Mrs. Nash’s Ashes by Sarah Adler is a quirky romance story of the sunshine vs. grumpy trope, with great banter throughout.
This book is part of My Summer 2023 Reading List.
My Overview
I was drawn to Mrs. Nash’s Ashes based on the first sentence in the synopsis. A grumpy/sunshine romance that takes place during a road trip, while transporting Mrs. Nash’s ashes? It seemed to me like a fun and quirky summer read … and it was ☀️!
Shortly after Mrs. Nash’s death, Millie received three tablespoons of her ashes. Her goal was to reunite Mrs. Nash’s ashes with the woman she fell in love with many years ago. So, with the ashes in her backpack, Millie arrives at the airport to take a quick trip from D.C. to Key West. Due to cancelled flights, Millie’s plan quickly falls apart and she ends up on a road trip with Hollis. He’s not an ideal road trip partner, since he’s a grump and an old acquaintance of her ex-boyfriend’s, but she doesn’t have many options. What ensues is a road trip that takes both Millie and Hollis on an adventure neither expected.
Aside from the road trip antics and detours, I enjoyed the story-within-a-story aspect. Through dual timelines alternating between past and present, we learn about Mrs. Nash’s life and the love of her life. So, the storyline incorporates both the progression of Millie’s love story as well as that of Mrs. Nash’s.
This story is filled with charming and likable characters. I specifically enjoyed the banter between Millie and Hollis. Overall, the sunshine vs. grumpy trope and dual storylines worked well in the storyline.
My Recommendation
This was a entertaining and uplifting story. The audiobook narration by Mara Wilson was fantastic. I recommend this story if you enjoy alternating timelines and quirky storylines. This is the author’s first book, and I’m now looking forward to her next one.
Have you read this book yet?
Tanya @ Girl Plus Books
I had to laugh at “three tablespoons of ashes.” That’s oddly specific. 🙂 I love a good road trip adventure. So glad you enjoyed this one!
Lucy
Yes, it’s things like “three tablespoons of ashes” that added to the humor and quirkiness of the story 😆.
Suzanne @ The Bookish Libra
This is one of those books that really exceeded my expectations so I’m glad to hear it was a hit for you as well. 🙂
Lucy
Glad you enjoyed this one too!
Lindsey @ Lindsey Reads
Oh, I love road trips and the sunshine/grump trope so this sounds like a perfect, quirky, summer read!
Lucy
Yes, this is a good summer read. It’s a good one to read while on vacation ☀️.
Sara
Excellent review! Alternating timelines is something I love in books – thanks for mentioning that aspect. I’ll keep it on my radar!
Lucy
Glad you found this helpful! I hope you’ll enjoy this story too.
Deanna @ A Novel Glimpse
I’m going to have to look for the audiobook at my library! You make this one sound so good.
Lucy
Thank you! The library wait was months long, so I ended up using Audible instead. I hope you’ll enjoy this one when you get to it 🙂.
Lark
I do love a fun road trip book…and that grumpy/sunshine romance trope is also a favorite. This one’s already on my TBR list, and one I’m looking forward to reading. 😀
Lucy
Glad it’s on your TBR. I hope you’ll enjoy it when you get to it 🙂.
Samantha Kozbial
Mara Wilson narrated – nice. I read this book. The road trip, grumpy-sunshine romance, and grief aspect made this a solid read for me
Lucy
Glad you enjoyed this story too! I thought it included a lot, but it was all well-balanced.
Rachel @Waves of Fiction
I’ll have to request this one from the library. I was offered a copy and I just couldn’t fit it in, but it does sound like a lot of fun.
Lucy
I hope you’ll enjoy this story. Hopefully you’ll be able to borrow the audiobook from the library 🙂.