Alice and the Impossible Game

by Anna Foxkirk

When the ridiculously impossible becomes hilariously true . . .

Alice Havoc is raised to believe in the impossible...until she finds herself in an improbable her gap year travel plans hit a major roadblock—thanks to her identical twin sister, Tilly, who bails without apology or explanation, leaving Alice stranded and penniless in Australia. Admittedly, Alice hasn’t always been the best of sisters. Desperate to mend their relationship, she reluctantly agrees to Tilly’s absurd ‘Impossible Things Game’.

But Alice didn’t count on Guy Balcombe being thrown into the mix.

Musician, Guy, wants a quick focused solely on his career and committed only to his band, RiffRaff, he’s down a member of his band, broken his hand and needs someone to drive him home for his brother’s wedding.

A road trip together is not on either of their itineraries and could throw a spanner in Alice and Guy’s best-laid plans and New Year’s resolutions.

Will hearts be wrenched or fixed? Will Alice and Guy become unhitched or stitched? There’s only one way to find fasten your seatbelts and brace yourself for a rollercoaster ride of a story.

Feel the sizzle, laugh at the havoc and dare to believe in the impossible!

Lovers of books by Christina Lauren, Lynn Painter and Ali Hazlewood will not want to miss this unputdownable new book from award-winning author Anna Foxkirk.

302 pages, Paperback

Published March 8, 2024

About the author

Voted Favorite Debut Romance Author of 2020 by the Australian Romance Readers Association, Anna Foxkirk writes romance stories filled with love, laughter and happy ever after...

Anna loves foxtrotting with words and she's a fiction vixen (her 'cunning' means never getting caught without a book), but she's seldom bushy-tailed! Anna has an MA in Modern History from St Andrew’s University, Scotland, served as an officer in the military for seven years (including four operational military tours in war-torn Bosnia and living in Edinburgh Castle) and nowadays, when she's not writing or reading, she enjoys a quiet(ish!) life working as an English and humanities teacher.

Born in Fiji, Anna has spent most of her life trotting the globe. She loves sea-swimming (frequently) and line-dancing (badly). Her love of adventure, romance and humor blaze a trail through her stories.

You can find out more from her website: https://www.annafoxkirk.com/news

Or connect with Anna on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/annafoxkirk/

Reviews

[Brooke · Rating 4 out of 5]

fun and flirty road trip romance, Anna Foxkirk’s Alice and the Impossible Game was an amusing and adventurous novel which I cruised through in a couple of sittings.

Alice Havoc is enjoying a gap year in Australia when her travel plans hit a road block thanks to her sister Tilly leaving her without any warning or explanation. Determined to mend the relationship with her sister and find out why she left so suddenly, Alice agrees to play Tilly’s ridiculous Impossible Things game. As a further obstacle, she gets caught up with Guy Balcombe, gorgeous lead singer of up and coming band Riff Raff, and through a series of disasters ends up having to drive him from Brisbane to Melbourne for his brother’s wedding. Being stuck in a van together for 1800 kilometres, what could possibly go wrong?

I absolutely adored the MCs in this heartwarming and hilarious story. Alice Havoc certainly lives up to her name with some of the crazy situations she gets herself into and all the while there is Guy, the swoonworthy muso. The chemistry and banter between these two is fabulous and there was the perfect level of tension and spice to keep me turning those pages.

If you love light hearted rom-coms with loveable MCs, then this is one I highly recommend you pick up.

[Felina Pittman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alice and the Impossible Game is a love story with hilarious overtones and a coming of age romantic comedy. When two strangers Guy Balcombe and Alice Havoc meet, courtesy of Alice's twin sister Twister their initial acquaintanceship was not a walk in the park but rather a stormy one. The relationship however later on evolved into a more meaningful and amorous friendship after a road trip where they got to know each other's personalities better.

The writer was skillful in laying down the sexual tension between the two main characters in the narrative. The amusing moments were paced well and timed appropriately and were measured just right to maintain the reader's attention span.

