are in a very small car together on their way to a wedding. This is the story between past and present, the highs and the lows of the relationship.

What began with a very slow start ended up redeeming itself in this love story following Dylan and Addie.

This is my first novel by Beth O’Leary and based on other reviews this book is not quite like her others. When I think “romance” I tend to think of something light-hearted and uplifting. I can’t say that this book fits that bill. The Road Trip felt a little gritty and real- peep the CW’s at the bottom. All in all, it made for a unique romance.

Honestly, I struggled with the first half of the book. It didn’t really grab me and there were a couple of pretty unlikable characters (*ahem Marcus*).

Nevertheless, I persisted. And I ended up liking it more by the end! One of my favorite parts of this book was the strong sisterhood-like bonds between the female characters. Addie’s sister, Deb, is one of my fave supporting characters to date. I also really enjoyed the character development. This was spotlighted as the narrative alternated between “then” and “now”.

This one was just alright for me. I recommend this for people looking for a bold second-chance romance.

Thank you Netgalley and Berkley Publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review! The Road Trip comes out in the US next week on June 1st.

3.75 stars

Content Warnings: Sexual Assault, Alcohol/Drug Abuse, Homophobia, Manipulative Behaviour, Eating Disorders

I did ask myself how Beth O'Leary was going to top her follow up to the Flatshare but she has done it again with this one! The novel is set mostly in the car and tells the story of 4 people who are all travelling to Scotland for a wedding. What transpires is full of hilarity and heart. I absolutely adored this book and was so sad when it was over. 10/10 awesome beach read.

This is a second chance romance told in alternating timelines switching between both main characters and where they are now in life vs when they first met.

Overall I enjoyed the book but I did have some trouble connecting with the characters. I found them kind of unlikeable in the beginning and it wasn’t until over halfway through the book that I really started to get invested. I don’t want to give away too much but there was a main plot point that I could see coming from a mile away which brought my rating down a bit.

There were quite a few funny parts pertaining to the road trip itself and squishing 5 adults in a mini cooper which greatly improved the story for me. I also tend to enjoy alternating timelines in books and this one was done well. I appreciated seeing the characters backstories and what went wrong in their relationship.

Thank you to the author, NetGalley, and Berkley Publishing Group for the early review copy. All thoughts and opinions are mine.

Huge thank you to NetGalley for sending me a copy of this arc! This was my first arc and it most certainly did not disappoint.

A contemporary romance about exes forced to take a road trip to a mutual friend's wedding? Sign me up!

I am not a critical reader by any means, I read to have fun. So I hardly ever think about writing styles when reading, but I am such a sucker for multiple POV and when a book switches from past to present. And The Road Trip had both of these! Which took the book from your typical rom-com to a book you didn't want to put down because you needed to know how they got where they are in the present.

Dylan's POV was my favorite to read, especially during the past parts. It was adorable seeing him fall for Addie from the very beginning. Going from past to present and having both character's POV helped me connect to the characters on a deeper level than I usually do with rom-com books.

I also really loved all the plot twists. You wouldn't think there would be as many shocking reveals in a contemporary romance, but this book definitely had them. It made me want to speed through the last 20% of the book to find out more, for sure!

Overall, this was a cute book from start to finish. Any other arcs I get will have a lot to compete against for sure!

I don't know words right now to be very honest.

I'm writing this review a few days after finishing this book and I still haven't made up my mind about it.

I absolutely adored The Flatshare and it was one of my favourite reads of 2020. So I was super excited and intrigued to see what Ms Beth O'Leary would do with this one. However, the storytelling technique is so different from what I expected. So I'm... unsure.

The writing is sublime. I also absolutely flew through it, couldn't put it down. It's told in dual-timeline which was perfectly executed. The characters are all really well-written. However, I just could not connect to any of them.

I didn't ship Addie and Dylan all that much. I mean I wanted to see how it'd end but I didn't really like how they got together in the first place and I think their romance was just far too messy. When I read romance, I (and this may sound silly) like to see myself in the relationship? But like, I would not want to be in this kind of relationship. I never truly felt that they were in love and on top of that, it's just too complicated. Like WHO wants to be in a relationship that's so hard?

Anyways, I still really enjoyed it and want to read more from the author. Just not exactly what I expected.

Two years ago Dylan and Addie were in love. After a rough split they now find themself forced into a less then ideal circumstance, on a road trip to a mutual friends wedding. Though the road trip is all but pleasant and it seems all that can go wrong does, they realize maybe their feeling for each other are still there but can all the past, hard feeling and betrayal be overcome?

