4.5 stars, rounded up to 5!

I wasn’t sure anything could top Float Plan as my favorite Trish Doller book, but Off The Map may just have done it. On the surface, this is a fun romance between a best man and a maid of honor. But Doller goes much deeper with some heavy topics as well. I was hooked from the beginning and finished in just over 24 hours. The last third slowed down a little, but I was still fully invested. If you don’t have the travel bug already, Off The Map will definitely give you wanderlust!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Griffin for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was my first book by this author and I’m am now a huge fan! I didn’t realize this was book 3 in a series but since it was about a different couple it was totally fine and I wasn’t lost it felt like I was thrown into it with no background. While it was almost too long for this couples journey it was still just right. I DID NOT LIKE BEING A BLUBBERING MESS FOR THE LAST 15% tho! But I’ve realized I’m an empath so it wouldn’t have mattered because if have cried just because I was finished the book.

I will say I was not a fan of the handling of Carla’s father’s health issue. My family has history and I can say that is most definitely not the symptoms and actions we dealt with. I’m not saying anyone else is different or the same just that’s not what I’m familiar with and actually wish we were dealt that side of dementia.

*Huge thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an early copy and introducing me to a new author I’m sure to add to my tbr*

This is the third book in the Beck Sister’s series (each a stand-alone). Doller is the master of creating the perfect combination of emotional backstory/character growth, unique adventurous plot lines, and open-door spice. Carla Black has spent years traveling the world and is closed off to the idea of love and permeance. Eamon Sullivan has spent his life making safe decisions while watching his younger brother sail around the world. On the wedding weekend celebration between Eamon’s brother, Keane to Anna, Carla’s best friend, Eamon is tasked with picking Carla up at the airport in Dublin to drive her to his childhood home. The easy drive quickly becomes quite the unexpected trek full of chemistry-filled detours and unexpected feelings. Watching these two opposite personalities slowly influence each other, creating reflection and growth, was such a fun and romantic journey. Additionally, Carla’s relationship with her father, Biggie, who is suffering from dementia, was an unexpected emotional highlight for me as well. Overall, it was just a great quick funny, spicy, heart-warming story. I recommend it for romance lovers like me!!

Tropes Include:
Instant Attraction/Chemistry
Opposites Attract
Open Door Spice
Road Trip with one Tent
Instagram worthy sight-seeing

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s press for providing an advance reader copy of this novel in exchange for my review.

An absolute charmer of a romance! Off the Map is the 3rd book in the Beck Sisters series, and although main character Carla isn't technically a Beck sister she's the best friend of Anna Beck, protagonist of the first book in the series. Carla's been traveling the world since she was a small child, getting the travel bug from her single dad Biggie. In this book, Carla's off to Ireland for the first time to attend the wedding of Anna and Keane, and Keane's brother Eamon is tasked with picking Carla up in Dublin and driving the two of them to Tralee for the wedding. As soon as they meet, sparks are FLYING. It's quickly revealed that buttoned-up Eamon's long been harboring some secret yearnings for adventure, and with Carla's travel tales tempting him, the pair decide that since they technically aren't needed in Tralee for a few more days, why not whet Eamon's appetite with some Irish countryside sightseeing? Surely adventuring together won't make either one catch feelings...

Trish Doller takes us through so many emotions in this book, from glee to sorrow. Early on in the story we learn that Carla hasn't been home for some time because her dad Biggie has dementia and didn't want her to see his decline, so if you've had a loved one with dementia be warned, this one may hit you really hard. Although Carla's traveled the world, it turns out that the greatest journey of her life might just be her emotional journey as she learns how to let love in.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this gorgeous book.

This will be my last Trish Doller book. I read float plan and was meh about that one and I disliked this one even more. Insta love is usually not my fav and out main female character drive me nuts. BUT the setting was a winner!

I know people have read this one and loved it and love her as an author, so if her writing style is your jam. Don’t miss out on it.

Read this book if you love adventures/travel, and want an inspirational and adorable book about finding your life path and doing what makes you happy.

It was a very fast and easy read. I laughed and smiled and cried.

This has wanderlust written all over it! Very cute story about a woman with the travel bug and her quest to find herself among new friends. There should be a trigger warning for wanting to have your own adventures yourself! It took a bit to get into because of the background and lack of closure for her relationships. Thankfully, Ireland was a beautiful backdrop for the storyline. One thought while reading: it's always an adventure and know how to repair cars :)

My Thoughts

Having met younger brother Keane in book 1 and thinking how could one improve on this type of man when I got to know his several years older brother, Eamon Sullivan, my question was answered.

Both men are gentlemen when it calls for it as their Mama raised them to be so, but when they need to be a little bit rougher both can be that too.

The biggest difference between the two is their approach to living life.

Eamon weighs things more carefully so acts slower before committing and Keane is his polar opposite jumping in with both feet without testing the water first, so to speak.

Funny how his perspective of things changed once Eamon and Carla meet, in all the best ways for both of them.

