Anywhere But Here

Tradie Lady #3

by Rian Birch

A sapphic road trip rom-com with one bed and forced proximity that’s not just a slow burn: It's a slow tease. From Rian Birch, author of Swept Up In You and On The Right Path, comes the next instalment of the unapologetically Aussie Tradie Lady Series.

Brooke Mayfield is back in the last place she wants to Adelaide. A place she hasn’t called home in over ten years. She didn’t see herself here at broke, feeling lost and alone yet surrounded by family with their oh-so-perfect lives. Everything she does just feels like she’s in the way with nowhere to go.

Jade “JJ” Johnson longs for a break. She’s got the house and the business, but never carved out time for herself. She’s ready to travel, starting in her home state of South Australia. Her only problem? Perfectionism is keeping her rooted to the spot, unable to make a decision on where to go and what to see.

When a chance encounter with JJ allows Brooke an opportunity to travel again, Brooke finds herself agreeing to go more out of spite than excitement. There's no way her boring state of South Australia could ever win her heart, and she’d be happy to prove JJ wrong. She’s seen the world from every different viewpoint after all. Though maybe travel isn't all about where you're going, but who you're with…

Opposites definitely attract in this outback adventure that begs the Will their trip bring them closer together, or send one of them packing?

This can be read as a standalone but does feature characters introduced earlier in the series.

Genres: Lesbian, Romance, Contemporary, Forced Proximity, LGBT, Fiction, Adult

330 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 27, 2026

About the author

Rian Birch writes fun, contemporary sapphic romance. She lives in Adelaide with her wife where she likes to potter in her backyard food forest and cycle to new cafes around the city. Every one of her childhood stories ended with her characters coming home and having a cup of tea. She promises to write new endings for her adult novels.

Reviews

[Clara Addicted to sapphic books]

Birch's third book reflects her writing in the first two books, giving birth to easy to read and really sweet books. I really liked following Brooke and JJ's adventures on the road trip, and the first days where nothing happened as planned were fun and funny to read. I liked to see them getting close because on paper, they have nothing to do together, and it's so satisfying to see characters being proved wrong. I have to admit, initially I had trouble falling in love with them. JJ standing too firmly in her positions and principles, and Brooke being on the run was a bit frustrating. But I eventually understood them better and I was rooting for them. I just wished I felt more organically what made them really shift, especially how Brooke felt more and more at ease in Australia and how J.J fell deeply in love, except for the fact that she felt alive and challenged with Brooke. Another sweet romance in the Trady Lady series.

[Rach]

This is a lot of fun, it made me even more so want to travel around Australia. I was not aware that this was book 3 of the trade ladies series, I don’t feel that you need to read the other two but some of the characters are from the previous book.

Here JJ, our lady of trade who runs her own panting and decorating business wants to take a holiday but only to the local area of south Australia. Brooke who has just returned to her hometown after travelling the world for the last 10 years, after meeting JJ at her sisters home she agrees to be a travel guide for JJ and jumps at the chance postpone the next step of Brooke’s life to travel with JJ.

Quite literally strangers but during the two weeks something changes for them both, both are attracted to each other and start not only opening up emotionally to get to know each other but also start kissing, this starts a vacation fling. Brooke feels like she’s a bit of a mess and doesn’t date or do relationship and well JJ whose a bit of a perfectionist and has a some what list of what she’s looking for in Ms perfect.

This trip is so much fun, from baby goats, sand boarding, wine tours and a hot air balloon ride. Both women realise they want more not only out of each other but also in life. I would say for me when they returned at around 70% of the book I felt this was a bit flat, there was more awkwardness and miscommunication that I would have liked but it leads to a different sort of fun!

I was give an opportunity to read via NetGalley and the publisher, it’s fun, there is no games or drama. It’s very low angst and it’s a smooth sapphic romcom vibe. I’m going to aim to read the previous two now so happy reading!

[Star]

I absolutely loved this installment in the Tradie Ladies series!
It was so great seeing how JJ and Brooke came together.
I loved exploring the South Australian outback with them.
There were so many great bits, so many funny bits, and tender bits, too. It was just such a joy to read.
I hope this series continues on for as long as Rian has ideas and characters to write about.

[Jae Alistar]

This was such a sweet, sappy sapphic road trip story and I had so much fun reading it. Despite it being a little on the shorter side, the pacing felt really solid and never rushed. The road trip aspect was very well done, and I loved how each part of the journey actually felt meaningful rather than just a montage of cut scenes.

The chemistry between Brooke and JJ was very believable and realistic. I'm pretty sure the definition of "sapphic yearning" is somewhere in these pages. Their connection builds in such a natural, believable way, which made all the emotional moments hit even harder.

I also appreciated that both characters felt flawed in a realistic way without that being their entire personality. Their growth felt genuine, and it was really satisfying to see them figure things out both together and individually.

