After calling off her wedding at the very last minute, Sara does what any self-respecting woman would do: she goes on her honeymoon alone.
But the fifteen-day luxury cruise around the Mediterranean implodes almost immediately when Sara misses the ship at its second stop. Stranded, sunburnt, and spectacularly unprepared, she's bracing for disaster… until she realises she's not alone.
Gus – member of the world-famous pop sensation Just4Summer – has also been left behind. Desperate to avoid the headlines and savour one rare taste of anonymity, he teams up with Sara to chase the cruise across the Adriatic.
Cue dodgy buses, missed connections, the storm of the century, and far too much proximity. As they stumble from city to city, the chemistry between them becomes impossible to ignore. But when real life comes calling, Sara must decide: is this just a summer romance… or the love story she never saw coming?
On her wedding day, Sara runs away from the altar. Two weeks later, she decides to go on her honeymoon alone. That’s how she finds herself on a luxury cruise around the Mediterranean, where she meets Gus, a member of the famous band Just4Summer.
What I loved most about this story is the Mediterranean setting. It reminded me of a trip I took when I was younger, starting in Venice and traveling through Croatia.
I really enjoyed their relationship, I found it so romantic to watch them fall in love throughout their journey.
In the end, it was a fun and cute read that I would definitely recommend for the summer !
Glad You Came was honestly such a good time. Like… zero complaints. No notes. I loved it from start to finish.
Sara and Gus were everything. Their journey felt so real and relatable, which is one of my favourite things about this author’s books. And Gus? Absolutely obsessed. Every time he said anything, I was swooning. He had that perfect mix of charm, heart, and depth that made it impossible not to fall for him.
Sara was equally amazing, so relatable, strong, and fiercely herself. I loved how grounded she felt as a character. One of the things I really appreciate is how Chloe writes stories that feel believable. Nothing feels over-the-top or forced, you can actually picture these situations happening in real life, which makes the emotional beats hit even harder.
What I loved most is that this wasn’t just a romance. It was also about self-discovery, learning to let go, and finally shaking off the weight of past obligations and expectations. That added so much depth to the story.
The whole book had me hooked. It genuinely felt like watching an episode of The Amazing Race, chaotic, fast-paced, and full of moments where everything that could go wrong absolutely did. But that’s what made it so fun. And because Sara and Gus were such well-developed characters, seeing them handle all of it made the story even better.
Also, the sister group? Loved them. They felt so real, messy, lovable, flawed, and completely unforgettable.
This book was an easy five stars for me, and honestly, if I could give it more, I would. I’ll be waiting very impatiently for whatever Chloe writes next.
AAAAAA what a perfect book omfg no notes!!!! loved loved LOVED!!!! absolutely DEVOURED it!!!
i’ve read and loved chloe ford’s other books and was SO excited when this book was announced, star of a pop/rock band say no more😛😛
and omfg it did not disappoint!!!! gus and sara were absolutely everything i loved them so much!! both such great characters and written so well i was literally giggling kicking my feet at their chemistry like AAAAAA so so so obsessed with them
gus is DOWN BADDDDD for sara we absolutely LOVE to see it ugh and their banter is top tier!! honestly the comedy/humour throughout was so good, i laughed out loud soooo many times
the black cat x golden retriever vibes🙂↕️🙂↕️🙂↕️ gus is such a sad boy golden retriever though like the underlying sad boy vibes waaaaa i love him so much perfect book boyfriend UGH sad boy golden retrievers for the win. also he reads fanfics about himself😛😛😛😛
i love sara as a character SO MUCH and her development throughout was so so good to see, absolutely loved seeing her let her hair down and allow herself to be reckless as she deserved
sara buying the fake merch and gus’ reaction literally had me giggling kicking my feet doing laps around my room I LOVE THEMMM ugh gus’ YEARNING the tension😛😛 YUP
i absolutely loooved the whole premise and the european setting, even though i was getting so stressed out at points😭 honestly though such a perfect plot and story i loved seeing their journey through europe!!!
obsessed with the mcbusted mention LOL and the fact that technically in this alternate universe i would’ve seen just4summer support mcbusted on tour love that🙂↕️ i would for sure have been a fan😋
this has for sure become one of my fave books and omfg i would DIE to see this as a film like i could sooo envision it how do we make this happen?!?!
chloe ford you have done it again and your books just get better and better🙂↕️ cannot wait for the next in the series even if it’s over a year away🥲
thank you SO much to netgalley and aria & aries for the arc i am so so grateful!!!!!
