4.5 rounded up. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of this new Christmas-y book. I loved the characters and the story. The characters had great banter and some of the comments were quite funny. My only complaint is I wish it had a little bit of them together whether it was reflecting back to previous good times together or after they got back together. Overall definitely a great read and I would recommend.

AHHH this book was so good! I’m not a huge fan of second chance romance but this one completely proved me wrong. Katherine & Tom were fully made for each other and it may have taken them a divorce, a car accident, getting kicked off a plane, a bus accident (not to be confused with the car accident), a missed plane, & a beloved truck driver to get back to each other but it was perfection. My one & only qualm was I wanted more of the happy ever after. I wanted 50+ more pages after the proposal… overall love this book & it will be a perfect Christmas season read!!

I enjoyed this book very much. Tom Is contacted after his ex wife is in a car accident. She hadn’t changed her emergency contact at work. She has a concussion and stitches and needs someone to take care of her. It’s right before Christmas and Tom is on his way home to Chicago when he gets the call. Tom decides to bring Katherine with him. What ensues is a bunch of hilarious mishaps with transportation. Think the movie Planes,,trains and automobiles. The story is told in Tom and Katherine’s chapters. I loved the sarcastic banter between the two. I felt the ending was rushed a little. Thank you to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for the E-ARC. This is my own opinion.

3.5 stars out of 5.

I thought this book was pretty good. I found Katherine to be kind of annoying but I did like Tom. Also, I did not feel any chemistry between the characters, it really felt a bit forced. It was a quick, easy read that kept my interest though. I appreciated the comedy in the book so if you want cheesy hallmark, this is for you!

The book starts off with Tom being called as the emergency contact for his ex wife Katherine. She has a concussion and needs to be monitored so Tom has to take Katherine back home to Chicago with him for his families Christmas celebration. Tom has plans to propose to his current girlfriend on Christmas Eve at the celebration. It turns into a nightmare trying to get there but eventually they make it.

This was my first book by Lauren Layne and I was a fan of her writing style and look forward to reading more from her.

Thank you Netgalley and Blackstone Publishing for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was my first time reading a book by Lauren Layne and it was a pleasant one. This is a book that she co-wrote with her husband, Anthony Ledonne. This is definitely a quick read with short chapters as it tells the adventures of Tom and Kathrine as they try to get to Chicago for Christmas Eve. I enjoyed reading from both of the main characters perspective, to see the contrast between what they were saying and what they were thinking.
I’m not a huge fan of first person pov, but I found that it worked for this story. There were times where I would chuckle and times where I would smile as I read what was happening or being said by the main characters. It’s definitely a Christmas read or at least a book you’d want to read when there is snow outside. I could imagine this being turned into a rom-com Christmas movie.

the synergy benefit theory has once again been proven! when two authors write a book together it should make the better than their individual works and this is a perfect example of the same.

Emergency Contact is hands down the best lauren layne has ever written (with anthony ledonne ofc). This book was so smart and witty, using dual pov benefit to it's full potential by having layered pov to showcase the parallels between the main characters, Katherine and Tom and the contrast between their thoughts and reactions.

I didn't bored for once second with the choice of narration they chose and tomkatie are some of the most lovable characters, finding their way back to eachother after divorce. it's so obvious they're meant to be and i was so damn happy with their journey.

lauren layne books were always hilarious with humour but combined with her husband, anthony ledonne who's a comedian, this book had some GREAT comedic moments.

In conclusion, this second chance romance between divorced exes was an absolute delight, I've had a great time reading this and I can't recommend this enough.

p.s. I hope lauren layne and anthony ledonne write more books together🤞

A second chance clean romance.

Just like Planes, Trains, and Automobiles, Katerine and Tom’s trip from NYC to Chicago goes awry in every conceivable way.
This gives them plenty of alone time to reexamine why they divorced and if they still have feelings for each other.
Katherine is reminded of everything she’s lost from her hell-bent decision to pursue a partnership in her law firm. Tom is trying to rationalize his impending proposal to a woman who is perfect on paper but perhaps isn’t really in his heart.
Wonderful writing in the chapter about why Katherine doesn’t like Christmas, why she is a Grinch, why she is a Scrooge. I teared up reading it. Really drives home the notion that everyone is going through something and everyone has lived through tragedy and triumph.

