2021’s Top Holiday Destination — a Book
We all need some escapism right now, and these books do just the job
The last year has undoubtedly been the weirdest year of our lives; many people have had so much free time whilst simultaneously not being allowed to go anywhere. It’s meant that many of us have just wanted to escape, but how do we do that?
That’s where books come in. We’re all desperate for a holiday, and — as the saying goes — books take us somewhere when we’re not allowed to go anywhere, or to quote author Charlaine Harris, “Here’s to books; the cheapest vacation you can buy”.
Combine your love of books with your dreams of holidays and travelling, and you can literally travel there right now — just in your imagination.
Sicily — The House By The Sea by Louise Douglas
Have you ever dreamt of spending the summer in Italy with the love of your life? What about your ex? Well, step into the shoes of Edie, who spends the summer in Sicily with her ex-husband Joe.
This mystery book follows Edie as she flies to Sicily and meets up with her ex-husband Joe to deal with Joe’s mother’s death's legalities. They stay at the Villa Della Madonna Del Mare, which they’ve both inherited despite being divorced, whilst sprucing it up to sell. Along the way, we get to envision the delights of Sicily: the enticing blue sea, the scary cliff edges and the delicious pizzerias too.
This book allows the reader to enjoy a trip to Sicily from the comfort of their own home. The Mediterranean Sea is a short walk from Edie and Joe’s villa, and Douglas describes how they only have to go as far as the bottom of their garden to go swimming after a long day, and I’m not jealous at all. Okay, maybe a tiny bit! It’s the perfect form of escapism, and I found as I was reading, I was transported to the Villa Della Madonna Del Mare, which was perfect when we’re stuck in cold, dreary England.
Antarctica — Away With The Penguins by Hazel Prior
Antarctica probably wasn’t at the top of the list for your next holiday, right? It’s bitterly cold and not exactly close to home. But why not use this delightful book as an excuse to visit whilst staying all cosy?
The story follows Scottish widow Veronica McCreedy as she decides to switch things up from her usual Scottish home by the sea to jet off to Antarctica in an attempt to save the penguins. In doing so, she reveals truths about her life, reconnects with long lost family and finally makes a decision about who she’s going to leave her wealth to in her will.
This book is sweet and oozes charm. The powerful descriptions of Antarctica and the penguins make you want to go yourself! A nice easy read if you feel like a change from your current surroundings.
France — The Heatwave by Kate Riordan
A trip to southern France sounds nice, doesn’t it? Imagine the sun, the scenery and the freedom.
Sylvie and her daughter Emma are called back to their family home in Provence. There are a few problems, though: the house has been abandoned and now needs a lot of TLC, there’s a lot of family history in the house, which brings back unwanted memories for Sylvie, and her daughter Emma is too young to remember Sylvie’s first-born Edie and why they left the first time around. As the area is engulfed in a blistering heatwave, Sylvie needs to figure out what’s wrong with her house before the nearby fires force her to leave.
This thriller is not one to be missed, and Riordan strikes a perfect balance between the warmth of the south of France in summer and the coolness of a chilling family secret.
Amsterdam — Together By Christmas by Karen Swan
If you fancy something a bit more festive (no judgement here!), then Together by Christmas is the book for you.
Swan blends romance and war together to give you this unique Christmas read that’s not your typical romantic tale.
Lee is a photographer who arrived in Amsterdam five years ago with a new-born baby and no friends or family. Now, she’s a famous photographer with a tight circle of friends and is enjoying her life. But when someone leaves a book in her bicycle basket with a desperate note scribbled inside, Lee’s perfect life suddenly becomes complicated as she tries to find the person responsible.
The book is full of description about life in Amsterdam: there are little anecdotes about cycling around Amsterdam, the tiny streets and the Elfstedentocht — everything I visualise when I think of this country, and I genuinely felt as though I was right there with Lee.
Yorkshire, England — A Body In The Dales by J. R. Ellis
I know Yorkshire isn’t abroad, but it is full of treasure. The treasure being the beautiful scenic villages, the typical yet traditional Yorkshire pubs (think friendly, warm and inviting) and unlimited places to walk.
2020 saw millions of Brits choosing a staycation to enjoy idyllic locations at home instead of jetting off abroad. Whilst we can’t go anywhere at the moment, there is no reason why you can’t enjoy a thrilling trip to the picturesque Yorkshire Dales with J. R. Ellis’ first book in his Yorkshire Murder Mysteries series.
The storyline is like a cross between the ITV series Vera and Midsummer Murders. Set in a little village called Burnthwaite, a dead body is discovered in suspicious circumstances in a cave. The deceased turns out to be a fairly unpopular local man, and, as a result, most of the villagers become suspects.
The book is very descriptive of the surrounding dales and the caves (it was as though I was down there potholing with them), and it’s therefore easy to visualise the scenes. Because of the extensive description, the chapters are very, very long — in normal circumstances, I wouldn’t be a fan of this, but lockdown, long chapters and beautiful Yorkshire scenes go hand in hand. I can’t wait to pick up the second book in the series.
All of these books offer a unique form of escapism: they allow us to delve into the world of someone else as well as travelling away from our homes.
With lockdown still ongoing in the UK, now is the perfect opportunity to grab a cuppa, settle down on the sofa and get away from everything.
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Not convinced? Here was last month’s edition:
