Emergency Contact was the perfect holiday romcom for lovers of second chances & roadtrip romances! I actually can’t say I love either of those tropes, but this was so well done and the narrators were perfect. If you haven’t read this yet, let it be the first holiday book you pick up (or listen to- free with Spotify Premium) this year!

✨things to love✨
Second chance
Enemies to lovers
Roadtrip in a snowstorm
Holiday 🎄💫
Opposites attract
Let me take care of you
Forced proximity 🔥
Closed door romance

Katherine, a NYC attorney who is obsessed with work and her phone, has a very unfortunate mishap on Christmas Eve.
After landing in the hospital with a concussion and multiple other injuries, it becomes apparent that she didn't update her emergency contact from when she was married to her now ex-husband, Tom. When Tom shows up to the hospital, they battle as to who will be handling taking care of her. Katherine has no family and it is Christmas Eve after all. Tom, on the other hand, is set to fly out to have his new girlfriend of a year meet his family and propose to her. With bad weather, more mishaps, a hilarious truck-driver, Katherine and Tom stir up old feelings. What will Tom do?

This was adorable. I listened to the audiobook and the narrators made this story for me. While listening, I could absolutely picture everything going on and I loved that so much.

The dialogue was one of my favorite parts of this book. There was so much banter that was very witty and funny that I cracked up multiple times out loud while listening.
The second half of this book had me laughing, crying and swooning.

Even though I read this during the Spring and not the holiday season, I feel like it just made me all that more excited for that time to come again!

Lauren Layne is by far one of my favourite romance writers. I find that she creates good characters and situations, and her writing style flows. The stories aren't too plot heavy to be confusing but also not devoid of plot. This is the first time she paired up with LeDonne - her partner - to write and I wasn't sure what to expect. Would his writing style meld with hers? All in all, it worked well. My biggest challenge was how far fetched all of the things being thrown in their way commuting to see Tom's family. It felt very Planes, Trains and Automobiles which worked for the start, but I guess I wanted the pace of things going on wrong and these two smart people making stupid choices to taper back. I felt about halfway through, and after one mishap too many, that the plot complications were being used to move the story along instead of the development of the two characters together. Like Tom and Katherine could have finally gotten on the road sooner and spent part of the book talking to each other and getting over their issues. The funny moments ended up being more of the focus than the character development at times and that was disappointing.

I started out with an audiobook which didn't quite work for me all the way through on NetGalley, so I had to pick up the paperback when it finally released to read it. From the audiobook perspective, I found the alternating voices worked. I did get a bit confused though because Katherine's voice came into things a few times during Tom's chapters which didn't make sense to me. Either it's alternating with the narrator matching the character in the story or it's not. Or you choose to have the character's speak their own dialogue with the narrator matching the character for the chapter overall. Not sure if that was clear. Basically, if Tom is narrating the chapter, then have Tom narrate the chapter including Katherine's dialogue OR have Tom narrate the chapter and Catherine speak her dialogue. And then have Katherine narrate her chapters the same way. In the part I listened to, Tom narrated his chapters with Catherine speaking he dialogue; and then Katherine narrated her chapters and Tom's dialogue was in her voice too.

I couldn't drop this to a 3 star, but this is definitely not Layne's strongest work. That being said, I do hope that she and LeDonne try again. Maybe it was growing pains for them working through the story together or maybe they just wanted to have a lot of fun and took things a bit to the extreme.

This is a stand alone, so you don't need. to have read any of Layne's previous books. If you like it, then you will enjoy her other stuff. If you are ho hum, then I would encourage you to try any one of her other books to get into the groove of her romances more. And if you are a Layne fan, this will appeal. May not be the top pick for her works but it will be a good read especially if you are in a romance slump. I was and this kicked me out of it!

Emergency Contact by Lauren Layne and Anthony LeDonne

Emergency Contact is a fun romcom, second chance romance. Katherine is a workaholic, with little life outside of her drive to make partner. She is a complete grinch, hating Christmas and the incessant need everyone has to make such a big deal about. She really dislikes it because the memories remind her of her father and his passing. When Katherine gets into an accident, her emergency contact is called, which happens to be her ex husband Tom.
Tom is on his way home, with big plans for a Christmas Eve proposal to his girlfriend, when he gets the call about Katherine. The book continues in a mix of adventure, and a crazy trip to get Tom home in time for his family tradition, with Katherine in tow.
I liked the second chance romance aspect, and enjoyed their back and forth. It was an entertaining story. I definitely enjoyed the entire bizarre situations they landed in, even when you wanted to smack your head during some of it.

