2.5 stars

Taking a road trip with five people crammed into a Mini Cooper, including your ex - what could go wrong?

The Plot:
Addie and her sister Deb are on their way to their best friend's wedding in Scotland. Their ready for their road trip and have planned it all out. The only thing they didn't plan is being rear ended by Addie's ex-boyfriend Dylan and his best friend Marcus, who are also on their way to the wedding. Addie hasn't seen him since they broke up a couple of years ago and with Marcus's car being totaled, the only thing to do is invite Dylan and Marcus to ride along with them to the wedding. As they go along their journey, Addie and Dylan have a lot of time to rehash their relationship and possibly get back together. But is it too late?

My thoughts:
I absolutely loved The Flatshare and The Switch by this author, but this one just missed the mark for me. I think in her other novels the main and side characters were all pretty likeable and charming, but in this one I found myself not really connecting with the characters or even truly caring about what happens to them. This book just didn't have any of the spark of the others that I enjoyed immensely by Beth O'Leary.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts.

Wow! That's three wonderful books in a row which is very, very impressive. There are only a few of my favorite authors that have been able to accomplish this so I am impressed and thrilled. Ms. O'Leary, I put you in the category of Jenny Colgan and Milly Johnson. From now on your books are an automatic purchase, not a "borrow from the library first and then buy if I like it" author.

As with "The Switch", her second novel, O'Leary goes in a completely different direction from her first two books. However, this story is chockful of her snarky humor, lovable, frustrating, and despicable characters, and a powerful story of love, redemption, and forgiveness. She handles some very tough subjects with her usual sensitive, well-written flair without making the reader want to curl into the fetal position.

I have to confess that my hatred of Marcus, and my frustration with Dylan and Addie, did make some of the reading in the middle chapters a bit uncomfortable but, in the end, it was SO worth it to stick with the story and it's very satisfying ending on many levels.

The Road Trip by Beth O'Leary is a delightful and humorous novel that is a perfect fit for readers who adore lighthearted, emotional, and romantic stories about second chance love, road trips, and forced proximity, and are looking for a feel-good, easy-reading experience that will leave them smiling and feeling uplifted.

I wanted to read this book because it sounded like there was some comedy mixed with romance set in the UK. I started reading it but it is just not my cup of tea. I had to stop after 30%. It seems to be a classic rich good-looking guy, pretty poor girl situation. There are a few funny moments but I didn't really enjoy the rest. I'm sure it will appeal to other readers.

"The Road Trip" by Beth O'Leary is kind of like an actual road trip – parts are exciting and fun, but there are stretches where you're just waiting to get to the next interesting spot. The story’s concept of ex-lovers and a cramped car journey has all the ingredients for a great rom-com. O’Leary’s writing is easy and flows well, which makes it a comfortable read. However, the pacing can feel a bit uneven, and some parts of the plot are more predictable than I'd hoped. It's like a scenic route with a few too many familiar sights. I'm giving it a solid 3 stars – it's a pleasant read overall, but it doesn't quite hit the high notes of O'Leary's other works. Perfect for a light-hearted, easy read, especially if you're a fan of second-chance romances with a dash of humor.

Beth O'Leary is an untraditional romance author and her books will work for some readers and not for others. Those looking for a light Road Trip romance may not find what they're looking for here, but I do appreciate that O'Leary will deliver something unique and out-of-the box to her readers each time.

I should not have requested this -- I have since learned about myself that there is something I generally dislike about romance set in the UK and Europe, and it's not the vocabulary or pacing or frame of reference. I love forced proximity, second-chance romance, and road trip stories, but this tale of Dylan and Addie, who are headed to the same wedding, reconnect in a car accident on the road and them are forced to travel together with another guest and rehash the baggage of their relationship.
I did not finish, put down after 10% complete.

