A Cross-Country Wedding

Road Trip Romance #2

by Courtney Walsh

A fun-loving free spirit.
Her buttoned-up best friend.
And a cross-country wedding that could drive their platonic relationship toward something else entirely.

Simon Collier is my friend.

Heck, he’s been my friend for most of my adult life—and we couldn’t be more different.

I love late-night karaoke. He’s a homebody with a piano I’ve never heard him play.

I relish being the center of attention while Simon prefers to fade into the background.

My dresser is a disaster. He alphabetizes his fridge.

I suppose we’re a little like sunshine and rain. It’s why our friendship works.

Even though we’re total opposites, we get along like peas and carrots. He’s constantly saving me after failed romances, and I push him to live a little. . .even if that means dragging him out of his comfort zone.

If I can make him laugh, it’s a win.

He’s my safe person. Secure, reliable, fun to poke fun at.

Simon Collier is my friend.

But now, all that might change.

After another predictable break-up, I find myself in need of a plus-one for my best friend Lauren’s cross-country wedding. A wedding that reenacts the road trip where she and her fiancé, Will, first fell in love. And despite his fussiness, Simon is the safest person to bring along because I’m not in the market for any more messy feelings.

Our friendship has been intact for over ten years, surely we can handle a week crammed in a car, sharing meals and playlists and nighttime secrets and single beds.

Right?

Genres: Romance, Christmas, Contemporary, Fiction, Friends To Lovers, Clean Romance, Road Trip

395 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 16, 2023

About the author

Courtney Walsh is a novelist, theatre director, and playwright. She writes low spice romance and women's fiction while juggling the performing arts studio and youth theatre she owns and runs with her husband. Her debut, A Sweethaven Summer, hit the New York Times and USA Today e-book bestseller lists. She is also a Carol award winner and Christy award finalist.

A creative at heart, Courtney has also written two craft books and several full-length musicals. She lives in Illinois with her husband and three children and a sometimes naughty Bernedoodle named Luna.

Visit her online at www.courtneywalshwrites.com.

Reviews

[Maren’s Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5-5⭐️ Having read and enjoyed A Cross Country Christmas a couple of years ago, I was so excited to hear there was a sequel in the works, though to be completely honest, I was a little unsure of how that would work. Turns out I had zero to be worried about. Courtney Walsh is the master of creating these incredibly lovable, quirky and incredibly relatable characters, and Maddie and Simon are no exception.

As soon as I hit the quarter mark and felt all the People We Meet on Vacation vibes (my all time favorite EH book), I knew I was going to love this one too. Simon is the epitome of the book boyfriend and Maddie is the friend you cannot help but root for. When you add in the fact that some of my all time favorite tropes are included (friends to lovers, unrequited love, one bed), some laugh out loud moments and pitch perfect pining, this was a sure bet. In the end, I loved it even more than A Cross Country Christmas.

ɪ ғ ʏ ᴏ ᴜ ʟ ɪ ᴋ ᴇ :
•friends to lovers
•road trip romance
•forced proximity
•one bed
•unrequited love
•People We Meet on Vacation

Thank you Courtney Walsh for the gifted copy in exchange for my honest review.

[ellie જ⁀➴ · Rating 3 out of 5]

➳ 3.75 ☆! ❄️

“somehow, in this moment, i know that even if simon and i never become more than friends, he still might be the greatest love of my life.”

my thoughts ꣑ৎ

➳ i enjoyed this one! it was a cute friends to lovers book and tell me why its SO underrated hello?? also i was literally wrong this is NAWT a holiday book, its just normal setting, but yk whatever it was still cozy <3 this has a road trip element, and maddie's (fmc) best friend is getting married!

➳ id say my only qualm with this book was that it could get repetitive. and just the same stuff over n over again, DONT LET THAT STOP YOU THO!! there were some funny scenes and i liked both our main characters (mostly simon) but maddie was really cute! shes a bit quirky *are we surprised* 😭 but i love how she owns a small business! that very inspiring <3

➳ also yk how this is the spin off of the first book? i LOVED the crumbs we got of lauren + will (the wedding couple) they were so much more likeable and this wasn't even their book 😀 also shoutout simon! our MMC, he was so relatable and i found it adorable how he has loved maddie all these years, hes just a bit shy. but you can really tell that he loves her so much 🥹 i also find simon kind of inspiring, i wish i had a great work ethic like him, hes disciplined, smart, and i like that!

