While not my favorite of the series (this is book three in a series that is connected), it still touched on some really important themes about loss and memories. It didn't shy away from the realities of caregiving for a loved one with dementia and how one grapples with a different kind of loss that both parties experience, even when the person is still there.

Carla has traveled the world in her red Jeep. Traveling has always been her way of dealing with issues. She hasn’t been home in years because her father is slowly developing dementia. She doesn’t believe in love because of what happened to her father and her when she was a child. Everything changes once she travels to Ireland for her best friend’s wedding and meets Eamon, the groom’s brother.

Eamon is not living his best life. His wanna-be Influencer girlfriend has recently dumped him, he is unhappy in his job, and his dream of traveling the world in his Land Rover has been shelved. He does not expect a gorgeous bombshell to upend his life when he meets Carla. And Carla doesn’t expect to fall hard and fast for Eamon. But with Carla’s father worsening, she chooses to go home and help care for him. Will Eamon and Carla be able to travel together? Or will they not take the chance given to them in Ireland?

I did something I usually don’t do when I first get a book; I read the reviews. I wish I hadn’t because the ones I read influenced what I thought about Off the Map. And yes, that made me push it to the back of my review pile. But, once I started reading it, I realized I greatly liked this book. So, note to self, no more reading reviews before reading the book.

Off the Map is the 3rd book in the Beck Sisters series. You can read this book as a standalone. Let me say it louder for those in the back: It. Can. Be. Read. As. A. Standalone. I started with book three and had zero issues understanding previous characters or their stories.

Off the Map wasn’t your typical chick-lit book. Some serious issues arose while reading it. Child abandonment, dementia, and not living up to parent’s expectations were among some of the issues. The author tackled these issues tactfully while not taking away from Carla and Eamon’s story.

Speaking of our main characters, I loved them. Did I think Carla was a bit brash and immature? Yes, yes, I did. And did Eamon need to grow a set during several scenes? Of course. But it did take away from how much I liked each of them? No, if anything, it added to their likability.

The main storyline with Carla, Eamon, the journey across Ireland, and their relationship was wonderfully written. I liked that Carla and Eamon clicked from the beginning. I also liked that Carla challenged Eamon to make his dreams come true. In return, he was there for her when her world turned upside down.

The storyline with Carla, her father, and why she avoided coming home/always traveling was heartbreaking. I don’t know how I would have reacted if I had been given that news. I also wouldn’t have responded too well to having my father, just being given that diagnosis, telling me to travel. But, considering Biggie (Carla’s father) and Carla’s relationship, it made sense. It also made sense when she decided to come home to help with his care. This storyline was heartbreaking in so many ways too.

I will be honest with this, but Carla and Eamon were struck with a severe case of Instalove. I am not a fan of Instalove and never will be. I will never believe you can be in love after four days together. I believe you can be in lust, but love, nope. I liked how the author kept their relationship growing despite being apart.

Speaking of lust, the sex scenes in Off the Map were out of this-world hot. I did get a giggle at Eamon and Carla almost getting caught in the act by the farmer while waiting for the sheep to pass. They did have great chemistry.

The end of Off the Map was a little bittersweet. I liked that the author went a year into the future and showed us how Carla and Eamon were doing. I liked the strides Carla took with her life after Biggie died. And I was touched by how she honored Biggie. Also, I was impressed with the traveling they did.

I would recommend Off the Map to anyone over 21. There is language, mild violence, and explicit sex scenes.

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press, St. Martin’s Griffin, NetGalley, and Trish Doller for allowing me to read and review Off the Map. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

Reviewed for NetGalley:

Let me start by saying, I enjoyed Doller's other works in the series. Sweet, cute, lots of buildup.

I cannot say the same for this one. The two main characters jumped into bed hours after meeting? Hence, no buildup, no real consequences or anything that cared how the characters moved through the story.

Didn't work for me.