Like in the previous two books our main female character finds love when she is not looking, however Carla Black does not quite know what to do with her feelings so she takes a different approach than Anna and Rachel Beck did before her.

Now I have a definite favorite of the three books and this one is it, even though I am nothing like Carla myself she is a character that is easiest to relate to for me of these fictional women.

Be aware that despite being primarily a lighthearted romance this story also deals with Carlas aging larger than life 70-odd- year-old father, Douglas John “Biggie” Black and his slow decline due to dementia.

A plot point handled with grace and dignity by all concerned.
[EArc from Netgalley]

On every book read as soon as it is done and written up for review it is posted on Goodreads and Netgalley, once released then posted on Amazon, Barnes and Nobles as well.

Thank you NetGalley!

It took me only few hours to read this gem, i personally loved the pacing and the storyline. It was a perfect book to read and finish in a short ride and I loved the characters with their flawed parts and all. It’s somewhere between a conventional and unconventional romance for me and I loved that!

Thank you so much to Trish Doller, St Martin's Press and NetGalley for an advance copy of this in exchange for my honest review!

I had been worried because I had not read the first two books in this world that I would be confused but Trish did a great job with giving background on characters who were in the prior books. But now I definitely want to go back and read the other two. I absolutely ADORED this one!!!!

Carla has lived her life on the road. Growing up with her dad aka Biggie would take her on adventures every summer and made her fall in love with the adventure and seeing the world. Her father no longer travels due to his dementia and he told her to continue on without him. While traveling to Ireland to attend her best friend's wedding she meets Eamon, the groom's brother at the bar who was to pick her up. In a panic moment, Carla kisses Eamon to wan off a bar patreon and from there the two's relationship took off. They decided to go on a camping adventure cutting the time close to the wedding. But Carla is only in Ireland for a few days and had an expiration date on this "fling". Can they make it work? Can her nomad lifestyle be enough for Eamon? Is that what she wants?

"You make me happy. You make wild. And I don't think I'll ever get you out of my system."

I was sucked in from the very beginning and absolutely fell for Eamon and Carla's relationship with him. Instalove is a hit or miss with me and this one was definitely a hit. I love Carla's attitude and she knew (for the most part) who she was and didn't want to compromise what she thought she wanted. Sometimes it only takes one person to reevaluate all that you know. I also was not expecting to read face eating scene so early this morning but hey it was a great start to my day. Eamon just comes across so warm and caring. Even though everything happened so quick, you knew that man was in love.

"It was always a good time, but I wish it had been a longer time."

Even though the romance took a big chunk of this book, there was also so much heart in this. Carla's relationship with her dad was so special to see and even her relationship with her step mom was beautiful. She has so many memories with her father and as a reader I was so happy that she had those knowing that he has dementia. He instilled so many words of wisdom that she uses daily and will continue to use for years to come. Going through my own grief of losing family members in recent years and seeing my declining grandmother, it makes time so precious and it's easy to do the what ifs and if onlys. This book is just another reminder to make those moments happen now before it's too late.

Bravo Trish! Can't wait to go back and read the others in this series!

The interchanging of Dad/Biggie was annoying from the start, and only got worse. Why can’t characters just call their parents mom or dad? Does anyone in real life call their parents by a nickname?

No flirting at all & then we’re told that the air in the elevator is electric, and then they have sex. Spice was okay? I shouldn’t judge but I’ve read much better.

The main characters (Eamon & Carla) go to leave the next day to head to a wedding. But then they decide to road trip it & go camping. And what a coincidence, but he has a closet of camping gear ready to go!

Sadly, I could only handle it until about 25%, because that’s when I realized I was already skim-reading (and not because I couldn’t wait to read what happened next).

Trish Doller always leaves me wanting more! It happened when I finished Float Plan and The Suite Spot, and Off the Map was no different! If you haven’t picked up a Trish Doller book yet, what are you waiting for?!

Off the Map follows two of my favorite side characters from the previous books, Carla and Eamon, as they travel across Ireland on their way to a wedding. Though they are strangers, from the moment they meet, it is like they are old friends who have an instant connection. From the start, I was envious of Carla’s free spirit and travels, but it soon becomes clear that maybe her adventurous heart is just disguising her inability to form lasting connections. In an odd turn of events, I found myself relating more to the MMC in this novel. He works a 9-5, bought a house, has done all the things he is “supposed” to do, but feels a void in his life that Carla helps him tap into. I loved being on their journey as they helped each other find what the other was missing. As with all Trish Doller novels, don’t be fooled by the cute cartoon cover and short page count- she packs a lot of emotion and depth between the covers (DM me if you have questions about trigger warnings). At the end of her books, I always find myself wiping a tear away, sad to leave the characters and their stories.

