On the Road to Love

Love in the City #1

by Melissa Baldwin

Successful Manhattan accountant Stacy Brown is shocked when her almost perfect life unexpectedly crumbles around her. Blindsided by her husband when he serves her with divorce papers and tossed aside by the women she considered her best friends, devastation and depression hit her hard. But when her mother sends her an old photograph of her and two childhood friends, Candace and Olivia, it fuels a desire in Stacy to find that person she once was. What starts as a chance to reconnect turns into an unforgettable road trip back to her childhood home and an encounter with a man from her past.

Gavin Kingsley, son of Stacy's old piano teacher and former annoying boy next door, sparks something in Stacy that she hasn't felt in a long time…maybe never? Despite her hesitation to jump into a relationship, Stacy can't help being drawn to him as she and her girlfriends take a journey of self-discovery, laughs, tears, and hysterical moments.

Can returning to her past give Stacy everything she's been searching for in her future?

Genres: Romance, Fiction, Contemporary Romance

Unknown Binding

First published April 17, 2018

About the author

USA Today bestselling author Melissa Baldwin is a planner-obsessed Disney fan who still watches Beverly Hills 90210 reruns and General Hospital.

She's a wife, mother, and journal keeper, who finally decided to write the book she talked about for years. She took her dream to the next level, and is now an award-winning, bestselling author of twenty-nine Romantic Comedy and Cozy Mystery novels and novellas. Melissa writes about charming, ambitious, and real women, and she considers these leading ladies to be part of her tribe.

When she isn't deep in the writing zone, this multitasking master organizer keeps busy by spending time with her family, traveling, attempting yoga poses, and going on rides at Disney World.

Visit authormelissabaldwin.com to sign up for her newsletter.

Fans of Melissa's books, join her Reader Tribe: https://www.facebook.com/groups/57309...

Reviews

[Dash fan · Rating 4 out of 5]

4☆ A Feel-Good Rom Com!

Stacy has a shock when her hubby Greg hands her divorce papers, then leaves.
Their friends no longer want to see her and quiet frankly she's not having a great time.

Until she meets up with her old school friends (who have drifted apart) who  happen to invite themselves on Stacy's Road trip to see her Mum.
It all sounds like a fantastic trip, getting to know each other again... or it would be fantastic if her friends were talking and it wasn't going to take 18 hours to get there!

On the Road To Love is a Uplifting, Fun, Humorous Adventure, with a fresh start on the Horizon, a Crazy Road Trip, throw in some Friendship Drama, Potential Romance and you have all the ingredients for a fantastic Feel-Good Rom Com!
Oh and that cover just made me smile!


Thank you to Rachel Random Resources for this copy which I reviewed honestly and voluntarily.





You can Find this Review and all my Other Reviews on My Blog :-

https://dashfan81.blogspot.com/2021/0...

[Kristine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fun, laugh-out-loud-funny, story. The characters are sassy, a little outrageous, and a joy to get to know. The author tells the story in a manner full of wit and humor. I look forward to reading more.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher, my review has been voluntarily submitted.

[Paula Bothwell · Rating 4 out of 5]

On the Road to Love (Love in The City Series Book 1) - PG
Violence: none
Language: fewer than 35
Sex: no sex, some kissing
I really enjoyed this book about disconnecting from some relationships and connecting with even more healthy ones. Stacy is a heroine we can all relate to and is a warning against complacency. I loved how she changed her life's course and recovered so well. Gavin is *delicious*.

I want more of this character and her on the road pals!

[Gmr · Rating 4 out of 5]

Personal crisis loves company. Meaning, the timing of the blast from the past photo and the beauty of how the world can connect in seconds, equated to Stacy's having the chance to get reacquainted with her besties from yesteryear. The good news? Both Candace (sorry, C.J.) and Olivia are thrilled to bits to hear from her. The bad news? They would both rather be bald than in the same room with the other...let alone in the same car...let alone without being told they were going to be so they could mentally prepare. Yeah...Stacy definitely had some explaining to do, but all's well that ends well, right? Well, even if it doesn't end on the highest of notes (which, spoiler alert, it does!), she can at least take comfort in catching up with an old acquaintance. The fact that they are a HE and SMOKING HOT and SUCCESSFUL and so OBVIOUSLY INTERESTED it hurts but in the cutest way possible (and they have the best texts and conversations) is beside the point. OH, did I fail to mention that Stacy does have a way of getting in her own way and if her former besties aren't there to make this meet and greet happen, it probably won't? Good thing they were and still are her "ride or die" friends til the end...provided they don't off each other first!