A sweet story about a woman who can't seem to stay in one place for long, and a man who has stayed in the same place for too long. I enjoyed the plot and the characters, and I think the author does a good job of showing both internal and external conflicts of all the characters. She wraps the story up in a way that works.

After finishing The Suite Spot, I kept hoping for a third book that would focus on Anna and Rachel's mom and her family in Germany with also some time in Ireland with Keane's family.

Off the Map gave me all the Ireland with an epic road trip featuring Keane's brother, Eamon, and Carla, Anna's best friend from the pirate bar. Remember her from Float Plan? This book made me want to pack a backpack and drive a Range Rover through Ireland. (Who am I kidding, I'll need a wheelie bag and a hotel reservation but still...). Once again Trish Doller sends her characters into a new country, a new situation, a new everything and we get to go for the ride as they learn and grow and love. It's just wonderful.

I'd still love to see the Beck Sisters and their mom in Germany in a future book. There's questions there that need to answers!

*I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher and I am required to disclose that in my review in compliance with federal law.

I read the other 2 books in this series and enjoyed this one just as much. I really like the characters that Trish Doller builds for us. This one was interesting in the setting and the plot as well.

Off the Map is a fun, lighthearted road trip romance set in the green hills of Ireland. While on her way to her best friend’s wedding, Carla, the ever-wandering free spirit and best friend of the bride, ends up carpooling with Eamon, the hot Irish brother of the groom who’s longing to fill his life with a bit more adventure. Through angry bulls, overturned cars, and unexpected detours, these two discover that the best adventures in life

Having read Trish Doller’s two previous books, I really enjoyed the laid-back plot and loveable characters—especially the return of some of my favorite characters from previous books. While the story itself is pretty low-stakes, I really enjoyed the chemistry between Carla and Eamon as well as the overall travel diary feel of the whole book.

This book is definitely more Carla’s story (particularly with her and her relationship with her dad) but I do wish we’d gotten a bit more insight into Eamon as a character. His own internal struggles were very briefly touched on and resolved fairly quickly, and I wished that we’d been able to see his journey towards becoming more adventurous on the page. I also thought that the timeline of this book was a little unclear to me—the first half felt very fast paced, but then I had a bit of trouble tracking the passing of time in the second half of the book, which made it harder for me to feel the impact of some critical plot points.

However, this is still a great read, and perfect for any spring/summer trips to the beach (or perfect for when you can’t get away but want to!) 😊

ARC was provided courtesy of @netgalley and @stmartinspress - thank you so much!

Carla Black is a wanderer. As a child, as soon as summer vacation hit, she and her father would climb in their car and head wherever the road led them. Now, in her Jeep she named Valentina, she continues her wandering ways, coming home each year to grab a job and refresh her travel fund before she sets out again. He latest destination is Ireland where she’ll serve as maid of honor at her best friend’s wedding.

Eamon Sullivan has spent his life always doing what was expected of him, being the person everyone else thought he should be. Restless and dissatisfied with his life, he spends his time as a digital cartographer, charting routes for other people that he’d like to be following himself.

As his brother’s best man, Eamon was tasked with picking Carla up from the airport. They hit it off immediately, Eamon liking her easy going, open personality. Carla, though, sees through Eamon’s casual façade to see the unhappy man underneath. Once they get to talking, Carla finds a kindred soul in Eamon. Rather than head straight for the family home, Carla and Eamon decide to take a detour to see some of the countryside..

They travel back roads to places just beyond the village in which Eamon lives, places he's wanted to see but has never taken the time.. Carla watches as Eamon's stress seeps away and he begins to relax. Watching the change in Eamon leads Carla to re-examine the course her own life has taken. and to make some new plans for her future . Plans she hopes will include Eamon.

This was a fun, thoughtful story. As they travel it' becomes obvious that Eamon's character is meant to show Carla the road not taken, and to lead her to the conclusion that it's time to make some changes. I greatly enjoyed their banter and the way the dialogue led the story and led Carla to some hard realizations about her life. And finally led to the emotional but satisfying conclusion. This was the first book from this author that i read, but it won't be the last.