I loved the last two O’Leary books but this one I just didn’t love as much! The book took a very long time to get going and I didn’t care for Marcus one of the side characters so much that I found myself distracted by him.

That being said, I absolutely loved the second chance romance troupe of this one and found myself really cheering for Dylan and Addie.

Can I just say YOU HAD ME AT ROAD TRIP?!?!?!?!?! I mean c’mon.

And the playlist for this one was nuttin’ but winner winner chicken dinner. Old faves .to new faves, I was truly having a Veruca Salt moment while attempting to score an early copy of this one.

Now that I’ve read it I have to confess that it wasn’t as good as The Flatshare or The Switch . . . . .There. I said it.
But good grief. What author out there can bat 1,000???? I will fully take the blame this time because I truly did enjoy the shenanigans and LOL-able road trip parts. Unfortunately one of the travelers was a Grade-A douche and even his minor redemption arc towards the end couldn’t save him from my wrath. While I was sympathetic to Dylan, I would never choose him to be a book boyfriend either. Not to mention the driving force behind the “then” segments. I’ve made my opinion perfectly clear on how I feel about that subject matter being turned into a tired trope. And the happily for now? Well, in the immortal words of Ms. Swift above, if I were Addie I would only be able to say - "we are never ever ever getting back together." I think their problems were maybe just a weeeeeeee too big to simply forget about and attempt a do-over.

But hey 3 Stars still ain’t bad and I’m definitely gonna be begging for whatever Beth O’Leary releases next.

ARC received from Berkley via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!

3.5 STARS

Addie and her sister, Deb, are headed on a long, slow trip to Scotland for the big fancy wedding of a close friend. Hoping to get an early start, things come crashing down literally when Addie’s ex-boyfriend, Dylan, rear ends their car. He and his best friend since childhood, Marcus, bum a ride with Addie although she is less than pleased to accommodate them. Their break up two years earlier was heart wrenching and devastating for both of Addie and Dylan. The last thing Addie wants is to be stuck in a tiny car with Dylan, the odious Marcus who had a dastardly role to play in the breakup, and a strange guy named Rodney who adds anther level to the lunacy of this trip.

Several mishaps occur along the way that are interspersed with Addie and Dylan’s backstory told in tandem with the chapters in the present. From their first meeting in magical Provence where Addie and Deb were caretakers for the summer in a beautiful villa while Dylan and his dissolute friends where there to party, Addie and Dylan’s relationship is chronicled starting with their beginning and going through the big blowup. Dylan and his friends are “intense posh people” newly graduated from Oxford University who behave like “they’re overgrown children” while at the villa. Marcus is particularly hard to take making this reader want to slap Dylan with his own book because time and again he allows Marcus’s antics to sabotage his relationship with Addie even after they are all back in England.

Addie comes from a working-class family with her half-sister Deb, all of whom love and care for each other. Dylan has some serious issues with his father that continue to torpedo his self-esteem while fancying himself as a modern-day Lord Byron writing tragic, dark poetry and struggling to find his course in life. Each of the car’s occupants who take turns driving add comic relief to the story including the dark horse, Rodney, while Addie and Dylan are coming to terms with their prior relationship. I like Addie and Deb a lot; however, Dylan and Marcus leave much to be desired. Dylan needed to man up in a serious way and when he did not, Addie decided three people in one relationship was too many.

Parts of this story are rather enjoyable especially with Deb’s alley cat morals and the challenges of their awkward journey while others are somewhat tedious with Marcus’s continued bad boy behavior and Dylan’s wishy-washy life choices, then and now. The chance for Addie and Dylan to find there way back to each other while squashed in a hot car on a seemingly never-ending trip is the most interesting and funny part of the story.

4/5⭐️ TW: Sexual Assault

To say that I liked this book is an understatement. I loved it!! In the beginning all you want to know is “What happened?!” And you go through this story of these two people who you spend this whole book rooting for. It takes you on a rollercoaster of emotions and keeps you guessing at every turn! I got to the point where I couldn’t put it down and I just had to finish and know how it ended. And boy that ending!

If you love a contemporary please read this book!! It was so cute and the perfect book to get me out of my fantasy binge I was in haha. I will address the trigger warning, there is a small scene with sensitive material that I felt I should acknowledge I’d that’s a sensitive topic for you. But please don’t let it discourage because it was handled well and again this book is so very much worth the read!! I will now be going to read as many other Beth O’Leary books as I can! :)

From the first paragraph, I knew this book would be a good one. I immersed myself into the book from the first chapter and I cannot say enough good things about this book! Honestly amazing! The writing is incredible and the plot is just one to die for. I am absolutely obsessed with this book. My favorite part would have to be the character development throughout the book. Character development is something I look forward to and this book did not disappoint.

