Annie was all set for her marriage to Alexander. The wedding had been painstakingly planned to cover every detail but one. Alexander has had cold feet and called the wedding off by texting the wedding planner and then disappearing. Every bride’s nightmare.

After turning 30, Annie still did not feel like a grown up. Her relationship was not moving forward and she just didn’t feel like she had found her place in the world. Her best friends from uni, making up the ‘core four’ all seemed to have their lives on track. She had to bring the subject of their future up with Alexander and that is when they decided to move in together and started to plan their wedding. Annie finally felt like she had found her place in the world.

After she is jilted, Annie is taken back to the house she shares with Alexander, her family by her side to help her through the trauma. She misses him at first but after a few days of feeling sorry for herself she picks herself up and dives into a bootcamp. She is surprised to bump into Patrick, who recognises her from a drama group they attended when they were young teens. He remembered her as a strong go getter. What has happened to the girl she was.? They meet up a few more times and have a great time together. Patrick has his own back story but we don’t find out what is in his past for a while.

Alexander’s parents insist Annie goes on the no expense spared honeymoon which is all arranged and paid for. After Annie and Patrick spend an alcohol filled afternoon in a pub Annie invites Patrick to go with her. As a friend. He jumps at the chance and even offers to pay his way. Patrick starts out as a real gentleman but it soon becomes obvious where their relationship is heading, especially in the carefree Australian sun! They have a whale of a time. And that spa scene had me laughing out loud!

I loved reading about their time in Sydney as it brought back some lovely memories of the time I went there on holiday years ago.

On their return, Annie takes a good look at her life and the reality she can now do whatever she wants with her future. Although they decide their relationship will not be any different when they return to London, Annie takes on board a comment her mother made to her and realises she has been set free and does she really want to jump straight into another relationship so quickly? Even though Patrick is perfect for her?

Annie’s mum has always put her down but Annie has become stronger and more confident and begins to speak up for herself. The bond she has with Freddie her little sister is just perfect. Freddie is a very strong minded 13 year old.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The author has dealt with some traumatic events considerately and the book is all about living your life to the full, being yourself and not worrying what others think. YOLO!

A great summer feel good read with a bit of fun romance, and lots of laughs.

This book starts with what should be the happiest day of Annie's life, but she ends up heartbroken and alone when her fiance Alexander texts the wedding planner that he's not coming. Leaving Annie with no explanation, no apology, and no contact for weeks. The only stress outlet that seems to work is exercise, so Annie joins a gym, where she runs into a former friend from summer drama camp days as teens. Patrick is just a happy cheerful guy that bring laughter back to her day. She enjoys hanging out with him so when her former in-laws offer the honeymoon to to Australia to her and a friend, she decides to bring Patrick. As they spend time together, her attraction for him grows. But is it too soon to start a new relationship? Is it just the romantic atmosphere of their trip, or can they make things work at home with the complications of work and family?
I enjoyed this fun getaway. I love the way Annie learns to stand up for herself and go after what she really wants instead of living her life making everyone else happy. And Patrick...<swoon> he's just a wonderful, supportive, and happy man that deserves a happily ever after.
Thank you to Netgalley and HarperCollins for the free advanced reader copy of this book. My review is given voluntarily.

What a perfect summer read! Told in first person narrative ( which I love ), this is about Annie who gets jilted at the church doors and how she tries to put her life back together. Annie was the perfect character who I connected with straight away. Australia sounds amazing and it’s made me want to visit ( their budget would suit me perfectly 😂). Only reason this is 4 stars and not 5 is because I would have liked a little more excitement at the end. Perfect for a summer day, with or without the pool next to you.

I was sent this book because I reviewed Laura Jane Williams's last book in 2020 - I really enjoyed it so couldn't wait to read 'The Lucky Escape'.

I love a cute, romantic story - especially if the main character is figuring out who they want to be for themselves. Although some parts brought a tear to my eye - I think I relate to characters who gradually release they've lost bits of who they used to be and forgot what it's like to be happy.

I read it in just 4 days so that should tell you how much I enjoyed it.

