What happens when the love of your life decides he doesn’t love you anymore? Heartbreak, of course.
What happens when he decides this on your Wedding day? That is something you’d have to ask Annie.

Annie and Alexander have been together forever, and are finally getting around to tying the knot. Everything is perfect until Annie turns up at the church and finds out Alexander isn’t planning on attending his own wedding.

What follows is heartbreak to the nth degree. When her boss gives her a bit of extra time off to recover, her ex-future inlaws tell Annie they still want her to go on the five star honeymoon they had booked.

Annie's unsure if she should go on her honeymoon alone when a chance encounter at the gym with her old theatre camp friend Paddy (plus a few too many drinks) ends with a plan - Paddy will accompany Annie on her honeymoon! As friends, of course...


I’ve read Our Stop (loved it!) and The Love Square (not much of a fan) so I was excited to see how I went with The Lucky Escape.
I’m happy to say I liked it! While it was easy to see where this story was going to end up, I enjoyed being on the journey with Paddy and Annie.

Seeing them both be open and honest with each other about their past heartbreaks and their current hesitancy to leap into something, yet both of them being willing to accept the other as they are was heartwarming.

I kept seeing The Lucky Escape by Laura Jane Williams all over Instagram. And I was thrilled to be approved to read it through Netgalley.

Annie is happily getting ready to get married to Alexander. Arriving at her ceremony, her wedding planner is outside waiting to give her some terrible news. The wedding has been called off by Alexander.
She decides to take up the opportunity to still go on her honeymoon to Australia. But the twist is she tags on a new- old friend Patrick, who she used to go to camp with. Will their friendship turn into something more on this trip? And will Annie's fiance come back into the picture and explain his quick departure?

This romantic novel was such a fun, quirky read that will make you cringe, laugh out loud, cry, and might get you a bit hot and steamy if you know what I mean 😉 .
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and I'll definitely be reading more Laura Jane Williams books in the future.

Thank so much Netgalley, and Harper Collins for the gifting of the ebook and thank you to Laura Jane Williams for writing a fabulous rom com book.

I loved the storyline, the Australian connection and the characters were likeable. I didn’t quite believe the characters, I thought I would, I suppose taking another man on your honeymoon seemed not quite right!
An enjoyable easy read.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I thoroughly enjoyed Our Stop, so when I received my email acceptance for this ARC request, I was so excited! This book certainly did not disappoint and was the perfect amalgamation of humour, romance and emotion. I loved how Williams explored the notion that relationships are not simply black or white, rather gray and complex. I commend her for her representation of Australian culture as much of the first half of the story takes place in my beautiful home country. It was mesmerising to read about the picturesque sights and tantalising tastes that Annie and Patrick encounter on their journey. The side characters added to the charm of the story and kept me amused by their vibrant and unique personalities! This was such a heartwarming read that wrapped up with a feel good ending that will leave you with a sure smile on your face.

Who wouldn't accept an all-expenses-paid honeymoon to Australia after you'd just been stood up at the alter? I wouldn't, but if it included Patrick, I might second guess my decision.

I feel bad saying that, especially after learning why he swore never to marry again, but he just didn't do it for me as a character. Not to mention I was angered by his reaction to Annie's news about a job offer. He had no right to chastise her after such a short period of them being together.

Another issue I had was the lack of consistency from each of the characters. It was either nonexistent or, in some instances, contradictory. And something happened after the couple returned from Australia. The book began to drag. It was like another author had picked up where the previous author had left off.

The lucky escape would have gained an extra star if the sex scenes were front and centre and not behind closed doors. When sentences like this appear:

"Open your legs for me," he commanded, and everything after that was a bit of a blur.
"We're two people who know what the other one tastes like," I sniggered.
Alexander couldn't make her come.

It's like teasing. Can you really include vocabulary like this and then withhold sex scenes?
On a positive note, I appreciated the premise, and there were quite a few ‘laugh out loud’ moments.

This is the first book I have read by Laura Jane Williams, I read it in one sitting, and I have already tracked down the rest, so that says something.

It starts with the ultimate drama…being jilted at the altar, so from there, the only way is up.

Annie takes this dumping hard, as you would, and basically just shuts herself off from everything…taking out her frustration and anger in an intense fitness class, where she can just forget everything. It’s here she meets an old friend from her school days, and it’s this meeting that’s the beginning of a life changing journey.

The surprise in this one was the trip to Australia…being from Australia it was lovely to take a trip to WA and down to Margaret River and then a quick trip over to Sydney. A three week luxury holiday that I could only dream of…with a surprise (or not so surprising) sexy romance thrown in for good measure.

It’s easy to pigeon hole books like this as light-hearted ‘chic lit’, but there’s a lot of good life lesson in this one. The importance of being yourself, speaking your mind, having the hard conversations and pursuing what makes you happy, even if it’s scary. It is the kind of book that might make you stop and ask yourself if you’re actually living the life that you want, or just living the life you have fallen in to.

In my reading life I have three hats, my ‘bookselling’ hat (children’s/YA), my ‘wider reading’ hat (Anything for bookclub/Instagram/blogging) and then my ‘just for the sheer pleasure of it’ hat. This book is a winner with 2 out of 3 hats covered.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Colllins Publishers Australia for the opportunity to review this title.