16+ Contemporary Books to Satisfy Your Wanderlust When You Can't Leave Home

We may all be unable to travel right now because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but part of the beauty of books is being able to travel vicariously anywhere in the world without having to leave the comfort (and, currently, the safety) of your home. Books have always been an escape for many, but they provide a much-needed respite now more than ever. I've been self-isolating for five weeks now and, like many other readers, I've been gravitating toward lighter books. Bonus points if they're funny, and extra bonus points if they have a setting that allows me to indulge in a little armchair travel.

My original list for this post had approximately 40 books on it, but I kept culling to keep it manageable. I decided to go with the books that really immerse you in the setting; I love stories where the setting is so vivid and vibrant you feel like you're right there. Each book has a link to Goodreads, Amazon (please note, it is an affiliate link - all earnings go into the upkeep of this blog, and I truly appreciate your support), and Indigo, but if you have a local indie bookshop you can support, please be sure to do so!

Now, grab your literary passport and escape to beautiful, far-flung destinations with these 16+ contemporary books.

♥Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins Setting: Paris Genre: Contemporary Young Adult Romance Published: December 2nd, 2010 by Dutton Juvenile Why you should read it: Anna is your average American teenager who gets sent to Paris for school and has her horizons broadened in more ways than she ever imagined. This is one of my top five all-time favourite books, and Anna and Etienne are one of my top OTPs. This book has everything I love in Young Adult (or any book for that matter): humour, romance, character growth, travel. Read this book for all the swoons, giggles, and squees.
Add to Goodreads || Buy: Amazon || Indigo

♥Wish You Were Italian by Kristin Rae Setting: Italy Genre: Contemporary Young Adult Romance Published: May 6th, 2014 by Bloomsbury Why you should read it: Pippa travels to Italy for the summer to be part of an art program, but quickly realizes one of the benefits of solo traveling is she can do whatever she wants...which happens to be seeing more of Italy instead of sitting in classes all day. I went back to my review of this book from 2014 while writing this post and remembered just how fun and funny this book was and how I truly felt like I was right there in Italy with Pippa. The next year when I visited Rome myself, I thought of Pippa and was excited to see the same things she had seen for the first time. Add to Goodreads || Buy: Amazon || Indigo

♥Love & Luck by Jenna Evans Welch Setting: Ireland Genre: Contemporary Young Adult Romance Published: May 8th, 2018 by Simon Pulse Why you should read it: I adore books set in Ireland. So many of the books set there seem to feature characters finding themselves, whether that’s their actual goal or not. I’ve always felt like there’s something magical about the Emerald Isle, and that special something is reflected in many stories, including Love & Luck. This book is funny and sweet, has one of my favourite sibling relationships ever, and it packs an unexpected emotional punch. Bonus: Love & Luck is part of a standalone series. The first book is Love & Gelato, which is set in Italy (and which you should definitely read; it was originally on this list before I started cutting books), and Jenna’s next book, Love & Olives (coming July 7th) is set in Greece. Is it just me or are there not nearly enough books set in Greece? Add to Goodreads || Buy: Amazon || Indigo
♥The Conspiracy of Us by Maggie Hall
Setting: Paris, Istanbul Genre: Contemporary Young Adult Mystery/Thriller Published: January 13th, 2015 by Putnam Juvenile Why you should read it: When this series came out, it was advertised as ‘The DaVinci Code for teens’ which is what initially drew me in. This book grabs you and pulls you into a thrilling, action-packed world of intrigue, secret societies, and romance, all wrapped up in amazing, vivid European settings. Bonus: The Conspiracy of Us is the first in a trilogy; Map of Fates and The Ends of the World are the second and third books respectively, and the series gets even better as it goes on, plus you get even more incredible settings (like Greece and Egypt) with each new book. Add to Goodreads || Buy: Amazon || Indigo

 ♥A Brit Complicated by Brenda St John Brown
Setting: London
Genre: Romantic Comedy
Published: October 8th, 2017, self-published
Why you should read it: This book was written shortly after the 2017 terror attack in Borough Market in London, and it feels like a love letter to London and the resilience of the beautiful, diverse city. I loved that the city played such an important role in the story, plus this book has Brenda’s trademark wit, humour, and scorching-hot sexytimes.
Bonus: This is the third book in Brenda’s Castle Calder series of standalone books. The first two - A Brit on the Side and A Brit Unexpected - are set mostly in the English countryside at the fictional Castle Calder. Brenda’s debut novel, Swimming to Tokyo, is set in Japan and is a fascinating look at a place I knew very little about.
Add to Goodreads || Buy: Amazon