Spicier and sadder than I expected from the cover. 2.5/5 spice. Definitely got emotional with her father’s dementia. It was a sweet story and really sparked some wanderlust in me

I absolutely loved this book!!! It was so beautifully written. I found myself laughing so much too and even shed a few tears toward the end. The romance was just great as well with some spicy moments tossed in. I will read anything Trish Dollar writes as this was fantastic and I highly recommend it.

I fell in love with the Beck Sisters from the moment I met Anna in Float Plan. Now we follow honorary Beck sister Carla as she traverses the beautiful Irish countryside on her way to Anna's wedding. Along the way she is escorted by brother of the groom, Eamon Sullivan. Do the two of them fall for each other along the way? Of course they do!

But the insta-love/insta-lust seemed a little too…insta I guess? It didn't grab me at all. And while this book does deal with some serious issues, like Carla's father's struggle with Alzheimer's, it doesn't have the deep emotional resonance of Float Plan, or the cozy sweetness of The Suite Spot. It also seemed extremely short. It clocks in at 272 pages, but it seems like it goes by a lot faster than that number would indicate. I really wish the author had taken the opportunity to give us more than a brief mention of Anna and Keane's wedding, because once I saw that that was where Carla was heading, I had big expectations for more of the big day.

So I didn't love this one as much as I did the previous two in the series, but it's a solid 3.5 stars and I would recommend it, even if you haven't read the other books. But really, you should also read those, because they are wonderful.

Thank you to NetGalley and to St Martin's Press for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

While in Dublin to attend best friend Anna's wedding, Carla meets Eamon, groom Keane's brother. Will Eamon make her rethink her "here for a good time, not for a long time" life motto?

After absolutely loving the first in this series, Float Plan (5 stars), I was fecking excited to read this one about Anna's best friend, Carla. Upon meeting, Carla and Eamon had an instant, magnetic, and steamy connection and decided to make several detours on the way to the wedding. What fecking adventures will they share on the way? And, will they arrive in time? I found Map a bit slow at times but overall, it made me remember why I found Float Plan, the author's debut, so fecking promising and emotional.

Float Plan remains my favorite by this author, but this one is next in line!

Trigger Warnings: (view spoiler)

Location: Dublin, Ireland and Ft. Lauderdale, Florida

I received an advance copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Insta-meet cute. Instant attraction. Carla and Eamon a complete each other and have so much fun together before making it to her best friends wedding.

Carla has promised her ailing father that she will continue to travel the world and make her own way. She meets Eamon in Ireland and hey fall in love and work through big challenges in both their lives.

A very strong relationship and the book is really funny.

Thank you to @netgalley and @trishdoller for this ARC copy of this fantastic book. I was absolutely enthralled by Anna’s book about recovering from tragedy and grief, and how her emotional journey dovetailed with a physical journey around the world with Keane. It was really lovely to be back in this world, especially at their wedding!

Carla Black is Anna’s maid of honor, and Eamon Sullivan is Keane’s brother and best man. Carla and Eamon meet in Ireland to travel to Eamon’s family’s home for the wedding, and sparks fly. A one night stand turns into a weeklong fling as they off-road their way to the wedding. It’s insta-lust, as most flings are, but the chemistry is there and they fall very quickly for each other. Told from Carla’s POV, this is how it goes with a fling that has a time limit.

Eamon yearns to travel, how Carla has been for most of her life save for the summers she’s bartended/waitresses with Anna - and Carla has to settle down because her father, her rock, her entire family, has early onset dementia and she’s losing him. They’re at an impasse, even though their feelings are there and true and mutual.

This is Carla’s journey - reconnecting with her father that sent her away so she couldn’t see his decline, trying to figure herself out in the process — is she a nomad? Is she unlovable? Is she a coward? This book is really beautifully done, as Carla finds herself after being confronted by the prospect of love. It’s also sad and special, navigating the deterioration of a pivotal figure in her life.