Such a cheerful and fun book.> I am in absolute love. The first thing to start with is the whole idea of this book. Absolutely AMAZING! Runaway Bride and Popstar escaping reality ?? Please, sign me up already. This book has my whole heart. I love my babies, Gus and Sara. Gus was such a gentleman. I love the way he treats Sara. Their banter is top class. Swoon worthy moments when required were perfect. My tummy always did this unexpected flip whenever they were in close proximity. Like the energy was vibrating out of the device. So the chemistry between character was so f*cking cute. Sara, on ther other hand was so well built up. Her reservations being an elderly sister and then setting free out in travelling. Such a wonderful thing to read. I love the way they navigated to cities and had this pure passion to explore everything in the city. Also each place was so well described. All up to the point. No lengthy unnecessary explanation. Just perfect. I also want to point out the perfect ending at end of the chapter. It kept an enthusiasm to keep going on. I literally ate this book up in 2 days straight. It was like can't think of anything else. It still occupies a surreal amount of my brain cells. I am in awe! All the side character, whether it is roko , cole, grace or all of the Sara's sister, everyone has molded the story so well. I loved them all. All I have to say in nutshell is that, this book has become my absolute FAV and all time comfort book. 100/10 star, throughout undoubtedly. Thank you Netgalley and Aria & Aries for providing me an early copy!
Thank you to the publisher/author for providing an Advanced Reader Copy of Glad You Came by Chloe Ford.
If you love romance that balances fun, forced-proximity adventures with deep emotional resonance, this book is an absolute must read. Glad You Came follows a runaway bride and a pop-rock star who is desperate to hide from the public eye and take back control of his chaotic life.
Their paths collide when they both arrive late for their cruise departure. What follows is an incredibly fun and chaotic journey as they team up to try and catch the ship at its next port. However, it’s not just the adventure that makes this book so special, it’s what happens in the quiet moments between them. Stripped of the expectations of their normal lives, they develop a remarkably honest and genuine relationship. I loved watching them finally be able to just relax, be entirely themselves, and simply enjoy each other's company without any outside pressure. Chloe Ford does a brilliant job weaving a lovely, heartfelt love story. I was completely pulled in by their palpable chemistry, but what truly anchored the story for me was the way the author handled the quiet sadness they both carried in their personal lives. It’s a beautiful story about finding the right person when everything else goes wrong. Highly recommend!
Chloe has done it again! The jump for joy I jumped when I saw one of her books for advance review! If you've read House Party you will know who Sara is, but you won't really know her...because not even her sisters or her best friend know her very well. Sara is well practiced at hiding her feelings, managing everyone else in her life and being the responsible, reliable grown up. Until she decides to run out of her wedding, the most unpredictable thing she's ever done in her life. And after a little pep talk from her friend Hattie (SO cool to see Hattie again!), she decides to go on her honeymoon, alone. She second guesses her decision when surrounded by couples on a cruise across Europe, then finds herself entangled with a very handsome, mysterious stranger, who also has his own reasons for wanting to escape. Expect laughs, tears and swoons. I loved this wild road trip, and the combination of these two totally different characters who find common ground with each other. The perfect beach read, cannot wait to read it again already!
Glad You Came is the ultimate combination of madness, magic, and magnetism. After Sara, the runaway bride, takes off by herself on her honeymoon, everything falls into place once she gets stranded on her cruise ship. Enter Gus, the runaway pop star, and all hell breaks loose, leading to a fun-filled trip across the Adriatic Sea.
