Member Reviews
Many thanks to #NetGalley for the Audio ARC of Off the Map, in exchange for an honest review.
Off the Map by Trish Doller is a wonderful adventure into rediscovering the important aspects in life. The protagonist Carla arrives in Ireland as the maid of honor. Upon arrival she is suppose to meet Eamon Sullivan the best man. They are suppose to make their way to the Tralee for wedding festivities, but get a bit sidetracked. This is an inspirational piece that reminds readers to stop procrastinating on our dreams and to find a path in life that gives you joy. The narrator of this audio book was wonderful. I recommend you have a listen
⭐⭐⭐⭐
𝙏𝙧𝙞𝙨𝙝 𝘿𝙤𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙧'𝙨 𝙞𝙙𝙮𝙡𝙡𝙞𝙘 𝙧𝙤𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚, 𝙊𝙛𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙈𝙖𝙥 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙨 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙚𝙨 𝙖 𝙬𝙧𝙤𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙣 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙚𝙭𝙖𝙘𝙩 𝙧𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙙𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣.
📍 Read if you like:
• Insta Love
• Spicy Romances
• Father/Daughter Relationships
• Traveling
• Ireland
This is my second book from this author, last year I read 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐮𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐭 and really enjoyed it. While I didn’t love this one as much as that one, I still had such a great time reading this romance. I still need to go back and read the first book.
In this story, we follow Carla and Eamon - who both are mentioned in the first book… Seriously, I need to read it ASAP. Although my context about the two characters wasn’t the best, I still found myself really enjoying both of them. They were so fun to read about and I loved their chemistry. Also, there were some spicy scenes I did not see coming.
I managed to read an e-arc and listen to an alc, and both methods were absolutely incredible.
The book is mainly set in Ireland, where both the characters travel for Anna’s wedding (Carla’s best friend and also the MC from the first book). When Carla first arrives, Eamon is there waiting for her. They immediately hit it off and grow a strong connection… gawd, I loved the two so much. We also get a bit more insight into Carla’s father who has dementia.
I found myself enjoying this book a lot more than I was anticipating. I’m so glad it lived up to the amazement. The series was just so fun to read with lovable characters. Also, the detail of the setting was so wonderful, it made me want to travel to Ireland.
𝙈𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙞𝙣 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝘽𝙚𝙘𝙠 𝙎𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙨𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙨 𝙗𝙮 𝙏𝙧𝙞𝙨𝙝 𝘿𝙤𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙧:
~ 𝘍𝘭𝘰𝘢𝘵 𝘗𝘭𝘢𝘯, 𝘉𝘰𝘰𝘬 1
~ 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘶𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘚𝘱𝘰𝘵, 𝘉𝘰𝘰𝘬 2
Thank you St Martin's Griffin and NetGalley for the e-ARC and ALC in exchange for my honest review, all thoughts are my own!
I would say this book was done better than the first two books as attached to the characters a little bit more periods I need a little bit more drama, but overall it was an OK story
Off the Map us Book #3 in the Beck Sisters series by Trish Doller. Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for this copy of the audiobook in exchange for my honest review. The audiobook is good. The narrator’s voice was a perfect fit for Carla’s POV. Paired with the storytelling and the narration I really enjoyed this one. It was easy enough to listen & binge in one day. I can see why this is an auto read author for so many of my bookish friends! A great mixture or all of my favorite things - witty banter, romance and just the right spice!! I will say there’s one trigger for family member dealing with dementia and that got me in my feels. But overall, I really enjoyed this one & look forward to more books by this author.
I loved this book so much! So, I went out of order and read this one first - and couldn't wait to go back and start with Float Plan! I knew the basics from the first and second book, so I was able to follow along and enjoy book three as, almost, a stand alone.
To my dear Carla: you were such a relatable character. As a fellow world traveler, it was nice to get some depth to Carla, along with character development that made me wanting more by the end. Throw in the Ireland backdrop, heart warming father plot, and EAMON and this story came together like peanut butter and jelly!
