O'Leary is the successful British author of "The Flatshare" and "The Switch" This new release is another romantic comedy. It features sisters Addie and Deb who though random circumstances end up sharing their small car with Dylan and Marcus on the long road trip to a wedding. In order to make things even more strange they are also giving a ride to Rodney, who asked for one through the wedding Facebook site. We quickly learn that Dylan and Addie used to be a couple, but have not talked to each other in about two years. In various chapters we jump back in time to when their meeting and time together. The trip is riddled with mishaps. Will they get to the wedding in time and will Addie and Dylan finally work out their differences? This is a fun read and a good recommendation for fans of romantic comedies

This is my first Beth O'Leary book and actually my first Rom Com. I am trying to branch out to other genres. I typically read Historical Fiction and Thrillers. That being said, I enjoyed this book but it was slow at times. The supporting characters and humor make this a good read, but the main romance couple was lacking in my opinion. They are at the stage in life where they need to be adults and there are the struggles there that everyone goes through. The heaviness of the future, supporting yourself, acceptance by your family and friends, these themes dragged for me. Two characters struggle with depression and addiction. I guess I was expecting a light fun read. I enjoyed the silliness and antics of the road trip much better than the chapters about the past.
Overall, a decent read but not what I expected.

I read this book in 2 days. I loved the story and all the characters involved. Anyone who has been on an adventurous road trip can identify with at least some of the antics that occur. The love story was sweet, heartbreaking, and real. A great summer beach read... even if you are not at the beach! I recommend it!

Wow! This has been added to one of my favorites of the year!

Addie is on her way to Scotland for a friends wedding when all of a sudden someones hits her car from the back. The driver is none other than Addie's ex, Dylan, who she's avoided since their traumatic breakup two years earlier. It turns out that Dylan and his friend Marcus are also going to the same wedding, but their car is now totaled. Addie has no choice but to give them a ride and will have to confront the very messy history of their relationship.

This was amazingly written, i really enjoyed how the author wrote this from the past and the present. It was very heartwarming to get to know the characters from when they first met, a passionate and romantic summer in Europe .This gave me Call Me By Your Name vibes but much better. I had so many emotions throughout the whole story, laughter, tears, anger, and so much more!
Themes: forgiveness, second chances, anger, communication

This is exactly what i look for in a second chance romance! You will hate some characters and love some! You will fall hard into their relationship and it will also break your heart.

I absolutely loved Beth O'Leary's previous two books so I was really excited when I was approved for this one on NetGalley. Unfortunately, this one didn't quite live up to my expectations, but there were still elements that I really enjoyed.

Honestly, my main problem was just that I didn't really like Dylan and then Addie was also just okay for me. Especially at the beginning of their relationship, Dylan just seemed incredibly weak. He was really susceptible to pretty much anyone's influence it seemed (especially Marcus). I could definitely understand Addie's frustration with him. And then like I said earlier, Addie was just okay. I liked that she was a hard worker and I could tell she really wanted to do well in her teaching job. But it seemed like she wasn't willing to stand up to Dylan a lot of the time and I really wanted her to. With all that being said, I did like Deb quite a bit. I liked her no-nonsense attitude and I thought her relationship with Addie was really special.

The plot wasn't necessarily anything new as it switched between past and present. We got to see how things were going during the road trip interspersed with flashbacks of Addie and Dylan's relationship. The whole Rodney thing was a weird subplot and I wasn't super satisfied with how that all played out. It just kind of fizzled into nothing and I wasn't sure what the point of it was--it didn't seem to add much to the overall story. And I'm not even going to touch the Marcus subplot. Just...I don't know how to feel about it. I did like the overall road trip element of the book, though. So many things went wrong and I liked watching the characters come together to figure things out.

