Fun at Parties

by Jamie Harrow

In this swoony estranged-friends-to-lovers romance, a celebrity spin instructor and her longtime crush take a spontaneous cross-country road trip that turns into an unexpected but epic party hop, and end up en route to love.

When online cycling instructor Quinn Ray has a mid-class meltdown after a bad breakup—dramatically off-brand for someone whose vibe is sunshine and rainbows—her boss orders her to take a few weeks off work. And that’s fine. In fact, a quiet road trip through America’s most tranquil scenery is exactly what she needs.

But then Nate Reed, who’s barely spoken to Quinn since their friendship imploded two years ago, asks to hitch a ride so he can reunite with their chaotically lovable pal Logan to discuss something important. Unfortunately, Logan seems to be dodging them on purpose. Meanwhile, the internet rallies so strongly behind Quinn post-breakup that her boss orders her to seize the opportunity to rebrand herself as everyone’s favorite emblem of fun, empowered singledom.

So Quinn and Nate put aside the awkwardness between them and follow Logan 450 miles to a Las Vegas nightclub. And then chase him to a rooftop rager . . . baby shower? . . . in Denver. A rain-soaked country-western music festival in Kansas. A rowdy Nashville bachelorette party. As Quinn's peaceful road trip becomes a tour of America's biggest party spots with the guy she didn't know she still wanted, she realizes Nate might just be the silver lining she never thought to look for.

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance, Friends To Lovers, Audiobook, Road Trip, Adult

397 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 16, 2025

Reviews

[Nilufer Ozmekik · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️ 3.5 Stars, Rounded Up to a Sparkly 4 — A Feel-Good Romcom Full of Parties, Pit Stops, and Personal Growth!

Okay, I need to start with this: if you’ve ever daydreamed about dropping everything for a spontaneous road trip just to figure your life out (while maybe also chasing down a slightly chaotic friend and rekindling an old crush?), Fun at Parties by Jamie Harrow is calling your name loud and clear.

Meet Quinn Ray—online cycling instructor, certified bringer of sunshine, and recently dumped in the most public and cringe way possible. After an on-camera meltdown that goes viral, her boss tells her to take some time off. And Quinn’s like, “Cool, I’ll just take a quiet cross-country trip and clear my head.” But… nope. Enter Nate—her ex-best friend (who may or may not have broken her heart two years ago)—who just so happens to need a ride.

Let the awkward, hilarious, emotionally loaded road trip begin.

What starts as a solo soul-searching journey quickly spirals into a wild goose chase full of glitter, baby showers, rain-soaked music festivals, and rooftop dance floors—because their mutual friend Logan is on the run (emotionally, not legally... we think). Meanwhile, Quinn’s boss suddenly wants her to lean into the “fun single girl” rebrand. So now she’s not only trying to navigate past feelings and friendship wounds, but also filming content, posting happy vibes, and avoiding emotional breakdowns. Casual.

I laughed, I cringed (in the best way), and I found myself rooting hard for Quinn—even when the romance took a bit of a backseat. Don’t get me wrong, Nate has his moments, but he’s quiet quiet, and I kind of wanted him to shout his feelings from the rooftop once or twice. Still, their little game where she had to complain and he had to hype himself up? Adorable. Also, her friends? Amazing. Logan’s chaos? Iconic.

And Quinn’s journey of slowly shedding the pressure to be perfect? That hit. The storyline with her mom’s shady MLM vibes and her job stress added just enough real-world tension to balance out the fun. She’s not just driving across states—she’s driving toward herself. And that’s what kept me turning the pages.

Do I wish there was a tiny bit more romantic tension and maybe a peek inside Nate’s brain? Yes. But as a messy, sweet, slightly sparkly story of second chances and self-discovery, it still totally worked for me.

Bottom line: If you like your romcoms with heart, humor, party-hopping detours, and a side of emotional truth bombs, Fun at Parties is totally worth the ride.

🚗💫💃

Huge thanks to NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Dutton | Dutton for the digital copy in exchange for my honest thoughts. This one made me smile, reflect, and maybe even look up cheap flights to somewhere fun—just in case I need a little reset of my own.