I haven’t read the first two books in the series yet, but I’m definitely going back for them ASAP!

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

Favorite Quotes:
“Life is full of unplanned surprises. That’s just living. I don’t think it’s something you can avoid.”

“I don't think there's anything about you that needs to be fixed or made differently to fit some mould. There's nothing wrong with just being you; that's more than enough. It's admirable.”

“Sounds like that path is starting to show itself to you. Just take it one step at a time. [S]ometimes all you need is that next step and just make the rest up along the way.”

“[T]his was right where she was meant to be, because the best things in life couldn't be planned. Time to live outside those lines.”

“She was surrounded by the most beautiful, thoughtful souls she could ask for. How had it taken her this many years to finally feel like she was home, accepted by everyone around her? She’d found her place in the world.”

[Lisa]

I’ve been a fan of the Tradie Lady series from the beginning and I think Anywhere But Here has been my favourite.
Rian Birch writes real, flawed, relatable characters who make you laugh, cry and everything in between.
If you like a good rom-com I highly recommend the Tradie Lady series
4.5⭐️

[Gio.reads.sapphic]

Opposites attract, proximity forced And spicy sapphic auduibooks? Say no more, I'm in.

I really have nothing to say other than MOVE to read it!!!!

Jokes aside, the slow burn is damn good and the descriptions are chef kiss – mind you I've never been to Australia but after reading this book it's like I've seen pieces of it.

This is my third book by Rian, (they're all interconnected standalones), each story is different but there is a common thread that unites them all, an all queer and female cast #girlpower!

That said, in this book you will find:
-Strangers to Lovers
-Only one bed
-Forced Proximity
-Slow Burn
-Opposites Attract
-Set Down Under
-Low Angst
-Witty Banter
-Scissoring & body paint
-Road trip
-Contemporary
-Masc x Femme
- Hiking
-Bi/Pan Mc (not specified)

Overall it's 4.5⭐ and 3🔥. I just would have liked seeing a bit more of them as an established couple.

[Montes]

This is the first book I’ve read from the Tradie Lady series, but it definitely won’t be the last. I thought the book was very sweet.

The characters were very relatable, both in opposite ends of the chill spectrum. JJ, a painting business owner who hadn’t allowed herself to color outside the lines in a very long time and Brooke, who was willing to pivot anytime something went wrong but carried a lot of pain and trauma from her childhood. I knew I was going to fall in love with them as soon as I realized that they had such differing opinions and had so many embarrassing moments in front of each other starting with their meeting.

I really enjoyed that there was character growth throughout the story and that there were no big coming out moments from the characters. Some of my favorite scenes were when JJ helped Brooke deal with her family trauma without pushing and when Brooke dared to tell JJ how she felt without caring for the consequences.

Thank you to Rian Birch and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC.

[Anna Demosi]

let me first thank rian birch for the arc copy for this read! i absolutely loved the first 2, so i stalked her page for a bit waiting for sign ups😅
this was absolutely wonderful, i loved jj already from the glimpses we got in the other 2, and shes just so sweet and caring and such a soft masc and i just totally fell in love with her. i loved meeting brooke and learning about her after the ending from on the right path i was SO curious. i was waiting for this book😭
this was the perfect amount of funny and sweet tender moments, with the found family, forced proximity, one bed/sleeping arrangement, it all came together so well and i loved it! it was so cool going on all the adventures with them, and how brooke would push jj beyond her boundaries and get her to do the things she knew she would love but was too scared to do. they balanced each other out so well and they communicated so well together and helped each other realize how they were holding themselves back. these characters were written so well, and i officially love adelaide!!

[Cherie • bookshelvesandtealeaves]

4.5 stars

Thanks so much to the author for providing me with an eARC. All thoughts are my own.

This is my favourite in the Tradie Lady series! A road trip romance?! My underrated fave.

I loved the journey Brooke and JJ go on in this book, both literally and spiritually. They learn so much from each other and they start to see new ways of approaching the parts of their lives that they’re stuck on. Both these characters really grow a lot on this trip.

And the trip itself seemed so fun! It definitely gave me that wanderlust feeling.

The romance was very sweet and very measured. It was grounded in so much mutual respect and admiration and there was so much thought put into how they wanted to approach things and they communicated so well. I really loved these two together.

[Deafinitelygay]

Rounded up from 3.5. Slow burn about two Aussie strangers who go on a road trip vacation together to South Australia. J.J. is an uptight house painter with her life together needing to be more decisive about how she wants to spend her two week vacation. Brooke is the estranged sister of one of J.J.’s clients who is well traveled and in the middle of a fork in the road of her life and relationships. The two travel together with Brooke’s travel guide expertise leading the way while J.J. shows Brooke a glimpse of life with an emotionally intelligent partner in crime.

