A nicely written book about a couple experiencing a rough patch in their marriage and decided to take a year-long break from each other. Emma and Rob started living their own separate lives for a year. The book was divided into parts with different seasons. We get to know about both of their mindsets and their thoughts on the separation. The book was slow paced but an easy read. The characters were okay, I didn't love them but didn't hate them either. Through some ups and downs ,finally they found their way back towards each other. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC.

A couple who have been married for 26 years and has a son just going to college decide to take one year apart in hopes they will miss each other and get back together.

The concept sounded interesting. I mean who hasn't had these "what if" thoughts when they have been side by side with their spouse for so long? I was interested in reading this in hopes of getting some inspiring thought provoking lines around the expectations and reality of marriage but what I ended up getting is two points of views of very selfish thinking, the only character I liked was their son who was just spitting facts left and right about how his parents were behaving.

Anyway, this was a book I almost dropped several times and only finished in hopes of a happy ending.

The writing was good. The opening scene was raw and thrilling for what was to come but the rest of the book just didn't deliver on my expectations.

I finished it out of spite. It was bad. The main characters were so annoying and stupid and unlikeable. Especially Emma, who, even though cheats on her husband, gets mad when she sees him in a picture with a coworker. Like?

All in all, the characters were unlikable, the plot was flat, and it baffles me that this books is in the “Romance” category.

I have to give this book 1 star out of 5.

A wonderful read!
This novel drew me in from the very first page and kept me hooked until the end. The characters were vibrant and relatable, the writing was engaging, and the story had just the right balance of heart and humor. Highly recommend!
Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

I'm at a crossroads with how to rate this. I understand the commentary is not for me; I'm part of the generation these main characters seem to hate oh-so-much. I found both main characters tremendously unlikeable, and all of the younger people are basically caricatures of Gen-Z when most of them are actually millennials anyways. I wanted a story about a couple reinventing themselves to be more independent, but it was literally just them quietly despising each other a little bit and also hating themselves while projecting onto anyone who promoted awareness, opportunity, etc. The female building team especially was somewhat offensive; why is every woman of color treated as on the offensive against white men? While writing this review, I googled the author, and I have never been less surprised to see a man's face looking back at me. I realize this review itself is exactly what he thinks of young women apparently, but it was just a middle-aged man going unchallenged by the world yet getting angry anyways and a woman just being a hater who sleeps around--but still tremendously motherly, of course, who has to use her sexuality to feel empowered.

I had a really hard time getting into this book. There are some lovely scenes but I could not connect with the characters. I found them hard to relate to and did not think they had good chemistry together

A refreshing take on the typical 20-somethings that most RomComs feature. I always look for books that feature non-traditional characters (in this case older characters) and those that feature more than just the typical tropes. This book showed how marriage is so much more than just the union between two people... and that each of them have to love and find themselves before they can love each other.

Is a marriage gap year realistic... probably not, but it still inspires lots of thought provoking ways and efforts that can renew even a longstanding relationship.

Thank you to Net Galley for the ebook.

I really LOVED the idea of this storyline, but it fell flat to me. I just couldn't get into the characters as much as I had wanted to. Maybe it'd work better for audio but just my opinion.

Thank you for the ARC!

So while I enjoyed the concept of the story and the idea of it after being married for so long I get it…I also don’t know how I entirely feel about the book. The FMC was absolutely awful. She was so short with everyone and honestly wanted to have her cake and eat it too. She wanted everyone to do and agree with her. Her story kind of made me think of Idea Of You but she was just so judgey. I wish there would have been more to her friend Kendrys story instead of just being like oh she overdosed on drugs and is in rehab it’s fine. Of all things why did the FmC not push on this? And then to get jealous of her husband for standing with a woman in a photo yet she’s out boinking a young guy and he gets upset and she basically tells him to get over it? So much of this book weirded me out and rubbed me the wrong way

While this book was unique and had a plot line like no other book I have read, I didn't quite click with the book and the characters.

The reasons for the marriage gap year wasn't detailed and was abruptly thrown at the readers in the first few pages. I wish there was more background, or possibly flashbacks from both characters to fully understand why Emma wanted a gap year. With this, I felt like there was barely any conclusion and it was highly rushed. I enjoyed the two POV's from Emma and Rob, but Rob's story was incredibly boring. There was only one instance in his POV that he was not at work, and only reading about his job at a construction site quickly got boring.

I did, however, really enjoy the supporting characters. I felt like Emma's friends were enjoyable to read about, and I found myself getting really intrigued with Kendry's story. The sketches and drawings from Rob''s POV were really well done and really added to understanding his work.

Overall, I just felt like there was so much more potential for this book!

Thank you so much to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for this ARC!

