An impulsive trip across the pond becomes a life-changing journey for our heroine, Georgia "Gigi" Rutherford. In this delightfully witty story, Guertin explores themes of love, family, and self-discovery. Two for the Road is a reminder that life’s most cherished and memorable moments can be found in the most unexpected of places—even when it seems like everything has gone wrong—and how sometimes, the journey to yourself is where you’ll find everything you’ve been searching for.

There is incredible emotional depth to the both the story and the characters. Geurtin has an impeccable ear for dialogue made apparent by both the cheeky banter and touching conversations. Simply charming—like a pot of tea and a scone—and laugh out loud funny, Two for the Road is perfect for romance readers and armchair travellers.

Gigi falls in love with the narrator of an audio book and her friends surprise her with a trip to the UK to try to meet the man the voice belongs to.

I wish we could do half stars here, I would give this 3.5*. I'm rounding down unfortunately, because it wasn't completely worthy of a 4* read for me.

I found most of the story quite predictable, no massive surprises. It is a sweet romance with very little smut action which I was good with, the lead up to the kissing was well anticipated. I loved Taj, Angus, and the quirkiness of all the other tour bus characters. I even liked how Zane was portrayed, his unsuitableness being downplayed and subtle.

The pacing of the story was quite slow and became a bit tedious. Gigli was too flaky to be a believable level headed and cautious character. Her obsession with Zane was a bit creepy and annoying, and I hated that she was so resistant to participate in most of the actual tour things with the others. This didn't align with who she was supposed to be. The story picked up the last 25% and it became quite good, but not enough to redeem the first 75%. All in all, it was still cute and enjoyable, just not a favourite. "It is what it is"

Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book.

"Take the girl out of her Ann Arbor romance book shop, but you can't quite take the romance book shop out of her." This opening sentence perfectly captures the spirit of this delightful romance novel by Chantel Guertin. We follow the story of GiGi, who is gifted a fun trip across Britain by her friends for her 30th birthday...with a twist. The scheduled tour is guided by none other than the audiobook narrator whom she's been obsessed with for years. Once she meets the lauded Zane, will it be the perfect meet-cute like she's read about in her romance novels for years?

What I liked:

-The author effectively explores the theme of real attraction versus forced attraction, and the main character's growth in this area is a satisfying arc.
-The vivid setting descriptions of England make this book a perfect travel companion or a cozy read.
-GiGi's maturity in dating is refreshing, and her awareness of the pitfalls of hookup culture and internet dating is a relatable touch.
-The author masterfully avoids excessive drama for the sake of it, resulting in a satisfying and believable ending.

What could be improved:

-While this quick-read romance is overall charming, there were some parts that dragged in the middle.
-Some readers may have a hard time relating to the spastic and neurotic main character, whose quirks are the center of the story.
-The premise of the story may come across as a little stalkery at first, but it ultimately evolves into a charming tale of love and growth.

Overall, this is a heartwarming romance novel with a unique twist and relatable characters. If you're looking for a cozy read or a travel companion to England, this book is definitely worth a read.

I thought ‘Two for the Road’ by Chantel Guertin was a lovely little piece of escapism.
I do love a Canadian writer and this cozy little romance was a perfect getaway from a busy work week.
I will be honest in that I very nearly DNFed this book at the very beginning, because the premise of Gigi setting off on her English adventure was so goofy and cringeworthy, not to mention a little creepy, when she goes searching for the man of her audio book narrating dreams. Paired with her parents meet cute fuelling the obsession, it was so sappy it was downright saccharine. But I found the meat of the story and the chemistry with her little tour group cast of characters very charming, thus making this a fun and lighthearted read.
I was absolutely invested in all the many subplots, and while Gigi frustrated me at a couple points when indecision between what she wants and what’s actually right for her, forces some interesting decision making, but I guess that also made her more human as a character.
I also found a couple plot holes in the ending of the book, where everything felt rather rushed, which included a pretty heavy duty argument with a loved one that gets entirely glossed over in the next chapter.
I can’t say I loved this book, but I will say it was a lovely light hearted romance, for those seeking a little foreign escapism, but don’t have any desire to get off the big red bus. I do recommend it as an enjoyable, witty banter filled, heartwarming, novel that you will find yourself lighting candles for and treating yourself to a bubble bath so you can dive back into it at the soonest opportunity, but with feeling!

