Mara Williams delivers an emotionally resonant debut that explores the unexpected turns of life, love, and self-discovery. The characters are relatable and imperfect, drawing you into their journeys with warmth and sincerity. While the ending wraps up more neatly than life often allows, the story’s pacing and insight kept me fully engaged throughout. A thoughtful and compelling read that reminds us the detours may hold the answers we didn’t know we needed.

This beautiful romance is a road trip for answers, back to friendship, and to find true love. Beau and Ophelia were childhood friends that parted ways and are pulled back together to take a revealing journey of truths. I love the writing style, the banter, the hilarious situations, and the oh so hot chemistry. I think I may have a little crush on Beau and Ophelia and I must surely be kindred spirits. There are some heavier topics in the novel, but they are handled with care and sensitivity. The audiobook is a fantastic way to enjoy this sparkling love story and gorgeous life story.

There are some books that just click from the very first page, and this one had me hooked and fully invested from chapter one. Mara Williams’s debut is a masterclass in storytelling. It’s rich in emotion, sharp with tension, and overflowing with chemistry that practically scorches the page.

Set against the backdrop of a perfectly executed road trip, this novel thrives on movement, not just across states, but through memory, grief, and longing. Ophelia and Beau’s journey unfolds with delicious slow burn tension. The kind where every glance feels loaded and every conversation buzzes with unspoken history. Their chemistry is undeniable. And Beau? Let’s just say hot professor doesn’t even begin to cover it. Grumpy, glasses, and abs… I mean, come on.

Ophelia is such a standout lead. She’s chaotic in the most relatable way. She’s funny, vulnerable, and endlessly endearing. Her dynamic with Beau is built on years of unresolved tension and differing memories of their shared past, which makes their reunion even juicier. I loved that the book didn’t get too bogged down in rehashing old drama. It gave us just enough before diving headfirst into present day tension and high stakes vulnerability.

And while I typically lean toward dual POVs, the single POV here worked. Beau’s secrets unravel at the perfect pace, keeping me completely glued to the page. Add in a moving mystery about Ophelia’s mother and her own search for truth, and you’ve got a story that’s as emotionally layered as it is steamy.

It’s honestly wild that this is a debut. Mara Williams’s writing is confident, captivating, and gorgeously intimate. If you love a soul searching road trip, second chance tension, and a romance that burns hot and hits deep, this one absolutely deserves a spot at the top of your TBR.

4 stars for me,was very good from start to finish.We meet Ophelia Dahl that has just buried her father and when she cleaning his house she finds document that shock her to core-her mother is alive. Meet Beau Augustin- Ophelia’s childhood bestie turned teenage nemesis,who have project for his new book, and looking to meet on his road trip people who are keeping secrets from they families,and consequences of such behavior.

With Beau Ophelia want to find out what happened that her father keep the secret from her.

I like Beau and Ophelia together,she's more fun and he is so grumpy,but they work good together.And the chemistry between them was sizzling.The only thing that I give 1 star short is Beau talking about his ex.The way he trough that his marriage will last forever,I had feeling that the ex was "The one",not Ophelia.It just bother me,but that just little thing,it didn't put me off the story.

This book had the perfect mix of emotion, angst,betrayal and romance.

Will Ophelia find what she looking for?
Will they be friends again or something more?
Perfect for romance and women's fiction fans.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for my ARC.

I devoured this book! It was so good. I read this book in less than a day. Almost from the very beginning it has me hooked and flipping pages.

While this is a road trip rom-com, this book also deals with grief and other heavy emotions. I feel that these issues were handled well and there was a pretty accurate portrayal of these issues.

Ophelia has just lost her father. Beau, her former neighbor and ex-best friend, is also going through hard times. Some things happen which cause Pei to go on the road trip with Beau. I don’t want to give too much away.

Thank you NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the arc of this book. All opinions are my own.

Wow. Just… wow.

