Quick Look Books: Vacation Destination Reads (June 2019)

Well, we made it to summer, everyone!

If you’re like me, you’re dreaming about what vacations you want to take. Warm weather always makes me think about jet-setting somewhere exotic — or, really, to anywhere that’s different from what I see 24/7 in my daily routine. The past few years have yielded a lot more daycations than vacations for me, though, so I’ve been getting my vicarious vacation fix through books.

Which brings me to this month’s Quick Look Books: VACATION DESTINATION READS.

I define “destination” as anyplace but where you currently are; it can be 500 miles away, or it can be 15 minutes away. While I enjoy reading books with familiar settings and surroundings, I really love escaping to a different country or culture through reading. If I haven’t been to that location before, I love immersing myself in the foreign aspects revealed by the author, and if I have been there before, it’s wonderful to revisit familiar sights and sounds through the main characters. This month’s book recommendations are set in locations that make great vacation destinations. 

1. Erotic Stories for Punjabi Widows by Balli Kaur Jaswal. This delectable novel transports you to India via West London, which is a part of my favorite city that I’ve never had the chance to visit. There’s a huge Punjabi community in London, and the author brings it alive with the flavors, traditions, and stories shared between a group of Indian women.

This novel is seriously SO good — sweet, evocative, and touching; inspiring and powerful; plenty humorous and a little naughty. There’s even a bit of mystery! You’re given an intriguing insight into a cultural bit of London (and India) that I previously knew little about. It’s a very unique book. And, if you’re more on the conservative side, please don’t be turned off by the “erotic” part of this title — while the stories are pretty darn saucy (and hilarious, in some cases) they really serve as a catalyst for so much more that’s happening in the story. You can enjoy the bit of sauciness for what it is, but you really should try to see beyond it to the bigger picture — how the ability to share these stories liberates the women in ways they never thought possible. 

2. Death in St Petersburg by Tasha Alexander. This historical fiction/murder mystery was an impulse grab from my local library, and I ended up LOVING it. It’s part of the “Lady Emily” series, and though I hadn’t read the previous books in the series, I was able to jump right into this one. Main character and female sleuth extraordinaire Lady Emily is fun and fantastic, witty and amiable. Plus, she’s a financially well-off lady in Victorian times, which means her adventures are lush and extravagant, which is always desirable in an escape read.

However, my favorite part of this novel was author Tasha Alexander’s descriptions of St. Petersburg, Russia; they drew me into the story from the very first pages. I was fortunate enough to visit St. Pete a few years ago during the White Nights, and, to quote Alexander, “Saint Petersburg charmed me thoroughly, and I was convinced no other city was so perfectly beautiful.” St. Pete’s beauty, elegance, and magical nature is breathtakingly captured, and I particularly loved the descriptions of the city during the harsh but bewitching Russian winter. I doubt I’ll ever be able to return to this exquisite city, but reading Death in St. Petersburg made me feel like I was back there once again.

3. Campaign Ruby by Jessica Rudd. I didn’t really know what this book would be about when I started reading it, and it completely surprised and delighted me with how enchanting it is. I normally stay away from anything regarding politics, so when I found out that main character Ruby, on a whim, joins an Australian political campaign, I was tempted to stop reading. But, I’m SO glad I continued. This book is exceptionally witty, funny, interesting, and sweet. While the politics pervade every moment after Ruby lands in Australia, the author easily balances the strong politics with the equally strong charm, personality, and sense of adventure brought in by Ruby and the other characters. And, admittedly, it was pretty cool to learn about what goes on behind the scenes during a campaign, as well as in the Australian government and different areas of the country. (Since, admittedly, my knowledge of Australia is mostly relegated to what I’ve learned from watching Finding Nemo and Crocodile Dundee.)

Plus, Ruby is just fantastic — she’s a bit of the sassy and capable female protagonist from early Jane Green novels mixed with just the right amount of mishap-prone Becky Bloomwood from the Shopaholic series. Her wry sense of humor keeps the book moving. Sure, there are obvious disconnects in the story (how does a financial banker just walk into a major political campaign? how does she get a job on vacation in another country?), but, unlike other similarly told stories, the author actually addresses the absurdity of such scenarios and pokes fun at the more contrived elements of the plotline. Overall, if you’ll pardon the pun, Campaign Ruby is the dark horse for one of my favorite books of the year — and it definitely wins the election for most delightful surprise in the “Let’s Randomly Pick Up A Book To Read” category!

4. The Forever Summer by Jamie Brenner. Who’s ready for beach season? *raises hand* THIS GIRL. Kick off your summer beach reads with this novel set in picturesque Cape Cod. When I was growing up, my family liked to “summer in New England” (a.k.a, stay at the Econo Lodge outside Mystic, CT), and The Forever Summer evokes delightful memories of lazy, hot summers spent in quaint New England towns. Brenner’s light, funny, and beautiful descriptions of the town and its loveable neighbors will charm you, and you’ll be thoroughly entertained by the cast of characters who suddenly find themselves thrown together in a beach house for the season.

The beginning of the novel really sucked me in, though I did feel it was dragged out a bit in the middle; a lot of dramatic events are packed into this novel (though in a light-hearted way), and it felt a bit overstuffed with plot points at times. It didn’t stop me from devouring the book, though. What I loved most is the overarching idea of finding a place in a family you didn’t know you had before, and how wonderful/confusing/complicated that can be. By the end of the book, you’ll be hankering for your own summer beach house in New England filled with a crazy, motley crew of mish-moshed family members.

5. The Light of Paris by Eleanor Brown. This book is a two-fer when it comes to destinations. Main character Madeleine seeks shelter from her crumbling marriage in a present-day Southern town, and she learns from her grandmother Margie’s journals that her ancestor had once sought her own refuge in…wait for it…Jazz Age Paris! *swoon* Madeline and Margie’s stories both deal with taking chances, following creativity and passion, and learning to live on their own terms. There’s love and loss, disappointed hopes and resurrected dreams, family drama and discoveries — all of which make for an excellent read to become utterly lost in.

The present day narrative is filled with all the requisite Southern charm one would expect from such a novel, but the Paris narrative is what really draws you in. Imagine scribbling stories in smoky cafes, then splurging your last dollars on delicious French food at a cozy corner bistro. Or, wandering the rain-soaked, cobblestone streets of Paris, then getting lost in stacks of dusty old books in the library archives. Brown’s captivating writing brings the sights and sounds of Paris — in any age — to life in this charming novel that will have you ready to book a flight on AirFrance as soon as you turn the last page.

Do you have a favorite vacation destination that you love to read about? I hope you’ll share your suggestions in the comments below!