Childhood best friends Mikki and Lark have been stuck for years working the night shift at the Travel Stop gas station and convenience store right off their small town highway. One night, a mysterious customer driving a flashy BMW asks Mikki to take a leap of faith and travel with him to Florida. She accepts, and is never seen again.
Eight years later, the mysterious customer comes back to the Travel Stop hoping Mikki is still around. Lark finally gets a chance to find out what really happened to Mikki.
The premise of this book caught my attention right away and I was hooked from the first pages. However this was really a slow burn. The characters and the setting were intriguing and mysterious but I was hoping for more action and reveals along the way. The twist at the end was good and I would have never seen it coming. I enjoyed the writing as well.
Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Another engrossing read from Strawser. She's on my must-read list!

*Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an e-galley in exchange for an honest review.

This was an intriguing read. When Mikki jumps in the car with a stranger and leaves town, she leaves behind her best friend Lark. Eight years on, no sign of Mikki, and Lark is getting by. Set in dual timelines, the events of 2016 link up with 2024 in a very interesting way, certainly, not what I expected. Lot of secrets and twists and turns, and a strong friendship make this a real page turner. Thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for a copy to freely review.

Thank you NetGallery for the ARC.
SPOILERS inside:
This was a quick read full of many ~ominous~ comments that I feel did not materialize well. We follow two timelines and two best friends. I was very interested in Mikki’s 2016 timeline and board with Lark’s 2024 story. After reading it all and trying to feel what the characters would’ve felt I just feel like many things were disproportionately blown up. There was no twist, you see it coming, you can guess one of two endings. There’s no fun epilogue or exciting happy ending. It’s a fictional thriller… just write up the happy ending ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ no need to pretending these two best friends who you paint as THE BEST OF FRIENDS don’t know if they can move forward from this misunderstanding… as if. They should’ve been running and hugging, not standing and staring. But sure.
Wouldn’t recommend and I’m not rushing to pick up the other seven books from this author.

"You can’t always get what you want.”

For ‘almost 30 and stuck in life’ Mikki Jensen and Lark Nichols, the above lyrics taunted them.

The women were working at a travel stop in Becksville, Ohio, and had a limited outlook on life and limited resources to do anything about their disappointment. When Chris Redmond, a complete stranger, stops to get a coffee for his road trip, he off-handedly invites Mikki to join him…and she impulsively accepts. His motivation in asking was he was looking for a traveling buddy and date for his sister’s wedding in Florida. Mikki’s motivation in accepting was a lifetime of regret. The two head off, Mikki wanting a vacation from herself, and Chris looking to “make a statement by bringing some rando to a family occasion.”

They live it up at the Topaz Resort in Amelia Island and enjoy the wedding…but Mikki never returns home.

I was glued to the pages of this perfectly paced mystery. I needed to see what happened to Mikki, and how Lark, who had a codependent relationship with her friend, continued to live in a world where Mikki wasn’t coming back. I enjoyed the alternate settings of 2016 and 2024 and how Strawser used these to give me a little more information just when I needed it. Strawser’s theme of untaken roads, survivor’s guilt and regret were seamlessly integrated into a well-plotted mystery and I loved how she wove in the importance of harnessing the ‘power of yet’ when discussing her characters’ desires and achievements. I know I’ll never look at any travel stop again without thinking of Mikki and Lark!

Strawser’s novel featuring the powerful motivation of regret is one you’ll want on your reading list ASAP!

I was gifted this copy by Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

Mikki and Lark are two women bonded together by rough upbringings and a lackluster truck stop. When Chris-“prince charming” enters the picture and whisks Mikki away for a trip to Florida it couldn’t have been more than perfect for her. Or was it? What darkness did Chris bring Mikki into resulting in her going missing? Lark would never feel quite the same until she located her friend/pseudo-sister/family. What lengths will Lark go to as she uncovers the truth? “Catch You Later” was hard to put down and full of twists and turns. A great summer read. Thank you Net Galley and Lake Union Publishing for allowing me to complete an honest review of this ARC.

