I struggled to get into this book despite all the amazing things it had in it, but once I hit the 65% mark there was no turning back or putting it down. I loved the premise for the novel and found myself taking my own tour through memories of travels past !

Gigi is. A young bookstore owner, a romance bookstore, and she’s on a bus tour in England for her 30th birthday to meet the audio book narrator Zane who also gives bus tours. But when Gigi shows up, bleary eyed and late, Zane is no where to be found. Instead there’s Taj, the Turkish bus driver who senses her dislike for churches, makes sure she gets her morning coffee even when she misses breakfast and seems to share her passion for books and reading.

But then Zane does show up and Gigi let’s anything that might have been about to happen with Taj disintegrate in favour of time with Zane. Recipe for disaster, as I’m sure most romance novel readers would anticipate!

This novel has such a lovely cast of characters, all finding their own way in love, different types of love stories with lots of diffferent happy endings, or beginnings, or restarts.

A light-hearted romance and armchair travelling all-in-one! Gigi has been running her family's bookshop in Ann Arbor, Michigan since the death of her parents several years earlier. She avoids dating in favour of reading but is obsessed with Zane, the narrator of her favourite audiobook who also works for his family's tour business. When her friends find out, they gift her a 10 day coach tour through England for her 30th birthday so she has the opportunity to meet him in person and discover whether he actually is her soulmate. To Gigi's disappointment, Zane has a family emergency and will be delayed in joining the small group tour so she sets off with a motley group of fellow tourists, Angus the temporary guide, and Taj the brooding bus driver.

Gigi's obsession with Zane's voice which is the premise for Two for the Road is a bit cringey but once you get past that then it's quite a fun read. Gigi seems a bit flaky but she's really someone whose life has been stagnant due to the tragic loss of her parents and while she travels across England she is also on her own journey of self-discovery that results in finding happiness. I thought the supporting characters with their own stories were great - I cared about each of them and enjoyed how the group slowly coalesces and supports each other. Most of all, I loved vicariously travelling around England with Gigi and the rest of the group - the descriptions of the places they visited stoked my wanderlust and I have definitely added to my travel wish list! Two for the Road is a charming rom-com (more sweet than steamy) and a fun escape!!

Gigi loves love so much she has converted her parents bookstore in Michigan, U.SA. into a romance book store. This store is where her parents actually met and connected because they were reading the same book. Her parents passed away in a tragic accident 8 years ago, and she is heartbroken and just getting through every day. To relax herself she listens to the audiobook of the book that was the basis of her parents meet cute many years ago.

The narrator of this audiobook is Zane Wilkenson. His smooth seductive voice, combined with her emotional connection to that particular book, and her grief over her parents death cause her to believe that Zane is her soulmate. She googles him online and finds out that he is involved in the family business running bus tours in England. At some point Gigi blurts out her Zane soulmate obsession to one of her friends. Her friends than surprise her the gift of a trip to England and a bus tour with Zane’s family business. So she can hopefully connect with Zane.

When she discovers that Zane is absent from the tour due to personal reasons. She goes on the tour anyway, and meets an interesting cast of characters. When Zane finally shows up, will he truly be her soulmate?

I really enjoyed this book. If you enjoy likeable but intriguing characters, enemies to lovers romance, witty banter, and a quick enjoyable read this book is for you!

Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Random House Canada for providing me with a eARC of this book to read and review.

An impulsive trip across the pond becomes a life-changing journey for our heroine, Georgia "Gigi" Rutherford. In this delightfully witty story, Guertin explores themes of love, family, and self-discovery. Two for the Road is a reminder that life’s most cherished and memorable moments can be found in the most unexpected of places—even when it seems like everything has gone wrong—and how sometimes, the journey to yourself is where you’ll find everything you’ve been searching for.

There is incredible emotional depth to the both the story and the characters. Geurtin has an impeccable ear for dialogue made apparent by both the cheeky banter and touching conversations. Simply charming—like a pot of tea and a scone—and laugh out loud funny, Two for the Road is perfect for romance readers and armchair travellers.

Gigi falls in love with the narrator of an audio book and her friends surprise her with a trip to the UK to try to meet the man the voice belongs to.

