The Road Trip was one of my most anticipated novels of the year, and it didn't disappoint. This was the story of Addie and Dylan, told in two timelines; one when they are taken an ill fortuned road trip together after a long time of not seeing each other because of a bad break up; and one when they are getting together in the first place. There's second chances, a lot of yearning and longing which is so far up my wheelhouse it's practically in my kitchen (or my car!)

Beth O'Leary always writes interesting, dynamic and realistic characters, and I found this group compelling, even if I didn't like all of them. I think my problem was that I found Addie and Dylan's relationship a bit insta lovey (although I was invested so maybe it didn't matter).

This was such an interesting read. Beth O'Leary books tend to have slow starts, but this took me longer than usual to get into. But once I got to the second half I couldn't put it down. It's romantic, yes, but it also says so much about complacency, complicity and turning a blind eye in friendships between men.

Really good book, I'll continue to pick up whatever Beth O'Leary puts down.

Beth O'Leary writes the best books and characters honestly, if someone asked me to categorise her books I'd put them in the genre 'books to make your heart happy'. The Road Trip perhaps isn't as warm and fuzzy as her first two books, but I quite like that there was a more serious edge and some contentious characters to add some drama. I don't think it's stolen The Switch's spot as my ultimate number 1 happy book, but I did really enjoy it.

I quite liked the clever way that you genuinely feel as though you are on a Road Trip with the gang in the 'Now' passages. Things move slowly, there are times where they are just stuck in traffic, or discussing the snack situation, whilst the history and revelations of the past slowly unravel alongside it. I'm probably making that sound boring, but I really enjoyed it because I felt like I was in the car with the characters.

I loved Addie and Deb, the sisters had such a lovely relationship and I just loved Deb's IDGAF attitude to life, the universe and everything. I also really enjoyed that, although Addie and Dylan's relationship had ended and had clearly had some issues, there wasn't anything majorly toxic there, so you could actually enjoy their slow reconciliation. Marcus was clearly a bit of an arse, but he did make me laugh at times, and he gets a little redemption as you learn what makes him tick.

The last 10% of the book was just adorable, and it left me with a stupid smile on my face to rival even the magical fairy truck drivers. A journey where everything that could go wrong, did. I'm kind of glad I wasn't actually in the car with the band of misfits, but it was a wonderful read! Will be recommending it, along with all of Beth's books.

I loved this one! It was light-hearted and funny - It genuinely made me laugh out loud at times. It was written perfectly, right down to the little details.
I loved the characters and the development in them all, even the side characters had their own stories but nothing got confusing and it all made sense.
I loved how the characters had flaws and those flaws and harder topics were dealt with and handled really well, they werent glossed over or shied away from.
I think Beth O'Leary is going to be an autobuy author for me from now on.

I largely read The Road Trip in one sitting and thoroughly enjoyed the escapism it provided. O’Leary offers something new with The Road Trip; alternating timelines featuring flawed characters with their tense dynamics resulting in an edgy and engaging tone.

The Road Trip explores the reality of new relationships - the happiness, lust and joy - between two people, and then familial and friend group integrations, which brings disapproval. I honestly can’t put into words how horrifying it was to see the manipulation and actions of sabotage to ruin Addie and Dylan’s relationship.

As for Addie and Dylan themselves, I’m actually stumped as to how to describe them, because I don’t feel like I got to know them deeply. Or rather, I feel I only largely know them through what one thought of the other. Dylan thought Addie was perfect and sexy, and Addie thought Dylan was adorable. Out of them both I feel Dylan was the most and best established, as his insecurities and childhood contributed to a lot of his character flaws, but I’d still of liked more depth to be explored for he and Addie. The side characters, like Addie’s sister Deb and Dylan’s best friend Marcus, were well utilised and provided comedy or uncontrollable fury throughout, helping progress the story along.

The alternating timeline goes between “now” and “then”, allowing the reader to see how Addie and Dylan met, fell in love and fell apart (then) and the journey of seeing whether people can change and if they can find each other again (now). And when I reached the climax of the book - when the past and present collided - I was in tears. I just can’t express the heartache I had for Addie. And I don’t think I’d of been satisfied with any other ending.

