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ExLibris Adventure #1
Eighty Days to Elsewhere
"The Amazing Race" meets Around the World in 80 Days as a woman desperate to save her family bookstore falls for her competition.
Born and raised in New York City, Ramona Keene dreams of attending photography school and traveling to Paris, but her reality never quite catches up with her imagination. Instead, she works at her uncles' quaint bookstore, where the tea is plentiful and all the adventures are between the covers of secondhand books. But when the new landlord arrives with his Evil Nephew in tow, Romy's quiet life comes crashing down. He plans to triple the rent, something her uncles can't afford.
In order to earn the money to help save the bookstore, Romy applies for a job at ExLibris Expeditions, a company that re-creates literary journeys. Romy snags the oddest internship ever: retrace Phileas Fogg's journey from Jules Verne's Around the World in 80 Days and plan a suitable, contemporary adventure for a client. The task is close to impossible; sticking to the original route means no commercial aircraft permitted, and she's got a lot less than eighty days to work with. Shaking off her fear of leaving home, Romy takes on the challenge, only to discover she's got competition. Worse, Dominic Madison turns out to be the - unfortunately hot - nephew of her family's worst enemy.
Can Romy win the race and circle the globe in time to save the bookstore? And what happens when she starts to fall for the very person who may just be the death of her dreams?
Born and raised in New York City, Ramona Keene dreams of attending photography school and traveling to Paris, but her reality never quite catches up with her imagination. Instead, she works at her uncles' quaint bookstore, where the tea is plentiful and all the adventures are between the covers of secondhand books. But when the new landlord arrives with his Evil Nephew in tow, Romy's quiet life comes crashing down. He plans to triple the rent, something her uncles can't afford.
In order to earn the money to help save the bookstore, Romy applies for a job at ExLibris Expeditions, a company that re-creates literary journeys. Romy snags the oddest internship ever: retrace Phileas Fogg's journey from Jules Verne's Around the World in 80 Days and plan a suitable, contemporary adventure for a client. The task is close to impossible; sticking to the original route means no commercial aircraft permitted, and she's got a lot less than eighty days to work with. Shaking off her fear of leaving home, Romy takes on the challenge, only to discover she's got competition. Worse, Dominic Madison turns out to be the - unfortunately hot - nephew of her family's worst enemy.
Can Romy win the race and circle the globe in time to save the bookstore? And what happens when she starts to fall for the very person who may just be the death of her dreams?
480 pages, Paperback
First published August 11, 2020
95 people are currently reading
5,318 people want to read
About the author
K.C. Dyer
10books254followerskc dyer loves travel and has literally flown around the world in search of fantastic stories. When not on the road, she resides in the wilds of British Columbia, where she walks her dogs in the woods and writes books. Her most recent novel, EIGHTY DAYS TO ELSEWHERE, is the madcap story of a young woman so desperate to save her family’s bookstore that she undertakes a race around the world, but ends up falling for her competition. kc is also the author of FINDING FRASER, an international bestseller in romantic comedy. And coming this fall, AN ACCIDENTAL ODYSSEY continues the ExLibris adventures: When an unexpected phone call derails a young woman’s wedding plans, it sparks an epic adventure around the magical, modern-day Mediterranean.
kc has spoken before thousands of readers � kids and adults � across Canada, the US, Europe and Asia. She's been writer-in-residence at New Westminster Secondary School, and a featured presenter at the Surrey International Writers Conference, the National Council of English Teachers in the US; YouthWrite BC, Young Authors Kamloops, WORD Vancouver, Canadian Authors� Association, OLA Super-Conference, SFU Southbank Writers, WriteOn Bowen, Word on the Lake and many others.
She is represented by Laura Bradford of Bradford Literary Agency.
kc has spoken before thousands of readers � kids and adults � across Canada, the US, Europe and Asia. She's been writer-in-residence at New Westminster Secondary School, and a featured presenter at the Surrey International Writers Conference, the National Council of English Teachers in the US; YouthWrite BC, Young Authors Kamloops, WORD Vancouver, Canadian Authors� Association, OLA Super-Conference, SFU Southbank Writers, WriteOn Bowen, Word on the Lake and many others.
She is represented by Laura Bradford of Bradford Literary Agency.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 327 reviews
June 20, 2022
Jules Verne’s books extorted out the hidden hungry bookworm disguised in my regular ordinary chubby kid fur and made me explore the adventures at the places where I couldn’t imagine and helped me escape to the places where a nine years old kid could find her own happy place! So you might imagine why I clicked so quickly to request this book : A classic Jules Verne story’s remake meets romcom project.
