Beth O'Leary always does a great job in developing a cast of characters that stand out for their unique personalities and relationships, and The Road Trip delivered another set of quirky, broken, and at times humorous characters that keep the reader interested and engaged.

I have read a lot of books lately that are using the parallel timelines (past and present) to tell a story, with the twist of main characters having a history, with some type of break in their relationship, that unwinds through the parallel timelines. The approach is getting a bit tired, especially as the last 3 romcom's have all followed the one time lover, now awkward interaction stage pretty consistently.

While the book does deliver some laughs with "everything is going wrong" road trip to a friends wedding, there were also a lot of darker moments, as pasts are revealed. And the book does a fairy good job of addressing hard topics like assault, mental illness, and forgiveness.

I did think the book wrapped up things in a pretty bow, which I enjoy and expect in a true rom com; but this book has more depth than the typical brain candy novel and could have done better at the last 20% of the book in how it chose to conclude the characters open issues.

This novel has an easy to read style and a feel-good story. I preferred The Flatshare and The Switch but still an enjoyable read.

While I love an awkward forced proximity story, this one just left me anxious.

The writing and structure of this book are great. I feel like Beth just gets better and better, however the story and characters left me uninterested or straight anxious.
What started off fun and quirky, soon turned into dragged out insta-love with what felt like a forced dramatic element thrown in. I felt no connection to the characters and did not like where the each ended up.

Thank you @netgalley and @berkleyromance for the opportunity to read an advance reader copy in exchange for a review.

(This review contains SPOILERS)

I am a huge Beth O'Leary fan and whenever people ask me for book recommendations, I usually include The Flatshare and The Switch in my list.

The Road Trip is O'Leary's third book and if I were to compare it to her first two books, I'd say it's fairly similar to The Flatshare in terms of the dark topics it deals with and darker and grittier than The Switch.

TW are 100% in order here: stalking, addiction, toxic relationships, toxic masculinity, depression and attempted rape.

What I liked most about the book was the book's structure and writing (excellent, as always). The book is split in two different timelines and uses a dual narrative. It starts off with Addie and her sister going off on a road trip to attend a mutual friend's wedding and accidentally crashing into Dylan and Marcus' car (who are on their way to the same wedding). They decide to continue the journey together in one car. Dylan is Addie's ex and through flashbacks we slowly discover what drove Dylan and Addie apart...and the role Dylan's best friend Marcus played in it.

I found the story slow to start off with - but at around 30% in I found myself really invested in figuring out what went on between Dylan and Addie, and Marcus (Dylan's best friend). In that regard, the book was a 5 star read for me.

The problem I had though is: I didn't like any of the characters. I never felt I got to know Addie really well as a person and as much as I sympathised with Dylan's (mental health) struggles...I was never rooting for them as a couple and the ending just left me feeling meh as a result. I actually found their relationship to be quite unhealthy and toxic and the big reveal...well, I didn't buy it and I found it far-fetched.

I think the message of the book is that no matter how flawed we are as individuals, we all deserve a second chance and are worthy of love; I fully agree with that message. However, some of the characters' actions in this book made me feel *really* uncomfortable and this is why the optimistic ending just didn't work for me.

I'd still recommend this book though and I think it would generate excellent discussions at a book club about mental health,

I loved the Flatshare and The Switch was cute, but I did not like The Road Trip at all. I rarely give one star reviews, but there wasn't a single thing about the story or characters that redeemed it even though I kept hoping. This is not criticism about the writing: O'Leary builds complicated characters and dramatic storylines with plenty of hijinks. That being said, about 30% of the way through I decided I would not care if these characters drove off a cliff and that feeling never changed. I'll still read whatever O'Leary writes next because every single novel she's written has been radically different and that's pretty impressive.

To say I had high expectations for this book would have been an understatement. But unfortunately it not only didn’t live upto but I had to struggle quite hard to even finish the books. The characters felt very shallow and superficial. The romance was something along the lines of insta love which I hate. So all in all not a book I enjoyed or would recommend but if you are a fan of Beth O Leary, you can maybe give it a try.

