Thank you to Ellen Meister and Montlake for letting me read this ARC via NetGalley.

Genre: Contemporary Fiction
📍: NYC
Vibes: 🚗🗽💬💖😂🧠🌈🍩📚🎭
Rating: 3.25⭐
Tropes: father-daughter dynamics / life coaching / romantic tension - love triangle / personal growth / dual pov

Enjoyed the vibe of this book and how Joybird strives to remain positive and optimistic through everything that life throws at her and the stories that enter her Uber. She's not oblivious to the struggles that she encounters, and the second pov is her depressed father, Sid, who has (show)writer's block and is pining over a girl who got away in high school, who randomly shows back up in her life. Any mistake Joybird makes, she takes as a learning opportunity and I think more people in life need to take this perspective. There are a lot of characters and it was a little hard to keep track of them all at first.

Bestselling author Ellen Meister (favorite) returns following Divorce Towers with her tenth published novel, JOYRIDE — another exuberant and lively novel full of heart, wit, joy, charm, and positive vibes.

About...

Joybird Martin is a 31-year-old Uber driver with a pale blue Honda Accord in Brooklyn. She hasn't had an easy life; however, she remains positive and aspires to be a life coach. She is tenderhearted and compassionate, despite having experienced heartache and tragedy.

Her dad, who left when she was six, shows up at her apartment after many years. He and her mom divorced, and then her mom died. Her dad was of no help.

Sid is a former well-known TV writer with over 30 years of experience, who has left Los Angeles. He has been canceled. Unemployed. Three divorces, a crooked manager, and many bad decisions have landed him on her doorstep. He is toxic. He is also pining after a woman he lost years ago at Prep school, Donna DeLuca.

Joy meets Devon (as an Uber driver), a Wall Street handsome guy. He suggests she start her own Joybird's Coaching Coach or JoyRide, a unique concept where she can provide life coaching services to her Uber passengers. In this concept, Joy would use her time as an Uber driver to engage with her passengers, offering them life advice and coaching during their rides.

She is bubbly, positive, and loves to cheer people up and help them, getting them out of their crappy moods. But could her opinions land her in trouble, as well?

In addition, she learns that Devon may be attracted to her. Still, she is currently thinking of Noah, a former addict and barista, who is not interested in her for anything serious. This romantic triangle adds a layer of complexity to Joy's journey.

Could she do this and help people from the back seat of a ten-year-old Honda? A therapy office on wheels? Her biggest challenge is how to help her dad.

My thoughts...

JOYRIDE is a delightful journey with a cast of endearing, quirky, flawed characters, and a particularly charming protagonist, Joybird Martin, whom you'll find yourself deeply invested in and rooting for.

Meister's signature witty dialogue keeps the banter lively, showcasing a range of characters from the cynical, mischievous to the well-intentioned.

From the hilariously funny neighbor, Betty, to the cynical father, Sid, and the woman he still pines for, Donna— JOYRIDE is a comedy of errors that will keep you thoroughly entertained and amused.

It was fun following Joy on her journey from her courses, and her Joybird Uber/coaching business, trying to turn her dad around, solving problems for others, while figuring out her own life.

The open-ended nature of the story and the potential for further character development make me believe that there could be an ongoing sequel to JOYRIDE. I, for one, would love to continue following Joy's journey with a cast of new characters and their set of problems to solve.

Meister's skillful blend of complex, imperfect relationships, life struggles, family dynamics, human connections, and romance, while exploring highly charged topics in JOYRIDE, is a testament to her storytelling prowess.

The novel is a journey of self-discovery, friendship, family, and humor, filled with heart and joy. It delivers a hopeful and upbeat message, leaving readers with a profound sense of optimism and empowerment.

Recs...

JOYRIDE is for fans of the author and those who enjoy books by Viola Shipman, Katherine Center, Mary Kay Andrews, Elle Cosimano, Jennifer Weiner, Sarah Jio, Maddie Dawson, and Liz Alterman. It is particularly recommended for readers who appreciate heartwarming stories with a touch of humor, complex characters, and a focus on personal growth and relationships.

Thanks to Montlake and NetGalley for a gifted advanced review copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.

blog review posted @
JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
Pub Date: April 22, 2025
My Rating: 5 Stars
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This was such an entertaining story!

So many fun characters - Joybird is an Uber driver with an aspiration to become a life coach. One night she picks up Devon, a Wall Street guru, that helps convince her to turn her Uber into Joyride where she gives advice while driving her clients. She meets a lot of interesting folks and drives them. There is a lot of self-discovery in the characters, and humor and a bit of romance. Overall interesting book and I really enjoyed it.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for a temporary, digital ARC in return for my review.

