Newly divorced Charley enlists her childhood best friend Ethan to go on a road trip in order to stop her free spirited sister's impromptu wedding.

Ellie Palmer has become an auto read author for me! Here's what I loved about this one:

The humor: Palmer writes with such humor. I adored all of the one liners and hilarious situations in this. All of the characters have a natural humor to their thoughts and dialogue. I found myself laughing so many times.

Ethan: He's the dream. I adored literally everything about him. He's funny and strong and has that musician coolness to him. I also loved how much he cares for Charley.

Friends to lovers: This is one of my favorite friends to lovers books. These two really are best friends from childhood into adulthood and they just can't seem to get out of their own way and be with each other. Their love story progresses nicely as they bounce back and forth between wanting each other and just being friends.

All in all, this was a great friends to lovers romcom!

~ friends to lovers
~ musician MMC
~ roadtrip

Thank you to the author and publisher for the gifted copy!

Omggggggg! ELLIE PALMER, you precious human — ugh, you wreck me! How did you get right inside of my post-divorce, messy brain?! Listen, as much as I am a hopeless romantic, I’ve almost certainly written off the chance of love but I think you may have given me hope. You put my jumbled thoughts into beautiful words.

It needs to be noted that you described true sisterhood so perfectly because, I too, love my sister more than anyone but she really is exasperating sometimes.

Incredibly fun storyline, a lovable cast of characters, dual timeline, AND chapter titles?! Say. Less.

Anywhere with You by Ellie Palmer

Rating: 4.5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Spice: 1/5 🌶️

Thank you to Penguin Group Putnam, G.P. Putnam’s Sons, Netgalley, and the author for access to this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Anywhere With You is an absolutely delightful read full of humor, wit, and heart. Equal parts tender and funny, Anywhere With You beautifully captures a multitude of emotions and demonstrates the power of love in all its forms. From friendship to romance to family, Anywhere With You touches on significance of the relationships that make us who we are. The setting is also utterly charming. This is an all-around feel-good summer story!

Charley Beekman finds herself struggling financially, trapped in a tedious career, and recently divorced. After being left by a man she thought was the safe choice, she wants to avoid surprises as much as possible. But when her sister decides to elope, Charley wants to stop the wedding before her sister makes a huge mistake. Charley’s best friend, Ethan, happens to have space available in his camper van, so they go on a road trip together. As they embark on the trip across Minnesota, feelings begin to develop.

Ellie Palmer has crafted the perfect friends to lovers romance that is so sweet and heartfelt! Charley, with a type A personality, and Ethan, with golden retriever energy, are such a great pairing. Their dynamic is incredible and their chemistry is fantastic. The pacing of the story is great and the character development throughout is stellar. Anywhere With You touches on more emotional topics in a way that gives the story more depth while still remaining lighthearted. Ethan’s camper van and the nature setting were also a highlight! The dual timeline gives a look into how they got to this point and provides more insight into their relationship over the years.

Overall, Anywhere With You is incredibly charming, heartfelt, and humorous with just the right amount of yearning and also lots of adventure!

Five stars! This had a delightfully unexpected opening line (one of my fave things) and the pace didn’t let up from there. This was lovely, fun, funny, a little raw, and full of heart. Good banter and funny people are a quick and easy yes from me, and this book delivered.

I really enjoyed the complicated relationships depicted between sisters, friends, family, old selves, current selves. The author captured well how things in childhood can set us up for lifelong fears and expectations, how we can feel like we might not measure up and the things we might shy away from or run toward because of all of it.

I definitely want to read her back list now.

This comes out August 5 - get your preorders in! Thank you @netgalley and @penguinbooks @putnambooks for the ARC!

I thoroughly enjoyed Anywhere With You! I really connected with Charley—especially her anxiety and fear of change. Ellie Palmer did such a beautiful job allowing Charley space to grow throughout the book in an authentic, relatable way.

The flashback chapters were a great addition, offering deeper insight into Charley and Ethan’s long-standing friendship and history. It was interesting to see how much her parents’ relationship influenced who she became and her desire to control her surroundings.

This is a sweet and funny friends-to-lovers romcom that had me smiling and chuckling along the way. Ellie Palmer is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors to read!

Anywhere With You by Ellie Palmer was such a sweet surprise! As a Minnesotan, I loved seeing my home state setting come to life through the subtle references added so much charm and familiarity to the story. This was the kind of breezy, feel-good summer read that makes you want to grab a Caribou Coffee and head to the lake.

The romance was heartwarming, the characters were easy to root for, and it had just enough emotional depth to keep me invested. It’s the perfect book to toss in your beach bag or read on the cabin deck.

