Five stars, no notes. For me, this was one of those rare books that just hit—right plot, right timing, right emotional payoff. I really enjoyed Palmer’s debut, Four Weekends and a Funeral, but I absolutely adored this one.

It includes several of my favorite tropes: dual timeline, second-chance romance, friends-to-lovers, opposites attract, road trip, and even a hint of epistolary romance. If any of those are your thing, you’ll likely enjoy this as much as I did.

The story centers on a road trip gone wrong, as newly divorced Charley and her estranged best friend, Ethan, who set off to attend the impromptu wedding of her sister, Laurel, and their mutual friend, Petey. As the trip progresses, old tensions resurface and new truths come to light. What began as a simple trip quickly turns into something messier—and far more meaningful—than any of them expected.

The plot is engaging, and the character development is equally satisfying. Charley is Type A to a ‘T’—if not by nature, then by sheer force of will. Her need for structure is a survival mechanism, born from childhood chaos. But she slowly realizes that the control she clings to may be doing more harm than good. Ethan, her once-close best friend, is her opposite—a literal nomad making a living on the college indie music circuit. Beneath all that wanderlust, it’s clear the only place he’s ever really wanted to stay is wherever Charley is—even if she’s never truly been available.

The chemistry between these two is fantastic. Writing male longing from a female point of view isn’t easy—it’s a delicate balance, clueing the reader into his emotion while keeping her in the dark, but Palmer nails it. This portrayal of long-simmering, unspoken yearning is one of the best I’ve read in a while.

I also appreciated the broader relationship dynamics—Charley, Ethan, Laurel, and Petey. There’s a nice contrast between Charley’s tightly managed life and Laurel’s more heart-led, instinctive approach to the world.

Overall, I loved this book, and I’m sure I’ll be revisiting it again soon.

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for providing a copy of this book in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Thank you NetGalley and Ellie Palmer for the ARC!

Ellie is a local, Minnesota author, and I've been excited to check out her first book (Four Weddings and a Funeral) and got lucky enough to snag this ARC of her latest, due out August 5th!

This was such a fun summer read, especially if you're a fan of friends to lovers. Set in Minnesota the story was even more relatable as many of the locations featured are some of my favorites in the North Shore. The characters may have their flaws, but years of friendship and understanding lead them to a pretty solid HEA.

There were a lot of moments I enjoyed in this book, but there were some moments I just couldn’t get through. The story line is phenomenal though and the characters are both relatable. I think my favorite character is the sister as I love the chaos that surrounds her. I would still highly recommend this book to any romance lovers as I think this is going to be a huge success!

I was very pleasantly surprised to read Ellie Palmer‘s Anywhere With You. This is a friends to lovers romance that takes place on a dual timeline with the main characters Charley and Ethan, who are childhood friends. What I really loved about this book was Charley just seemed so relatable in her career struggles and, overall thinking of what she wants out of life and what she thinks her life should be about. The relationship with Charley and her sister was just as much at the forefront which added a lot of depth. I thought this was both a summery beach read, but it also had a lot of heart in terms of all of the inner soul-searching that Charlie has to do. I also thought this book was hilarious which really helped with the readability and just overall flow of the book. All in all, I loved this book and definitely so excited for the upcoming release.

A slow burn, friends to lovers set on a road trip… say less! I really enjoyed this story. It took its time to develop (almost too much time) but it worked. There were many layers to the story; daddy issues, divorce, job struggles, sisterhood, friendship and more. There was a whole cast of unique characters and very wacky events. It was funny and sweet. I had a good time all throughout!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are mine alone.

Anywhere with You is a lighthearted friends-to-lovers romance that takes a chaotic camping trip, a lifetime of missed signals, and a whole lot of heart and turns it into a fun, feel-good read. Charley and Ethan have grown up side by side, always close but never quite brave enough to confess how they really feel. Now adults, they find themselves navigating a comedy of travel disasters and emotional detours as they try to figure out whether their friendship might finally lead to something more.

The story plays with some familiar tropes. Charley is a high-achieving attorney who’s always followed the expected path, while Ethan dreams of seeing the world and making music instead of taking over his family’s donut shop, but the humor is what really makes this book shine. From mishaps in the woods to one laugh-out-loud streaking scene I won’t forget anytime soon, the comedy gives the story a fresh, charming energy. Charley’s need for control and Ethan’s laid-back nature also make for a great dynamic, with lots of playful tension and sweet moments.

