About the Book
After a decade of silence, Dee and Ben reunite for a road trip they once promised to take. It’s going to be a bumpy ride.
Dee Matthews is the cohost of the smash-hit podcast Did I Forget To Tell You?, where she interviews family, friends, and past lovers. Nothing is off limits, except for one man (known on the show only as Name Redacted) who happens to be her high school best friend Ben. During their senior year spring break, Dee and Ben took a road trip to visit Ben’s grandma. They buried a time capsule in her backyard, pledging to return in ten years to open it. Then their friendship fell apart in spectacular fashion. They haven’t spoken to each other since.
Ben Porter’s life since that moment has been unexciting but comfortable, until his grandma reveals a family secret that flips his whole world upside down. Her dying wish is for him to stop doing what is safest and go after what he really wants. He starts by showing up on Dee’s doorstep with every intention of fulfilling their long-ago promise. Despite her reservations, Dee can’t say no. This trip could be her chance to give her listeners the Name Redacted interview they’ve been begging for—and finally put her unresolved feelings for Ben to rest.
As the miles fly by, Dee and Ben’s friendship reignites. But the closer they get to reaching their destination, the more apparent it becomes that their attraction to each other cannot be ignored. Their last adventure ended in disaster, and they’re about to find out if any hope of a future together is in the rear view mirror.
My Review
A road trip rom com? Sign me up! When I first read the synopsis I was instantly intrigued – not only about Dee and her career as a podcaster, but of course about her history with Ben and how the two are suddenly reunited. A Thousand Miles read more like a novella to me, which I didn’t mind the quick jump into scenes, but sometimes I wished for a little more meat between the pages. Still, we are thrown into the drama right away, with Ben showing up at his ex- best friends’ house ten years after they last spoke to one another. It was pretty clear both Dee and Ben were in love with each other in high school, but neither wanted to ruin a strong friendship in case the other did not feel that way. When Ben is determined to make good on a promise to his grandmother after her death, Dee feels she can’t say no. Maybe there is a reason Ben showed up after all this time. Or maybe it’s just podcast worthy.
I could relate a lot to Dee and sharing her life online, trying to figure out boundaries, and wondering if sometimes you’re making a decision because you want to … or for the content. It was a little harder for me to grasp her personality as a whole though – at times she was brash and bold, other times so much more timid and unsure of herself, and I felt like I never knew which Dee was showing up from chapter to chapter. Ben was instantly likeable, though both characters had a lot of growing to do, which was nice to see from them as the two traveled through the Midwest. The road trip setting was fun, the baseball game was a hoot, and there were even some sweet moments with a lost cat that I thought added a lot to the story. Overall, a fresh and modern romantic comedy about taking a chance to get that second chance.
4 stars