I tried so hard to get into this book, I really did! So much so that I spent the second half of January, and all of February, trying. Eventually, I decided to call this what it was: dnf. It PAINS me to not finish a book, which is why I think I spent so long trying to read this one. There was nothing at all wrong with the book. The premise of this book is what drew me in. As a woman who married young, and as a result has been with their husband for half of their adult life, I truly related to the main character's struggles with complacency; however, overall, I just didn't fall in the love with any of the characters. I didn't feel like I needed, or really even wanted, to know what was going to happen next. I hope to pick it back up and try again, but the first go around was not the time for me.

Thank you to the Publisher, Yannick Thoraval, and Net Galley for the opportunity to read this book!

I enjoyed the overall the,e of the story. However, I thought the plot of the story was slow. As it switched back and forth between the two main characters, there wasn’t much advancement in the plot. I think there could have been several scenes deleted due to the fact that they were so repetitive to other scenes throughout the story.

The Marriage Gap Year by Yannick Thoraval is like a reality show you can’t stop watching—except with better writing and fewer dramatic rose ceremonies. Emma and Rob decide to take a “marriage gap year” and quickly realize that single life isn’t just mimosas and self-discovery. The book is hilarious, heartfelt, and occasionally feels like free therapy. Thoraval’s writing is sharp, witty, and painfully relatable. If you’ve ever questioned life, love, or your own decisions, this one’s for you.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced reader copy. All opinions are my own.

Interesting premise that got me thinking about what I’d do if I took a gap year from my life. I liked how Emma, Rob, and Will each had their own journey and were able to arrive at themselves, however uncertain. Loved the message that there’s no one right way to do life, that we get to do what works for us, no matter how it may seem to others.

I had a hard time finishing this story. I love the premise of it and I love way that the main characters are trying to find themselves during their “year break” from their marriage. At some points I felt like the story was going too fast and at other points it felt like it was going too slow. Overall 3/5 because it was a good story!

I was ready to hate this. It had my "you can't do that" reality back up lol! I don't think you can Just take a break for a year had me in it's initial choke hold. But then I let that go and relaxed into a much more nuanced and sweet book. It.manages to not make that the icky hook. And is just telling a book about love,growth and how sometimes what we see(especially now with the rediculous fakeness f sm posting) isn't what is real. And what IS real is what you make of it together. Between these two I felt tender moment and explorative moments.
A good read. A great holiday read.
Oh and is IKEA seriously going to do something about it relationship dooooom disease,ha.

I can appreciate that this book tests the boundaries of what I've read in your typical contemporary romance. It was unique and I admire the way that the book was written.

I sadly don't think that I was the target audience for this story as I DNF'd at 30% in. I definitely think there is a future in which I would reread this book if the timing is right for me.

Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I received an ARC of The Marriage Gap Year, and it’s the perfect addition to the shelf alongside I Give My Marriage a Year and other unconventional romcoms. Funny, sweet, and insightful, this book makes for an ideal holiday read—one that puts you right in the shoes of Emma and Rob as they navigate the cracks in their not-so-perfect marriage.

What I loved most was how the story challenges the idea of a "perfect" relationship. As Emma and Rob take their marriage gap year, the novel explores whether one person is ever truly in the right (or wrong) in a partnership, making for a refreshing and realistic take on love, growth, and self-discovery.

The characters feel incredibly real—flawed, sometimes frustrating, but always compelling. This isn’t your typical romance with a neat and tidy love story; instead, it’s an honest, sometimes awkward, and ultimately heartwarming journey of two people finding themselves and each other again.

If you love stories that are as introspective as they are entertaining, this one is a must-read. So grab a cup of tea and enjoy—this book will definitely hit the spot. 💛

Quaint little romance book where actually both characters are a little grumpy lol with a nice happy ending. Romance is just hits right sometimes.

This book had me hooked from the very first scene—because what’s more relatable than a marriage crisis unfolding in an IKEA? Emma’s frustration after 26 years of stagnation is raw and real, and when she suggests a "Marriage Gap Year," I couldn’t wait to see where it led. Rob, on the other hand, is blindsided—he thought their marriage was *fine*, and his struggle to understand Emma’s need for more is both heartbreaking and, at times, hilarious.

What I loved most was how this story doesn’t take the easy way out. Emma’s solo journey isn’t all dreamy self-discovery; it’s messy, surprising, and filled with the kind of reality checks that make you root for her even more. Meanwhile, Rob’s perspective adds depth to the story—it’s not just about Emma finding herself but also about whether they can find their way back to each other. The novel balances humor, heartbreak, and hope in a way that feels incredibly authentic.

By the end, I was completely invested in Emma and Rob’s journey, both separately and together. Set against the vibrant backdrop of Melbourne and the beaches of San Remo, this book is more than just a rom-com—it’s an honest, thought-provoking look at love, marriage, and what it really means to grow. If you enjoy witty, emotionally rich stories about relationships and second chances, this is one you won’t want to miss!