I wish we could do half stars here, I would give this 3.5*. I'm rounding down unfortunately, because it wasn't completely worthy of a 4* read for me.

I found most of the story quite predictable, no massive surprises. It is a sweet romance with very little smut action which I was good with, the lead up to the kissing was well anticipated. I loved Taj, Angus, and the quirkiness of all the other tour bus characters. I even liked how Zane was portrayed, his unsuitableness being downplayed and subtle.

The pacing of the story was quite slow and became a bit tedious. Gigli was too flaky to be a believable level headed and cautious character. Her obsession with Zane was a bit creepy and annoying, and I hated that she was so resistant to participate in most of the actual tour things with the others. This didn't align with who she was supposed to be. The story picked up the last 25% and it became quite good, but not enough to redeem the first 75%. All in all, it was still cute and enjoyable, just not a favourite. "It is what it is"

Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book.

"Take the girl out of her Ann Arbor romance book shop, but you can't quite take the romance book shop out of her." This opening sentence perfectly captures the spirit of this delightful romance novel by Chantel Guertin. We follow the story of GiGi, who is gifted a fun trip across Britain by her friends for her 30th birthday...with a twist. The scheduled tour is guided by none other than the audiobook narrator whom she's been obsessed with for years. Once she meets the lauded Zane, will it be the perfect meet-cute like she's read about in her romance novels for years?

What I liked:

-The author effectively explores the theme of real attraction versus forced attraction, and the main character's growth in this area is a satisfying arc.
-The vivid setting descriptions of England make this book a perfect travel companion or a cozy read.
-GiGi's maturity in dating is refreshing, and her awareness of the pitfalls of hookup culture and internet dating is a relatable touch.
-The author masterfully avoids excessive drama for the sake of it, resulting in a satisfying and believable ending.

What could be improved:

-While this quick-read romance is overall charming, there were some parts that dragged in the middle.
-Some readers may have a hard time relating to the spastic and neurotic main character, whose quirks are the center of the story.
-The premise of the story may come across as a little stalkery at first, but it ultimately evolves into a charming tale of love and growth.

Overall, this is a heartwarming romance novel with a unique twist and relatable characters. If you're looking for a cozy read or a travel companion to England, this book is definitely worth a read.

I thought ‘Two for the Road’ by Chantel Guertin was a lovely little piece of escapism.
I do love a Canadian writer and this cozy little romance was a perfect getaway from a busy work week.
I will be honest in that I very nearly DNFed this book at the very beginning, because the premise of Gigi setting off on her English adventure was so goofy and cringeworthy, not to mention a little creepy, when she goes searching for the man of her audio book narrating dreams. Paired with her parents meet cute fuelling the obsession, it was so sappy it was downright saccharine. But I found the meat of the story and the chemistry with her little tour group cast of characters very charming, thus making this a fun and lighthearted read.
I was absolutely invested in all the many subplots, and while Gigi frustrated me at a couple points when indecision between what she wants and what’s actually right for her, forces some interesting decision making, but I guess that also made her more human as a character.
I also found a couple plot holes in the ending of the book, where everything felt rather rushed, which included a pretty heavy duty argument with a loved one that gets entirely glossed over in the next chapter.
I can’t say I loved this book, but I will say it was a lovely light hearted romance, for those seeking a little foreign escapism, but don’t have any desire to get off the big red bus. I do recommend it as an enjoyable, witty banter filled, heartwarming, novel that you will find yourself lighting candles for and treating yourself to a bubble bath so you can dive back into it at the soonest opportunity, but with feeling!

Thankyou to Chantel Guertin, Penguin Randomhouse Canada and Netgalley for the chance to read this book. Tthis book was just okay for me! It didn't draw me in like some books do, even though I love reading romances. The premise sounded appealing (hello, romance novel lovers!), but ultimately fell flat for me. I found Gigi a bit annoying/immature and I had trouble relating with her. Still a cozy story worth a read and will leave you with a smile on your face.

