Reviews

Confessions of a Carpool Captive by Dawn L. Chiletz

sidekicka7x's review

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5.0

Every book Dawn writes is unique, and this one is no different. Finn and Liz are fantastic. From the first page I knew this book was going to be amazing. And it is. The side characters are awesome (even Kel), the story is fun, and you find yourself totally engaged and enjoying everything about it. I Love Dawns books and I'm always super freaking excited to see what she comes up with next. She never disappoints. I highly recommend you pick this one up.

booklovershangout's review against another edition

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4.0

I absolutely loved this book. I thought it was quirky and fun and such a fresh idea. It was light for the most part but did have some angst and this balance was exactly perfect for the story. I loved the characters and the storyline and I definitely look forward to reading more from this author. This was the first time I read Dawn Chiletz, but it definitely won't be my last. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

simplyxkate's review against another edition

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4.0

I'm so happy about this book!! Ever since I read The Hating Game, I've been searching for another great office enemies-to-lovers story and this one comes pretty darn close.

naughtybookaffair's review against another edition

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5.0

I voluntarily reviewed an advance copy of this amazing fun book.I absolutely loved this book. It is full of humor, extremely touching moments and strong friendship. It is very well written and has you hooked right from the beginning.
Liz is someone that likes to be alone. She doesn't like to talk much.That is why her drive to work is perfect. It is a long drive and she has plenty of alone time. That is until her car brokes down and she has noone to turn to except for Finn who works at the same office as her and will not stop until she says yes to him taking her back and forth to work. But it works out for him because he loves to drive and he needs an extra passenger to drive in the carpool lane. She agrees but neither one of them realize that this is the beginning of quite a fun adventure.
It gets even more interesting when Liz grabs three more people to join in the carpool fun. But things get tense between her and Finn and their friendship could be destroyed. Will love overcome the carpool lane or will it keep them apart?
I absolutely loved the character chemistry between Liz and Finn. I loved the banter between the two of them.I loved her stubbornness to shut him up and his stubbornness to keep her talking. The buildup of this relationship was absolutely perfect. Especially when Liz agrees to pretend to be dating Finn for when his parents visit.
Adding Emerson, Kel and Ernesto into this carpool mix was amazing. I loved these characters and the fun that they add to this book. Emerson is someone that Liz meets in the restroom at the Christmas party and she invites her along for the carpool ride to not be alone with Finn. Emerson invites Kel and Ernesto who add such great humor to this story. I absolutely love what brings them all back together at almost the end of the book. It really brought the book to a great end.
I laughed through this whole book. The humor was just the right amount. It was so very well written that you could pretend you were in the carpool lane with them enjoying the ride. There are some twists in this book that you don't see coming. But really that is what makes this book even more interesting. Grab this book and read all about the fun and turmoil that people can have in the carpool lane. I highly recommend reading this book.

rlp78's review against another edition

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4.0

A Lot of Fun

This was a fun surprise. I had never heard of the author and was very impressed. The story definitely made me laugh but it was emotional as well. The only thing that kept it from being a five star read for me was Liz. I kept waiting for some more background on her. I thought there should be a reason she was so broke she was basically starving as well as a deeper reason for being afraid to be with Finn. One guy being married doesn't seem to be enough to warrant the extremes that she went to to avoid committing to Finn. I feel like some more back story would have made this make more sense to me. Overall I really enjoyed it though and look forward to reading more from this author.

bu3asalli's review against another edition

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5.0

This is the first time I’ve related to a main character so much. Her struggle with independence vs. companionship is a struggle I’m familiar with all too well.

The character is well written and very realistic.

debs_shelves's review against another edition

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5.0

Oh my gosh, this is the most fun book I've read in a while. I truly laughed out loud several times while reading it.

Liz (Lizzie, Lizard, the names go on) - loved her. She is an introverted accountant who is awkward with people and enjoys being on her own.

Finn is an executive type who is outgoing and funny.

Their worlds collide and they begin carpooling (Liz's worst nightmare).