I seriously never ever thought it’d be possible to find a couple I loved as much as Tiffy and Leon (The Flatshare), but Beth O’Leary has done it again... Although they were incredibly messy, came with their faults, and had a long journey to come into their own, Addie and Dylan were a delight to get to know.

Addie and Dylan end up on a road trip... together... and the estranged lovers haven’t spoken in two years. What was supposed to be a fun road trip to a friend’s wedding quickly gets awkward when an accident throws these two together again on a trip that’s riddled with disasters that prolong the journey... Will the time spent crammed with three other people in a Mini bring these two a second chance or will it deepen the divide forever?

I really enjoyed this book. I haven’t read 400 pages faster in my entire life. I was transfixed by unraveling Addie and Dylan‘s past and cracking up over the mishaps of the road trip at present.

Things I loved:

Non-linear timeline from both Dylan and Addie’s point of view.

Deb. I loved everything about this character. I want more of her, possibly her own love, or non-love, story... wink wink nudge nudge.

I also adore how Beth O’Leary writes her women. From the main characters to those on the sideline, all of her women turn their nose up to what society says they should or should not be, and are 100% unapologetically themselves. It is refreshing and empowering. I hope that it reminds every woman (and man) that it is okay to just be you.

Things I wish were a little different:

Addie’s forgives of Dylan. There needed to be more damage repair in this department.

I wish Rodney’s story was more fleshed out. Although a good side story, I would have loved for it to have gone a bit further.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

For fan’s of The Switch or The Flatshare, please note this does not have the same warm fuzzy feelings - it’s more raw with comic relief... But don’t let this deter you. Overall, I’d say this was another home run for Beth O’Leary. If you’re into second chance romance and love at first sight I’d definitely recommend taking a Road Trip this summer.

Trigger Warning: toxic relationships, alcoholism, sexual assault - If these are a trigger for you, read with care, if you have questions please feel free to DM me.

Every time this author comes out with a new book I must read it. I was a big fan of The Flatshare and although I still wasn’t sold on her last book, The Switch, I still liked it enough. I really fell back into her writing with this one and enjoyed the unique plot centered around a road trip.

The book is told from two point-of-views, Dylan and Addie. It also is told from two timelines as well, Then and Now. I liked the added bonus of the “Then” plotline because it gave information about their past relationship and what went wrong. It builds their characters as well as the minor characters like Marcus and Deb.

I can’t say that I cared for Dylan or Addie more than the other because they were both good characters. They each had their issues when it came to the relationship but it was nice to see them be able to resolve it even if the way it came about was unconventional and quite bonkers! It didn’t stop me from rooting for them though.

Marcus and Deb are the sidekicks of Dylan and Addie who definitely have a lot to say about the pair and their previous relationship. I liked the banter between them and it showed how much they care for their friend/sibling. I’m not going to lie, I did like Deb more as Marcus could be a bit of a dillweed but he did have some redeeming qualities by the end. The little plot twist for him didn’t really make sense to me but because I liked everything else I didn’t let it bug me too much.

Besides all of the relationship talk, there are a lot of funny moments from a guy named Rodney. He is so interesting and really became the comedic relief. I can’t say more about him though because it would ruin some of the fun of the book!

Overall, this was an enjoyable read. I liked the unique setting of it being a road trip as well as the characters. If you haven’t read any of her other books I would definitely recommend them! Each one has something unique about it.

Oh, let me count the ways I adore this book. Beth O'Leary must have a magical pen (or keyboard, more than likely).
The Road Trip is one of my most anticipated reads for 2021 and it absolutely did not disappoint. The cast and setting is extraordinary! I love the second chance/forced proximity mash-up and they happen to be favorite tropes of mine individually. Putting them together? Simply irresistible. This book features a dual timeline and dual POV. The mix of the two blends perfectly over the course of the novel as glimpses of the past merge with the present.
Addie and Dylan have instant chemistry when they meet on holiday (for Dylan, summer work for Addie) in the French countryside. Nothing can possibly err when their passionate affair is all consuming. In the present, however, both are heartbroken. A car accident forces them to face each other and their past over a very messy and difficult trip north to a Scotland wedding of a mutual friend. With three other grown adults in a Mini Cooper, there is nowhere to hide.
After The Flatshare and The Switch, Beth's writing continues to feel unique and timeless. I am a big fan of all three and already need to know what's next! Whatever it is, I'll be waiting somewhat impatiently. In the meantime, I'll happily reread these three on my shelves.
Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for the advanced copy. All thoughts in this review are my own.