This was a low angst, easy to read romcom. I was especially grateful for the Aussie dictionary in the beginning as this is a very Australian book. The narrator’s accent was excellent for this although at times it was hard to know which character was speaking since the voices used were similar.

My favorite part was not their relationship growth but that of Brooke and her sister. The two sisters’ relationship mostly took place in Brooke’s internal monologues but we got to see Brooke hit a breakthrough in her communication.

The spice eventually comes closer to the end of the book. 3 sexy scenes but perhaps because they were all at the end, it felt like the pacing was a little rushed. Still enjoyable. Cute, warm and light. I could see this being the emotional support book folks need to escape life’s bullshit. Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️ Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Tropes: slow burn, one bed, masc X femme, scissoring,

Thank you to the author for my advanced listener copy for my honest review.

[Lirissa]

I inhaled this book.
You know when you accidentally pick up exactly the right book at exactly the right time? Anywhere but Here was that for me.

I went in fully convinced book two would stay my favourite in the series, I had seen all the “book three is the best one yet” reviews and thought there is no way. Soooo it turns out they were right. Book 3 is in fact the best so far.

Brooke and JJ’s road trip had everything I wanted: close proximity, “we’re just friends” tension, one tent, truth or dare, snacks (ALL THE GOOD ONES), self-discovery, and the SLOW slow tease that has you screaming in both the best and worst ways emotionally.

Also, as a half Asian girl who has never quite managed to colour between the lines no matter how hard I tried, Brooke’s story hit very personally.

Nina Nikolic delivered again wit the narration because why did I feel like I was also packed into that car, third-wheeling Brooke and JJ across South Australia? The pacing and the Aussie-ness and all. Chef’s kiss.

This is absolutely going on my comfort read shelf.

Immersive read with the ebook I bought and the ALC provided by the author. Thank you for the advanced copy.

P.S. I am now emotionally craving wedges, sweet chilli sauce, and BBQ Shapes. IYKYK.

[Kellie]

Thoroughly enjoyed this romp through the backcountry of Australia. The dichotomy of the experiences is written so well. To move back and forth from JJ to Brooke is immersive and satisfying each time but leaves me wanting more. It’s a glimpse into the lives of two perfectly imperfect people. Each stop of their trip was compelling and valuable in bringing these two closer together. Makes me want my own road trip experience through South Australia.

[tinysparkreads]

Title: Anywhere But Here
Series: The Tradie Ladies, Book 3 (Interconnected Standalones)
Author: Rian Birch
4.5/5 ⭐
Third Person – Dual POV
Recommended if you enjoy: Sapphic Romance, Road Trips, Witty Banter, Slow Burn

Summary: Brooke is crashing at her sister’s house after travelling the world for 10 years, feeling lost and out of place when JJ, a painter that Brooke has a startling encounter with, commissions Brooke to plan her two week road trip holiday in her home state of South Australia, as JJ - desperately in need of a break from work but ever the perfectionist - is too overwhelmed by all the decisions. Brooke reluctantly agrees under the condition that she doesn’t just plan the trip – but goes with JJ as a travel guide. Along the way two very different personalities help each other to let go and grow.

Thank you to Rian Birch and #NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of #AnywhereButHere for review purposes. Honest review as follows:

I went into this having not read the first two books in this series but after reading Anywhere But Here, I fully intend to fix that.
It was so cool to read a book set in Australia, Brooke and JJ’s road trip made me want to explore my own backyard and see what cool experiences there are.
This was a delightful slow burn romance, their friendship felt like it really built naturally and the spicy tension was helped along by a hot tub, truth or dare, and the classic One Bed trope.
The witty banter was really fun; I found myself chuckling aloud while reading several times. One of my favourite aspects of this book was the low to no angst vibes, it is so refreshing to have characters that can communicate with one another.
Fun fact: The main characters are the same age as my wife and I are.

In summary: I had a lot of fun reading this, their story was beautiful and flirty, and the moments of true connection and vulnerability made this a standout for me.

[Chelsea Pitsos]

4.5⭐️ rounded up
ARC REVIEW

Anywhere But Here x Rian Birch
Out: 3/27/26
Spice Level: 🔥🔥

Well, Rian Birch has done it again — and simply gets better with every new release! I don’t think I’m the first one to mention this, but this one might just be my favorite of hers so far!!! Getting me to actually laugh out loud within the first 15% of reading, was a huge tell that I was going to enjoy this.

The character development and chemistry between JJ and Brooke was palpable from their first interaction. The witty banter was perfectly executed, and just furthered my interest in the plot. Not only do I love a good ‘road trip’ trope but throw in the ‘only one bed’ and it’s a recipe for a great sapphic romance.

