The Road Trip, by Beth O’Leary
Published by Quercus, 29th April 2021
Genres: Contemporary fiction, romance
Format: Paperback
Source: Purchased (new)
Trigger warnings: sexual assault, alcoholism, depression
Synopsis
Addie and her sister have planned the perfect road trip to their friend’s wedding in Scotland, the snacks are packed and the playlist ready. But shortly after setting off, someone drives into the back of their Mini. The other drive is none other than Dylan, Addie’s ex, who she hasn’t seen or spoken to since their traumatic break-up two years ago.
Dylan and his best friend were on their way to the same wedding, but now their car is a wreck. Addie and her sister have no choice but to offer them a lift. Soon the tiny car is full of luggage and limbs, tension and secrets. With three hundred miles ahead of them, Addie and Dylan can’t avoid confronting the messy end of their relationship. But is it really the end of the road for these two?
My thoughts
After reading Beth O’Leary’s other works, The Flatshare and The Switch, and really loving them, I was dying to get my hands on her new book. So, when I saw it as an airport exclusive paperback edition, I just couldn’t resist! And I wasn’t disappointed. I loved this one just as much as the previous books and Beth O’Leary is now firmly established as one of my favourite new authors.
First of all, the writing is once again brilliant. The author has created a hilarious cast of characters, who just jump off the page and made me laugh so much.
I really enjoyed the switching of timelines, between the present in which they are all stuck in a car together, and the past when Addie and Dylan first met and fell in love. The dual perspectives on both of these timelines were also really interesting. These allow the reader to get both character’s points of view about various situations and I love that.
Overall, this is another great book by Beth O’Leary. If you loved her other works, this one won’t let you down! A lovely, warm and funny book, perfect for summer. I also really enjoyed the irony of reading a book about a road trip, whilst on an aeroplane!
My rating: 5/5