Overall, this book definitely had some things going for it! The main concept was enjoyable and created some fun tension, but I didn't always enjoy the finer points of the story. I would still recommend this book as a summer romance, especially if you've enjoyed O'Leary's other books, but where I felt The Flatmate was an original concept (at least to me) this one didn't feel quite as fresh. 3.5/5

What a treat to get a sneak peek at O'Leary's latest. I'm such a fan of her writing. No sentence or scene feels wasted and she somehow manages to weave realistic, complicated romantic relationships with total antic humour. On the one had, this is a delightful road-trip romp with 5 people who should NOT have to share tight quarters. They fight over bathroom breaks and music selections and the trip is full of oh-god-what-NOW escapades. On the other hand, this is a deep dive into mistakes and growth and forgiveness. Into the ways we change as the world challenges us, be it through parental pressures, misunderstandings, toxic friendships, a lack of knowledge about the self, lust, confusion, aggression, insecurity, or the simple act of growing up and finding one's feet, which seldom goes according to plan. O'Leary cleverly braids the two journeys, with the light but literal journey paralleling the much more complex, harder realistic journeys her characters embark on. Some readers may complain that it goes too dark, but for this reader, I love how grounded the work is. The romance tips toward the escapist, but never for long without a reminder that relationships take work. Brilliantly structured, full of wit, and cast with characters I loved, even when my heart was breaking at their choices. I couldn't put this one down.

I wanted to love The Roadtrip because of how much I adored The Flatshare, but I just have no idea what happened with this novel. It was a cute story in the beginning and I was interested in where it was going. The novel also ended nicely. However, somewhere in the middle these characters just became so unbelievably frustrating to me. I didn't buy Addie and Dylan's relationship - it just didn't seem realistic to me. Marcus was probably the most frustrating character out there and I also didn't buy into his reasoning for being so toxic throughout the book.

I don't know, you guys. You can give this book a chance - I've seen a ton of good reviews for it and I did enjoy parts of it, but overall I'd pick up The Flatshare instead!

This was both a lot of fun but filled with layers. Trigger warnings for depression, stalking, sexual assault, alcoholism, emotional abuse, eating and disorder. This one follows Dylan and Addie, exes who are forced to deal with where their relationship went wrong after they have to take a road trip together to their mutual friend’s wedding. I liked the discussions around mental health and getting the help that you need. I love a second chance romance and the fact that in the time Addie and Dylan weren’t together they really grew as their own people. I loved Addie’s sister Deb who served as some much needed comic relief. I also like the dual timelines even when it gave me anxiety because I wanted more of the past or the present. I did not love Marcus, Dylan’s best friend but you’re really not meant to because he is a severely flawed man who is working on his issues so I was glad he was attempting to change by the end. Overall, this is a story about a road trip from hell turned into a second chance for everyone involved and I really enjoyed it.

The snacks are gathered, clothes packed, and playlist on point when Addie and her sister Deb leave on a road trip to attend their friend, Cherry’s, wedding in rural Scotland. It’s the first time Addie and Deb have been away together since Deb had her baby, and nothing is going to ruin the journey…

Until, just after setting off, they are rear-ended by a Mercedes driven by Addie’s ex, Dylan. Two years ago, they fell in love when Dylan was staying at Cherry’s family villa in France and Addie was the on-site caretaker. But once they returned to England, the relationship strained, in no small part due to Dylan’s best friend, Marcus, who is in the Mercedes with him.

With the Mercedes disabled and alternative transport unavailable, Addie and Deb reluctantly agree to give Dylan and Marcus a ride to the wedding. With Rodney, a ride share from Facebook, the five cram into Deb’s tiny Mini. Encountering obstacle upon obstacle with no where to escape, Addie, Dylan, and those around them confront the full extent of past events and question what the future holds.

Told in alternating timelines, 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘙𝘰𝘢𝘥 𝘛𝘳𝘪𝘱 outlines the highs and lows of Addie and Dylan’s relationship interspersed with a madcap race to the wedding. Personally, I preferred the “Now” sections as they had more humor and the characters were more mature. What’s not to love about a tense group crammed into a tiny car for hours? Nothing! There’s nothing not to love!

Even though much of the book was about the relationship and breakup, it was hard to understand what drew Addie and Dylan together. They seemed to fight more often than not! Marcus was a difficult character, and I wish his redemption arc had been more satisfying.

But the other characters were charming and/or funny, and I loved the wedding scene!