Highly, HIGHLY recommend reading the tradie lady series — you certainly will not be disappointed! I read this one at the perfect time in my life, where I have many professional decisions to make and this book helped me work through some of my own challenges… Now, I’m gunna take a page out of Brooke and JJ’s story, and go color outside of the lines. 😉

[Chelles]

Anywhere But Here

I was excited to see how Brooke and JJ were going to get along. In the last book, JJ seemed like a sweetheart and Brooke was clearly going through something. So in their story - a short-notice vacation adventure allows them to get to know one another and helps them realize that maybe what they're searching for, isn't exactly what they want.

I think this was my favorite in the series, and they were all really good!

[Heather]

Lovely slow burn addition to the Tradie Ladies books! I love seeing previous characters while being immersed in a new love story. The narrator is fabulous! The little (big!) nugget at the end has me hoping for a next book with more on that topic!

JJ is looking for perfection in life and love. Brooke is a traveler at heart and being back where she grew up is making her very antsy.

JJ asks for travel advice for her ‘perfect’ vacation she has coming up and Brooke jumps at the chance to be her tour guide and get away again.

Neither sees the attraction and connection coming, especially not with the force it does. But sometimes there’s things you can’t ignore. And sometimes what happens on vacation stays on vacation. Which scenario will these two fulfill? Well we know which they’d assume but there’s just maybe a good reason why we shouldn’t assume things ;)…

Recommend!

[Nicole Reads Romance]

audio DNF at 35%
While the premise is fun and the narrator is great, the story is taking us through, almost step by step, every single thing the MCs are doing and that's not working for me.

[Karyn Defoe]

Thank you to the author for an ARC copy of this book. It was a cute little romance story with fun adventure thrown in! Just a bit of spice and you have to wait for it. But it’s fitting because of the development of the character’s relationship. I’m ready to pack for my road trip to Australia now!

[Fiona Sawyer]

Anywhere But Here is the third book in Rian Birch's Tradie Lady series, the third one I've read and absolutely my favourite, which is saying something given I really enjoyed the first two books. It's certainly got this little Aussie wanting to get out and see more of her own country, particularly South Australia which I haven't yet had the opportunity to explore beyond Adelaide.

I absolutely loved the contrast between the two main characters. On one hand we have Brooke Mayfield who stuck back home in Adelaide after 10 years of travelling the world, crashing at her sister's place, broke and desperate to escape the oh-so-perfect family and their criticisms of her life choices. On the flip side, we have Jade "JJ" Johnson, a painter and business owner who wants to take a break and get away to explore more her home state. However, her perfectionism keeps her rooted in place and unable to decide on where to go and what to see. When the two women cross paths while JJ is undertaking a paint job at Brooke's sister's place the solution quickly becomes apparent with the two women coming to an arrangement whereby Brooke will plan the entire trip and accompany JJ as tour guide, even if it means staying within the State that Brooke so desperately despises.

What follows is a wonderfully eventful, crazy, hysterical journey, both in terms of where they travel but also in terms of geography and of self-discovery. I absolutely loved it.

I am incredibly grateful to Rian Birch for providing me with an ARC copy of this book and am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Reg 🦇]

Like with all Rian Birch novels, once I picked this book up I simply could not put it down!

Anywhere But Here was so cute and honestly? JJ and Brooke might just be my new favourite couple from the Tradie Ladies series 👀🙂‍↕️

Genuinely so beautifully written, with such fully fleshed out and loveable characters. It made me giggle and kick my feet LOTS and it also made me really emotional at points. I really really loved this book.

If you love:
* Slow Burn
* Forced Proximity
* Opposites Attract
* One Bed
* Low-Angst
* Road Trip
* Tradie Lady / Blue Collar Worker
* Aussie
* Witty Banter
Then I couldn’t recommend Anywhere But Here more! This might just be your new favourite sapphic romance…

[ edit: i read this again as an audiobook and WOW! the narrator was so fabulous and it brought everything into a whole new light! ]

[Joanie]

Road trips are one of my favorite tropes in romance books, so I was very excited when I first heard about this one. The fact that it’s part of a series featuring tradie ladies was a total dream! I loved every minute of the entire series and can’t wait to see what the author releases next. In this one, it took me a little while to warm up to Brooke, but once she started opening up, I was hooked. It's a shame I can’t just drive over to South Australia, but it is definitely on my bucket list now!

[V]

Thank you to NetGalley and Slow Sunday Press for granting me access to an e-ARC of “Anywhere But Here” by Rian Birch in exchange for an honest review.

This book. This book!!!!! Oh wow, it was such a joy to read, I just couldn’t put it down. I was sucked in right away by the dynamic of the two main characters (Brooke and JJ). Right from the start, they had great banter that flowed easily, swoon-worthy flirting, and were effortlessly funny. And their buildup was so satisfying!! You know those slow burns that are almost painful, make you want to rip your hair out, and are more frustrating than enjoyable? This is NOT one of them. This slow burn was like watching a sunrise. So slow, sweet, and so worth the wait.

