Lucie’s ex husband Miles is getting married to a younger woman in France. Their heavily pregnant daughter Zoe’s train gets cancelled and she has no way of getting to the weddin so Lucie reluctantly offers her a lift, and Zoe’s Chanel obsessed cousin Deva also tags along for the ride. I’ve made that sound less than exciting but of course there are lots of adventures along the way! This is such a fun and charming book. I really, really enjoyed it, and it’s definitely one of Carmen Reid’s best, her trademark humour and attention to details works so well. I loved the theme of taking yourself out of your comfort zone leading to unexpected results. Would thoroughly recommend!

Lucie, recently divorced and struggling with life’s challenges, reluctantly agrees to attend her ex-husband’s wedding after her daughter’s plea for help due to a train strike. She finds herself navigating a low point in her life—dealing with divorce, financial struggles, and her father’s impending death.

The story is rich with subplots, including a journey to Chanel’s birthplace, a touching side story involving refugees, and a heartfelt reconnection with a man from her past. Lucie’s estranged relationship with her daughter is sensitively explored, with their gradual rebuilding portrayed beautifully.

The romance is thoughtfully written, with a realistic balance of cautious hope and genuine connection. The narrative is full of depth and warmth, making it easy to root for Lucie and her loved ones. This is a heartwarming tale about a mature, weathered heroine facing relatable life challenges with resilience and hope.

This is my first read by this author, and I think I will be reading others! Lucie is divorced, and is invited to her ex-husbands wedding. She is not planning on going, but then she her daughter calls because the train is on strike, and Lucie has to drive her and her nephew to the wedding. At this time, Lucie is feeling very low and angry- she is divorced, she is broke, and she is dealing with her father's looming death.
There is quite a bit going on in this story- a trip to the birthplace of Chanel, some refugees that add a wonderful and heartwarming side story, and a reconnection with a man from her past.

I found that I was very engaged in Lucie and her family. She is a bit estranged from her daughter, and I felt that the rebuilding of that relationship was written very well. The reconnection to the man from her past was also well done. There is a "spark", but the characters are also cautious about how this will go- and I liked this realistic touch! There is so much depth, and I found I was rooting for Lucie and all her family and friends the entire time!
This is a heartwarming story, with a FMC that is mature and weathered, dealing with things we all face.

Thank you NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the ARC. This is my honest and voluntary review.

What a fantastic book! After a tumultuous divorce from Miles and losing her business due to his poor financial choices, the last 4 years have been a struggle. Now, as she watches her father's declining health, the last thing Lucie needs (or wants) is to go to Miles' wedding in France! But when Zoe, her pregnant daughter, calls with news the trains are striking and she can't make it to her dad's wedding, Lucie's dad talks her into driving Zoe and taking a short holiday.
Soon, she adds Deva, her nephew from Miles' sister, to the passenger list. Each person is suffering from their own struggles. Lucie, broke and spending all her spare time with her father, harbors so much anger toward Miles for the demise of their marriage and her business. Zoe, 8 months pregnant and still working as an ICU nurse, is trying to figure out if her boyfriend, Rafi, is committed to her and their baby or working on making an exit. Deva, a 20 year old neurodivergent man obsessed with Coco Chanel and the theater, is studying business to appease his parents. Each have a life epiphany on a road trip to Southern France, changing the course of their lives and relationships.
Family, marriage, love, and loss- all stepping stones in life- are explored, shared, and realized in the all-encompassing story.

When Lucie receives an invitation to her ex’s wedding she is not going. Her dad is sick and she wants to spent as much time with him. Plans don’t work and now she’s driving to France with her daughter and her nephew Deva. It’s a long drive filled with memories, dreams and truths.
I love Carmen Reid’s books, I’m so glad she’s back, I read all her first books 20 years ago and they don’t disappoint. Full of smiles and laughs with a touch of sadness. A fun witty 5 star read.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for a copy.

What a truly intriguing and heartfelt story!
When I first started reading Stuck in Second Gear, I wasn’t quite sure it was going to be a book for me. Boy, did I change my mind as I read on.
The author takes us on an adventure through France while sharing second chances, letting yourself be yourself no matter what and how strong family love can be. The author also touches on serious topics while being sensitive.
Definitely take the time to read Stuck in Second Gear. You will be pleasantly surprised with everything about this uplifting story.

Thank you NetGalley, Boldwood Books and the author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

What an absolutely fun and adventurous read. Lucie was such a great character for this book and I found her delightful, funny, quirky and so much fun to follow along with on her journey. This book had me hooked from the start as I do love a book about family and all the problems and craziness that go along with it.

This is such an easy book to read but you really do get involved and actually take sides. This book made me laugh, it was entertaining and enjoyable to read adn was a highlight of my week.

