Exit Lane is a beautifully bittersweet exploration of timing, longing, and all the roads not taken. From their very first post-graduation car ride from Iowa to New York, Teddy and Marin are entangled in a complicated, magnetic orbit; despite themselves. Over the next eight years, fate, grief, and miscommunication pull them in and out of each other’s lives, raising the question: when the chance arises, do you finally leap or walk away?

Exit Lane is a tender, lingering romance that proves emotional intimacy can be just as compelling as action. It’s not perfect, but its flaws are forgivable because Veurink gives us characters worth investing in, heartbreak that roars from the margins, and hope that feels earned.

This is for readers who appreciate character depth, slow burns, and stories about the spaces between people, this one’s a winner.

I don’t know what’s in the water over at 831 Stories, but they keep producing novellas that leave me utterly undone. I never even thought of myself as a novella reader before, and now it feels like all I want are these slim little heartbreakers that manage to say more in 150 pages than some books do in 500.

This story gutted me. GUTTED. ME.

Marin and Teddy meet at a pivotal moment, as they leave their home state behind and set out on a cross-country trip toward futures waiting in New York City. Marin can’t wait to escape Iowa, desperate to outrun the grief that lingers there. Teddy, meanwhile, longs to return and build a life in the very place she’s running from.

This story is full of heart and longing, missed connections and missteps, wrong turns and second chances. But fate (and, I like to think, my willful refusal to allow any other outcome) refuses to stop pulling them back into each other’s orbit.

I loved this. I loved this. I loved this. I loved this.

As for the audiobook, both narrators did a fantastic job bringing the story to life. That said, I personally prefer when narrators stick to voicing only their own characters, even with shifting POVs. Because of that, I landed on 4 stars for the audio and 5 for the book itself. I really appreciated having the audiobook as an option, but if I were to revisit this story, I’d likely choose the e-copy over the audio.

Thank you to NetGalley, 831 Stories, AE Titles, S&S Audio, and Erika Veurink for this advanced copy. This review is voluntary and all opinions are my own.

RIYL When Harry Met Sally, Interstate 80, Jimmy John's, forced proximity and missed connections.

Okkkk I completely relate to Marin's avoidant, controlling tendencies but dayum for a sec I couldn't get past how dirty she did Teddy. Poor guy!!!! She was selfish and stubborn to a frustrating fault. It was a bumpy ride (no pun intended) but the writing truly evoked so much emotion I got past it.

I dnf'd this book because of the MMC cheating on his girlfriend with FMC. There is also no trigger warning for this. I do not read books where this takes place.

Thank you to 831 Stories for the ARC for an honest review.

Thank you to 831 stores for the gifted book and audiobook!

Unfortunately this just wasn’t the story for me. I think the premise and the whole idea of missed connections. But I really dislike cheating. This happens in the first 40% of the book between the MMC Teddy who cheats on his then girlfriend with the FMC Marin.

I think there will definitely be a lot of people who enjoy this novella and the depth to the characters, but I just can’t enjoy story lines that involve cheating from the main characters.

The narrator’s did a fantastic job at bringing this story to life and if you decide to read I’d highly suggest the audiobook for this one.

Very app-ed when they described it as ‘Harry met Sally’-esque. They meet each other time and again. But Marin does frustrates me when she tries to play it cool when in her heart or hearts knew it’s the most earth-shattering to be with Teddy. Also frustrating that Teddy is such a golden retriever that even she pushed her away, he kept coming back. But I guess if you know, you know.

Anyway, the journey of coming together and splitting very much like a movie. Definitely cried when they split the most recent time. But glad there’s a happy ending.

Thank you NetGalley & AE Titles / S&S Audio for the audio ARC. The narrators did a great job with showing the characters emotion and delivered the storyline well.

I love these short stories, but this one was very bland to me. I didn't feel a connection between Teddy and Marin as much as I wanted to.
I did really like the depth that Teddy had!!

