JoyRide
- Judith D Collins
- Apr 21
- 4 min read
By: Ellen Meister
Narrator: Sarah Naughton
Brilliance Audio
ISBN: 9781662529108
Publication Date: 04/22/2025
Publisher: Montlake
Format: Paperback
My Rating: 5 Stars (ARC)
In this poignantly quirky ride through Brooklyn, an idealistic young woman shares her earnest joy with her Uber clients, her cranky father, and the Wall Street hotshot who started it all.
Joybird Martin—an Uber driver with cheerfulness to spare—desperately wants to be a life coach.
She’s so sunny about her chances that even her snarky father—a has-been TV writer with a failed third marriage—can’t dim her light. So when he shows up broke on her doorstep, Joybird takes him in with no questions asked, trying to find a balance between her bright optimism and his sarcastic pessimism.
It works, and she continues sharing her earnest wisdom with her Uber riders. After she helps handsome Wall Street exec Devon Cato, he convinces her to become a life coach from the front seat of her Honda.
As Joybird’s dreams take the wheel, she finds direction for her clients…and herself. She’s not sure what to do about her attraction to Devon, but she soon learns exactly what she can do for her father. And a journey into his past might just pave the way for her own bright future.
My Review
Bestselling author Ellen Meister (favorite) returns following Divorce Towers with her tenth published novel, JOYRIDE — another exuberant and lively novel full of heart, wit, joy, charm, and positive vibes.
About...
Joybird Martin is a 31-year-old Uber driver with a pale blue Honda Accord in Brooklyn. She hasn't had an easy life; however, she remains positive and aspires to be a life coach. She is tenderhearted and compassionate, despite having experienced heartache and tragedy.
Her dad, who left when she was six, shows up at her apartment after many years. He and her mom divorced, and then her mom died. Her dad was of no help.
Sid is a former well-known TV writer, with over 30 years of experience, who has left LA. He has been canceled. Unemployed. Three divorces, a crooked manager, and many bad decisions have landed him on her doorstep. He is toxic. He is also pining after a woman he lost years ago at Prep school, Donna DeLuca.
Joy meets Devon (as an Uber driver), a Wall Street handsome guy. He suggests she start her own Joybird's Coaching Coach or JoyRide, a unique concept where she can provide life coaching services to her Uber passengers. In this concept, Joy would use her time as an Uber driver to engage with her passengers, offering them life advice and coaching during their rides.
She is bubbly, positive, and loves to cheer people up and help them, getting them out of their crappy moods. But could her opinions land her in trouble, as well?
In addition, she learns that Devon may be attracted to her. Still, she is currently thinking of Noah, a former addict and barista, who is not interested in her for anything serious. This romantic triangle adds a layer of complexity to Joy's journey.
Could she do this and help people from the back seat of a ten-year-old Honda? A therapy office on wheels? Her biggest challenge is how to help her dad.
My thoughts...
JOYRIDE is a delightful journey with a cast of endearing, quirky, flawed characters, and a particularly charming protagonist Joybird Martin, you'll find yourself deeply invested in and rooting for.
Meister's signature witty dialogue keeps the banter lively, showcasing a range of characters from the cynical, mischievous to the well-intentioned.
From the hilariously funny neighbor, Betty, to the cynical father, Sid, and the woman he still pines for, Donna— JOYRIDE is a comedy of errors that will keep you thoroughly entertained and amused.
It was fun following Joy on her journey from her courses, and her Joybird Uber/coaching business, trying to turn her dad around, solving problems for others, while figuring out her own life.
The open-ended nature of the story and the potential for further character development make me believe that there could be an ongoing sequel to JOYRIDE. I, for one, would love to continue following Joy's journey with a cast of new characters and their set of problems to solve.
Meister's skillful blend of complex, imperfect relationships, life struggles, family dynamics, human connections, and romance, while exploring highly charged topics in JOYRIDE, is a testament to her storytelling prowess.
The novel is a journey of self-discovery, friendship, family, and humor, filled with heart and joy. It delivers a hopeful and upbeat message, leaving readers with a profound sense of optimism and empowerment.
Recs...
JOYRIDE is for fans of the author and those who enjoy books by Viola Shipman, Katherine Center, Mary Kay Andrews, Elle Cosimano, Jennifer Weiner, Sarah Jio, Maddie Dawson, and Liz Alterman. It is particularly recommended for readers who appreciate heartwarming stories with a touch of humor, complex characters, and a focus on personal growth and relationships.
Thanks to Montlake and NetGalley for a gifted advanced review copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
Pub Date: April 22, 2025
My Rating: 5 Stars
About the Author
Ellen Meister is a novelist, book coach, screenwriter, and creative writing instructor who started her career writing advertising copy. Her novels include Divorce Towers, Take My Husband, The Rooftop Party, Love Sold Separately, Dorothy Parker Drank Here, and Farewell, Dorothy Parker, among others. Meister’s essays have been published by the New York Times, Newsday, the Wall Street Journal blog, the Huffington Post (now HuffPost), the Daily Beast, Long Island Woman, Writer’s Digest, and Publishers Weekly. Career highlights include interviews on NPR, being selected for the prestigious Indie Next List by the American Booksellers Association, having her work translated into foreign languages, and receiving a TV series option from HBO.
Meister lives in New York and publicly speaks about her books, fiction writing, and America’s most celebrated literary wit, Dorothy Parker. For more information, visit her website at https://ellenmeister.com.