Thank you NetGalley and Boldwood Books for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

I love Lucie! She is a riot. She went from living life a comfortable privileged life to having it all fall apart when her husband left and found his new “happy”. He is an idiot who left her broke and with a daughter who is barely speaking to her. To add insult to injury he is now marrying a is now marrying a much younger woman and acting like an overgrown toddler himself. Her very angry and very pregnant daughter and nephew need a ride to the wedding that she wants nothing to do with. What is a mother to do? Off they go on a crazy road trip to Lucie rediscovering who she is, what she wants and to taking charge of her life again. A fun, light laugh out loud listen. Not the book to read int he middle of the night when you’re fighting insomnia and trying to sleep! Enjoyable and I like how this author shows women growing, moving forward and finding their power.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The characters were so relatable and the story was great fun with some sadness at times. I would thoroughly recommend.

Really enjoyed reading this book! One that I couldn’t put down once I started. Definitely will be on the look out for more from this author.

Thank you!

This was a sweet and touching story about the power of love, giving yourself grace, and the magic of second chances and being yourself.
This is a great fit for fans of Remarkably Bright Creatures, but European with autism representation. Completely different stories, but the heartwarming feels the same 💗

Reluctant Road Trip..
Reluctant road trip to France turns uproarious and unexpected in this humour laden jaunt featuring a cast of eccentric, eclectic and larger than life characters. Her ex husbands wedding is not Lucie’s idea of a good time, certainly no holiday, but when circumstances conspire what on earth can she do? Amusing, heartwarming and uplifting in equal measure - a solid escapist read.

Lucy was divorced from Miles and they had a daughter named Zoe. Miles left Lucy in a bind owing quite a bit of money after divorce and now he is getting married. Miles and his new bride Jacasta to be is having a destination wedding at a very expensive venue. Zoe wants to go to her Dad’s wedding but she is very pregnant so her mom says she will drive her there. Then Lucile’s nephew Deva wants to ride with them because he is obsessed with Coco Channel and he wants to visit places of interest to her. Lucid was going to rent a room and just enjoy herself and not attend her ex-husband’s new marriage but she ended up going. One of the funniest things is when Lucie does something to the wedding cake. I laughed so hard I was literally crying.

I received this ARC from Netgalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

A road trip, romance, divorce, grief and a lesson in Neuro diversity and Chanel. I love the story over all and the many characters. some parts were a little far fetched (the main character is absolutely skint but her father who she has a fabulous relationship with is very wealthy and the channel crossing with refugees) but a lovely easy read.

Lucie reluctantly drives her daughter and her nephew to the wedding of her ex-husband. The road trip turns out to be a very good thing for all the passengers.
I loved reading this book! It has so many likable characters and the story was completely uplifting. I felt for Lucie from the start and wished for her to have a happy ending. But I also absolutely liked Deva's character.
A very entertaining book that I will definitely recommend to friends!

Another great fun totally relatable read from Carmen! Full of middle life angst, reality and a sprinkling of frivolity!
Absolutely raced through this book as I became more and more invested in Lucie and how she rediscovered her true self after being divorced, crippled with debt and living a dreary life as a newly divorced middle aged woman!
The metamorphosis into a vibrant, fulfilled, solvent woman who was ready to live and love again was remarkable!
A wonderful road trip in her dads old car, accompanied by her daughter and nephew through France to her ex husbands wedding was the catalyst for that change aided and abetted by her passengers, the wonderful scenery, and an old flame!
A great read that will keep you entranced from start to finish
Thank you NetGalley for this early read

Lucie is not inclined to travel to the south of France to the weeding of her ex-husband but somehow she ends up driving there in her dying father's jaguar with her very pregnant daughter, neuro-diverse nephew and a lot of emotional baggage. This is light and fun reading with occasional darker undertones and a positive and optimistic ending. I loved it.

This is the first book I’ve read by this author and I really enjoyed and I will definitely be working my way through her previous novels.
Lucie’s ex husband Miles is getting married to a younger woman in France while Lucie has been saddled with all his debt.
After certain events occur she ends up driving her daughter and eccentric nephew in her dying father’s prized Jag. What follows is an eventful drive to France and an even more eventful wedding.
An excellent read full of fun, laughter,heartbreak and romance.
Thanks to NetGalley, Carmen Reid and Boldwood Books foe an advance copy in exchange for an honest and unbiased review,

"Stuck in Second Gear" is a glorious, funny and endearing story of a road-trip through France which proves to be the adventure of a lifetime. As Lucie chauffeurs her daughter and nephew in her father's old Jaguar she re-discovers her younger self and her old joie de vivre. Carmen Reid has given us a book about friendships, family, love and looking out for others. If only everyone had half as much compassion as Lucie.

Thanks to Net Galley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review an early copy of this book.

This was a super quick and easy read. My first by this author but definitely will not be my last.
A great story about family and creating a new life after divorce and losing a loved one.
Lucie’s daughter can’t get to her fathers wedding in France due to a train strike, so against her better judgment, Lucie sets off to drive her daughter and her nephew to his wedding in France, and an adventure awaits them all. While on the trip, her nephew Deva, talks her into a side trip to see the birthplace of his idol, Chanel, and we get a bit of history through his character. We also meet some refugees in a side storyline which really added an element of depth to the story that I didn’t even know I wanted.
Overall this was a fun, feel good read and I enjoyed the ride.
Thanks to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for this eArc in exchange for my review.