Off the Map by Trish Doller is the third book in her popular Beck Sisters series and can easily be read as a stand-alone. So far, Off the Map is my favorite story of the series. Story Recap: Carla Black has lived her life traveling the world as her only parent, her father taught her when she was growing up. With her jeep named Valentine, she travels the world in search of adventure. She’s a loner and only stays in one place long enough to make more money for her adventure fund. She doesn’t do attachments. Eamon Sullivan is a cartographer in Dublin. He makes digital maps that help others find their way, but he hasn’t been able to find his own way in a long time. He isn’t happy at work, was recently dumped, and has lost direction in his life. When fate throws them together, can Eamon and Carla find a way to stay together? My Thoughts: As I said above, this is my favorite of the Beck Sisters' stories so far. I love adventure so I really connected with Carla and her adventurous spirit. Eamon was a very swoon-worthy hero. He comes from a large Irish family but is also vulnerable and damaged. Although Carla and Eamon become romantic almost instantly, it takes time for their feelings to grow, and as they travel together across Ireland, they start to appreciate each other and become friends as well as lovers. It was clear to me that they are kindred spirits, but it took them some time to figure it out. I enjoyed their adventures together and loved seeing characters from the first novel in the series. Recommendation: I highly recommend, Off the Map to anyone who enjoys romance. I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I enjoyed this book very much, with its links to Float Plan, a book I adored and have re-read. Anna and Keane, the couple from Float Plan, are getting married, and Carla (Anna's best friend) is to be the maid of honor and Eamon (Keane's brother) is to be best man. They could not be more different, as Carla can't stay put and Keane works from home. Carla is a wanderer - she works a few months a year as a bartender to save money for her next adventure. She and her dad Biggie did this when she was growing up - travelling everywhere, sleeping in tents, and cooking over an open fire. Her mother was mostly absent so Biggie was both mother and father to her. Now Biggie has dementia and lives at his home with her second wife, his caregiver. Carla has not seen him in several years as the change in him is intensely painful to her. She is running from the reality of it. I had my own opinion of her choice to stay away but it is probably not uncommon. Dementia is common in my family and I suppose I learned to accept the person you love however they are. The wedding is in Ireland and Carla and Keane decide to travel there together in Keane's 1973 Land Rover. Along the way they have various adventures, both good and bad. I think they Irish tavern they stumbled into was my favorite. I enjoyed this book very much and highly recommend it for the unusual characters, the charm of the road trip, and Carla's growth in regard to her father and his condition. My thanks to the publisher St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the review copy of this book. It was a pleasure to voluntarily read and review it.

Thanks to the Book Club CookBook & St. Martin’s Griffin for an advance reader's copy. All comments and opinions are my own. I was eager to read this as I’ve read Trish Dollar’s other two Beck Sisters rom-coms, ("Float Plan” and "The Suite Spot”). While all are basically stand-alones, some of the characters reappear in each book, giving a sense of continuity and recognition. In this latest one Carla Black has been traveling the world on her own for nearly a decade after having honored her dad’s request that she wouldn’t come home to see him deteriorating from dementia. When she arrives in Dublin to attend her best friend’s wedding (Anna from “Float Plan”) she meets (and falls for) Eamon Sullivan. This goes against Carla’s vow to avoid love and commitment. She says it’s just a fling, though Eamon senses their chemistry is more than a temporary hookup. While Carla and Eamon enjoy each other’s company as they travel through Ireland (several steamy scenes), we can see that their relationship is developing into something with potential. I enjoyed the second half of the novel more than the first, when Carla comes home to spend quality time with her dad after all. This was when the story became heartwarming and bumped up my rating from 3 to 4 stars as Carla allowed herself to acknowledge her emotions. She and her dad spend time together and connect even when he is experiencing memory loss issues. So Trish Doller has written another memorable book. This is a light-hearted romance with seriously nuanced elements of real life.

series, romance, women-s-fiction, adult, travel, ireland, road-trip, contemporary*** This is the first I've read by the author/series. The rootless wanderer meets internet cartographer, and the sparks fly. Each is emotionally self-protective but not physically. Interesting read. I requested and received a free ebook copy from St. Martin's Press/St. Martin's Griffin via NetGalley.