I was looking forward to this but was slightly disappointed as I felt the story was quite slow and predictable. The start was great with Annie jilted at the altar by long time boyfriend Alexander. Her parents, younger sister, mother in law and best friends were all characters I felt could have been developed more.
Once on ‘honeymoon’ it all became rather predictable and Mills & Boon like. A bit of jitters at the end and that was it!
An easy reading style- chic lit and good beach type read.
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC

This book is the perfect romantic beach read. It starts out with heartbreak and proceeds to show that the sad moments are just the beginning if you're willing to take the opportunities life presents you with.
Annie really does have a lucky escape when her boyfriend of 9 years leaves her at the altar and disappears. She's understandably heartbroken and a bit of a mess, but a serendipitous meeting with a man who knew her as an outgoing adventurer she hasn't been in years and her almost in-laws offer to still pay for a honeymoon result in a dream-like trip that opens her eyes not only to new love but to who she really is once she stops worrying about always making others happy first.
I'd just like to say that Patrick is the most wishful-thinking perfect book boyfriend ever, but I wouldn't change a thing about him.
It's a sweet and romantic story that doesn't shy away from including moments of sadness and doubt, using them instead as turning points and inspiration in Annie's journey. There are so many learning moments in this quick read, and they're all presented with such simplicity that you barely even notice that some truth bombs are getting dropped. It keeps the book from being too preachy about being yourself and taking care of yourself, but it still does a great job of pushing that message across. I really appreciate that.
Overall, I seriously do think that this is the perfect beach read. It's light and fun, but it has enough gravitas to actually make you think. Definitely, one I'd recommend for a summer TBR.

Many happy thanks to NetGalley and Avon for the early read!

Annie and Alexander lived together, although the house was his, and after years of seeing everyone else get married, it was now time for them. Everything was perfect, she had lost weight, the bridal gown fit her beautifully, and all their family and friends were going to celebrate them getting married. Unfortunately, Alexander had decided differently and been the coward he was he had phoned the wedding planner to tell her the wedding was off! It was a day Annie would never forget, but for the wrong reasons.

When Annie bumped into an old friend from camp they both went to for acting when they were teenagers, he made her feel like the girl she used to be, with his tales from the past. Patrick put the sparkle back in her. So when her ex-future-in-laws offered her the luxury honeymoon three week trip to Australia, fully paid, she took it and drunkenly invited Patrick along too.

The story is told by Annie and how she sees situations. I liked how the author showed all her different sides. It had been a matter of meeting Annie on a high followed by the worst time in her life, so not the true every day Annie. There were stages that she progressed through in the story, not always making the right choices.

I liked that the story wasn’t all sugar and spice with someone sweeping her off her feet. It was a story of other people having pasts that have changed them. It is a story of giving and taking, not just leaning on someone, and how they make it better. I don’t think of this as a love story but a life story.

Many thanks to the publisher and Net Galley for an e-copy of this book which I have reviewed honestly.

This was so cute! Patrick was amazing, we love an emotionally mature man! He was great but started to fade out into the background after the trip. It was more of her, less of the romance. I still liked it. It was cute and easy read. There weren’t a lot of troubles and if they were they were resolved quickly and very very easily. Everyone just apologized out of nowhere and puff solved.

This was slow moving for me. Upon reading the synopsis, I was so excited to dive in since it sounded almost like the plot in The Unhoneymooners. However, I found the characters a bit off-putting and wished the honeymoon part came earlier in the story. I wanted the chemistry to snap already. It's not a bad book, but it just didn't work for me that's all.

This book is the perfect summer read! My only complaint is that I wish I had read it on a sun lounger next to a pool in 30 degree heat, but that’s my issue, not the book’s 😂 I’ve always wanted to go anyway, but this book has made me even more determined to get to Australia one day, the setting descriptions are gorgeous! And the characters, I immediately felt a connection with Annie and just wanted what’s best for her because she deserved it! I know I always say it, but I love a good character growth story and this one definitely has it! Annie made me so proud! And Patrick, what a beautiful soul, I loved him so much. This book will make you smile and your heart feel full. Plus it will also make you laugh, I mean that spa scene had me laugh out loud!

This would be the perfect beach read - super quick, so easy to read, and just makes you want to keep reading. I was continually surprised by how much I wanted to keep reading this book despite the things that irritated me about it. The writing style was really fun and I would love to read more from Laura Jane Williams.

Personally, I did find the storyline a bit lacking. We follow Annie who has just been left at the altar and is trying to get her life back together. When her ex-fiance's mother insists she still takes the honeymoon, she ends up going with a long-lost friend she bumped into at a fitness bootcamp. So many elements of this story were just a bit too obvious and kind of just made me want to roll my eyes a little. I found both the ex-fiance and the love interest really under-developed as characters which meant that I really didn't understand a lot of decisions that people were making, particularly towards the end of the book.