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[Jessica Joyce · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jamie Harrow’s writing just DOES IT for me. Gonna go pick a fight with my husband bc he doesn’t yearn for me the way Nate does for Quinn 🥲

Official blurb:

I loved everything about Fun at Parties: the chaotic road trip, the portrayal of complex friendship dynamics in your 20s, the unbearable YEARNING of the friends-to-lovers romance that was so expertly drawn. But it’s Quinn, whose self-discovery was beautifully unspooled as she and Nate crossed the country, who has my entire heart. Jamie Harrow has solidified herself as one of my favorite authors.

[mackenzie (hiatus) · Rating 4 out of 5]

not much to say about this one, but i was def pleasantly surprised by how much i enjoyed it! i think i’m just becoming a second chance girlie bc 🤭

i loved that quinn was so relatable especially. she had her cringey moments where i was just like... can we not, but like also... relatable. and nate was YEARNINGGGGG we love to see it. i love a man that’s this down bad for his woman. absolutely YES.

this author’s writing was also superrr easy to binge and made the pages fly by. i finished this on a plane and was just so shocked that it was already over bc like wdym ??? it felt like i was reading for two seconds then bam it’s over, but like in the best way possible. bonus points for a gorgeous cover too 🥰

thank you to netgalley & the publisher for an arc! all opinions are my own <3

pre-read:
i’ve had this arc for so long that i don’t even know if i want to read it anymore but let’s grind it out 🙂‍↕️

[Sylvie {Semi-Hiatus} · Rating 5 out of 5]

*Many thanks to NetGalley for providing me an E-Arc in exchange for an honest review!*

4.5 out of 5 stars!

JAMIE HARROW’S BOOKS NEED MORE HYPE! I SAID WHAT I SAID!!!

I’ve been lucky enough to read Jamie Harrow’s books since her debut, and honestly, she just keeps getting better. Fun at Parties completely stole my heart. Friends-to-lovers will forever be my weakness, and Jamie nailed it here—Quinn and Nate’s chemistry had me grinning like an idiot the whole way through.

What I loved even more was the found family vibe running through the story. The side characters felt so alive, like people I’d actually want to hang out with, and they added so much warmth to the book. There’s banter, vulnerability, and just the right amount of angst to make you root for the HEA even harder.

I flew through this in one sitting and immediately wanted to go back and reread my favorite moments. Days later, I’m still thinking about Quinn and Nate (and wishing I could crash one of the parties myself). If you’re looking for a feel-good, heartfelt romance with all the tropes done right, this is it.
————————
I loved Jamie Harrow's debut novel. I can't wait to love this one, too!

Argh, I only have one more day left until this book expires. I'll do my best to finish reading it in the meantime, no matter how busy life gets. #beingabookwormainteasy

[Dab · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a nicely written story about a nice girl who took an impromptu vacation to drive across the continent, and a bland guy who was there too.

Quinn is a natural ray of sunshine who just got dumped and couldn’t keep up her positive vibes, so her boss suggested a vacation. (The boss’s idea of a vacation was very peculiar, btw, I’d leave my phone at home if I had a boss like that. Or, more likely, find another job.) Nate, on the other hand, is some dude she’s into for some reason.

I enjoyed the writing, the story flowed seamlessly, and there was some occasionally decent humor. I liked the idea of a road trip; it was crazy and fun, and now I’m considering going on a road trip too.

However, the romance didn’t do it for me. I couldn’t understand why Quinn liked Nate so much. He had the personality of a cardboard cutout and was mostly busy keeping himself miserable, to the point that he’d rejected her two years earlier, even though he had feelings for her 🙄 She really deserved better than his whiny ass.

I might give this author another go at some point, but this one just wasn’t it.

Thanks to Quercus Books and NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

[Sam · Rating 5 out of 5]

estranged friends to lovers on a road trip!!!! the yearning!!!!!!! this book was made for me and you can’t convince me otherwise!!!

Quinn is me (having a bit of a menty b). I am Quinn. being in your 20s is messy and HARD!!! Quinn and Nate make me feel seen and safe. Nate is an absolute DREAM. did I mention the YEARNING???

[Angie Miale · Rating 3 out of 5]

They should have stayed broken up after their third act breakup.

I loved what this book had to say about inauthentic influencer culture and her toxic mother. I didn’t really buy the romance itself, but I liked a lot of the themes and side characters.

[Jessica Paige (Exercise_Read_Repeat) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5⭐️ I was definitely entertained from start to finish and loved the cycling instructor angle as someone who loves doing group fitness.