Relationship Fiction, Well-Developed Characters, Reunited Exes

The Road Trip introduced the reunited exes trope to me and I struggled unraveling the truth of what tore Dylan and Addie apart. But, the slow burn was worth it to discover truly developed, flawed characters and an acceptance that Beth O'Leary isn't constricted to writing just one kind of character, actually a celebration that she so deftly creates characters in this story that are unique and honest about struggles with mental health. The dual narrative + flashbacks to 4 years previously adds suspense and depth to this road trip gone bad story as well.

Wow, wow, wow! The Road Trip was an incredible read. It's an insane mix of road trip comedy/tragedy/drama/romance mixed with flashbacks to a traumatic event that somehow works entirely to create a completely wonderful book. It's a simple road trip to a friend's wedding with a sister that turns into an everything-bad-that-can-happen-will-happen with an ex-boyfriend, his best friend that you hate, and Rodney.

Addie, Dylan, and even Marcus are such complex characters that unfold throughout the story, and it really sucked me in from start to finish.

I don't know if I've ever read a book that's remotely similar to The Road Trip, but somehow it made me think of "Normal People" by Sally Rooney, but then again not at all. I highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys a good unravelling of a plot and history of two characters formerly in love.

If it wasn't for the fact that this is a popular author (whose first two books I enjoyed very much!), I wouldn't get this for a public library collection. The story was so extra - one family/group of people being uber rich, the romance actually felt like a pretty unhealthy relationship to me, the almost sexual assault at the end, the weird twist with the best friend didn't feel like it fit at all. I wanted to like it, but this just didn't sit right with me.

I've been a fan of Beth O'Leary since reading The Switch. Needless to say, I was excited to read The Road Trip.

CW: sexual abuse, threat of rape, stalking

The Road Trip opens with a bang, er a crash. Dylan and his friend Marcus have left for their friend’s wedding in Scotland. Dylan catches sight of the woman in the mini in front of them, and is convinced it is his ex-girlfriend Addie. Whom he hasn’t spoken to in two years after a bad break-up. This distraction leads to him driving into the back of the car.

Only for Dylan to find out he was right and that it was Addie, and her sister Deb. Along with a mysterious passenger Rodney, who were also on their way to the wedding. Having wrecked the car he was driving, Dylan, along with his friend Marcus, decide to travel together in Deb's car. What could go wrong?

This trip was filled with resentment, grudges, unfinished business, history, and lost love. It alternates between the past and the present, giving us glimpses of what happened when Dylan and Addie dated for the first time.

I thought the intrigue and mystery were great in this book. I wanted to finish so I could find out who Rodney was, why Marcus didn't seem to like Addie, and what happened to end Dylan and Addie's relationship. I couldn't put this book down while uncovering what happened and how they could possibly heal.

If you're looking for a second chance book with twists and turns, you should check out the Road Trip. It was funny, heart-felt, and it made me cry.

Addie and her sister are traveling in their Mini to Scotland for a friend’s wedding. Along for the ride are her ex boy friend, Dylan, his best friend Marcus, and Rodney, a random guy who needs a ride to the wedding. . How cramped is that car? This awkward journey takes lots of twists, turns and delays. Along the way, Addie and Dylan sort out their break up and the choices they made. Humorous in parts,; introspective in others.

Wowza. This was an extremely high-degree-of-difficulty book. It's a rom-com that is also angsty and dramatic, with extremely traumatic and emotional reveals. It's told in alternating Then/Now chapters with alternating she said/he said sections. At the beginning--and even throughout--it's unclear that the main characters are actually going to be worthy of one another, and whether side characters are going to be redeemable at all. A lot of it is a bit implausible and yet.....it all comes together and just WORKS.

