Books That Inspire Travel
When you can’t jump on a plane to explore an exotic destination, do the next best thing.
Travel vicariously through a good book!
Here are six books that recently transported me to some of my favorite places, including Italy and Paris, or offered a sneak peek into places I’ve only dreamed of visiting.
Don’t worry, I won’t spoil the endings!
Keep reading to find out what Traveling Tanya has been reading to quench her wanderlust. Then pick up the books that inspire travel for you! Click on the headings or images below to purchase these titles on Amazon.
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“A Recipe From Rome”
By Laura Botten
This is Laura Botten’s debut novel…and I’ll be first in line to read her next book!
With a setting like Rome, it wasn’t a hard sell for me. I’ve been following Botten’s Instagram page for quite a while. I love how she supports other authors and offers book recommendations, many set in my favorite Italian destinations.
“A Recipe from Rome” takes the reader on a wild ride through historic Rome, with equal parts love and sumptuous food.
The initial description, a young woman pretending to be married to her old friend so they can enjoy an all-expenses paid work trip to Rome, sounds a bit like a cheesy Hallmark movie (which I actually love!). But this book steers clear of the predictable tropes Hallmark movies are known for by offering plenty of twists and turns to keep readers guessing.
I devoured this book and may have even drooled on the pages as Botten described many Italian delicacies in glorious detail along the way. As a bonus, she includes several recipes in the back of the book. I’m not sure my cooking skills are up to the challenge, but I will be anxiously awaiting her next novel.
“The Forgotten Bookshop in Paris”
By Daisy Wood
“The Forgotten Bookshop in Paris” not only transported me to the City of Light. It also took me back in time.
This book eloquently toggles back and forth between World War II and present day Paris. While decades separate the two storylines, a small bookshop serves as a character in itself and transcends time.
“The Forgotten Bookshop in Paris” artfully portrays the tension and challenges many people faced when France was occupied by the Nazis in the 1940s. It’s not all a bed of roses and champagne in current day Paris either as one woman comes to terms with the end of her marriage and the challenges of living and working as an expat.
Both my mom and I love reading novels set in Paris, and there are numerous books that masterfully weave two congruent story lines set decades apart. And I can’t get enough!
“Who Will Accompany You?”
By Meg Stafford
“Who Will Accompany You” is the only non-fiction book on my list. It includes journal excerpts from both the author, Meg Stafford, and her young adult daughters and takes the reader on quite a wild ride!
One daughter goes on a quest to discover the meaning of happiness in Nepal. The other daughter provides humanitarian aid in Columbia. Stafford writes about her own adventures alongside each daughter, while also giving them space to explore and make their own way in this complicated world.
Having never been to these exotic destinations, I was enthralled with the adventures these brave women embarked on, even if I couldn’t quite imagine taking the same trips myself.
But isn’t that what makes travel so amazing?! We each have our own style and I love learning from other travelers and living vicariously through their journeys.
While I may not be booking a trip to Nepal or Columbia anytime soon, I could readily relate to the challenges and bittersweet nature of the mother/daughter relationship. Watching our daughters grow and set off on their own adventures can be both terrifying and rewarding!
“One Italian Summer”
By Rebecca Serle
It’s no secret that I love all things Italy! So I eagerly dove into “One Italian Summer”…and I was not disappointed!
Set in breathtaking Positano, Italy, Serle delves deep into the complicated relationship between mother and daughter.
After the devastating loss of her mother, the main character sets out on an Italian adventure and retraces her mother’s steps from a few decades prior. In the process, she learns about her mom before she carried that title, which ultimately helps reveal her own true feelings about life and love.
This was one of those books I just couldn’t put down. Serle creates characters who are flawed and relatable, yet also endearing. I was sad when the book ended and I had to say goodbye to the characters…and to the Amalfi Coast.
Serle brings Positano to life (as if it were another character) with descriptive language that had me dreaming of my next trip to Italy!
“The Jetsetters”
By Amanda Eyre Ward
I have yet to take a cruise, but it’s on my travel bucket list! “The Jetsetters” provided ample encouragement to work on making that travel wish come true.
It sounds like a dream come true to win an all-expenses-paid cruise that stops in places like Greece, Italy, and France!
Aside from the on-board activities and the exciting ports visited, the main focus of this book is the unfolding drama between a 70-year-old mother and her three estranged adult children. I’m not sure setting out to sea is the best idea for a family at odds who have plenty of secrets between them, but it sure does make for a fun read!
At times I did find myself getting annoyed with some of the characters as their drama seemed paramount to the beautiful scenery and history all around.
I mean, if you only have a few hours to spend in Rome, put your petty squabbles aside and take advantage of what this world-class city has to offer! Still, this one is a page-turner…but it may have you thinking twice about who you want to take along on your next cruise.
“Things I Wish I Told My Mother”
By Susan Patterson and Susan DiLallo with James Patterson
I took my mom to Paris for her 70th birthday, along with my daughters, so a novel about a mother-daughter trip to Paris was right up my alley.
The fictional mother and daughter in “Things I Wish I Told My Mother” have a strained relationship that thankfully is nothing like the one I have with my own mom!
With two very different styles of travel, this mother/daughter duo seems to butt heads around every cobblestoned corner. Yet there are some endearing moments sprinkled throughout…and a surprise ending that I wouldn’t dare give away!
It doesn’t matter how many novels I read that are set in Paris (and there have been a lot!), I can’t seem to get enough of reading about complex relationships that unfold amidst an iconic Paris backdrop.
What books have fueled your passion for travel? I’m always looking for my next great read…and planning my next travel adventure!
Wherever the road takes you, make it a joyous journey,
Traveling Tanya
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