The reason why this tale resonated with me is that I could really identify with Sara. Being an older sister, there has been so much in my life when I have felt like controlling everything. Sara’s choices and her struggle with control struck me in such a way that I found myself completely empathizing with her experience.
The travel scenes are simply breathtaking, the settings come to life in such a realistic way that you will be running along with Sara and Gus from one city to another, trying to chase the sunset.
This book provides you with all the elements of a fantastic and romantic love story: forced closeness, personal development, and a hint of celebrity.
Glad You Came was a delightful romcom. Sara was a hilarious character, and I thought Ford did a great job showing how her past shaped her into the person she is today. I liked seeing Sara be spontaneous and enjoying her adventures with Gus. I adored Gus! I loved how he championed Sara and really listened to her. His humor and little actions were my favorite things about him. Gus and Sara's chemistry and banter were peak writing. Their slow burn was executed perfectly and their time in Rome was chef's kiss. I wished we learned more about Gus's history with the band and gotten more of a background on the band members. I was also surprised that Priya wasn't in this story. Despite some things being glossed over, I thought the plot was creative and the pacing was just right. If you liked this book, I recommend reading The Wedding Dashers by Heather McBreen. Thank you to NetGalley and Aria for the ARC.
A runaway bride and a boy band popstar on a Mediterranean cruise? Say less.
At first, I thought this started a little slow, and Sara felt unnecessarily mean to Gus. But as the story built, their unfortunate travel luck and quick-witted banter started forming a connection I really enjoyed.
As their mishaps go from bad to worse, they begin to lean on each other. Sara’s sharpness softens into flirtatious taunts, and Gus, with his humour, gentleness, and steady presence, helps her unload her misplaced guilt and burdens. In return, she helps him discover who he is outside of fame.
I loved Gus. Despite being a celebrity, he was so genuine, kind, and gentle.
Once the connection heated up, I started devouring this book and ended up finishing it late into the night.
I would definitely recommend this one.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 5
Thank you to NetGalley and the author for the ARC 🫶🏻
Another fabulously well-paced rom com. I cackled so many times at the acerbic banter between Sara and Gus. I love that the romance was slow-burn, ensuring they connected on an emotional level first given where they were at in their life - for Sara, leaving her cheating fiance she only stayed with because he was supposedly safe, and for Gus his existential crisis with the looming split of his boyband that has been in since he was a teenager. The care Gus had for Sara was just so sweet, giving her the confidence to finally put herself first and let go instead of being responsible for everyone elses's needs first (especially her three sisters). While it was very stressful waiting to see if they'd ever make their boat, I loved the Mediterranean setting and wished I was there. If I had any quibbles I think its Sara's sisters who deserved a bit more of a serve and that it was resolved too quickly. Also we didn't really get any insight into Gus's relationship with Jax.
I can't believe I have to wait another year for the next book because I am DYING for the next book.
I loved the whole premise of this, from the luxury cruise to the hot guy from the boy band but especially enjoyed the adventure aspect of the story. The oh no of missing the cruise and realising the famous popstar missed it too?! OMG YESSSS!
The slow burn and the becoming friends first was so sweet and romantic.
I would have personally enjoyed a dual POV instead of just FMC POV, and would have liked more spice, even just a hint, earlier on. The spice only hits about 80% of the way in and kind of feels like it happens quite suddenly, but these are probably personal preferences more than a negative about the book, because I honestly really did love this book!
The first book I have read from Chloe Ford as I loved the premise of it and my god.
This book blew me away. The romance, the slow burn, the forced proximity, god I was eating this up!!!
Chloe has a wonderful way with words and I emphasised with Sara's character so much. Gus is a sweetheart and I adored his growth throughout this book. Both combined made a wonderful love story to read and the backdrop of a luxury cruise around Europe with some missed stops along the way? I was rooting for them so hard to get back but loved every minute of this unexpected journey for them.
I loved all of this book and cannot wait to purchase on release day!