It sounds so tempting: an adventurous vacation at the fabulous places in all around the world by a bookish introvert librarian and enemies to friends then to lovers formula, so many impressive social media sharing and slow burn, growing, entertaining romance. Yes: I’m sold!
Only thing didn’t work for me about the ARC: I couldn’t see those fabulous photos the heroine shared during her journey and I already over imagined and visualized those images and their total likes ( That means as soon as the book releases I should get the hard copy to add to my collection which will help me compare my visual images and the real images the books� illustration team shared with us)
Let’s give you some quick summary about the story-line: Our heroine New Yorker heroine Ramona (at first I found her so flat to be New Yorker but her nature for being willing to take the risks and desire to finish the impossible task to visit the places all around the world in 80 freaking days helped me empathize with her. (her story reminded me of my days when I was in my twenties)
Yes, she dreams of travelling to Paris to attend to the photography school but she already stuck at her uncles� quaint bookstore for procrastinating her future projects. Then evil nephew of landlord appears at the store to triple their rent amount that they cannot afford which pushes Romy/Ramona gets out of her secluded cocoon/ comfort zone to take risk and join the ExLibris Expeditions: literary journeys: in 80 days to travel around the world: which means she is gonna be female version of Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise’s most popular movies character) to accomplish the impossible mission ( I can hear the famous theme music of the series/movies : this tape/disc will self-destruct in five/ ten seconds)to complete the journey just in time.
And her nemesis and charming Dominic will be more competitive to prevent her accomplish this impossible mission. Oh boy, this irritating nemesis is way too charming! How could she resist the sizzling growing chemistry. Don’t go there girl, you have too much to lose. But she already lost her way, didn’t she?
Overall: Feel-good, swoon, soft, charming, entertaining rom-com earned my 3.5 stars rounded up to 4! I got quality time and it truly fit my expectations.
Special thanks to NetGalley and Berkler Publishing for sharing this entertaining ARC with me in exchange my honest review.
It sounds so tempting: an adventurous vacation at the fabulous places in all around the world by a bookish introvert librarian and enemies to friends then to lovers formula, so many impressive social media sharing and slow burn, growing, entertaining romance. Yes: I’m sold!
Only thing didn’t work for me about the ARC: I couldn’t see those fabulous photos the heroine shared during her journey and I already over imagined and visualized those images and their total likes ( That means as soon as the book releases I should get the hard copy to add to my collection which will help me compare my visual images and the real images the books� illustration team shared with us)
Let’s give you some quick summary about the story-line: Our heroine New Yorker heroine Ramona (at first I found her so flat to be New Yorker but her nature for being willing to take the risks and desire to finish the impossible task to visit the places all around the world in 80 freaking days helped me empathize with her. (her story reminded me of my days when I was in my twenties)
Yes, she dreams of travelling to Paris to attend to the photography school but she already stuck at her uncles� quaint bookstore for procrastinating her future projects. Then evil nephew of landlord appears at the store to triple their rent amount that they cannot afford which pushes Romy/Ramona gets out of her secluded cocoon/ comfort zone to take risk and join the ExLibris Expeditions: literary journeys: in 80 days to travel around the world: which means she is gonna be female version of Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise’s most popular movies character) to accomplish the impossible mission ( I can hear the famous theme music of the series/movies : this tape/disc will self-destruct in five/ ten seconds)to complete the journey just in time.
And her nemesis and charming Dominic will be more competitive to prevent her accomplish this impossible mission. Oh boy, this irritating nemesis is way too charming! How could she resist the sizzling growing chemistry. Don’t go there girl, you have too much to lose. But she already lost her way, didn’t she?
Overall: Feel-good, swoon, soft, charming, entertaining rom-com earned my 3.5 stars rounded up to 4! I got quality time and it truly fit my expectations.
Special thanks to NetGalley and Berkler Publishing for sharing this entertaining ARC with me in exchange my honest review.
May 23, 2020
I really enjoyed this book! It was so fun traveling with Ramona around the world! This book took me to place I've never been; riding a gondola in the Alps, tunnel traveling in Paris, the sights in Hong Kong, it was such a fun journey.
The romance was not really the focus of this book but I didn't mind that at all. It was more about Ramona traveling and learning about different cultures as well as recognizing her privilege.
Overall fun book esp. if you love traveling aspects!
