Community Reviews
It’s no secret that I love road trips. I love going on them, reading about them, and even just thinking about them. And I especially enjoy romances set on a road trip. So the first time I saw the title, I knew I had to read The Road Trip. After the success of The Flatshare, the hype for The Road Trip was big. And even when I started seeing some mixed reviews, I wasn’t dissuaded. And while I did really enjoy The Road Trip—finding it unputdownable at times—I can understand the mixed reviews. It’s not perfect, but it could have been, which is what is so frustrating.
I’m not a big fan of comparing books to successful novels, but I can’t help comparing this one to Beach Read by Emily Henry. Some readers felt the cover and/or description of Beach Read was misleading. They wanted a light and funny rom-com instead of the more darker themed romance it ended up being. But I didn’t mind. It was my favorite book of 2020. And I feel like this is another romance with a cute book cover and blurb that may not convey what’s on the page. But if you enjoyed Beach Read, you’ll probably find something to like in The Road Trip.
Several of the characters in The Road Trip are not likable. They’re wealthy, entitled, and not very nice. I don’t usually mind that in a book as long as they change or get what’s coming to them. Because it does reflect the real world. There are many people like that and seeing those characters will hopefully keep us from being like them. Maybe. And while that is the case in this book—they do change or get what’s coming to them (for the most part)—I wasn’t satisfied with how one of the main antagonist’s story wrapped up in the end. Their transformation felt a little too rushed and HEA (Happily Ever After) for how serious the book got at one point.
The novel alternates between ‘Then’ and ‘Now’, and at times it almost felt like I was reading two different books. I was okay with that in the beginning because the ‘Now,’ which is the road trip, is two years later and much has changed for our main characters. It would make sense that the timeframes are vastly different. And I was enjoying both so I didn’t worry too much about it. But in the end, I realized it could have been more cohesive.
I did laugh out loud several times. Having five people crammed into a Mini on a road trip has to lead to hilarious situations! And the romance is intense. How they meet and fall in love is swoon-y and electric. I was committed one hundred percent to seeing how these two ended up. It’s mostly the side characters that keep this one from being a five-star read for me.
I’m writing this review several days after I finished The Road Trip and it’s still giving me the feels. I would say that’s a good endorsement. For the most part, I liked it, and I think I would read it again.
Check out my review and playlist at A Book Wanderer
#popsugarreadingchallenge2021 (prompt #40b - Book from an author you love but haven't read)
I’m not a big fan of comparing books to successful novels, but I can’t help comparing this one to Beach Read by Emily Henry. Some readers felt the cover and/or description of Beach Read was misleading. They wanted a light and funny rom-com instead of the more darker themed romance it ended up being. But I didn’t mind. It was my favorite book of 2020. And I feel like this is another romance with a cute book cover and blurb that may not convey what’s on the page. But if you enjoyed Beach Read, you’ll probably find something to like in The Road Trip.
Several of the characters in The Road Trip are not likable. They’re wealthy, entitled, and not very nice. I don’t usually mind that in a book as long as they change or get what’s coming to them. Because it does reflect the real world. There are many people like that and seeing those characters will hopefully keep us from being like them. Maybe. And while that is the case in this book—they do change or get what’s coming to them (for the most part)—I wasn’t satisfied with how one of the main antagonist’s story wrapped up in the end. Their transformation felt a little too rushed and HEA (Happily Ever After) for how serious the book got at one point.
The novel alternates between ‘Then’ and ‘Now’, and at times it almost felt like I was reading two different books. I was okay with that in the beginning because the ‘Now,’ which is the road trip, is two years later and much has changed for our main characters. It would make sense that the timeframes are vastly different. And I was enjoying both so I didn’t worry too much about it. But in the end, I realized it could have been more cohesive.
I did laugh out loud several times. Having five people crammed into a Mini on a road trip has to lead to hilarious situations! And the romance is intense. How they meet and fall in love is swoon-y and electric. I was committed one hundred percent to seeing how these two ended up. It’s mostly the side characters that keep this one from being a five-star read for me.
I’m writing this review several days after I finished The Road Trip and it’s still giving me the feels. I would say that’s a good endorsement. For the most part, I liked it, and I think I would read it again.
Check out my review and playlist at A Book Wanderer
#popsugarreadingchallenge2021 (prompt #40b - Book from an author you love but haven't read)
This book made me lol multiple times, but it gets 4 stars because the very dysfunctional relationships stressed me out.
I'm giving it a 2.5 ⭐️, barely a pass. But still a pass.
Why I liked this book: I like that Dylan was very poetic, something about a man who can speak and write well. I like that Dylan reflected and wanted to change himself for the better, I like that he respected Addie. As for Addie, even though Marcus is a tier A Asshole, she wanted to try for Dylan. It's the thought that counts. And the representation of Indian culture, very beautiful to imagine the colours and the ambience.
What I didn't like about the book: This book hit me close to home, maybe I'm just personally not ready to do something about that toxic friendship that I have but I have a Marcus in my life. A manipulative, toxic friend. And what he did to Dylan is unacceptable especially under the name of "bestfriend". I felt like all the other characters were unnecessary but then maybe it was the only way to make the story flow.
I got through the book quickly and maybe it's due to my own anger and unhappiness but I think I learnt to choose your friends wisely and acknowledge the bad in them to respect yourself.
Why I liked this book: I like that Dylan was very poetic, something about a man who can speak and write well. I like that Dylan reflected and wanted to change himself for the better, I like that he respected Addie. As for Addie, even though Marcus is a tier A Asshole, she wanted to try for Dylan. It's the thought that counts. And the representation of Indian culture, very beautiful to imagine the colours and the ambience.
What I didn't like about the book: This book hit me close to home, maybe I'm just personally not ready to do something about that toxic friendship that I have but I have a Marcus in my life. A manipulative, toxic friend. And what he did to Dylan is unacceptable especially under the name of "bestfriend". I felt like all the other characters were unnecessary but then maybe it was the only way to make the story flow.
I got through the book quickly and maybe it's due to my own anger and unhappiness but I think I learnt to choose your friends wisely and acknowledge the bad in them to respect yourself.
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