I had a great time with this trio of friends and all the drama their road trip entailed. I mean, if Olivia can "get lost" so her friends have to call in the cops, and Candace can passive aggressively control the driver/passenger situation, then Stacy is surely entitled to use waterworks and emotional meltdown warnings to bring them together! (LOL!) Seriously though, once they saw each other as they are and not simply as they were, the bonds they had were reformed anew, and something that any gal would love in a true life friend. Speaking of bonds, Stacy and Gavin? Whew! A match I couldn't wait to happen, although I admit to waiting for the other shoe to drop at any time...call me a pessimist, but with all the other fireworks, who knew what would happen!


**ecopy received for review; opinions are my own

[Gina Rae Mitchell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wouldn’t we all love to connect with feuding old friends and take an 18-hour road trip together? Hmm. Maybe not, but Melissa Baldwin makes it work in the first installment of her “Love in the City” series.

After being blindsided by a divorce, Stacey decides to road trip from her home in New Jersey to Florida to visit her parents. In a strange turn of events, she invites her long-lost friends along for the ride, not realizing they have been on the outs for years.

Hilarity ensues as they struggle with repressed feelings, frequent bathroom pit stops, and barroom flirting. Once they arrive, we add in the romance when Stacey meets the former boy next door that tormented her youth.

Can the girls' makeup and survive the return trip? Will Gavin win over Stacey? Will Greg, the obnoxious ex-husband, throw a wrench into Stacey’s new-found confidence and plans?

Please read this fast-paced, fun romantic comedy to find the answers to all these questions and more.

I highly recommend this story to anyone who needs to lose themselves in a delightful tale of best friends, rediscovered love, and clean romance. I can’t wait to read the rest of the series!

[Ellie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was gifted an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you @rachelsrandomresources
.
This was a super easy going, fun romance book with some laughs & adventures thrown in.
It follows Stacy, a successful accountant based in New York, whose husband blindsides her with a completely out of the blue divorce. After months of coming home everyday to her too big empty house, & with none of her “friends” really making an effort with her anymore, she decides to head back home to Florida for a holiday. When her mum sends her an old picture of her two childhood best friends, Stacy decides to try reconnecting, & invite them along with her.....& it doesn’t quite go to plan.
This was a really great look at connecting old friendships, whilst also not being afraid to say goodbye to fake friends & toxic people in your life. I really liked the resilience shown by Stacy for overcoming a divorce & moving on with her life. I also adored her mum 😂😂
My drawbacks were that the romance felt too instant love for me, I wasn’t really feeling Stacy & Gavin’s connection but it was sweet to read about.
A book I can imagine curling up by the pool one summer to read

[Honestmamreader · Rating 3 out of 5]

On The Road To Love is the first in the Love In The City series. And it's an absolute joy to read. We follow Stacy Brown on her journey or road trip of discovery 😊

Stacy seemed to have it all. A well paid job in the city. A good social life. And a loving husband. That is until she comes home from work one day and Greg surprises her with a divorce. That was a shock for Stacy and a shock to me (i had forgotten the synopsis by the time I had come to read the book 😜) But, it was good because I was asking the same questions as Stacy was.

When Stacy's mum sends her a photo. This reignites something inside Stacy and she wants to go in search of her old, vibrant self. Cue lots of fun, laughs and reminiscing with her childhood best friends.

On The Road To Love is an absolute smasher of a romantic comedy. It has all the necessary ingredients and just enough cheese to get you all mushy inside.

[InD'tale Magazine · Rating 4 out of 5]

“On the Road to Love” portrays a woman desperate for the love of friends and family, who finds the love of a good man on the way.

Read full review in the 2018 Oct issue of InD'tale Magazine.

[Katherine Hayward Pérez · Rating 5 out of 5]

I did a promotional event for this book some time ago so was pleased when I was invited onto the blog tour for it because I wanted to find out what the book was like. On the Road to Love is the first in the Love in the City series and is a fun book with a simple, laid-back plot that is excellently crafted into a fun thrill ride.