Thankyou to Chantel Guertin, Penguin Randomhouse Canada and Netgalley for the chance to read this book. Tthis book was just okay for me! It didn't draw me in like some books do, even though I love reading romances. The premise sounded appealing (hello, romance novel lovers!), but ultimately fell flat for me. I found Gigi a bit annoying/immature and I had trouble relating with her. Still a cozy story worth a read and will leave you with a smile on your face.

Two for the Road by Chantel Guertin brings you on a 10 day tour through England with Gigi, a bookstore owner from Ann Arbor and a cast of peculiar characters. Gigi’s friends gift her this trip of a lifetime for her 30th birthday, along with it the chance to meet the narrator of an audio book that has become a sort of safety net for Gigi. Gigi has been tied to Ann Arbor and the bookstore she took over running following the unexpected death of her parents, which has really prevented her from getting out to see or experience the world. This trip gives Gigi the opportunity to learn how important it really is to be open to the unexpected. A cute, quick read!

Thank you to NetGalley, Chantel Guertin and Penguin Random House Canada for an eARC of this book, in exchange for an honest review.

CW: death of parents at an earlier time, explained on page

So I thought I was getting a new read from this author but nope, it's Gigi, Listening with a new name.
I'm disappointed to say the least, but that's also what I get for wanting to read a book based on the author and not reading the synopsis. Lesson learned.
I gave it a 5/5 the first time, so we will leave it there.

A typical, formulaic romcom. Perfect if you want something easy, uncomplicated, and won't stay with you. This one is a solid 3 stars read.

Love books about books,, book sellers, authors, anything to do with books! Throw in a romance and I’m a happy girl! Loved the book recommendations peppered in throughout the book and the list of books at the end!!

“If I can’t have a story, I’d rather be reading my book.”

I need to preface this review by saying I’m a mood reader - so my review could very well be a reflection of that.

At some points this felt a little too uppity and motivational for my liking. I know a lot of people like that which is perfectly fine, it’s just not always my favourite. I do prefer the heavier reads to the lighter ones. This was just a little too clean.

The storyline was a little farfetched - traveling to another country to possibly meet an audio book narrator because you’re in love with him? The romance did end up being cute enough that I didn’t completely dislike the concept. All the book references helped too!

I’m sure this will be loved by most and hopefully readers still give it a shot!

Thank you to NetGallery and Penguin Random House Canada for this eARC!

I adored this road-trip love story that sees romance book store owner Gigi getting gifted a bus tour around English guided by the audiobook narrator she's convinced herself she's in love with. While the premise is a bit out there, I was completely invested in Gigi's journey to discover real life can be even better than fiction or fantasies and the cast of characters on the tour with her just warmed my heart with each of their different stories.

Great on audio narrated by one of my favourites, Natalie Naudus and highly recommended for fans of Thank you for listening by Julia Whelan. If you're looking for a feel good read with memorable characters and a sweet, PG/Hallmark style love story you need look no further!

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for early digital and audio copies in exchange for my honest review. This is my new favorite book by Canadian author Chantel Guertin - plus all the romance novel references were so on point and enjoyable for this romance bookstagrammer!!

CW: Sudden death of parents, grief, loss

Unfortunately there is no pdf for this book & cannot open on kindle! I therefore cannot read it sadly. I would love to in the future if a kindle version becomes available 🤍

Thank you for the ARC.

Overall, I went into this book thinking it would be super cute and heart warming. While some aspects of the book were, I could not shake the fact that the FMC was obsessed with a guy just for his voice, and convinced herself that he was her soulmate based on that fact alone! Honestly, it was just very creepy and cringe.

Unfortunately there is not an option to send to Kindle for this title, and for this reason I was not able to access it. I would be very interested in reading this galley if it does become available for Kindle viewing in the future.