♥London Belongs to Me by Jacquelyn Middleton
Setting: London
Genre: Contemporary coming-of-age/women’s fiction
Published: October 14th, 2016 by Kirkwall Books
Why you should read it: This book takes the reader on an emotional journey with Alex Sinclair as she moves to London with dreams of becoming a playwright. Besides the great characters and setting, two big things that drew me into this book were the nerdy pop culture references and the mental health representation.
Bonus: This book has a follow-up called London, Can You Wait? which is set in London and New York City, and Jacquelyn’s other book, Until the Last Star Fades is set (mostly) in NYC. Jacquelyn has spent a lot of time in both London and NYC, so the locations in her books are real places with a lot of thought and care put into them, and that really shows.
Add to Goodreads || Buy: Amazon || Indigo

♥One Week 'Til Christmas by Belinda Missen
Setting: London
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Published: November 1st, 2019 by HQ Digital
Why you should read it: Visiting London at Christmastime has always been a dream of mine, and reading this book gave me that experience vicariously. The wintery streets of London really come alive on the pages, and I was completely enchanted. Plus the romance is super swoony! This is a quick, sweet read, and even though it's set at Christmastime, I'd say it's a fun one to read year-round.
Add to Goodreads || Buy: Amazon || Indigo

♥Getting Hot With the Scot by Melonie Johnson
Setting: Edinburgh, London, Chicago
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Published: April 30th, 2019 by St. Martin’s Press
Why you should read it: This book starts in Edinburgh, Scotland, where we join a group of friends who have been traveling through Europe. Our heroine, Cassie (a fellow book lover!), has been on the hunt for a foreign fling with no success...until she meets hot Scot Logan Reid. We get a whirlwind trip through Edinburgh and London before heading to the US and Cassie’s hometown of Chicago. It’s so fun watching these two characters balance their careers, get over their commitment-phobia, and figure out how to build a life together.
Add to Goodreads || Buy: Amazon || Indigo

♥Upside Down by Lia Riley
Setting: Australia
Genre: Contemporary New Adult
Published: August 5th, 2014 by Forever
Why you should read it: Needing an escape from her current reality, Talia takes off for six months in Australia as an exchange student. Her plan is to leave her worries behind, but she quickly realizes she can't run away from her problems or her past. This book is an emotional rollercoaster ride; Talia and Bran remain one of my OTPs because they worked hard for their relationship and they overcame so many obstacles together. This book is really emotional, unbelievably sexy, and it gets major bonus points for realistic and compassionate grief and OCD representation.
Add to Goodreads || Buy: Amazon || Indigo
Bonus: This is the first book in the Off the Map series - Sideswiped and Inside Out are next - and all the books are amazing.

♥London Belongs to Us by Sarra Manning
Setting: London
Genre: Contemporary Young Adult Romance
Published: June 2nd, 2016 by Hot Key Books
Why you should read it: This book is a highly entertaining whirlwind ride through the streets of London. Taking place in the span of 12 hours, Sunny makes her way through the city on a mission, meeting a whole host of quirky characters along the way.
Add to Goodreads || Buy: Amazon || Indigo

♥Wanderlost by Jen Malone
Genre: Contemporary Young Adult Romance
Published: May 31st, 2016 by HarperTeen
Setting: All over Europe
Why you should read it: You know how in most travel-related novels the main character has a strong desire to travel and usually at least some sort of plan? That’s not the case with this book; Aubree would be happy never leaving home, but she gets roped into pretending to be her sister and taking her place as a tour guide for a group of seniors through Europe. Aubree’s one of those characters you’re not quite sure about in the beginning, but you can’t help rooting for her as she grows and learns a lot about herself and the world. This book is fun, funny, and sweet with great characters and beautiful settings.
Add to Goodreads || Buy: Amazon || Indigo

