Books Books: Romance

The Truth is in the Detours

August 29, 2025August 29, 2025 by onemoreexclamation

Welcome to The Truth is in the Detours by Mara Williams book tour hosted by Suzy Approved Book Tours.

About The Truth is in the Detours

Title: The Truth is in the Detours

Author: Mara Williams

Released: August 12, 2025

Find it: Amazon

Ophelia Dahl has just buried her beloved father when she finds among his personal effects a blindsiding document. The mother Ophelia thought died thirty years ago isn’t dead after all—she abandoned her. But how could she, and where is she now? With some neighborly help, Ophelia’s going to find out.

Beau Augustin is an acclaimed author and Ophelia’s childhood bestie turned teenage nemesis, still chafing after all these years. As luck would have it, Beau’s current project—family deceptions—is set to take him across the West Coast. Ophelia has a brilliant idea: Beau’s book. Her life. Win-win. In a Subaru filled with baggage, they hit the road.

Despite detours, dead ends, and old grudges, Ophelia is desperate to unravel a lifetime of lies. And Beau’s research is a little more personal than he’s letting on. Mile by mile, they’re getting closer to their truths—and to each other—than they ever thought possible.

Book Blurbs

“Clever, funny, and wonderfully romantic, The Truth Is in the Detours tells the story of a woman who finally gets to know herself. It delivers all the best story elements: delicious banter, tension, a road trip, gorgeous California settings, and hot romance. I devoured this sharp story. Mara Williams is a talent.” – Sierra Godfrey, author of A Very Typical Family and The Second Chance Hotel

“A rare gem of a book that captures the beauty and pain of grief, love, and finding yourself, while still feeling like a hug. With sentences that sing and settings that feel like characters, The Truth Is in The Detours is the perfect blend of frenemies-to-lovers road trip romance that will steal your heart and set it racing, and a woman’s journey to finding herself as she searches for the truth about her family. An outstanding debut.” – Holly James, author of The Big Fix

“Mara Williams’ stunning debut is a testament to every type of love, and its power to both shatter us and make us whole again. It’s impossible not to root for childhood best friends Beau and Ophelia, whose journey to find themselves ultimately led back to each other, despite the roadblocks that kept them apart for far too long. I loved being along for the ride.” -Lindsay Hameroff, author of Never Planned on You

Review for The Truth is in the Detours

This book is the perfect mix of road trip chaos, emotional healing, and a romance that’ll make you feel all the feels. Ophelia’s life gets flipped upside down when she learns her supposedly dead mother is actually alive—cue the ultimate detour. Enter Beau, her childhood friend turned almost-enemy, and suddenly this isn’t just a drive down the California coast, it’s a journey through years of resentment, secrets, and sparks that refuse to stay buried.

The banter? Sharp. The chemistry? Off the charts. The road trip setting gives us detours both literal and emotional, and I loved how Beau’s research into lies added depth to the mystery of Ophelia’s mom. The interview snippets were such a clever way to break up the story, and the big reveal landed in a gut-punch-yet-satisfying way.

Funny, heartfelt, and full of second-chance vibes, this debut had me hooked from the first mile and left me warm and happy at the end. 🚗💨💕

About The Author

Mara Williams drafted her first novel in third grade on a spiral notebook—a story about a golden retriever and the stray dog who loved her. Now she writes novels about strong, messy women trying to find their way in the world. When not writing or reading, Mara can be found enjoying California’s beaches, redwoods, and trails with her husband, kids, and disobedient dog.

Website – Instagram – Threads: @marawilliamswrites – SubStack: @marawilliamswrites – BlueSky: @marawilliamswrites.bsky.social – Facebook: @mara.williams.writes