The whole tone felt more melancholic than lighthearted. One minute it’s laughter and goofiness, and then tension, and then a heartfelt and raw atmosphere. I definitely feel it’s the most complex story O’Leary’s offered to date and further demonstrates her capability as a writer in this genre. It’s as salacious as many romances out there, and at times, reminded me of Sally Rooney’s Normal People.

The Road Trip is a story about healing, self discovery and raises the questions of whether people can find their way back together again. It’s a little different to The Flatshare and The Switch, but the The Road Trip offers a rollercoaster summery-trip-vibes adventure I’d say is not to be missed.

Thank you kindly to Quercus Books and Netgalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for this honest review.

5 people who aren’t exactly friends, brought together by a mutual friend’s wedding. They’ve got secrets, a messy history and 3000 miles to go. What could go wrong?

This was definitely one of my anticipated reads for this year. After first being introduced to her writing when I read The Switch, I was really excited to hear that Beth had a new book coming out and this one did not disappoint. She’s managed to combine humour, a love story, a whole mismatch of characters and fun plot twists in this bundle of joy. When I think over this book and all the things that happened, it reminds me of all the hilarious, random things that happen when a bunch of people go on an adventure together in real life. You know those trips I’m talking about. They’re the ones that start off with a, ‘you wouldn’t believe what happened to me,’ when you retell them. So kudos to Beth for taking me back to my 20s and all the funny, random events that happened by including funny, random events in The Road Trip.

If you’re looking for a book that is a fairly easy read, that will have you laughing one minute and feeling all the feels in the next and that also deals with some complex themes then this is the one for you.

Thank you @betholeary for not only for writing another great book but for also researching Indian weddings in order to write about them.

Thank you to Netgalley & Quercus books for an ARC of this much anticipated read!

It was such a fun, easy read and I really enjoyed it. It was really funny in parts, with some laugh out moments from Deb and Rodney! I loved how the story alternated between the past and the present and also between Addie and Dylan’s POV, it nicely showed us where things had gone wrong and why there was so much tension in the car.

I absolutely loved flatshare and would definitely reread it but I’m not sure I would read this again and that’s why I have knocked a star off.

Dylan and his friend Marcus are on their way to their friend Cherry's wedding on the west coast of Scotland when they crash - literally - into the car driven by Dylan's ex girlfriend Addie and her sister Deb, on the way to the same wedding with another guest, Rodney, who's cadged a lift. With the men's car a write-off, they pile into Deb's Mini and continue their journey - but it seems fate is conspiring to stop them attending the wedding with traffic jams, blow-outs, passengers who wander off and visits to A&E, not to mention the tension between all parties.
So far, so fun and romantic, but the back story of Addie and Dylan's romance which slowly emerges as the journey progresses adds a deep and satisfying layer to this story. Theirs was a summer romance carried on into real life - but the course of true love did not run smoothly for them.
Themes of jealousy, betrayal and and at times toxic friendship underpin the narrative, both in the present and the past at it becomes clear that love's closest relative, hate, played a part in ending their relationship.
Though there's plenty of fun, furious action on the road trip. it's the characters' emotional journey to their true destination that makes this such an unforgettable read, and you'll come to care deeply for them all, even mercurial Marcus - who seems to think he can say and do as he likes - and the somewhat awful Rodney. Straightforward, straight-talking Debs is a joy.
Addie is a great character, loving, caring, open and honest - but too hard on herself as she reflects on the reasons for her break-up with Dylan.
But it's Dylan who is the most interesting of them all . When he met Addie, he was "a lost boy wandering the world, weak-willed and daydreaming". He is the victim of a bullying father, he's prey to depression and unfounded fears, which helps explain his sometimes cruel behaviour to Addie.
Can she forgive him? Can he forgive himself? And will any of this happen before they finally reach their wedding destination, where a Godzilla bride awaits!
So much more than a romance, the author's sure light touch with this story evokes warmth, wisdom and wit, and I thoroughly enjoyed the exploration of multi-layered relationships, between lovers, between family, and between friends.