Thank you to Head of Zeus, Chloe Ford and Net Galley for gifting me this ARC!
Huge thank you Chloe & team for the ARC via NetGalley
Oh my lord I ate this up and left no crumbs!!
Gus is actually the biggest green flag and I’m so here for it!
If you know me you know I love my boy bands and when I saw the title of this on NetGalley, I just knew I had to read it, one way or the other (I’m a massive The Wanted fan ok?!)
This was so freaking good, like it gave me all the summer vibes and made me want to go on a cruise around the med to have all the adventures that Sara & Gus had! It was so amazing watching Sara’s walls come down, oh I just adored these two!
What to expect 🛳️ Only one bed ☀️Opposites attract 🛳️Celebrity MMC ☀️Force proximity 🛳️Grumpy x sunshine ☀️Runaway bride
Every time I pick up a romance by Chloe Ford I know I'm going to have the best of times, and Glad You Came was no different.
In this romance, a runaway bride embarks single on her planned honeymoon only to get stranded at the first port, together with the popstar who's hiding and looking to have a stint of normal life while his band is breaking up. Together, they chase their cruise along the coast in Croatia, Montenegro and Italy, which makes for the perfect escapist summer read.
My full blurb: "Runaway bride gets stranded with runaway popstar, and what follows is a mad-dash adventure along the Mediterranean coast. Laugh-out-loud funny, scorchingly hot, and dreamily escapist, Glad You Came is the perfect summer read."
I absolutely LOVED this book! Its like the author was able to bring all my teenage fantasies to life in one story. Who doesn't dream of bumping into a celebrity while on holiday amd them being stranded with them for a week while they fall madly in love with you?!
The pacing of the story was fast and exciting. I felt i could relate to the main character, especially when we read her inner monologue of anxious thoughts. I literally couldn't put the book down.
The only thing I couldn't get passed was the unnecessary trauma dumping in certain conversations. Mostly during the early stages of the blossoming friendship.
This is a perfect summer read full of Mediterranean vibes that have you wishing you were on a sunbed with a pina colada in hand. This book has a sexy forced proximity with likeable characters that are running away from their current situations , they have good humour and banter and their chemistry is off the charts. If you have a holiday booked this summer I fully recommend this book for an easy summer time read.
This is my first read of Chloe’s and I will be looking at her others for my own summer holidays ☀️
This read was an Arc from Net galley. It is out 16th July 🩷 These opinions are my own and I’m not sponsored or paid for them.
4.5 ⭐️ I really loved Sara!!! MY SUNSHINE (you’ll get this once you’ve read) OLDER SISTER GIRLIE! This book 100% confirmed my worst fears that if I ever went on a cruise i’m being left behind but hey, maybe if i’m with one of the hottest Popstars, I wouldn’t mind.
Gus!!! He’s such a goofball and I enjoyed him taking charge of his career and direction at the end. If I had a nickel for every time I fancied a book Gus, I would have 2 nickels, which isn’t a lot but it’s weird it’s happened twice.
Chloe’s writing is always so easy to read. I can sit down and just get lost in the story. I love how we’re trusted as a reader.
Thank you Netgalley for this ARC. All thoughts are my own.
I read a lot of romance novels and I loved this so much. The thing I loved the most was how much time our main characters spent together. The majority of the book is dialogue between the FMC and MMC as they traveled together. Chloe did a fabulous job writing the dialogue in such a way that we as readers get to know the characters as they get to know each other.
The little mishaps that turned into adventures were fun and kept things interesting.
I absolutely will continue with this interconnected series as they publish!
This took me a little while to settle into and felt like every obvious romance trope and cliché was thrown at it which felt a bit jarring and full on. For me, it was about half way through where this really took hold and then I was full steam ahead the rest of the way,
Two brilliant characters with differing complex backgrounds and ways of viewing the world (literally). I loved watching this blossom and progress.
Great escapism as we explored lots of lovely cities. A nice summer holiday escapism read.