If you think you know road trip romances, think again... this may be one of the most original books I've read in a while. Full of unpredictability, twists, depth, and the perfect side characters, this is a book I'm still thinking about the day after.

I liked the book, and it is inarguably beautifully written--even integrating lines of prose that I can't imagine coming up with. O'Leary is a masterful writer. But this is not a light rom com. If anything, it's a bit dark. I haven't read The Flatshare, but from my time reading The Switch and what I've heard about The Flatshare, this one is a bit different. Told in alternating perspectives (between Addie and Dylan) and alternating timelines (then and now), the story shows the beginning of Addie and Dylan's relationship, and the present, after their demise, as the two are stuck in car with each other on a road trip to a friend's wedding. The other characters in the car--Deb, Addie's sister; Darcus, Dylan's best friend; and Rodney, another wedding guest--add a lot to the plot and none of them are inconsequential or insignificant even as they first may seem.

This is a book that got me thinking, and I quite wrap my head around it still. Like, I know the book was good, but I can't decide how it made me feel, you know?

Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for my eARC! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

5 stars - 9/10

Unfortunately this didn't really sparkle for me the way the Flatshare did. I felt like the Flatshare was sexy and smart and well-written, and I was so invested in the romance. The Road Trip, by contrast, was full of some truly terrible people who I did not want to read about (I would hate to be trapped in a car with them), and ultimately, I wasn't really invested in the main couple getting back together.

IT IS SO REFRESHING TO READ A ROMANCE THAT IS UNPREDICTABLE. I fell in love with O'Leary after I read Flatshare (I mean, one bed trope - yes please!!). I then fell in love with The Switch and have been waiting so patiently for The Road Trip. I devoured it. It was fresh and exciting and unpredictable and lovely. If you love second-chance romance then this is your book. If you don't care for second-chance romance, this is still your book. I will be recommending The Road Trip to library patrons, friends, and family.

The Switch is still my favorite work of Beth O'Leary's, but this is a close second. The story progresses nicely with showing growth of each of the characters. There are a few that was almost a side thought, but it was great to see the relationships between the main characters grow and evolve.

Parts of this (the present-day road trip) were DELIGHTFUL. I laughed out loud so many times.

Parts of it (the flashbacks to two years before) were good... and parts were really painful. There was one character in particular who made me SO ANGRY. And I was so annoyed that another character couldn't see through their machinations.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

Holy rollercoaster, batman! THE ROAD TRIP by Beth O'Leary had me up and way way down. For about 70% of this book, I planned to give it two stars. It's only because I've loved the author's other novels that I pushed through to the finish. And I'm glad I did. The novel comes together with consummate skill. Note to self: don't doubt the O'Leary.

If I'm being honest, this wasn't a wholly pleasurable read. But even while I was hating this book, I absolutely respected the fact that O'Leary was accurately describing real personality types. And she was very, very good at it. In fact, I think her portrayal of that whole world of the super rich seemed quite authentic. Unfortunately for both of us, I don't have much patience for rich offspring trying to find themselves.

O'Leary also dips a toe into the murky waters of mental health issues. I think she could have gone further in this regard, and that's one of the reasons this book isn't getting a five star rating from me. There is some astonishingly bad behavior in this book, but the reckoning that brings about the HEAs (and there is more than one) happens almost entirely off-page. I would have liked to see a little more of the effort and hard work that the offenders expended in order to redeem themselves. I think it would have made it even easier to swallow the HEAs. And I think it would have shone a light on mental health in an accessible way.

Overall, I think THE ROAD TRIP is a well-crafted novel, and the author's talent is unquestionable. It really comes down to whether you can stomach the plot. Some people won't be able to; I almost couldn't. But I'm glad I stuck it out and would recommend that others do too.

I’m not sure where to start with this review, the synopsis caught my eye and I decided to give this new to me author a chance. I’m a lover of road trips and have read a few books with a road trip theme, but this one wasn’t fun, or exciting, it was disasterous and quite frankly, sad. I wasn’t all that pleased with the outcome to be honest. This book contains toxic people, toxic relationships, homophobia, sexual assault, and very few likeable characters. Add in the never ending flashbacks, the insta-love at the beginning which wasn’t at all believable, a hero who is quite honestly a wimp, his best friend who is the worst areshole on the face of the earth, and basically no plot and this book just didn’t work for me.