Big thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and Ellie Palmer for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Ellie Palmer again delievers a sweet, Minnesota based romance that simply makes your heart melt. Charley has gone through a lot and her "ex' best friend has appeared back into her life after her divorce. Ethan was never the person Charley thought she would end up with, but now after not communicating with him for a year or so, she can't help but wonder what more would feel like. Now they are traveling together to watch Charley's sister get married to Ethan's best friend and they start to feel stronger feelings for each other

I’m not usually a friends to lovers girlie, but this book won me over! I liked the type A personality matched with golden retriever energy and found their dynamic and chemistry to work really well together. I enjoyed the pacing of the romance and thought the development of the relationship and the yearning was super good. I also thought this booked tackled trauma and how traumatic upbringings impact family dynamics and romantic relationships really well, especially in the main characters relationship with her sister. I love a camper van and enjoyed the van and nature setting! Overall, really cute and think anyone who loves friends to loves will love it!

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review

Thank you to Penguin Group Putnam for the ARC of Anywhere With You.

What an adorable friends to lovers romance read! Charley and Ethan have been through a lifetime of laughter and sadness. Their demonstration of friendship makes me so thankful for the lifelong friends that I have in my life. Charley has loads of insecurities and has built a fierce protectiveness of her older sister. All of those things together make it hard to follow her heart. I love how Palmer created such a raw and real character. I felt so many of Charley's feelings. It's always great to find a character you can relate to in the story you're reading. Fans of camper van life will love Ethan's nomadic camper van lifestyle! :)

A second chance romance between two best friends who are very different people. The FMC has a dysfunctional family dynamic with abandonment issues and has leaned into a life planned out while the MMC has a bit of wanderlust and is a traveling musician. It is as much a story about Charley and her relationship with her sister as it is with reconnecting with her best friend after a divorce. The dual timeline gives a peek into how they got to this point. I enjoyed the story for all its charm, humor and yearning.

Thank you PENGUIN GROUP Putnam for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley.

This was childhood friends to lovers perfection!! I adored Ellie’s debut and when she said childhood friends to lovers with only ONE camper van, I was like count me in! Ellie’s voice rings true as every page is full of heart, hope, and delightful humor. I loved the dual timeline and the epistolary elements were *chef’s kiss*

Charley’s journey was immensely relatable and I loved watching her heal and grow, not just as an individual but also as a sister and eventual partner. As someone who is still working through emotional baggage from being raised by emotionally immature parents, the struggles Charley (and Laurel) wrestled with hit close to home, but I’m grateful for the HOPE Ellie gave us with their story.

Once I started reading, I couldn’t stop. And for those who may shy away, from closed door romance, Ellie brings an ABUNDANCE of tension and heat without spice - you don’t even mind that the door is closed! And oh my gosh, did I laugh so much. There was one scene in particular that had me crying because I was laughing so hard.

I cannot wait to have this beauty on my bookshelf!

“Anywhere With You” is the ideal friends-to-lovers, roadtrip, opposites attract romance! Charlie is recently divorced and finds out her sister is about to make the mistake of spontaneously getting married. Her childhood best friend shows up at the perfect time and they set off on an adventure to stop their siblings wedding. Charlie and Ethan have been estranged ever since right before the wedding. I wonder if it’s because he’s been pining for her for basically their whole lives? ;)
Palmer writes the most humorous, tender, and real romance. I related a lot to Charlie’s play it safe perspective, which aligns with her experience of her parents’ marriage. Ethan, the total opposite, has never wanted to settle down and prefers a nomadic lifestyle. I loved these two characters and their journey in growth together and individually.

For those who love:
⛺️ Childhood Friends to Lovers
⛺️ Roadtrip
⛺️ Dual Timeline
⛺️ Lawyer (Photographer) + Musician
⛺️ True Opposites Attract Romance
⛺️ On a mission!
⛺️ The banter!!!!

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC.

Charley and Ethan are childhood best friends and seemingly complete opposites. Charley's parents modeled an unhealthy relationship which left Charley craving stability and unwilling to take risks. Ethan on the other hand is content leading a nomad existence traveling in his van since the day he left his small hometown.

Just as Charley’s stable life is falling apart; her divorce is finalized, her job is crushing her soul, and she’s financially crippled, her sister Laurel informs her she’s eloping with her on-again, off-again boyfriend. Determined to stop Laurel from making what she believes will be a huge mistake, Charley enlists Ethan’s help to reach her in time.

In close quarters - one tiny van, two people - Ethan and Charley are confronted with the feelings Charley has worked hard to deny, ignore, and push away. Ethan clearly adores Charley and he is willing to accept whatever she is willing to give. However, as much as Charley loves Ethan, she is petrified of what a failed relationship with an unreliable Ethan would mean for their friendship.

Ethan and Charley's literal and figurative journey to love was a rollercoaster ride of emotions. Although, I have to admit Charley’s actions were a bit frustrating at times. I understood what led her to feel the need to control every aspect of her life. I loved the way Ethan was able to slowly break through her walls and make Charley feel safe. Ethan was the one person who saw the real Charley and he loved her.

Anywhere With You was a wonderfully charming and emotional romance from Ellie Palmer.