IF you want a lightweight reading material as a diversion at the end of the day, then this is the book for you!!!

[Sharianne Creber]

I really needed to read this after a rough couple of days. It was a pure tonic. I loved the style of writing by the author, seeing both sides of the story.

A love story with a difference, Alice and Tilly have gone travelling for a year in Australia. The story starts just after Tilly has unexpectantly gone back to England leaving the band that the devilishly handsome Guy fronts in the lurch. In steps Alice and saves the day and fills in for Tilly on New Years Eve. Nobody knows its not Tilly as the girls are identical twins! Guy and Alice are getting on really well at Guys place, when in the heat of passion Guy calls her Tilly!!!!!

This is the story of missed opportunities, misunderstood situations, love, dangerous games and a fab VW camper called Vanessa.

This is a charming tale in which the author has you believe you are in the story. The characters jump from the page and come to life in your mind. We can all relate to either Guy or Alice.
This has been my best read so far this year!

I received a complimentary copy of the book from the author via Voracious Readers Only. Thanks!

[Jessica (bibliobliss.au) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fans of road trip romances and zany misadventures should check this out!

I’ll admit, I seem to have a challenging relationship with road trip books, the ‘journey with a deadline and then plans go awry’ plot always makes me anxious as the problems & challenges add up & the deadline approaches.

I did, however, find a lot of humour in the premise of this book, when Alice accidentally breaks rockstar Guy’s hand and has no option but to drive him and the wedding gift (the blue Kombi van on the cover) to his brother’s wedding. Alice is clueless but endearing and with the help of her absent twin sister & The Impossible Game, she and Guy have a lot of fun along the way, all while the sexual tension & chemistry between the two heats up.

A fun, escapist Aussie rom com perfect for some light-hearted & swoony reading!

I received a gifted e-copy of this book from the author.

[Lois · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐s It was bad enough when she thought he wanted her twin, but than along came Vanessa.

Guy Balcombe's band, RiffRaff, is just starting to make a name for itself. Alice Havoc's identical twin, Tilly, was a vocalist with the group until she suddenly disappeared. 

Tilly did the "twin thing," and she guilted Alice into taking her place at a New Year's Eve performance. Only later did Alice learn that Tilly had bailed on their one-year gap trip abroad and had returned to England. Now Guy's band RiffRaff, with Tilly as their vocalist, is ready to go on tour, but now without a vocalist, unless Alice agrees to help. Guy did know Alice had substituted for Tilly on New Year's Eve. That night, when taking her home, he made a play for her but accidentally called her Tilly. That ended the agreement, as far as Alice was concerned. 

Guy is the black sheep of his family. He struggled in school because he's dyslexic. The family business is a winery, but he prefers beer. He refused to learn a trade because music was his only interest. Music is the only thing he does well. He also carries a secret or two concerning his family. 

Tilly may be back in England, but her powers are still strong. She challenges Alice to play a game they invented as children. It's designed to take Alice out of her comfort zone. She also guilt-trips Guy into following Alice to make sure she is safe. When Alice is responsible for an accident that caused Guy to break his hand, she has to drive him to his brother's wedding. Now Guy only has to salvage the band tour and convince Alice to tour with them. He should be able to do both...

I received a free copy of this book from the author via Booksprout. I am voluntarily leaving this review.

[Jess · Rating 2 out of 5]

The reason this book is getting a low rating is the following:

*Writing style. The way that the characters spoke felt unauthentic. The author chose to have a unique way of writing, especially during the spicy scenes. At one point the main character couldn't stop saying "meow", the main character also had glass in her foot and here's a direct quote from the book when she has glass in her foot and the other character is trying to help her("What is this? Do you have a foot fetish?” I snap. “Not that I know of, but I could be persuaded.”). I've had glass in my foot before and I have never thought that someone trying to help me is having a foot fetish. There are other things like that but I just only highlighted those two.

