*contains spoilers*

1.7 Stars
One Liner: Ugh, why?

During a trip to IKEA, Emma blurts that she wants space from Rob and their twenty-six years of marriage. Rob is not sure what the problem is but he agrees to Emma’s condition –a year of separation with no contact between them.
As they go their separate ways for a year, both realize a few things and make some decisions. Can their marriage survive the Gap Year?
The story comes in Emma and Rob’s third-person POVs.

My Thoughts:
NGL, I’m not the target audience for the book, but the premise was so good that I had to read it! I went expecting two outcomes—they would realize their mistakes, recognize their love, and get back together, or accept that they grew apart too much and end the relationship as mature adults. What I got was a mess with a WTF ending.
The first chapter has the IKEA scene from both POVs. It establishes the setup right away and the gap year starts soon afterward. So far good. It seems like both have made mistakes and need to sort things out.
Then, we get alternate chapters from Emma and Rob’s POVs. Guess what? It took very little time to dislike Emma and the feeling worsened as the story progressed. Did she make even one right decision about her life? No!
Rob sounds like a typical complacent middle-aged man happy with his stagnancy and would rather be an ostrich than have a meaningful conversation. However, he starts to accept his flaws and makes an effort to become better. Moreover, he loves Emma (and stays loyal). 2 stars coz his arc was at least a bit realistic, and the cover is the best part of the book.
Now, our heroine… what do I say about her? I don’t know if she is supposed to be an inspiration or an example. We sure could learn what not to do and how not to be. For someone who claims to have standards and integrity, she doesn’t display them even once throughout the book. In fact, she thinks she’s some flawless perfection and refuses to even acknowledge that she may also be responsible for the dampening of her marriage. Twice her friend tries to make her see her truth but nope. How dare someone judge her when she is the only one supposed to judge others? The audacity of it! And there’s infidelity as well.
Despite the slow pacing and the unsuccessful attempts at providing backstories, I continued to read hoping for a decent ending. By the way, I skipped all that gyan by Dr. Priya.
Nope, cheated again! What the heck is that even? What’s the purpose of the story? Where is the FMC’s growth? Whatever little changes she made could have been done even when she was with the hubby. Makes no sense! The whole thing reminds me of badly written Reddit AITA posts. *shudder*
The best way to define the FMC would be a pre-menopausal judgmental woman who wants the perks of being single without losing the status of being married. Wonder what she has against divorce?

To summarize, The Marriage Gap Year should have been an introspective and heartwarming read about character growth, self-discovery, and love. However, it is none of these (and definitely not hilarious as stated in the blurb). You might like it better if you belong to the women-can-do-no-wrong-and-men-are-always-wrong category.
Thank you, NetGalley and Further Publishing, for eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for this arc.
Sadly this was not for me.
im not wasting my time reading about hypocritical characters who cheat during this gap year without discussing seeing other people beforehand. At least the cover is pretty and I enjoyed them living in australia but that was it for me.

THE MARRIAGE GAP YEAR is a refreshing and new take on a romance from Yannick Thoraval. The story follows a couple taking a year apart to find themselves, without giving up on each other. It’s thought-provoking, with moments that feel like chatting with a wise friend. The writing is heartfelt, making you root for both characters, though a few plot points are a bit predictable. As a reader in my mid twenties and early in a relationship, it's really nice to follow the story of Grace and Henry, and how they are able to follow their ambitions and keep each other. I am used to seeing stories where the love story ends in marriage, and it was refreshing and heartwarming to see one that moves past that.

The entire premise of this book sounded so good, so I couldn't resist. The reasoning for a break was sudden and didn't explain much, however I feel that's how marriage breaks are. The things in this book were overall cute, heartwarming, authentic, and very good for someone who is soul searching! Everything in this story was very well written. This is my first book from this author and won't be my last.

I want to personally thank NetGalley, as well as the author, publisher, and anyone else involved in providing copies, for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

For a debut novel I found myself enjoying this book more than I thought I would. I loved the way the book was broken down by season. While the couple did something very unconventional, it was fun to read about their relationships, their personalities and marriage in general. I thought the characters both showed a lot of personal growth, and I found this to be a heartwarming story. I would definitely recommend this book to other readers.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for then ARC.

Emma and Rob are both long married and both unhappy in a stagnant relationship (and unhappy with themselves). At Emma's urging, Rob agrees to take a year's break from the marriage and each other. What follows is months of self-discovery as they decide on the future of their marriage and on the value of their happiness. The premise was fine but the story just didn't grab me fully, although it did pick up as it progressed. Neither Rob nor Emma seemed all that likeable or sympathetic in the beginning (although as the story went on I liked Rob more than Emma, I did not ever really warm up to her). We jump right into the gap year at the start of the story before we really get to know them or their history, which made it harder to invest in and root for them as the story went on. There are dual 3rd-person POVs, which was helpful, and the supporting characters were written well. But it came down to how much I really cared about the fate of Emma and Rob, both individually and together, and I just didn't like either of them enough to be all that interested in the outcome. Ultimately this was not the book for me, but I think it will appeal to readers who aren't looking for a cut-and-dried HEA, as well as readers who like some relationship angst in their books. This is definitely more general fiction than a romance, so fair warning. Also fair warning, the cover of the book makes it seem like a much more light-hearted story than it actually is. Thank you to NetGalley for providing an eARC of this story in exchange for my objective opinion.