This book inspired so much more then just going back and reading book one and two. I have been binging everything "Ireland" inspired.
Trish, BRAVO! Thank you for the opportunity, Net Galley & St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to review such a good story! I will continue to recommend this story.
This book has all the feels! You'll laugh, cry and laugh some more all while following Carla on her zigzagging path to where she really belongs. While the story is a delightful rom com, it also deals with some harder issues such as dementia, child abandonment (past history, not present) and the feeling of being unmoored yet comes full circle when she finds a fellow wanderer trying to find his own path in life as well. Both have been molded by parental influence that may be a bit over the top, but just might be the foundation upon which they can build. Seriously, this story is fun, cute and completely enjoyable, but has more depth than a typical rom com which in my opinion makes the story doubly enjoyable. The narration of this audio book brings the emotions and character personalities even more fully to life so I do highly recommend that you take a listen to this one rather than read, but I bet the book is every bit as good!
adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted relaxing fast-paced
4.75⭐
Just the off the map detour I needed!!
“How are you still single?”
“Because you’re not mine yet.”
I loved the narration ✨
I have found out that there ain’t no surer way to find out whether you like people or hate them than to travel with them.
—MARK TWAIN
I love this series and was so excited to read the newest installment in the series, and it did not disappoint! This book was full of traveling, heartfelt moments, romance and lots of adventure. I thought this story was beautifully written. It was a fun romance, but had many deep, and heart wrenching moments as well.
𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙞𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙚𝙣𝙟𝙤𝙮:
• Ireland / traveling
• opposites attract
• oops one bed
• road trips
• relatable MC's
I alternated between a physical version and the audiobook and I absolutely LOVED the audiobook. I thought the narrator, Sarah Naughton, did a phenomenal job telling the story in a fun and engaging way. That, plus the storyline itself makes this an excellent audiobook! The audiobook is 6h 37m.
This book was FUN! It was a great Spring read- full over adventure and romance- the perfect combo. The wanderlust this book caused is going cost me (I literally went and purchased a flight abroad as soon as I finished)!
I love the MC- She is independent, strong and adaptable. I love that she is the heroine of her own story and leads the way throughout the story. As a fellow traveler, overlander and backpacker this book spoke to my heart in all the best ways!
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC! I am excited that this one is finally hitting the shelves!
Wanderlust + taking chances = latest book by Trish Doller. This was a fun adventure romcom with a lot of emotion and open door steam (though light on the details). 4⭐️
Off the Map was beautifully written. I laughed, yearned to travel alongside Carla and Eamon, and in the end, sobbed as Carla’s experience so closely mirrored one of my own. The last 30% made me feel everything. By the end, I felt wrung out but also at peace. The feelings in this book snuck up on me, so please feel free to DM me if grief is a trigger for you. It was written with care and love and made me love this author a little more.
Carla and Eamon’s travels around Ireland in the first part of the book were so much fun. I am nowhere near that spontaneous but loved reading of their adventurous side trips.
Road trip romance
Adventures in Ireland
Opposites attract
Just one bed
Encounters with wildlife
I alternated listening to the ALC and reading the ARC I was gifted. I loved the audiobook narration by Sarah Naughton. Her Irish accent was fantastic and was such a pleasant way to immerse myself in the storyline.
I really loved this book. Not just the love story, but the characters. The character arcs in this book are spectacular. The backgrounds. The lives they lead.
All the characters were painfully loveable. And you'll get that once you read the book. Its amazing.
It's spice is perfect and not just thrown in. It's perfectly placed.
I loved this book so much! You can read it as a stand alone even though it is part of a series! There are no spoilers that I know of! I loved the narrator and the plot was great! The romance was so sweet. The relationship between Carla and her father was, at times, hard to read because I am a huge softie and in the end it was sweet and special.
Such an amazing romance novel! I recommend this to everyone! I mean who wouldn't want to fall in love with a HOT Irish man and go off on amazing adventures together!!! GOALS!!
Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for this ALC!!
3.5 stars
A sweet love story full of adventure that also deals with grief.