The romance was not really the focus of this book but I didn't mind that at all. It was more about Ramona traveling and learning about different cultures as well as recognizing her privilege.
Overall fun book esp. if you love traveling aspects!
August 15, 2020
What a delight it was to travel around the world through the pages of this book. K. C. Dyer’s vivid storytelling brought the sights, sounds, smells, and tastes of the world to this engaging story. I was right there with Romy: getting seasick on the Atlantic... traversing the caves of Paris... flying over the alps of France into Italy... navigating the crowds of India... helicoptering over Africa... in awe of the skyscrapers of Hong Kong... Learning about the indigenous people of Canada... and all the adventures in between. Romy was born and raised in NYC where she works with her uncles at their book shop. When the book shop rent is suddenly tripled by the new evil owner Romy is determined to save the shop and her home. She applies for a job with a company that arranges literary vacations. In order to secure the job she hast to prove that she can arrange a trip successfully. That is how Romy finds herself reenacting Jules Verne’s “Around the World in Eighty Days.�. An epic Adventure with a catch... no commercial plane flights and instead of 80 days Romy has 49.
This book has definite Amazing Race vibes. Romy also had some pretty bad luck during her travels. There is a dash of romance in the story... Romy keeps running into Dominic The “nephew� of the evil man raising her uncles rent. It appears as though Dominic and she are competing for the same job, and of course there is attraction between the two of them. The romance is a definite sweet slow burn, but I would say this is more of a women’s fiction book. The story is about Romy and her growth throughout this adventure. The book also touches on systemic racism, immigration, and privilege in a thoughtful way. An entertaining story that will allow you to travel places that you currently aren’t even allowed to go in the middle of this pandemic.
This book in emojis 🚢 🚄 🚠 🚇 🚁 🛩 🚌 🗺
*** Big thank you to Berkley for my gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own. ***
This book has definite Amazing Race vibes. Romy also had some pretty bad luck during her travels. There is a dash of romance in the story... Romy keeps running into Dominic The “nephew� of the evil man raising her uncles rent. It appears as though Dominic and she are competing for the same job, and of course there is attraction between the two of them. The romance is a definite sweet slow burn, but I would say this is more of a women’s fiction book. The story is about Romy and her growth throughout this adventure. The book also touches on systemic racism, immigration, and privilege in a thoughtful way. An entertaining story that will allow you to travel places that you currently aren’t even allowed to go in the middle of this pandemic.
This book in emojis 🚢 🚄 🚠 🚇 🚁 🛩 🚌 🗺
*** Big thank you to Berkley for my gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own. ***
May 29, 2020
This book is being marketed as a romance novel, but it's really more chick-lit because the relationship isn't the main focus of the book. The trip around the world is - in fact, she doesn't even meet up with the love interest until we're well under way.
The things I liked about the book:
1. The literary premise - who wouldn't want to take a trip based on their favorite books? Sign me up, ExLibris! I wonder if this company exists in real life.
2. The descriptions of the all the destinations. Especially during the trying times we have now, it was nice to take a trip around the world from the comfort of my living room.
3. It was nice to see Romy grow and mature because of her travel. Travel definitely does that - it opens your eyes.
But, that's about it. I had a lot of problems with the characters and some of the more serious issues this book tried to tackle. This book seemed like it couldn't make up its mind on what it wanted to be - a fluffy romance novel or a serious issues novel. So it was both and I didn't think it worked very well.
Here is my biggest (fluffy) criticism: Her job was to travel the world in less than 80 days to prepare an itinerary based on Phineas Fogg's travels in Jules Verne's book. She was supposed to file reports about each destination highlighting mode of transport (without using any commercial airlines) and highlights of the city for an ExLibris client. So, isn't it odd that she herself didn't bother to see these sites and instead did research using Wikipedia? It felt like she just ran from train station to train station (with a few deviations with other means of transport along the way) and she NEVER stopped to see the sights. Yet, she wrote about them with authority. I wanted to go back a reread the beginning to be sure that the assignment was JUST for transportation because that's all she was an expert on during the trip. And since she wasn't able to use ANY commercial airlines to travel, the author expected me to believe that Romy - never having left NYC, never having tried to speak one word of ANY of the native languages in the places she traveled to - would be able to navigate using her smart phone to find alternative modes of transportation? Really? She couldn't even say thank you in French or Italian (forget Arabic, Hindi, Cantonese, etc) and yet she was able to find passage on cargo ships using the internet? This really bothered me.