Thank you NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoy Lauren Layne's books. I thought the premise for this book was fun and it lived up to her previous books that I've read. I liked the second chance romance. I will continue to pick up Layne's books.

Katherine hates Christmas and all it entails, mostly because it brings back memories of losing her father. When Katherine is in a car accident, her work contacts her emergency contact which is still Tom, her ex-husband. Tom is trying to get home to Chicago so he can propose to his girlfriend at midnight on Christmas Eve per family tradition. Katherine has a concussion and stitches on her back that need monitoring so Tom attempts to bring her home with him but what ensues is a Planes Trains and Automobiles type comedy of errors en route.

I’m honestly not a fan of contemporary second chance romances when the couple has been divorced. I was pleased to find when I read that the divorce was caused by lack of communication and not infidelity or anything non-workable. As a prickly Kathryn, I really connected with this prickly Katherine. I liked Tom but felt like even with the dual POV his story wasn’t as rounded out. I do wish there had been more heat between Katherine and Tom, but given that Tom was in a relationship with someone else for the majority of the book, I am also glad they didn’t cross any lines. I absolutely adored Tom’s family. As a note to the publisher, the ARC I was given was full of typos, which I presume will be addressed before the release of the book.

Thank you to Blackstone Publishing and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a precious story of love and the journeys that it can take you on. I finished this book in less than 24 hours because I wanted to know what would happen next. I typically am not a fan of books where each chapter goes back and forth from different perspectives, but it worked remarkably well in this book. I would definitely put this as one of the top books I’ve read in 2023. Fantastic!

A terrific new rom-com, made even better by being set during the Christmas holidays. Two exes are thrown together, travelling during a major snowstorm that is snarling up Christmas traffic at the airports. Lots of twists and turns in their journey, but even though the ex-husband is on his way home to Chicago with an engagement ring for his new girlfriend, he still has feelings for his ex-wife, who in spite of herself, feels the same. I look forward to recommending this fun story.

Lauren Layne is one of my favorite authors and it's been a while since we had a new book from her. This one, co written with her husband, is her newest. The funny thing is, both voices sounded the same on the page. If his name wasn't on the cover I wouldn't have known it was co-written.
I wanted to love this book like i love all her others, but there was just something about it that was a little cringeworthy for me. I don't like spoilers and there are a few in here that I can't put to explain the plot points, but let's say this take on planes, trains, and automobiles wasn't as funny as the movie.

3.5 stars from me.
Thanks Netgalley for a sneak peek.

Absolutely my favorite Layne book to date! And, that she co-wrote this with her husband – fantastic! All the wit, comedy, twists and loveable softness you expect is delivered in this adorable rom-com of a mix-up caused by the wrong emergency contact! Or, was it? Centered around Christmas time with a grinch and a lover of Christmas adds to the flavor of love! I read this through in one evening, not wanting to put it down, nor wanting it to end! The 'clean' aspect of this romance actually made it a better read.

The Queen is back along with her husband and high school sweetheart, Anthony LeDonne, in a new holiday romcom.

Reminiscent of Planes, Trains and Automobiles, Emergency Contact delivers plenty of snark, banter, and chemistry in this second-chance Christmas romance.

Katherine Tate, an ambitious New York attorney, is a lot of things, but sweet isn’t on the list. Katherine’s father died on Christmas nine years ago, and ever since, she’s been the consummate Grinch one of many differences between her and her ex-husband, Tom Walsh.

A car accident lands Katherine in the hospital right before Christmas. She’s horrified when Tom shows up and she realizes she never changed her emergency contact list. Though they haven’t spoken in years, Tom still shows up. The doctor discharges Katherine but she can’t be left alone, so Tom invites her to spend Christmas in Chicago with his family, complicating his plan to propose to his new girlfriend on Christmas Eve. A blizzard turns what is supposed to be a quick flight into a series of hilarious misadventures.