[What I liked:]
•The story is poignant without being sappy or overly sad. There is humor, love, loss, & personal growth. The romance has immediate chemistry without falling into love at first sight. And both main characters encourage each other to challenge themselves.
•Carla’s dad, her only parent, has early onset dementia. The portrayal of interacting with a loved one with dementia was very touching, & was one I could personally identify with. It was one of the best aspects of this book imo.
[What I didn’t like as much:]
•Some of the scrapes Carla and Eamon get into are a bit unrealistic (the details of their interaction with that bull, for instance?), but it’s nothing worse than you’d get in any light hearted romance novel. Honestly, not that big a deal.
CW: terminal illness/death
[I received an ARC ebook copy from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. Thank you for the book!]
Off the Map by Trish Doller
Carla Black, in mid thirties, living her life forward, never looking back. After her mother’s abandonment at young age, her father takes him to the journeys to visit national parks, exploring the sacred sightseeing, having special adventures.
I like how Carla did her traveling and it just made me want to travel as well. She flies to Ireland to meet with her best friend Anna’s future brother in law Eamon Sullivan ( Keenan’s elder brother) The plan is simple. They will drive to Tralee to attend wedding ceremony. But as soon as they meet, sparks start flying in the air. Their first detour occurs at Eamon’s apartment for passionate sex. And the next day they find themselves into dreamy journey including full of pinewoods, moonlight dancing, sheep
roadblocks, and sangria-drinking bulls.
I felt like this book overall message is live your best life do what you want and hold onto your dreams. Also find a way to live out your dreams. These are good things to think about and this was a feel good book to me. Narrated by Sarah Naughton was a joy to listen to and brought out the voices of the characters. If you like short novella's about traveling with a touch of romance then this one will be for you.
Thank you to Netgalley and MacMillan audio for a free audio copy of Off the Map for an honest review. This review was written with my thoughts and opinions with which are my own without coercion.
Trish Doller has quickly became my favorite romance writer! Her stories are a little humorous, with a not so popular story line! I quickly become bored if I read a book that has had similar story lines as 8,000 other titles. However, with Trish Doller and her romance she throws in a little twist. I loved all three books in this series! Off the Map does start off a little slow, But definitely stick with it. It will have you smiling the whole way. Thank you to Netgalley for allowing me to read this title in exchange for my honest review.
I really enjoyed this romance book about Carla and Eamon! I love the travel component and living life to the fullest because not all romances have those. I love that Trish makes beautiful places even more beautiful for her readers! Carla's relationship with her father was a special little side story that I really enjoyed, and I'm glad it came full circle at the end.
Audio note: The audio is good - the story is told from Carla's POV, so we get a single narrator. I'm not familiar with this narrator, but she does a good job. Her voice felt right for the story, and it was easy to listen to. Relaxing. The runtime is also short enough that it's easy to finish in a single day. Unlike the other books in the series, I wouldn't be able to recommend this as a workday listen. The spice is not overly descriptive, but it's more detailed than the first two books and it happens immediately. No major complaints about the audio, it's well done.
After loving Float Plan and enjoying The Suite Spot, I went into this with a certain set of expectations... and it took less than two chapters to shatter them to pieces, lol. It's not that the story was "bad," but a major part of the charm of the first two books in the series is the heartfelt slow burn and emotional build. This couple begins banging within a few pages, and it was just total whiplash for me. Try as I might, I couldn't seem to get into the story after that, and I wasn't the biggest fan of either character or their instalove. We don't know a whole lot about Eamon, and Carla was not the most relatable character. Having them go off adventuring while completely ignoring their responsibilities for the wedding was not particularly endearing, and the book never recovered from its early woes for me.
The story follows Carla, a woman who loves to see new places and try new things. She's currently traveling to a wedding, and one of the other guests was supposed to help her get there. But Carla and Eamon have an instant connection, and it's not long before they're changing their plans. What starts as a fling and some fun adventures soon turns into something more.
