Beck Sisters (Book 3)

Off the Map by Trish Doller
My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Off the Map by Trish Doller is an uplifting story about family and new beginnings. This is Book 3 of the Beck Sisters series.

My Overview

The story begins with Carla Black flying to Ireland for the wedding of Anna and Keane. She arrives in Dublin, and meets Eamon (Keane’s brother), who’s scheduled to drive her to the town the wedding will be taking place at. Carla is the maid of honor, and Eamon is the best man. As soon as they meet, their insta-attraction relationship begins.

Carla and Eamon quickly go off the map, by taking various detours from what should’ve been a straightforward drive from Dublin to Tralee. Neither care to show up to be with Anna and Keane before the wedding, so they pick detours on a whim and lie about their whereabouts. The more they travel together, the more their issues come to light and the reasons for their lives going off the map too.

Since the focus of the story is on Carla and Eamon as they road trip around Ireland, it doesn’t leave room for much interaction with secondary characters. I expected Anna and Keane’s wedding would play a larger role in the story. I also thought the wedding and buildup to it would be the optimal opportunity to catch up with Anna, Keane, and their families. Unfortunately, that’s not the case.

Overall, this story wasn’t what I’d expected. The character development was lacking, and the insta-attraction took away from the slow-burn romance aspect of the previous books. What I found most interesting about this story, however, was the realistic way dementia was portrayed in the story. I have no actual experience with dementia, but felt I got a real glimpse into that painful and difficult situation. I enjoyed the latter part of the book for that reason, and thought it made the story uplifting in an unexpected way.

My Recommendation

Book 1 is the story of Anna’s struggle to find her place in life without Ben. Book 2 is the story of Anna’s sister, Rachel. Now, Book 3 is the story of Anna’s best friend, Carla (honorary Beck sister 🤔?). Each of these books can be read as a standalone.

I loved Float Plan (Book 1), and it still continues to be my favorite of the Beck Sisters series. Unfortunately, I didn’t like Books 2 and 3 as much. I listened to each of these books on audio, though, and enjoyed the narration by Sarah Naughton each time. If you’re interested in any of these books, I recommend going the audiobook route.

Have you read this book yet? Are you enjoying the series?