"The Five-Year Plan" by Carla Burgess is a heartwarming and relatable romantic comedy that follows the journey of protagonist Daisy Mackenzie as she navigates the ups and downs of love, friendship, and career in the bustling city of London. Burgess' charming storytelling and lovable characters make this novel a delightful read that will leave readers smiling long after they've turned the last page.

The story centers around Daisy, a spirited and independent woman who finds herself at a crossroads in her life as she approaches her thirtieth birthday. Determined to achieve her goals and find lasting happiness, Daisy devises a five-year plan that includes everything from landing her dream job to finding the perfect man. But as she soon discovers, life doesn't always go according to plan, and sometimes the best things happen when you least expect them.

Burgess' writing is witty and engaging, with sparkling dialogue and laugh-out-loud moments that keep the story light and entertaining. From disastrous blind dates to unexpected career opportunities, Daisy's journey is filled with twists and turns that keep readers guessing and rooting for her every step of the way.

At its core, "The Five-Year Plan" is a story about self-discovery, resilience, and the power of friendship. As Daisy navigates the challenges of adulthood and learns to let go of her need for control, she discovers that sometimes the most fulfilling journeys are the ones we least expect.

The characters in "The Five-Year Plan" are endearing and relatable, each with their own quirks and flaws that make them feel like old friends. From Daisy's loyal best friend Stella to her charming but enigmatic coworker Max, every character adds depth and richness to the story, creating a vibrant and unforgettable cast.

Overall, "The Five-Year Plan" is a delightful and uplifting read that is sure to leave readers with a smile on their faces. Carla Burgess has crafted a charming romantic comedy that celebrates the joys of friendship, the power of perseverance, and the beauty of embracing life's unexpected twists and turns.

Is second time the charm? What happens when you cross paths with someone after the timing was off, would things work out with better timing or were you simply not meant to be?

This book allows you to see that some things repeat themselves and what we don't deal with will eventually pop up once again. It was a nice read, nothing particularly stood out or captured me, but I appreciated that their relationship developed naturally. I struggled to finish the book even though I enjoyed the book.

Such a great book. I loved the setting and characters. The will they won’t they through the. Book was well developed. I loved the story line and how everything came together.

Slow burn, everyday, second chance romance, I liked Orla and Aiden as characters, but their communication lacked for me. I was looking for more spark I think. I wanted to love this one as second chance romance is a fave trope. Unfortunately this one was a 3 stars for me. I did read and finish.

I received an advanced reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.

I really wanted to love this book but I just liked it. Follows the story of Orla who sprains her ankle trying to interview Aiden who is a wildlife photographer, he then befriends her and looks after her, end up getting together and he then says he wants to leave to carry on doing photographer while travelling but she is too career focused so can't go with him, but he returns after 5 years and then its just like history repeating itself with the same situation all over again.

Unfortunately I went on a requesting spree during lockdown and my tastes have since changed.

As the book has been on my shelf since 2020 or 2021 I believe I need a cull as I am highly unlikely to ever read it.

To be fair to the author I have star reviewed based on the average.

I definitely enjoyed the romantic relationship between Orlando and Aiden, and this was a relatively easy romance to read. I would rate my overall opinion of the book at a 3.7 but I rounded it up to 4 stars. I liked that the couple had their own career aspirations and followed them only to end right back into each other’s lives 5 years after their original encounter. I would still recommend this book to others as I did enjoy the story overall.

This has been on my TBR list for years now, and after several starts, I just can't seem to make myself finish it. Sorry!

Easy light hearted read. I enjoyed the storyline and the characters which were well developed. Clever writing from this author

I am sorry for the inconvenience but I don’t have the time to read this anymore and have lost interest in the concept. I believe that it would benefit your book more if I did not skim your book and write a rushed review. Again, I am sorry for the inconvenience.

Eh. Orla and Aiden was boring, the flashback was a little bit fun.
But the characters were boring and the story sort of predictable and not in a good way.

I got this eARC from Netgalley

I loved this book! It is cute and quirky. My husband and I each had our own individual year plans when we met, and we both we adamant that neither of us ever wanted to ever get married ever. Did I say ever? Yes, I loved this one! So much!

I liked the premise of this book and most of the story was fun, but the ending really missed the mark for me. Spoiler warning - the child birth scene thoroughly pissed me off. Aiden's reaction to his entire family barging in on their home birth had me fuming. Not protective of hiss wife and child. Then she literally walks downstairs to entertain them all hours after giving birth. Just no.

Also, where did the career driven woman go? The heroine, Orla, seemed to disappear as the book went on without Aiden seeming to change at all. Even at the end, she seemed consumed by him and their relationship and I never felt that from him, though he definitely seemed to love her.

I enjoyed the writing in The Five Year Plan and the premise, I just wish it had been executed with a little more finesse.

Did not finish. I just don’t think this one is for me. Couldn’t get into it. I will try another time.

A cute second chance romance that was an okay read for me and likely would be a fantastic read for someone else.

A quick fun read and just what I needed. I loved Aidan’s character. Oral irked me sometimes but that’s usually a common thing with me and romance books lol. Definitely a great read for the beach! Thankyou for the free ARC!

I was not able to get into this book and will not be purchasing to try to finish in the future. The plotline did not work for me at the time.

This was such a fun romance! I loved the characters - and how deeply you could feel the love between Aiden and Orla. I was rooting for them the whole time. I thought some parts of the story dragged (like when Orla was feeling sorry for herself), but isn’t that how life goes? Regardless, I enjoyed this quick, almost beachy read, and would recommend it for anyone looking for a relaxing romance!
I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review! Thank you NetGalley!

A lovely entertaining story, full of love and laughter. The main theme of nature and conservation hit the mind, very clever writing.

I like the idea of always having a five-year plan, and this romance was really good. Meeting again and rekindling feelings after 5 years apart is a great setting and Burgess did not disappoint me!