Stacy realises she needs to change her life course after she is unlucky in love. She decides to try and reconnect with friends and feels like she wants to escape New York to go back home to Sunny Florida. She knows that time has passed for her and her friends. How will they react when contacted again?

Slowly, the past and present come together again to reunite three friends for a real adventure.

I loved the fact that Sex and the City was Stacy's outlet for relaxing TV. As a fan of the show myself, it made me want to give in to nostalgia and I found myself watching some episodes.

I really identified with Stacy as I am a considerate person but a worrier just like her. I was proud of her for doing everything.

If you love novels about bonds between friends and rekindling relationships (plus Sex and the City), this is for you. I was reminded of Candace Bushnell's sassy direct writing style when listening to this book via iPad VoiceOver, and I love how refreshing and chic the book is,

Thanks to Melissa Baldwin and publisher for my ARC in exchange for an honest and voluntary review.

5 stars

[Barbara Hackel · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fun book! Well, not certain parts like when Stacy comes home to take-out and divorce papers or her depression afterwards. But a chance photo that her mom sent of her with two best friends taken about 20 years ago sparked a genius idea.
Vacation from her accounting job and a road trip to reconnect with these two friends. One lives in New York City and one near Washington DC. Olivia, the New Yorker who is a model, is also ready for a break and agrees on the road trip to their home town in Florida. Stacy also contacts the other friend, Candice, and gets her to agree to the road trip as well. Wanting to reconnect but knowing the other two were negative towards each other, she kept the dual plans separate. You can't begin to imagine how the road trip goes with the two sparing "friends" after a tense stop in DC. With all this going on, there is (thanks to her mother's sharing of information, a growing phone friendship with Gavin, the son of Stacy's former piano teacher.

Author Melissa Baldwin does a wonderful job telling the story of the road trip and all the excitement and sparing along the way. The eighteen hour road trip complete with an overnight that includes a missing Olivia, culminates in arriving home and the first night and day spent with Stacy's parents. They all go to dinner and "meet" Gavin and friends.

This was a book that was well written and didn't dwell on minutiae or unnecessary detail, leaving the reader always wanting more. It was also a book that I put down with great reluctance and only when I absolutely had to! I would love a sequel to learn what happens with all three girls. The author did give us a good ending, (and hints towards each girl's future) but being a greedy reader when a book like this comes along, I WANT MORE!

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stacy thinks she has it all - a pleasant home, husband, lovely group of friends, and a stellar career. This all comes crashing down one evening when her husband asks for a divorce. This action takes down Stacy’s sense of her perfect life in one fell swoop, so when Stacy’s mother sends her a bit of nostalgia from her past, Stacy decides it may be time to reconnect with old friends and go back to her roots in an unforgettable and adventurous road trip. Along the way, will Stacy find love? And most importantly, will she find herself?

I loved this book. It was engaging, a bit outrageous, sassy, and fun. This isn’t the first book of Melissa Baldwin’s that I have read and it certainly will not be the last. Her style and story telling are so fun!

[K. · Rating 1 out of 5]

I don't write negative reviews. I believe if an author puts the heart and soul into their writing and I don't enjoy a book, then so be it. But, in this case, I am embarrassed to say I read this. It took me days to read because I didn't even want to finish it. Worst book ever. It is written on a Middle school level with the character development, writing style, dialogue and overall plot. The majority of the book is written in first person with limited dialogue. The story jumps around with little transition between sections causing you to reread to understand or try to decipher what just happened. I don't understand how this has so many positive reviews unless the people reading and rating it are young or readers that haven't read an actual good book..

[Angelica Pavelock · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had no intention of liking this book. Just wanted something quick and easy to read. Love this quirky little book.

I want to get in a car and go on a road trip with my two best friends, one who I haven't seen in 25 year and the other in 3 years.

It made me realize that you can go home and there is life after the fall.

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Poor Stacy's life is going from seemingly perfect to down the drain. First her husband serves up divorce papers alongside their nightly takeout, then she finds what she thought was her friends not taking sides was in fact them taking his. Deciding to visit her parents down in Florida, she reaches out to her childhood besties and finds herself on a roadtrip with two bickering former best friends and somehow in contact with the (former) annoying boy next door.