Speaking of tropes, this book was filled with them. Meet ugly. Opposites attract. Road trip. Only one bed. Forced proximity. Friends with benefits. Slow burn. I could just cryyyyyyyy from how good these tropes were and how well they were utilized. One of my notes I made while reading sums it up best: FOAMING AT MOUTH!!!

One of the biggest highlights of this book is Birch’s prose. I could just swim in certain sentences, certain lines, certain analogies. There were some lines that would just jump off the page and grab hold of me, they were so stunning. Birch somehow managed to capture the whole range of human emotion in these 300 pages. Most notably, she captured the feeling of missing a piece of yourself, of pining and yearning, of finding yourself so accurately and deeply. With this being my first introduction to Birch… what an impression she left. Wow!!!

Another one of the surprising joys of this book was Brooke and Hayley’s relationship. Seeing these two sisters progress through the book, going from a frigid, strained relationship to a bond filled with understanding and promise was fantastic. Their slow coming back together had nice payoff, and it was something I wasn’t expecting at all when I first picked up this book! In fact, the whole sub-plot around Brooke and finding her people and her home was something I wasn’t expecting, but was so moved by.

Alright, time for me to be honest. I saw the cute AF cover and I jumped right in without reading the description or looking into anything about the book. (I mean, c’mon, can you blame me? Look at that gorg cover!! AND, fun Easter egg, it’s done by the author’s wife!! It’s beyond cute and is making me swoon almost as much as this book did!) That being said, there were a few things that surprised me about the book within the first few pages. In case you’re anything like me and didn’t fully read the description, heads up…
➡️ This book is set in Australia, and is filled with region-specific slang, locations, and verbiage. There’s a handy glossary at the front of the book for some of the Australian slang, but it does not cover everything. Major props to Birch for always giving enough context clues within the text that I never was left wondering what the Australian word is referencing, AND I never had to Google anything for clarity. (If someone asked me what BBQ Shapes were before I read this book, I wouldn’t have had a hot clue. But thanks to these gals and some goats, I now know them to be a type of cracker!) The slight Australian slang learning curve I went through took nothing away from the enjoyment of the book. In fact, I think I may have enjoyed the book even more because of it!
➡️ This is actually book three of the Tradie Lady series by Birch. As this is the first book I’ve read of Birch’s, so I had a grand total of ZERO knowledge of any of the previous books in this series. Rest assured, even though it’s the third book in this series, reading this as a stand-alone did not take anything away from the enjoyment or understanding of it. There were some lovely cameos of characters from previous books (which I now want to go back and read!), but they were all introduced on-page in a way that didn’t make me bat an eye.

The ONLY thing that made me consider giving this book a 4.5 star rating was the feeling of a missing scene. [SPOILERS AHEAD.] Near the end of the book, JJ realizes she wants to date Brooke and, almost like whiplash, the next scene is of JJ picking Brooke up for their date. We skipped over the part where JJ actually asks Brooke to go on the date! I want the deets!! How did she do it? What did she say? What did Brooke say? Did she have to hype herself up to send the text? Was sending that text as easy as breathing? Did she have any typos? I need more! I honestly was so bothered that this scene was skipped that I had to put the book down and complain to my wife and pout. So if I have to complain about anything, it’s the fact I needed more JJ and Brooke time between JJ’s realization and their date, but I ultimately decided that the magnificence of the rest of the book majorly outweighed my one tiny gripe.

Overall, this was an amazing book. I need a physical copy so I can grasp it in my sweaty hands and never let it go. Every page was enjoyable and I never wanted it to end. The tropes were fun, the characters lively and effortless to like, and the romance had me swooning with every glance and touch. Genuinely, a gem of a book that I’d highly recommend.

[Quinn]

Thank you to NetGalley & Rian Birch for this ARC. I’m happy to share my honest review.


This was such a sweet and utterly adorable sapphic romance that I very much enjoyed. Anywhere But Here was a fun sapphic road trip story with a touch of forced proximity that was a lot more emotionally layered than I had expected. This story surprised me in the best of ways and I will definitely be looking for more from Rian Birch! In fact, I immediately signed up for her newsletter after reading the first few sentences. I have not yet had the pleasure of reading the first 2 books in this series but certainly intend to. I will say that I don't feel that I was lost or in any way confused, this book can totally be read as a stand alone.

