Wow, I loved this! A lot of times dual timeline is hard for me but the past chapters were so well done and needed for the plot. Of course with childhood friends there is always the "JUST SAY IT ALREADY!" but I feel like the author did such a good job of giving them reasons to keep quiet. People are messy, life is messy and there were plenty of messy reasons to keep their relationship as friends.

I loved all the side characters and the road-trip. The only thing I wish we had was some Ethan POV. I think that kept me from fully connecting to the characters in this one.

Ellie's writing made me laugh out loud so many times and she put them into so many great situations for character development and broke so much tension with humor. Highly recommend!

I really loved Four Weekends and a Funeral so was very excited to get an ARC from NetGalley for this book. (Yay! Thank you net galley!)

Set in Minnesota, Charley is 29, works at a law firm
For intellectual property, always has a plan, is now getting a divorce. Her long time childhood best friend / suppose to be the man of honor at her wedding but bailed and they lost touch during her marriage, had resurfaced due to Charley’s sister reaching out to check on her. Ethan, has anything but a plan, doesn’t make long term commitments, lives in a van by choice kind of guy.

Charley’s sister, on the day the divorce is final, announces she’s getting married to her on and off again sweetheart. She has to stop this and Ethan is attending this wedding as well.

They embark on a roadtrip and you navigate through someone being type a vs not, and when there is quiet between the two, how loud are the emotions and feelings? What is the definition of love for Charley and does it change during the course of this trip?

Love the Minnesota references, loved the characters and I cannot wait to read more by her.

I loved Ellie Palmer’s debut and was excited to read Anywhere With You. I’m happy to report that there was no sophomore slump here. It was a fun read and you find yourself rooting for the Beekman sisters to have what they never did in their own home while growing up. I did struggle with Charley’s need to try to control her sister’s future, but given Charley’s resent divorce I could overlook it. If you liked Palmer’s first novel, give this one a shot.

Charley grew up in chaos and craves stability. She needs roots firmly planted to feel safe and secure. She thought she had that with her awful corporate law job and slightly boring husband- that is until Khaki Pants Personified leaves her after an inspirational rowing class he takes too lliterally. As she’s reeling from her divorce,  her magnetic golden retriever, (hot!) musician best friend blows back into town. When her sister decides to marry her on-again-off-again boyfriend in the woods, Charley is determined to put a stop to the chaos. She and Ethan drive into the Minnesota woods in his campervan (chaos!). 

This friends-to-lovers manages to be sweet and sexy, funny and also brutally emotional. Ethan is the perfect calm, happy-go-lucky balance to Charley’s neurotic pessimist. Following Charley and Ethan’s love story over the years is fun, but the relationship between Charley and her sister, Laurel, felt even more real to me. They each cope with their trauma in wildly different ways that threaten to break them apart, but their love for each other manages to be stronger. Sisters before misters! (Except also with the misters because
“love isn’t finite. It isn’t a thing that you have. It’s something you do. Love is a verb, babe.” -Laurel Beekman) 

Anywhere With You is a perfect summer read! It has that sun-soaked, sparkly feeling of the best summer trips!

Thank you so much to Ellie Palmer and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam | G.P. Putnam's Sons for the eARC. This is a quick and cute easy friends to lovers read. As i've mentioned before i'm not a fan of second chance romance but it was very well written in this book. It is a great summer read as well. highly recommend.

This second novel for Ellie Palmer delivers a delightful dose of fluffy fun. The cute friends-to-lovers trope is charming, and the disastrously silly events had me chuckling. The characters are undeniably lovable, and their interactions are a joy to read. However, while the book excels at lighthearted entertainment, it lacks significant depth. I found myself enjoying the ride, but not so invested that I felt compelled to devour it in one sitting. It's a perfect pick for a breezy, feel-good read, but don't expect a profound emotional journey.

Thanks to NetGalley and Putnam for the advanced digital copy!

🏕️Expected release: August 5, 2025 🏕️

Sigh, Charley and Ethan had me feeling all the feelings right from the jump. Told from Charley's perspective, this lovely friends to lovers story follows her and Ethan both on a great adventure in today's timeline as well as providing glimpses into their friendship and lovestory dating back to when they met as young teenagers. It was a masterpiece in my favorite trope (he fell first) as well as the classic only one bed. I also really enjoyed Charley's sister Laurel and how she helped to support both Charley and Ethan and nudge them to their happily ever after. Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the ARC.