Addie and Dylan fell in love quickly, and their relationship moved too fast for them to ever really get to know each other. They broke up even more quickly, in a traumatic, ruinous fashion. A quirk of fate has brought Dylan, Addie, Addie's free-wheeling sister Deb, Dylan's outrageous best friend Marcus, and obsequious stranger Rodney, into Deb's tiny car for an awkward, sweltering 400+-mile drive across England to Scotland for a friend's wedding. If it can go wrong on this ill-fated trip, it will.

Addie and Dylan have never really gotten over one another, and Marcus bears a large responsibility for their troubles. Fortunately for Addie, she has Deb who, despite her devil-may-care attitude toward life ALWAYS has her sister's back.

A satisfying roller-coaster of a read. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion which is "READ THIS."

This is part road trip part exploration of how these two people's relationship imploded.

Picture this: you’re on a road trip with your sister to a friend's wedding. Life has a wicked sense of humor, and you end up having to drive your ex-boyfriend and his best friend, who you haven’t seen in nearly two years. Let’s just say it wasn’t an easy split, and now your both stuck in a car. Fun.

Alternating between past and present, we get to unravel how Addies and Dylan’s relationship started and ultimately came to a demise.

I sat down to read this book, thinking I would get through a few chapters. Well, in a turn of events, I became trapped in this story and didn’t dare leave my spot until I finished reading.

This was definitely an addicting story with lots of heart and humor. That being said, the author didn't shy away from broaching more serious topics. If you like Beth O’Leary’s books, you’ll surely love this one. If you haven’t read any, this would be a perfect one to start with!!

TW: depression, sexual assault, alcoholism/drug use

Thank you to Berkley for my ARC

Just finished reading THE ROAD TRIP by Beth O'Leary. I received this ARC from Berkleypub via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Official publication date is June 1st, 2021.

As a huge fan of THE FLATSHARE, I couldn't wait to read this one.

Addie and her half sister Deb are road tripping to their friend Cherry's wedding in the north of Scotland. It's supposed to be a fun girls trip. But when a car slams into the back of theirs 5 minutes into the trip, their plans go out the window.

Dylan, Addie's ex who she hasn't spoken to in two years turns out to be the driver of the other vehicle. It seems he and his best friend Marcus are also heading to the wedding, and their car is now totalled. So Addie is forced to offer them a ride, even though she despises Marcus with a passion.

The car is soon overwhelmingly full and Dylan and Addie can't avoid confronting their history during this excruciatingly long drive, will they make it to the wedding on time and in one piece? Will they be able to forgive each other and move forward?

Told from Addie & Dylan's point of view, alternating between the then and now, will keep you hooked to the last page. The chemistry is on 🔥 between these two, and the band of misfits friends we get introduced to along the way made the story. Definitely a must read about love, friendships and second chances.

Beth O'Leary, you are amazing. I loved The Flatshare and The Switch. Both were 5 star reads for me. I thought that there was no way she could pull a hat trick and have number 3 be just as good. Well...The Road Trip delivered and is, in my opinion, even better than the first two! It is now my favorite of hers. Beth just knows how to write a witty, hilarious, heartfelt book that makes you cry and laugh. Sometimes on the same page.

*Quick synopsis*
Addie, her sister, Beth, and some random dude that needed a ride on Facebook, are headed to Scotland on a road trip to their good friend Cherry's wedding. Almost immediately, they get into an accident with Marcus and Dylan, Addie's ex-boyfriend, who were also on their way to the wedding. The boys' car is totaled, so they all pack into Beth's car and begin a crazy journey to the nuptials. Addie and Dylan's chemistry is still evident after two years and they are forced to deal with the messy breakup and all that led up to it, along with their lingering feelings. The group is faced with some crazy (hilarious) scenarios along the way and risk being late to the wedding. Will they make it on time? Will Addie and Dylan fall back in love? Who is this weird stranger in their car?