[Anita Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVE JAMIE HARROW

[Paige · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

Second chance romance AND their on a road trip??? Say no more, I’m there.

Quinn, our FMC, is a spin instructor who just went through being cheated on, a break up and having a mental breakdown during one of her classes. Her boss decides that it’s time for Quinn to take a break, which sends her on this several week road trip. Add in her friend/love interest Nate and things kick off. From cabins in the woods to pool parties to chaotic baby showers, Quinn & Nate are on journeys of self discovery, stepping out of their comfort zones and questioning what it is that brings them fulfillment.

While I enjoyed the banter between Quinn and Nate, it took a little bit for me to get into their “second chance” part of the romance. Nothing is really explained immediately and when it is, it’s a little confusing with the flashbacks being told at the exact same time in the present. I wish they were separate chapters and maybe we saw a little more of a dive into their earlier friendship but after some explanation eventually, I was excited to see where their romance was going to.

I’m glad that by the end, Quinn had come to terms with making the decisions she needed to make in order to find happiness in her life. There were moments that I felt frustration with her and her lack of standing up for herself, but I understand that was part of her growth. The ending just left a lot of unanswered questions for me since there was not epilogue. Does she make the move?? What happens with her and her mother?? What about Michelle and the baby? Does Logan end up following through on his goals? I wish there had been something at the end to give us more closure.

Overall, I enjoyed the story! It was cute, funny and had good character growth.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC in exchange for my honest review

[Mel · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s never a good sign when it takes me 4 days to finish a book. However, I did add a new puppy to my family so that does partially account for why it took so long for me to finish this book. BUT. I was a little bit bored in reading this book.

This book felt really twee to me for reasons I’m having trouble putting into words. I think these characters are in their late 20s or maybe closing in on 30 but they read as so young to me. I normally like road trip romances and throw in a side of forced proximity and I am there. But this one just had so much going on with Quinn and Nate going on this wild goose chase for their friend Logan. None of these people seemed real to me or fully developed characters that I wanted to root for.

Both Quinn and Nate had toxic parental relationships filled with a a lot of drama and trauma that seemed ripped from the headlines (his dad got caught offering to pay someone to take his SATs so he could get into Princeton and her mom was basically a MLM scammer who ended up deeply in debt and having to file for bankruptcy) and I do appreciate that this book didn’t rely on the dead parent or cancer diagnosis trauma.

I actually liked the friendship stuff in this book more than the romance. It didn’t do a very good job of building the backstory of Quinn and Nate, of showing me why these two had such strong feelings for each other. I was just supposed to take them at their word and while I hate this phrase, it did a lot of telling and not enough showing.

Anyway, I think there are many who will enjoy this book, it just didn’t work for me as well as I’d hoped.l

ARC from publisher, review is all mine;

Content notes: I think the FMC has some mental health struggles (anxiety, depression) but nothing is ever concretely stated. Toxic parents; money issues; bad breakup with an ex;

[LindsayMcK · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️ Quinn Ray is an online cycling instructor in LA (á la Peloton) who was recently dumped by one of her fellow instructors. The overwhelming media attention about the breakup makes her meltdown on-camera and her soapbox speech about singles-empowerment gets her a mandatory 3-week “vacation” before going viral (in a good way). In an effort to make the most of this time off AND reconnect to the best friend she has been drifting away from, Quinn plans a cross-country road trip to make it to Bailey’s 30th birthday party on the Jersey Shore. What she didn’t plan for was Nate, her estranged friend that almost became more, asking to hitch a ride for a leg of the trip and how his proximity brings back long-suppressed-but-never-forgotten feelings. Reflecting on her last relationship has Quinn wanting someone who sees beyond the *ray of sunshine* facade she wears on the bike, and just as she can see the strengths he can’t see in himself, Nate pairs his unconditional acceptance of her with honesty and hard truths. Quinn sure needs to hear them with her boss micromanaging her social media activity and manipulating her popularity to promote their brand - it’s making her question the future she is depending on for financial security with Cycle Love. Nate’s own career ambitions have them chasing a mutual (phoneless) friend from Vegas to Kansas to Nashville with one chaotic misadventure after another. Nate crashing her solo soul-searching journey may bring them on a wild goose chase filled with a baby shower, the-floor-is-lava contests, a clown motel, muddy music festivals, glitter showers, and rooftop dance floors, but those side quests only spark the flame that their chemistry and history already ignited. Can their spark survive the strains of career pressure, toxic family drama, and distance? Only time will tell when the journey you never expected can lead to the destination you always wanted.