* Pacing: Even in a sequel the author will introduce the setting and the characters but this does none of that and jump straight into the story and goes super super fast the whole time. My advice would be even in a sequel to slow down and frame the story.

*Clarity of story: The story was also very confusing and didn't make much sense. setting up a good beginning would have helped with this part.

Overall I don't recommend this book. I did not enjoy it.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Valerie Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to the author for an ARC of this book. I have chosen to write this honest review voluntarily and it reflects my personal opinion.
This is the second book I've read by this author, she writes about young people using realistic speech, thoughts and actions / reactions; there are many nicknames in this novel and the language includes frequent swearing and slang. That said I thought the main characters in this story were lovely, and there were lots of hilarious moments with some extremely witty speech, which I loved. The 'impossible things' stretch Alice outside her comfort zone and lead her into all sorts of scrapes. At the heart of the tale the romance develops, but with twists and turns it's never certain if Alice and Guy will get a happy ending. A fun read!

[Natalie Gold · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such an easy and fun read. I love a book set in Australia especially a romance! I enjoyed the road trip aspect of this one as the reader did get to experience more of Australia through that storyline. I enjoyed the humour throughout the book, the tasks Alice had to complete and all the chaos along the way. I think the message of the tasks of letting go, having fun and taking chances is something important to take away from this book.  I liked both Alice and Guy, their sexual tension and developing feelings throughout the road trip. The story was sweet, a lot of fun and easy to binge. I'm so thankful for the author for gifting this book to me and making me aware of her work!

[Anne Freeman · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fish out of water/enemies to lovers/fakedating story as fun and vibrant as its author!

This is such a fun and well-written story crafted in dual POV between British backpacker Alice and her nemesis/crush rockstar Guy. It involves some armchair travel along Australia's East Coast in a combi van and lots of fun dares and misunderstandings. This is such a comfort read. The perfect antidote to stress and troubling times with a relatable protagonist whose interiority often elicits laugh out loud moments.

Grab this one when you need a pick-me-up. You'll be in such good hands.

[Helen Jones hazlewood · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my goodness what a fabulous read! I loved the way the story weaves its way back and forth through the "will they, won't they" relationship. Alice's road trip is filled with twists and turns, and lots of hilarious moments. Anna writes in such an endearing and entertaining way, and has a delicious wit! I grew very attached to Alice and her eventful journey and was sad to finish the book. A thoroughly entertaining and enjoyable read - I can't wait to read more of Anna's books!

[Jeanne Richardson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second book I've read written by Anna Foxkirk; I can’t wait to read more of her books.

This is part of the Passport to Love Series; it is a stand-alone book. The story is about Alice & Guy; they meet while she’s in Australia with her twin sister Tilly when she just takes off leaving her stranded and broke.

[Pam C. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Calling all fans of lighthearted adventures! "Alice and the Impossible Game" is a breeze to read, offering a delightful escape into the lives of Alice and Guy. The author excels at capturing their inner voices, making their personalities and interactions come alive on the page. I definitely enjoyed this book.

I received a free ebook via Voracious Readers in exchange for my honest review.

[KGillespie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great book and I was hooked right away. It was an easy read and the book flowed easily which made it enjoyable. I would definitely read another book by this author and I would recommend this book especially if you enjoy rockstar who falls in love and romcom storyline.
I received a complimentary copy of this book via voracious readers only

[Rachel Kennedy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun read, the story of Alice and Guy, a fake dating road trip romance. Looking forward to more books from this author.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Debbie Pyette · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an enjoyable romantic comedy adventure with rock stars, a less than reliable vintage van, and some wacky situations due to a truth or dare type of game. Its full of laughs and hilarious antics. A fun read.

[Rachel Hornbuckle · Rating 5 out of 5]

So many twists and turns in this book to keep you reading until the very end.
Alice and Guy meet in Sydney and this is their story and Alice’s twin Tilly pulling strings from back in the Uk.
Give it a read and you won’t be disappointed.

