The Other Fork in the Road

💫 Very 2000s-romcom-movie kinda read, I loved it! It's a fast-burn romance with a lot of cute banter and slapstick humor -- it's hard to make the latter work in a book, but this book had scenes that were so well-written, I was literally laughing out loud at some of them
💫 I really enjoyed the found family moments 💜 every scene with Grant was so beautiful
💫 Do I sense a book 2 in this series with Zoey and Austin? ...

-- ty to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for an advanced copy!

In The Other Fork in the Road, New York socialite Madison Clark’s life is flipped upside down after a disastrous public humiliation and a magical tea plunge her into a life of poverty in Montana. With a maxed-out credit card and a zero balance, Madison must navigate her new reality, mend family ties, and survive in a world far removed from her glamorous past. The book is a wonderful blend of humor and heart, capturing Madison’s transformation with charm and wit. I enjoyed reading it because the quirky premise and witty dialogue kept me laughing and rooting for Madison’s journey of self-discovery.

Hold onto your hats and get ready for a whirlwind of laughs and life lessons with The Other Fork in the Road! 🌟 When Madison Clark, a glamorous New Yorker, wakes up in a dingy apartment with no cash and a whole lot of trouble, she’s in for the most unexpected adventure of her life. From Montana’s wild wedding antics to bonding over beer chugs and cows, this book is pure fun! If you’re looking for a hilarious ride with a fabulous transformation story, grab this book ASAP! You won’t regret it! 😄📚

Apparently writing great romance runs in the family! I enjoyed this book SO much and I just couldn’t put it down. I stalled a little bit to start, but once I did, I read it all in one go.

The story is about Madison, a rich woman who after a terrible night goes to a psychic and wishes her life was different, and when she wakes up, she has to live up to her wishes to get her old life back, and start mending some fences and being a better person in order to get there.

I loved how we could see Madison’s development so clearly and how she truly grown at the end of the book. This book has everything: forgiveness, acceptance, romance, family, simplicity. It’s a deep layered journey and I dare you not to fall in love with the characters and sweet Jax.

At first, I thought it was going to be more of a story about a rich girl having to go through a “poor life”, and value her money and her good life but I was surprised when I saw the character realize everything that is expensive is not necessarily the best. Reading it felt like seeing the story of a dear friend of mine finding her place in the world - not just physically, but emotionally.

Thank you NetGalley, the publisher and author for providing me this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
PS: Is it too much to ask for a Zoey / Austin sequel?

The Other Fork in the Road by Mary Lee Painter • ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Read: 9/13-9/16 2024

✨ ARC Review ✨

Thank you so much NetGalley for this ARC!!

Let me just start by saying that I love Love LOVE this book!!

This was a super cute rom-com with forced proximity and found family, and I absolutely love that it included foster families and adoption (as an adoptee myself)!! Everything about this book is amazing - from the characters, to the plot, to the dialogue and inner thoughts - *chef’s kiss*

There were so many funny and sweet moments that I really want to share, but I can’t, so go read it and find out for yourself! Thank you Mary Lee Painter for writing this masterpiece ❤️ I can’t wait to read your next book!!

Releases September 17, 2024
Amazon Pre-order link: https://a.co/d/d1hWURU

This easily became one of my top reads for the year. Such a captivating romcom with some very interesting characters that all worked their way into my heart. Madison and Jax are so funny and their chemistry is amazing.

I lovedddd this book!! So much!!! It’s definitely one of my favourite romances. I loved all the characters and the plot. Madison and Jax were the cutest and them with Grant as well, I loved him!

I thought the plot was interesting, I liked the mystery aspect of it too. As much as I loved the ending I would’ve really liked if there was more closure. At least another chapter or two because it felt a bit incomplete with the plot especially with the start of the book being mostly about the psychic.

Honestly I was a bit scared to read to read this because i’ve never read a book with one of the main characters having my name. It wasn’t as weird as I thought and it was really enjoyable.

I highly recommend this book for any small town rom-com enjoyer with a city girl fmc and a small town mmc, with found family!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Satin Romance for an arc in return for a free review!!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5 (rounded up)

Absolutely amazing! Such a cute read! Highly recommend this one! 5/5 stars! I enjoyed every second! Lots of giggles and kicking of feet too!

When Lynn Painter posted that her sister, Mary Lee Painter, had a book coming out next week, I ran to request it!! I was so excited to get my hands on it; so thank you, NetGalley, for my eARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book is 🧑‍🍳 💋 !! The premise of the book and what takes Madison to Montana is quite fun. I loved seeing her character growth, her quirkiness (she is unapologetically herself, and I love it!), her heart (it's so big!!), her truly living; it was a breath of fresh air. Jax, the MMC, is swoony and goes after what he wants and is open and honest; his heart for his adopted mom, his adopted brother, the farm, and to be a foster parent is so heartwarming. I loved the wit and banter between Madison and Jax; the sexual tension is 🔥. I laughed out loud too many times to count; just fun all around. The side characters are all fabulous, I especially loved Grant, the foster boy. If you can write a believable kid character, I'm all in.

I so look forward to more books from Mary Lee! Also, I think I want a she-shed more than ever now. 🤭😂

5⭐️ Thank you to NetGalley and Melange Books for an advanced copy of The Other Fork In The Road.

Madison has been humiliated by her boyfriend in front of a group of there friends and while she is drowning her woes her and her sister Zoey visit a psychic. That night when she gets home she drinks the tea the psychic gave her and in the morning she wakes up as not the New York socialite with the wonderful apartment but in a dump with none of her belongings. She tracks the psychic down and finds out the universe is giving her a chance to find out who she really is and to make some changes in her life. One being reconciling with her dad. She decides to go to Montana for his wedding and meets Jax the son of her father’s soon to be wife. The connection is instant and Madison soon has to choose her path in life.

This book was so good! The writing was fabulous, the characters were great and easy to connect with, and the story got my attention from the beginning!

When I read the blurb, I knew I was going to devour this like a greedy gremlin at midnight. And I absolutely did. This was such a great new take on the romance genre, at least for me to read about and it was so intriguing, genuine and just so much fun to read!

A huge thanks to Netgalley and Melange Books for letting me read this book

"There are certain times in life when we end up exactly where we should be."

This book was a amazing surprise! I was stuck in a reading slump, and it was the only book that pulled me out of it. It’s very rare that any book truly blows me away, let alone a debut. But I’m so glad I said yes to “The Other Fork in the Road ”

Seeing Madison, used to her glamorous lifestyle, try to navigate this new world was both funny and touching. And her chemistry with Jax, the rough-around-the-edges Montana guy? It hit all the right notes. Their banter had me hooked. Beyond the laughs and romance, the book also touched on personal growth and really made me think about what’s important in life.

I’m looking forward to Mary Lee Painter next book, and am eager to see where her next book takes us.