831 Stories always releases books that can cure any reading slump, and they never miss when it comes to juicy, fun romances throughout the year. Exit Lane was so much fun.

This story follows Marin and Teddy across the span of their adult lives. The writing style is very reminiscent of Normal People, Talking at Night, and One Day...They first meet right after college, when they take a road trip to New York to explore their options. They share an almost fated connection and are incredibly attracted to each other, but Marin is determined to start fresh in the city - she doesn’t want to bring any baggage from her old life with her. So, she does her best to avoid and forget about Teddy. But fate has other plans.

Throughout the years, they keep stumbling back into each other’s lives. The yearning and longing between them is palpable and really fun to follow. You can really feel it.

My only complaint is that their initial meeting, the road trip to New York, felt too short and lacked foundation for the following years. Their intimacy was cut off so quickly that it’s a little hard to buy that they’ve both been holding onto that one kiss for ten years. I get the instant chemistry, but I wish there had been more time spent building that foundation in the beginning. A few extra pages in that first chapter would’ve made the years of longing even more believable for the reader.

Overall, I had a great time with this book. It was fast-paced, easy to follow, and the characters were believable and likable.

Thank you to NetGalley, 831 Stories, & Erika Veurink for this ARC🌟🗽🚙

I absolutely am enamoured with how 831 Stories continues to find authors and stories worth telling in such a wonderful and delicate way!

I found that this book entertaining, heart wrenching and easy to follow along even when the plot seemed to be slowing down. I am not one for time jumps in romances, but Veurink did it incredibly well that reminded me of One Day by David Nicholls!

Even though the MCs were continents and a sea apart, the tension and connection written between them was still excellent!

Thank you again 831, you have my heart!!💋💘🏹

Honestly not sure about this one. I’m don’t believe that characters have to be good to be good characters but the MFC in this one really pissed me off in the last quarter of the book. And it’s not even just that, it’s more the fact that her actions were forgiven and swept under the rug in a matter of pages, and the ending felt really poorly tied together with a bow.

I understand what the book was trying to do and the idea behind it, but the continuous time-jumps made me not entirely convinced of the two main character’s connection because even when they would spend more then a day together (like in Copenhagen) we didn’t see much of it, it was just told to us what had happened between them.

Overall it felt very rushed, it could have used at least 100 more pages for the type of story it wanted to tell. It’s a 2.5/5 for me, bumped it to a 3 for originality because I can honestly say that I’ve never read a romance that dealt with this type of relationship.

***Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Exit Lane by Erika Veurink is one of those reads that hits you quietly but deeply. It's heart-aching in the best way: full of longing, subtle (and not so subtle) missteps, and that feeling of being so close to something real but never quite able to hold onto it. Veurink's writing captures the small, quiet moments that feel massive when you're in love.

I was so excited to read my first 831 project. I love their business model and was curious to dip into a novella. This one is absolutely delightful, tracking Teddy and Marin, who are thrown together on a long-distance road trip from college to NYC. They seem to want different things at face value, but after an electric connection and absolutely perfect banter, they can't seem to quit one another as the years go on. A total delight!

When Harry Met Sally that's spicy and makes my heart ache? Sign me up! Ultimately Teddy was too good for Marin though and I couldn't forgive her!

So much was packed into this short little book! Exit Lane takes place over eight years, and follows Teddy and Marin, who collide on and off across time jumps. I can't believe this felt like a slow burn, given how quick the read is.

This book has the miscommunication trope done right, with a third act break up that HURT and made me angry, but I also understood where it came from. I really enjoy stories about messy, imperfect characters making messy, imperfect choices, so Exit Lane was right up my alley. The prose was good, I enjoyed the pacing, and ultimately, this book made me so emotional.

I'd recommend to fans of When Harry Met Sally, angst, and right person wrong time dynamics.

Favorite so far from 831 Stories! Initially I was worried that it felt too much like When Harry Met Sally - two college grads meet because they are road-tripping together to New York City, there is an undeniable romantic spark between them, there is a declaration that men and women can’t be friends, another declaration that these two in particular won’t be friends upon arriving in New York, etc. I’m happy to say Exit Lane proved me wrong! Even though it started out with a similar structure to the Nora Ephron classic it took us down a nuanced and completely unique path. Marin and Teddy are both great characters, fleshed out through an alternating pov between the two of them. I laughed, squealed, and cried real tears reading this book. Thankful to have gotten to read an advanced copy and I look forward to Exit Lane coming out on September 16th.

thank you so much to netgalley and 831 stories for providing me an eARC in exchange for an honest review!
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teddy and marin first met post-college graduation, when the two went on a road trip to new york city. after that, they don't expect to see each other again... but, over the course of eight years, their paths cross.

so freaking cute! loved this one and couldn't put it down! this book feels like a rom-com drama, this is my second read from this publisher, and i am definitely going to read the rest of the stuff they've put out. also??? their website??? they have the cutest merch omg.
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trigger warnings:
-cancer

tropes:
-right person, wrong time
-one bed
-he fell first

similar to:
-kinda reminded me of 50 first dates for some reason?
-emily henry

I have loved the last couple 831 stories I’ve read. However, this one fell short for me. I adored the fact that Marin was bisexual but I didn’t believe the romance between her and Teddy. They didn’t seem to have a connection

Thank you to NetGalley and 831 Stories for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I don’t know how to rate this book because, on the one hand, I finished it in like two hours—but on the other, I really didn’t like Marin (the FMC). I found her annoying and disagreed with most of her choices.