Also, there are destinations on Fogg's trip that are definitely not safe for Americans to visit. For example: Yemen. There is NO way that any respectable travel agency is going to allow an American to even disembark in Yemen. And really Hong Kong - even before coronavirus - they were having serious political issues. Especially at the airport. I know this is fictional (and not take place during our current state of affairs) but thinking that any American would go to Yemen? No. Just, no.
Here's my biggest (serious) criticism: While travel can be very eye-opening and change your perspective, I had a VERY hard time believing that this character - Romy, born and bred New Yorker - has no experience dealing with racism or bigotry. While her checking her privilege is one of the outcomes of her travel, it is hard for me to imagine that she had no idea that racism was so prevalent in the world. She's from NYC. And her uncles - who raised her - are gay. She can't possibly be so stupid or have been living under a rock that she didn't know that there is so much racism, bigotry, sexism, etc. There were many instances where I wanted to be like, come on honey - you can't possibly be that naive.
I had some issue with the refugee story lines. It felt like the author wanted to throw Romy into the deep end of travel - to really dump a bucket of cold water over her head to wake her up - and highlight a serious issue in the world. The choices the author made with Romy's character made me, as the reader, confused and disappointed because how Romy handled the refugee story line felt inauthentic for the story the author was trying to tell. Romy was uncomfortable enough with just leaving home, but to throw in the worst of what's happening in the world for Romy to process and manage made the rest of the plot difficult to envision. Because of Romy's inexperience and naivety, I just could not picture It is clear that the author was trying to shine a spotlight on some very hard subject matter; things that are definitely happening in our world today that need attention. I appreciate the effort - it is a brave and risky choice (she definitely will alienate people with particular political views) - but it just didn't ring true for this story. And it was not something I expected in a romance novel.
The dichotomy between the most indulgent of first world privilege (an Amazing Race style travel to create an itinerary for rich people with loads of free time on their hands) and the worst that the world has to offer (human smugglers ditching a sinking refugee boat) was particularly jarring. I wish the author had picked one to focus on and not tried to cram everything into one book.
The things I liked about the book:
1. The literary premise - who wouldn't want to take a trip based on their favorite books? Sign me up, ExLibris! I wonder if this company exists in real life.
2. The descriptions of the all the destinations. Especially during the trying times we have now, it was nice to take a trip around the world from the comfort of my living room.
3. It was nice to see Romy grow and mature because of her travel. Travel definitely does that - it opens your eyes.
But, that's about it. I had a lot of problems with the characters and some of the more serious issues this book tried to tackle. This book seemed like it couldn't make up its mind on what it wanted to be - a fluffy romance novel or a serious issues novel. So it was both and I didn't think it worked very well.
Here is my biggest (fluffy) criticism: Her job was to travel the world in less than 80 days to prepare an itinerary based on Phineas Fogg's travels in Jules Verne's book. She was supposed to file reports about each destination highlighting mode of transport (without using any commercial airlines) and highlights of the city for an ExLibris client. So, isn't it odd that she herself didn't bother to see these sites and instead did research using Wikipedia? It felt like she just ran from train station to train station (with a few deviations with other means of transport along the way) and she NEVER stopped to see the sights. Yet, she wrote about them with authority. I wanted to go back a reread the beginning to be sure that the assignment was JUST for transportation because that's all she was an expert on during the trip. And since she wasn't able to use ANY commercial airlines to travel, the author expected me to believe that Romy - never having left NYC, never having tried to speak one word of ANY of the native languages in the places she traveled to - would be able to navigate using her smart phone to find alternative modes of transportation? Really? She couldn't even say thank you in French or Italian (forget Arabic, Hindi, Cantonese, etc) and yet she was able to find passage on cargo ships using the internet? This really bothered me.
Also, there are destinations on Fogg's trip that are definitely not safe for Americans to visit. For example: Yemen. There is NO way that any respectable travel agency is going to allow an American to even disembark in Yemen. And really Hong Kong - even before coronavirus - they were having serious political issues. Especially at the airport. I know this is fictional (and not take place during our current state of affairs) but thinking that any American would go to Yemen? No. Just, no.
Here's my biggest (serious) criticism: While travel can be very eye-opening and change your perspective, I had a VERY hard time believing that this character - Romy, born and bred New Yorker - has no experience dealing with racism or bigotry. While her checking her privilege is one of the outcomes of her travel, it is hard for me to imagine that she had no idea that racism was so prevalent in the world. She's from NYC. And her uncles - who raised her - are gay. She can't possibly be so stupid or have been living under a rock that she didn't know that there is so much racism, bigotry, sexism, etc. There were many instances where I wanted to be like, come on honey - you can't possibly be that naive.
