A quick and easy read. Ideal as a vacation book for when you want to lease around by the pool. Enjoyable.

In the beginning I really enjoyed the book and was looking forward to go on the road trip with Maddy and Leanne. I was also interested in Maddy's search for her summer romance from the past.

It was very nice to visit different places with the two women but somehow I had difficulties to tell the two women apart and always struggled with who is who and whose past we are talking about.

The journey itself also lost its sparks throughout the story as they were mostly staying in one place. Also Maddys search for her summer romance became a little bit annoying and had too much room.

The story turned out to be ok and entertaining in parts but won't be something I will really remember.

Admittedly I found it quite hard to really get into this story at first, but I did eventually, and it's a lovely, heartwarming read. I think we all wonder what we'd do if we won the lottery, and this book explores that prospect wonderfully well.

Maddy feels unfulfilled. The kids have left home, her husband is obsessed with golf and life has become rather boring. She’s a teacher and one of her colleagues and a good friend is Leanne, a bit of an oddball character but with a good heart. She’s looking after her mother, and boy, does she need a break. Both of them do, so when they scoop a Lottery win, they’re decide to go on a road trip to the south of France. Maddy’s husband Tom disapproves, as does her mother-in-law, but she disapproves of everything. And anyway, Tom is planning a trip of his own to play in a golf tournament.
Both women have lurking ulterior motives – Leanne wants to track down her father, Erik, and Maddy desperately needs some thinking time and wouldn’t mind looking up Ludovic, her first real boyfriend.
They have some very amusing adventures and encounters, including one with Bridget the poodle with royal connections, as they try to rediscover their real selves and get out of the rut that life has somehow shunted them into without their fully realising. They do seem to have found their goal, only they discover there are goats in it. Their happy endings aren’t quite there for them yet. So it’s onwards with their travels and, you have to hope, they’ll have plenty more adventures for us to share. ‘The Boat Trip’ is the next book in this series.
This is sharply and beautifully written. Maddy and Leanne are wonderful, colourful, imperfect characters trying to do their best and make the most of their lives. We feel they fully deserve this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity their win has given them, and share their enthusiasm and optimism for the future. There are many clever, comical touches, but there’s tension, insecurity and doubt there too. Our characters have responsibilities and have tough decisions to make. But the background is a feel-good one of hope and expectation. Readers’ expectations won’t be disappointed by this lively, touching novel.

This was a funny and light read. Made the mistake of starting to read the second book first. About a quarter of the way through I realised my mistake - and changed books. This would make a perfect holiday read.

Really enjoyed this book, good easy read that made me giggle in parts. I will look out for further work by this author

A light hearted romantic comedy which I read in one sitting. A perfect holiday read . I loved it and look forward to reading more about Maddy and Leanne’s adventures in the next book.

This was a light fluffy read. Maddy was tired of the routine tedium of housework and her husband's obsession with golf. Leanne had a dominating over-possessive mother. When both win 200,000£, they decide to go on a road trip exploring Europe. Both the women had a motive: one to find a lost love, other to find her lost father.

My first book by Susanne O'Leary, and this is the first adventure in the travel series. The countryside described was fabulous and realistic. The women did have a loads of fun. The red Mercedes convertible attracted me throughout the book, it could take on all the roads.

The women were fun loving, spirited, there was a bond between them. They had their similarities, they were both teachers. Yet their differences in attitude and age separated them, they weren't the best of friends. So the warmth between them that comes from years of friendship was lacking. Their friendship grew with their capers which went from shopping trips to pretending to be the waitresses to accidental dog-knapping to ferry ride to sweet-turning-nasty Lord of Manor blackmailing passenger to old fickle lover to new father-turning-boyfriend to divorcing old husband to new love. Whew!!

This was a light read, with minimal drama, minimal emotions. It seemed more like a journey of their inner discovery, an escape from their life into their travels. Overall a fun read!!

