Reviews

When beloved English teacher Joe is given only weeks to live, he asks his two favorite students, Logan and Rosemary, to drive him cross-country so he can die in his favorite Maine cabin. In spite of the fact that they cannot stand each other, they agree to the road trip and the adventure they find will change them forever. This childhood friends to rivals to lovers story explored grief, abandonment, and mortality in such beautiful ways. Rosemary and Logan's banter is engaging, whether they're fighting or making love, and they take such care of Joe and one another. I loved learning about Joe, and his chosen ending is so painful and beautiful all at once. This very much reads like a romcom, even with the graphic depictions of mortality, and I would watch the movie. (And probably judge it harshly. lol) Some parts were a little slow, but the story was good overall and I was literally crying while driving at the end. This romance is on the heavier side, but it's totally worth the tears.

Content Warnings

booksta_adventure's review against another edition

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5.0

𝙏𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙞𝙨 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚. 𝙇𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙞𝙨 𝙨𝙚𝙚𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙛𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙞𝙣 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮 𝙛𝙡𝙖𝙬. 𝙎𝙚𝙚𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮 𝙛𝙡𝙖𝙬 𝙖𝙨 𝙖 𝙢𝙞𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙡𝙚 𝙗𝙚𝙘𝙖𝙪𝙨𝙚 𝙞𝙩 𝙗𝙚𝙡𝙤𝙣𝙜𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙤𝙣 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙘𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙢𝙤𝙨𝙩. 𝙇𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙞𝙨 𝙨𝙖𝙮𝙞𝙣𝙜, 𝙮𝙚𝙨, 𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙡𝙡. 𝙀𝙫𝙚𝙣 𝙖𝙛𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙨𝙚 𝙮𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙨.

Are you looking for a book to make you ugly cry in your kitchen, causing you to completely mess up your bread dough? 😭 (I started over again, so all was well. 😜) Well, do I have the book for you!

Logan and Rosemary were childhood best friends. An “incident” just before the start of high school lead them to a major falling out and to them becoming “enemies”. Over a decade later, their favorite HS teacher/mentor brings them together again for a life-changing roadtrip across the country.

First of all, I just need to say that Joe’s story was absolutely beautiful. From his reminiscing over life as a gay man 30 years ago, to his biggest regret, he was the glue holding these two main characters together, and the way Alison wrote his ending was so beautiful and handled so well. (Hospice nurses are really angels on earth, I am constantly in awe of them!)

Secondly, I loved these two messy women. They both had their issues, and watching them navigate their feelings (both about Joe and about each other) while navigating across the country, with such beautiful and poignant moments along the way, was just a joy to read, even with the ugly crying.

I’ve loved everything @alisoncochrun has written, and I can’t wait to see what she has in store for us next! ❤️

Audiobook notes: Both narrators did a fabulous job with these characters. Delivering the comedic lines just right and bringing all the emotion to the most emotional parts.

What this book is giving:

✅ Romcom about Death

✅ Dual POV

✅ Childhood best friends w/ a major falling out

✅ Beloved Teacher

✅ Death Trip

✅ Secondary love story 😭

✅ Neurodivergent rep

Rating:

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 5

🌶️🌶️½ / 5

tesastone's review against another edition

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DON’T PROMOTE FAKE SERVICE DOGS

mackchar's review

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adventurous emotional sad fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

_margaret_'s review against another edition

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emotional hopeful sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

dissociationbybooks's review against another edition

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I'm sure if I waited I would like this. But the obstinate nature of Logan is off-putting. I don't care that you don't like her - your mentor is DYING. Suck it up and drive him.

spikedscrubs's review

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adventurous emotional funny hopeful lighthearted reflective slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️

A book about a sapphic love story, friends to enemies to lovers, end of life road trip?! Count me in!

Well told, fallible characters, good EOL depictions, funny & quirky side characters & a cozy pleasant plot made for a good read. No huge surprises or twists but a feel good, heartwarming tale that certainly makes me want to read more by this author.

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