Charlie and Ethan have been best friends since they were young teens. Even when they were no longer near each other, when miles and years were stretched out between them, they always found themselves back together. Now, as they travel together to stop a wedding, they also have to transverse childhood trauma and a love that would determined their future. Where will it lead? Anywhere With You.

Ellie Palmer has stolen my heart. There is no other way to put it. Ethan and Charley are the childhood friends to lovers romance that thrills me! This book pulled me out of a months long slump. Months! This book quickly yanked me in, handed me a drink with a penis straw, and said, "dont move." So I didn't. I went through those emotional rollercoaster with the friends all of the characters, even the kanue rental guy! Mixed in with the chaos was some awesome humor, childhood trauma, and cliff jumping that had me muttering "Could never be me" with a smirk.

This is my first read with Palmer, and it won't be my last. I am off to read her previous hit and everything to follow!

Thank you, PRH Audio and Putnam Books, for my gifted copies.

Ellie Palmer is one of my good friends and favorite local Minnesota authors. I loved Four Weekends and A Funeral, so I was thrilled to get my hands on her second novel. The audiobook narration by Karissa Vacker was fantastic! Anywhere With You did not disappoint, thanks to the heart and banter that Ellie Palmer is so skilled at creating. I had a blast following Charley and Ethan on their northern Minnesota road trip!

Read this book if you enjoy:
-Friends-to-lovers
-Lawyer/Musician
-Minnesota setting
-Summer road trip
-Hilarious banter
-Forced proximity
-He owns a van
-One bed
-Gorgeous cover
-Emotional support liquids
-Caribou Coffee
-Love after divorce

Anywhere With You fell a bit flat for me. It had everything I love in a romance and I liked Ethan right away. For me, Ethan was the best part of the story, and I think a few chapters from his POV may have helped me rate this higher. I really wanted to like Ellie as a protagonist. She had all the parts - jaded, heartbroken, high-powered job, loved her sister - but she was a little too self-absorbed and immature for me to really buy into her. The romance, too, didn't feel fully natural. The writing also felt choppy in places, like the banter was trying too hard to be funny. It wasn't a bad read, I just think I was expecting a little *more.*

Officially added Ellie Palmer to my must read list. This was such a great story - I truly did not want this book to end. Loved the characters and the way they were all interconnected. The dual timeline worked well here (I’m not particularly a fan of dual timelines). I’d love to see this become a series.

Thanks to #NetGalley and the publisher for access to this book in exchange for an honest review.

Unfortunately ended up putting this one down, I don't love that a problematic author's book was mentioned in this. It just seemed very unnecessary

Anywhere With You by Ellie Palmer
Narrator: Karissa Vacker
Rating: 4.5 stars
Pub date: 8/5

Thank you so much to Putnam Books for my advanced copy and to PRH Audio for my complimentary audiobook!

Fresh off a divorce, Charley Beekman is determined to stop her sister from making a huge mistake: eloping with her chaotic boyfriend. To stop the wedding, Charley road-trips into the Minnesota woods in a camper van with Ethan, her childhood best friend and longtime source of low-key heartbreak.

Ellie Palmer’s latest novel, Anywhere With You, delivers everything I love in a romance: a nostalgic friends-to-lovers journey, a cozy road trip, and emotional depth that sneaks up on you. From the very first page, the banter between Charley and Ethan feels effortless, packed with inside jokes and long-buried tension that simmers. Their shared history adds layers of longing to every interaction and captures the unique ache of loving someone you’ve known forever but never allowed yourself to have.

Beyond the romance, the book explores complicated family dynamics, personal healing, and the uncomfortable process of figuring out what you truly want from life. It’s heartfelt without being heavy, witty, and sprinkled with clever pop culture references that make the characters feel real.
Karissa Vacker is one of my favorite narrators, and I loved her depiction of Charley and Ethan!

If you love road trips, “only one bed” (or in this case, only one camper van), flashbacks that deepen the love story, and heroes who give their leading ladies sweet nicknames, Anywhere With You is a must-read.

Anywhere With You opens with a loud, sudden breaking of vows and then we come to realize that the real pain comes from the quiet ache of a friendship broken, not by betrayal, but by love that arrived at the wrong time. Ellie Palmer beautifully sets the stage with a rift between two lifelong friends, a tear created by a romantic relationship that has since ended, but whose consequences still linger.

When the FMC and MMC reunite, their connection feels both natural and charged,like something familiar that’s been stretched thin by time and silence. There’s a tension in their reconnection that stems from the little we know about their falling out, and Palmer skillfully uses that uncertainty to keep us turning the pages.

As the story unfolds, what begins as a series of unspoken assumptions and quiet misunderstandings gradually transforms into honesty, empathy, and truth. Palmer gives each character the space to confront their misconceptions, and in doing so, she uncovers the deeper emotional wounds that made their separation so painful in the first place.

This is a story about timing, vulnerability, and the kind of love that waits just long enough for healing to begin. Heartfelt and tender, Anywhere With You reminds us that sometimes, the most powerful love stories begin with forgiveness.