The story is told from both Addie and Dylan's perspectives and goes back and forth between "then" (when they met) and "now" (the road trip). Much like The Switch, the supporting characters stole the show here. They were all so quirky and flawed, but SO insanely lovable. I honestly can't even pick a favorite because they were all amazing. And Dylan and Addie's love for one another was so adorable and also steamy! Which is something that I thought was missing in her first two books. 🔥 She has quickly become one of my favorite authors and I can't wait for you all to read this one!! Preorder, request on Netgalley, recommend to your local library. It comes out June 1st! ❤

I really enjoyed reading The Road Trip. Addie is a great character. I would have loved more of Deb too. Coming from America - it felt far fetched that it to them SO long to drive to Cherry's wedding, LOL. Addie's sexual assault by her employer - that was maddening and as a reader I wanted better justice for her.

Curious - is the Dylan character somewhat inspired by Dylan in the series Heartsick? Thanks for the opportunity to read this one in advance. I know my contemporary romance fan patrons will love it.

Picture this, you are on a road trip with your sister, your ex (Dylan), your ex's friend who you hate, and an acquaintance that is a friend of a friend. Well, this is exactly what happens to Addie in Beth O'Leary's The Road Trip. The relationships between the characters alone provide you with constant entertainment along with some interesting scenarios that happen along the way.

I love how Beth O'Leary uses flashbacks to explain Dylan and Addie's relationship from how they first met to their horrific break up. She masterfully hops back and forth to give her reader's context in a creative way. If you are someone who enjoys characters with some complex, heavy pasts that come together and face their issues head on, then you will enjoy this book.

The Road Trip is the author’s third book, and her second rom-com. Maybe not surprising, but The Road Trip had a bit more grit compared to her earlier work. More depths. And also more emotions and carried a bigger punch.

The novel is split into two different timelines. And although I’m not usually a big fan of this kind of method, I loved how the author combined the two timelines. The back and forth allowed for a slow revelation that was actually quite powerful.

The present confronted the two exes, forced them into a small space for hours on time. And over the duration of the road trip small titbits of the past were revealed, and the dynamic between the different characters became apparent. The past told how they met in France and fell in love, which was one of my favourite parts, it also gave me the biggest case of wanderlust.

The road trip had some wonderful laugh out loud moments. It’s just such an iconic situation, to squeeze five people into a very small car and send them on a road trip. Hilarity ensues.

BUT there were also moments when my heart ached for them. Both, the past and the present had moments I adored, and also moments that broke my heart.

The characters, as expected in a Beth O’Leary book, were funny and genuine. People I would have loved calling my friends. Even Marcus grew on me, although he has still much work to do. I adored Addie and Dylan, which isn’t really surprising. But Addie’s sister was probably my most favourite character of all.

Overall, this book was another successful novel by Beth O’Leary. And I already can’t wait to read her next one.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy. This book started strong for me. I liked the disastrous road trip set up and the way the timeline switched back and forth between the road trip and the back story of Addie and Dylan’s relationship. With that being said, the Marcus character was just too much for me. I know the whole point of the book is redemption, but this character did way too much damage and was way too toxic for it to be even remotely believable that Dylan would have entertained renewing their friendship. Not everything or everyone is redeemable and for the author to write it otherwise felt off to me.

💫 Book Review 💫
The Road Trip by Beth O’Leary

Close your eyes and try and remember back to the last road trip you had... can be a childhood memory or one you took with your girlfriends, where did you go?
***
Author Beth O’Leary pens another fun, quick, charming read about a couple that find themselves on a road trip to a friend’s wedding. Too bad they actually haven’t spoken in 2 years. And the break-up was based on miscommunication so there’s a chip of hurt still resting on both Addie & Dylan’s shoulders.

If you’ve read ‘The Switch’ or ‘The Flatshare’, you’ll enjoy this little adventure into second chance romance. The one thing I didn’t like while reading it was the friend (you’ll see when you read it), but he drove me nuts with his jealousy. The good thing is that it all ties up nicely by the end of the ride 😉

The Road Trip comes out April 29, 2021. Thank you to Quercus for the gifted copy 💛 in return for an honest review.