I absolutely loved this book! I really enjoyed Ellie Palmer's debut, FOUR WEEKENDS AND A FUNERAL, but I think this sophomore novel might be my favorite of hers so far. The story follows Charley Beekman, who's totally thriving...right? Sure, her divorce was just finalized, and she's stuck in a legal career that's completely overwhelmed her life, but something great is definitely in store for her. When Charley's sister Laurel announces that she's eloping with her childhood sweetheart—who also happens to be her messiest situationship—Charley knows she has to do something to intervene. Her plan? Road-tripping into the northern Minnesota woods with her childhood best friend, Ethan, in his camper van, to stop the wedding. The two couldn't be more different—Charley craves commitment, stability, and routine, all things she's sure she could never find with Ethan, a noncommittal, nomadic musician. But what will she do when, as their journey progresses, the sparks flying between them become too strong to ignore?

ANYWHERE WITH YOU has quickly become one of my favorite romances in recent memory! I stayed up way too late to finish it, and haven't stopped thinking about it since. Ellie Palmer has singlehandedly turned me into a diehard friends-to-lovers fan—Charley and Ethan's banter! Their inside jokes! The letters and emails they send each other over the years! The pining! The flirting! The angst! The undeniable chemistry! It was all so beautifully done, and I loved them together from the start. It just took them (well, mostly Charley) some time to realize that they were meant to be. Speaking of time, although the book mainly takes place over a weekend, with some flashbacks interspersed throughout, the pacing never felt too quick, and made sense for the story.

I also love how Palmer's characters just feel like fully realized people, with their own complexities and flaws and worries. In particular, Charley's outlook on love and life has been colored by her parents' relationship, and later, her own first marriage, and it was wonderful to see her slowly break down her walls and go after what she truly deserves in terms of her career, her romantic life, and just in general. Palmer also does a great job of showing how Laurel has been impacted by their parents' relationship, too, only in different ways—she really conveys how the main relationship model you see growing up can alter your views on love, even when you don't quite realize it initially, and how those effects can vary from person to person. And of course, I just adored Ethan—he had me swooning from the start, lol! I thought he complemented Charley so perfectly, but also did his fair share of growing and figuring out what he wanted on his own, too.

Needless to say, I would definitely recommend ANYWHERE WITH YOU! I truly can't say enough good things about this book. Ellie Palmer has become an auto-read author for me, and while I'll look forward to whatever she has in store next, I already can't wait to revisit this one again! If you're in search of a cozy, heartwarming romcom packed with so much character depth and development, look no further for your next read. Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the ARC.

This was such a fun, laugh out loud read. I loved the friendship between Charley and Ethan, as well as Lauren and Petey. They were such a great foursome of sisters/childhood friends navigating their evolving relationships in adulthood.

The tropes in this were great but I wanted more out of the characters' growth and execution. Neither seemed emotionally prepared for their relationship and it left me wanting.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This book was an absolute delight! It was so cute and wholesome, leaving me with a warm, fuzzy feeling. The friends-to-lovers storyline was handled beautifully, and I couldn't get enough of the two main characters. Their chemistry was natural, and watching their relationship evolve was heartwarming.

As a Minnesotan myself, I absolutely loved that the story took place in Minnesota. It added such a personal touch.

Overall, this book is a perfect pick for anyone looking for a sweet, feel-good read. It's a great escape into a world of love, friendship, and hometown charm. The ending was everything I was hoping for. Highly recommend!

I loved this book and want to read the author’s first book!

This friends to lovers, second chance romance had me smiling and laughing multiple times. The TENSION. The FMCs relationship with her sister. The back story of Charley and her sister’s upbringing and how it impacts them as adults. Charley’s “identity crisis” as a 29 year old divorcee and her trying to understand what “balance” means to her. *chef’s kiss* also, the MMC?!? van life, patience, just…swoon!

Thanks to NetGalley for the arc!

What a fun, captivating second-chance romance! I was rooting for Charlie and Ethan the whole way. The sister dynamic, on top of a sizzling romantic matchup, made this a book that will stay with me.

Thank you NetGalley, Putnam Books, and Ellie for the ARC. I honestly loved the book and am now going to circle back and read your first book!

This book felt like the perfect friends to lovers troupe that I couldn’t put down. Although Charley may not have been my favorite female lead, Ethan made up for it. Everything about him made me want to fall in love all over again.

The book had just the right build up to their connection and left me wanting more spice, if I’m honest.

Definitely would recommend as a great summer read!

Yikes- I think this is going to be my meanest (to the characters) review ever. I say 'to the characters' because I don't want to be mean to the author! Like hello, you wrote a freaking book. Good for you and that should be celebrated no matter what- just because it didn't click with me doesn't mean it won't with others!