Then we have Teddy (the MMC), whom I loved. Literally nothing bad to say about him.

I should also mention: this book does involve cheating. So if that’s a hard no for you, maybe skip this one—it’s pretty clear from early on where both the FMC and MMC’s interests lie.

That said, credit where it’s due: the story felt very realistic. It spans eight years (!!), and the emotional arcs reflect that.

So all in all, I guess it’s a 4-star read.
(FOR TEDDY.)

Thank you so much to NetGalley and 831 for letting me read this arc! I'm so honored to be given this opportunity and I had so much fun, thank you, thank you, thank you!!!

Oh man, this was good. I'm convinced anyone who doesn't rate this as a 4 star or higher is either lying or hates romance. I remember watching Anne Hathaway in "One Day" and being so disappointed in the movie's outcome because the premise of it had so much potential. This story is exactly what "One Day" should have been. Actually no, it's not even comparable because it's 10x better than the premise for One Day.

Teddy is such a lovable character. Some might say he's a golden retriever. But he's not really a golden retriever In the sense that he's energetic or happy all the time, but rather that he's good man. He's kind, strong, Is willing to put up a fight for what he wants, is protective, and perceptive. Teddy is an (imperfect) perfect man who, as a reader, you can't help but fall in love with.

Marin is a character that is relatable for me. She's been through some hardship and has her guards up. She's scared of falling in love and having something that lasts. Seeing her grow throughout this story was enjoyable to read. Sometimes these stories can be irritating because the heroine is too stubborn stuck in her ways, but I didn't feel like that here. I liked going on this journey with her and watching her grow.

If you like other 831 stories you should check this one out.
If you're Interested in reading 831 for the first time, you should also check this out. It's a beautifully imperfect cozy read.

This is the fifth of the 831 Stories series that I've read and I really enjoyed it!

After graduating college, Marin and Teddy have a two-day road trip as they move to New York. Once they arrive they spend the next few years thinking about each other but never actually connecting, until one random night in a bar.

I loved the scope of this novella - it spanned over many years and different parts of their lives. I really enjoyed both Marin and Teddy, and although I didn't love the decisions that they made I understood why they made them.

This felt very complete for being a novella -- I felt like I had plenty of time to get attached to the characters, and there was quite a lot of plot and tension. Overall such a good book!

I am really loving the 831 Stories series -- each one I've read has been so unique and fun, I can't wait to check out more of them and more from Erika Veurink in the future!

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book!

This one was not for me. I found the characters unlikeable and difficult to get invested in. Well written, but not my cup of tea.

Once again a 831 short story rivals the best full length novels. This writer can write and their prose will make you cry.

For fans of The Light We Lost by Jill Santopolo.

Thanks NetGalley and 831 Stories for the ARC! I've been loving 831's short and sweet (sometimes spicy!) novellas and this one is my favorite yet. It reminded me of When Harry Met Sally and People We Meet on Vacation it was a slow-ish burn and will-they won't-they story with just the right amount of tension and buildup. The main conflict around 80% of the way through had me so sad and frustrated but it added a layer of complexity to the plot by exploring how grief continues to impact our lives years after loss. I loved this book and hope we see more from the author!

The second l saw the name of the Book, l was dran in ,not forgetting the fact that it said,"If you are a fan of People You On Vacation", Marin and Teddy truly portray the messiness of life and love.

I love being taken through different years and phases of their lives and l appreciate how they continued to meet after years but they constantly fell for each other all over again.
The pace of this book is steady and the conflict inspired by Teddy and Marin's one of grief backstories caries the story forward which leads to great character development, especially for Marin who learns that you cant outrun yourself.This is a beautiful love story and I loved the light bulb moment, "Exit Lane" made sense. The short chapters and Dual Point Of View are a bonus and a reader's dream.This took me out of the reading slump l was in, in an instants...Erika Veurink, Thank you for such a real portray of life and love. ❤️ 😍 🫂 🤗

This follows the story of Teddy and Marin. Teddy recently graduated from uni and is moving to New York for law school. He agrees to drive a stranger- Marin, who also recently graduated, to New York. Marin wants to leave Iowa behind after the loss of her father and she feels that New York is the best place for her to start over. Over the course of their roadtrip, they did not expect to have undeniable chemistry and on their first night, they share an unforgettable kiss. Going on separate directions in life, they agree to not take things further.
Over the next 8 years, both their paths continue to cross and fate is adamant to get them together, but life continues to get in the way.
There are number of time jumps throughout the book which gives a lot of impact to the story. Overall, it was an ok read, but like the first 831 story I read, I feel like a novella doesn’t shape the character enough for me. I did not like the character of Marin, maybe if the book was a bit longer, it would’ve explored her grief more and justify her choices in life. There were points in the book where I was rooting for Teddy so hard and just screaming YOU DESERVE BETTER at him.

oh i ADORED this!! i loved both marin and teddy, i couldn't stop giggling over their chemistry! but at the 70% mark i lost almost all interest in the story. i love a good messy third act conflict/breakup but the way this conflict was done wasn't for me. maybe it's just me but having someone get sick only for that to be used as the main conflict never keeps me invested. other than that i loved the characters, i loved teddy and i hope we get another book for sloane and carter's story!

Thank you to NetGalley and 831 Stories for this ARC! Wow did I fall hard for Marin and Teddy as they navigate life from their college graduation to adulthood. The sporadic meetings and genuine feelings for each other made this story an easy one to absolutely adore. Prepare to have your heartstrings pulled.