GLAD YOU CAME is the summer read you've been craving. Magnificent combination of all the best rom com ingredients written into a phenomenal story. Sara and Gus will make you fall head over heels for them as they fall for each other. I couldn't put this book down. Filled with so much fun, laughter, vulnerability and love amid the backdrop of breathtaking Mediterranean landscape, it's the epitome of romantic escapism. Absolutely cannot wait to read whatever Chloe Ford writes next, she's firmly one of my favourite authors.
Runaway bride Sara goes solo on a honeymoon, a luxury cruise. at the second stop she misses the departure and finds herself stranded with fellow holidaymaker and popstar Gus. Cue the most stressful jaunt across the med together as they try to catch up with the ship.
A perfect easy to read romance with lovable characters.
I loved the development of Gus and Sara's relationship as they travelled together - the connection that developed felt meaningful and exposed their flaws.
Sara is easy to relate to and Gus is just adorable.
Ticked all the right boxes for a fabulous escapist romance read. Runaway bride, swoon-worthy popstar, exotic romantic locations and a slow burn romance that has you turning pages long after your bedtime. This is my third Chloe Ford book and she hasn't disappointed yet, and I was delighted to discover that this is the first in a series.
Warm, romantic and wonderfully easy to get lost in, it's the perfect holiday read!
What a fabulous read. I really enjoyed Chloe taking us on a journey with Gus and Sara and watching their romance build. The chemistry, banter, humour, learning to let yourself go and rediscover yourself, it had it all set in a beautiful backdrop.
I devoured this book and absolutely loved it. I’ve loved all of Chloe’s books so far, they are a dream and so easy to read. A fabulous and enjoyable read to escapism.
I liked the concept of the storyline and it was humorous in some spots. However it did lacking in some sections of the book, over all it was a really solid read
I had planned to write something really poignant and witty about this book that would make you run and immediately pick it up. But honestly, the humour is best left to Chloe 😂
If you need convincing: the opening scene features a runaway bride, three unruly sisters, a heroic maid-of-honour… and a mysterious rubber (plastic?) object being launched out of a window. Need I say more?
What follows is a missed cruise stop that spirals into a chaotic, clandestine European road trip, complete with unexpected detours, new faces, and all the moments you definitely don’t get on the official itinerary.
This book is a love letter to European culture, to letting go of control, and embracing the moment. It is funny, sexy, and romantic in a way that feels like the sunsets finally getting later in the spring. But more than that, it’s about two people on a gradual journey to figure out who they are, and what they want from life, and finding an undeniable connection in the chaos of it all.
I read this in less than 24 hours on a camping trip and it provided all the warmth I needed! I was giggling, kicking my feet, and falling in love with these characters all night long 🥰 and honestly, I love a little cameo (especially when I adore the other books as much as these)
Chloe’s writing somehow gets better and better with each book and it’s safe to say I’m absolutely OBSESSED with this. If you see me rereading this all summer long, mind your business (but also maybe come join me bc who doesn’t love a pop star romance…)
Thank you to NetGalley and Aria & Ares for a copy of this amazing book to review!!
Sara is a runaway bride. Gus is a runaway pop star. After both missing their Mediterranean cruise at the second stop, they end up travelling from city to city together trying to catch back up with the ship and it made for such a fun, swoony summer romance.
Glad You Came was such an easy, addictive read. The chemistry between Sara and Gus is *chef’s kiss*, and I loved the mix of romance, chaos, gorgeous locations, and all the forced proximity tension.
What I loved most though was Sara’s character growth. Watching her slowly let go of the need to control everything and start figuring out what she actually wants for herself was really lovely. I also really liked seeing the less glamorous side of being in a massively famous boyband through Gus’s perspective.
Witty, romantic, summery, and just a really fun time. I already want books about the rest of the J4S boys.
Summer holiday romance escapism at its best! I loved travelling through all the cities with Sara and Gus. Gorgeous slow-burn tension, hilarious banter and a brilliant start to the series. I can’t wait to meet the rest of the band!