Summer Reading Done Right with Six Books Where Characters Hit the Road

This road-trip read lures you in with irreverent humor before taking you on a heart-opening journey alongside the characters.

It starts with Pancakes, a nursing home cat rumored to predict death, who eventually shows up at the home of 63-year-old PJ. Though a lottery winner, PJ lost both his eldest daughter and his marriage. His heart, both literally and figuratively, isn’t doing great. But he’s determined to drive to an Arizona retirement community to win back his high school girlfriend.

Along with his surviving daughter, his brother’s grandkids, and the aforementioned death cat, PJ sets out on a road trip you won’t forget.

If you’ve ever dreamed of taking a vacation alongside your favorite childhood boy band, you’ll love indulging in this new novel that’s already an instant New York Times bestseller.

Middle-aged Annie isn’t quite one of the screaming fans aboard a cruise with Boy Talk, a popular ‘90s band. But, pressured by her sister to hop aboard, she soon finds her rhythm, as well as an unexpected bond with one of the aging band members.

You’ll appreciate how this book shifts perspectives between characters on the ship, as well as its witty humor and nostalgia-drenched storyline.

Does it even count as summer if you’re not near the ocean or reading an Elin Hilderbrand book? Or, better yet, doing both at the same time?

I enjoyed how this page-turning short offers a twist on the usual vacation book: City girl Sophia doesn’t actually want to go on the cruise to the Galápagos Islands her boyfriend has planned. But she’s committed to him, so she agrees… even when he drops out at the very last moment.

The cruise is rustic, to say the least, but Sophia finds friends, revels in the awe-inspiring views, and comes to important realizations about not only her boyfriend, but herself.

For those of us who are fans of feisty older women misbehaving, this hilarious summer vacation novel hits all the right notes. When Connie meets Gill and Maggie at a flower-arranging class, it’s clear that the three of them are destined to be friends. It’s also obvious they all need a real vacation, so they set off on an adventure across Europe in a luxury campervan.

You’ll revel in the vicarious holiday as the three friends travel through France and Italy, deepening their bond, entertaining potential romances, and stumbling upon more than one surprise along the way.

Charlotte’s world has already been recently transformed by a divorce and the success of her debut novel. But it’s the discovery of family secrets, particularly a young half-sister she never knew about, that upends her identity and sends her flying to Italy.

As Charlotte bonds with the girl amidst the beautiful Italian scenery, she tries to adjust to this new chapter in her life and finish her next book. If you’re a sucker for both gorgeous locales and family drama, you’ll welcome this new novel from a New York Times bestselling author.

If you ask me, vacation books are just better when they involve a group of friends. This new book from the mega-bestselling James Patterson and his wife, Susan, features a great one: a group of old college friends and their daughters who’ve formed a book club. This year, they’re reuniting at Italy’s Lake Como to catch up and soak in the sights (and cocktails).

But their holiday is full of the unexpected, including tantalizing romance, family and friendship drama, and more than one secret. Keep your own drink of choice handy as you kick back and let this summery tale unfold.