♥Without Borders by Amanda Heger
Setting: Nicaragua
Genre: Contemporary New Adult
Published: April 19th, 2016 by Diversion Publishing
Why you should read it: Annie needs something that will make her med school resume stand out, so she travels to Central America to join some old friends on a month-long medical brigade. Annie is pushed outside her comfort zone at every turn as she traverses the jungle and encounters extreme poverty and life-threatening situations alongside a group of volunteers and a hot Nicaraguan doctor who also happens to be her best friend’s brother. This book is funny, touching, and completely different from anything I’ve ever read.
Add to Goodreads || Buy: Amazon || Indigo

♥A Place in the Sun by RS Grey
Setting: Vernazza, Italy
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Published: October 24th, 2016, self-published
Why you should read it: Needing to escape the relentless matchmaking of her mother, Georgie flees from London to Italy, where she meets gorgeous, brooding Gianluca. The romance in this book is an intense roller coaster ride, and the stunning, vivid setting made me long to see more of Italy. I don't think I'd ever even heard of Vernazza, but it went on my bucket list as soon as I finished reading this book.
Add to Goodreads || Buy: Amazon

♥The Forbidden Man by Karina Halle
Setting: Madrid, Spain
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Published: December 8th, 2019, self-published
Why you should read it: This is a super angsty, sexy, forbidden, age-gap, sports romance featuring a young football (soccer) player on the Real Madrid team and his much older physical therapist. I loved Thalia and Alejo, and it was interesting learning more about Spanish football and getting to see Madrid through Thalia’s eyes.
Bonus: Many of Karina’s books have gorgeous settings. Two of my other favourites are My Life in Shambles (set in Ireland) and Racing the Sun (set in Italy).
Add to Goodreads || Buy: Amazon

♥Christmas at Frozen Falls by Kiley Dunbar
Setting: Lapland, Finland
Genre: Romantic Comedy
Published: September 4th, 2019 by Hera
Why you should read it: When Sylvie's fiance dumps her a week before their wedding, her best friend plans a spur of the moment trip to Finland to take her mind off her heartache. Sylvie is reunited with her gorgeous Finnish ex, who shows her the sights and also stirs up a whole lot of old feelings. I honestly knew next to nothing about Lapland, and I found it fascinating to learn about life there, discover some of their traditions and customs, and learn about the Sami people.
Bonus: Kiley’s new book, Summer at the Highland Coral Beach, is set in a gorgeous fictional village in Scotland called Port Willow Bay.
Add to Goodreads || Buy: Amazon || Indigo

♥Just One Day by Gayle Forman
Setting: Paris, the Netherlands, London
Genre: Contemporary New Adult
Published: January 8th, 2013 by Dutton Juvenile
Why you should read it: After one magical day with a stranger in Paris, Alysson returns to the confines of her real life back home in America. Depressed and lost, Alysson spends the next year breaking out of the shelter of her small, safe life and learning to live for herself instead of living to please others. I read this book seven years ago when it was one of the hottest books around; I clearly remember disliking Alysson in the beginning and not understanding the hype around this book. My feelings changed suddenly and drastically about halfway through, and this book ended up touching me deeply and becoming a favourite. The character growth was some of the best I’ve ever read, and while the romance is beautiful, the journey of self-love was truly a thing to behold.
Bonus: The follow-up to this book, Just One Year, takes place in Europe, Mexico, and India, and I love it even more than the first book.
Add to Goodreads || Buy: Amazon || Indigo

♥More Bonuses:
♥Maddy Hunter's Passport to Peril series. If cozy mysteries are your thing, I can't recommend Maddy's books enough. Each of these fun, hilarious books is set in a different country (or US State, as in the case of two books), and Maddy has the ability to make you feel like you’re really there touring the places with Emily and her quirky gang of seniors. The series consists of twelve books and, in order, the settings are: Switzerland, Ireland, Italy, Hawaii, Australia, Norway, the Netherlands, Scotland, France, Germany, England, and Alaska.
Find the books on Goodreads || Amazon || Indigo
♥And since it was so hard to whittle this list down, I thought I'd share my Goodreads lists featuring various settings. Feel free to peruse them and see if any other books take your fancy.

♥Australia   ♥England   ♥France   ♥Ireland   ♥London   ♥New York City   ♥Scotland   ♥General Wanderlust  

What is your favourite setting to read about? Do you have a favourite book that inspires wanderlust? Have you added any of the books from my list to your TBR?