➳ overall this was a very charming read and i do recommend reading the first one to get to this! we all need a cute romance book during this time of year, am i right?? also shout out to the flynn ryder reference. brownie points for that 😚😚

this is unproductive thinking. and ridiculous. simon doesn't smolder. flynn rider smolders. this isn't disney, and im not a princess.

live laugh love eugene! okay thank you for reading!! happy holidays guys ilysm 💗 also i finished this book last week ive just been procrastinating HELP

-----------


❄️| preview!
and we'reee back with the spin off!! cant wait to dive into this one and i think ill like it more than the first 🥹🥹 gotta keep up with the holiday cheer!! have a great rest of your week everyone 🫂🎄

[Keisha | A Book Like You · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was everything I wanted People We Meet on Vacation to be and more. THIS is why I love @courtneywalsh - She gets me every 👏 single 👏 time 👏

A Cross Country Wedding is the follow up to A Cross Country Christmas, so I definitely recommend reading them in publication order. This story follow’s the best friend of the main character from the first book.

So, we have Maddie and Simon who have been best friends since college. Maddie is definitely the more spontaneous gal and Simon is more of a serious guy. Maddie has had a string of bad boyfriends. Simon has been secretly pining after Maddie since they met. And now they’re going on a cross country roadtrip with their other best friends (the couple from book one) for their wedding. And the cuteness ensues from there! 🤭

💕READ IF YOU LOVE💕
• sweet, clean rom coms
—(but there are some light innuendos here & there)
• road trips
• dual pov
• friends to lovers
• slow burn
• opposites attract
• forced proximity
• only one bed
• a soft mmc
• characters who grow on you

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

[Lauren (thebookscript) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is such a fun summer romance with odes to the first book "Cross Country Christmas" while still having its own original plot and flare.

I have to say that friends to lovers is my favorite trope. It's a hard one to pull off but I feel like when it's done well i'm a goner. This book gave me some of the same vibes I felt in People We Meet on Vacation. Mostly due to Simon. Simon as a MMC is my book boyfriend kryptonite. Soft, sweet, slightly nerdy and sensitive to the needs around him. I was slightly nervous that Maddy would never come around enough to deserve him. Honestly...I'm not sure WHO is deserving of such a wonderful character...but she finally sees the light!

This is a book that is full of YEARS of unrequited pining and love. Will a road trip be the "hail mary" that finally makes or break a relationship? I was so anxious to see when Maddy would finally wake up and see what she's been missing all along. I really enjoy the forced proximity of a road trip which provides lots of character interaction and a lot of fun silly moments between our two characters and some really fun romantic ones too!

Courtney always delivers a really fun story and this one is no exception. I loved the themes of sometimes love and willingness to fall comes down to a matter of timing. I'm really head over hills for Simon, and I can't wait for you to read it and fall for him too!

[Katie (hiding in the pages) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sometimes it's all about the timing.

Simon and Maddie tried a date once and actually ended up being the best of friends. With Maddie's flighty, spontaneous personality and Simon's serious, slightly grumpy, and more uptight disposition, these two couldn't be more opposite. She is always rushing into relationships only to end up heartbroken and crying on Simon's couch. Their opposite temperaments, yet constant and steady friendship, was what won me over from the start.

I loved how Maddie twists Simon's arm to get him to go on a wedding road trip for her best friend, Lauren, and how there was double self-discovery with every mile driven. But what I loved best was the way the story gradually unfolded through both present and past chapters, revealing a sweet and tender chemistry. I loved watching friendships and love strengthen as these two couples made their way across the country.

I will read anything this author writes! Her characters are charming and life-like, the plots are wonderful, and the writing speaks to my heart.

Content: mild romance

*I received a complimentary copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own and were voluntarily given.*

[Sydney · Rating 4 out of 5]

very cute!! hopefully will have a short review for you soon. :)

[Tiffani Brennan · Rating 5 out of 5]

So stinking cute! Such a fun and relaxing read. This is the first physical book I’ve been glued to in a while. Usually an audiobook is the guarantee I’ll finish quickly but after multiple nights of staying up way too late, I finished in 4 days.

[Cayla · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was fine; I liked the end but thought Maddie and Simon were frustrating most of the time. Also I thought Maddie's quick success was a little unrealistic. Walsh used to be an auto-buy for me but I'm finding her recent foray into more rom-commy books to not really hit the mark for me 😕.

[Leonie · Rating 3 out of 5]

2,5 stars

"Simon values work. I value fun."

This is a two POV book, told by the POV´s of Simon and Maddie.

I have to say I couldn´t really connect with Maddie´s character and she often annoyed me throughout the book. She feels really childish and also like she was taking advantage of Simon in the first half of the book. I didn´t like how she talked about him sometimes, especially about his work, it felt really down putting. Thankfully that changed a bit towards the ending of the book. I felt really bad for Simon because he was so utterly in love with Maddie and seemed to worship her while she behaved like that. I liked his character and his genuine nice and sweet nature and how he was always there for his friends.

