Got to love exes who are thrown back together. I liked the familiar favorite romance tropes and this story set in such a beautiful place.

In this chaotic and entertaining modern romance novel, volcanic ash has grounded flights out of Italy and Callum needs to get back to London. A friend of a friend, Emma, is roadtripping around Europe and could give him a ride to London from Rome. However, Callum and Emma dated a long time ago and are now stuck in her tiny tired van at a leisurely pace across Italy and France. Neither of them want to be stuck in this car, especially since their break up went so poorly, but something seems to be meddling in their reunion that forces them to come to terms with the past so they can move on with their futures. Callum and Emma are quirky, unique, and relatable people with complex personalities and backstories, and these quirks add something charming and whimsical to this novel. The various romantic tropes which befall Callum and Emma are well-chosen and brilliant, adding to the tension between the characters over the course of the novel. Charming, chaotic, enjoyable, and romantic, Callum and Emma’s road trip is a fascinating trip to follow, and fans of Lovett’s books (and other titles from the genre), will definitely enjoy this romantic European adventure.

We Were on a Break was a charming book that I enjoyed reading. It was a bit slow to start but I ended up smiling and really enjoying the story as it progressed. I don't always love a forced proximity trope, but Jo did a great job with this and its characters. Cute book to cozy up with!

A genuinely lovely, heartwarming read. Wonderful characters who are well written with a strong backstory - this is the perfect lighthearted read, whether for a holiday or snuggling down with on the sofa.

I am a big fan of Ms. Lovett’s books.First love, second chance,forced proximity stories are some of my favorite reads. Callum and Emma’s story fell a little flat. There were definitely some fun adventures traveling with a faulty van and meeting some unique people along the way. I just didn’t understand Callum’s thinking behind his choices. He explained himself to Emma but I just thought his reasoning was off. In the end true love prevailed. Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for this free advanced copy. I’m leaving this review voluntarily

i decided to give this book a second chance and it was a cute and breezy story but it didn't hook me as i expected. some things frustrated me like the internal monologue or some attitudes from callum. it ended up being a cute read but some topics could have been handled better.

Thanks NetGalley & the publisher for the copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!

This one was very blah for me. It took a lot to get into the story, and the characters felt very one dimensional and I struggled to connect with them.

Second Chance
Forced Proximity
Road Trip

Emma and Callum haven't seen each other in 12 years after a non-split split. Emma had given Callum an ultimatum to stop drinking, sort himself out and come back to her and he did stop drinking, and he did sort himself out, but he never went back to her.

Suddenly they're thrown together in Rome when Callum is stranded by an Icelandic volcano eruption and he desperately needs a ride back to London. Emma has been road tripping around Europe and is on her way back to London via a few cities in Italy and France. Their mutual friends arranged the connection, thinking they would make a cute couple but not actually knowing that the two of them had once been together.

The story moves pretty quickly and it was fun to read about their exploits in different Italian and French cities along the way. They actually do communicate, which seems like a first for most books! I liked both characters and I was really rooting for them to sort themselves out.

Thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

I enjoyed this book, it was a nice slow burn with a cute ending. The car situation did frustrate me, but it didn't take away anything from my overall enjoyment of the book.

This was actually a slow burn I enjoyed. The concept of the book is what drew me in - but when I realized it was going to be a slow burn, I was a bit nervous. However, I really enjoyed this one. Yes, there were parts that felt a bit repetitive, and it was drug out a bit, but I still found the story cute. I could have done without some of the internal monologue, I don't think it really added to the story. My one wish for the book is that it would have dived a little deeper into Callum's story - it seemed like it was a bit anticlimactic, and I feel like it could have been a good thing for the two characters to dissect together.

3.5 stars
This stroy grew on me. I started out with high hopes, then got a little disappointed as it didn't quite live up to my expectations and Callum seemed like a bit of an odd main male character, but then the story and the characters grew on me and I ended up enjoying the story.
Tropes: second chance romance & forced proximity
I enjoyed going on the journey with Emma and Callum, but I didn't love the characters so was less invested in the story than I would have been if I had loved the characters.

Absolutely fantastic plot! Could not put the book down once I began reading it. I am so glad it has been released! I have recommended it to everyone I know!

I'm a sucker for a second chance romance and I must say this one was so much fun and felt very original. Emma and Callum were amazing and to be honest so brave to end up on a road trip together lol not sure I could do it!

This is not a totally light and fluffy read and does deal with some heavy topics, something i've noticed with all of Jo Lovetts books and so enjoy her take on these types of stories is how she takes a fun topic and makes them feel real and relatable.

I enjoyed this little romp through Europe as we followed Callum and Emma make their way back home in a rusty old campervan, when flights are grounded due to ash.

A really fun summer read.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I picked this up because the premise was so fun, but just couldnt' get through it! I think it would be a great summery read for someone, but for me it was a case of right book, wrong time.

Told from a dual point of view, this second chance romance focuses on the reunion of Callum and Emma. Exes who broke up twelve years ago and are forced to take a road trip due to bad weather.

This was like watching a movie with the adventures these two had. I loved how real and very relatable the author made them out to be, even though Callum was a huge piece of work.



The pacing of the plot was right but it was repetitive in some parts. It started off boring for me and when it picked pace, it was delightful and charming. The will they or will they not was nerve wracking and time consuming.

I love Emma’s free spirit and trusting nature and how she was able to stand up for herself sometimes.

If you love second chance romance, forced proximity then you will enjoy this.

I received an advanced copy and the review is mine and voluntary.

This book starts off so strong and the forced proximity is fantastic. I love a good road trip trope. Especially exes forced together. Their first day on the road was really enjoyable to read, but the rest of the trip became a bit tedious. Their “banter” was mindless. Emma’s head-in-the-sand attitude was frustrating, and Callum’s ridiculously illogical thought process throughout the story almost did me in. I wanted to strangle them both. There’s truly no real conflict here. The pacing is somehow tediously slow and way too fast. The plot is slow but the character and relationship building is rushed and incomplete.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC to review!

I binge read this book! Likeable characters, easy to read storyline, and a lovely ending. A perfect combo! Would recommend

This is one of those books you quickly want to read to find out if there is a happy ending. A very enjoyable book and ticked all the right boxes for me.

Callum needs to get back to London after flights in Rome are grounded. So when a friend hooks him up with someone who can drive him back, the last thing he expects is for the driver to be his ex-girlfriend.
But their relationship was a long time ago, but as time has passed feelings may not have.
I loved this narrative, the close proximity and second chance romance. Emma did grate on me at the beginning, especially with her van, which I wondered how it was legal to be on the road. But she did grow on me and I was itching from the start to see these two characters get back together.
I also liked how this narrative was told from dual points of view so we can see both sides of the narrative which just made the reader more interactive.
This was a great summer read to get lost in, ideal for any romance lover.