However....if I didn't have to leave an ARC review, my one line Goodreads review would be 'I understand why her husband left her'. I found Charley so incredibly immature and emotionally stunted, and she never got better. I think she was in need of years of therapy before jumping into a new relationship- not to mention her doing that on the day her divorce was final nonetheless. As I've stated in many many reviews, but my biggest hard no in a book is when characters intentionally say things they know will hurt their counterpart (and in this case, their sister, their sisters boyfriend, etc). This book was full of that.

On the bright side, I did like Ethan! Though I do think he should run for the hills because Charley will eventually break his heart. Ya win some, ya lose some!

Thank you to NetGalley, Putnam Books, and Ellie for the ARC!

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

This book felt like putting on your favorite hoodie. Just comfortable, familiar, and oh so sweet. Charely (FMC) is type A and always craved stability as her parents were not the greatest at settling down, while Ethan (MMC) is a type B free spirit. The two were best friends when they were little and he reconnects with Charely after her divorce. Charely discovers that her sister is going to elope with her on again/off again boyfriend (I consider it a situationship) and has Ethan join her. The two embark on a road trip with Ethan's camper van and with time, sparks fly. This book addresses a tough question women face (sorry, men): can we have it all? A career, a family, stability simultaneously.

This book was both hilarious with the banter while also pulling at your heartstrings. This is Palmer's sophomore novel and I cannot wait to read more from her!

Favorite quote: "All we are is how well we’re loved by the people we care about and how well we love them back."


Read if you like:
- Second chance
- Friends to lovers
- Sister relationship
- Close proximity

"...love isn't finite. It isn't a thing you have. It's something you do. Love is a verb, babe."

I was so excited to jump into this ARC by Ellie Palmer after thoroughly enjoying Four Weekends and a Funeral and I was NOT disappointed.

Charley is overly committed to her job, her hydration, and her walls to prevent herself from being too vulnerable. She is focused on doing what she "should" in order to reach the goals she's "supposed to" have. When she finds out her sister is going to elope with her messiest situationship she's struggled with for half her life, Charley knows she has to do something. It leads her back to her childhood best friend, Ethan, who embodies everything she's scared of. He lives in a van (which screams fleeting and unreliable) and he is the only man that's ever known Charley so deeply. They road trip together to intervene on this impulsive elopement, but could it lead to something more?

This story was unique, poignant, and beautiful. The PINING!!! I feel like Ellie Palmer has such a talent for building characters that defy generalizations. They are simultaneously one-of-a-kind and wildly relatable. Getting to know Charley felt like such a treasure as she learns that she is lovable and not broken. Also I loved the parallel process of Char witnessing that within Laurel too!

This book does what it sets out to do and it does it so splendidly. It is a beautiful exploration of friendship, PINING, sisterhood, and love (and its many different presentations!). I adore her reluctance to (but inability to not) love others.
“Loving people is so unbearable." // "Loving people might as well be an incurable disease."

I can’t wait to buy a copy of this for my shelf <3

What a cute book!!! I love Ellie’s book four funerals and a wedding so I knew I needed to read this! It was a wonderful journey of fun and happiness. A must read!

I enjoyed this book so much!

Friends to lovers is a difficult trope because there are usually too many opportunities when the main characters should have gotten together and didn’t. In this book I really enjoyed the story between the two main characters but also her sister and Pete. Parts of this book were a little over the top (the naked 5k) but in the best way and kept things light and fun! I also loved the ending to this book - it was exactly what I expected and wanted at the end!

tl;dr I loved it!! I stayed up late on the night we lost an hour because of DST because I was so invested in this book.

There are just some authors that I feel like write directly for my specific brain, where I just feel immediately warm and safe and immersed when starting their books and Ellie Palmer is one of those authors for me. With an outstanding sophomore novel, Ellie Palmer has easily cemented herself as one of my "if they write it, I will read it", auto-buy authors.

One of the highlights of her books are obviously the characters and their relationships with eachother. They somehow feel so real and fully fleshed out in a way that I find is often missing in contemporary romances. They're so complicated and often a little messy, but it just makes them so relatable and loveable. The sibling and family dynamics were painfully real, and I feel like Ellie does such a good job at developing characters that are consistent in who they are.

I, of course, cannot end this review without shouting about the BANTER, the TENSION, the ROMANCE???? Ellie Palmer delivers all of this in spades and with such great pacing that the tension just builds so perfectly. (also I am BEGGING for a Ethan POV bonus chapter)

There are *a lot* of pop culture references, and I normally am not a huge fan of these, but I feel like these specific references were perfect for my millenial brain so I'm not complaining. Her flashbacks mentioned little details (music, mostly) that took me back to the early 00's so viscerally.

Thank you Putnam for the ARC!!!