I loved the idea, the execution, and just the entire book. Honestly, the perfect introduction to this author. I'm interested in what they write next,

I really struggled with this book. Emma’s reasons for wanting a "break" weren’t clearly explained at the beginning. Toward the end, the explanation improved significantly, but it felt too late—this information should have been presented earlier in the story. It felt like a misplaced chapter that could have made a big difference in the overall flow and impact.

The first chapter was really rocky. The book is written in a third-person dual point of view, but it chose to switch between Emma and Rob’s perspectives in the same chapter. This meant I got a small paragraph from Emma, then a paragraph from Rob, and then back again, which felt disorienting and made for a confusing experience. Fortunately, after that initial chapter, the perspectives were separated into distinct chapters for each character, which was much more manageable.

Unfortunately, this booked missed the mark for me.

I gave a review on goodreads which was based on my immediate impressions after reading and a bit harsh. Like I said in my goodreads review, I don't like giving bad reviews. My thoughts behind the review I left were based on a predilection for romance stories that have a HEA where the couple the book is about end up together or return to each other. This was my supposition/expectation when I read the blurb, saw the cover, and requested it.
I liked Rob and his and Emma's son, Will. I liked the format where the book was written in sections as dictated by the 4 seasons. It promoted my feeling that they would get together by the end. But they didn't, not in the way I expected. Overall, it was an intriguing story.

I. Loved. This.

We have so many stories about love and two people meeting and falling in love and ending up living happily ever after. But so few stories of 20 years down the track when they’ve been married forever and have children and it’s actually hard work.

This is honest and a real representation of how a marriage can become “stale” and the result of a woman going “enough is enough”.

It’s an easy read but it’s nice to see the ups and downs of working out what you want as you get older and that actually a “happily ever after” might look different to how you expected.

This is a story of marital struggles of a couple who have been married for almost two decades.
The problems felt typical and there was not much interesting back story or drama. The story starts with him being a terrible communicator and her asking for a year long break from the marriage. Throughout the story, the characters' choices feel frustrating and mismatched. While the story explores somewhat relatable conflicts, they lacked the chemistry needed to truly root for their relationship.

I received a free copy of this book on Netgalley and all opinions are my own.

In The Marriage Gap Year, Yannick Thoraval presents a refreshing take on love, marriage, and personal growth, exploring what happens when a couple decides to hit pause on their relationship to rediscover themselves. This premise sets the stage for a journey that dives into identity, companionship, and the inevitable highs and lows of redefining a partnership outside traditional expectations.

Thoraval’s characters are vibrant, each with a distinct voice, making the reader invested in their struggles and triumphs. The “gap year” concept allows the couple to experience a year apart while still tethered to one another, creating tension and curiosity. Thoraval skillfully guides the reader through both partners’ inner worlds, and the alternating perspectives add layers to the narrative.

What truly stands out is Thoraval's nuanced portrayal of relationships. This isn't a typical romance novel; it's a raw, insightful look at the ways relationships evolve, regress, and ultimately force us to confront our deepest fears and desires. There’s a satisfying complexity here that feels realistic and relatable, particularly in the moments where the characters grapple with what they truly want versus what they’ve always been told to want.

The Marriage Gap Year is a poignant read for anyone interested in character-driven stories that examine life’s in-betweens. It’s a reminder that sometimes, the only way forward is to step back.

When you feel the marriage blues, just suggest a year off. It always looks greener on the other side. After 20 plus years of marriage Emma wants to take a break and see what else might be out there. So they decide to take a break, no calls, no texts, will they survive and come back stronger for this? Yannick Thorval is a new author for me thanks to NetGalley. I really enjoyed this one, it is a different spin on the rom com genre. 4.5 stars

I adore second chance romance and it's even better when the couple is older. We see the lives they live and it's just so heartwarming

This was such a unique novel. I loved following Emma fb Rob as they take a gap year from their marriage. This novel explores such deep aspects of human relationship, identity of self, and the complexities of desiring different things than your spouse. I flew through this novel. It’s was brilliantly written.

Yannick Thoraval's novel "The Marriage Gap Year" follows Emma, a woman who decides to take a year-long break from her marriage after 26 years. This "gap year" serves as a fresh start for Emma and her husband to reflect on themselves and their relationship, allowing them to explore what they truly want out of life. Thoraval combines humour with heartfelt moments, making the story relatable for anyone familiar with the ups and downs of long-term relationships.

The novel dives into themes like personal identity, friendship, and the societal expectations around marriage. As Emma explores life outside of her marriage, she faces questions about self-fulfilment and redefines what relationships mean to her. The Marriage Gap Year has received praise for its thoughtful and emotionally engaging approach, balancing comedy with the deeper issues of love and commitment. This blend of lightheartedness and introspection has made it a favourite among readers who enjoy stories about modern relationships.

4⭐️

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and the narrative it took on different relationships.
Starting the book off with an argument in IKEA hooked me in straight away.

I enjoyed being able to read Rob and Emma's journey through life as they take one year apart to look for new opportunities. This book was well paced and I found myself highlighting a lot of quotes.

I do recommend this book. I am not someone who has ever been married but being able to read about Rob and Emma's journey and their marriage actually taught me a lot.

Thank you Netgalley and Yannick Thoraval for my arc copy

The concept of this book is so intriguing but it’s written in such a way that by the end not a single character is likable or relatable. Major let down for me unfortunately. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC copy, all opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed this book. There was complexities to the relationship that I found very relatable. I would definitely recommend to others

Dnf at 10%
I did not see myself finishing this. The start premise to have relationship break in IKEA was fun but then everything that followed….wasnt.
I needed more context of who they are before the break. And even though I DNF’d it i skimmed ahead and yea i didnt love what i saw