This book was such a delight! Fun, beautifully written, sooo romantic, and very emotional. I devoured it in under a day.

I’m a sucker for road-trip stories, which is what initially drew me in. The childhood friends-to-lovers trope usually isn’t my favourite, but this one completely won me over. I really appreciated that it didn’t rely on the usual back-and-forth timeline, jumping between the past and present. Instead, it focused on who the characters are now, revealing their shared history naturally through dialogue and introspection.

The slow-burn romance and banter were so satisfying, but what really stood out to me was Ophelia’s character. She’s messy in the most relatable way, and her journey through grief and growth felt so real and had me tearing up a little at the end.

The mystery surrounding her mother added a thoughtful, compelling layer that kept me guessing along with the characters.

I did expect the interviews to be a bigger part of the book, but instead quite a few were just skimmed over, and even the ones relating to the characters and their own journeys felt a little short, I would have loved a bit more focus on these.

An incredible debut—I’ll definitely be watching for whatever this author does next.
Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

The Truth Is in the Detours by new to me author Mara Williams, published by Lake Union Publishing is a stand alone novel.
Ophelia cleares her father's eastate when she find something that puts her whole world upside down. Nothing she believed was real and soon she finds herself on a journey accompanied by Beau her neighbor and writer. Beau has his own issues and soon they're in for a reality check/rude awakening.
A well written story with some lengths, suspenseful, a good read, 4 stars.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Mara Williams and Lake Union Publishing for an ARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

3,5 ⭐ - I was rooting for these main characters throughout the whole read, it follows old best friends Ophelia and Beau - who grew apart after high school.

After each of them dealing with their own issues, Beau with his internal struggles and Ophelia's found out her deceased mother isn't actually deceased?

This was such a nice story with likeable characters, however the constant lack of communication in the storyline was a little annoying at some point.

Wow. Wow. Wow.
This book was something truly special. It felt like it was filled with pure magic. ✨

After Ophelia’s father suddenly passes away, she discovers a life-shattering secret: her mother didn’t die when she was four…she gave up her parental rights. This lie sends Ophelia spiraling, feeding into old (and not so old) insecurities and making her question everything; her grief, her relationships, her entire identity.

Enter Beau: Ophelia’s childhood best friend turned stranger, who is also reeling from a deep betrayal of his own. What follows is a road trip wrapped in heartbreak, healing, and hard truths. A journey of two people trying to make sense of their betrayals, and find answers about why people lie.

The dynamic between Ophelia and Beau? Perfection.
They had me laughing out loud, giggling, kicking my feet, and tearing up. Their chemistry is palpable, and Ophelia’s yearning, paired with her uncertainty, felt so raw and real. Neither of them is perfect. Ophelia’s insecurities hit home, and Beau’s reserved and grump sometimes cuts a little too deep… but that’s what made me fall in love with them all the more.

There’s so much heart packed into this story. It’s a beautiful childhood bestfriends-to-strangers-to-lovers romance, full of reconnection, healing, and the kind of love that shows up right when you need it most. ❤️

Mara’s writing is tender, honest, and brimming with emotion. It pulled me in from the very first page.

And what’s life without a few detours.

The Truth Is in the Details by Mara Williams is a layered and emotionally complex story about two childhood friends—Ophelia and Beau—who remember their shared past very differently. Each carries personal baggage: Ophelia is reeling from a failed marriage and the discovery that her supposedly deceased mother is actually alive, while Beau battles his own internal struggles.

Their journey to reconnect and track down Ophelia’s mother is filled with miscommunication, unspoken truths, and emotional tension. While I understand this was a deliberate choice by the author, I found the constant lack of communication frustrating at times, which made it harder for me to stay fully engaged with the story.

That said, I’m glad I stuck with it. The ending offered the closure I needed, and the overall plot really is strong. I might even give it a reread—I wonder if I just wasn’t in the right headspace the first time around. There’s a lot of emotional depth here, and it deserves a thoughtful read.