While some elements of the characters’ backstories felt a bit familiar, the journey (and all its messy missteps) still felt enjoyable and emotionally satisfying. It’s a fun, warm, and often hilarious romance about taking risks, embracing the unexpected, and finally saying the things you’ve been too scared to say. A great pick if you’re looking for a summer read that’s light but heartfelt and guaranteed to make you laugh.

DNF after chapter 8. The FMC is just incredibly unlikable and immature for her age and career. I am really struggling to connect to anyone in this book and the dialogue and interactions are painful to read. I tried to power through multiple times and just couldn’t. I’m sorry!

After reading and loving ‘Four Weekends and a Funeral’, I was excited to read Ellie Palmer’s next book. It didn’t disappoint. I read this one in a day and had a great time with it.

The book opens with Charley’s carefully crafted life imploding, leaving her divorced, having a moment in a fine-dining chain, and waking up to her somewhat estranged best friend, Ethan, camped out in his van in her driveway. Oh, and her sister has decided on the day Charley’s divorce becomes final to spontaneously propose and elope with her on-off boyfriend of a decade. Cue a van-life road trip for Charley and Ethan that provides the ultimate forced proximity setup for the two of them to reconnect — and then some — on their way to the wedding…that Charley hopes to stop.

There is a lot to Charley’s (and her sister’s) past that has impacted her views on love and relationships, stemming from the instability of her life with her parents. It all feeds her need for a dedicated plan, choosing what feels safe, and a layer of self-preservation that is nearly indestructible. All of this has kept her and Ethan strictly in a friend zone, in large part due to his own need to spread his wings and feed his wanderlust. Their friendship took a hit with Charley’s marriage, and their road trip forces them to face all the things they’ve left unsaid and suppressed between them over the years.

I love the humor and wit laced with pop culture references that never feel “in your face” or irrelevant in Ellie Palmer’s writing. It all works for me. It’s also clear to an outsider that Charley and Ethan have an “it’s always been you” vibe between them that, for reasons well-documented through the story, has been left unexplored until it finally reaches its breaking point. I do wish there had been some more conversation between the two of them to really hash out their deep history and the feelings they were holding back in the moments we saw in the past timeline. Friends-to-lovers is always a tricky one for me, but for the most part I think it really works here overall.

Thank you to G.P. Putnam’s Sons for the eARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley, Penguin Group Putnam and Ellie Palmer for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this story!

Charley and Ethan are best friends and have been since they met as kids. Despite Charley moving away they kept in touch through letters and emails until college when they were together again.

Charley is an extremely motivated, overworked, type-A, focused person who is seeking security and safety after an unreliable childhood.

Ethan is a talented musician who was motivated to explore and see the world after being restricted by a family business that required his help.

This story is told in present day and previous years starting when they first met working until present day. We learn about their friendship and eventually their fight that kept them apart for the last 2 years.

I love a friends to lovers story and this was done well.

I appreciated the imperfection but beautiful relationship between Charley and Laurel. Charley, Laurel and Ethan all had some self reflection and growth shown from their younger actions to current day which was cool to see.

A wonderful sophomore novel from Ellie Palmer! Charley and Ethan were tender and funny and simply made for each other. My heart ached with Charley's inability to see what was in front of her the entire time, the way so many beautiful things in life are. The perfect sticky-sweet summer romance.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Putnam for this advanced copy.

This book was so cute! After loving Four Weekends and a Funeral I knew I needed to pick this one up, and I was so lucky to get an ARC!
After Charley gets divorced, the last thing she believes in is marriage, so when her sister calls her to tell her she’s getting married that day, Charley knows she has to stop it- Enter Ethan, Charley’s best friend who she hasn’t seen since he didn’t show up at her wedding. A musician who lives out of vans, he agrees to go with her to her sister’s spontaneous wedding- and along the journey Charley has to confront her feelings towards life, love, and Ethan.

This was such a sweet romance- friends to lovers, a second chance at romance, a camping trip, and a girl finding herself on the way, as well as being laugh out loud funny. A huge thank you to Putnam books and netgalley for the ARC!

OMG I loved this book. It was so so cute. I loved how the side characters also felt like main characters!! I love living in the van rockstar lifestyle. That was such a fun element!

Anywhere With You was a charming friends to lovers romance book. The roadtrip, romance, and secondary characters were all an absolute delight.

This is in the heroine Charley’s POV only, which I do think the story could have benefited more by having the hero Ethan’s POV as well. But there are some great tropes like, childhood friends to lovers, forced proximity, opposites attract, and it’s always been you.

The overall premise of going on a roadtrip to stop an elopement was enjoyable. There were some amusing, heartfelt, and cheesy moments. The story does have dual timelines as well, which I liked as we got to see the connection and history of Charley and Ethan’s friendship.