Two for the Road by Chantel Guertin brings you on a 10 day tour through England with Gigi, a bookstore owner from Ann Arbor and a cast of peculiar characters. Gigi’s friends gift her this trip of a lifetime for her 30th birthday, along with it the chance to meet the narrator of an audio book that has become a sort of safety net for Gigi. Gigi has been tied to Ann Arbor and the bookstore she took over running following the unexpected death of her parents, which has really prevented her from getting out to see or experience the world. This trip gives Gigi the opportunity to learn how important it really is to be open to the unexpected. A cute, quick read!

Thank you to NetGalley, Chantel Guertin and Penguin Random House Canada for an eARC of this book, in exchange for an honest review.

CW: death of parents at an earlier time, explained on page

So I thought I was getting a new read from this author but nope, it's Gigi, Listening with a new name.
I'm disappointed to say the least, but that's also what I get for wanting to read a book based on the author and not reading the synopsis. Lesson learned.
I gave it a 5/5 the first time, so we will leave it there.

A typical, formulaic romcom. Perfect if you want something easy, uncomplicated, and won't stay with you. This one is a solid 3 stars read.

Love books about books,, book sellers, authors, anything to do with books! Throw in a romance and I’m a happy girl! Loved the book recommendations peppered in throughout the book and the list of books at the end!!

“If I can’t have a story, I’d rather be reading my book.”

I need to preface this review by saying I’m a mood reader - so my review could very well be a reflection of that.

At some points this felt a little too uppity and motivational for my liking. I know a lot of people like that which is perfectly fine, it’s just not always my favourite. I do prefer the heavier reads to the lighter ones. This was just a little too clean.

The storyline was a little farfetched - traveling to another country to possibly meet an audio book narrator because you’re in love with him? The romance did end up being cute enough that I didn’t completely dislike the concept. All the book references helped too!

I’m sure this will be loved by most and hopefully readers still give it a shot!

Thank you to NetGallery and Penguin Random House Canada for this eARC!

I adored this road-trip love story that sees romance book store owner Gigi getting gifted a bus tour around English guided by the audiobook narrator she's convinced herself she's in love with. While the premise is a bit out there, I was completely invested in Gigi's journey to discover real life can be even better than fiction or fantasies and the cast of characters on the tour with her just warmed my heart with each of their different stories.

Great on audio narrated by one of my favourites, Natalie Naudus and highly recommended for fans of Thank you for listening by Julia Whelan. If you're looking for a feel good read with memorable characters and a sweet, PG/Hallmark style love story you need look no further!

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for early digital and audio copies in exchange for my honest review. This is my new favorite book by Canadian author Chantel Guertin - plus all the romance novel references were so on point and enjoyable for this romance bookstagrammer!!

CW: Sudden death of parents, grief, loss

Unfortunately there is no pdf for this book & cannot open on kindle! I therefore cannot read it sadly. I would love to in the future if a kindle version becomes available 🤍

Thank you for the ARC.

Overall, I went into this book thinking it would be super cute and heart warming. While some aspects of the book were, I could not shake the fact that the FMC was obsessed with a guy just for his voice, and convinced herself that he was her soulmate based on that fact alone! Honestly, it was just very creepy and cringe.

Unfortunately there is not an option to send to Kindle for this title, and for this reason I was not able to access it. I would be very interested in reading this galley if it does become available for Kindle viewing in the future.

Unfortunately due to the type of file, a protected pdf, I'm unable to access it on my Kindle. As a result I won't be able to read it or review it.

If you're able to provide a different file format I'd be pleased to participate.

Perhaps next time it can be noted in the email that this is the type of file being offered? Had I known I would have left one of the 200 spots for someone else to enjoy.

Thanks for your consideration.

Bookstore owner? Audiobooks? Road trips in the English countryside? Count me in! I loved this fun romcom. For me, the mark of a great romcom is well written side characters, and this book didn't disappoint!

I’m a sucker for books about books. Add in a tour of England and it is just perfection. I visited England a few times and it has stolen a piece of my heart. It is my all time favourite place to travel to. Being able to return from the comfort of my home was a nice little virtual escape.

This was a 5 ⭐️ read for me. It had talk of books and stories, beautiful English landscape, witty banter, swoon worthy men and was just a delight to read.

This book will be released on March 28, 2023 but I may have a special giveaway for one of my followers. Stay tuned.