Maddy and Leanne are secondary school teachers in Ireland who have just won the lotto in a group ticket buy. Both are planning just what to do with the money: the options are great. Maddy’s husband Tom spends all his free time, and all his focus on golfing- not including Maddy at all. With their two children grown and away from home, Maddy is at loose ends, and is finding her life sans children is not the travel and reconnect with the adult side of their marriage that she hoped for. Leanne is at the other side of her life, just having received a full time offer to teach science at the school, she is single, lives with her very controlling and manipulative mother, and tends to ‘act out’ with outrageous hair, piercings and dress.

But, the two are friends and decide that a road trip through England and France in a sporty red Merc convertible is just the ticket- 5 star all the way, with a blog to document their adventures as they each have a personal stake in their travels through France.
From shopping for ‘new looks’ on their way out of Ireland to serving at a drinks party at a manor house and finding a stowaway in the form of a little poodle owned by a royal, to the lord of the manor threatening blackmail and police action if they don’t take him along –the story is full of moments that highlight the differences between Maddy and Leanne, as each starts to open up and discover ‘the good life’ as they travel.

While all is not light and fluffy: Leanne is ostensibly on a search for her father who left her and her mother without a trace some twenty years earlier, as Maddy looks to find her first love, met when she was ending her time at the Sorbonne – the two have stories and loose ends, as well as current issues to work out. Leaving with their time in Provence, there are questions and changes to adapt to: the end of Maddy’s marriage, her attraction to Leanne’s father, Leanne’s budding romance and her relationship with her long-lost father now that she knows another side of the story of her parents’ relationship…. This is pure escape reading – the characters are clever and slow to develop, but have a wonderful way of encouraging you to take a seat and travel along.

I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

Review first appeared at <a href=” https://wp.me/p3OmRo-9UW/” > <a> I am, Indeed </a>

Maddie and Leanne are both teachers who need to get away...... Maddie's husband is far more interested in golf than her and Leanne is still living with her mother who constantly guilt trips her........... So when they win the lottery what could be a better idea than to hire a convertible and set off for France! Especially as the both have ulterior motives.........Maddie wants to look up a lover from 20 years ago that she has never forgotten and Leanne wants to find the father that she had not seen since she was 12.

I loved this book.... great concept and great fun...... brilliant characters and a book that I didn't want to put down but at the same time didn't want to end

I always wonder what I'd do if I won the lottery and I think it would be pretty similar to Leanne and Maddy! This was a cute story with both happy and sad moments. It didn't grip me but I did enjoy it and it's a perfect holiday read!

Delightful. Coming back to life, after winning a large share of a group lottery at work, two teachers go off on a summer holiday road trip through Europe. Maddy, an empty nester, who is in a turning point in her marriage doesn’t mention the big win to husband who is more interested in gold than her. Leanne a younger science teacher still living with her mother who guilts her in staying. Both take off in the little rented red Mercedes convertible for the luxury adventure of a lifetime. Leanne to look for the father who deserted her and her mother. Maddy to search for her long ago lover she has never forgotten, to find the answer why he never contacted her. Such a nice adventure as these women learn more about themselves and living life on the high life. So refreshing. Oh, every women reading will urge the women at work to buy a group lottery ticket. I did!

Having enjoyed this author in the past I was very excited to see she was now a Bookouture author, and despite having had the book on my kindle for a while, and being taunted by the gorgeous cover whenever I've been scrolling twitter, it took a while to get around to picking it up to read.

What is not to like about this book - an unexpected windfall, two colleagues on a road trip to France from Ireland, a glorious car, madcap adventures, and both Maddie and Leanne have their own reasons for travelling to France.

They are both looking for men - well to be specific, specific men that they have lost from their lives. Leanne believe her father lives somewhere in France, and she hasn't seen him she was was 12. Maddie on the other hand wants to look up the man she had a love affair with 20 odd years ago when she was a student in Paris.

But before they even get to the continent they get up to all sorts, and even start a blog which proves quite popular. Along the trip they pick up some extra passengers for various reasons which added extra dynamics to that stage of the trip.