The narrators were great. They both kept you engaged, and helped bring Tom and Katherine to life.

Sometimes you just have to let a story transport you into a whole new world and feel all the feels and not critique little things…that is exactly what I did with this rom-com written by a wife and husband duo.

The planes, trains and automobiles Christmastime second-chance romance between Katherine and Tom was just too sweet, charismatic and chaotic I could not help but smile and laugh. The banter between the two was perfection for the predicaments that they got into.

Five stars to the narrators of this audiobook-they did a fantastic job!

And what’s not to love about the cover?! It features some of the different modes of transportation and is complete lovey-dovey color scheme

Thank you to Blackstone Publishing-Audiobooks for the copy in exchange for my honest review.

This book was unfortunately not really for me. The story was fine but I could see where it was going from the very beginning and really the longer it went on the more I was just sad for the FMC and really didn’t like the MMC.

After Katherine is in an accident resulting in a concussion, she wakes up in the hospital to learn that not only does she need to be monitored for 48 hours, but she forgot to remove her ex-husband, Tom, as her emergency contact. Now she and Tom are on their way to celebrate Christmas Eve in Chicago so Tom can propose to his new girlfriend.

Katherine was such an unlikable character, and yet I was quickly rooting for her and Tom to make it to Chicago and figure out their relationship. It was such a fun read.

I thought both narrators did a wonderful job brining the characters to life.

I read this book when it came out last year and I thought it be fun to listen to the audiobook so when I saw it I requested it. I really enjoyed this duos narration and they brought the story to life.

I think if I had to pick between the two I would recommend the audiobook over reading the book.

First off, I walked into this book completely blind. I had multiple friends love and highly rate it so I went in with complete trust…

Only to find this book was definitely not for me. First off, it’s second-chance romance, one of my least favorite tropes. They’re also a previously married couple (not just dating) which adds an extra layer of bitterness and anger to their situation. And lastly, it’s a bad to worse scenario which I do not love either.

The blurb compares it to The Proposal meets Planes, Trains, Automobiles that mostly checks out… except in those movies there’s comic relief. I’m sorry, but that brevity was lacking for me. I just witnessed two hurting, bitter, unlikable (mostly her), angry people argue and disagree an entire book only for them to suddenly reconcile after years of hurt???

If this was marketed as women’s fiction with some actual character growth, I would have been apt to like it more. But as a romance? No thanks.

The writing was fine, good even. I'd like to explore more by this author. This one just wasn't for me.

(Also, because I can’t resist — there’s a scene where she leaves her phone on a train, then later, there’s a scene shortly after a bus crash that she’s checking her phone for hotels. What??? Granted, I listened to the audiobook and sometimes I can miss details… maybe I got that piece wrong?? Seems like a huge edit miss.)

🙉 occasional curse word
💕 kisses only

Content warning: divorce, recounting loss of parent, cancer

5⭐ PERFECTION. Lauren Layne is my comfort another and there is othing in my life that Mrs layns books won't fix so when she announced a Christmas romance.... I knew that with her writing style it can never go wrong.
I had on my mind ever since it was announced and when it came out I was so excited but I needed to wait to read it at the perfect time and I'm so glad.

Even with the constant home alone style hurdles in the way of them getting back home, I loved every adventure they had. The thought process behind katherine not saying anything when tom asked for divorce and her struggle and feeling afterwards felt so personal to me and I've never been married nevermind divorced lol though the book was expected to be a little heavy considering Katherine's loss and the topic of divorce I'm glad it was light but I still cried 😭. Anyways I'm almost done with finishing mrs layns backlist so I need new books from her ASAP

Emergency Contact is such a great read!! I enjoyed it so much! The two main characters' banter was perfection! They cracked me up and I loved that this book was from both points of view. They adventure was definitely full of hang ups and hurdles but they kept powering through! This second chance romance is a must read and would make for a great book club book! It would be so much fun to sit down with a bunch of girlfriends and laugh together talking about this book!

Short quick and cute I highly recommend this one. The dual POV was perfect and the narrators are two I would love to hear more from.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for this book. I loved it! The characters were well done, the dialogue was fun and the narration was excellent. I found myself wishing that the book was longer.

Why have I never seen anyone post about this book?!?! This should be everywhere!

