Overdue by Stephanie Perkins review: A perfect romance

Overdue by Stephanie Perkins: The review

Oh my god. This book is perfect. Just perfect. Yes, I, a thriller reader, am here to tell you that Overdue, a romance novel, is one of my favourite books of the year. And I’m not sorry one jot. This is the book my soul absolutely needed; I loved every moment of it, and I want to read it all over again.

This is the story of Ingrid. Her and her boyfriend are close to turning 30. Their relationship feels stale and neither of them are particularly happy. They decide to have a month’s separation, to sow some wild oats, and they imagine they’ll come back together afterwards to get married. Neither of them have been with anyone else, and settling down before they see what else is out there, so to speak, doesn’t seem right.

Of course, a trial separation is a stupid idea, and no, of course it’s not going to end well. In the opening chapters, it seems that plot point is the focus of Overdue, but it’s not. At all. Really, this is a novel about a young woman discovering who she is, figuring out where she belongs in life, and perhaps finding love along the way. Perkins has created incredible characters, and I saw myself in so many aspects of Ingrid. I also swooned over Macon, Ingrid’s surly but charming co-worker and one of her best friends. It’s a friendship that leaps off the pages; I felt every feeling and emotion between the two of them from start to finish.

I’ve laughed, I’ve cried; I think I might even have involuntarily “whooped” at one bit. Other reviews of Overdue have criticised it for being glacially paced, but have you ever encountered characters you love so much that you just want to spend all your time with them? For me, that was Ingrid and Macon. I revelled in the chapters of them working together, their banter, their days spent painting kitchens. It’s real, it’s heartwarming and it’s genuine. I lapped up every conversation and smiled along with every in-joke between the two. I’ll be thinking about Ingrid and Macon for some time.

I don’t want to spoil the story but it’s important to say that Overdue has a satisfying ending. I was left warm and fuzzy, and reading it on a day where my own heart was hurting a bit, I desperately needed the warm hug I got from this book. God, I just loved it.

If you’re a romance reader, enjoy richly crafted characters and grounded stories that feel real and full of heart, don’t hesitate to jump into this one. It’s simply beautiful.

Thanks to Tracy at Compulsive Readers and Zaffre Books for providing a copy of Overdue for the purposes of this review.