I don’t know that it is a romance novel in the truest sense, as Carla has to learn to let people in before she can really let herself love Eamon, and spends most of the back end of the book away from him doing just that - but it does have an uplifting HEA, and she deserves it.

Sometimes I just like melancholy angst and people learning and growing from hard experiences, okay? I cried at the end a few times and wanted to give Carla a hug, so I think this was a really good book. If you’re looking for a lighthearted comedy, this ain’t it though!

As usual, the writing is beautiful and the story is a hard fought win for an unsuspecting heroine.

Carla Black has traveled all over the world, so when her best friend, Anna decides to get married in Ireland and asks Carla to be the maid of honor, she doesn’t blink an eye. She’s to meet Eamon Sullivan, Keane’s handsome brother, to hitch a ride with him to the wedding. As soon as they meet there’s an immediate connection, talking, bonding, and physical attraction!

Eamon Sullivan has dreams of traveling around but has never got around to it, so when Carla suggests they take a detour and check out some of the sites he’s longed to visit they end up on a road/camping trip that changes both of them. Carla starts to reconsider her resolve to make no permanent attachments and Eamon takes a hard look at his stationary life. Each have some personal issues to sort out.

Off the Map was a delight from beginning to end! Carla and Eamon’s immediate chemistry was palpable, and I felt part of their personal journey and travels: the beauty, the bumps in the road and the growing attachment they feel. I rooted for their HEA all the way!

Loved catching up with Anna and Keane from Float Plan, too! It was a lovely sort of epilogue to their story!

I alternately listened to an audio copy and read an e-copy of Off the Map. I highly recommend the audio narrated beautifully by Sarah Naughton! She has a pleasing voice and she performed both American and Irish accents well! I listened at my usual 1.5x normal speed.

Carla Black is all about "feeling", but not so much about "feelings." Ever since her mom left when she was a kid, she and her dad used travel to tamp down the hurt. Now, as an adult, Carla has continued on, traveling the world in her beloved Jeep "Valentina." Then, she heads to Ireland for her best friend's wedding and meets Eamon Sullivan. and whoa, "The feelings"! Carla doesn't do love,, she doesn't do relatiionships, but will Eamon change all that?

Loved the book, and the audio, too!
Thank you so much to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the digital ARC in return for an honest review.

Trish Doller's new book in this series is funny, sweet, heartbreaking, and full of adventure.

Carla spends her life seeing the world, alone, after her father is diagnosed with dementia. When she goes to Ireland for the wedding of her best friend, Anna, her whole world changes in just a few days. Carla's time with Eamon shakes things up and makes her realize exactly what she wants from life. Her time with her father is touching, albeit tough to read because of the subject matter, but the tears were worth it. The story rounds out nicely with just the right amount of romance without making it too smutty lol. This was a quick read, and I didn't need to have read the previous books to get swept up in the story and go on Carla's journey. The characters are fleshed out well, and the settings are vividly brought to life.

If you love a touching father daughter story, a cute romance, and a little travel and adventure sprinkled in then this book is for you.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's for the dARC of this work in exchange for my honest review.

My chest was tight while reading the end of this book. Nobody writes grief the way Trish does. This story was painfully beautiful, heartwarming, and sad all wrapped into one. I love how this world of characters has evolved since Float Plan. This romance is much much more than a love story, and I adored that it veered off the typical swoon worthy beaten path.

This is my first time reading this author. Plus I just found out it’s part of a series which means I have more books to read. I really enjoyed this story of Carla and Eamon. Parts made me laugh out loud. Thanks NetGalley for the advanced copy. #NetGalley #OffThe Map

there is a lot that <i>off the map</i> have going against it. insta love, a short page count, and an overuse of catch phrases (if i have to read "jaysus" one more time), but there's a sweetness here that is hard to ignore. that's because miscommunication is at a minimum and the relationship feels health despite everything the couple has going against them. it's easy to see why the happy ever after is deserved.