When New York lawyer Katherine is in a car accident just before Christmas her employer calls her next of kin contact - which just happens to be her ex-husband Tom. Tom was literally on his way to the airport to fly home to his family in Chicago for Christmas where he intends to propose to his girlfriend Lolo when he gets the call. Despite his misgivings and their antagonistic relationship, Tom can't leave Katherine to spend Christmas in hospital alone, especially not since her father died in hospital on Christmas Day, but with a concussion she can't be left at home. The only solution? Take Katherine with him to Chicago.

What follows is reminiscent of that 1980s film Planes, Trains and Automobiles as Tom and Katherine's travel plans are thwarted at every turn and they adopt ever more ludicrous ways to get to Chicago. Now, I am not a fan of that film and I am afraid I wasn't a great fan of this book, despite being an avid reader of Lauren Layne's books. It all felt too contrived, too ridiculous. I can see this as a cheesy Hallmark Christmas film all too easily. I think I got over-excited at seeing a Lauren Layne book and just requested it without reading the blurb.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

What an adorable yet emotional rom-com it was!! I haven’t devoured a book this quickly in a long time, so not that deserves a full 5-star rating but it’s also the CHEMISTRY between these characters that seals the deal for me. From the moment they met, I could feel that ZAP of connection, and I was reminded why I’ve always loved Layne’s work. It’s playful, banter-filled made it entirely bingeable, with some of classic rom com tropes with a fresh and a different take on it.

This was a cute, quick read with all the trademark Lauren Layne romance notes we've come to love and expect. I really enjoyed the extra male perspective that shone through with the aid of Anthony LeDonne, too.
I love it when you can see a couple are clearly going to make their way back to each other because they're just meant to be, and this story was quite a new take on it, with our couple starting as ex-spouses. I loved the snark between them, especially from Kate, and the vulnerability that Tom wasn't afraid to show in his point of view. I absolutely loved Tom's family too. I would jsve happily read more of them alone.
Having said all that, you dp have to suspend a certain amount of belief to think that everything that undid this pair was put back together in such a short amount of time. No real addressing and resolving of their issues happens on page, but there is enough suggestion in the flow of the story.
Thank you to netgalley and the author/publisher for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

Emergency Contact is a wonderful read in every way imaginable. It’s funny; it’s poignant; it’s filled with misadventures and lots of interesting memories between a divorced couple bound together for a short time whether or not they want to be. It’s by Lauren Layne which makes this book an absolute must buy. I voluntarily reviewed an advance copy of this book from NetGalley. Most highly recommend.

When Katherine’s ex-husband is called after she gets in accident because she never updated her emergency contacts and actually shows up at the hospital she wants to send him packing but concussion protocol stipulates that if she wants to be released someone has to be able to take of her. The last thing Tom wants to do is bring his ex-wife home for the holidays especially since he plans on proposing to his new girlfriend on Christmas Eve. But how could he possibly leave her hurt and alone in a hospital? Can the two of them survive this unexpected reunion?

This was such great book-funny and emotional and the type of HEA that makes you want to do a fist pump as if you were the hero in a bad 80’s movies.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

*Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review *
Lauren Layne is the reason why I read romance .I dropped everything so I could read this.Once again she did not disappoint. I will never get enough of her writing and her characters . Lauren Layne's signature humour and wit. Oh my god I live for her banter.The only complaint I have is that I wanted more.I always want more when it comes to Lauren Layne's book. 10/10 recommend.

A lighthearted second chance romance, Emergency Contact swept me off my feet! I love second chances about divorced couples, so this was perfect for me. It was witty and relatable.

Hard review to write for me. I adore Lauren Layne’s books and I think she’s one of the best romance authors ever. I was very curious about this one since she co-wrote it with her husband, and the premise (second chance between a divorced couple) sounded like a dream.

In terms of writing, this one was as great as Lauren’s backlist. I love that her books are so fun and entertaining to read. She’s always been my go-to author when I need a swanky romance set in Manhattan. I really enjoyed Tom and Katherine’s dynamic. They really disliked each other after their divorce, and it was mutual for once, because usually one of them is still hang up on the other. The misunderstandings that led to their divorce felt real and super valid, so I loved that they got a second chance, albeit forced, to figure out what they really felt in the past.

What didn’t work for me is that Tom is supposed to propose to his current girlfriend for the entirety of the book. I don’t think this book has emotional cheating like other books do (ahem, pwmov), but I couldn’t get past it. I am not a last-chapter-slowburn fan. We only get one kiss that is literally just one line… so I am kind of bummed. I really enjoyed their journey to the second chance, but it takes way too long… ot the book ends too soon.