[Lesley Morton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great light hearted read, good for a holiday , made me laugh a few times as things spiral out of control

[Sandy Barker · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved Anna Foxkirk's latest - a lovely protagonist, a swoonworthy love interest, and a fun, fast-paced story.

Highly recommended and a must read for fans of romcoms.

[Emily Pennington · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tilly, Alice, and Guy’s Adventure . . .

It seems like Tilly is someone you really don’t want to depend on, because she often lets people down and disappears. She disappeared from the band she sang with, and fortunately her twin sister Alice steps in to take her place temporarily. And the trip Tilly and Alice were taking together was another bail-out where Tilly left Alice stranded with no money in Australia. (Most of the time, I was not very fond of Tilly and her unreliable lifestyle.) The story was better when the focus was on Guy Balcombe and Alice. When Guy’s hand is broken in an accident and he needs Alice to drive him to his brother's wedding, will the two of them get closer? Was there something possibly already developing between them? Or would Tilly mess that up too?

[Bells · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the sequel to Alice in Wanderlust. It’s a rom-com road trip adventure with Alice, a twin who has to pretend to be her sister Tilly, and Guy, a rockstar who has a major crush on her. They have to go to Guy’s brother’s wedding, but Tilly sets up six challenges for Alice to complete along the way.

This book was hilarious. I was literally laughing out loud at some of the challenges. The banter between Alice and Guy was also super cute and witty. They had so much chemistry, even though they were both clueless about each other’s feelings. It was a classic case of mutual pining, and I was here for it. 🙌

I enjoyed this book a lot. It was a fun and light-hearted read, perfect for a lazy weekend. Alice and Guy were adorable together, and I was rooting for them the whole time. The ending was sweet as hot chocolate, and it made me smile. If you’re looking for a feel-good romance with some laughs and twists, you should definitely check out Alice and the Impossible Game. It’s a game you won’t regret playing. 😉.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Carole · Rating 4 out of 5]

It took a bit to get into the story but I was really starting to like it, until the HUGE embarassing blow up near the end. I suppose these plot devices are obligatory, but her running away based on knee jerk assumptions and not just communicating with him truthfully ruined the story for me. The ending/reconcilliation also felt a bit unlikely. Best part of the story was their journey and them getting to know each other. 3.5 Stars Rating

[Danielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

With such vividly written characters, this novel played out like a rollicking RomCom film and I couldn't help mentally casting actors in each role as I read. Following Alice as she tumbled from one scene to the next - shifting at turns from steamy sexual tension to hilariously awkward mishaps - was fabulous fun. A great ride!

[Heidi Catherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book had me laughing and cheering from the first page until the last! The writing is full of energy and hilarious banter and I was swept away by Alice and Guy's story. I highly recommended this impossibly fun book.

[Diane RB (booksandthensome) · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you fancy a hilarious road trip aboard a cute van with two band vocalists navigating their attraction to each other, this book could be for you! Alice is on a gap year vacation in Australia. She covers for her twin, Tilly as band vocalist when the latter suddenly bailed and went back to England. Tilly revives the “Impossible Game” and left Alice with hardly a choice but to accomplish all the “dares” - for some reasons, fellow band vocalist, Guy has been beside her all the time. Such antics really made for a fun and unique adventure! What will Alice truly achieve after all these? Will it provide answers towards the path she will take once the gap year is over?

Once I started reading, I couldn’t put this down! The writing style is very engaging and found myself invested in the romance between Alice and Guy. I had a great time following their love-hate dynamics - woven into various shenanigans and with picturesque backdrops. At the same time, I wondered how it will ever work out between the two and the eventual turn of events made for a satisfying conclusion. There are also secrets to unravel and a peek into music and band life. I’ve come to admire Alice and would love to read more! Hence, I got the novella that preceded this book and another title from this author ❤️

Note: The author sent me a complimentary copy of this book and I am leaving this review voluntarily.