This story has all my favorite things: a road trip adventure, witty banter, wonderful characters, a psychic, and a sweet romance making this one of the best romance books I’ve read this year.

Noelle Shepherd has hit rock bottom. She is twenty eight, laid off from her job, had to move back home with her parents, and is grieving the loss of her grandmother (Gram). At her parent’s home, she discovers old black and white photos of her Gram with a man from her past along with a love letter from someone named Paul. She creates a TikTok of the photos and asks if anyone knows who he is. She is thrilled when his grandson responds and stunned to find out the grandson is her old high school nemesis, Theo Spencer.

Theo is on the Forbes 30 under 30 list. He is the CFO of Where to Next, a travel app that includes flights, places to stay, and specializes in off-season deals. Theo is the cofounder along with two of his college friends. He is funny, sarcastic, and good looking. Noelle thinks he has everything: a cool car, house, great job, and a life with direction. In high school they competed with each other every chance they got and they were both voted most likely to succeed. Now, Noelle avoids telling Theo that she doesn’t have a job because she is embarrassed. This actually creates some very funny moments.

Noelle, Paul, and Theo meet at a coffee shop where Paul shares that he and her Gram were planning to elope but were stopped by her parents. Paul has letters along with a map outlining the honeymoon trip they had planned to take. Paul invites Noelle over for lunch, along with Theo, and she finds comfort reading the letters and having someone to talk to about her Gram.

Noelle has a small inheritance from her grandmother to use for something that inspires her and she thinks taking a two week road trip is just the thing she needs right now. She decides she wants to take a road trip her Gram and Paul had planned. Her brother, Thomas and his girlfriend, Sadie encourage her to take along her camera and share pictures from the trip on TikTok. Her now viral TikTok video of her Gram and Paul has two million views and her followers want to know what happened next after Noelle met Paul. Paul asks if he can come along, which Noelle loves, and then Theo decides he’s coming too.

Theo spent every summer with his grandfather growing up and they are close. Noelle remembers Theo’s father being hard on him in high school. Theo felt no matter what he did, he wasn’t good enough in his father’s eyes. Noelle and Theo meet to discuss their trip and she notices Theo has secretive phone calls that upset him which makes her wonder what’s going on with him. She also notices how good he smells and how fine he looks until he opens his mouth and says something sarcastic. They are still competitive and tease each other throughout the book, which is fun. Paul shares one of Gram’s letters each day and I enjoyed reading about their love story. And, as one would expect in a romance, as the miles go, by the attraction heats up between Noelle and Theo.

Noelle decides to open up to Theo and she tells him how she lost her job and what she’s been going through and he was such a good listener, so kind and supportive. But Theo has secrets of his own and Noelle senses something is wrong. He seems distracted but says everything’s OK when she asks him about it. That is, until his secrets are exposed. Noelle is crushed to realize Theo has been keeping big things from her and not sharing what’s going on in his life even though she opened up to him and told him about her struggles. She thought they had a connection. She wants all of him, through the good times and the hard times meanwhile Theo is afraid to trust and open up and my heart went out to him.

My favorite parts of the book are when they explore incredible scenery as they hike on trails, boat through canyons and take a jeep tour with breathtaking views. You, With a View is so good, I highly recommend it and can’t wait to see what this debut author does next.