Spoiler alert…
I really liked the premise of this story and how even though nothing quite goes to plan, everything happens as it’s meant to and works out in the end. My main reason for a lower rating was that I wish Nate was a more memorable MMC - getting a little of his perspective would’ve been interesting and made him less two-dimensional for me. I thought the couple in ‘One on One’ had such incredible tension and this second chance/friends-to-lovers story could’ve delivered a bit more on that front. Sometimes the road trip plot booted the romance to the back seat when it could’ve ridden shotgun.

I found Quinn’s toxic family drama to be a solid backstory for setting up her current career dilemma. Her mom’s relentless MLM pyramid scheme scamming and the way it shaped Quinn’s life made it so clear why she would be so desperate for a feeling of security - she compromises and caves to all of the self-promotion and micro-managing from her corporate overlords to get herself out of debt AND settled for dating a man who was right on paper, but not in reality. With Caleb, the “relationship was made of the trappings of seriousness without ever being serious at all,” with public ‘I love you’s’ but no real intimacy. Feeling secure with Caleb became more important than feeling passionate and understood, which shows how the trauma from that toxic parent relationship infiltrated other areas of her life.

Moral of the story: When you’re feeling divided about whether you are a ray of sunshine or a sad girl, know YOU CAN BE BOTH! 😜

I did not care for the ‘track down the missing, elusive, chaos-demon friend’ trope - Logan was super selfish and that got annoying for me. However, the focus on maintaining friendships through different stages of life was something this book did so well. The different dynamic between Quinn/Bailey and Quinn/Michelle show how important it is to feed your friendships because they nourish you so much in return.

The ending felt very realistic compared to other contemporary romances and that was refreshing! This bi-coastal couple did not immediately figure everything out, move in together, and live happily ever after… they made responsible financial decisions and put other pieces of their life into place first so that their relationship could really bloom when they committed to it. 👏🏼🥰

Honorable mention for the sweaty devil horns 😈 and the cute complain/brag game they played in the car to reconnect.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a cute road trip romance. Quinn just had a scandal at work and she is instructed to take some time off. She ends up going on a road trip from California to the east coast. One of her hometown friends in having a birthday party and she decides to drive there and see the country. One of their other friends, Nate, asks to go with her but just for a part of the trip. She wanted to be more than friends with Nate but he turned her down. It has been a little awkward ever since but she agrees to drive him to Lake Tahoe to meet up with another friend. Well, they have to keep chasing the missing friend and keep driving around the country to find him. Which takes them on many adventures. They agree that maybe they can be more than friends for a small amount of time but they also know it will hurt when the trip is over because they are in different places in their lives and will be living on different coasts. I wasn't sure how it would all end up but I enjoy a good second chance romance. Always remember the moments of joy in your life, no matter the circumstances.

[Holly Schwartz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Listen I loved One on One, and I was so excited to get the arc for this one!! I love a right person wrong time sort of second chance!! And I DID really like Quinn and Nate! But that’s just about all I liked about this book.

And I don’t quite know why! I’m annoyed I didn’t love this one 😭 I just didn’t care about the roadtrip or them finding Logan??? I understand he was important to Nate’s storyline but I did not care. or Quinn figuring out her boss sucks and that her life makes her unhappy - although I was VERY happy to see that she did in fact make the necessary changes to her life!

Idk the writing was good! And I LOVED the yearning and how much Nate and Quinn clearly felt for each other. Seeing them forced together and then forced to confront their feelings was so good! I also loved that Nate was trying so hard to find his place, his love for the swim school made my heart melt! I wish we could have spent more time with that!

Thanks to Dutton for the arc in exchange for an honest review!!

It feels like a 2.5 ⭐️ but I rounded up bc I also don’t feel like it’s deserves 2 ⭐️ ??? Idk I might be in a weird reading slump/super judgy mood????? I’m annoyed that’s what I do know

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun and emotional forced proximity, friends to lovers road trip romance between a burnt out recently dumped online cycle instructor/influencer and the first crush/childhood friend she had a falling out with who end up chasing another friend across America to various major party cities.