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Reminiscing About Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris and Thoughts on Why the Fire That Nearly Destroyed the Historical Landmark Touched People Worldwide

All photographs in this post are courtesy of my best friend, Krista Van Staalduinen, from our trip to Paris in June 2015, and have been used with her permission

Yesterday afternoon when I opened Facebook and saw the news that Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris was on fire, my heart sank. I hoped it was a minor fire and the pompiers (firefighters) in Paris would be able to put it out. But as the afternoon wore on and my social media feeds filled with pictures and videos of the raging fire, that sick feeling in my stomach grew. Notre Dame was burning in earnest; 800+ years of history was literally going up in flames. Now because there are always ignorant, negative people on social media, I had the displeasure of seeing someone make the comment, “But it’s only a building. Be glad nobody died.” Of course everyone is glad nobody died; it’s an absolute miracle nobody was killed. And, yes, okay, it is technically just a building and you can’t equate that with the loss of human life. But it’s so much more than ‘just a building’. For centuries, Notre Dame has been a symbol of Paris. A symbol of art, architecture, history, religion, and culture. It has survived the French Revolution and two World Wars. You don’t have to be Catholic - or even Christian - to appreciate its beauty and rich history. Those things, paired with the fact it seemed like one of those monuments that would be around forever, are part of what makes this such a devastating tragedy for people all over the world. Whether you’ve been to Notre Dame, hoped to go there someday, or you’re indifferent, this is a loss felt by the whole world.

I had the pleasure of visiting Notre Dame twice. My first time was in 2001; I was 17, and it was my first trip abroad. It was a whirlwind ten days of history and art and food and freedom. We saw ancient buildings and priceless art and so many things that left me speechless, but I remember being in complete awe when we walked into Notre Dame. It was swarming with people, and yet there was this hushed sort of reverence inside as people wandered around or sat in the pews or lit candles.

I vividly remember stopping in front of the statue of Joan of Arc and feeling this rush of emotions that brought tears to my eyes. I had just done a school project on the saint and felt this strange affinity to her; I had gone above and beyond on my project, reading everything I could get my hands on (and these were the days when there wasn’t much to be found online, so I think I checked out nearly every book from my library that so much as referenced her). Even though it was just a statue, it was like history coming alive in front of me and making it more real. Another special moment was when I lit a candle in memory of my dad, who died in 1994, and whose family originated in France.

My second trip to Paris, and to Notre Dame, was in 2015. Our time in Paris was cut short after an issue at the border in Callais, France (it was closed due to riots and strikes, so we were stuck in Dover, England for a day, unable to cross the Channel until the border reopened). That meant we only had about two full days in Paris, but we were determined to make the most of it and see as much as possible. I knew for sure that despite having seen it 14 years before, I wanted to see Notre Dame again. It had made a real impression on me, and I wanted my travelling companion/bestie, Krista - a fellow lover of art, history, and architecture - to see it. I can honestly say it was just as awe-inspiring the second time. Tragedies like this show us that nothing - not even the things that seem indestructible and eternal - lasts forever. Just because something has stood the test of time, as Notre Dame did for hundreds of years, doesn’t mean it can or will forever. A friend messaged me yesterday and told me how much she regretted skipping a visit to the cathedral during both her visits to Paris because of the long lines, assuming she’d visit it next time. I saw other people sharing the same sentiment on social media yesterday and this morning. Because that's the thing, right? We all think we have time. Time to see and do the things we want, especially when it comes to seeing the things that have always been there and you assume always will be. When I think of my last trip to Europe, one thing that often comes to mind is the number of times we had to wait in line. The first instance was our visit to the Tower of London. Krista and I wanted to see the Crown Jewels, but the people we were with didn’t want to ‘waste time’ in line. Krista and I looked at each other and agreed that we hadn’t travelled thousands of miles to let something like a line stop us from seeing something we wanted - and had paid a lot of money - to see. So we got ourselves some ice cream from a nearby vendor and we waited in line, taking pictures, talking, and laughing all the while. That moment set a precedence for us: if there was something we wanted to see, screw the lines. It happened again several times throughout our travels (the most memorable being the hour we spent in the blazing Italian sun while waiting to enter St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican), including when we visited Notre Dame. We had a limited amount of time to squeeze in everything we wanted to do, but it was a beautiful day, so even though the lines stretched all the way to the end of the square, we joined the queue. Now I’m so grateful we did.