We get a great sense of their entire road trip, and I am delighted to say that this book has a lovely open ending to make way for the next book A Holiday to Remember which I am already eager to read.

This is pure escapist summer fun, and is great for sitting in the garden with, or poolside, and following the ladies exploits in this funny and well written romantic comedy. I loved the descriptions of the various stops on the road trip, and I really felt as though I was alongside the ladies, while they have a summer that will change everything for them.

Although its been a while since I last read a book from the author, I was reminded within moments of starting it why I love her writing, the tone is perfect, its full of warmth and just draws you in. All in all this is an addictive read and I can't wait to see what Maddie and Leanne get up to next.

Thank you to Bookouture and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

What would I do if i won the lottery? Go on a trip like Leanne and Maddy did? You betcha!!! I enjoyed their adventures along with their escapades they fell into. I enjoyed this story and look forward to more by this author. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

What a very lovely and cool read! I enjoyed every pages! I love this type of "road trip" stories where the author takes us throughout different locations and in this particular story we are travelling around Europe, especially around France. It was really relaxing to read this book and I loved the plot. I understand that there will be a second part to this story, "the boat trip" and I am really happy to know that I will follow those two crazy women in their next adventure! Can't wait!

Everyone dreams of winning the lottery, but Maddy and Leanne (as well as the rest of their syndicate) DID.

So, what do you do when you win it big? Yep, you guessed it, you drive around Europe on a girls-only tour that doesn't include a disapproving mother nor a slob of a husband, that's what!

It sounds so lovely, and a lot of this story really is. It is a light and breezy read, but isn't so unrealistic that you can't see yourself doing the same thing one day, if your numbers come up. Maddy and Leanne are very different people indeed so they have some bits and pieces to work out as they drive into the sunset, which makes this book a more interesting read than others of its ilk.

I give this book a solid 4 stars and I am already looking forward to reading the next adventure that the girls embark upon.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

The Road Trip is the story of two workmates, Maddy and Leanne, who win the lottery, leave their troubles behind and head off on an adventure in a red convertible.
 
Maddy feels invisible, her children have left home and her husband has a serious golf addiction. Leanne feels down beaten by her mother and wants to break free and find her independence. So the lottery win comes at just the right time for both ladies and a chat which starts in the staff room becomes a reality. They both have their own personal reasons to embark on their adventures and with a booming bank balance....why the hell not?
 
I enjoyed reading about Maddy and Leanne's trip from Dublin, on to England and later to France. It was interesting to see how the ladies got on, they were more colleagues than friends and complete opposites but their personalities complemented each other and boy do these two know how to have fun!
 
I liked the underlying message about friendships and grabbing happiness when you can. It's an inspiring story that will resonate with many women and hopefully help them to make changes.
 
A light read, the perfect 'escape story and one that will get you wondering what you would do if you suddenly won 200k !