What I loved about Float Plan is the unique feel, the emotional journey, and the vivid travel descriptions. This does have all of those things, it just did them a little differently. There's a complete tonal shift and a lot more spice in this one, which felt jarring in an established series. It's not what I read Doller's books for, and it's not what I wanted. Unfortunately, I had disconnected completely by the halfway point, and found myself doing a lot of skimming. When a book is this short and I'm skimming... it's not a great sign. That said, I think there's definitely an audience for it. This is actually one instance where it might be better NOT to have read the other books in the series first. That way you can go in without the same set of expectations. Ultimately, it was a disappointing read for me.
Off the Map is the third book in the Beck Sisters series. Carla Black is not a Beck, but is the best friend of Anna Beck, who is getting married in Ireland. For the last ten years, she has been traveling the world, so doesn't hesitate to hop on a plane to Ireland. She is happy being single and doing what she loves. Carla has made arrangements for her to be picked up at the airport in Dublin, by Eamon, her fiancé's brother and brought to the family home. Eamon has always wanted to travel, but works as a cartographer who creates digital maps. He has just gotten out of a relationship and is not sure what is next for him, but getting into another relationship is definitely not it. When Carla and Eamon meet, there are fireworks and insta-love. They decide to take the long way home and have all kinds of fun and adventures along the way. What they weren't expecting was to fall in love and discover what they needed to do to start life the way they really wanted it to be.
Each book in this series can be read as a standalone, but there will be some spoilers if you read them out of order. Normally, I am not one to enjoy insta-love or insta-lust, but it did fit Carla's character. She was out for a good time and to have the most fun in her life, that is until she realized that she was running away. Eamon chose his life to please his mother, but after spending time with Carla, he realizes that he is not happy and needs to make some decisions about his life and path. I enjoyed seeing what Carla and Eamon got up to, the laughs, the misfortune and the love. I did skim the open door romance scenes, but the story was wonderful. There are some important issues in this story, one being family members with dementia. Carla's father has dementia and she thought she was doing what he wanted her to do, but was it what she needed? Eamon was unhappy and he needed to make changes, but knew it would break his mother's heart. With family expectations playing a major role, finding what really makes you happy is also very important in this story. I enjoyed the banter and the heart to hearts that Eamon and Carla had. The beautiful scenery, the laughs created by living in a big Irish family and the wonderful people they meet on their trip all make me want to get back to Ireland sooner rather than later. I recommend this one to anyone who enjoys a rom-com with a few serious issues along the way. The narration by Sarah Naughton was enjoyable and I did enjoy the voices she gave the various characters. I recommend this book in either format.
4.5 out of 5 stars
Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for allowing me to read this in exchange for an honest review.
Carla Black doesn't believe in commitments of any kind. The motto she was raised with is "Here for a good time, not for a long time". After her Mother left Carla and her Dad enjoyed many camping trips and Carla decided her life would basically one long camping trip as an adult. With her trusty vintage Jeep Wrangler she has travelled everywhere. When her best friend tells her that she is getting married in Dublin Carla heads on out not knowing that her life would never be the same. Enter Eamon, the groom's brother and an unexpected road trip.
I enjoyed this so much. I laughed and cried and just had so much fun joining Carla and Eamon on their trip. The narrator Sarah Naughton was great. They did a wonderful job with the different character voices and accents.
I was lucky enough to receive an ALC of this book from NetGalley and Macmillan Audio. I had never read a Trish Doller book and didn’t realize that this was the third in the series. So, of course, I had to read all 3. I thoroughly enjoyed Sarah Naughton’s narration. She did well with both the male and female character voices, and Eamon’s accent.
Carla and Eamon are two sides to the same coin. Carla is the wild child traveling queen who made her life revolve around he father’s way of living and Eamon is the mama’s boy who makes himself miserable trying to live the life his mother wants for him when he truly wants a more nomadic lifestyle. They quickly find themselves compatible in many ways.
I enjoyed watching the two of them realize their feelings for each other. And this was one third act breakup that didn’t totally aggravate me.