This book was intriguing from start to finish. The more I listened the more I liked it. Marin and Teddy first meet when she catches a ride with him. They are young, Teddy is captivated. The story stretches over many years. Teddy pursues Marin and flies to Denmark to take a chance on them. They have an amazing week until bad news finds Teddy. Marin’s reaction is tough and unlikable, but the back story is there to support why she does what she does. Marin takes time to grow and go through therapy. When they meet again, the ending is very satisfying!
I enjoyed this one. I loved that the Midwest was represented as I live in the Midwest. Lots of good character growth and conflict. This book was well written, and although short, it was the right length for the story. The narrators did a great job bringing this book to life. This is my first book by this publisher, and it won’t be my last. This debut novella hit the spot! I’m keeping an eye on this author. I’m looking forward to more from her. I received this audiobook from 831 Stories Romance and Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

There is something so special about 831 Stories novellas. You know exactly the kind of real-life drama and complex love story you're getting into, and Exit Lane was no different. There were a lot of things that I loved about this book with some exceptions. The first thing I do want to say is that this book definitely needed a trigger warning for cancer, and I hoping that it will be in the print edition somewhere. I am not a fan of insta love which this book relies on. While there is tension built through the car ride but the only thing keeping them together was this insta attraction and desire to jump each other's bones. But the time jumps helped with this and the serendipity that was pulling these characters through brief moments that would seem silly and ordinary. I think this book really does a fantastic job at truly tapping into the work that people need to do in order to truly make their love work, beyond just the desire to be together. I think this is the only couple I've read where I do truly think that they will get married and be together well beyond the stories end. The narrators put so much heart and emotion into every sentence. I could hear their voices dripping with longing and emotion, I was enthralled the whole time. While this may not have been my favorite 831 Stories publication it was a fantastic read and I think if you ever get caught in the snow you should turn on this audiobook.

I had a really hard time with this book. As a general fan of 831 stories, I was hopeful, but it all just seemed too far-fetched. The characters didn't have any chemistry, which made the concept of a lifelong lesbian exploring a relationship with a man really implausible. The short length meant that they couldn't develop the characters in a satisfying way. I wanted to love this, but it was a miss for me.

NetGalley ALC Review:

First things first, the audiobook was super well done! Both the male and female narrator were enjoyable to listen and felt like they really fit each character’s personality.

I enjoyed the way she was able to make this story feel long and meaningful even though it was a fairly short novella! We got lots of character development and spanned over long periods of time in a way that made a lot of sense.

My main complaint with this story is the female main character. I just didn’t feel like her reasonings for not wanting a relationship with Teddy were flushed out enough. I understand losing a parent can affect people in different ways, but in my mind, if she loved her dad so much, it would make sense that she gravitated to someone who was so similar.

I am generally not a fan of characters in this generation smoking cigarettes because we just not way too much and I immediately get the ick. Also, her dad literally died from cancer when she was a teenager and yet she smokes?? No way.

Teddy put up with way too much from Maren and I just wanted him to advocate for himself a little harder.

Overall, this was a fun read, but it felt a little too much like a ripoff of You, Again by Kate Goldbeck!

I really enjoyed the Iowa connections as I am from Iowa and it's rare to see that connection. Overall, I liked this book but I had a hard time with the decision made by the characters which included cheating and when she chose to leave him after she found out her had cancer. These just hit a bit too close to home for me.

4.75 stars

I had a great time listening to this. It was a modern When Harry Met Sally but messy.....and I was here for it.

Similar to the movie, the main characters, Teddy and Marin, drive from Iowa City to NYC. During this trip, they got to know each other. They parted ways with the understanding that men and women could not just be friends. Throughout the years, they continue to meet up.

Kellen Boyle and Hallie Ricardo did a wonderful job. They made it easy to envision the events and bring the story to life. I'm eager to read/listen to more from Erika Vurink. I'm eager to pick up more audiobooks narrated by these talented voices.

Thank you to NetGalley and 831 Stories for the copy of this audiobook. The narrators are fantastic for these novellas from 831 Stories!