I really enjoyed this! Really cleverly told and also pacey and enjoyable. Potentially due to the formatting of the e-galley, it wasn’t always obvious to me when the perspective was shifting between Addie and Dylan, but I generally figured it out when they referred to the other in the third person.
I thought it was a really honest representation of the way our lives get tangled up with good intentions and complicated feelings, and webs of friendships and relationships.

This was my first read by Beth O’Leary, but I had heard such good things, I signed up to review this book! I’m so glad I did and that I was able to get an early copy! This book was so surprising! It didn’t go how I thought it would, and was even better! I loved this second chance close proximity romance! Dylan was nothing like what I expected (in a good way) and Addie was just wonderful. I loved how things progressed and how you figured out things along the way. It had flashbacks which I love, that gave context to the current situation. It kept you in suspense and wondering! It had me full on laughing at some points, but was also full of emotion. There was a couple of giant bombs and twists! I really really enjoyed this book and all the characters in it! 4.5 stars from me!

After being such a huge fan of both The Flatshare and The Switch I was itching to read this third book by Beth O’Leary.

Well I loved it! A brilliant uplifting story with some cracking characters and wonderfully set scenes. Tackling relationships, friendships, difficult families plus much much more. Just perfect as a book for my UK breakaway. I’ve rounded up to 5 stars for this NetGalley review from 4.5🌟

Thank you! Beth O'Leary wrote a piece for Caboodle from National Book Tokens titled 'Beth O'Leary's 10 unexpected meet cutes'.

'To get us in the mood for Valentine's Day, Beth O'Leary has joined us in Caboodlers' Corner to share her top ten books starring characters who accidentally meet the love of their lives. Beth is the author of the wonderfully uplifting The Flatshare, The Switch, and the upcoming book, The Road Trip (our favourite yet!).'

Beth O'Leary is a young woman's Jill Mansill. I was a little disappointed with The Switch but was very pleased to know that it was a case of second album syndrome. The Road Trip was brilliant and worlds apart in plot and skill from her previous books. Also loved all the country music references

I was looking forward to reading The Road Trip after reading Beth O’Leary’s other books The Flatshare and The switch which I really enjoyed. Beth’s books are funny and heart-warming and tongue in cheek.
The story follows Addie and her sister Deb driving to her friend Cherry’s wedding in Scotland, with a guy they met on Facebook who is a friend of Cherry. His name is Rodney. When suddenly a Mercedes drives into the back of them. Addie straight way recognises the driver as her ex-boyfriend Dylan with his best mate Marcus, who is also going to the wedding. As the guy’s car is now undriveable and they can’t wait for the recovery services to sort the car out. They all decide to go in Addies Mini. But can Addie be in close proximity with Dylan? Only time will tell.
The story evolves around Addie and Dylan past relationship and the fatal event that split them up. As the journey goes on, feelings resurface for both Addie and Dylan. Can they sort out their differences and maybe reconcile?
I liked the premise of this story and the intensity of both Dylan and Addie and will they or won’t they scenario that keeps you guessing thought out the book. But for a light-hearted book it didn’t have some hard-hitting subjects in it of Mental Health, Anxiety, Rape and someone being a stalker. I didn’t feel that same warmth that I got from her previous books. 3.5 stars from me

When someone asks what type of books do I not read my automatic response is immediately romance and women's fiction. For me, those are just the type of books I don't enjoy and tend to avoid. So, in theory Beth O'Leary's books should be everything I dislike, right? This couldn't be further from the truth, I absolutely loved both The Flat Share and The Switch, so I was super excited to get my hands on The Road Trip.

Like Beth's two previous books there is something so wholesome and captivating about her writing. Immediately you are sitting there with each of those characters in the car and you're experiencing every aspect of their story. She develops the characters so well that not alone are you feeling every emotion with them you can also imagine every detail and little quirk of their personalities being played out. It was one of those books where I found myself thinking oh I bet Dylan won't like that when he finds out or oh god what will Deb think of that. Beth uses a then and now format to move through the story and this works perfectly to show how each character as developed and essentially grown up.