This is really a book about change. Years ago, Stacy, Candace, and Olivia's friendship changed for the worse, but now they have a chance to change it for the better. Stacy thought she had the perfect life but has to change her expectations once the dominos start falling. I'm really glad the author took the time to show us what was less than ideal about her life before things started to change, because as a career girl myself, I'm not a fan of corporate life being portrayed inherently opposite to happiness and romance.

I also appreciated that the roadtrip wasn't an easy reunion, but the girls had to face up to the dissolution of their former friendship and the parts each of them played in it in order to clear the air. I loved seeing bickering give way to acceptance and then friendship, even if it took most of the trip to get there. Stacy's reservations about and relationship with Gavin were both believable and charming. With his attentive patience and understanding, it's no wonder Stacy fell so hard and fast!

Overall, this book was a delightful road trip full of twists and turns, friendship, and love.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher via Rachel's Random Resources; all opinions are my own

[Crystal-Rain Love · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book starts with Stacey Brown coming home from work and immediately being served with divorce papers. She didn't even know she and her husband were having problems so she is completely blindsided. Unfortunately they also have the same set of mutual friends who are now avoiding her. Her mother sends her a picture of her and her two childhood best friends she has lost contact with and Stacey reaches out to the two women, missing the relationship they once had and a time much happier and simpler than what she is going through now. Her mother also mentions she has run into a man Stacey knew as the annoying child of her piano teacher and has passed along her phone number to him.
The friends meet up and take a roadtrip home to Florida, but it is not an easy ride. They all are going through their own issues, individually and with each other.
This was a wonderful story about friendship and finding new love after having your heart stomped on (Stacey's ex is a real piece of work and those new friends... ugh. I kept wanting to see someone get a pie thrown in their face. Any one of them. I wasn't picky.) and once the road trip started I couldn't put this down. I stayed up til well past 1 a.m. to find out how everything worked out for Stacey. She was a very likable character and easy to relate to. I just wish she'd thrown a pie in someone's face, BUT she handled her situation with class the whole journey to her happily ever after.

[Pam Robertson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a true escapist read as you embark on a road trip with Stacy as she returns to her home state of Florida. She reconnects with her childhood friends and takes a hard look at the life she has in the city and the friendships she has there. Stacy's family raise a smile and family and friendship is at the heart of the story.
Stacy is such a relatable character. Reeling from her ex-husband's demand for a divorce she is at a crossroads in her life and has to question whether she wants to carry on with her City life or return to her roots. Stacy's travelling companions have their own dynamic and raise a smile on some occasions. Gavin seems to be the total opposite to Stacy's ex-husband - in fact, almost too good to be true. I enjoyed following Stacy's road trip as she worked out the true friends from the false and put a few angry thoughts to rest.

Thanks to the publisher for a copy of the book

[Mary Tippett · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been reading a lot of "book club books," and needed a light change of pace. I chose this from my Kindle stash, and it filled the bill. Good writing (my pet peeve is the overused phrase,"let out a breath she didn't know she was holding," and I liked how the author referenced this concept with more creative wording -- and only used it a couple of times), delightful text banter between Gavin and the main character, and an enjoyable cast of friends and characters made this book relentlessly entertaining. My only knock was the "tic" (for lack of a better word) the author gave an office cohort that was overused. I almost expected the issue to be resolved in a gratifying way at the end, but no. It felt like this was the only way the author could think of to distinguish that character from other women in the book. Not a big deal, but something that pulled me out of the story a bit. Overall, I would recommend this book for a good quality escapist read.

[Sheri · Rating 5 out of 5]

On the Road to Love (Love in The City Series Book 1) by Melissa Baldwin

Stacy has it all, a successful career, husband and a happy life. Then her husband files for divorce turning her world upside down. She heads off on a road trip for some self reflection and reconnecting with her past.

A fast paced fun plot with a likable lead character. Stacy goes through a major change in her life, and how she handles it is the key to her (eventual) happiness. The characters were well developed, with humor, love, family and romance. Overall I found On the Road to Love enjoyable and feel others will enjoy it as well.

[Nets · Rating 4 out of 5]

This has it all! Childhood friends to lovers... Long lost friends reuniting... Returning to hometown...