Jilted at the altar then meeting a friend from the past, Annie moves quickly. Rather than waste her honeymoon she bites the bullet and invites Patrick along. It is clear from the beginning what is going to happen but I feel someone who has just been left at the altar by the love of her life is moving too quickly. Not really as I expected but still enjoyable.

The Lucky Escape is a light-hearted story about the possibility of a second chance at finding love. Annie Wiig is about to get married to her handsome boyfriend, Alexander, who she met at university and have been together over ten years. Everything seems perfect on her wedding day, but everything goes wrong when Alexander does not show up, leaving Annie a jilted bride. On a random chance, she runs into a childhood acquaintance, Patrick, who went to theater camp with her years ago. Patrick has his own past that he is trying to deal with and the two of them end up embarking on a trip together. They have an attraction to each other, but they’ll have to see if maybe more is on the horizon in this story about moving on, healing, and growth.

For me, there is disconnect between the synopsis and the novel as the blurb seems to make it that the honeymoon vacation will be the main focus. While it is present, it only is about a third of the novel with the first third being the lead up and the last third being the aftermath. I expected more from the actual honeymoon portion and for it to at least be half of the novel. For me, the honeymoon middle section was the best part as it had it all from adventure to humor to building the connection between the characters. There is a lot of backstory and depth given to both characters during those moments that made me love this section of the novel. The first third leads up to the honeymoon where the Annie is left at the altar, she is heartbroken and leans on her friends, she randomly meets an old acquaintance from her past, and then the two of them, through a series of events, end up on Annie’s honeymoon together. While important for set-up, I would have preferred this section shortened. Once the two characters return to London for the last third of the book, there is a lot going on with Annie in addition to her conundrum with Patrick. While interesting, it was very rushed as there was a lot to work through even at the 90% mark.

One small detail with Annie that I could not stand is she is amazing at her job, but she does not enjoy it. Yet she is considered one of the most loved there and, for me, it irked me that this person with no passion for the subject is stealing the spotlight from those that may not be as naturally gifted, but at least have passion. It is a very realistic portrayal, but it seemed a little self-centered that this never crossed her mind. To her, she wanted something, so she would take center-stage, even if she did not care. I think it would not have bothered me as much if it was not repeated multiple times throughout the story about how much she had no passion for her job.

The actual writing was very well-written and enjoyable, but, again, the story itself was off balance. I loved Annie’s relationship with her friends and sister and it was well done. Annie’s rocky relationship with her mother was one that I was on the fence for as it had a lot of potential, but I just did not agree with how it turned out. I do not feel that Annie changed a lot as it seemed more surface level compared to the in-depth transformation that I thought it would. To me, if we looked at Annie in the future, I could see her making a lot of the same choices without actually learning much from her mistakes in the past. However, she did have some growth, but it just was not as much as I expected.

Overall, I still greatly enjoyed this novel as a whole, despite my criticisms. It is a fantastic escape read that takes you to the amazing destination of Australia in style. I love that this is a novel that everyone will take away a little something different as some may love some parts that I disliked and vice versa. The secondary characters were entertaining and the romance was sweet. A definite fun beach read to try!

**I want to give a special thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, Avon Books UK, and the author for a review copy of this enjoyable novel. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.**

Thank you to the author, Avon Books UK and NetGalley, for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this, it was a quick read - but I did have some quibbles with it. I loved the way being jilted at the altar (which must be an absolutely awful experience) gave the heroine the freedom to question herself - although it was not really the long hard look at herself I would have expected - and take steps to climb out of the ruts she was in. The secondary characters, especially her younger sister and her circle of friends, were well-drawn. However, the heroine herself was not particularly likeable - very indecisive and seemingly without any clear life goals, and her portrayal was very contradictory (feminist and the in the next breath completely anti-feminist, body-conscious and not, etc.). Also, I felt that certain aspects were unrealistic (would you really invite someone you haven't seen for 20 years on a luxury vacation for two?) and moved too fast (the love story seemed a bandaid for the jilted bride, rather than a serious relationship).

I was up until 2 in the morning to finish this book. It was fun and cute and sweet. You always hear of the bride running away, never the groom, so that was an interesting twist to it. Patrick's character was full of depth and intriguing. I believe this story nicely balances grief, difficult familial relationships, pacing of a new relationship, and heartbreak.