I liked the addition of Will and Lauren, although we get to see more of Lauren than Will. I would have loved to get to know a bit more about their story since this was basically more or less two love stories intertwined.

While I absolutely LOVED the first Road Trip Romance book, this one felt like a bit of a let down in comparison. The pacing itself is fine although it does feel a bit slow towards the middle. The romance itself is a friends to lovers with a one bed trope as well. If you want your books to be spicy, this is NOT the book for you. There aren´t any steamy scenes in this one, it´s on the cute and fluffy side. The chemistry was a bit lacking for me because of the issues I had with Maddies character. I also would have loved for a bit more angst and tension.

Overall it was an okay read that I just expected more from.

[Hannah Currie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked this book up thinking it'd be a nice light, happy, romantic, easy book to read. And it absolutely was. But it also surprised me with how much depth it had. It was such a fun sequel to her A Cross Country Christmas, which I also really enjoyed.

I often turn to Courtney Walsh's books (especially her rom com ones) when life gets hard and I just need a break and always come away smiling and feeling so encouraged. They're fun and romantic but also have depth in them and characters who are super relatable. Her characters are so imperfectly perfect. They make me feel like my issues aren't quite as big as they seem in my mind. Which is always a good thing!

If you're in need of a laugh, an awwww! moment, and to feel like you're not alone in your issues, definitely check out one of Courtney's rom coms :)

[Liz Carrera · Rating 5 out of 5]

For me, any new Courtney Walsh book is a must read. I loved the first book in this series, A Cross Country Christmas, so was very excited when I got an e-ARC from Courtney Walsh herself. This book was as good or maybe even better than the first book! I loved every single page of this book. Enjoyed more with Will and Lauren as they decide to get married on the same road trip route that they fell in love on. But this time they bring along their friends Maddie and Simon…who have been best friends for years. I loved how their story unfolded, how we learned about their friendship through the years and proof that opposites can absolutely attract! This is a must read, this will be a book that leaves you smiling, pulling for the underdog and wanting to know what happens after the book ends!

[Donna (Currently Busy) · Rating 4 out of 5]

After reading "The Happy Life of Isadora Bentley", I knew Ms. Walsh would be an author I could enjoy. And with this book, I kind of cheated and broke one of my personal reading rules: always try to read books that are in a series in chronological order. So I have to come clean and state that I did not read "A Cross-Country Christmas" first. For me, reading this book before its predecessor didn't lessen my enjoyment of it. Sure, there may have been some inside jokes I probably lost out on between the characters, but it was still an overall treat. Eventually, I'll circle back and read the first book.

When the reader first meets Maddie in this novel, she's received a text from Lauren on Christmas Eve announcing her engagement to Will. Maddie is excited for her and recommends they get married by "re-enacting" the road trip Lauren and Will took in book one. Once I learned more about Maddie's character and how she lives a few chapters later, I found her initial re-enactment idea very impulsive. (It's a great idea and provides a good premise for the book, but probably one Maddie doesn't plan for appropriately.) In fact, a lot of what Maddie does I consider impulsive. She's a woman who literally flies by the seat of her pants.

Simon is introduced in chapter one six months after Lauren's Christmas Eve text to Maddie. Over the last ten years, Simon has suffered from an unrequited love for Maddie. He's a shy and structured man that has grown into his handsome physical appearance from an awkward and skinny college student over the years. The author does an excellent job alternating between past and present to explain how Simon and Maddie's friendship develops. After Maddie gets dumped by her present day boyfriend, she cries on Simon's shoulder (which she has made a habit of doing over the years) and then convinces him to be her "plus one" on the wedding road trip.

It's important for the reader to know that while Simon is an organized "planner", Maddie is not. This becomes evident when Simon arrives to pick up Maddie and she's overslept and hasn't packed. Knowing how she is, Simon packs her bag while telling her how late they're going to be meeting Lauren and Will. But the truth is because he knows Maddie so well, he later reveals to her that he moved up their (Maddie and Simon's) meeting time as she always runs late. He likes to have a time "buffer" where Maddie is involved. But it's the first restaurant they go to after they join Lauren and Will that makes me become very frustrated with Maddie's character.

Through the first half of the book, I find Maddie immature for a 28 year old woman. She knows Simon's friendship will always be there for her and he has allowed her to lean on him emotionally many times over the years. Then all of sudden she finds herself wondering if she's ever reciprocated his kindness. I found this realization on her part irritating because it's taken her ten years to comprehend this? Is she just now figuring out why Bea (Simon's sister) doesn't like her and accuses Maddie of taking Simon's friendship for granted?