This book was everything I needed to break up a spell of dark and twisty thrillers. It was fun, witty and really well written. I loved snuggling up on the couch, smile on my face, glass of wine in hand and devouring it.

Really enjoyed this! Funny and sparky with great dialogue and cute characters. Handled the underlying issue very sensitively. Off to buy more of her books :)

A Road Trip is a good way to connect with friends and disconnect from routine; that’s why Addie and her sister decided to enjoy an epic road trip while they are going to a wedding’s friend in the North of Scotland. Of course it will not be so easy, they will have some unwanted company when they will crash with some “old” friends… Are you ready for the trip of the year?
This had been a very sweet and emotive read, full of romance and friendship but seen in real life; with imperfections, doubts and problems. This is a happy read, don’t get me wrong, but it’s not a tale, you can relate with the problems of the characters or their stories, you’ll laugh and cry and it will make you believe in second chances. Addie and Dylan’s story is full of chemistry and love but they still have their wounds open, maybe this unexpected trip will make them heal and take a step further in their lives. It really doesn’t matter if they will continue together or not, the beautiful part of the story is all their memories together and to make peace with themselves. There are hilarious situations and some surprises, with Addie, Dylan, Deb, Marcus and Rodney it’s quite impossible to not fall in love with them, believe me.
This is a love story, but what makes me love it is that they are not perfect, none of them, they only want to be happy with their imperfections. Are you ready to accompany them with their “Road Trip”?

Enjoyed the book as the author is known and it didn’t disappoint. Was an easy read and o think the story was well written. Look forward to more books by this author.

4.5 ⭐️
Ok, so I’ll be honest... Beth O’Leary is now an auto buy author for me.
I loved this book.
The premise was cool and the whole story set up was engaging. I loved Addie and Dylan’s relationship, I was a bit thrown at the start with the alternate time lines happening but quickly picked it up. There was a moment around the 40% mark where I was losing interest but it soon picked back up and I was hooked. I needed to know what happened.

I will be picking up my own copy of this book as soon as it’s released.

Thanks to Netgalley and Quercus for the eARC. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to Netgalley, Quercus, and Beth O'Leary for my arc of The Road Trip in exchange for an honest review.

Published: 29th April 2021

Well, I think The Road Trip is the end of the road for me and Beth O'Leary sadly. I absolutely adored The Flat Share but found The Switch a little mediocre in comparison. But with the story being focused more on friendship than love and still having some great characters I figured maybe it was just the style change. So I was really excited for a return to romance in The Road Trip. But sadly I just couldn't connect with this book.

The Road Trip tells the story of an ex couple who end up stuck travelling to a mutual friends wedding together. Addie is travelling with her sister Deb when their car is rear ended by none other than Addie's ex Dylan and his best friend Marcus. With the boys car totalled the girls feel they have no option but to offer them a ride with them (and randomly one of the bride's colleagues who has already hitched a ride). Cue an awkward journey of 300 miles as Dylan and Addie unpack their history and try to get along.
Or at least that's kind of what the synopsis says but in actual fact I didn't feel that much unpacking went on. Admittedly I DNF'd around 70% because I just couldn't get on with the characters who seemed very one dimensional, and uninteresting and were not people I felt I could connect with. But even still unless the unpacking went on right in that last 30% it didn't really happen. Mostly the reader was treated to flashbacks of how Addie and Dylan met, their romance etc etc and Dylan's complicated family relationship with his Uber rich parents and Addie's struggles with her new teaching post. I actually did quite enjoy these flashbacks but in terms of the present day story literally nothing really happened. I know it must be difficult to pack an actual story into a road trip but I think in this case maybe it would have been better set at the wedding itself or something? I don't know. Whatever the reasons the whole cramped in a car together barely speaking just didn't work for me and in the end after struggling with it for days I decided not to finish it. However, having completed over 50% of the book I have reviewed.

Another fantastic book from Beth O’Leary.
The Road Trip tells the story of Addie and Dylan in the present day and the past.
I found it quite difficult to get into initially but the pace quickly picked up and I found myself unable to put it down. It also has one of the best endings I’ve read in a long time.
I thoroughly recommend this book, a definite 5 stars.
As always, thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an advance copy of this book.