Reviews with content warning for Sexual assault - The Road Trip

This book follows our main characters Addie and Dylan, as they journey to Scotland for their mutual friend, Cherry’s wedding. Alongside Addie’s sister Deb, Dylan’s questionable friend Marcus and random facebook stranger Rodney, the two exes are forced to share an awkward car ride that lasts much longer than previously planned, after not having spoken in two years.

Throughout this plot line, the reader is also given flashbacks of their relationship: their meeting in France one summer and the whirlwind commitment, but not until the end do we discover what lead to the breakup two years prior.
Although I somewhat enjoyed this book, compared to the other two O’Leary books I’ve already read, it just wasn’t the same caliber.

The entire subplot about Rodney being a stalker and following Cherry to her wedding was weird and I don’t think the scariness of that really shone through. Marcus was a dick the entire time and even though he may have apologized, I don’t think we saw any change in character worthy of redemption. Plus, he also was stalking Addie? Why so many stalkers???

Finally the twist ending (the breakup reveal) left me unsatisfied. I’m not sure how I felt about the whole thing and I don’t know if I like that Addie forgave him… I’m not sure I would’ve. Sure it was a mistake, but that’s clearly Dylan having a lack of trust for Addie because of his insecurities and she did absolutely nothing to warrant a response like that. Especially after what she had JUST gone through.

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kassiejbanks's review

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adventurous emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

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

5.0

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dreiwolken's review against another edition

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4.0

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elysedc's review against another edition

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4.0

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kerryanna2709's review against another edition

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emotional lighthearted reflective slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.25

Eurgh. I hated every character in this book. They were so selfish, spoilt, and lived in their own bubble. Pretty much every relationship (of any kind) was toxic and yet OF COURSE pretty much everyone finds redemption in the end.

Why Addie even wanted to be with Dylan is beyond me. He's a man who can't make up his mind about anything, follows people around rather than doing his own thing, and thinks that occasionally writing 1 line of poetry means he should be able to build a career as a full-time poet. And as for why anyone put up with Marcus is a mystery. Presumably he was meant to be the life and soul of the party but he was just another guy living on his daddy's money and being an idiot.

Oh, and Dylan's parents live in a house that could be bought by the National Trust??? What a weird throw away to the "plot".

If you want to read a book about a girl who meets a guy, is treated terribly by him and his rich mates, almost gets raped but is too shamed to tell her boyfriend and so he dumps her, and then takes him back two years later when she's finally in a good place then this will be right up your street. Otherwise, avoid it.

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patsypoo's review against another edition

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lighthearted fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

Meh... Didn't buy into the central romance, couldn't stand any of the characters except Deb and I thought the Rodney subplot was completely unnecessary and not handled well at all.

Stalking isn't a side joke. It's terrifying for the victims.

It still passed the time though and I will continue to read more Beth O'Leary for the foreseeable future.

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