Chick lit book, moved a little slow for me. The characters didn't jump out at me and I found myself wanting more from the plot.

The Lucky Escape - Laura Jane Williams

Raced through it! Such a great little read, perfect beach read/sunbathing in the garden reading. This type of book can sometimes feel like it has quite a lot of filler material, but I did not find this at all with The Lucky Escape. We were thrown straight into the story with a dramatic beginning (Annie being left at the alter, after being in a relationship with Alexander for so many years) and then got to follow Annie recover from it in a spectacular way. Obviously not all happy endings get straight there so there were a few bumps in the road, but it made me all the more willing of Annie to find her peace in life and with family relationships. Thanks you so much Avon Books and NetGalley for the E-ARC in return for my honest thoughts.

The Lucky Escape was a fun, summertime read! It dealt with some heavier topics (brief mentions of death, heartbreak, and toxic family relationships) but ultimately, kept a positive and upbeat look on life, romance and self-love.

Synopsis: Annie Wiig was not expecting life to go this way. She was supposed to be happily married and on her honeymoon with her college sweetheart, not her childhood friend from camp, Patrick Hummingbird. But beggars can’t be choosers — and Annie is ready to show the world her true self again, starting with her all-expenses-paid “honeymoon” to Australia. But will she get more from the trip than she bargained for?

If we’re being honest, this book had very few surprises for me. That doesn’t mean I didn’t enjoy the pretty predictable plot line, which was exactly the thing my brain was craving while I read it. It made me laugh and cringe and cheer for Annie and Patrick, and I finished it in record time because I was enjoying it. I can definitely see this being a great beach or poolside read!

True to its name, this book was a light-hearted travel rom-com that was much-needed amidst such dark times -- a lucky escape indeed. Highly recommend to lovers of rom-coms.

Our protagonist, Annie, experiences a life-altering experience : being left at the altar. She is devastated & confused. Just then, life throws her a lifeline, an opportunity to reinvent herself by embarking on the honeymoon regardless. Except this honeymoon would be with a man who was not her husband. This book follows Annie, not only on her honeymoon, but also her eventful journey towards self-love & self-discovery.

This book transported me to the sandy beaches & iconic wineries of Australia all from the comfort of my bedroom. I loved the escapism of it all. The travel aspect was invigorating, much amplified by the Annie's boundless enthusiasm. Despite being an adult fiction novel, the characters felt very youthful, witty & animated. I loved Annie's relationship with Freddie, her little sister, & also with her friends, Core Four. It gave Annie a lot more depth as a character. I felt Patrick was less interesting. HIs internal conflicts were not developed enough and although he was introduced well, with a strong voice, it did fade as the book went along. In the end, he felt very much like a plain Jane with not much distinctive qualities.

I enjoyed the romance. The meet-cute was to die for. I would argue the slow-burn was better than the actual romance! The writing was so easy to read, fun & fluffy. I really did breeze through the pages!

Overall, I would still recommend this book to lovers of rom-coms (specifically, Sophie Kinsella)! It is a great book to remind us of all the joys that lie beyond this pandemic,.

When she arrives, all dressed in her wedding finery, the last thing Annie Ginn expected was to be told the groom, Alexander, had sent a text to the wedding planner to cancel the wedding. From this inauspicious, devastating beginning comes ‘The Lucky Escape’…..

Annie and her family aren’t the only one upset by Alexander’s behaviour – so are his parents. They insist that she still goes on the dream honeymoon that they’ve paid for – and they’re also happy to change the name on the ‘spare’ ticket. Whilst still considering this, Annie meets someone she hasn’t seen for more than a decade, someone who remembers what she used to be like as a teenager and makes her rethink her options. That’s how he ends up travelling with her, as a friend, on her luxurious honeymoon without a husband and finding out more about herself and her life choices, making the wedding that didn’t happen become a very lucky escape . . .

You’ve just got to love Annie’s young sister and best friends and how they’re always there for her. Patrick is also so inspiring to her, especially when you discover some of his past – no, I’m not saying what, that’d be a spoiler! This is a lovely story of making the most of your opportunities, learning to live a life that makes you happy and not one you spend trying to always keep others happy at your expense. It is a story with plenty of fun and a truly dream holiday of a lifetime as well, of course, as a heartwarming romance.

Thank you to Avon Books and NetGalley for my copy of this book which I have voluntarily read and honestly reviewed.