✨ 2.85 stars ✨ ⁣
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Let me start by saying if you enjoyed this book, I’m thrilled for you. Please don’t let my negativity yuck your yum!⁣
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Second chance romance gone horribly awry. And I LOVE the second chance trope.⁣
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There is SO much going on in this book: the road trip with all of its continual errors, the stalker, the wedding, the past with bouts in France and England. It was too much. It was too long and disjointed. It was enough to make me want to DNF, but you know I really struggle to do that. ⁣
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But the worst part… the men! Granted the best friend, Marcus, is meant to be awful but it’s clear he’s supposed to be a little redeemed at the end. He is not. He is horrible. But, but, but, Dylan our MC is not good either. He is a whiny entitled rich kid who picks his highly toxic friend over the woman he loves repeatedly and in rather unforgivable ways. The romance wasn’t healthy in a few ways, so in no way was I excited for them to forgive and forget and start anew. Just no. ⁣
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Tell me how you really feel Randi, right? 🤪⁣
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I LOVED The Flatshare!⁣
I like The Switch.⁣
The Road Trip was so disappointing. And now I kind of feel like I let Beth O’Leary down by not loving all her books. ⁣
Next up, The No-Show. Am I going to like it? 🤞🏻

Although I didn't finish this, the part I read was fun but definitely geared towards a younger reader than me. I'm certain in the hands of the right demographic it would be better received.

I have been the biggest fan of Beth O'Leary since her debut, The Flatshare. It remains one of my all time favorites so I have been so excited to read The Road Trip. This one did not disappoint! Second chance romance has become my favorite genre because the chemistry is already sort of baked in and it feels so authentic. This was the first road trip story I read that had such a full cast of characters and that made it even more fun. O'Leary is so good at creating fleshed out, memorable side characters. I also really enjoyed how the story flashed back to the initial time Addie and Dylan spent together and weaved those bits into the present as they try to work out their relationship. Overall this was such a fun read and I cannot wait to read whatever O'Leary writes next!

I don’t even know where to begin with this one. This book was an emotional rollercoaster, to say the least. This is some of the most toxic relationships and friendships I have ever read. I did enjoy the dual POV and alternating timeline. I did enjoy the therapy talks. But idk. This was a lot!

I adored this book. Beth O'Leary's signature wit and charm shines through in an impossible-not-to-love second-chance romance to make you laugh, swoon, and cheer!

O'Leary expertly writes of the opportunity of a second chance romance with verve and wit, where having a privileged background cannot insulate you from dysfunctional families or from mental health issues, such as depression.

This was a great story. It is definitely much heavier than the author’s previous books, but I did enjoy the story overall.

I loved the different timelines. While the characters didn’t always make the best decisions, it was rewarding to see them come together at the end and learn from their mistakes.

A deeply emotional and compulsively readable human study that yet again proves O'Leary one of the most insightful and talented contemporary writers. I love her sense of romance and her unabashed love of love; but I also love her flawed characters and wonderfully-paced plots.

I really enjoyed the author's first two books but this one fella. bit short for me. I felt like this one was missing the banter and light hearted humor that felt so effortless. Hope to get a bit more of that in her next book!

I really wanted to love this novel but unfortunately ended up having a really hard time with this as someone who was stalked by a former boyfriend. To that end, I ended up dnf'ing this one, much to my chagrin as I have loved al l of Beth O'Leary's prior novel's.

This book took me some time to finish. I have read and loved every single book by O’Leary thus far. She’s an auto buy author me; however, this book felt very different compare to her previous published book.

This book had some fun parts, but it is a heavier book with mentions of mental health and dysfunctional families. That being said, characters are definitely flawed and emotionally damage which makes them more relatable. While I would still recommend this book because I love O’Leary, overall, it was not my favorite.

This was a great story. I loved the different timelines. The side character were hilarious. It made me want to go on a road trip.

This book describes a terrible road trip to get to a friend’s wedding complete with two exes, a new mom who’s getting away for the first time, a wedding crasher, a jerky friend, and a truck driver. Everything bad that could happen, happens, but everyone finds a way to redeem themselves in a way that I enjoyed.