As Quinn and Nate spend more and more time together working out what they really want in their friendships, careers and lives, the feelings they never gave in to spark to life but can these two make a relationship work if they live on different sides of the country??

This had a great mental health/toxic parental relationship rep (Quinn's mother was a MLM sales rep) and was great on audio narrated by Karissa Vacker. Recommended for fans of books like Up close and personal and Anywhere with you. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy and @prhaudio for a complimentary ALC in exchange for my honest review!

[Erika · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun at Parties is an easy, fun read about Quinn, a spin influencer living in LA, and her changing relationships with her friends back on the East Coast. While the main storyline was the romance between her and Nate, I enjoyed that there was still a big focus on her other friendships.

I appreciated that there were a lot of realistic issues addressed in this book. Even though it's not always fun to read about money troubles and the logistics of moving across the country, it made Quinn feel more real and relatable. Usually I get frustrated with the miscommunication between the leads, but in this book the most frustrating miscommunication was between Nate and Logan. It didn't make sense to me that they were chasing their friend across the country who kept dodging them for seemingly no reason. I was able to get past that because it did keep the storyline fun and of course kept Nate and Quinn stuck together.

[Mandy Webb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jamie Harrow has done it again. Having been such a fan of One on One, I was so excited to get an ARC of this book. I loved this contemporary romance telling the story of Quinn & Nate who were friends, turned almost lovers, estranged, and then stuck on a coast to coast roadtrip. Quinn is a high energy cycle instructor and Nate is our broody guy. Their adventure across the country is fun, heart wrenching, beautiful, and exciting! Quinn’s character has such a journey of self discovery and the character is so well developed and progressed beautifully throughout the plot! Nate has such imposter syndrome and it is so relatable to the reader. I didn’t want to book to end! I highly recommend. I can’t wait to see what Jamie Harrow does next! Definitely becoming and auto-buy author for this reader! 🩷

[Michelle Kimber · Rating 4 out of 5]

Who doesn't love a road trip and party hopping? This was a fun story with a core of romance. I rooted for our MC and loved the premise. I looked forward to whatever else this author writes.

[Lindsay · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded up! This was a fun, engaging read that made me want to call my friends and invite them to a party or on a road trip. Though the romance was great, I loved the focus on the importance of friendships as well. It’s second chance romance, road trip, forced proximity, one bed, found family - all the good stuff.

Quinn Ray (of sunshine) is the sort of character I can easily imagine being friends with. Her weird jokes and niche references had me cracking up and vigorously nodding my head in agreement. I also relate to her struggles at work, especially the toxic positivity. I don’t know if everyone will click with her, but I definitely did. Nate took me a bit more time to warm up to. He’s very broody and closed off at the start, (Team Conrad, you’ll love it) but once he started to warm up a little bit, I started to really love the romance between him and Quinn. I also really liked most of the side characters, especially Michelle. The smaller characters they met on the road were so much fun as well!

This was a great roadtrip story, and I found myself so happy that they wound up on the trip they did rather than the one Quinn originally planned. I thought it was so cool that the places they visited (like the Clown Motel and the Chandelier) were real, so you can google them and feel like part of the trip as well. I genuinely enjoyed reading about their adventures on every single stop of the road trip.

I did NOT enjoy Logan’s part in any of it. I am not a fan of the “tracking down the missing, elusive, chaos demon friend” trope, so every time I remembered that he was the reason they were traveling to all of these places, I was freshly annoyed. What sort of friend doesn’t leave a note or contact the friends they ditched? He is selfish and irresponsible and I do not forgive him.

Overall however, this book had the happiest vibes, and I had a great time reading it. Be sure to check it out on pub day (expected September 16, 2025).

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Penguin Group Dutton, and Jamie Harrow for allowing me to read this arc in exchange for my review!

[Trianna/Treereads · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bummed I didn't love this one more! I adored Harrow's debut, but I thought this one was just okay.

To start with the good, I liked Quinn and thought the character work Harrow did with her was great. I got where she was coming from (for the most part) and she felt like a unique FMC that you could not help but root for. I also liked the talks about friendship and adult friendships changing. Some of the road trip moments were fun and quirky too.

I didn't love the romance. It's billed as second chance, but these two were never together (which tbh was better for me bc I don't love second chance), but I just never felt the chemistry between these two. Nate was weird about her job and I got why, but it bothered me. I wish we got his POV or something because he was giving nothing!! The reason why they couldn't be together was pretty weak (until about the halfway point) and I wanted more from the resolution. Like we got so much of THIS WILL NOT WORK and then it was fixed so quickly.

