Peter Cabot Gets Lost

This is, for me, a perfect romance novel for 2021. The author's tweeted that there's no plot, but I politely disagree. There's little on-page external threat. But there is plenty of conflict between Peter and Caleb's personalities. The on-page intensely personal conflicts are often not expressed, leading to assumptions, and we all know how that goes. But the structure of the book, the ticking clock of days passing, lends a real sense of eminent danger, worsening as we go along, so I think the plot works perfectly. I had a sense of tension the whole time, and it made the resolution a delight to the last line.

I don't know what more one could ask of a novel. If you too are more interested in characters than world, read this one.

Lovely book with great characterization, humor, sweetness, increasingly kinky sex, and no third act breakup! The poor little rich kid/prickly scholarship kid dynamic is played out perfectly as Peter and Caleb go from uncomfortable road trip acquaintances to friends and then to lovers. I was born shortly after the year the book takes place so it's also a kind of nostalgia for me for a time when people used actual maps and phone booths. Will definitely add to my list of comfort reads.

What a sweet, rambunctious road trip romance — love the respect they give each other, love that it tackles a disparity in income and that there is the mourning inherent in leaving your family for a new life, especially when your family is incompatible with your values. Short, sweet, sexy.

This was a wonderful road trip romance and definitely my favourite of Sebastian's books I've read. Though it does reference the first book [b:Tommy Cabot Was Here|57658644|Tommy Cabot Was Here (The Cabots, #1)|Cat Sebastian|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1617808187l/57658644._SY75_.jpg|90312887], this can be read on its own (Peter is Tommy's nephew and has a very brief appearance in that book).

Peter makes a compulsive decision to offer Caleb a ride from Boston to Los Angeles at the end of the school term. He's watched Caleb for a long time and can't help himself when he sees Caleb stranded in their school's parking lot. Caleb has watched Peter too but with distain because of who Peter's family is show more and that he comes from a world Caleb could never be a part of. The Cabots are basically a fictional Kennedy family - brown hair, blue eyed, old blood and politics. Caleb is from rural Tennessee and, while he's proud of where he comes from, knows it's a far cry from the glitz of a Cabot's life in Boston and Washington, D.C.

The book takes place over the 7-8 day drive but feels like a full summer romp - so while it's technically an insta-love trope, it really doesn't seem that rushed. Both characters are likeable and they're compatible with each other so it works. This has a HFN ending and the characters do constantly angst about the "expiration date" on their relationship throughout the book but then it works out in the end.
This does take place in the early 1960's so references to the Cold War and prices of food and motels will transport you, the author avoids any real references to violence against homosexual people so no trigger warnings are needed for that. Caleb kind of alludes to bullies and beatings from his past but he also says he's gone frequently to gay bars in Boston for hook ups during his college years and didn't face any possible real world consequences for that.

Overall, a very enjoyable period romance that I'd definitely recommend for fans of road trip plots, 1960's history and life references, and very comfortable and warm romances. show less

He seemed to have developed a fondness for pushing Peter into things and then kissing him, and Peter at the same time had developed a fondness for getting pushed against things.

What you'll get:
Disasters to lovers
Historical romance - 1960s
Cross country road trip

Setting: Starts in Massachusetts and roadtrips all the way to California

I'm reading this series all out of order and I'm not mad about it. I love most meet-disasters and these two fit. These two already knew each other but Caleb was way wrong about Peter and the forced proximity of a cross country road trip took care of the rest. I loved that they originally wanted to get this road trip done immediately and started finding side trips to make it longer. Getting to see what 1960s show more attractions were worth stopping for along the way was fun. show less

I would read another two hundred pages of Peter and Caleb road tripping as I loved them both and the way they fell for each other. I hope we see more of them as I know they’ll have an HEA that is just right for them both.

When a classmate needs help moving across the country, Peter Cabot leaps at the chance not to join his father on the campaign trail. A cross-country trek about finding yourself and romance. Not my favorite of Cat's works, but enjoyable.