We hear about ‘gentle reminders’ all the time these days. ‘Just sending a gentle reminder to get your entries in for X by tonight’ or a ‘gentle reminder to practise self-care’. Well, let this horrible event serve as a not-so-gentle reminder. Do the things you want to do. See the things you want to see. I know it’s not always that simple, believe me. If I could hop on a plane to Europe right now I would, but it’s not possible right this moment. But whenever possible, even if it may make you a little uncomfortable, even if it means stepping outside your comfort zone (hell, especially if it means stepping outside your comfort zone), even if it takes time, even if it means waiting in a huge line, do the things you want to do. Don’t assume you can ‘do it next time’ because there might not be a next time. Let this also serve as an everyday reminder: Take chances. Do the things you love to do, as often and as joyfully as you can. Appreciate the good people in your life. Make sure the people you love know how you feel about them. See and do as much as you can, because tomorrow isn’t guaranteed.

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Review: London Belongs to Me by Jacquelyn Middleton

 

It's no secret I'm obsessed with London. I always have been, and the obsession grew after my first visit in 2015. I love books, movies, and TV shows set in England, and as soon as I see the word 'London' or see an iconic London scene on a cover, I'm so there. I couldn't wait to read London Belongs to Me by Jacquelyn Middleton, and I had so much fun seeing London through Alex Sinclair's eyes.

~*~*~*~*~*~

London Belongs to Me by Jacquelyn Middleton
Series: Standalone
Published: October 14th, 2016
Publisher: Kirkwall Books
394 pages (paperback)
Genre: Contemporary New Adult
Source: Won from Book Baristas
Warning: May contain spoilers
{GoodReads || Buy this book: Amazon || Chapters/Indigo}

A New City A New Start. Same Old Demons.

Your flight is now boarding! Join Alex Sinclair for a life-changing, trans-Atlantic journey. London Belongs to Me is a coming-of-age story about friendship, following your dreams, and learning when to let go … and when to hang on.

Meet Alex, a recent college graduate from Tallahassee, Florida in love with London, pop culture, and comic cons. It’s not easy being twenty-one-years-old, and Alex has never been the most popular girl. She’s an outsider, a geeky fangirl … with dreams of becoming a playwright in a city she’s loved from afar, but never visited. Fleeing America after a devastating betrayal, she believes London is where she’ll be understood, where she belongs. But Alex’s past of panic attacks and broken relationships is hard to escape. When her demons team up with a jealous rival determined to destroy her new British life, Alex begins to question everything: her life-long dream, her new friends, and whether London is where she truly belongs.
 

 

As an Anglophile, I was curious about London Belongs to Me from the moment I heard about it. Throw in the beautiful cover, and I didn’t even need to read the synopsis to know I needed this book. When a few friends read it and said it would be something I’d love, especially because of the nerdy fangirl references, I knew this book was written for people like me, and I was right. London Belongs to Me made my London-loving fangirl heart so happy.

I loved Alex and connected with her easily. Besides a mutual love of London, we’re both fangirls and writers. I’ve never had panic attacks *knocks on wood* but I do have anxiety, and I admired Alex’s strength and bravery taking off to London on her own to pursue her dreams. I appreciated that things weren’t all sunshine and roses for Alex. She had a lot of struggles, both internal and external, and faced plenty of obstacles on her journey. I was outraged on her behalf at some of the things she went through, and I rooted for her so hard, wanting to see her happy and successful. Middleton did a great job of drawing me in and making me care. I felt like Alex was a real person - like she could be a close friend, or even be me.

Besides Alex, London Belongs to Me was full of a wonderfully fleshed-out cast of characters. I adored Alex’s friends Lucy and Freddie and thought they added so much to the story. The three of them together were hilarious, and I liked that their interactions ranged from funny to touching and everything in between. They had disagreements and misunderstandings like normal friends, but they loved each other unconditionally and were always willing to work through any issues they had. I also loved that they were just as nerdy as Alex; all the Doctor Who and Sherlock references made me squee like the fangirl I am. I loved that Alex and Lucy met online and formed a really strong bond; this was just one of the many things I connected to since some of my closest friends are people I’ve met online. I also loved Mark, the hot Irish love interest (seriously, I feel like Ms Middleton peered inside my head and took everything I love and tied it all together in a book). I wish we’d seen more of him, and of him and Alex together, yet I understand why we didn’t. London Belongs to Me isn’t a Romance - it’s a coming-of-age story about self-discovery, and Alex needed to do a lot of things on her own to find her way and figure out her place in the world.