Told from the points of view of Joybird and her father Sid. A few different strands including starting a new life coach business and trying to track down someone from both school.

In Joyride, Joybird Martin is an Uber driver who really wants to be a life coach. When she picks up Wall Street “type” Devon, he convinces her to offer life coaching to her fares—JoyRide. Unfortunately, that very clever business name is the thing I liked best about this book.

Joybird is relentlessly cheerful. Her father, Sid, lives with her and is relentlessly grumpy. He’s a former TV writer who has seemingly been blackballed in Hollywood for reasons that aren’t explained in the story. He’s eating her food and spending her money while being mean to every other character, and especially to her. She decides that she needs to find her father’s high school crush and get them together to turn his life around, and a good part of the story is taken up with this quest.

I liked Devon and wanted to care about Joybird but the character development just wasn’t there. Meister’s writing is solid, but I just couldn’t connect her characters.

Thanks to.NetGalley and Montlake for an eARC. Opinions are my own.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the copy of the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Joyride is a story story about Joybird, an Uber driver and life coach and her journey to "fix" her dad's life while struggling to live her own life. While there are moments of heartwarming and funny, I find myself more often getting frustrated at Joybird's antics and poor decisions. I also don't really care for her father's pov.

Unfortunately, this book just did not work for me as I can't root for the characters and their bad decisions.

A fun, uplifting women's fiction book about a young uber driver slash life coach who is trying to help her depressed father find the one who got away while also helping others with their life goals and finding romance herself along the way. I liked that this was set in NYC, had a great mix of humor and heart and was good on audio narrated by Sarah Naughton. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital and audio copy in exchange for my honest review!

Joybird likes helping people and making them feel happier and inspired. She’s an Uber driver and newly qualified life coach. When she picks up a Wall Street client Devon, he suggests she open a business giving advice on the go.
At home, her father Sid - a TV comedy writer who’s down on his luck – is staying with her. When he reveals he’s held a torch for a girl, Donna, since their high school days, Joybird decides to track her down to help lift his spirits.
Meanwhile, Joybird gets caught up in the domestic chaos of another client, socialite Corinne and her troubled teen daughter Riley.
This is a rather endearing and quirky story – from its premise about a mobile wisdom dispenser to its upbeat main character and the messes of the people around her. Didn’t really need the love triangle though.

A sweet and positive story that sees Joybird grow throughout the novel. She's coping with an angry father but her job as an Uber driver makes her happy. She might make some unwise decisions on her way to becoming a life coach but you're going to root for her. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good read.

I adore Joybird and the eternal optimism she exudes despite the challenges she experiences with her Dad and their unique roommate relationship. Her Dad is having his own difficulties facing the direction his life has taken and the result is an often times hilarious adventure in life as they try to figure it out. I love the idea of a car ride life coach and as a school bus driver I occasionally feel like that's what I get to do, just with smaller and/or younger people. The message behind the story is beautiful and I'm left with a heart full of happiness and a smile on my face.

Joyride has a cute and unique premise! I love that it's told in two POVs between a daughter and her father and how both are trying to figure out life. Joybird is a struggling young woman, trying to make a business life coaching out of her car - like uber with a life coach! And her dad is struggling to write a screenplay after his career crashed and burned. The writing is comedic and sweet and I I kept turning pages to find out if Joybird is able to help her father find his long lost love AND whether or not she would learn to prioritize her own happiness and joy in the process. The book is heartfelt, witty and enjoyable.

Joyride by Ellen Meister is a delightful and heartwarming story that explores the themes of self-discovery and second chances. The witty, relatable protagonist embarks on a thrilling road trip that leads to unexpected revelations about love, loss, and personal growth. Meister’s clever writing and humor make for an enjoyable read, while her exploration of deeper emotions adds substance to the lighthearted plot. Though the ending feels a bit predictable, the journey is so engaging that it’s easy to overlook, making this book a solid four-star experience.

This is a warm, funny, and heartfelt novel about Joybird, a 31-year-old former Uber driver turned life coach. With her sunny outlook and genuine compassion, Joybird helps others while navigating her own complicated relationships, particularly with her manipulative, narcissistic father, Sid. Though deeply flawed, Sid is written with nuance, making him both frustrating and oddly compelling.

Joybird’s friends are another highlight—Betty is fiercely loyal and protective, while Devon brings quiet warmth and depth. Their support contrasts the dysfunction in Joybird’s family and adds richness to the story.

