The Road Trip by Beth O'Leary

Two exes reach a new level of awkward when forced to take a road trip together in this endearing and humorous novel by the author of the international bestseller The Flatshare.

What if the end of the road is just the beginning?

Four years ago, Dylan and Addie fell in love under the Provence sun. Wealthy Oxford student Dylan was staying at his friend Cherry's enormous French villa; wild child Addie was spending her summer as the on-site caretaker. Two years ago, their relationship officially ended. They haven't spoken since.

Today, Dylan's and Addie's lives collide again. It's the day before Cherry's wedding, and Addie and Dylan crash cars at the start of the journey there. The car Dylan was driving is wrecked, and the wedding is in rural Scotland--he'll never get there on time by public transport.

So, along with Dylan's best friend, Addie's sister, and a random guy on Facebook who needed a ride, they squeeze into a space-challenged Mini and set off across Britain. Cramped into the same space, Dylan and Addie are forced to confront the choices they made that tore them apart--and ask themselves whether that final decision was the right one after all.

Paperback, 400 pages

Published June 1st 2021 

by Berkley

3.5/5

The Road Trip was one of my highly anticipated books of 2021.  I LOVED The Flatshare, it was my first rom/com and made me open my eyes to what I could be missing.  Next came The Switch which was just as enjoyable, so obviously I was looked forward to The Road Trip.

I am not sure if my expectation level was just too high or what but, yup there is a but. While I enjoyed parts of this book it didn't hit me like the other two did. 

The beginning was a bit slow, I didn't like Marcus at all and that's okay because there are always those characters around - reading would be a tad boring if one must like all the characters.  Part of the reason I steered away from anything to do with any type of romance novel is the insta-love trope and the aftermath.  For me this book was more of an insta-lust and it just didn't sit right.

The book alternates between Addie and Dylan's POV both in the now and then, I'm glad the author did that, seeing where they are now and what transpires in the past. I think Addie was the only one I really got to know and I loved her sister, Deb - she added that extra bit of hmp the book needed. 

The Road Trip is a story of second chances, self discovery and righting wrongs.  While it may not have been as laugh out loud funny as her previous books Beth O'Leary has touch on serious subject matters relevant today in a somewhat light hearted matter.  I liked the conclusion and for me that redeemed some of my feelings for the insta-lust part.

The Road Trip is in bookstores now.

This book was part of my 2021 Reading Of My Shelf Challenge.