The Itinerary

So excited for this exciting wanderlust travel adventure. I’m so excited it is a READNOW option. As someone who recently lost my father this definitely hit home. I cannot wait to go on this adventure with our main as well as meet her charming stranger that helps her along the way.

Thanks to NetGalley and Books Go Social for the opportunity to read The Itinerary by Penny Pentley a fun, light read for those who suffer from wanderlust.

I grabbed this book from NetGalley on kind of a whim, and I’m sure glad I did! This sweet little book hooked me from the start with a good reminder to always pack a few outfits in your carry-on 🥲

Initially, the premise reminded me of One Italian Summer by Rebecca Serle- the story of a young woman going on a euro trip that was supposed to be with her mother, who has died. Other than that though, they’re very different stories. This one was very realistic in terms of what happens when you travel- e.g., if you leave your bag open, someone can reach in. If you make a plan, it’ll probably have to change at some point. Your feet will hurt. But also you’ll make friends fast, learn a ton, see beautiful stuff, eat incredible food, and you’ll bond with random people who help you even from across linguistic barriers.

Hard relate to the main character in so many ways. The bits about grief and anxiety, and the conversations with her sister, it all felt very real. And I was happy to see her make friends and meet a cool guy, but I honestly could’ve just kept reading about her wandering around Rome and every other city, eating pasta and thinking about her mom. Also, “I’m calling the policios” was an excellent line.

The book has cute, tiny twist that I thought was pretty guessable— but I suppose I shouldn’t expect the protagonist to know she’s in a novel.