Head to Austria, England, or Singapore without packing a suitcase.
December is chilly, crazy busy, festive, and emotional, all at the same time. And when you finally find a moment to yourself this month to regroup or relax, don’t be surprised if you’ve forgotten how. Before you whip up another to-do list, consider using those precious moments to indulge in something you’ve been missing. For me, that’s reading. If you’ve got some downtime in between the holidays and need an escape, dip into one of these fun, fabulous, romantic reads that will take you all over the world while also centering you wherever you are.
The Last Love Note by Emma Grey
Destination: Bryon Bay, Australia
This Target book club pick, Book of the Month Club pick, and Indie Next pick is making readers laugh and cry all over Instagram. Australian author Emma Grey lost her husband Jeff to a heart attack in his sleep leaving her with their 5-year-old son and Emma’s two teenage girls. Wracked by grief and on a rare visit to the U.S. in Jeff’s honor, Emma started writing a fictonalized version of her loss at the New York Public Library. Now, eight years later, she has created a compulsively readable story about Kate, a busy mom and widow who is a bit of a mess, and her second chance at love when a trip with a colleague gets rerouted. Emma’s clever wit — think Jojo Moyes meets Bridget Jones — will truly make you feel. You’ll laugh, cry, and wish the story wouldn’t end.
Main Character Energy by Jamie Varon
Destination: The South of France
Poppy Banks is working at a dead-end job writing clickbait for Thought Buzz (think: BuzzFeed) while her lifelong dream of becoming a novelist quickly becomes an impossibility. What makes this worse is that her brother has become a bestselling author. When her aunt dies, Poppy is the unexpected beneficiary of her aunt’s gorgeous villa and writing retreat in the south of France, which she didn’t even know existed. If Poppy can finish a novel in six months, she’ll get to inherit the whole thing. But as Poppy gets to know her aunt’s companion and his nephew, a breathtakingly gorgeous longtime resident, secrets and emotions come flying out. Also, Poppy’s tired of her larger-than-average size always relegating her to the role of supporting actor. Now, she’s ready to take center stage in this reflection on goals, writing — and all its related insecurities — and love. You’ll be rooting for Poppy at every step. It’s un-put-downable — especially for anyone who has ever attempted to write a novel.
A Winter in New York by Josie Silver
Destination: Little Italy, New York
Bestselling author Josie Silver is back with another delightful rom-com. Iris moves to New York to restart her life. Her best friend Bobby takes her to Little Italy where she stumbles on a Gelateria that reminds her of a shop in an old photo of her mom’s. When she meets the owner, Gio, she finds out the shop might have to close because his uncle, the only one who knows the famous gelato recipe, had a stroke and can’t remember how to make the recipe. But when she tastes the delicious confection, Iris realizes that Gio’s family gelato is exactly the same as her family’s famous gelato! Iris offers to make the icy treat for them — and starts falling for Gio — until Gio’s uncle wakes up and secrets start dripping everywhere. Josie’s fabulous writing makes this story sing.
The Wind Knows My Name by Isabel Allende
Destination: From Austria to England and El Salvador to Arizona
In The Wind Knows My Name, Isabel Allende beautifully intertwines the stories of Samuel, a Jewish boy escaping Nazi-occupied Vienna, and Anita, a girl fleeing danger in present-day El Salvador. As their journeys unfold, the novel explores themes of sacrifice, resilience, and the enduring power of imagination. Set against a backdrop of historical and contemporary challenges, it’s a moving testament to the unbreakable bonds that connect us across time and circumstance.
The Wake-Up Call by Beth O’Leary
Destination: U.K.
Two hotel receptionists in the U.K. who can’t stand each other — well, one of them did write a love note to the other and got spurned a year before — are thrown together when the ceiling literally caves in at the Forest Manor Hotel. Threatened with the hotel going under after Christmas, Izzy and Lucas team up to save it when they find a collection of old wedding rings in the lost and found that need returning. But what they find is far more than they anticipated. Beth O’Leary’s voice is infectious, hilarious, and brilliant in this page-turning, feel-good read.
The Great Reclamation by Rachel Heng
Destination: Singapore
The Great Reclamation by Rachel Heng, winner of the New American Voices Award and longlisted for prestigious literary prizes, is a breathtaking journey through 20th-century coastal Singapore. Ah Boon, a gentle boy with a unique gift, discovers his ability to locate hidden islands, setting the stage for a compelling love story with neighbor Siok Mei. As the Japanese army invades and history unfolds, the novel navigates the complexities of war, grief, and the quest for identity in a changing nation. A beautifully written exploration of love, sacrifice, and the shifting landscape of home, The Great Reclamation is a powerful coming-of-age tale that grapples with the legacies of colonialism and the pursuit of modernity.
Recipe for Second Chances by Ali Rosen
Destination: The Italian Countryside
James Beard Award-nominated chef and TV host Ali Rosen whisks us off to the Italian countryside in this delicious romp. Stella Park writes recipes for a living and needs a break, so she jumps at the chance to attend her best friend’s wedding in Italy. But when she runs into her ex, whose heart she broke a decade prior, Stella begins to rethink everything about her life. Stella and Sam keep getting thrown together during the trip making her wonder, was he the one who got away?!
Zibby Owens is the award-winning podcast host of Moms Don’t Have Time to Read Books; CEO of Zibby Media; and author of Bookends: A Memoir of Love, Loss, and Literature and the upcoming novel Blank.