Off The Map follows Carla, who has spent her whole life travelling and is avoiding going home. She meets Eamon, her best friend's fiancé's brother, who creates maps for a living and yearns to go travelling himself (someday), and has an immediate connection with him. On the way to her best friend's wedding, they end up taking several detours that teach them both a lot about themselves. I loved the way Carla and Eamon's relationship developed and how they seemed to just get each other from the start. I enjoyed seeing them push each other too, and how their characters grew through the adventures they had together.

PS - Like the previous books in this series, this book, particularly the second half, deals with some heavy topics, and I definitely shed a few tears through it! (tw: dementia)

I have adored this series. The way that the author deals with the hard subjects like grief so seamlessly, makes me love these books even more.

These books are so easy to read, I get lost in the story, and I forget everything else. Hours fly by and I don’t even notice. That is a mark of an excellent book and author.

If you’ve read the other books in this series (and if not do!) grief goes hand in hand with these books, so come prepared with the tissues.

These characters have great chemistry, and I just could
Not handle some of the quotes from the book:

“Because never once have I ever met anyone who makes me feel the way you do, immediately and wholly,” he says. “You make me happy. You make me wild. And I don’t think I’ll ever get you out of my system.”

Romance novella set in Ireland? Sign me up!

Carla Black can never stay in one place too long. She's always off on an adventure of some sorts and one thing for sure... she does NOT do relationships.

When Carla takes a trip to Dublin for her best friends wedding and Eamon is tasked with picking her up. What should be a simplendrive across the Irish countryside ends in total dissaray. All hell breaks loose to put it softly as the two characters begin to fall for each other.

I've heard great things about Trish's books, and I'm so glad I finally got my hands on one. I love the Ireland setting.. I really felt like I was there drinking a Magners with Carla learning to give love a second chance.

This quirky read was so so fun. I didn't realize this was the 3rd book until halfway through, but it is a great stand-alone. I can't wait to go back and read the first two.

Off the Map

3.5 ⭐️

Float Plan was such a good book and I like the continuation of this universe. Off the Map followed Carla, Anna’s best friend. It’s full of adventure as she and Eamon make their way across Ireland to Anna and Keane’s wedding.

The adventures were so fun and I laughed out loud at some of the mishaps. The insta-love trope is not my favorite so I didn’t enjoy the romance pieces as much in this book. Carla’s connection with her father was really good and I enjoyed the ending with him.

I’ve loved Doller’s other books in this series and this one was no exception! They’re all very uniquely their own. Solid characters, solid stories and more depth than a regular ole romance. Can’t wait for more stories from her!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of Off the Map by Trish Doller. This book is the third book in the Beck Sister’s series and while it isn’t technically about the Beck sisters it is about one of their weddings and the brother of the groom.

While this book is being marketed as a romance and chick lit, it is so much more than that. This book also deals with our needs to grow up and step out from our parents’ shadows. To learn that at some point in life, it’s necessary to put our needs in front of our parents’ wishes for us. That while it’s important to be adults, it’s also important to follow our hopes and dreams.

I couldn’t put this book down! It tugs are your heart strings just as all the books in this series do. Trish Doller is an amazing writer and if you haven’t read any books by her, you are missing out.

It has been a while since I read a book in a day but Off the Map had me flying through the pages. After reading Doller’s Float Plan- the first in this series- last year I knew I had to get my hands on this book. I genuinely enjoyed the sense of comfort and ease that Carla and Easmon have together right from the start. And their unique sightseeing along the Irish country side has me wanting to books a flight.
Carla’s storyline with her father, her childhood and his impending dementia was emotional and have her a whole other element that made you want to root for her happiness as well as make you jealous of all her previous adventures
Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy for an honest review!

I received an advanced copy of this book through NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I adore Trish Doller and her writing. 3 stars isn't necessarily a bad rating here, but the instant like / love and weak plot was not as strong as the previous books in the series.

Anna's best friend Carla was briefly introduced in the first book, and here she is traveling to Ireland to be her best friend's bridesmaid in her wedding with Keane. They've arranged for Keane's brother Eamon to take her from Dublin to Tralee for the wedding 5 days before the festivities. Eamon and Carla hit it off, falling into bed the first night. They both have things in common and enjoy travel and adventure. Carla's lifestyle as part nomad, working the snowbird season as a barmaid in Ft. Lauderdale to support her travel. Her dad has dementia and his wife is his caregiver, Carla's stepmother Stella. Carla is not into any big commitment and Eamon's ex Sophie was all wrong for him.

Surprisingly, over the week with these adventures they start to fall for each other. It was sort of annoying that they seemed to deliberately delay their time with characters I wanted to spend more time with- the wedding was sort of glossed over. Then there is a cat rescue and Carla returns home to see her dad. There is time with her dad before Carla finds a goal for her life beyond being a bartender. Does she pursue this goal with Eamon in her life (HEA spoiler)? It seems so, maybe. As much as I enjoyed Ireland vicariously through these characters, I wasn't in love with this book like I was with the other 2. I will still read anything Doller writes.
Release 3/7/23