TW: Death of a parent, cancer, divorce

Rating: 3/5
Steam level: Kissing only

ARC provided by Blackstone Publishing and NetGalley. Opinions are my own!

This was a really good story. Katherine was a workaholic trying to get to be a partner in her law firm. It had cost her her marriage to Tom since she was never home. She had promised her dad it would happen. When he died on Christmas day, it broke her and she became a bit of a scrooge. She was kind to her assistant but that was about it. It was sweet what she did for her so she could be with her family at Christmas. When she was in a car accident, they called her ex as she had not updated her contacts. She was hurt enough that she needed someone to take care of her for 2 days, So Tom agreed to do it relunctantly. He was trying to get home by Christmas Eve to propose to his girlfriend, even though he wasn't sure it was the right thing to do. Katherine and Tom had the adventure of a lifetime trying to get home. They tried planes, trains, cabs, ubers and finally a truck driver named Gorby got them there. But during all that, he realized that he still loved her and wanted a life with her

"Mostly, I try not to think about her in her office next door, because there’s no doubt in my mind that’s exactly where she is. It’s where she always is."

Lauren Layne is back and this book surely reminded me of why I love her books so much! The lighthearted yet emotional feel she puts into her writing always captivates me! Since the moment this book was announced, I was eager to get my hands on it and I'm so glad to say that it did not disappoint! Kate & Tom go through a series of mishaps during their journey all while old feelings are slowly resurfacing. The entire plot focuses on everything going wrong yet having Kate & Tom together in the middle of it felt so right! Kate had such a unique and humorous personality, I literally laughed at anything that came out of her mouth. She and Tom couldn't be anymore opposites but they just somehow belonged together. And Tom's family was the best! I loved how they cared about Kate and welcome her like she was never apart. Overall, this was such a delightful read. Left me feeling happy and warm. The epilogue was perfect but I wanted to be prolonged because I was so hooked and I couldn't get enough of Tom & Kate together!

I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange of an honest review

This does not read Lauren Layne to me. I’m usually a fan, so maybe it’s because it was co-written with her husband?

I found both protagonists relatively unlikeable until about 2/3rds of the way through when they finally started dropping their guards. I couldn’t help thinking that this is the story that would happen if you married “Planes, Trains and Automobiles” with “The War of the Roses” (but where they don’t end up dead). I didn’t like either of those movies, so I’m not surprised that I didn’t particularly enjoy this book either.

Although I was reading a galley, the typos were so excessive, it interrupted the flow of the story. I really hope they have some good proofreaders before this goes to press.

I received a complimentary ARC of this book from Blackstone Publishing through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

I love Lauren Layne. This time she is writing with her husband Anthony Ledonne. It has all the snark, banter, and romance that you'd expect from a L.L. novel. Great characters and plot as always.

I’ve been a huge fan of Lauren Layne for years and this book solidified exactly why. Emergency Contact is a second chance romance between divorced exes and is set in NYC, like much of Lauren’s work. Katherine gets a concussion a car accident and never removed Tom as her emergency contact. He’s contacted spans she’ll only be released from the hospital in someone else’s care. This ensues hijinks and the pair finding themselves in one situation after another. The forced proximity leads to them talking about their past while they’re making their way to their destination.

I loved the banter between the two. I often found myself laughing out loud and I thought the chemistry was also great. I really loved Katherine. It’s rare that Lauren writes a female character I don’t like and that’s not the case here.

4.5 Stars!
Lauren Layne is back! YAY! This time she's bringing her husband as a co-writer along for the ride. And what a ride it was! Emergency Contact was a holiday romantic comedy, but along with the humor were some emotional moments. I loved every minute of reading it.

Katherine and Tom are exes who are thrust into each other's lives two days before Christmas when he gets contacted during an emergency. These two did not end on pleasant terms and it's apparent with the snarky banter between them. Despite all the digs going back and forth, it's easy to see how they fell for each other and that their spark lives on despite everything. Katherine is "unemotional" but really, she just hides her feelings to hide the hurt. Tom has certain expectations for his life and shows his feelings outwardly. They are so different, and yet they complimented each other well. I loved finding out what their issues were and what talking about them did for the exes. This was a fun and slightly emotional romance with just the right amount of Christmas sprinkled in.

I had high expectations for this one and this author duo did not disappoint. This was so well written. I was engrossed from the first page and it ticked all the boxes of my expectations. The character development was excellent. I would definitely recommend to others, a must read!