3.75 stars for Off the Map by Trish Doller

Off the Map is an enjoyable contemporary romance set mostly in Ireland, with lots of chemistry between its two main characters. A simple vacation fling sounds perfect for newly single Eamon Sullivan and always single Carla Black, but lust could lead to love if they’re not careful.

I sometimes found it hard to like Carla, but I recognize that my judgement of her seemingly inconsiderate actions is mostly based on my very different personality. As a planner who cares what people think, I cringed over Carla’s impulsive detours on her way to her best friend’s wedding. Were they entertaining? Sure! Would I have been such an unreliable maid of honor? Heck no!

The last 30% of the book started off a little rocky for me too after Carla left Ireland. With a new location and different characters, it felt almost like a different book for awhile. The author manages to tie the two plot lines back together at the finish, though, and the ending is pretty near perfect.

If you read either of the first two books in the Beck Sisters trilogy, you’ll recognize the characters from both of them in Map. Their parts in this book are quite minimal, though, so don’t expect a newsy update.

All in all, Off the Map is a fun read and great for those who love romance and travel.

Off the Map by Trish Doller is a heartwarming and adventurous romance that celebrates the thrill of spontaneity and the beauty of finding yourself while finding love. The story follows Carla Black, a free-spirited traveler, and Eamon Sullivan, a grounded and charming Irishman, as their paths cross during a journey through Europe. Doller’s writing is vibrant and immersive, capturing the joy of exploration and the emotional depth of two people navigating their own fears and desires. The chemistry between Carla and Eamon is undeniable, their romance unfolding with equal parts humor and tenderness.

I enjoy Trish Doller's books. I adored her Suite Spot book even more but I enjoy her writing style and the way she builds her characters and I will always read her books!

I've loved each Beck sisters book, and this is no exception! Trish Doller has a way of incorporating hard topics into fun and steamy romance novels.
Carla is a fun main character that travels wherever the wind takes her, but she's starting to question what she wants for the rest of her life. Eamon is her opposite, he has been living life by the book and wants to trade it all for a life of spontaneity.
There was so much chemistry between these main characters! The book was propelled by their adventures but made deeper with their emotional connection.
My only complaint is the "insta-love" trope, that always rubs me the wrong way.

This book has a real grief, bittersweet quality. I think this series is very moving, but I sort of feel like the marketing is all wrong. I find the book pretty ham-handed about the character's emotions, but I could see this being popular. Just not for me honestly.

Carla Black has grown up following the lifestyle she learned from her dad – traveling the world in her vintage Jeep, following his motto of, “Here for a good time, not for a long time.” Her dad was diagnosed with dementia several years ago, but at his insistence, she continues traveling. Now she is headed to Ireland for her best friend’s wedding. Eamon Sullivan works as a cartographer but is unhappy with his job, wishing he could travel to some of the places he maps out. When Eamon is asked to pick Carla up in Dublin and drive her across Ireland to his brother’s wedding, the two take some detours, exploring their chemistry and the Irish countryside.

This is the third book of the Beck sister series but can be easily read as a standalone. My favorite part of this book was the time Carla spent with her dad. Carla and Eamon had insta-love, and then it seemed like it was just lucky that they both had personalities that could help where the other person needed to grow and both desire to travel the world. While it was nice not to see a couple struggle as much as some romance books do, I felt like it made the reader that much less invested in their relationship. This was an enjoyable book but likely won’t be one that sticks out in my mind.

Many thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an audio ARC of this book.

Thanks NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this arc!

4/5 stars

This was a sweet and emotional audiobook. I really liked the narrator, her accents were pretty good! The story was very emotional, and I cried more than a few times from it being both sweet and heartbreaking. It was a really short audiobook and I think it was the perfect length, i was surprised by something at the ending but anything more would've made this book drag a lot. I enjoyed it!

This was a solid 4 star and I enjoyed this whole book.  I read and listened to this story. The narration was well done. The banter, the little spice and the flow of this book made it so easy to fly through this book. I feel like this could be read as a standalone but more enjoyable with the series.

Thank you NetGalley and Publishers for this audiobook  for an honest review!

This was such an adventure! It was full of memories, emotions, new experiences, new ways to live, finding yourself and falling in love.
I loved Carla’s relationship with her dad, and their bond. It was a very special feeling.
I loved the snark & banter and how well Carla & Eamon fit together. It was sweet, and full of passion.

I adored this book!

I’m usually not a fan of insta-love/lust but it honestly worked so well in this book. I loved that they really took the time to get to know each other and try to help the other person grow.

