The Five-Year Plan by Carla Burgess

☆☆☆☆1/2
ebook, 355 pages
Expected publication: March 20th 2020 by HQ Digital
About the Book:
Orla is a trainee reporter with a five-year plan: work her way up the career ladder, move to London and secure a job on a big national newspaper. She doesn’t want a boyfriend, he’s only going to hold her back anyway. Aiden spends his life travelling the world and living in a tent. He knows his goal: to photograph animals and raise awareness of global warming and wildlife conservation. He’s definitely not looking for a relationship past the odd casual hook-up! So when Orla and Aiden’s lives collide, they do everything to not fall for each other – with the opposite effect. But they stick to their plans, and go their separate ways...Five years later, they meet again.

With everything going on in the world because of covid-19, I really needed something light and fun to turn my frown upside down, and this book certainly did that! I loved reading about Orla and Aiden meeting, becoming friends and turning into lovers. This was such a refreshing change of pace.

The Five-Year Plan was an interesting and emotional read. It had a lead woman character, unlike most that star in the books I read, that was very independent, strong, organized and driven logic and goals. Her life is outlined and makes sense on paper. Her best friend is so the opposite. Oh, how I loved this story...The Five-Year Plan is more of a beautiful love story between friends than a romance. It’s a story about loyalty, destiny, being true to yourself, and letting life happen. I was completely captivated from beginning to end. It is a lovely story that is equally heartbreaking as it is hopeful. It’s not a novel that I was able to finish and then simply move on from. The Five-Year Plan is a story that will stick with me for some time to come.

The Five-Year Plan had me from the very first page and if I’m being honest, I never wanted it end. I loved the entire premise of this novel—so incredibly original. This addictive read combines several genres such as: women’s fiction, romance, and a touch of educational, to create an extremely compelling story-line. Carla Burgess does a fantastic job with the characters development and the pacing was absolutely perfect, I read it in a day and learned so much about river otters! I highly recommend this book as it will most definitely be on my 2020 favorites list.

Thank you NetGalley, Carla Burgess and HQ Digital for the complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

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