I also didn't like how much of this book focused on her job!! Like I kind of don't care!! At least her job was interesting, but I was thinking about MY JOB instead of THE ROMANCE in this book so that was not great.

Overall this was a bit of a miss for me, but I do like Harrow's writing and would love to see her try dual POV.

*thanks to the publisher for the eARC; all thoughts are my own*

[Annahita · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Dutton for the advance copy!

Jamie Harrow’s debut (One on One) was one of my favorite books of 2024, so I jumped at the chance to read her sophomore novel early. And, as I expected, I absolutely loved it. The longing, the yearning, the friends-to-lovers journey, it was all so good. I adore Harrow’s writing and her style, and this one solidified her as an auto-buy author for me. (Yes, I already pre-ordered a finished copy because I had to own it!)

In Fun at Parties (publishing September 16), we follow Quinn Ray, a popular online cycling instructor who suffers a mid-class meltdown after a bad breakup. Ordered to take time off work, she plans a quiet, soul-healing road trip, until her estranged friend and longtime crush, Nate Reed, asks to hitch a ride. What starts as a simple trip quickly spirals into a cross-country chase of their mutual friend Logan, leading Quinn and Nate through a series of wild, unexpected parties, from a Vegas nightclub to a Nashville bachelorette bash. Along the way, old wounds resurface, sparks reignite, and Quinn has to decide what she really wants for her brand, her friendships, and her heart.

This novel is a swoony estranged-friends-to-lovers romance wrapped in a chaotic, hilarious road trip with so much heart. Harrow perfectly balances fun banter and party antics with deeper explorations of vulnerability and second chances.

[Paola · Rating 4 out of 5]

A touching story of self growth with a sweet second chance romance!

This story is primarily focused on Quinn as she navigates the post-breakup hiatus that's happening all over her social media, while also trying to figure out what to do with her job. Add in a friend over whom she's been yearning for years, and vice versa, and you get this delightful, but also incredibly deep, and touching roadtrip romance. I loved seeing Quinn figure it all out, from problems with her mom, to reuniting with her best friend. It was extremely satisfying to see her put herself first and her job second, to figure out what was not bringing her happiness anymore and to understand what she was truly feeling about everything. Nate was exactly what she needed. Both of them had issues to work on, and I loved how they helped each other gather their thoughts and see their worth. Their story was a delight to see unfold, and I loved them together.

If you're a fan of second chance romances, want a lot of character growth, and are looking for something perfectly balanced between sweet and profound, you should definitely pick this one up!

A huge thank you to NetGalley, Quercus Books and the author for sending me an ARC of this book!

[Ashley Urquhart · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book really surprised me! I thought it was going to be your typical, run of the mill romance, but it felt more thought out than that. I really liked Quinn as a character. I thought she had a good head on her shoulders even through her struggles. I liked the way that she made her feelings known and then didn’t push Nate, she just let things breathe.

This book was such a weird intersection of so many of my interests. I’ve been doing Peloton for almost a year, I’m constantly watching anti-MLM videos on YouTube, and then even random stuff mentioned like the hoodoos in Bryce Canyon and The Traitors feel like they’re relevant to me. I liked the roadtrip aspect of the book and even though the plot there was a little over the top, it still felt just plausible enough.

Overall, I thought the plot had a more mature feel to it than other romances I’ve read. I thought the ending was especially well done and felt more realistic than 95% of other romance endings. I was pleasantly surprised by this book and would definitely read something else from this author.

Note: I received a copy of this book free from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Brooke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Genre: Contemporary Romance
Tropes: Estranged friends to lovers, forced proximity, road trip romance, first-person single POV
Spice level: 🌶️🌶️


I loved Nate and Quinn! Their relationship was really fun to watch grow. They were so easy to root for, and their chemistry was off the charts. Nate's yearning for Quinn was also top notch. I also loved that they had realistic reservations about being together, and I liked how they resolved those reservations. It's nice to see realistic conflict in a romance. I also loved the premise of the book. The road trip shenanigans were so fun! It was fun to see what kind of situation Nate and Quinn were going to get themselves into and how they were going to handle it. I also loved the vulnerability of both Nate and Quinn. They both had a lot to deal with in the past, and both characters grew so much as people throughout the book. There's also a found family vibe to this book that I loved, and the side characters were so much fun to read about. All in all, I loved this book and would definitely recommend it!