Brooke is funny and exactly the type of woman I'd want to be besties with. She is sort of restless and has found herself riding her sister's couch after traveling the world for the last decade. She is not thrilled to be back home in Australia and isn't sure what's next for her in life. She meets JJ through her sister and somehow ends up agreeing to not only plan a 2 week trip around South Australia for JJ but to go along as well. Ha! I loved it! I could see the chemistry between JJ and Brooke right away but watching them build a real connection was simply wonderul. JJ is very much the total opposite of Brooke. She is responsible and is happily rooted to her home and business in Adelaide. She is a bit of a perfectionist and has dreams of traveling but her deire for stability keeps her more grounded. Although, I could see that both Brooke and JJ were emotionally cautious, albeit for different reasons, and that made their connection all the more rewarding.

The road trip was wonderful!! Birch does a fantastic job setting the scene and describing some of the hidden gems of South Australia. I have never been to Australia but have always wanted to and this book made that desire shoot through the roof. I felt like I was there with Brook and JJ and it was a wonderfully immersive experience. The road trip is the backbone of the book and it's where the connection between JJ and Brook builds slowly and believably. The hot tub scene was delicious and one bed? Yes, please! The forced proximity bit was great and added just the right amount of tension to make me smile wide. JJ and Brooke share more than fun and memorable experiences along the trip, they share vulnerable moments that deepen their bond in a very real way. They open up and confide some of their most scary faults and fears. These moments garner a lovely emotional intimacy that I was all about. Aannndd the kissing was pretty hot. I did greatly enjoy the intimate scene once they re-connect when they returned home…I’ll never think of body paint the same way again lol! Bravo Rian Birch!

I very much enjoy the writing style in this book. Rian Birch writes with humor, emotion and warmth. I particularly appreciated the dual pov aspect because it allowed me to get to know both JJ and Brooke equally. I found myself smiling wide and laughing to myself throughout the story and really enjoyed this lighthearted dimension to the book. The dialogue was golden and I felt like the conversations between JJ and Brooke worked so well because it showed two women learning about each other and growing a real connection. The pacing works well and even though there is sort of immediate attraction the actual romance is definitely a slow burn. I liked that a lot though because I felt like the emotions were genuine. It felt like the trust was earned and in the end, what JJ and Brooke have is real. I was so enamored by them and was most certainly rooting for them right up and through their very sweet happy ending.

I can't recommend this book enough. It was so much fun to read and offered a fun, exciting, sweet and real sapphic love story. This was such an enjoyable book and I felt like I clung to every word. I was genuinely bummed when I finished and wished I could read it for the first time again. I will be adding this to my re-read list for sure. If you enjoy a sweet and sexy road trip romance with just the right amount of tension and plenty of heart, you will love Anywhere But Here by Rian Birch.

[SJ]

🏳️‍🌈Rep: Sapphic, Lesbian FMC, Queer FMC (no label used), Sapphic SCs

📝Tropes/Themes: Road Trip, Forced Proximity, Opposites Attract, Slow Burn, Only One Bed, Witty Banter, Vacation Fling, Aussie Sapphics

WHAT A RIDE!! This book was so much fun to read and made me feel like I was on the adventure with them! Can I hire Brooke? Because I think I need my own Aussie road trip now after reading this! Oh my gosh…I don’t even know where to start. Brooke and JJ are opposite in almost every way imaginable. Brooke is a travel junkie who doesn’t do relationships, doesn’t have her crap together, lives off adrenaline, and just shrugs and moves on when plans change. JJ has her own painting business, wants to date but only wants the ‘ideal’ woman from her list, likes plans and freaks out when they change. But somehow these two just work. And I think it’s because of how different they are.

Their chemistry was truly off the charts and I loved all their witty and flirtatious banter. So good! I was definitely ready for these two to just give in because it was obvious how into each other they were. But I’m also all for some delicious sapphic pining and Rian did not disappoint with that! I love how these two brought out the best in each other and helped one another open up and see things from different points of view and realize that maybe they weren’t as ‘put together’ or ‘messed up’ as they thought they were. Brooke helped JJ learn to be okay painting outside the lines and JJ helped Brooke learn to face things head on. They saw each other and embraced the whole of who they were and it was so beautiful.

This book was the most heartwarming love story wrapped in wild adventures with hilarious and romantic moments you won’t soon forget! It had me laughing out loud multiple times. THE GOATS!!! 🐐 Not gonna lie..I knew from that moment (which was pretty early) that I was going to love this book! I won’t say more about that…you’ll just have to read it to find out. It’s worth it, trust me! I also loved all the various ways Rian played with the ‘only one bed’ trope in this story!

JJ was trying to get Brooke to admit how incredible and ‘not boring’ South Australia is. But the way Rian wrote this story…I wasn’t even on the road trip with them and I fell in love with it too!

