Enjoyable and surprisingly fleshed out for a novella. Teddy and Marin both felt multi-dimensional and compellingly flawed. Some of the relationship milestone jumps (friends to crushes, crushes to "you're my soulmate") felt a little rushed and could have benefitted from a longer format. I'd also love to see more of the side characters.

This book has such an easy cadence and flows really well. It's a enjoyable to read the story. Don't pick this up if you don't want to read about cheating. I also think I would have enjoyed it more reading it physically. The audiobook narrators were not my favorite. But if you love the movie, when Harry Met Sally and want a quick romance pick this up.

There is a formula to romance, no question about it. However, to the novice reader of the genre, it’s far more complex than one would think. Romance is a layered, nuanced equation. You’ve got to be able to think about character, plot, and emotional intersections as you work through your calculations to achieve a desired outcome (the HEA). It’s not “plug and chug” drivel. Exit Lane took very little of this into consideration.

The characters are bland. The plot is woefully uninteresting. There is zero chemistry between Teddy and Maren. Don’t tell me this male main character is a yearning, aching, lovesick fool when these two have barely had a conversation together on page that would merit a 7+ year tendre. Maren is tall, confident, smokes cigarettes, and dresses like Annie Hall—so alluring! So aloof! Writing a novella—especially a romance novella—is a careful art. You have to set the scene, develop the personas, build the emotional intimacy, sneak in a hot bang, and ensure that the relationship is believable. And that, is absolutely not what you will find here.

Is this a new sub-genre being marketed to women who are Penguin Classics devotees? Is this for a niche reader who couldn’t be bothered to carry a paperback with an illustrated cover? Moreover, what is this cover? Outside of that, the sales pitch at the end of the audiobook set this straight into one star territory. Thank you but I do not have any interest in reading an epilogue or revisiting this “book universe” or purchasing merch inspired by these paper thin characters.

This story started off with so many nods towards one of the best rom-coms in modern history but then veered into it's own novel. When Harry Met Sally is a movie that epitomizes the opposite sexes than can never be friends that become best friends who consider something more only to end up in awkward silence for too long before they become lovers. Whew. That's a mouthful and not a trope that we normally see in books. With that said, friends to lovers is something I long to read about. This audiobook gave us duel narration and I loved hearing what each one thought about the other. I just wish we would have seen more of them interacting over the years. I feel like to truly mimic a friends to lovers we needed to "see" times when they were in their real lives just being friends. So there was "telling" and not showing of those moments. I think because it was a novella that is why we got the condensed version. I think that angst and slow burn would have been perfect for this couple. So, I loved the narrators and thought they did a fabulous job. The story was a B+ in my mind and wished for more!

3.75/5⭐️ 2/5🌶️ 1.5/5😢

This was my first time reading an 831 novella (despite owning five other copies—I’m a sucker for great marketing) and I wasn’t disappointed! I think the description was spot on comparing it to a mix of You, Again, Normal People, and People We Meet on Vacation. The characters were definitely messy which I loved and their attraction to one another was palpable. I think I would have enjoyed this more as a full length novel where the characters were able to spend more time together in between their fits and starts, so we could see more of the emotional connection. Overall solid read! I really enjoyed both narrators who were both new-to-me and really embodied the book’s characters. Highly recommended if you’re an earball reader.

tropes & themes
→ strangers to (intermittent) lovers 💕
→ road trip(s) 🚗 🗺️
→ cancer & grief 🕊️
→ lgbtq rep 🏳️‍🌈

Thank you 831 Stories, AE Titles/S&S Audio, and NetGalley for advanced copies of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I liked the story and found myself enjoying the slow burn and tension, the things unsaid. And it sure was spicy!
it was a bit too close to When Harry Met Sally at the beginning but as the story developed, I leaned into it more.
But the narrators were pretty intolerable to me - I don't think they matched the characters and they took me out of the story more than if I had visually read it. Both of them equally.

Dual narration- Kellen Boyle & Hallie Ricardo
Good narration. They did a good job giving these characters and their story life.

This was a good story packed into a short listen/read. It is easy to follow and an enjoyable story. The authors writing is well received. I wish it was a tad bit longer I wanted a little more depth into the story and characters. Overall a good listen.

For a novella, this audiobook had just the right amount of angst, emotion, and depth! I was truly surprised by how entertained I was.

I felt like the readers matched how I pictured the characters, it is also nice that we had different actors as we switch between points of view. Looking forward to see what the author does next!

This is a good book. Is well written, well paced. Engaging.
However, I have to say, I despise the FMC.
Girl, get your shit together. These people wasted almost a decade in a dumb back and forth just because she has “trauma”. We all have trauma. You don’t get to be a bitch and ask for a million opportunities after hurting everyone just because your dad died when you were young.
I was rooting so hard for them to not end up together

I’ve yet to read an 831 romance I didn’t love, and Exit Lane is no exception.

Similarly to When Harry Met Sally (adore) and You, Again, (adore), Teddy and Marin’s relationship spans eight years, with all the messy, funny, bittersweet chance encounters you’d expect from two people who can’t quite quit each other. Loved

Kellen Boyle and Hallie Ricardo nailed the narration—engaging, well-paced, and full of emotion. Perfectly bingeable and satisfying with a delightful Easter egg. ;)

Thanks to AE Titles / S&S Audio | 831 Stories and NetGalley for the advance listening copy!

firstly, thank you to the publisher for an alc!!

4.5 stars

i will always gravitate towards any form of media that touts similar vibes/premise of when harry met sally (the non-negotiable best romcom).

while exit lane certainly had when harry met sally vibes, erika veurink added her own special twists and emotional circumstances that make it unique!

as for the audio, there were dual narrators and i always love that for a romance novel!

Thank you to Netgalley and 831 Publishing for the E-ALC!

I really enjoyed both narrators- I felt both did a great job voicing the other characters within the chapters as well. They both embodied the specific characteristics for each point of view; the narrator for Teddy was kind and wholesome while the Marin narrator came across as cool and collected.

What a powerful story in such a small book! 831 Publishing never disappoints and this book was stellar.

I loved the time jumps, the yearning, the betrayal! I really didn’t think there could be a happy resolution for Marin and Teddy.

I love the idea that Teddy had this concrete plan for his future and then was made to realize that life is so fickle in such a cruel way. And the same cruelty is what caused Marin to turn him away when he needed her most. Ugh, it was so heartbreaking for a while.

This was fantastic! Couldn't put it down. If you're a fan of One Day or When Harry Met Sally you need to pick up this book.

We jump right into the story with Marin and Teddy one the day they meet for the first time. The story follows them throughout the years and how the relationship and romance develops between them. I thought the characters were great. They are total opposites. Teddy is a sweet Midwesterner and Marin is the cool girl. Teddy is super lovable and Marin is totally relatable. They are messy and complicated but also felt very real. I thought the romance developed naturally and kept me rooting for them to get together.

The writing just flows and makes you want to keep turning the pages. I couldn't put this down once I started.

Kellen Boyle and Hallie Ricardo were the narrators here and they did a fabulous job. I really liked their voices for the characters. They both brought a lot of life and characterization to the story. I could easily immerse myself into the book while listening to them.

Would highly recommend!

I absolutely loved this book. The writing was beautiful. The plot was perfect. I enjoyed the narrators.