Member Reviews
Huge thank you for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook!
This was a lighthearted romance set in beautiful Ireland with complex characters and hilarious adventures. It had some insta-love-ish qualities that weren’t my cup of tea, but I thought that the character growth of Carla in particular was really well done. I didn’t know this was part of a series – so it definitely works as a standalone! For me, this was three stars, but I would recommend to anyone who loves Ireland 🍀, insta love 😍, fast burn 🔥, with mild spice 🫑.
I really wanted to like this story, but I struggled with it, unfortunately. I had love/hate relationships with the characters, especially Carla Black. While there were moments towards the beginning of the book that I enjoyed Carla's "here for a good time, not for a long time" attitude, ultimately she was not believable with her laissez-faire mindset. The relationship between Carla and Eamon did not make sense and felt very surface-level, not life-changing. I enjoyed the character of Eamon, but do not understand his interest in Carla. I really enjoyed the imagery and descriptions of Ireland and if anything, it just made me want to visit Ireland even more. But definitely not with Carla in tow.
Thank you to Net Galley for providing me with an advance audio copy in exchange for my honest review.
This one wasn't for me. I didn't relate to Carla and at points found her selfish. I feel like her and Eamon got together so quickly there wasn't time for the emotional aspect of their relationship. This was also pretty spice heavy, and I'm not as into that as others, so it just didn't do it for me.
OFF THE MAP was my first time reading (or listening to) a Trish Doller book. I am a fan of Katherine Center, and this book definitely delivered what Center's do-- an out of the box female protagonist worth rooting for- and a romance that is not cookie cutter simple, with relationships (romantic and otherwise) written with depth.
Carla is cool, free spirited, and fun to get to know. Her confidence makes her irresistible, but as we learn why her emotional walls are up, you realize Trish Doller has written a very well developed character whose actions and emotions and self-imposed obstacles en route to her HEA all really make sense. Well done!
LOVED narration
I have not read part one or two, and I wish I had before listening to this audio. But it was still enjoyable.
Carla Black is in her 30s, living her life exploring the world with no interest in a relationship, and lives for the moment. She was raised by her father, who now has dementia, and he makes her promise she'll continue to travel.
The next adventure she takes is to Ireland with her best friend, Anna. To meet her new brother-in-law Eamon, and it's love at first sight. The chemistry between Eamon and Carla is enjoyable, and it is steamy. What I enjoyed about this book was reading about Carla and her father. They talked about dementia, and it hit home as my grandmother had dementia, and I could relate to some parts. It was heartwarming to listen to their daughter and father's relationship, and it brought some tears to my eyes when it came to them, as I am close to my father as well.
I loved the story and the message it provided.
The audiobook had good narration and was enjoyable as well.
Thanks to Trish Doller, MacMillan Audio, and NetGalley for my audio copy.
Ughhhhh. This book was so good! I was expecting a lighthearted romance but it had so much depth to it too. I always love books set in Ireland.
I really enjoyed this delightful romance! Though I’m not usually one for the insta love trope, this one worked out quite nicely and both leads were flawed, relatable and well-developed. It was steamy from the start, which I’ll never complain about, but it was balanced out with a great storyline. Carla’s backstory was heartbreaking, which made for a bittersweet ending. I loved the setting in Ireland (perfect March read) and as usual I didn’t realize this was book 3 in a series so I’m looking forward to the first 2 but it worked well as a stand alone too!!
Trish Doller writes these beautiful, deep, sexy romance novels that will surprise you in the best way possible every time. I will admit that I thought Off The Map was going to be a miss for me, as I didn't immediately fall in love like I have with her others, but I was SO wrong. I absolutely adored the immediate chemistry and relationship between Carla and Eamon, which I felt was what would naturally happen in a situation like this.
Off The Map is by definitely the spiciest book of the three Beck Sister books so far, and it was so well done, without it being overkill. The storyline is still emotional and full on its own. The last 25% or so of this book really tugged and shattered my heart. I literally sobbed out loud more than once at the sadness, beauty and emotion these characters experience.
All of the books in this series can be read as standalones, but it's fun to read them together to get a glimpse of the past characters! Quick, steamy and sweet is everything this book has to offer!
I had no idea, yet again, that this was the third in a series, but again, I didn’t feel like I needed to read the first two to understand this one.
It was a really sweet road trip story! I loved the tour of Ireland and it made me want to go back. The only thing that bothered me was how resistant she was to…any sort of emotion. It was just annoying. But other than that, I enjoyed it!
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.
Trish Doller has written a variety of books, including YA. Off the Map is not listed everywhere as part of a series, but it is loosely tied to both Float Plan and The Suite Spot, as the three female leads are all good friends, and they all involve women leaving their comfort zones and risking their hearts. I’ve read and enjoyed all three, but I particularly liked Off the Map. The cover implies a light-hearted romantic comedy, and there are light-hearted moments, romance, and comedy, but there’s also a serious tenor to the story. Carla and Eamon meet and embark on a comedic and extended road-trip through Ireland when Carla’s there for the wedding of her best friend to Eamon’s brother. But the heart of the story is the ties and commitments they feel to their families and how they can balance those responsibilities when faced with a unique chance for personal happiness. I liked Carla and Eamon tremendously, but I also loved the sensitive touch the author used, especially during the sections of the novel when Carla spends time with her dementia-suffering father. Carla and Eamon eschew a direct route on their road trip in Ireland, but they have to call up greater resourcefulness and courage if they want to travel a path to a future together. I look forward to reading more from this talented author.