Jessica Strawser is a wonderful storyteller, and I have been enjoying her books since I came across the first one 5 years ago. Hence I was delighted to have the opportunity to review this story on Netgalley.


Lark and Mikki were best friends, two young women working together at the highway travel stop, with decidedly limited prospects. They seemed set to continue on that path, until Mikki suddenly took off with a stranger and was never heard from again.

Nearly a decade later, Lark has come to terms with the situation as best as she can, rebuilding her life with her young daughter and Highway Patrol Officer fiance. She also helps out Mikki's grandmother, whom she is close to, and who is increasingly unable to look after herself.

In the midst of all this, the last thing anyone expects is for the stranger who took Mickey away years ago to show up enquiring about her whereabouts!

So, what actually happened to Mikki? And what if anything, does Lark know about it?

This is an intriguing story well told, and another great book from Jessica Strawser. Worth a read.

Best friends Mikki and Lark are working dead in jobs in their small town. Neither have much family, just Mikki’s grandmother. But when a stranger stops for a drink and invites Mikki to accompany him on a road trip to a destination wedding in Florida, she throws caution and responsibility to the wind and gets in his car.
Lark tries to stop her, but Mikki is determined to see the ocean. I mean, what could possibly go wrong? Well plenty because the story picks up eight years later and Lark has not heard one word from Mikki. Besides desperately missing her friend, she’s consumed with guilt. But why?
I made a lot of different guesses about what happened to Mikki while I was reading. Yes, the author got me because none of them were correct. I didn’t love the reveal, but after thinking about it for several days, I realized that it made sense. The story is told in the past by Mikki as we learn what happened on that fateful trip. Most of Lark’s chapters are in the now, and I must say, she really really did suffer. I wound up liking this book a lot.

Thanks to this ARC of Catch You Later from NetGalley, I am adding everything that Jessica Strawser has ever written to my TBR list. This is an unpredictable must-read about two best friends whose lives are irrevocably changed when Mikki agrees to go to a destination wedding with a good-looking stranger. Lark tries to stop her but Mikki makes the split second decision to be spontaneous... and then she's never heard from again.

Lark refuses to give up hope that Mikki is alive, and when her best friend's wedding date comes back eight years later looking for Mikki, Lark embarks on an investigation of her own to finally uncover the truth. With the help of Mikki's exasperating-but-lovable grandmother and Lark's loyal fiance (who also happens to be a law enforcement officer, which sometimes comes in handy and sometimes gets in the way), they embark on a journey to learn what really happened the weekend of the wedding.

This is the true definition of a five-star read.

Catch You Later is an interesting variation on a woman disappearing: DId she want to disappear? Is she still out there somewhere? This started off very strong for me, but did drag somewhat during the middle. There was not enough action and I got a little bored; but I did definitely wanted to know what happened to Mikki so I stuck with it. Not as strong as the author's previous novel, The Last Caretaker. But worth the read. Thank you NetGalley for this ARC.

Mikki and Lark are best friends living in a small town, both longing for adventure. Lark gets hers in an unexpected pregnancy, and Mikki is committed to step up for the (married) man who will not.
Enter Chris, the dashing stranger passing through town on his way to a wedding. He an Mikki hit it off, and he invites her to join him for a resort getaway in exchange for her being his date. What could go wrong???
Well, Mikki doesn't come back, and the mystery of what happened to her is told between alternating timelines - Lark in the "present," and Mikki eight years ago, that fateful weekend where she was whisked away.
I liked the mystery, though the book felt too long and dragged in places. Ultimately I stuck with it to know what happened to Mikki, and it all wrapped up nicely. Mikki had chemistry with the mystery man, and I was disappointed that (spoiler alert!) they never got together. Felt like an odd choice to have it start out so promising with undertones of romance only to go nowhere.
3.5 stars rounded up to 4 for me.

Catch You Later by Jessica Strawser
Rating:3/5
Release Date: 4 July 2024

In this desolate town, Lark and Mikki rely solely on each other for companionship and support, clinging to their bond while toiling away on the night shift at the highway travel stop. However, their stagnant lives take an unexpected turn when a stranger breezes through, en route to Florida, and Mikki impulsively joins him, vanishing without a trace.