Over the course of the book, Simon attempts to muster enough courage to finally let Maddie know how he truly feels about her. Her response will help him make an important career decision that will have a permanent effect on their relationship. Will's character gives him some valuable advice which Simon eventually takes to heart and acts on.

Lastly, this book has another message that I've always believed in. And that's to choose a career you thoroughly enjoy doing. It makes getting up every morning much easier. It also takes some individuals (Maddie) longer than others to figure this out, but it eventually becomes a reality and very rewarding.

This is a good story. It made me sad for Simon at times, but then Ms. Walsh permeated my emotional literary wall with Isadora Bentley's character also. Is this the author's thing? I'll find out soon enough because I have what I hope is a fun Valentine's day book by her on my TBR list.

This story has good banter and tastefully written romantic scenes. It's a solid four star book.

[An]

I must admit this is not my favourite sub-trope of the "friends to lovers" trope. It's not like I can't enjoy such stories (I clearly can and did when I read "Lovelight Farms"). It's just that it is often used as a shortcut to make romantic connection more convincing without having to actually develop it throughout the book.

Luckly, "A Cross-Country Wedding" made sure the connection was there despite it starting kind of... suddenly (?) on both female and male lead's side. Or at least it felt sudden to me.

However, all of the above is forgiven to some extent because the author knows how to write friendship. I could see how both main characters cared about each other even in a platonic way and if an author writes a believable friendship then I'm almost sold.

But what's a friends to lovers story with no secret longing? And I mean L O N G I N G. Male lead's POV was such a satisfying read - full of pining and every simmering feeling he's been keeping a secret. The author's understanding of a slow burning unrequited feeling is absolutely *CHEF'S KISS*!! If you want to read a book with a male lead being pathetically and almost desperately in love but hiding it all behind his awkward and nerdy behaviour then this book's for you!

Female lead's POV was fun and entertaining with lots of relatable content regarding her love life, life in general and direction of said life, finding purpose etc. I know people find her annoying but I personally liked her a lot. She had her character development arc so she had to start off as this overly excited character leading a carefree life. We needed to see her change and grow!

Now that I think about it Maddie (female lead) and Simon (male lead) remind me of Poppy and Alex from "People we meet on vacation". I didn't like Walsh'es book as much as I loved Henry's but if you liked Poppy and Alex, I'm sure you'll like Maddie and Simon as well. NERDY BOYFRIENDS FOR THE WIN.

Despite my love for the well-written pining and romantic tension, I have some "buts".
My main issue is the pace of resolutions. Some conflicts were resolved too fast and without any trouble (I know it's probably due to the length of the book but it felt like an oversimplification). Also there were a few instances when I thought things don't add up and characters contradict themselves but it didn't happen as often so I looked past it. Not that it had any greater impact on my reception of the book.

"A Cross-Country Wedding" is an enjoyable read that will make you giggle and kick your feet if you like friends to lovers trope in a romcom format.

[Laura Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Friends to lovers is my favorite trope and this one by Courtney Walsh was top-notch!
One of the best friends to lovers I have read!

Simon and Maddie have been best friends for the past 10 years, even though they are complete opposites. Simon has been completely in love with her all that time, but Maddie has no idea and continues to date wrong guy after wrong guy, always turning to Simon for support when her relationships end badly. Simon realizes he either needs to let Maddie know how he feels or move on. He agrees to be her date on a road trip for Maddie’s best friend's wedding deciding if by the end of it she doesn’t see him in a different light he will move to Seattle with his sister for a fresh start.

I loved this one so much! Simon and Maddie had such amazing banter and energy. I enjoyed their relationship! Both characters really jumped alive for me. I found myself especially falling in love with Simon. I loved his quirks and all the different facets to his personality. What I especially loved about him though was how he saw Maddie, how he was there for her and always believed in her. The friendship between these two was just so special. They always knew what the other needed without it being spoken and they simply brought out the best in each other. I really enjoyed reading their inner thoughts, especially Simon’s, early on in the book. It brought a smile to my face each time. I loved all the longing and their first real kiss. The story was just so charming and perfect. I could not get enough!

This is meant to be read after A Cross Country Christmas, which I also loved, but can be read as a standalone.

[Randi Sampson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Cross-Country Wedding is the second book in the Road Trip Romance series. Those who have read the previous book will definitely love getting to see Lauren and Will again during their wedding week, but I definitely think this could be read as a standalone for those who haven't yet read it as well.