Charley’s journey in relearning to love and finally seeing what’s always been in front of her was written perfectly. I loved the romantic development between Charley and Ethan. They were definitely polar opposites but somehow worked so well together. Ethan’s love for her was quiet, but deep. There was a bit of spice, but it was mostly closed door.

One of my favorite aspects of this book was definitely the relationship between Charley and her sister, Laurel. The sisterhood was portrayed beautifully with all the ups and downs of what it’s like having a sibling.

I will say though, there were certain subplots that I wished had been a bit more explored upon and the ending did feel quite rushed. While, this was a romance book it did feel at times more of a women’s fiction as well.

Overall, just an enjoyable and lighthearted read.

Thank you to the publisher via NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thanks to Netgalley & PENGUIN GROUP- Putnam for the E-ARC! OMG! Loved so much! The chemistry between the characters was so good. Also loved the setting. Will definitely read more from this author.

4 🌟

I love a book set in Minnesota. 💙

I enjoyed this book so much. The relationship between Charlotte and Ethan was so fun - I don't always love friends to lovers but loved the way Ethan continually showed up for Charlotte. My favorite part of this book was the side relationships, particularly the relationship between the sisters and the way it grew.

Thanks, Netgalley for the ARC of this book!

I'm always a fan of childhood friends to lovers so this was right up my alley! I found the characters likable and that they had great chemistry. Like Ellie Palmer's first books, some aspect of this (mainly the main character's sister) did feel a little heightened and over the top at times, but it still worked. The pining and build up between Charley and Ethan felt really natural.

While I found this addicting and sweet, this book did have a few things that I tend to really dislike in romances:

1. The idea of Charley marrying her ex-husband felt so unconvincing. I had such a hard time believing that she would ever marry him or be convinced she should spend his life with him based on all of the info we get about him and the flashbacks.

2. I HATE when an FMC doesn't believe that the MMC loves her, especially after he continuously makes that clear. We spend so many pages of them getting together and him making his feelings clear, yet she still is shocked to hear it again.

3. I'm not 100% sure I believe these two would really work long-term given their lifestyles.

Lastly, I think this book suffered a great deal from the lack of spice. Let me be clear, I don't believe every romance needs to be spicy! But I think it can be an important tool when it serves the plot. After learning about their history and seeing them dance around their physical attraction for so long, it felt like being robbed of some really important character moments by getting a fade to black. And to the author's credit, I don't think I would feel that way if I didn't care about the characters so much.

Overall, this was sweet and I enjoyed my time reading it. I have some issues with it, but I still like Ellie Palmer as an author and will read whatever she does next.

-Women’s fiction if you’re looking for a story about finding yourself

Although this story did have romance between two childhood friends it was basically one giant inner monologue about a woman considering love again after divorce. I liked the plot in theory but it was monologue> plot with very long chapters and I found it hard to want to pick up.
So not a total bust, but I wouldn’t rush to read this either.

This book was such a fun read!  I really enjoyed buddy reading this one along with Lauren - it made the experience even better.  I may be a little biased, but I absolutely loved the Minnesota author connection and the familiar Minnesota setting. 
The story follows 29 year old Charley Beekman, who is trying to find her way after a failed marriage and a stalled legal career.  When her free spirited sister suddenly decides to elope, Charley jumps into action - road tripping through northern Minnesota in a camper van with her childhood best friend, Ethan.  He's a total sweetheart, even if he's known for being a bit flaky.  As they travel together, sparks begin to fly, and Charley is forced to question everything she thought she knew about love and relationships.  
I really loved the friends to lovers trope here - it was done in such a heartwarming and believable way.  Charley and Ethan's journey to their HEA was adorable, and I couldn't help rooting for them.  This book has a little bit of spice and a whole lot of sweetness.  
If you enjoy cozy road trips, childhood friends falling in love, and feel good romantic comedies - I think you'll enjoy this one.

Friends to lovers, road trip, pop culture references. It can’t get any better! Ellie’s writing is witty, cozy, and leaves you loving the characters. The whole time I was swooning over Ethan’s consistent care for Charley, even since childhood. I felt myself relating to Charley’s childhood in many ways, which really drew me into the story as well. SO. WELL. WRITTEN!

I really enjoyed this journey with Charley and Ethan. I felt Charley was selfish, but eventually learned to grow. Ethan is a saint. I enjoyed the flashbacks to help better understand their friendship. I think having only one POV skews the narrative to just the one character and would have liked to have had Ethans POV to better understand they way he saw Charley. Overall it was a great romance with a bit of heartache and humor.