Exes Katherine and Tom haven’t spoken in the years since their divorce. Katherine is focused on becoming partner in her law firm and Tom has moved on with Lolo, a sweet teacher he is about to propose to on Christmas Eve, a family tradition. When Katherine gets into an accident in front of her work a couple days before Christmas they call her emergency contact who happens to still be Tom. That she hasn’t changed it since their divorce doesn’t mean anything, she’s just been busy. Tom is on his way to the airport but feels obligated to check on Katherine. Concussed, stitched up, and in pain with no family or friends in town it’s decided that Katherine will go home with Tom for Christmas. Not ideal and obviously not what either of them would ever want, but it feels like the safest option health wise. So begins a Planes, Trains, and Automobiles style journey, except with a bit o’ sexual tension. As the two exes try to get home in time for Tom’s proposal they begin to remember why they got married, and begin to forget why they ever got divorced.

This book is so much fun! Katherine snarky but vulnerable, Tom is wary but kind, and their adventure to get home for the holidays is hilarious and fraught with drama. I loved the narrators and highly recommend this! 4 ✈️✈️✈️✈️

I like the premise - an ex husband being called in an emergency because he’s still listed as the emergency contact for his ex-wife and this being the catalyst for their reconnecting. I also like the way the plot develops Planes, Trains and Automobiles style. The problem is there wasn’t enough chemistry between the former couple for me to believe there’s any reason why they’d second guess their divorce. Meanwhile, Tom’s current girlfriend whom he’s preparing to propose to is perfectly likable. We’re given no reason to root against her and instead for a reconciliation with Katherine.

This has some cute moments but just not quite the stuff that a second chance romance lover's dreams are made of.

Ratings
Quality of Writing 4/5
Pacing 4/5
Plot Development 3/5
Character Development 3/5
Overall Enjoyability 3/5

3.5 ⭐️

Loved the book, loved the narration. The banter was fantastic between the two main characters. The only thing that I didn’t love is the ending felt very rushed. Would’ve liked a bit more detail there. I would definitely recommend.

I loved the banter, but the angst really pushed me because I don't deal well with high angst sometimes. I really wanted to like Katherine but, man it was so hard I wanted to shake her. I felt for Tom and the edge of the sword he was on with the different situations.

I loved this book so much and the narration was amazing. I will be looking forward to reading more from this author in the future

This was a cute rom-com I listened to in one day and I had quite a lot of fun with it. It's a second-chance almost sunshine x grumpy romance about two people who used to be married and something happened and they are forced to spend the next 48h or so together, while traveling cross-country as he is trying to get home on Christmas Eve to propose to his current girlfriend!

Is there emotional cheating? I don't know, you tell me, but I felt very bad for the girlfriend. He is clearly not over his ex-wife (even though they divorced 4 years ago) and his ex-wife still has feelings for him too. It's also not really clear why he divorced her - I mean, it is her job, but I felt like they did not even discussed this properly or so it gave me the impression. But, yeah, I felt bad for Lolo (the girlfriend) because not only is his boyfriend spending time with his ex-wife but his family are also kinda cold towards her and they are still obsessed with the ex-wife and they are still in contact with her! Poor Lolo!

I was also left with a bitter taste at the end - and it usually happens in these rom-coms when the career suddenly stops being important for the heroine even though that said career was a big part of the breakup and the hero gets everything he wanted in the end. Maybe it's me (it's probably me, and no, I am not a career driven woman, I am a chill-out couch potato book goblin wife).

That being said, it was also fun to spend the day with this rom-com. People are not perfect, but they are trying and it was nice to see them fighting with their feelings and trying to do what's right. I loved rom-coms that happen in a short amount of time (especially in audiobook form) and I love traveling books - and our main characters are really trying their best to arrive home in time for Christmas Eve. It was a fun ride.

Fun read but I was left a bit unimpressed.

I did not feel the connection between Katherine and Tom. The banter was cute at first but then started really getting on my nerves.
The planes trains and automobile journey started off well and entertaining enough but again I got irritated and kept rolling my eyes at everything that happened.

I was surprised at the focus on the slap stick “comedy” in the train compartment and of the truck driver. For instance, truck driver Gordie / Gordy was eating a hamburger and the way the story focussed on this physical appearance and eating (burping) was really off putting to me. I did not get at all why the authors chose to write about that in such a way (nothing against describing burping, just how it was used to tell the reader things about the character).

I felt bad for Lolo. Yes Tom and Lolo were clearly not a good match, but man up and take care of that, and not a few hours before proposing!!

The narrators were very good!

Read as an audiobook.

I received an ARC of this book (thanks!) and these are my own opinions.