I adore this series so much and this book might be inching its way to be my favorite (but don’t tell Jess and Remi 🤫). If you haven’t read any of the Tradie Lady books yet, I highly encourage you to do so! You don’t have to read them in order, but you will get some minor spoilers for previous books if you do. They are all so good though, so why not start with book 1 and work your way through! 😁 Also, these new covers (designed by Rian’s wife) are absolutely stunning and I need copies of all these books for shelf trophies. 🥰

I received an ARC from the author and this is my honest and voluntary review.


⚠️TW/CW: sexual content, strained family relationships, alcohol use

[Sterling Sapphic Reads]

Okay I need to open with one of my favorite things: that cover has a MASC on it, and you babes know that is my personal love language. I saw it, and I was done. Whatever was inside, I was already reading it. What was inside turned out to be sooooo fun!
Brooke Mayfield is back in Adelaide, broke, feeling like she's in everyone's way, and deeply not thrilled about any of it. JJ Johnson has the house, the business, and a road trip she's been meaning to take forever but can never actually commit to. A chance encounter, a little bit of spite, and suddenly these two very different women are driving through South Australia together. JJ is just SO excited to finally be going somewhere. And neither of them is remotely prepared for what's actually about to happen.
The trope stack on this one is genuinely a dream — road trip, forced proximity, opposites attract, slow burn, ONLY ONE BED, witty banter, vacation fling energy — and Rian Birch pulls all of these off with so much ease and joy. It never feels overstuffed. It just feels like the most fun you could possibly have reading a book. The banter between Brooke and JJ had me grinning at my earbuds like an absolute unhinged person. The chemistry is electric. And the slow TEASE — because the blurb is right, this is not a slow burn, this is a slow TEASE.... and omggggg.
Also. ALSO. Can Brooke please plan all of my trips?? I am begging. She can have my whole travel budget.
This series has such a special warm energy to it.... a sweet, interconnected circle of Aussie sapphics who show up in each other's stories and make the whole world feel like a community you genuinely want to live inside. Each book stands alone perfectly, but reading them in order gives you this beautiful sense of belonging that I am completely here for.

Nina Nikolic's narration is again absolutely outstanding. Same warmth, same natural delivery, same ability to make the Aussie setting feel so vivid and alive through your earbuds that you'll practically feel the outback dust.

If you need your perfect, fun summer listen, this is IT. Sapphic pining, guaranteed HEAs, Aussie vibes, witty banter, and a circle of characters you'll want to be best friends with immediately. Settle in babes. You're going to love it.

[LFP Reads]

I received an ARC from the author. My opinions and review are my own, and I leave this review voluntarily.

Once again, Rian Birch delivers a great book! I'm still in awe with how she could write three books this nice in less than a year. How many writers can do that???

This one is a bit different form the other two of the Tradie Lady series: instead of following up the story in Adelaide, you will travel around South Australia with JJ and Brooke. And let me say this: I liked their experiences so much that I'm now looking forward to my next vacations, so I can go to that place.

The relationship between JJ and Brooke grows slowly, and although they kiss reasonably soon in the book, their connection gets deeper and deeper along the story. I would not classify this as a super slow burn, but it does take some time for them to be fully into each other. But when they do... Phew!

They also share some very deep conversations along the trip, and it was nice to see how they faced other perspectives for issues that were preventing them to be happy with their lives and the people around them. And following up what happened after the trip allows us to see the consequences of those conversations.

I read this book after reading the first two of the series, and although you can read this one as a standalone, I recommend you to read the other two first, so you can better enjoy the scenes where other characters interact with JJ and Brooke here.

On The Right Path is still my favorite of the series because I could connect more with the MCs there, but this book was so good I'm still thinking about it A LOT after finish reading it.

This was my first ARC read, and I was honored to write a review to such a nice book.

[sapphicliteratureirl]

📚 ARC Review 📚 Thanks to the author for this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

A low-angst, sexy sapphic road trip was exactly what I needed 🛻

The story follows the dual perspectives of Brooke and JJ. They are opposites, yet both find themselves in need of time away and a change of scenery. Brooke loves travelling and being constantly on the move rather than tied down in one place, but she’s also feeling lost, aimless and unhappy. A chance encounter leads her to JJ, who is craving a little adventure of her own.

And as they say, you don’t really know someone til you travel with them 💫

Their Australian road trip creates a wonderfully fun dynamic: Brooke, the easy-going, go-with-the-flow traveller, alongside JJ, who prefers order and a well-thought-out plan. From mishaps to delightful surprises, stunning scenery and exciting excursions, they experience it all together. Along the way they get to know each other while also finding space to reflect on themselves. Their witty banter and growing attraction make the journey all the more enjoyable.