Unfortunately due to the type of file, a protected pdf, I'm unable to access it on my Kindle. As a result I won't be able to read it or review it.

If you're able to provide a different file format I'd be pleased to participate.

Perhaps next time it can be noted in the email that this is the type of file being offered? Had I known I would have left one of the 200 spots for someone else to enjoy.

Thanks for your consideration.

Bookstore owner? Audiobooks? Road trips in the English countryside? Count me in! I loved this fun romcom. For me, the mark of a great romcom is well written side characters, and this book didn't disappoint!

I’m a sucker for books about books. Add in a tour of England and it is just perfection. I visited England a few times and it has stolen a piece of my heart. It is my all time favourite place to travel to. Being able to return from the comfort of my home was a nice little virtual escape.

This was a 5 ⭐️ read for me. It had talk of books and stories, beautiful English landscape, witty banter, swoon worthy men and was just a delight to read.

This book will be released on March 28, 2023 but I may have a special giveaway for one of my followers. Stay tuned.

Did I think this was a fun premise for a story? Yes!
Did I enjoy the characters in the book? Yes!
Is Author Chantel Guertin a good writer? Yes!
Do I think this book should be made into a series or film? Yes!
And yet the things I did not say yes to, like the length of the book, the slow paced lengthy chapters that created too much anticipation knowing full well soon into the book how everything was going to play out, was the downfall for me.
I skipped through a lot of side stories and undoubtedly missed a lot of great banter and secondary character’s stories because I just couldn’t keep waiting so long to finally read about the interactions of Gigi and Zane. It was a bit like each chapter was the same things on a new day.
I truly believe that this book is written in a way that would be perfect for a television series! And I would watch it gladly!
But it’s not a quick enough read for this genre and type of predictable story that it is.
And that bothers me to have to say that because I do love the Author’s writing style.
I would still recommend the book as it’s well written and some people may enjoy the multiple character’s storylines, etc.
Thankyou to Author Chantel Guertin, Penguin Randomhouse Canada and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book!
🤗🌸📚 @LastNowNext

3.5 stars

I was SO excited about this book, but I ended up having mixed feelings about it. As a romance lover, I liked the premise and the fact Gigi owned a romance bookstore and was quick to defend not only her preferred genre, but also her love of books in general. I loved the details and descriptions of the places they traveled to. That was the best part to me, especially since I’ve been to several of the places they visited. I enjoyed the cast of characters and how each of them had a distinct personality, along with something to teach Gigi.

Part of my issue was that I didn’t particularly like Gigi. While I ultimately appreciated her growth, it took her a really long time to get there, so her ‘redemption’ wasn’t the triumph it could/should have been for me personally. She had an incredible opportunity literally handed to her - a FREE trip to England - but all she could do was whine that Zane wasn’t there and wonder when he was getting there and not enjoy herself because, you guessed it, Zane wasn’t there. I kept wanting to reach through the pages and shake her, and I admit there was a lot of eye rolling while reading. I understand her disappointment, but there were times I felt like I was reading a YA book because she seemed more like an infatuated teenager than a thirty-year-old woman who owned her own business and had been living on her own for years.

As I said, I did ultimately appreciate Gigi’s growth. She learned a lot, she took chances, and she stopped thinking only about herself long enough to realize the error of her ways and make things right. While this wasn’t my favourite book, I did enjoy it for the most part and would recommend it to those who love travel romances, books featuring book lovers, those who enjoy enemies to lovers, and anyone who enjoys a big cast of loveable characters that give found family vibes.

Absolutely EVERYTHING I love in a book! A bookish romantic paradise set on a book lover's UK dream trip!

Guertin is in love with her characters, her setting and wisely knows to just let them take over each winsome, wondrous page.


This is a knowing, winking book at book culture's current love of audio books and romance and it takes a heroine as indelible as Gigi to validate our love for the sweeping grandeur of imagining and feeling and dreaming...

So, when Gigi slowly inches toward her unexpected happily ever after we hug her highs and recognize her lows...


but mostly we find a kindred spirit in a woman who looks like so many of us.

Readers of Lia Louis and Emily Henry and Beth O'Leary will be dazzled!