I loved the dual POV between the characters and seeing their growth throughout the story. This book was both hilarious and heartwarming and I could absolutely see this as a holiday movie.


Thank you to Netgalley and Blackstone Publishing for the advanced copy in exchange for a review. All opinions are my own.

5/⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Maybe it was the errors throughout or the fact that I was reading this in 90 degree weather, but I wasn’t into this. The characters were annoying and the love story felt forced and out of nowhere given that they hadn’t shown any love the entire book. But, if you are looking for a breezy hallmark movieish book for the holidays, look no further!

3.5 ⭐️

This was a cute holiday romance and very reminiscent of Planes, Trains and Automobiles. It follows divorcées Katherine and Tom as they try to make it back to Chicago in time for Christmas Eve (and for him to propose to his girlfriend). It was fun and cheesy with a little bit of angst expected with second chance romances. This was a closed door romance (barely any kissing).

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange of an honest review.

Now this is a romcom! Lauren layne is always a must for me, and getting words from her just made my year!

Katherine and Tom are exes for a reason! Forever didn’t last and both are about to step into a new phase in their lives! One accident and a mishap with paperwork has these two traveling together in planes, trains, cars and a big rig named Rebecca to make it to Chicago so that Tom can finally follow through on his family’s tradition!

This story is full of hilarious moments that can only be found in a romcom! The quick wit and hilarious barbs had me laughing so hard! What had me falling in love with the book and these two characters was seeing them find themselves again even if it wasn’t an easy ride!

Emergency Contact, by Lauren Layne and Anthony LeDonne, is rife with perfectly timed snark, banter, and sizzling chemistry all of which are hallmarks of Lauren Layne’s storytelling. With the uniqueness of separate and parallel storytelling by Katherine and Tom, the reader is effortlessly drawn into the couples’ current lives but then is seamlessly peppered with the chronicles of their past…all woven together creating a captivating second-chance romance.

As the story unfolds and you find yourself becoming emotionally invested in Katherine and Tom’s ”Planes, Trains, Automobiles-esque” Christmas Eve quest, heartstrings are pulled and laughter is effortless…Gorby will by far forever remain a favorite of mine.

As far as HEAs go, Katherine and Tom’s has to be the most satisfying and heartwarming…it left me with a great big smile.

This ARC book was complimentary and provided by the Publisher and NetGalley. I am voluntarily submitting my honest review.

You ABSOLUTELY have to had this to your Christmas TBR! 🫶🎄

Rating: 5 ⭐️

I adore Lauren Layne’s books! This is the first book she has co-written with her husband!

A second-chance Christmas romance…yes please!!

Don’t sleep on this one! It’s SO good! ❤️

As soon as I saw Lauren Layne’s name, I knew I needed to read this one. I was so excited to see what she and her real life husband had come up with for a holiday romcom. Emergency Contact definitely delivered- it hit all the right notes for a feel good, second chances, what’s really important in life holiday read.

I loved that we had a role swapped in the Scrooge / Grinch type role, with lawyer Katherine. Honestly, Katherine really pulled at my heartstrings- I felt really felt for her, even in the moments her grump / grinch was especially present. I also appreciated that with our more sunshine character, Tom, we got a layered approach and that he had clear faults and shortcomings too.

This one definitely played out like one of my favorite holiday movies in my mind and I whipped through it. Katherine and Tom had chemistry and banter, and I just wanted them both to find their happily ever after.

I was happy that we got a dual pov and saw both of our mains have some real reflection, growth and development over the course of the story.

This book definitely hit me in the feels - it had me laughing and even crying a bit at different times. Heartwarming, engaging, and fun I definitely recommend this one for a holiday read (and would love to see it as a holiday movie too 🍿).

Thank you to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for the opportunity to read sn early copy! All thoughts and opinions are my own.