Fun, funny, and engaging, with fantastic characters, a great setting, and an interesting plot, London Belongs to Me sucked me in from beginning to end. This sparkling debut has me impressed with Middleton’s skill as a writer and as a storyteller, and I can’t wait to read more from her.

Have you read London Belongs to Me? What did you think? If you haven't read it, do you plan to? What do you fangirl/boy over? Do you have a city you love reading about?

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Top Ten Tuesday: Books to Satisfy Your Wanderlust

  

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

This week's Top Ten Tuesday is a freebie, so I decided to spotlight some of my favourite books that involve travel. Whether you're strictly an armchair traveler, or you're a real-life adventurer who's between trips, these books should satisfy your wanderlust...at least temporarily.😉

1. Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins (Paris)

2. Every Word by Ellie Marney (Set in Australia, plus the main characters visit London) 

3. London Belongs to Me by Jacquelyn Middleton (London - obviously - plus Manchester)

4. Wish You Were Italian by Kristin Rae (Italy)

5. Love & Gelato by Jenna Evans Welch (Italy)

6. A Place in the Sun by RS Grey (Italy)

7. Wanderlost by Jen Malone (Various countries in Europe, including Austria, Monaco, Italy, the Netherlands, and the Czech Republic)

8. Just One Year by Gayle Foreman (Various places in Europe, Asia, and North America, including Paris, Amsterdam, Mumbai, and Mexico)

9. The Conspiracy of Us by Maggie Hall (Paris and Istanbul)

10. This is a total cheat since it's 10 books in total, but I couldn't pick just one! If there's one series I wish more people knew about, it'd be the Passport to Peril series by Maddy Hunter. Each book is set in a different country/countries, and they're hilarious and clever, plus after almost a dozen books I've never guessed the killer.

• Alpine for You (Switzerland)
• Top o’ the Mournin’ (Ireland)
• Pasta Imperfect (Italy)
• Hula Done It (Hawaii)
• G’day to Die (Australia)
• Norway to Hide (Scandinavia)
• Dutch Me Deadly (Holland)
• Bonnie of Evidence (Scotland)
• Fleur de Lies (France)
• From Bad to Wurst (Germany)

If you're like me and have a wicked case of wanderlust, be sure to check out my Wanderlust tag!

 

 

Do you like to read books set in different countries? What are some of your favourites? Tell me in the comments, or if you did a TTT this week, leave me the link so I can check out your list!

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Wanderlust Wednesday Review: One Paris Summer by Denise Grover Swank

 
Check out my previous Wanderlust Wednesday posts

 

One Paris Summer by Denise Grover Swank
Series: Standalone
Published: June 7th, 2016
Publisher: Blink
272 pages (eARC)
Genre: Contemporary Young Adult
Acquired this book: Via NetGalley in exchange for honest consideration
Warning: May contain spoilers
{GoodReads || Buy this book: Amazon || Chapters/Indigo}

Most teens dream of visiting the City of Lights, but it feels more like a nightmare for Sophie Brooks. She and her brother are sent to Paris to spend the summer with their father, who left home a year ago without any explanation. As if his sudden abandonment weren't betrayal enough, he's about to remarry, and they’re expected to play nice with his soon-to-be wife and stepdaughter. The stepdaughter, Camille, agrees to show them around the city, but she makes it clear that she will do everything in her power to make Sophie miserable.

Sophie could deal with all the pain and humiliation if only she could practice piano. Her dream is to become a pianist, and she was supposed to spend the summer preparing for a scholarship competition. Even though her father moved to Paris to pursue his own dream, he clearly doesn't support hers. His promise to provide her with a piano goes unfulfilled.

Still, no one is immune to Paris’s charm. After a few encounters with a gorgeous French boy, Sophie finds herself warming to the city, particularly when she discovers that he can help her practice piano. There’s just one hitch—he’s a friend of Camille’s, and Camille hates Sophie. While the summer Sophie dreaded promises to become best summer of her life, one person could ruin it all.

I keep promising myself I’m going to cut back on the books I request for review, but when I saw the cover of One Paris Summer and read the synopsis, I had to make an exception. I love books with European settings, especially when they’re places I’ve been, like Paris. Unfortunately, while One Paris Summer started out okay and there were parts I enjoyed, I spent a good portion of the book feeling irritated and contemplating DNFing it.