Be aware that while this is a novella, this is not light and fluffy. Marin and Teddy drive to NYC after college together a la When Harry Met Sally from Iowa City. There's attraction, but they part without acting on it because Marin is uptight and closed off. She's the sort of character who has a plan to remain in control and run from being vulnerable and her trauma and nothing will stop it. Teddy is happy-go-lucky, and a romantic. He wants to return to the Midwest eventually after law school and finding success in NYC. They're incompatible on paper but in practice they have chemistry and great banter. There's a dash of Harry and Sally here, a bit of Normal People and One Day (but without the tragedy-this is a romance novella!) inspiring these original characters. They reconnect periodically at different points 3 years later, 2 years after that and 3 years after and while I would have loved more time with them, Veurink does a great job of fleshing out the characters and their lives with these time jumps. Content warning for cancer being a part of their story but I repeat, there is an HEA.

This one is for all the Midwesterners who have lived in NYC because you feel like you have to live there to have "made it." I can't wait to see what this author does next and I have enjoyed all of these titles fro 831 Stories I've read so far.

I received an ALC of this little guy, and it wrecked me more times than I’d like to admit. Another AMAZING piece from 831 - I didn’t think I’d love anything more than square waves but now it's got some competition...

Exit Lane is a masterfully done tale of missed connections, imperfect timing, and the perfect storm that has to happen for two star-crossed lovers (yeah, I said it!!!) to actually be together.

Marin and Teddy's love story had me in my feels the entire time - in addition to the yearning and the sexual tension, there was always an undercurrent of grief and general struggle, and it was deeply felt throughout. There were several instances where I just wanted to scream at Marin to GET IT TOGETHER, but her storyline felt so true to her character and I wouldn't change it one bit!

Thank you to 831 and NetGalley for the ALC of this beautiful lil novella. I am voluntarily leaving my honest review after listening.

Exit Lane by Erika Veurink is Teddy and Marin’s story. It spans nearly a decade of the moments when they meet and drift apart during their time in New York and Denmark.

Exit Lane is a story of timing and identity. Marin and Teddy meet when he drives her to NYC after graduating from university in Iowa. Together on the car journey, they feel an instant and deep connection. But it’s all about timing.

The pace of the time jumps was well done. Timing is the theme of this story, but also identity and facing fears. We see how Marin’s previous experiences impact her view of relationships and how much she shares and is open with her partners. Marin’s time in Iowa and New York helped her find her identity and let go of expectations she has felt that she’s grown up with.

The title connects well to how Marin has viewed relationships both in the past and when she meets Teddy. She often looked for exit lanes in other relationships, but Teddy became the exit lane to stability and love.

This story at times feels like Marin and Teddy are two ships passing in the night when they reunite, but destined to be together. Throughout the story, I was rooting for them to find their way to each other. This story reinforces though that it can take time as the characters grow and work on themselves individually before they can work together on their relationship.

I see many parallels to When Harry Met Sally, but also I see many similarities to Normal People. This is my first book from 831 Pages Romance and I look forward to reading more. Exit Lane is thoughtful, emotional, reflective, and hopeful. I thought the narration is well done.

Thank you to Net Galley, Erika Veurink, and 831 Stories for the opportunity to read and review this Advanced Listener Copy of Exit Lane!

Wow, I am not okay.

Why was this only a novella! The way I have laughed, cried, had my heart ripped out, to cry all over again is not okay. I need more of Teddy and Marin right now. This is exactly what I want from a romance novella. The emotions this book brought of me in such a short amount of time is the reason I read.
5/5 Stars

Also the audiobook was fantastic!

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for sending me an arc copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

I normally am all over anything published by 831 Stories however this one just fell a bit flat for me. I honestly did not even finish this novella, I made it to the 70% mark and just had to put it down. Something about the dialogue was a bit superficial in certain parts and also I really disliked the male narrator for the audiobook. He had a really (for lack of better word) nerdy voice and I just really couldn't picture him as the love interest.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and AE Titles / S&S Audio | 831 Stories for this advanced copy!

I have been loving 831 romance books! They are short but always have really interesting well developed characters that are easy to root for! This was a sweet story and I can’t wait to read more from this author.


Note: for me the narrator wasn’t my favorite but I can be picky with audiobooks so it’s worth a try to see if you like it!

This novella packs a punch! Although brief, the author delves deep into the lives both Teddy and Marin in such a real and honest way. For Teddy, it's always been Marin. However, Marin is more fickle and not ready for real commitment. The two ultimately find their way back to one another after years apart.