I had some issue with the refugee story lines. It felt like the author wanted to throw Romy into the deep end of travel - to really dump a bucket of cold water over her head to wake her up - and highlight a serious issue in the world. The choices the author made with Romy's character made me, as the reader, confused and disappointed because how Romy handled the refugee story line felt inauthentic for the story the author was trying to tell. Romy was uncomfortable enough with just leaving home, but to throw in the worst of what's happening in the world for Romy to process and manage made the rest of the plot difficult to envision. Because of Romy's inexperience and naivety, I just could not picture It is clear that the author was trying to shine a spotlight on some very hard subject matter; things that are definitely happening in our world today that need attention. I appreciate the effort - it is a brave and risky choice (she definitely will alienate people with particular political views) - but it just didn't ring true for this story. And it was not something I expected in a romance novel.
The dichotomy between the most indulgent of first world privilege (an Amazing Race style travel to create an itinerary for rich people with loads of free time on their hands) and the worst that the world has to offer (human smugglers ditching a sinking refugee boat) was particularly jarring. I wish the author had picked one to focus on and not tried to cram everything into one book.
August 26, 2020
This book had everything I loved � reading about a quaint bookstore that needs to be saved, a Jules Verne’s type of adventure by traveling all over the world, and of course falling in love (with the enemy) oops. Since I read an early ARC Copy, I was not able to appreciate the illustrations available in the finished copy, which I definitely will be snagging very soon.
Ramona "Romy" Keene, a New Yorker and our introverted heroine who dreams of travelling to Paris and going to photography school needs to put on hold her dreams to save her uncle’s second hand book shop as the new landlord is set at increasing the rent which means closing down the bookstore. Romy has an opportunity to save the bookstore by joining the ExLibris Expeditions to perform a literary journey in 80 days to travel around the world - Romy has less than 50 days to do this. Mission Impossible if you ask me.
This was the perfect read for me during the quarantine, where my travel dreams are put on hold and yet through this book, I was taken to so many adventures. I loved the beautiful writing that was vivid, and so beautiful and fun- I enjoyed the plot and enjoyed reading about the characters in this book especially Romy and Dominic. This was the perfect escape.
I really enjoyed this book so much!
Ramona "Romy" Keene, a New Yorker and our introverted heroine who dreams of travelling to Paris and going to photography school needs to put on hold her dreams to save her uncle’s second hand book shop as the new landlord is set at increasing the rent which means closing down the bookstore. Romy has an opportunity to save the bookstore by joining the ExLibris Expeditions to perform a literary journey in 80 days to travel around the world - Romy has less than 50 days to do this. Mission Impossible if you ask me.
This was the perfect read for me during the quarantine, where my travel dreams are put on hold and yet through this book, I was taken to so many adventures. I loved the beautiful writing that was vivid, and so beautiful and fun- I enjoyed the plot and enjoyed reading about the characters in this book especially Romy and Dominic. This was the perfect escape.
I really enjoyed this book so much!
January 5, 2023
Whew. This was a long one, but had a lot of things I liked. Ramona works at a bookshop with her uncles, but has to find a new job. She applies for one with a literary travel agency and has to prove herself by traveling around the world Jules Verne style - no commercial aircraft - and write about it for the agency. I really liked the travel aspect of this, but did think it was a bit of a whirlwind as Ramona was mainly focused on the transportation and speed of getting from place to place and not so much on seeing the sights.
I did appreciate that Ramona grew a ton throughout this story because I think that is one very real outcome of travel. Seeing different cultures and peoples really does provide a new perspective. However, I do think the author tried to do too much and the book started to feel like an issues book. It almost felt like there was a checklist of different issues to include and it all just became too much for my tastes.
I didn't mind the romance, but also didn't think it was necessary so I'm glad it was a minor part of the story.
Overall I think this was a fun read, until the issues just became a bit unbelievable and forced.
I did appreciate that Ramona grew a ton throughout this story because I think that is one very real outcome of travel. Seeing different cultures and peoples really does provide a new perspective. However, I do think the author tried to do too much and the book started to feel like an issues book. It almost felt like there was a checklist of different issues to include and it all just became too much for my tastes.
I didn't mind the romance, but also didn't think it was necessary so I'm glad it was a minor part of the story.