What I did like: the complex family relationships. Blended families can be difficult, uncomfortable, and fraught with tension, and this one was all those things. I also appreciated Sophie’s passion for and commitment to her music. I know what it’s like to pour yourself into something, to use your grief and anger and hurt to fuel you, and I liked how well that came across whenever Sophie was talking about music or playing the piano. As for favourite characters, I liked Sophie well enough, but it was her stepmother, Eva, who was the standout character for me.

Other than those things...I’m left with all the things that irritated me. All the characters and situations were over-dramatized to the point where I was almost constantly rolling my eyes. I lost count of the number of times Sophie or her stepsister ‘stomped’ from the room. Half the book was spent with one or more characters throwing a hissy fit or overreacting. I liked Sophie’s brother at first, but then he turned into a jerk. It went beyond just being a protective brother - he overreacted to every situation and treated her like crap. I could go on, but I don’t want it to seem like I’m bashing the book because that’s not my intention at all. I probably should have set this book aside, but I kept reading in the hopes it would get better. There were a few nice moments toward the end but for me they almost felt too little too late after all the juvenile behavior and drama. I was also a bit disappointed with the lack of descriptions about Paris, especially toward the end. At first I could picture a lot of it and I knew exactly where things were, but then as the book went on the descriptions stopped and the book basically could have been set anywhere.

Unfortunately One Paris Summer wasn't for me. However, just because it disappointed me doesn’t mean you won’t enjoy it. If you like books that deal with family issues, clandestine romances, and a passion for music, all wrapped up in a Parisian setting, give One Paris Summer a shot.

Have you read One Paris Summer? What did you think? If you haven't read it, do you plan to? Have you been to Paris? What would you do if you had a whole summer in Paris?

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Wanderlust Wednesday Review: Wanderlost by Jen Malone

Check out my previous Wanderlust Wednesday posts

Wanderlost by Jen Malone
Series: Standalone
Published: May 31st, 2016
Publisher: HarperTeen
352 pages (eARC)
Genre: Contemporary Young Adult
Acquired this book: Via Edelweiss in exchange for honest consideration
Warning: May contain spoilers
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Aubree can’t think of a better place to be than in perfectly boring Ohio, and she’s ready for a relaxing summer. But when her older sister, Elizabeth, gets into real trouble, Aubree is talked into taking over Elizabeth’s summer job, leading a group of senior citizens on a bus tour through Europe.

Aubree doesn’t even make it to the first stop in Amsterdam before their perfect plan unravels, leaving her with no phone, no carefully prepared binder full of helpful facts, and an unexpected guest: the tour company owner’s son, Sam. Considering she’s pretending to be Elizabeth, she absolutely shouldn’t fall for him, but she can’t help it, especially with the most romantic European cities as the backdrop for their love story.

But her relationship with Sam is threatening to ruin her relationship with her sister, and she feels like she’s letting both of them down. Aubree knows this trip may show her who she really is—she just hopes she likes where she ends up.

Since I have a never-ending case of wanderlust, I was immediately intrigued by Wanderlost. Between the beautiful cover and the European setting, I was eager to read this one, and it didn’t disappoint.

Aubree is happy with her small-town life. She has no desire to stray far from home, and no plans to travel...until an incident leaves her older sister Elizabeth in trouble and Elizabeth convinces Bree to take her spot for the summer as a European tour guide for a small group of seniors. Elizabeth prepares Bree to the best of her ability, then sends Bree off to Europe on her own. What ensues is a lot of misadventures, a sweet romance, and plenty of character growth.

I’ve been to Europe twice: once when I was about Bree’s age, and again last year. Even at the age I was last year, I would have folded under the kind of pressure Bree experienced. I was practically panicking just reading about the first incident that happened when she arrived. How she handled things felt (mostly) realistic, and I appreciated her strength and how she was (again, mostly) able to keep a cool head. It was all easy to picture, from her freak-outs to her embarrassing moments to her triumphs to her travels through all that gorgeous, history-filled countryside. It definitely stirred my wanderlust and made me itch to get back on a plane.