Thank you to Mara Williams, Lake Union Publishing, and NetGalley for the ARC.

I honestly loved this one from the first page to the last. It was the kind of story that made me feel a lot, and I didn’t want to stop reading. The writing was beautiful but not too complicated, and the author made everything feel real and full of emotion. Ophelia and Beau were both amazing characters, and I really liked how they were written. Their connection felt strong, natural, and sometimes full of tension in the best way. The banter between them made me smile a lot, and I could feel the history they shared. Even though the book was only in Ophelia’s point of view, Beau still felt like a fully developed character too. I also enjoyed the road trip part. It added a lot of fun and made the story move in a nice way. And the setting was super well done. What I liked most was how the story mixed romance with real life struggles. This was Mara Williams’s first book, but it didn’t feel like a debut at all. I can’t wait to read what she writes next. Thank you so much to the author, Lake Union Publishing and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read the book in advance, I received this for free and I'm leaving a honest review

I’ve officially found my new favorite romance writer. ❤️ Obsessed doesn’t even begin to cover it.

The characters are flawed, real, and heartbreakingly human. The banter is sharp, funny, and full of that perfect tension. Ophelia has just lost her father when she discovers a devastating secret: the mother she thought died decades ago is actually alive and chose to leave. Still reeling, she joins her ex-best friend, Beau, on a road trip up the California coast. He’s researching secrets and truths for his next book while quietly trying to make sense of his own failed marriage. They’re both attempting to piece together lives they no longer recognize, but in the process, they find each other. Truths unravel on a road trip full of unexpected turns and emotional detours. Can they reconcile with what they uncover? Is there a path forward to friendship, or maybe something more?

The emotional depth, the slow-burn chemistry, and unresolved history. I’ve already preordered Mara Williams' next one. This debut author is one to watch!

This was a really cute second chance romance. The story was fast paced and full of cute moments! I highly recommend this book!

The book was very interesting and the timeline kept you hooked on the book. I enjoyed all the loops the book took you through to show you that not everything as black and white as people think.

I adored Mara Williams’s debut novel “The Truth Is in the Detours.” Ophelia (Phe) Dahl and Beauregard (Beau) Augustin were childhood best friends who drifted apart in high school. They grew up living next door to each other after Ophelia and her dad moved to San Diego when Ophelia was about four years old.

Ophelia’s dad unexpectedly passed away and she discovered the first page of a court document while cleaning out her childhood home to sell. Ophelia was told her mother died in a car accident, but the court document is dated a year after the accident supposedly occurred. Beau was back in town, visiting his parents, and checks on Ophelia right after she discovered the document.

Beau is a professor and has written a couple books. The latest book he’s working on is about secrets and deceptions. He has in-person interviews lined up that will take a few weeks to complete. Ophelia comes up with the idea to tag along. She tells Beau she can help take notes during his interviews and maybe they can search for her mother. She wants to know why her parental rights were terminated and understand why her dad lied to her for decades.

I devoured the first third of the book. I loved the banter between Ophelia and Beau. The author’s writing style reminded me of Carley Fortune, Katherine Center, and Emily Henry when it came to the dialogue. The last two thirds of the book were a little more low-key, but still strong. There was the road trip while Beau interviewed the liars (as Ophelia called them). Ophelia also worked on herself and figure out a path forward.

Overall, I highly recommend this book. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for my ARC.

The Truth Is in the Detours is a funny, clever and emotional second chance romance featuring our heroine, Opehlia, and her former friend Beau as they take a road trip across California after Ophelia's father's death. I was really enraptured in the quest to find Ophelia's missing mother and I was intrigued by Beau's character development and also, who doesn't love a nerdy best friend who turns hot in adulthood? I am very much into Beau!

A must read for fans of second chance romance!

Thanks to Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for the ARC.