As much as I enjoyed the previous book, I must say that this one was even better! Right from the start, I just found myself loving Simon and Maddie together. Simon was perfectly awkward, and I loved the way that he looked out for Maddie, but also saw the best in her throughout the story. Maddie's free-spirited attitude was a great contrast to his serious one, but I so enjoyed seeing them balance each other out so well and bring out the best in each other. As with most friends to love stories, it was a bit of a slow burn but so worth the wait... and I enjoyed every moment of it- from the swoony to the laugh out loud... and there were plenty of both to enjoy!

If you're looking for a fantastic road trip romance, this is definitely a must read.

**I received an ARC for consideration. All opinions are my own.

[Shelby (catching up on 2025 reviews) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full review to come

[Pauline · Rating 4 out of 5]

Simon’s a walking green flag 💚
Again, I’ll keep reading this author. If you’re looking for cute, feel-good stories, with great ambiance and characters, this woman is for you 🤲🏻

[Kelci Sotile · Rating 2 out of 5]

There’s no way these 2 make it…

[ضحى الحداد · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars
like the first book I really liked the journey, and I'm such a fan of this author who can make the tiniest detail into a memorable moment .. cheers to that
The story is about Maddie, Lauren's friend from the first book, she is the maid of honor for Lauren's wedding and they will do it as a road trip so they can say their vows !!! ( umm, WOW this is such a great idea ), but suddenly Maddie is dumped and she has nobody to turn to except for her long term friend Simon who has been in love with her for years, this one week trip will change their relationship and make them really see if they are fit for each other or are they completely different after all
from the moment I read about Maddie I instantly knew that the author didn't really plan for this book, because Maddie's personality was completely different and Dylan seemed like a serious boyfriend and nowhere in the first book Simon was mentioned so clearly he is a last minute addition, but despite all that I really liked this book and the growing relationship between Simon and Maddie, they are completely different but each one of them rubbed on the other in a very cute way .. I really enjoyed my time with this road trip and I will check out the author's other books

[Michele · Rating 5 out of 5]

Actual Rating: 4.5 Stars
See the full review & more at HarlequinJunkie

Courtney Walsh piled on the charm with A Cross-Country Wedding, a heartwarming romance that was sweet, funny, and absolutely lovely in every way.

A Cross-Country Wedding was the literary equivalent of being wrapped up in a big cozy hug. Courtney Walsh took a fun friends-to-lovers romance between two quirky, relatable people and added in a road trip across the US where the destination was their friends’ wedding. And the friends who were tying the knot? Not only were they the subject of A Cross-Country Christmas, but Lauren and Will led the way from California to Illinois, reliving the route that made them fall in love a couple of years ago. Along the way, they gently pushed our hero and heroine... Read More

[Claire Newkirk · Rating 5 out of 5]

Courtney, you did it again. A GREAT book.

However, this wasn’t my favorite book. So giving it a 9/10– but it still deserves the 5 stars.

I liked it enough to stay up late, and cram as much reading as I could- before I started nodding off, lol.

So anyways, highly recommend.

(I just saw it on Kindle Unlimited and didn’t realize that this was the second of the series. So I have yet to read the first. Hopefully I didn’t spoil any of it for myself.)

[Morgan Giesbrecht · Rating 4 out of 5]

With sweet best friends-to-more romance, a cross country road trip, and no shortage of laughter, this was the perfect cosy summer read for a Saturday afternoon spent curled up with a blanket! It’s the kind of story that made me smile, even though it hurt to. I’ve come to expect laughter & plenty of heart from Courtney’s books, and this was no exception!

[Caryn Block · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was great! I love Courtney Walsh's rom-coms so much.

[The Emperor Napoleon · Rating 4 out of 5]

the singing 💀

[Christine Gustin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun, cute, cheesy and adorable!

Age recommendation = 16+. No language, no sex (though many innuendos). Heavy on the romance, but very sweet and charming.

[Dana · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️

[Brianna Kinley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m sad to see this book end because I fell deeply in love with Maddie and Simon’s characters. This friends to lovers romance was the perfect ending for this sequel.

[Kaylee Small · Rating 4 out of 5]

the cutest sequel and weekend beach read :)

[Purvi Patel · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5⭐️

[Karen Peale · Rating 4 out of 5]

Difficult to review

Where do I start? I’m an not a fan of stories where people have silently loved someone for 10 years. 10 years? I also found Maddy on the selfish side. I’m giving this story 4 stars because of Simon. It was such a pure love. Otherwise, to be honest it would be 3 stars for me. I didn’t find her all that appealing as a character.