This book had a great cast of side characters. One of my favourite series is the Passport to Peril series by Maddy Hunter, where a woman in her thirties leads a group of seniors on European (mis)adventures, so in a way Wanderlost reminded me of the YA version of that. I liked how the seniors were up for almost anything, and their quirks were endearing and amusing. I also loved Sam; he was hilarious and adorable, and the banter between him and Bree had me giggling and swooning.

Wanderlost is a perfect summer read - light, fun, funny, and romantic. Aubree was a great main character, and her growth made me so proud. I even cried at the end because I was so proud of her. If you’re looking for a fun, swoony, low drama-and-angst read with a wonderful cast of characters and a chance to vicariously travel through Europe, I highly recommend Wanderlost.

Need a little more convincing that this is a must read? Tiff from Mostly YA Lit wrote a fantastic 4.5-star review of Wanderlost!

Have you read Wanderlost? What did you think? If you haven't read it, do you plan to? Have you been to Europe? Ever travelled solo (if so, major kudos - I couldn't do it!)? Have any fun/funny/scary stories about getting lost while travelling?

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Wanderlust Wednesday Review: The Turning Point by Marie Meyer

 

Check out my previous Wanderlust Wednesday posts.

 

After my trip through the UK and Europe last summer, I talked about how I hadn’t expected to fall head over heels in love with Italy, but that’s exactly what happened. I only visited Rome, and while I expected to like it, I fell completely in love with the city. Since then, I’ve dreamed of returning to the Eternal City, plus seeing more of Italy. Since that’s not a possibility right now, I love reading books set in Italy, and I was excited to ‘travel’ with Sophia and Lucas in The Turning Point. You can travel vicariously with me through the three pictures below: the best gelato we had, the best pizza we had, and one of about a million scooters/vespas/motorcycles you'll see around Rome...all of which tie into The Turning Point in some way.

 

 

 

The Turning Point by Marie Meyer
Series: Standalone
Published: January 12th, 2016
Publisher: Forever Yours
304 pages (eARC)
Genre: Contemporary New Adult
Acquired this book: From the author in exchange for honest consideration
Warning: May contain spoilers
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For as long as I could remember, I was the girl with the plan. Good college, good medical school, good career. I would save lives instead of standing by helplessly, watching while they slipped away.

That was before my father called for the first time in fifteen years to tell me about the terminal illness stealing his life-an illness that might be stealing mine, too. It was before he gave me the name of a doctor and a plane ticket to Italy. Before I flew across an ocean. Before I realized how brilliantly bright life could be. Before I met Lucas.

He's everything I've always wanted, and the timing couldn't be worse. I can't do this to him-he deserves so much better. My head tells me I can't afford to fall in love with Lucas, but my heart won't listen. Lucas is fearless about the future, while I'm not even sure I have one. There's only one way to know what's ahead and it's waiting for me at home inside a plain, white envelope.

All I have to do, is open it . . .

I wanted to read The Turning Point from the moment I saw the cover and read the word ‘Italy’ in the synopsis. It was one of my most anticipated New Adult books of 2016, and it didn’t disappoint. 

Sophia was smart, driven, and knew what she wanted in life. One of the ways I related to her was how focused she was - there have been times in my life where I’ve worked so hard I forgot to have a life. Her reasons for being driven were familiar too; having experienced serious loss several times myself, I know how hard it can be to open your heart or let people in. I enjoyed Sophia’s journey from someone who lived a very rigid, planned life to someone who was willing to take a chance, have some fun, and ultimately open her heart, learn to forgive, learn to love, and learn to truly live.

I love books with running jokes and nicknames, and The Turning Point had both. Sophia and Lucas met in a funny, unexpected way, and it became a running joke through the book, which was so cute and fitting. Their interactions ranged from funny to frustrating to touching to sexy. They had instant chemistry, but I appreciated that things didn’t happen instantly. There was a push and pull between them, and I liked that they waited to have sex while still having super steamy sexytimes. They really got to know each other, and learned some important things about themselves - and each other - in the process.

The Turning Point is a story about the power of love. I really enjoyed Sophia’s relationship with her mom and nonna, and the romance between Sophia and Lucas was so fun to read. There were some truly beautiful moments between them that will stick with me. I loved following them through Italy and watching them fall for each other. If you enjoy NA that will make you laugh, swoon, and think about life and love, I highly recommend The Turning Point.
 

Have you read The Turning Point? What did you think? If you haven't read it, do you plan to? Have you been to Italy? Do you have a favourite book set there?

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