I also really appreciated the character growth the author gives both women throughout the story. As the trip unfolds, they begin to challenge their assumptions, reflect on what they truly want, and gradually open themselves up to new possibilities 💖

I loved seeing Brooke realise that anywhere can be wonderful with the right person beside you. I also loved JJ discovering that she has many layers, and that some of the most exciting experiences happen when you occasionally let go of the plan. Sometimes a perfectly curated list isn’t realistic, and sometimes the person you’ve been looking for is right there in front of you.

Ultimately, the story explores whether what they’re feeling is simply holiday chemistry, a deep friendship, or something more — because missing someone that intensely might mean it’s more than just a trip...

[FemmeFataleReviews]

(4,5) This was amazing. It felt like I was right there with them on vacation, exploring South Australia. I was very relaxed and loved those feel good vibes.

Anywhere But Here is an impossibly cute comfort read. It's a low angst romance about a perfectionist learning to go with the flow and a free spirit learning to love herself.
The story focused more on chemistry and emotional connection than sexual attraction which I loved.

The setting and vacation activities were so well written. I loved the characters, they were incredibly relatable and lovable.

The author's writing style improved immensely since her debut, especially the flow of her sentences. The prose had little flaws, but the feelings and her great lines definitely made up for it.
The story is gripping and I felt so much for the characters. The way they acted around each other was beautiful. They were teasing and supportive, they got to know and complemented each other organically. How they fell in love so very slowly was incredible.

I also loved the depth in which the emotional development of the characters was explored. Even though a big part of the book was one of the MCs' struggle with who she is, it was relatable and didn't feel like whining. Instead, it was really well balanced with everything exciting they were experiencing.

The dialogues were great, especially how well and kind of specific and realistic the characters had the hard conversations. Except when it got to the end and they were feeling all the feels and summarised a bit what they learned, it felt at bit too on the nose and therefore just slightly unrealistic.

A slight downside was also in the end, when it got to the resolution, it felt just a bit rushed and not as emotional as it could've been.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.

[Parker]

What we see in ourselves as flaws, other people hold up as our super powers.

JJ and Brooke’s road trip is a love letter to South Australia highlighting beautiful places to visit, even if Brooke has no interest in seeing them. JJ and Brooke learn more about each other and themselves through their travel experiences, including the ones they can and can’t control, and these experiences help to shape them and drive the plot forward.

The writing is engaging, the dialogue is funny, and I found myself laughing along with the lead characters.

The characters are multidimensional; we see them how they portray themselves, but also the inner battles that drive or prevent them from making choices. The secondary characters are ones we have met earlier in the series and they provide context to help JJ and Brooke to navigate their feelings.

With tropes of opposites attract, one bed, anti-relationship, and forced proximity this is a slow tease romance that makes you want to paint outside the lines.

The third installment of the “Tradie Ladies” series can be read as a stand-alone – but do yourself a favour and read the first two – Swept Up In You and On The Right Path.

Rating – 5/5 paint brushes

Takeaways

JJ is a perfectionist. She stays within the box she has built herself. After years of solo travel Brooke knows how to pivot when things don’t go quite to plan. Finding someone that makes you feel comfortable enough to shave off your sharp corners and roll with changes is everything.

What we see in ourselves as flaws, other people hold up as our super powers.

A successful life looks different for everyone – and so it should.

Being a spoon rather than a fork is a choice! (Read the book and this will make sense.)

I was provided with an advanced copy of this book in return for an honest evaluation by NetGalley and Victory Editing.

[Nina]

We are headed into book 3 of the Tradie Lady series with Anywhere But Here by Rian Birch, let’s get into it!
Much like the previous two novels in this series, it’s driven by conversation - difficult, exciting, confrontational, vulnerable and reflective. Main characters JJ and Brooke have a lot of reconciling to do with themselves and the influential people in their lives. But all of this is driven by their willingness to talk it through with those around them. Birch does a great job at using conversations as a catalyst for character development & growth. Brooke wouldn’t have talked to Hayley had it not been a result of growth within herself, largely influenced by talking through the situation with JJ beforehand. It’s all so woven and that’s a nod to incredible writing. It’s a constant motif throughout this book and the series overall.
In terms of the romance between these two women, it was one that snuck up on them but perhaps not the reader. Birch made sure to weave in the most subtle breadcrumbs early on that helped build the tension to a crescendo by the last chapters. She made us work for it, but the pay off was oh-so-spicy! And yet sweet because their feelings are rooted in reflection - Brooke feels seen by JJ, and well JJ is realizing that perhaps she should be more open to what comes along rather than the “ideal woman” she’s seeking. They are both mirrors and open arms for one another and it's a really beautiful journey from cover to cover.
Anywhere But Here by Rian Birch is yet another lovely stepping stone in the Tradie Lady series and while I this can be read standalone, I think knowing how each of these characters are woven into one universe is so lovely, so why not add the entire series to your TBR before book 4 comes out, ok? Ok!
Overall Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Spice Rating: 🔥🔥🔥