Add in Kel, Ernesto, and Emerson and this carpool becomes quite the adventure. The characters are all interesting and funny in their own way. The way they interact is so amusing!

There's some romance, some humor, some sad stuff. But it all comes together to be one of those books you don't want to put down. Sadly, life got in my way and it took longer than I anticipated to finish.

I totally enjoyed this book!

mamabookwyrm's review against another edition

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3.0

I’m not 100% exactly sure how I feel about this book. It’s the first time I’ve read anything by Dawn L. Chiletz and I have to say, she does have a unique voice to her works. There was definitely some witty banter and a lot of great one-liners inside. But what I was expecting from the blurb and what I got were two things, though you know what they say about assuming. I really was expecting a laugh out loud rom-com and this didn’t quite get off the ground for me in that sense. It was heart-warming in spots and I did giggle in spots but overall I struggled with it.

Liz is an introvert, quiet, and she likes it that way. All she wants is to be left alone to do her job. Her orderly life is quickly disrupted when her car breaks down and she needs to accept the new guy’s offer of carpooling. Finn is gregarious, sexy, and doesn’t like to take no for an answer. He’s fond of pushing her boundaries. Through the story an unconventional family develops centered around carpooling to work. You have the two main characters and then the secondary characters: Ernesto, Kel and Emerson.

The character development was decent. They all had backstories of some sort, some developed more than others. Finn and Liz both had their own strengths and weaknesses. I think the story definitely focused more on Liz’s weaknesses and Finn’s strengths then vice versa. Where I struggled is that I did not like Liz for a good 80% of the story. I’m not even sure I really liked her towards the end. She’s rude, judgmental, and a downright bitch at times. I usually don’t have a probably with woman who are sarcastic and in your face but something about Liz just didn’t sit right with me. Since I didn’t like her, this made the story drag for me and I could feel my attention drifting. Finn’s what saved it for me. I couldn’t wait to see what else he dreamed up.

There is definitely drama involved in this book as well as some twists. One of the twists I saw coming, others I didn’t. And while it didn’t exactly float my boat, it was entertaining. If you’re looking for a heart-warming story that’ll make you giggle, it’s definitely worth looking up. Just because it didn’t work for me doesn’t mean it won’t work for someone else.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book.
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tucker4's review against another edition

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3.0

**3.5**

nikkismiles43's review against another edition

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5.0

Confessions of a Carpool Captive
by Dawn L. Chiletz
5/5 Stars

Oh my .. where shall I begin? I absolutely loved this book from beginning to end. It grabbed my attention within the first paragraph and held my interest, until the very last sentence.
This was my first time reading a book by Dawn Chiletz and definitely will NOT be my last!! Its beautifully written , full of humor. Which I love, by the way!!
I did connect with the main character, Elizabeth Foley in quite a few different ways! Which then, made me not want to put the book down for hours.
This is a lovely book and friendship and self discovery. Sometimes, things aren't always as they seem. You should always open up your heart and want more. Don't let the past ruin your future...ever!!
In this book, you meet ..Elizabeth ( Liz ) Foley is the only child of two elder parents. Growing up being the only child, she was used to entertaining herself. She enjoys being around adults more than kids her age. She is your everyday day oddball! She is an introvert and very proud of it. She doesn't have any friends. It's her her, and her alone majority of the time. Her job at Seamore Productions is her life. Outside of work, she doesn't do much else.
Finnigan Walsh is new to the neighborhood. He is just starting off in accounting where , Liz works;Seamore Productions. The two meet and are instantly drawn to each other. And not just that, they are quite curious about the other person as well.
Liz thinks she doesn't need anyone in her life. No friends. No outside life. No, nothing! Ever her co workers, she doesn't really consider them friends. But something changes… enter Finnigan
They both know pain, past relationships that have hurt them in one way or another. But can they both move on , from the hurt and pain, and think more about the future ? Or are they doomed from the beginning?
Sometimes, you gotta let the past go and see where the future takes you! Don't overthink, just enjoy… life!!
I so loved this book!! I am definitely a fan now and will be reading more of Dawn’s book in the future!! Wonderful job!!