𝘋𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘧𝘶𝘭, 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘤!
Yay, she did it again, this story was fantastic. Loved the setting, loved the characters, loved the fun, loved the story, I just loved everything. It was perfect.
Thank you St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for this gifted copy.
𝗢𝗳𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝗮𝗽 by Trish Doller releases tomorrow March 7, 2023.
I really enjoyed the story! I was surprised at how quickly it went to sex though. It was also a bit sexually graphic which sort of took away from the wholesomeness of the story.
First of all, many thanks to the publisher and Net Galley for the ARC of this book. It was my pleasure.
Carla is a waitress and a wanderer who is obsessed with travel and has a real fear of commitment. She is into squeezing every last drop of fun out of life and is running from difficult situations at home. Eamon is a wonderful Irishman who is a bit stuck in life. His job and responsibilities keep him from adventure, but he does have a desire to live his life. He just can’t seem to make time for it. They meet at wedding festivities and develop a strong bond. Is their relationship a fling or a true connection? Will Carla be able to deal with the struggles that are going on at home? Will Eamon ever get to have a bit of adventure?
*Spoilers Ahead*
What I loved about this book was how there was romance, but the book wasn’t completely centered on it. The hardships in Carla’s life and her overcoming her own demons was the focal point. As a nurse, I appreciated how they dealt with the struggle of dementia. It’s not only hard on the patient, but also the caregivers, the local community, and especially the family members. It was a sweet love story between a father and daughter and that part was beautiful.
There were only a few complaints I had about Off the Map. The first one is that Biggie dies OUT OF NOWHERE. There are usually signs of declining health with people, and I thought it was a bit abrupt. I would have liked come clues that it might happen. It made it feel a bit forced. The second flaw I had was that Eamon seemed a little too perfect. Carla had all this baggage and Eamon really was Prince Charming. I like to see a bit of humanity and reality in every character. I think perfect people take me out of the story cause they’re not real.
All in all I really enjoyed this book. The cover drew me in and the narrator was really good. I don’t typically pick up romances, but this was one of the better ones I’ve read. It kept me engaged, and I cared about the characters. Well done folks.
A copy of this review was posted to Goodreads under the name Shavon Gruber Haag.
This is a Romance, and this is the third book in the Beck Sisters series. I have read and reviewed the first two books in this series before picking up this book, but I do think you can read this book as a standalone without missing more than some of the secondary characters backstories. I really love the characters in this book, but I did not love that the characters jumped into bed so quickly. I loved the trip that this book took us on. I found this book to be cute and fun to read with some steamy moments. I also enjoyed getting some updates on some of the characters that was in the other books in this series. I listened to the audiobook for this book, and I loved the narrator so much. I was kindly provided an e-copy and e-audiobook of this book by the publisher (St. Martin's Griffin) or author (Trish Doller) via NetGalley, so I can give an honest review about how I feel about this book. I want to send a big Thank you to them for that.
This partner book to Float Plan and The Suite Spot was the perfect conclusion to this romance world. Claire and Eamon try to get one another out of their system ahead of their friend and brother's wedding, but discover that maybe staying of the beaten path together is more fun than following the map directly to their destination. Full of self-discovery and heart, Trish has once again created a soft romance whose journey gives your butterflies and that feeling of falling in love. A gentle story perfect for those with wanderlust.
Quick, cute read but kind of forgettable. The characters were likable but it’s hard to relate with people that supposedly live so spontaneously. I was willing to suspend some reality, but at times her entire life felt very unrealistic. Her origin story made sense, it was just hard to feel connected or invested in a main character who was that “go with the flow” about everything. The main characters relationship seemed to happen too easily and effortlessly, but I was glad that it ultimately worked out in the end. I think my favorite part of the book was the time with her dad and stepmom. That relationship gave the story more depth and made her a more sympathetic character. This won’t be one of my favorite books of the year by far but I would recommend it if someone wanted some thing quick and harmless and easy for an audiobook. I enjoyed the narrator.
FLEW through this excellent, incredible book. Tightly written, earnest, laugh-out-loud funny at several parts—one of the best romcom books I've read in ages.
I adored this story and listening to the audiobook made it even better because I didn't have to put it down. I thought the characters in this one were really well developed and interesting. There was a lot of growth in the book and it was good to see. There were a couple things that were a bit unbelievable to me but they didn't really detract from the story at all. The book was inspiring and hopeful. There were some sad parts but they were needed for the character arcs. There also some hilarious bits that I appreciated. I really loved this one. The narrator did a fantastic job bringing the characters to life.
This book was absolutely the best book for me this week. I was looking for a quick read that was interesting, but light and fun. What this book gives you is a trip to Ireland with Carla. Carla's best friend is getting married and she drops everything to be the maid of honor. What she doesn't expect is to find a man, and completely reevaluate her life and life choices.
A perfect book for an escape from our everyday life.