A nostalgic, emotional journey with heart—though not without its bumps
⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 (3.5 rounded up)

There’s something I’ll always fall for: a story about childhood friends who grew apart and are thrown back together, forced to confront old wounds and unspoken truths. That setup always hits close to home for me—there’s just so much depth in having shared history, lingering tension, and the hope of reconnection. The Truth Is in the Detours started off so strong in that way. The tension between Ophelia and Beau was palpable, and I couldn’t stop flipping pages trying to find out what exactly went wrong between them.

I also really appreciated that the book didn’t lean on flashbacks or a dual timeline to do its emotional heavy lifting. The past was revealed organically through conversation and reflection, which kept the story grounded in the present. That said, for how invested I was at the start, the ending felt a little abrupt. I wanted more resolution—not necessarily in plot, but in those intimate, character-deepening conversations I felt we were building toward. There were so many opportunities for Beau and Ophelia to really talk, and I missed having those moments on the page.

Romance-wise, my feelings were a bit mixed. At first, I was rooting for them, but as the story unfolded, some of their dynamic left me cold. There were a few “ick” moments that made it harder to believe in their romantic arc. Oddly, I started feeling like maybe they were better off rebuilding their friendship than reigniting anything romantic. Still, their banter had its charm, and the road trip gave them a great setting for meaningful moments (even if some of those stayed beneath the surface).

What really kept me hooked was the mystery surrounding Ophelia’s mother. That thread was well-paced and compelling, and I appreciated the emotional payoff. For a debut, Mara Williams has a strong voice and clear storytelling instincts, and I’d definitely be curious to see what she writes next.

If you enjoy second-chance stories with a side of grief, healing, and slow-burn revelations—this one’s worth the read.

I love a good love story where childhood friends who fell apart reunite and have to delve into the past and address their issues. The book started off really strong. I was immediately hooked. The tension between the characters was palpable, and I felt a deep need to know what happened.

What I absolutely loved about the book is that it didn’t rely on dual timelines and flashback chapters like many stories with a similar concept do. And more importantly, there was no need for them. Everything that went down in the past was explained through the main character’s inner monologue as well as her conversations with other characters. At no point did I feel like the book was dragging- in fact, I felt like it was cut short. I needed more closure, the ending felt quite abrupt, and even though the main couple spent so much time together, I felt like they needed to talk more and I wish we got to witness those conversations on page.

As for the romance, I was really intrigued at first. But the more time they spent together, the less I liked them as a couple. Towards the end, I felt like perhaps they are better off as just friends. Some of their conversations gave me a huge ick and I did not really find myself rooting for them to be together. I felt indifferent and didn’t really care much.

The mystery and the quest to find Ophelia’s mom is what kept me invested in the book. I was genuinely curious and wanted to find out what exactly happened, and I was pretty satisfied with the way that storyline went.

Overall, it’s a great debut, and I would consider picking up another book by this author

3.5 stars rounded up!

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!

I love a book with a road trip. A love story about childhood friends. A chance to work out problems together and apart. Ophelia and Beau are the sweetest couple, and it was a delight to follow their journey back to each other. More of a contemporary romance than a romcom, the book begins with the aftermath of the death of a parent. The author didn’t shy away from grief, loss, loneliness, or memories. I don’t typically care for lack of communication in romance novels, but I understood it with Ophelia and Beau as they had not been in contact in many years and we’re getting to know each other all over again. I enjoyed this one very much and highly recommend.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC to read and review. All opinions are my own.

I enjoyed this book. It's a bit of romance, but contains some tough topics such as parent death, parent abandonment, found family. It's more of a journey of Ophelia navigating her past, her way and herself.

The romance part was a little tough. I am not the biggest fan of miscommunication tropes, and I wish I felt more of "feeling" between Beau and Ophelia. Looking for the lead up... reflecting on their past more? I loved the banter between them though!

Overall, it was a good read, paced, and I enjoyed the. narrator.

Thank you Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for the advanced reader copy