Please note that the book does delve into serous territory!

The Road Trip was well written and can invoke emotions. But with that being said, there are some trigger/content warnings that should be made clear. This story taps into some deep issues and brings to light how people can love each other but still aren’t the best for each other.

I believe timing plays a huge part in how much you’ll enjoy a book. I truly believe I would have enjoyed and appreciated the complicated, messy love story that is Addie and Dylan, if I read this at a different time. I was not in the right headspace for a novel that brings to light toxic relationships and the effect it can have on people. Also, maybe I went into this novel thinking it would be a lot lighter than what it turned out to be and that could have also had an effect on my enjoyment.

I really believe Addie and Dylan were not good for each other. It’s hard to go through the things they did to each other and come back all brand new. While the story doesn’t suggest that they’re forgetting everything that was done in the past, I felt that the foundation of their relationship was unhealthy and it made me uncomfortable how it ended.

My favourite part of the story though was Addie’s sister, Deb. She was the well grounded one of the bunch, tenacious and she was a beacon of light in a dark tale. I really appreciated those characteristics and she was also hilarious to boot.

Overall, Beth is an excellent writer and I encourage you to give this story a try despite the fact that it wasn’t for me right now.

TW/CW: Substance abuse, alcoholism, homophobia, depression, stalking, sexual assault, infidelity.

I thoroughly enjoyed the Flatshare, so of course I had to give this one a chance. I love the "Now" and "Then" set up of the story and Beth O"Leary's characters always feel real and thoroughly fleshed out. Addie and Dylan are just humans who made mistakes and that's why. I loved this book so much. I could not put it down!

I was intrigued by the premise of this book, and it started out well, but somewhere along the way I started to lose interest. I found some of the chapters to be unnecessarily long and the characters weren't that likeable (Marcus, Dyan). I really wanted to love this one, but ultimately, it missed the mark for me.

Beth O'Leary has done it again!

The whole concept of it is just plain cute. I'm always a fan of forced proximity romances!

The story had an alternating timeline structure, and it was very interesting to see Addie and Dylan's story on how they met and fell in love, versus the current events and their tension of being exes. Throughout the book you could see the slow character development, and it was very interesting to see how much both characters had matured in different ways.

Generally, the book was very well written. You can genuinely feel the chemistry between both characters, and the fact that they have history makes it even more intense and exciting to see what happens next. I loved that the reason for their original breakup isn't revealed at the start so that you can slowly piece information together to try to figure it out!

I also fell in love with the side characters, Deb and Marcus! They added a lot of humor and intrigue, and they supported the story very well. It was also very interesting to see how those characters developed over time. Despite having very comical moments, this book covers a lot of deep topics as well, and I personally feel that they were very well portrayed.

I absolutely loved the ending, and it was the perfect way to wrap up the book. I highly recommend this to romance lovers! This book comes out on June 1, so definitely pre-order it or buy it on the release date!

This story is told in the Now and Then

An interesting mix of friends on their way to a mutual friend's wedding have to combine into one car after they get into a fender bender. This combines two exes that were hoping to show themselves off to each other at the wedding instead they are in close quarters for a long road trip with their friends that are not helping.

The Then shows how these two met and fell in love.

If you don't relate to these antics sans the wealth, I apologize. Everyone should be young and careless for a bit. But not all of us have the "luxury". This feels so relatable as not everyone in a friend groups gets along and when break ups happen people always take sides and of course the true story gets skewed.

Can I just say I really don't like Marcus? He is not helpful at all and is either jealous of Dylan or the time others take from him. (I wrote this halfway through and I will give him credit for the end of the book lol)

I had a friend that acted like the guys I dated didn't exist and would blank stare and not acknowledge me when I would talk about my now husband, suffice to say we don't talk anymore. 

Weddings bring out the best and worst in people. At my wedding rehearsal there was major traffic and my whole wedding party was late. Then later I found out my college friends were fighting or at least verbally being mean to each other during the reception but not when I would come up to them they would act all happy.  Lol open bars amirite!