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jamie Harrow’s “Fun at Parties” was exactly what I needed right now. A fun, well-written adventure and romance. I found myself rooting for Quinn from the start and relating to her. As someone who tries hard to always be optimistic, upbeat, and positive- I loved that Quinn was able to find a balance between these traits and also advocate for herself, make necessary changes in her life, and not be a doormat.

The romance between Quinn and Nate is swoon-worthy! I found the way it was drawn out to be realistic, as love doesn’t always come at the right time and often it’s hard to admit how we feel and act on it. I really enjoyed their friendship as well and the natural way it pulled them together to be something more.

The writing was engaging and thought-provoking. The dialogue was realistic and fun, often making me laugh and truly feel like a part of the story. This was my first Jamie Harrow book and I look forward to reading more!

[Mylynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

(thank you @duttonbooks for the free copy!!)

I generally don’t read the synopsis of a book, so I was very pleasantly surprised when this was not only a second chance romance but also there’s an impromptu road trip AND ALSO there is a lot of chaos/hijinx in a really fun to read way. I also was surprised when I was tearing up like 10% into the book lol (i repeat: PLEASANTLY surprised hehe).

Quinn, our FMC, is a bubbly spin instructor for an online subscription based work out company (think Peloton) and I loved her journey with balancing who she actually is vs who the company wants her to be on her rides and socials. I loved that she was messy and complicated and I also thought her relationship with her mom was so well written, and by that I mean: painfully realistic.

I also love a behind the scenes feel, because I’m super nosey heh. I love how this world has a fictional Peloton-esque company and also a show called Beach House which made me think Summer House (which I love and side eye).

The tension between Quinn and Nate was SO GOOD and I loved their dynamic and the banter was both earnest and had me laughing out loud. I felt like this was a second chance dynamic I’d read before and I loved it!!!

I’m absolutely reading more from Jamie Harrow!!

[Madeleine · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC review

Jamie Harrow does it again! I love friends to lovers, and ESTRANGED friends to lovers? EVEN BETTER!! the roadtrip was so chaotic and fun, and i loved the complexities surrounding Quinn and Nate's friendship. Quinn's struggles and growth during this story really spoke to me, and her process of self-discovery was great to see. and the yearning from Nate? TEN OUTTA TEN!!! There were a couple moments that made me cringe, but in a very relatable way like all I could think was that me in another life would've also been in this situation lol
A pleasant surprise of a read, I loved this!

[Haley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a fun road trip book but with some surprising depth and lessons. There were many facets of Quinn's character that I felt connected to. Some moments of the book, I was banging my head and wondering why Quinn continued to stick to something that she hated (and it felt obvious that she hated) but I was able to sympathize better than maybe a different character in that situation. I did appreciate the more realistic approach she had to her problems by the end, but it did feel a little rushed and I personally would have loved to see some comeuppance for some of the "villains" of the book to make the ending feel a bit more satisfying. I also thought she and Nate were very sweet although sometimes the chemistry wasn't totally there for me. Overall, I enjoyed the read!

[Ashley Sweeney · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love a good friends to lovers and a slow burn romance but my goodness, the slow burn was a little too slow for me.

It frustrates me when the main characters in a love story make their issue their whole personality. I felt like both with Quinn and Nate, we were constantly spinning in circles, and having the same conversations. It also took Quinn way too long to figure out her life and I felt like this book could have happened in half the time.

Nate also just seemed kind of flat to me? He didn't really fully impress me and the influencer grab was too pop for me which I was not too much of a fan of either.

Overall a cute story but I would've loved a much shorter story.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was quite literally a ton of FUN! I love a book with a road trip, and the unpredictable chaos of this one was a great time. I couldn’t wait to see where these characters would end up next. There were so many relatable aspects to Quinn’s “Ray of Sunshine” persona. I loved her inner monologue and also all of the lessons she learned along the way. Despite a bit of miscommunication, the romance between her and Nate was sweet…so much pining!!!! I enjoyed not only watching their relationship (finally) develop but it was also nice to see Quinn repair and deepen her friendships with Bailey and Michelle.
Thanks to Net Galley and the publishers for the opportunity to read this ARC!