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I have a feast or famine relationship with reading these days. I love to find time when we travel to sit back with a book but often I’m too busy looking out of a window watching life go past. I read one book a month for book club, but I sometimes try and squeeze in one more.
I love getting recommendations and am often asked for my recommendations so compiling these lists every year of my favourites books brings me lots of joy.
Recently I’ve read some absolute corkers but sadly also a few duds. So I wanted to share some of my favourite recent reads with you so that you can enjoy them on your holidays be it on a lounger, aeroplane seat or your sofa back home.
See this list I wrote before ‘9 Books to Transport you Around the World from the Comfort of your Sofa‘ and ‘9 Books to Read from your Pool Lounger, Aeroplane Seat or the Comfort of your Sofa‘.
Please share any books you’ve enjoyed recently in the comments section, I’m always looking for my next favourite read, and so I don’t get stuck in rom-com alley.
So here is my latest list of 9 books to pack in your suitcase (or download to your kindle)…
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1. Sarah Winman
This book made me want to go to Florence, soak up that warm summer light and drink red wine on the sidewalk of an Italian cafe. That and also have more friends of different ages.
The first 15% of the book was a slow burner for me, but push through it gets really good.
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A really gritty novel on what it’s like to be inside a war zone. Something no human being should endure. But also a tale of those beautiful moments of joy, hope and the power of friendships in the darkest of times.
I love the way the author weaves real life and people through this terrible moment in history and made me feel like I was right alongside the main character.
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3. The French Gardener,
by Santa Montefiore
This was a bookclub favourite. A family living out my dream of moving out to the country to live in a beautiful house with a huge quintessentially English country garden.
Queue mysterious frenchman on the doorstep just as tensions rise within the family. And a family that grows an heals alongside the garden and their gardener.
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A book that jumped out at me from the communal book swap shelf on our holiday in Phuket earlier this year, and I’m so glad it did.
If you read ‘These Tangled Vines’ from my previous list you’ll probably enjoy this one also. Think small Australian town love story with a twist or two.
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Barbara Kingsolver
The story of a boy born the wrong side of luck and his journey to adulthood. A series of unfortunate events and one boy’s grit and determination of survival. A real eye opener into the downfalls around children in care.
It’s raw and powerful and so well written that you find yourself fighting for Demon with every page you turn.
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6. Along the Endless River,
by rose Alexander
Hands down one of my favourite reads this year.
When a newly wed couple move to Brazil to make their fortune in the rubber boom, shockingly the husband dies in an accident. But fear not our heroin steps up to take over his job and the story tells the tale of this fearless young lady making her mark on the Amazon.
If you enjoyed ‘The Pearl of Penang’ or ‘The Botanists Daughter’ you’ll like this one also.
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7. Something in the Water,
by Catherine Steadman
Not my normal genre of book, but when book club votes come in one must oblige. This thriller is included in my list as I actually really enjoyed it. I was sat on the edge of my seat and think I consumed this over a week as I needed to know what happened in the end. Stunning Bora Bora is part of the plot and boy are there some plot twists that keep you wanting more.
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A beautiful story about family secrets based in a remote island in Scotland. Weaving around the lives of three people born at different times and how they’re connected.
A lesson in forgiveness but also a heads up that this book is a bit of a tear jerker.
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9. The Impulse Purchase,
by Veronica Henry
For days when you fancy an easy uplifting read that’s a bit different from the norm. A gentle story of how three ladies from the same family end up moving to a village to revive The Swan pub.
Read along as they become part of the village and village life. Full of warmth and joy, it’s a lovely holiday read.
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