This was told in the way I adore, the slowly revealing the past and how we got to the messed up outcome we find ourselves in. 

Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟💫

Thank you net galley and berkley romance for the e-ARC for my honest and voluntary review.

A huge thank you to NetGalley, Berkley Publishing Group, and Beth O'Leary for the eARC of this book. I am voluntarily leaving a review- all opinions are my own.

I did overall enjoy this story, I was intrigued with the idea to begin with, and every added layer just made me that much more interested in seeing how things would play out in the end for our characters. I did like that it switched between POV's and times, so we slowly got the past story as we got what was happening on the road trip, and I loved that.

I will say though, with it being 400 pages, I expected a little more fleshing out, though in all honesty, I like how each little bit got wrapped up in the end.

The characters were all so troubled in their own way, and watching them all cope with their problems was something I enjoyed- they actually felt real.

Thank you so much for the opportunity to read this book. I have enjoyed every Beth O’Leary book but I am having a hard time enjoying this one. It’s cute and I like the characters. I love the writing. I’m looking forward to the next book the author writes, this one wasn’t my favorite. Thank you again!

Beth O'Leary's new novel 'The Road Trip' is a little younger and a little darker than her previous work, a good match for fans of her previous novels 'The Flatshare' and 'The Switch' as well as Sally Rooney's 'Normal People.'

Addie and her sister are driving to a friend's wedding when a fender bender brings them face to face with Dylan, Addie's first true love, and Marcus, his best friend. The looming wedding festivities and a totaled car force them all to share a ride up to Scotland on a road trip that becomes more and more farcical as hijinks ensue. Interspersed with the comedy are flashbacks to Addie and Dylan's relationship, from their introduction on a summer abroad after college and throughout their time together back in England, rich in both passion and misunderstanding.

O'Leary weaves a thread of mystery through chapters detailing past and present, told in Dylan and Addie's alternating POVs. The lure of finding out what really happened between them, and what role Marcus played in their dissolution, pulls the reader through the story.

This novel focuses on new adulthood, on figuring things out on your own for the first time. Finding your first great love, and navigating those waters when the going gets rough. A reader beyond their 20s might stretch their patience on these characters who are still learning which convictions they should be courageous about, which relationships really matter, and when to stick up for themselves.

By the end of the book, the suspense over the true circumstances of the break-up feels a little overdrawn, but there is real pleasure in the wholehearted, well-adjusted way Dylan and Addie confront the truth of their past together, and what drove them apart. The emotional resolution they come to feels sweet and satisfying.

Many thanks to Berkley and NetGalley for providing an eARC of this novel.

I loved loved loved The Flatshare and could not wait for The Road Trip by Beth O’Leary. While the premise made me cringe with imagined misery (hours in a small car with your ex?), it wasn’t entirely what I expected (apart from the long drive being nearly unbearable and riddled with one catastrophe after another; there are plenty of moments of second-hand pain and discomfort that are enjoyable for the reader, not so much the characters).

Main characters Addie and Dylan meet one summer and while I understood their initial attraction, the transition into love wasn’t as clear to me. I couldn’t figure out what made them well-suited for one another or what it was they had in common that would make their relationship worth fighting over or looking back on with fondness, apart from that spark associated with seeing someone you fancy in a swimsuit, and wanted more from each of them. During the Now and Then sections, I was often more interested in the side characters and their stories (Deb, Cherry, and especially Rodney-you know that guy has something fascinating in his background!). 3.5 stars and my thanks to Berkley for a complimentary copy. This did not affect my review.

This is the third book I've read by Beth O'Leary and what I love about her stories is that none of them are the same. They all have such different feelings to them. The Road Trip is a second chance romance/road trip story that is told in dual perspectives with chapters from both the past and the present.

When Dylan and Addie meet, it seems like the typical rich guy, average girl relationship. Addie is working for the summer in the place that Dylan's family rents out. They spend the summer together, falling in love. I really enjoyed this part of the book. The scenes from when they first met and fell in love where my favorite. I felt it was genuine and pure and they were really great for each other.

