After loving Ellie Palmer's debut novel last year, I was very excited to get my hands on an ARC of her new novel!
The book started a little slow for me, but we do get to know Charlie well...fresh off a divorce and her best friend back in her life to seemingly stop her sisters wedding to said best friend's brother... intriguing plot! At about 50-60%, it picked up for me and I found myself laughing out loud during some of the incidents.
While I'm really enjoying her books, I would love for there to be even more character development... like hearing more about her crumbling marriage, her picked up romance with Ethan, how her sister rekindled things, and an even bigger epilogue.
Thank you to NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review. Publication set for August 5th 2025.

Liked it a lot, didn't love it. Cute and sweet with some fun banter and swoony moments. Definitely worth keeping Ellie Palmer on my TBR!

This was such a cozy and comfort read. Like a hug that you just don’t want to disappear. It’s honest and the road trip setting is chefs kiss.

I loved this book! Such a great story. Thank you for the ARC. Looking forward to pub day for my bookshelf copy.

Super adorable, I knew it would be a five star read for me early on. I was giggling from the beginning to the end.

I love hearing that guys just absolutely cannot take a hint and need someone to be blatantly obvious when hitting on them. Well, in this book, Charlotte/Charley/Chuck needs Ethan to be blatantly obvious that he’s hitting on her. It’s obvious to me, and I just want to shake her by the shoulders and tell her to listen to the words he says. He. Loves. Her.

Loved to see their opposites attract (he lives on the road in his van, she grew up moving a lot and seeks a stable, stationary life) story bring them together in the end. It’s one of my favorite tropes!

In the acknowledgements the author describes the early stages of this book as Van Life vibes with occasional snippets of banter - and that’s exactly it, ten fold! It was a delightful read, now excuse me while I pack for my own van life vibe trip this weekend.

Happy to add this to our romance collection! Found this an enjoyable, lighthearted read.

If you're a fan of the following, you will love this book: childhood friends to lovers
- sisterhood
- meaningful friendships
- dual timeline
- banter
- road trips
- warm romance

This is definitely a romance with a lot of heart and self-discovery.

5 Stars — A Whimsical, Witty Road Trip Right Into My Heart!

I devoured Anywhere With You in one sitting and grinned like a maniac the entire time. It’s equal parts laugh-out-loud funny, deeply heartfelt, and brimming with second-chance/best-friends-to-lovers goodness. Think forced proximity in a camper van meets messy life detours, with a healthy splash of enemies-to-lovers banter…except they’re not enemies, just emotionally constipated childhood soulmates. You get me?

Charley Beekman is the delightful Type-A heroine of my dreams: sarcastic, smart, and spiraling in the most relatable way. She’s trying to outrun her failed marriage, looming law school debt, and the slow-burning panic of watching everyone else get their happily-ever-after. And then there’s Ethan—sigh—her infuriatingly charming, guitar-strumming best friend who has commitment issues the size of Minnesota. He’s the emotional equivalent of a cozy campfire: warm, glowing, and likely to give you third-degree feelings.

Their road trip through the Minnesotan wilderness had me howling. From suspicious gas station snacks to hilariously awkward sleeping arrangements and just enough tension to steam up the van’s windows, it was everything I wanted. But beneath the humor, this book has heart. Big, vulnerable, messy heart. It’s about fear and forgiveness and the hope that maybe—maybe—the person who’s always been there might just be your person after all.

I was utterly charmed. Completely wooed. And now I need more books set in camper vans with unresolved romantic tension and slightly unhinged sisters.

A massive thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy. I’m already planning a (fictional) trip back to Minnesota with Charley and Ethan. I’d follow these two anywhere.

This story follows Charley, a fresh divorcee and her childhood best friend who re-enters her life after her divorce, traveling to attempt her sisters elopement.Its been a long time since theyve been this close, literally, In Ethans van, and they have so much to breakdown, like why he abandoned her at her wedding, leaving her without her man of honor. While attempting to thwart her sisters sudden marriage, Charley learns why EThan really disappeared on her, and that maybe, just mayb enot everything needs to be planned down to a safe science. My only reason for 4 stars Is sometimes the banter between them seems almost forced, like hard to believe that would be common conversation even for people as close as they were.
Thank you to NetGalley, Ellie Palmer and the publisher for early access In exchange for my honest review!

