After over 20 years of marriage, Emma decides that she wants a break for a year from her husband Rob.

During this time she tries new things and has a fling with a younger musician and Rob builds a house. They have no contact during this time.

Unfortunately I did not like the characters. Emma seemed imature, considering she is 48 years old. Also, the ending was depressing.
This is not a romance book, it is the story of a love story that did not go well. I just was not for me. The pretty cartoon cover fooled me.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Emma & Rob have been married for years but the sparkle has left their relationship. Emma decides they should spend a year apart to find out what they want from life & each other.

The story progresses through alternate chapters voiced by the pair of them. Things don’t go particularly well for either of them as they struggle to find a new ‘normal’.

I liked both characters and although I enjoyed the story, I found the ending a bit depressing. It felt as though nothing was resolved, and while maybe that was the point, there seemed a lack of hope in it all.

I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I have not read a book like this, and I loved every page! It was just such a sweet story of the journey of love and the honesty of what that all means. Yannick, you wrote a beautiful story! Thank you for this incredible book. Highly recommend.

This is a great book. I love the concept of the story. I felt a few different emotions from anger to sadness. This story was well written and focus on how things are in real like. I liked that the couples focused on figuring out what they want in life. But I was also sad with the ending. I definitely recommend this book!

I think it is important to note that Emma chose to stand up for herself in a way that she felt confident and deserving of attention. Yes,Rob grew up in a family that didn't express emotion but he spoke more wood than his relationship with Emma and Will. The year was necessary to figure out which she wanted and even though Rob felt they were meant to be together, it doesn't mean that she doesn't love him as a person. They can both be great parents and supportive of Will despite them being not together. A reader has to applaud Emma in her actions regarding her her progression as to whom she became as is indicative of her work as well as her friend she was to Kendry. As the book progressed, she certainly became stronger and a person who knew what she wanted..

I'm laughing immediately while reading chapter 1! This book was funny and authentic. I liked the dialogue style the author chose. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

This was a nice book! It was a good idea to have the couple take a break from marriage rather than just jump to a divorce. It was cute and heartwarming and I love the way the individual partners are connecting to themselves again and getting that sense of individualism. overall it was great!!

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for this complimentary ARC in exchange for an honest review!!

This story is about how Rob and Emma, ok no, only Emma, decides she needs a Gap Year from her marriage with Rob. He somehow needs to go with it, what else could he do.

As it happens quite at the beginning, you basically side with Emma but as the story progresses I started to shift. Because Emma is so damn unlikeable in every aspect. I didn't like her gap year antics at all and hated her with all my heart. Rob's year was completely different, quite slow at times but nicer to read.

I feel I needed more time with Rob and Emma in the beginning. Also I needed more insight to the rules other than "no contact for a year" - because some of the stuff Emma did would have put me off as Rob.

Also didn't quite like the ending.

Thank you Netgalley.

Pretty good story, not what I was expecting but overall a good read. Definitely showed the struggles of long term marriage. The writing style was fun but also brought in heavier topics as well.

I was really excited about this book, being almost 20 years into a marriage myself. However, the characters weren't very likeable and the story itself didnt' have the best flow. One of the characters would be taking some time to process their thoughts on something and then all of a sudden WHAM, their thoughts were clear and they were acting on them. It just felt like the story was written in pieces and put together (sorry for being vague, trying not to have spoilers!)

4.5 ⭐️

"The Marriage Gap Year" by Yannick Thoraval is a thought-provoking and emotionally charged novel that delves into the complexities of relationships and the pursuit of personal happiness. This was my first introduction to a book by this author and I loved every second of it. I just couldn't stop reading.

The story follows the lives of Emma and Rob, a married couple who embark on a year-long break from their marriage (the "marriage gap year"). As they explore their own desires, passions, and dreams, the couple faces a series of unexpected encounters and situations that test the strength of their relationship.

One of the highlights of this book is its exploration of the complexities of human emotions and the dynamics of relationships. The author skillfully portrays the internal struggles and conflicting desires of the main characters, allowing readers to empathize with their situation. The characters are likable, funny and relatable, making their journey all the more compelling.

Thoraval's writing style is engaging and relatable, effortlessly capturing the essence of the characters' emotions and experiences. It also made me reconsider some of my life choices, so sometimes it was even like I was in a therapy session myself. Apart from that, the book is written with a lot of humor as well and made me giggle a lot.

Another noteworthy aspect of "The Marriage Gap Year" is its exploration of societal expectations and the pressure to conform to traditional norms. The book challenges the conventional notions of marriage and prompts readers to question what truly makes a relationship successful and fulfilling.

Overall, it is not your typical romance book, but the author gives us a refreshing, more serious take on the genre. I highly recommend this fast paced, funny, relatable and refreshing book - it's definitely a must read!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Further Publishing for sharing a digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Marriage Gap Year was one of the rare books that took me longer to read, only because I wanted to hang on to every sentence. As a woman in her early 20's, it was nice to read a romance (?) book based off of an older couple who decides to take a break to find themselves after years of being in a complacent relationship. The author heard the saying "IKEA is where relationships go to die" and ran with it lol. We get to see our couple diverge into different ways of self discovery, and finding who they really are with and without each other. I enjoyed the premise, writing and even the ending.

The Marriage Gap Year is a wonderfully heartwarming read. Taking a year off from the marriage rather than jumping right into separation or divorce is a great idea that more people should partake in. There were some hard topics and overall the book was pretty relatable.

THE MARRIAGE GAP YEAR is both a funny and poignant story about a couple who has been together well over twenty years taking a year off from their marriage for the chance for Emma to connect back to herself and her freedom and to gain clarity of what she wants and whether that includes her husband or not. This book felt very real and relatable and I'm not even married. I enjoyed the humor but also the serious reflection and portrayal of what it means to be human.

Thank you to Further Publishing and NetGalley for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

I just finished The Marriage Gap Year. I can’t say enough good things about this book. It was funny and heartwarming and I loved it!

This was a page turner for me and I finished it in one sitting. Watching this couple struggle after decades of marriage is easily relatable to those that have been in long term relationships. We see how each handles their year apart, how they evolve slowly. It has some some funny parts but there are a lot of hard topics sprinkled throughout, including alcoholism and drug abuse. Definitely not a lighthearted read and the label dramedy is fitting.

I was given a copy by the publisher via NetGalley (thank you!) and all opinions are my own.

Such a lovely story about a couple who have lived so many years as a couple, raised a son, and now are just kind of stuck in a weird place in life and in their relationship. The wife proposes a year off of their relationship, the husband doesn’t want this but agrees. First off I wouldn’t be able to handle this if my partner wanted this so I think seeing how this played out was really important for me to see and relate to some of the things they were going through.