Then comes the part where things start to fall apart. I guess my biggest issue with this and parts of the present were Marcus. I didn't like him, I didn't understand why he did what he did (the excuse he gave... hmmmm) and I felt like he didn't deserve a second chance. You can forgive people without letting them be involved in your life if they're toxic and that he was. Also, the Rodney part was truly bizarre and didn't work for me.

The road trip aspect was interesting as we learned what happened in the past to tear them apart and we got a little tiny glimpse of them coming back together. I liked both Addie and Dylan, but I can't say I adored either of them. I did love Deb (Addie's sister) and Kevin. I cracked up anytime they showed up.

The Road Trip covered some heavy topics, but also had some fun parts. Even though it wasn't my favorite by O'Leary and I did have a few issues, overall it was an enjoyable read.

Beth O’Leary has a writing style like no other. This book, like her first two, is incredibly well written, full of witty banter, humor. Emotions were running rampant for the characters and mine were racing after them. 

The Road Trip is told in two points of view--that of Addie and Dylan--over two timelines--”then” and “now”.  

In the “now” timeline, Addie and her sister, Deb, are on a road trip to their friend’s wedding when they get rear-ended. The offending car is, of course, driven by Addie’s ex, Dylan, and his best friend/obnoxious instigator, Marcus. They have to join forces and cram themselves into Deb's cramped mini and put the pedal to the metal if they’re going to make it to the wedding on time. All this happens with an innocently sweet and naive bystander, Rodney, who just happened to take Addie up on a carpool and is quite possibly regretting this decision.

In the “then” timeline, we get to follow Addie and Dylan as they first meet, fall in love, and fall apart. It’s sweet and romantic, despite knowing that there’s going to be an abrupt and cataclysmic end to their love story. There’s a definite trend in romances where there’s some mysterious conflict in the hero and heroine’s shared past that’s only revealed through the flashback timeline. In this case, we don’t find out what broke them apart until the very end of the book. I’m beginning to find this trend irksome--as it’s so, so hard to read between the lines in the present day timeline to try to decide whose “side” I’m on. In this case, it’s immediately clear that Addie and Dylan are still madly in love, despite having broken off contact twenty months ago. What could have been so awful that they would be torn apart like this? The entire book kept me guessing, and O’Leary did manage to pull off an explanation that satisfied me. That said, I would have preferred to have gone in with the blinders off, so that I could have enjoyed the present day timeline a little more. 

While the “now” timeline is humorous and fun, (despite the tension filling the mini), the past timeline provides a lot more information about their relationship. Each timeline has its strengths and weaknesses. In the “now” timeline, both Addie and Dylan are taking stock of each other’s differences, but in the “then” timeline we’re just getting to know Addie and Dylan as they get to know each other. In the “now” timeline, everything is more compact, as it’s just taking place over the course of an eight-hour road trip. Because of this, the developments in Addie and Dylan’s present-day relationship feel a tad too lurchy for my liking. However, these developments do tend to mirror the revelations in the “then” timeline, which makes for a more fluid reading experience. 

As with O’Leary’s other novels, the characters are well built and have quite a bit of personal growth.  The two years apart has given them both a chance to mature and work on themselves--improving upon the personality flaws that contributed to their breakup. 

I’ve noticed that Beth O’Leary writes incredibly captivating, unique, and, quite frankly, loveable male love interests. Dylan is a poet obsessed with literature, but not at all in an obnoxious way (This must have been difficult to pull off!🤣). In the “then” timeline, he’s a touch insecure, a little gullible, but oh, so sweet. 

Addie, on the other hand, is seemingly perfect, but she isn’t without her flaws, which become more evident as the “then” timeline progresses.  Even their road trip companions, Deb and Marcus, are dynamic characters that contribute to the plot in various ways.

And then there’s Rodney. Sweet, naive, weird Rodney. He tries so hard. He means so well. I wouldn’t be exaggerating if I said he was the highlight of this book. He provides much-needed comic relief, and his lines and random acts of kindness had me giggling hysterically.

This is a perfect summer read that has it all -- lots of humour, a believable second-chance romance, and a weird travel companion.