I have a huge confession to make. Although Susanne has released over a dozen books, I haven’t actually come across her before nor have I read any of her books. I know where have I been all this time? Well worry (not that you were anyway) not because now I have read the one book and loved it, I fully intend to find her other books and make my way through them.
I have to say that I absolutely adored the characters of Maddy and Leanne. Maddy is married to a man, who takes her for granted, as do her children. Maddy has got to a particular age, where she is reassessing her life and she decides that she has to do something for herself. The fact that she is part of a lottery winning syndicate certainly helps. She doesn’t let on to her husband about the scale of her win because she knows that he would spend it on something for himself. I really don’t blame her for keeping it a secret. Maddy is one lady who has put everybody else’s wellbeing before her own. Maddy has never really had much time to do what she wants to do so when Leanne. a colleague from the school where Maddy teaches and a fellow lottery winner, suggests that they go on a road trip, Maddy jumps at the chance. Both ladies really enjoy making plans for the trip and they don’t seem to believe that they are going until they go if that makes sense? Leanne is a likeable young woman, who lives with her overbearing & overpowering mother. I got the impression that Leanne just needed some space apart from her mother. Leanne is a bit of a rebel both in her clothing and the fact that she wears a nose ring. Leanne is certainly a breath of fresh air. Maddy and Leanne get on really well and they learn from each other if that makes sense?
I picked up this book when I was desperately in need of a distraction. My back was playing up and as a result I was feeling miserable but I certainly wasn’t miserable whilst reading this book and I was left with a smile on my face. I found myself chuckling away to myself throughout the book. In fact I had to remember not to laugh too much because it would hurt too much. To say that ‘The Road Trip’ is a pick me up kind of book is an understatement.
The author’s writing style is such that you can’t fail to be drawn into the book and before you know it you are hooked. Indeed I was addicted to this book from the moment I picked it up and I binge read it over a couple of days. The page numbers flew past in a blur but I didn’t realise how much I had read or how the time had passed until I looked up to see that a couple of hours had flown past and I was 40% of the way through the book. I originally picked this book up only intending to read a couple of chapters but that intention soon flew out of the window. I was enjoying the writing style, the characters and the story that much that I just wanted the book to continue. I really did feel as though I was on the road trip with the ladies. In fact I was a bit (ok a lot) jealous of how much fun they were having and I really wished that I could go on my own road trip.
In conclusion I totally and utterly flipping well loved reading this book and I wholeheartedly recommend it to other readers. In fact I think you must read it and I am sure that you will enjoy it just as much as I did. I sincerely hope that this is not the last we have seen of Maddy and Leanne. Fingers crossed. I can’t wait to read what comes next from Susanne O’Leary but in the meantime I will definitely be seeking out her other books and make reading them one of my reading priorities. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a well deserved 5* out of 5*.

Thank you to Bookouture for letting me take part in this tour and for my copy of this book via Netgalley. I haven't read anything by this author before and I liked the blurb so I thought I would give it a go. I'm always looking for new authors to fall in love with. 

This story follows Maddy and Leanne as they take a road trip across Europe. Maddy is in her forties. Her children are all grown up and her and her husband have grown apart. Leanne is 32 and currently is still living with her mum. Her dad left a long time ago and it's always been just the two of them. When the girls win big on their lotto syndicate they decide to spend the summer in Europe. 

I liked both girls, really women, but I preferred Leanne. Leanne is feisty and impulsive. She is the sort of person we all want to be. As a friend she will talk you into doing all sorts of things that you wouldn't have done otherwise. Maddy seemed a bit naive. She'd been holding on to this dream since she was young which was likely to never pan out. In all honesty I just felt a bit sorry for her. She did get a bit of spunk about half way through the book though which I liked. 

I like Susanne's writing style and there were some real funny scenes in this book. The humour was more subtle than laugh out loud but it was funny all the same. I also liked that the book was more about the girls friendship than about them falling in love. Don't get me wrong I love a love story but it's also nice to read about the other bonds in our lives. 

The book is left mid way through the trip and I'm looking forward to seeing what the girls get up to next in The Boat Trip.

Haven’t we all had one of those days or even weeks of feeling the need for change, excitement or just some fun. Well The Road Trip gives us a story about suddenly being able to forget your troubles and set off on an adventure. It’s a perfect form of escape from your daily routine and I loved how it showed both the good and the bad.

The characters of Maddy and Leanne provided lots of entertainment it was great how they were different in personalities but so similar in needing to escape even for a short time. They weren’t perfect and had their flaws but I felt that this was more realistic after all no one is perfect. It was so easy to get pulled along in the adventure that Maddy and Leanne embark on. There was also a deeper theme of finding yourself after losing sight of things as everyday life gets in the way. I was constantly smiling at some of their antics and before I knew it I was nearing the end of such an entertaining and lively story. The Road Trip managed to have a good balance of fun and spontaneous moments but also showed a more realistic view of life too. Especially the fact that sometimes we can have certain hopes and dreams which may never happen but we might also find a better dream along the way!

I ended up finishing this book over one evening, now I just need to know what is in store for Maddy and Leanne next.

Fun, warm and uplifting – A perfect summer story!

Four stars from me!

With thanks to Kim at Bookouture for my copy.