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idesofmarch's review
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault and Alcoholism
Moderate: Toxic friendship
Minor: Stalking
abimyers_reads's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
3 ⭐
2 🌶️
The Road Trip follows a group of people travelling to a wedding together after their cars crash. In one car is Addie and Deb who are sisters and Rodney a random person needing a lift and the other car happens to be Dylan Addie's ex and his best friend Marcus.
Duel perspective following Addie's and Dylan's relationship at the beginning and being forced together in a car.
2 🌶️
The Road Trip follows a group of people travelling to a wedding together after their cars crash. In one car is Addie and Deb who are sisters and Rodney a random person needing a lift and the other car happens to be Dylan Addie's ex and his best friend Marcus.
Duel perspective following Addie's and Dylan's relationship at the beginning and being forced together in a car.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Addiction, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Homophobia, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Stalking, and Sexual content
Minor: Car accident
ineedsomemoretea's review against another edition
emotional
funny
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
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual harassment
Minor: Eating disorder, Stalking, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Mental illness, and Toxic friendship
ttnnllrr's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
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.
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.
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.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Stalking
Minor: Stalking and Sexual assault
avisreadsandreads's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Addiction, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Alcoholism, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexism, Injury/Injury detail, Homophobia, Stalking, and Vomit
Minor: Car accident and Pregnancy
downsophialane's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Beth O'Leary has delivered a dual timeline second chance roadtrip romance that doesn't shy away from complex, difficult and at times unlikeable characters. While I was invested in Addie and Dylan, their relationship was just so stifled by Marcus' presence, almost from the beginning. I think we needed some real halcyon days completely apart from his friends. Though part of their arc together is recognising that their friendship is was toxic, the Dylan/Marcus plot could have benefitted from a little more evidence Marcus being, like, worth the trouble?
I would recommend Love and Other Words by Christina Lauren or Happy Place by Emily Henry over this for anyone looking for a second chance dual timeline, but I didn't have a bad time reading it so I wouldn't not recommend it. I will definitely be seeking out Beth O'Leary's other work.
I would recommend Love and Other Words by Christina Lauren or Happy Place by Emily Henry over this for anyone looking for a second chance dual timeline, but I didn't have a bad time reading it so I wouldn't not recommend it. I will definitely be seeking out Beth O'Leary's other work.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Alcoholism, Toxic friendship, and Mental illness
Moderate: Stalking and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Suicide attempt
yareliz's review
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction, Drug abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Eating disorder, Rape, Sexual assault, Alcoholism, Car accident, Classism, Stalking, and Toxic friendship
isabelloves_'s review against another edition
Not the kind of conflict I want to read about right now.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault and Stalking
melissa08's review against another edition
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I listened to this as an audiobook and I think it really added to the experience! The voice actors match the characters perfectly.
After reading The Flatshare, I wanted to read more of Beth O’Leary’s books as her writing style is gorgeous, she makes it really easy to read and follow along with the story.
The Road Trip begins with Addie and Dylan making their way to a wedding on the other side of the country with a friend each (plus Rodney), in separate cars. Without spoiling the story, an accident happens and they all end up in the one car in order to make it to the wedding.
The story is told in dual perspective flicking between past and present in order to give you the full story of Addie and Dylan’s relationship. It was a fun read with a couple of heavy hitting topics.
Again, Beth O’ Learys writing was lovely to listen to and there was plenty of laugh out loud moments as these 5 people were squashed into a Mini.
Trope: Second Chance Romance and Forced Proximity
Trigger warnings: Sexual Assault
After reading The Flatshare, I wanted to read more of Beth O’Leary’s books as her writing style is gorgeous, she makes it really easy to read and follow along with the story.
The Road Trip begins with Addie and Dylan making their way to a wedding on the other side of the country with a friend each (plus Rodney), in separate cars. Without spoiling the story, an accident happens and they all end up in the one car in order to make it to the wedding.
The story is told in dual perspective flicking between past and present in order to give you the full story of Addie and Dylan’s relationship. It was a fun read with a couple of heavy hitting topics.
Again, Beth O’ Learys writing was lovely to listen to and there was plenty of laugh out loud moments as these 5 people were squashed into a Mini.
Trope: Second Chance Romance and Forced Proximity
Trigger warnings: Sexual Assault
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual assault
Minor: Toxic friendship, Stalking, Vomit, and Alcoholism
ekclar's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
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? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Alcoholism, Addiction, and Stalking
Minor: Homophobia