Reviews with content warning for Toxic relationship - Törmäyskurssi

The Road Trip provoked some intense feelings of loathe and resentment. I’ve never met characters so deranged before. I would be surprised if any of them had had a single thought before and even more if they’d ever make a rational decision.

Dylan is one of the worst male love interests I’ve ever read about. Throughout the whole book he made a point that he could never change as a person and therefore made no sort of character development (which he needed). He is very oblivious to what Marcus is doing. I don’t know if he does not understand what Marcus is doing to him or just so egocentric that he does not care to understand.

Spoiler

In the “Then” timeline Addie talks with Dylan about Marcus' behaviour against her. She tells him about the brusque comments he makes and how Marcus most definitely despises her. The right thing for Dylan to do is re-evaluate his relationship with Marcus, but he makes no such efforts. After all, he is used to be handed everything on a silver platter. In the last “Then” timeline when Addie and Dylan breaks up efter Addie almost gets raped, Dylan learns form Marcus that Addie cheated on him, which is of course wrong. Dylan is seething about this and when Addie asks him if he wants to hear her side of the story he declines. WHY WOULD HE SAY NO TO HEAR HER SIDE OF THE STORY?? HE’S HER BOYFRIEND!

I’ve never met anyone so self centred and narcissistic. If I was Addie I would get a restraining order against Dylan and simply move from England.

Spoiler

In the “now” timeline they literally have no chemistry. In the beginning of the book (meaning half of it) they don’t talk, at all. Nothing. Radio silence. All of that for them to have a heart to heart moment at the hotel. Also during the wedding they are just fine with each other like nothing happened. All of the arguing and screaming was just forgotten and forgiven.

If I were to guess their relationship would end the same as the last: in shambles and screaming leading to months of depression. I can make that assumption basing it on their thoughtless minds and irrational decisions. It’s not meant to last.

And don’t get me wrong Dylan did do some nice things for Addie and I did chuckle at some points in the book. Beth O’Leary’s writing is beautiful (I’ve never expected anything else of course), but again the character and some plot points in the book makes my blood boil. I would never recommend this book to anyone, except maybe my worst enemy. Please don’t waste your time reading 400+ pages of nonsense.

Content Warnings

_anne_05's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective relaxing sad tense 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

4.0

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alinarecs's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging emotional inspiring medium-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

4.25

i think the the topic of communication and the importance of communication in romantic relationships was dealt with excellently in this book. i loved the little side plot with rodney, the quirky british humour, and the shift between past and present timelines. i couldn’t be mad at all by the way this book ended, or the way many relationship struggles were addressed and resolved in this book. i think it was done perfectly and i relate so freaking hard to addie and it was so lovely to receive validation for myself in the shape of her character. the poetry in this book was also written AMAZINGLY so props to beth o’leary for that <3

the reason i didn’t give this book 5 stars is because while i did love it, i did not personally consider it to have really moved me, which is a marker for all my five star ratings.

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vereni's review against another edition

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lighthearted medium-paced

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

3.5

Content Warnings

c_totume's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful sad 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

3.25

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hanraee's review against another edition

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medium-paced

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

1.0

Spoiler

This review is a big ol spoiler but I might save you from reading this because it's definitely not worth the time

I had high hopes starting this book as I'd just finished the flat share and decided to work my way through Beth O'Leary's other books. Disappointingly I choose this one. The more I read the more I disliked it. I nearly didn't finish the book but decided to push through it.

First off these characters are pretty horrid. Addie, I honestly don't even know her character all I know is she's short, long hair, wears bracelets, went to France for the summer and is a teacher. That's it. Dylan is constantly making up poems which maybe his whole personality but his personality is being Marcus's door mat and being obsessed with Addie. Finally Marcus is a destructive asshole and I don't think I could possibly dislike a character more.

Dylan and Addie's relationship honestly isn't healthy. Yes them being in france together was kinda cute but once they eventually lived together it was not healthy for either or them. Marcus can 100% be blamed for this and he's either a really good friend to Marcus or he lets Marcus walk all over him and sabotage his relationship. Take your pic. They rely on one another way too much. The relationship is their life and Dylan specifically just wants Addie to tell him what to with with his life. The tipping point was when Addie was sexually assaulted by her boss and dylan wouldn't listen to addie's side of the story. This was after Addies boss spoke to Dylan first and told him Addie was coming onto him not the truth that he sexually assaulted her. I did not want Dyan and Addie to get back together at all. FInding out their history more and more as the book went on too I could not root for these two.

Marcus is the worst character ever he stalked Addie, he got super creepy and didn't like that he couldn't have her because Addie said she wasn't into him. Then constantly sabotaged the relationship. Then it comes out at the end he loved her the whole time......yeah that's not love. He's just so dang creepy, mean and icky

I could keep going, between the creepy comments men make throughout the book objectifying women and the plot which got more and more chaotic as the book went on. It felt like a horrible train wreck or a very bad road trip. I will say one positive is it was easy to keep track of going from the present to the past in the book. One positive. That's it. </spoiler

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