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A review by meredith_williams_
The Road Trip by Beth O'Leary
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
This book was so melodramatic. I went in expecting a romcom, and while there were moments of comedic relief, the overall story was a bit pretentious and felt like I was reading a less glamorous version of an episode of gossip girl. The main characters fall in love one summer abroad but their relationship struggles due to class divide and family expectations. A few years later, they reconnect on the way to a friend’s wedding when the MMC breaks down and has to road-trip to Scotland with the FMC. I liked the alternating timelines between past and present as it kept the reader engaged with the main characters’s love story, but when the reason for their original break up was revealed, I was over it. I did not think what the MMC did was easily forgivable despite his mental health struggle and honestly felt that the main couple should just stay broken up.
Graphic: Cursing, Drug use, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Pregnancy, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Homophobia, Misogyny, Sexual content, Alcohol, and Classism