The Road Trip – Beth O’Leary

Thank you so much to the publisher and Netgalley for sending me an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

I stumbled upon Beth O’Leary books by accident a couple of years ago and have lover her writing and books ever since. So, when I had the opportunity to read The Road Trip I leapt at the chance. There is just something wonderful and heart-warming about Beth O’Leary’s writing and this book proved that even more to me!

The story is told from the alternating perspectives of Addie and Dylan as we switch between the past and the present. I’m a huge fan of dual POV books and any book that switches between the past and present and it was the same with this book. The way that these POVs and timelines are presented allows us as readers to read two love stories in two different times that intertwined as we get through the book. I did not think I would be a fan of second chance romances but I was proved wrong with The Road Trip.

The cast and storyline of The Road Trip is chaotic but I loved it a lot. The characters we are introduced to throughout the book as all completely different yet so similar. Addie is a wonderful young woman and like all of us has flaws which are clear to see and make her realistic. she is ambitious and hard-working and a joy to read about. Dylan is sweet, caring and again has flaws that make him realistic. He is going through a lot and has been through a lot and I loved his character a lot.

The secondary characters, Rodney, Deb and Marcus all vary drastically. I think Deb was my favourite character. She is hilarious, full of wit and the best sister that anyone could ask for. Marcus starts out as the obnoxious, rude and annoying friend that I hated but as the book progresses and we learn more aboutM Marcus I grew to love him. I love the cast of characters in this book a lot!

The pacing of this book is excellent. It is fast-paced but in a calm way which was what I needed in a book at the time. There is drama but there are relaxed moments which meant it was a relaxing read. It’s alternation between past and present timelines made it so easy to keep reading this book. I just wanted to know what had happened and how it would affect present Addie and Dylan. So, I read this book very quickly.

This is the third book that I have read by Beth O’Leary and it certainly will not be the last. Over the course of the three books Beth O’Leary has written and published her writing has grown and developed so much. The Road Trip feels sophisticated in its writing style and with the topics discussed throughout. Depression, sexual assault and alcohol abuse are all discussed in this book. These topic are explored with great sensitivity and care. You can tell research was done to ensure the topics were discussed correctly. All of the grit in this book is layered into the hilarity of an adorable second chance love story making this book an excellent read.

Overall, I cannot recommend this second chance love story enough! It is heart-warming, adorable, raw and just plain wonderful. If you have yet to read a Beth O’Leary book then you are missing out on some pure joy. Give this one a read it is well worth it!