We join Stacy just as she gets handed divorce papers seemingly out of the blue. She decides to take the opportunity to go back to her hometown to see her family. Thanks to her Mum, she sets out on getting her two childhood best friends to go with her.

When she gets there, she meets up with a friend from when she was younger and the journey they take together is bigger than the one from New York to Florida!

I thought the characters were really fun to read about and I was really cheering the girls on to regain their relationship.

Also, everyone needs a Gavin.. NO-ONE needs a Greg! 😤

Thank you @mbaldwinauthor for my ARC copy of the book 💛

[Adelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a good book that was a quick, light, and funny read. Stacy doesn’t expect what’s heading her way when she heads home to see her husband Greg. After he tells her that he wants a divorce, Stacy ends up trying to pick up the pieces by going on a road trip with 2 friends from her childhood. At the same time, she starts talking to a man who would annoy her when he was a young boy and the son of her piano teacher. Just a good story of how Stacy moves on from the major change she never saw coming. I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving a free copy from Hidden Gems Books.

[Jennifer Olivas · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fun story about a woman named Stacy, who is on a journey to find her old self again after her husband presents her with divorce papers. She decides to take a road trip back home with two ladies that were her best friends as teenagers. The problem is that those two don't get along anymore. This creates some stressful and amusing moments on their road trip. While she is in no hurry to find another man, Stacy finds herself becoming attracted to the son of her former music teacher. Needless to say that this will be a very memorable trip for Stacy.

[mrsljgibbs · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would just like to say a very big thank you to the wonderful Rachel’s Random Resources who very kindly forwarded me a copy of this book, for my kindle, in return for an honest review.
On The Road To Love is the first book in the Love In The City series and I can’t wait to read the next one already!
I absolutely loved this very funny rom com of a book, it was full of funny moments that made me full on laugh out loud!!
I read this book quite quickly as the story swept along quite nicely and I couldn’t put it down.
I will definitely be coming back and reading more from this author...

[Safari · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well that was unexpected! - I judged this book by its cover...

...And it paid off.

This was romance similar in style to "Sweet - Mills & Boon(Harlequin)" but better. It was a quick read, it had the guaranteed HEA, but there was just something about it that I'm struggling to put into words. I've been reading M&B books for decades so drawing comparisons was not an insult. I love romance and I'm not ashamed to admit it. I'm looking forward to reading the next two books in this series.

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Friends for life

I loved this series about three friends. Stacy, Candace and Olivia had that close friendship in their youth and let misunderstandings and life drive them apart. A photo from that time sets up a roadtrip that ultimately leads to the renewing of the friendship bond and exciting changes in all three lives. Ms Baldwin, I hope you will write just one more book in this series because I want to see what happens in the happily ever after!

[Marilyn Burrows · Rating 5 out of 5]

She’s going to drive on a road trip ,after her divorce. She then surprises 2 friends from their young past but doesn’t bother to tell the others who will be in the car From NYC to Florida. The trip is hazardous, funny, and even thrilling. It’s made better because a piano teacher s son is included in texting her too. All were trying to reconnect. All we’re trying to get past the lull in their lives. All had very funny stories to tell others after their trip

[JoAnn Wells · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoy chic lit comedy but this wasn’t it. Basically broken hearted girl meets boy from past and falls in love. Two old friends appear and lesson is learned that old friends are better than new ones who aren’t real friends. I wasn’t looking for deep (and didn’t get it) but I was looking for funny ...and didn’t get it.

[Ellen Gardner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another fantastic story by Melissa. There is heartbreak, betrayal and there is also lots of fun as 3 friends reunite and go on a road trip that will literally change their lives. I'm really looking forward to reading the next book in the series.

[Karen Bendzus · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great romance

I like that this book is as.much about friendship as it is about romance. Going home again is great too. What I liked best is that her decisions were not all about a relationship

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Entertaining

The delivery of divorce papers, a photo of childhood best friends who have not spoken in years are the beginning of this adventurous road trip. A trip home to recapture loving relationships of friends from the past and family left behind.

[Denota · Rating 4 out of 5]

Friendship is definitely the best gift ever!

This book was a practice in second chances in friendships and love. It is well written and the characters are well developed and lovable, relatable people. I really enjoyed reading it. I hope you will too!