The elements of humour and whimsy were the perfect balance among heavier topics. Ireland is one of my favourite places, and it was so fun to travel alongside them in this book.

Well.....my emotions are spent after this one.
What a lovely book.
I really just loved every thing about it.
Carla is a wanderer. Something she has learned from her dad who took her on trips every summer. She's been traveling the last few years, avoiding home where her dad is suffering from dementia. She's off to Ireland for her best friends wedding and is meeting up with the best man, who is the grooms brother. There is an instant connection and they find adventures on their way to the wedding.
There's so much in this book I loved. Words that just grip you and hold you inside this lovely adventure. This was a new author for me and I will need to explore her other books now.
This is a top read of the year for me.

This was a laugh out loud, spicy romcom full of adventure! What a great combination, between travel and adventures out in the great unknown, with a hunky Irish best man/brother-in-law to-be for her best friend. This was a great adventure on the way to the wedding, also touching on feelings of loss and finding your way in the world. This was a great and quick little read and the audio was fabulous!

This was a lovely audiobook that I was glad to obtain a review copy of. I loved that this instant romance was set in Dublin and it did have some spicy moments which I liked. I think it is a quick, light (well, having a father that deals with dementia isn't that light) read.

I didn't realize this was the third book in a series until I started reading it. While it definitely worked as a standalone, I felt like I was missing some of the backstories.

I thought it was a cute story about Carla heading to Ireland and discovering herself with some romance thrown in. I wasn't a huge fan of how quickly the romance happened. It seemed rather realistic to me. I also found them okay, nothing special and I didn't feel overly connected to them.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Oh how I loved this book! The audiobook was fantastic with the Irish accents, and this story captivated me right away with it’s steam and strong main character (as well as the gorgeous, kind Irishman). But I found myself in tears at the end, deeply moved by Carla’s journey. This is a wonderful story that I read in one sitting!

Off the Map is definitely one of those books that borders women’s fiction and romance because while the relationship plays a large role in it, there is an equally strong storyline about Carla discovering her own path in life. If you liked The Simple Wild, but wanted the heroine to be bit softer, then you’ll love this book.

Narration: Fantastic. I loved listening to all the Irish pronunciations.

Thanks to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for my chance to review.

I did not realise that this was Book 3 of a series and although i think this can be read as a stand alone it wasn't a book that worked for me.

Carla Black is heading to Ireland to attend her best friends wedding. She is being met in Dublin by the best man, Eamon, they choose a local pub to meet at, they'll spend the night at his place, and then he'll drive her across the country to Tralee where the wedding is being held.

At the pub the two instantly hit it off.

This was supposed to be a cute story but the characters didn't appeal to me. I couldn't connect to them and felt the whole story to be a tad superficial. I just didn't buy into how quickly their relationship progressed.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for sending the ALC in exchange for an honest review.

I'm so sorry but I made it halfway through this book trying so hard to make it to the end and then I realized there are more books out there to be read so what am I wasting my time for?
I thought this would be a fun light read hitting places on the map en route to a wedding but what I got was a list of all the places they could have sex in detail. I'm an adult with an imagination. I do not need the details of those particular events.

Mmmm…. I didn’t love this.

Carla was so emotionally immature that It was impossible to like her. The insta-lust turned insta-love was wayyyy too fast - there was literally zero buildup! It felt unbelievable and cliched. The entire story felt really rushed.

I did really like all of the travel stories and Eamon’s arc though.

And I thought the last quarter of the book was wonderful and emotional and sweet - if only the rest of the book had been like that!

I continue to love this series. Dollar does a fantastic job at creating characters who, while overcoming grief, experience such personal growth.
In “Off the Map,” we’re back in Ireland and I have a new Irish book boyfriend to swoon over.

Carla is in Ireland for Anna’s wedding (book 1 FMC). She is picked up by Eamons, Keane’s brother, who is in charge of getting them both to the wedding weekend. The two instantly hit it off. Carla isn’t held down by any rules and is only looking for a hookup. Eamon is the responsible one in his family, but has always dreamed of a life of adventure.
Their romance was very sweet, and I loved the road trip aspect of their journey.

The only downside - like with book 2 - is the ending felt so rushed. This story deserves an epilogue.

Recommended if you like:
-Ireland
-camping/outdoor adventures/road trips
-instalove
-best friend’s brother-in-law
-father/daughter relationships


CW: dementia, parental death, grief

Thanks to NetGalley and the Macmillian Audio for my review copy. “Off the Map” is out now!