Eight long years pass, during which Lark struggles to rebuild her life for the sake of her young daughter and Mikki's elderly grandmother, who now requires care. Gradually, the community's accusatory glares fade, and Lark finds solace in her engagement to a kindhearted highway patrolman. But when the mysterious figure from Mikki's past resurfaces, seeking Lark's assistance, uncertainty grips everyone involved.

This book was definitely a slow burn. By the time the action began, I was a little bored and not as interested as I was when I started it. I would have enjoyed some twists or reveals earlier into the book to keep me hooked

The initial premise piqued my interest, prompting me to give this book a chance, and the quality of writing did not disappoint. However, despite the prolonged build-up, the eventual revelation failed to deliver the jaw-dropping impact I had anticipated.

Furthermore, I found it difficult to suspend disbelief regarding the grandmother's ability to maintain such a significant secret, especially considering her portrayal as experiencing early stages of dementia. This inconsistency detracted from my overall engagement with the plot.

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Lake Union Publishing, and the author, Jessica Strawser, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest and fair review.

A gripping tale of two best friends, one who disappears when a stranger comes to town. Will keep you up late as you race through the pages!

Thank you for the ARC copy of this book.

This book was definitely a slow burn. The description had me very excited to read the book and I really enjoyed the premise. However it was a bit too slow. By the time the action began, I was a little bored and not as interested as I was when I started it. I would have enjoyed some twists or reveals earlier into the book to keep me hooked. However, I give 5 stars to the characters. I really did care about the main characters Mikki and Lark, as well as Nini. It was refreshing to have a book about 2 female best friends. Following, the writing in this book was amazing. The author is very gifted at descriptions and giving visuals, Overall, I give this book 3/5

A powerful story about the bonds of friendships and the lengths we'd go to protect the people we love, Catch You Later is full of emotion and nail biting suspense, propelling you to keep turning pages until the very last word. I loved this book!

Where did Mikki go? That’s the central question of this tightly plotted psychological suspense. Jessica Strawser deftly explores female friendships, the ties that bind you to the place you’re from, and the things that can pull you away from everything—and everyone—you know. Along with trying to solve the mystery at the heart of this fantastic read, I found myself wondering whether I’d make the same choices, which is what all the best novels do. Pick this one up. You won’t regret it.

I thought that this was an interesting storyline, but it left me a little bored throughout the book.

Really great story line, honestly thought this would end up like any other horror movie where you goon a trip with someone you don't know.

The plot was great, did not see the curveballs coming, and honestly, kind of surprised about the ending and the secrets that were kept.

Thank you NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for my E-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for access to this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

2.5 ⭐️ rounded up to 3 ⭐️

All spoilers are marked as spoilers on my StoryGraph review. This book’s description caught my eye and I was excited to read what I assumed would be a tense road trip thriller and/or a small-town mystery. Unfortunately it was more of a contemporary fiction and had many elements of an opposites-attract romance. There were many plot points that felt way too far fetched, such as Mikki, a grown woman with real life tragic experiences, being gullible enough to hop in a car on a cross country road trip with an absolute stranger. Additionally, I felt that the author focused too much of the plot on Mikki’s time in FL and her relationship with Chris and the actually mystery elements/plot twists felt rushed and kind of misplaced after reading so much about Lark’s relationship with Heath, her daughter Dove, and the found family with Nini, as well as Mikki and Chris’ awkward romance-ish vibes.

I was really hoping/expecting that this would be a proper thriller. That said, this author’s writing is solid and flowed easily (though the book could have been a bit shorter). Any readers that are more open to a contemporary fiction with some mystery elements sprinkled in will enjoy this.

Oh just WOW!! Another fantastic read by Jessica Strawser. A definite go-to author for me and she delivers big time! Where to start? The characters were awesome. Every single one of them. Easy to love or love to hate. Great setting. Easily identifiable and a joy to sink into. Fabulous secrets, lies and reveals. Had no idea who to trust.
Thank you NetGalley and jessica Strawser for the opportunity to read and review this book.