Planes, Trains, and All the Feels by Livy Hart (Review by Stephanie Rowitz)

Rating: 4/5

Cassidy and Luke are polar opposites: Cassidy takes life as it comes, makes friends with everyone she meets, and has no problem telling anyone her thoughts on anything. Luke is a man with a plan, doesn’t like talking to people, and mostly keeps his opinions to himself. In a comedy-of-errors fashion, this unlikely pair has to make it across the country to take care of their respective families despite their plane getting grounded, their rental car catching on fire, and getting on the wrong train. They both knew traveling together would be a challenge, but neither expected to find love along the way.

This dual POV book starts out with the classic enemies-to-lovers trope, but quickly becomes much more than that. The reader gets to know these characters’ motivations and ticks in a way that makes them feel well-rounded and relatable. Their attraction to each other is gradual but once they see past their differences, they realize how alike they really are. There’s a good dose of spice, too, if you enjoy that kind of thing.

I like that this book had more going on in it than just the romance. Cassidy and Luke both learn some hard lessons about how to deal with difficult family members who push us to the breaking point. They both come to terms with the fact that living your life on someone else’s terms is no way to live. However, learning how to suddenly live your life your way takes time and practice, and I like that that wasn’t rushed for the sake of wrapping up the book in a neat, little bow. You get the sense that the characters will continue to learn and grow long after the last page which I always like to see with characters I’ve invested in.
Overall, this is a delightful little romance with plenty of heat and heart to get you through a cold and dreary day, as it did for me.