I. Loved. This. Book. I absolutely devoured it like a feral dog! Charley, before Ethan actually pops up in the book somehow makes Ethan seem…unattractive, at least, his personality traits. Then you meet him, and she opens up, and you realize that she is an unreliable narrator who is kind of pushing her trauma onto him. As the story goes on you realize that they have had this beautiful love story but she wouldn’t open up to him and wow. I can’t explain it but their story was perfection. I go bananas for a friends to lovers story and this one was *chefs kiss*

Childhood friends to lovers | he falls first | Golden retriever MMC

He’s easy go with the flow type of guys. She’s a lawyer with a 5 year plan.

When I first started reading this book I initially felt like it was a lot of internal monologue with run on sentences. Now throughout the book I am unsure if I just got used to the writing style OR if it improved once we got into the main portion of the story.

The found family through friends in this book warmed my heart in ways I didn’t expect. And I appreciate how the friendships between the main characters are realistic. Yes these two are very close but they have spent time apart and picked right back up from where they left off. The banter they have is *chefs kiss* and I couldn’t get enough.

This is a great summer time read and although it doesn’t come out until August I still feel it’ll be perfect to read at that time and would recommend to anyone who likes a good ol’ romantic comedy.

I wanted to DNF, but didn’t.
There was something oddly off with this one. I disliked Ethan and Charley even more.
Where do I even start? Charley literally said “god is an asshole” and I don’t care if she was not religious, I surely wouldn’t want to read ANYTHING that involves some phrase like that. In the end, I kept my reading very vague and fast so I can finally be done with it.
Thank you NetGalley, the publisher for the ARC in exchange of an honest review.

Well, this seals the deal that Ellie Palmer is an auto-buy author for me! I loved her debut last year and then this one was just as good! I love a friends-to-lovers and I really loved the single POV. It raised the tension so much to not know exactly what Ethan is thinking (even though I was pretty sure we were in an “it’s always been you” situation). And I loved how Charley was written. Sometimes a main character’s baggage seems contrived and just there for drama, but Charley’s background and hesitations with Ethan felt real and authentic. It was just a great all around book!

I really liked Ellie Palmers sophomore novel. I didn’t enjoy it as much as her debut. I live in MN and loved all the northern MN parts of this book. I didn’t feel like the MMC had a lot of substance and felt like it got really repetitive. Will I read Ellie’s next book? I’ll give it a try!

I loved that this was a road trip romance between two opposites. It was so fun and a nice change in pace. I read this while camping so I felt as though I connected with the characters on their traveling. It was nice to get away and enjoy a good lighthearted read for a change. This was perfect for in between my dark romance reads that I’m used to. 4.5/5 stars I loved the story between Charley and Palmer. Will definitely recommend.

It was just wholly average. It wasn't bad but nothing about it was particularly memorable. I don't think it will make a lasting impression but it was a nice and quick read.

I love this book. I’m so excited for other people to get to read it. Thank you to the author and the publisher for making it available early for me to check out.

This was best friends to lovers perfection! Charley’s heartbreak leapt off the page. I felt every emotion right along with her. I also adored her sister and the beautifully written sisterhood bond. Bestie Verdict: Absolutely Recommend especially if you like slow burn, forced proximity in a van, and love after divorce.
TV-14 for spice fade to black but steamy build up, language, and trigger warnings (toxic parent relationships)

Similar Book recs: Road Trip by Beth O'Leary (more spice, TV-MA) and Complete by Kortney Keisel (closed door romance, TV-PG).

A book that takes me to Grand Marais and Lake Superior? Sign me up! I enjoyed Ellie Palmer's debut novel so much that I immediately requested her upcoming release. I'm so glad I did because it took me on an adventure up to the North Shore, one of my favorite places on earth. I'll reread when I need another Great Lake fix!

Thank you, Penguin Group Putnam | G.P. Putnam’s Sons and NetGalley, for providing me with this advance reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review.

“Anywhere with You” follows the story of Charley and Ethan, childhood friends who have always been opposites. Despite their differences, their friendship has always been strong. However, a case of bad timing and mixed signals nearly drove them apart. After Charley’s divorce, they reunite and start as friends with benefits. As they spend more time together, they realize that their feelings for each other run deeper. They must learn to merge their very different lives and find a way to be together.

This is not just a clichéd friends-to-lovers trope. It also explores the impact of childhood family experiences and the expectations and limitations that can be placed on oneself because of those experiences. It’s a heartwarming and entertaining romance that will leave you rooting for Charley and Ethan.

As someone who reads a lot of contemporary romance, Anywhere With You was a delightful surprise, fun, entertaining, and full of charm. Ellie Palmer strikes a great balance between heartfelt moments and playful banter, and the chemistry between the characters really worked for me. It had that effortless, feel-good energy I’m always hoping to find in a romance. A joyful read that left me smiling.