Though the big reveal at the end is somewhat predictable, the emotional payoff is still satisfying. The novel encourages optimism and self-reflection without being preachy. With its relatable characters and uplifting tone, Joyride is a feel-good story that lingers, and Joybird is the kind of character readers will truly miss. A sequel would be more than welcome.

We're going to see how many words other than 'cute' to describe this read because it really is just so cute and upbeat. It's fun, it's quirky - the humor is fantastic and Joybird is just nothing short of amazing. Joybird is, well, a joy - the whole uber driver aspect mixed with being a life coach and navigating some pretty messed up scenarios? I could not put this book down!

From the complex narcissistic alcohol deadbeat of a father, to Betty, Devon and just every single minor character - they all made this book into what it was an how amazing it is.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Montlake for this e-arc in exchange for my honest review!

I received an advanced copy of this book through NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I wanted to like this book, but it was a struggle read for me, even more than Meister's last book.

Joybird Martin is an Uber driver and aspiring life coach. Her dad, a former well-known tv writer, is crashing at her Brooklyn apartment. He's trying to re-invigorate his career after leaving L.A. Unfortunately, his class humor and old school way of thinking got him canceled. (Read: misogyny and a little MeToo)

Joy meets Devon, who is a "Wall Street" guy. He suggests she take her life coaching on the road. Devon is attracted to her and asks her out, but he's not her type. Instead, she prefers Noah, a former houseless addict and barista, who is just not that into Joybird, other than casual booty calls. Meanwhile, Joy takes Devon's idea and starts her JoyRide business. Two things are clear to me: she's not in the position to be *anybody's* life coach, and she's got a toxic positivity that's bordering on unlikeable. Also, her dad had abandoned her twice, both when her parents divorced, her mom died, and he later moved back west. Her dad is a schmuck. Sorry not sorry.

Joy takes it upon herself to find a woman that her dad saw in passing that he once hooked up with at a high school party. She thinks finding this woman, Donna, is the key to her dad's happiness. Meanwhile, he befriends his daughter's older neighbor, Betty. It was really predictable.

I didn't understand or care for a lot of Joybird's choices. While she helped a few of her clients, she's not a licensed therapist. I liked Devon, but I felt like he actually deserved someone who wasn't so judgmental and faux virtuous.

2/5☆ available 4/22/25. Trigger warning for parent death, abandonment, teenage suicide attempt, and discussion of addiction.

Publication Date: April 22nd, 2025

Joyride is a heartfelt and witty story about second chances and personal growth. Ellen Meister’s writing kept me engaged, and the characters felt real and relatable.

Thank You Netgalley and Montlake

The publisher provided ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

Joyride is a heartwarming and uplifting read that keeps you hooked from start to finish. The story follows Joybird, a naturally optimistic Uber driver with dreams of becoming a life coach. When a passenger suggests she turn her rides into a mobile advice service, it feels like the perfect opportunity.

Meanwhile, she’s dealing with her washed-up, grumpy father, Sid, and navigating a love triangle between her long-time crush and the charming Devon. As Joybird helps others, she slowly learns to stand up for herself and take control of her own happiness.

With a quirky cast of characters, humor, and plenty of heartfelt moments, Joyride is a delightful story about personal growth and finding joy in unexpected places.

A big thank you to NetGalley and Montlake Publishing for an advanced copy in exchange for and honest review.

Amazing romance, Loved the Joy in this novel, it was a cute novel inspiring romance that had me fantasing.

Thank you to NetGalley and Montlake for allowing me to read an ARC of Joyride by Ellen Meister, in exchange for my honest review.

Delightful and cute, with quirky characters and witty dialogue!

Joybird is such a genuine and optimistic treasure, and I really enjoyed riding along with her while she navigated her relationships. It was heartwarming to see her grow.

I adored Betty and would love to have her as my neighbor!

I look forward to reading more by Ellen Meister!

Joyride by Ellen Meister has an interesting premise—Joybird Martin works as a cab driver, but after a customer’s suggestion, she starts offering life coaching sessions while driving people to their destinations. At the same time, she tries to help her unemployed father find his high school crush and navigates her own love life.
Unfortunately, the execution falls flat. The characters feel bland, and the whole story lacks depth. Joybird’s romantic decisions didn’t make much sense to me—I’d say Devon deserves better, but honestly, I have no idea what he sees in her, so that’s on him. The entire Donna storyline is absurd, and the way Riley’s #spoiler (suicide attempt) is handled feels too lighthearted.
I personally wouldn’t let Joybird life-coach me, thank you very much.
Thank you to Montlake for providing me with an ARC. All opinions are my own.