Tuesday, June 22, 2021

 


This was a fun, quick read that I enjoyed far more than I was anticipating. I read the whole thing in a single afternoon!

Hugo has just been dumped by his girlfriend and as a consolation prize, she gives him the trip across America they were planning on taking together.  The problem is, all the bookings are in her name and they're not transferrable.  Itching to get away from his large, loving, but somewhat claustrophobic family, Hugo decides to find another person with the same name to travel with.

Mae is about to go to college but isn't looking forward to it much after not being accepted into the film programme she's been dreaming about for years.  When the opportunity to travel across the country by train pretty much drops in her lap, she jumps at the chance to leave her life behind for a few days.  Who knows?  She might even find the inspiration for a new film out there.

This is a dual POV book and the two voices are quite distinct in that Hugo is English and Mae American.  While they seem to understand each other perfectly well, their vernacular is distinct and I loved this about the book.

I also loved that Hugo is a sextuplet.  His journey through the novel was my favourite because I felt like he grew the most.  His conflict between wanting to find out who he is on his own, and the love and comfort he gets from being part of a large group of siblings really resonated with me.

Which is not to say that Mae's journey wasn't compelling too.  She's a filmmaker struggling to find her voice, and obviously that's something I understand too.

The setting, mainly a cross-country train, is the perfect setting for a romance.  There is something very romantic about the idea of being trapped in a small space with someone for a long period of time.  Especially if that space is pretty private and maybe a little uncomfortable.

As I said, I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone looking for a fresh, breezy romance.  It's the perfect summer read!

But don't just listen to me.  Here's the blurb:

Having just been dumped by his girlfriend, British-born Hugo is still determined to take his last-hurrah-before-college train trip across the United States. One snag: the companion ticket is already booked under the name of his ex, Margaret Campbell. Nontransferable, no exceptions.

Enter the new Margaret C. (Mae for short), an aspiring filmmaker with big dreams. After finding Hugo's spare ticket offer online, she's convinced it's the perfect opportunity to expand her horizons.

When the two meet, the attraction is undeniable, and both find more than they bargained for. As Mae pushes Hugo to explore his dreams for his future, he'll encourage her to channel a new, vulnerable side of her art. But when life off the train threatens the bubble they've created for themselves, will they manage to keep their love on track?

1 comment:

  1. Being non-transferable I can buy, but only needing someone with the same name to make use of the tickets I find to be kind of unbelievable.

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