Overall I think this was a fun read, until the issues just became a bit unbelievable and forced.
August 10, 2020
"Old Romy wouldn't have considered a cruise in a million years. She would never have committed to traveling around the world, let alone having her arms shot so full of vaccines they feel ready to fall off."
"I am, it turns out, wildly, deliriously, flamboyantly excited. Excited in a way I cannot remember feeling ever before."
Okay, let's get this confessional out of the way: I was very nervous and a little skeptical when I began this book. The story is about 480 pages, and having recently gotten out of a reading slump and basically binging romance novellas-I was nervous that it wouldn't hold my attention. The need to know's about this book is that Ramona is determined to save the bookshop owned by her Uncles so she applies and gets this job to traverse the world, following in the footsteps of the Around The World in 80 Days story by Jules Verne. Oh, and this is a romance, so enter in Dominic. The reason Ramona's trying so hard to save her uncles bookshop? Let's just say the reason she has to is because of Dominic's uncle. Ramona begins her journey and eventually bumps into Dominic.
Honestly, this is one of those reads where..yeah you're scratching the itch for your wanderlust and laughing at all of the shenanigans and craziness that happens to Ramona because literally in every stop, any and everything that could go wrong, happens! But really, the last 50 or so pages was really when I became overwhelmed with the realization that Ramona's story was so much more than trying to save a bookshop and traveling to these different places. She is put in situations where she has to realize and recognize her privilege. She's put in situations where her and Dominic are part of trying to help do the right thing, but they’re in somewhere dangerous and sometimes it's just not possible. Eat, Pray Love is mentioned quite a bit throughout this book; basically I guess anytime a woman traverses the world alone that is what people automatically think of. I love that book, I love the movie and honestly it didn't bother me. What Elizabeth learns in her story and what Ramona learns in hers is that it's about the people you meet. Learning about the cultures you've found yourself surrounded in.
There is a scene when Ramona and Dominic are in Canada and with a group of Indigenous Natives and Dominic, who is half Samoan and doesn't mean any harm, says the word tribe; he's educated on how they don't use that word. Moments like that, for me as the reader put into perspective what the bigger picture of the story was. Ramona meets a crazy cast of characters in the book but she truly took something away from every country she stepped foot in.
This book felt kind of women's fiction there for a while, being so much about Ramona's journey..and it literally is about her journey so I think this book is a really good balance of both. I love that it literally is about how far would you go to help those you love?
"I stand in the dancing firelight, mesmerized by the pulsing rhythm of the drums, the rising and falling of voices in a language older than any I've ever known. Sure of nothing-not making it back to New York in time, not of winning the job at ExLibris, not even of the slow, subtle, changes in my feelings toward Dominic, I'm overwhelmed by a sudden wave of gratitude my life has brought me to this place. If I lose everything, I will have seen this. I will have seen this."
Thank you to Berkley and Netgalley for granting me the opportunity to read and review this book.
"I am, it turns out, wildly, deliriously, flamboyantly excited. Excited in a way I cannot remember feeling ever before."
Okay, let's get this confessional out of the way: I was very nervous and a little skeptical when I began this book. The story is about 480 pages, and having recently gotten out of a reading slump and basically binging romance novellas-I was nervous that it wouldn't hold my attention. The need to know's about this book is that Ramona is determined to save the bookshop owned by her Uncles so she applies and gets this job to traverse the world, following in the footsteps of the Around The World in 80 Days story by Jules Verne. Oh, and this is a romance, so enter in Dominic. The reason Ramona's trying so hard to save her uncles bookshop? Let's just say the reason she has to is because of Dominic's uncle. Ramona begins her journey and eventually bumps into Dominic.
Honestly, this is one of those reads where..yeah you're scratching the itch for your wanderlust and laughing at all of the shenanigans and craziness that happens to Ramona because literally in every stop, any and everything that could go wrong, happens! But really, the last 50 or so pages was really when I became overwhelmed with the realization that Ramona's story was so much more than trying to save a bookshop and traveling to these different places. She is put in situations where she has to realize and recognize her privilege. She's put in situations where her and Dominic are part of trying to help do the right thing, but they’re in somewhere dangerous and sometimes it's just not possible. Eat, Pray Love is mentioned quite a bit throughout this book; basically I guess anytime a woman traverses the world alone that is what people automatically think of. I love that book, I love the movie and honestly it didn't bother me. What Elizabeth learns in her story and what Ramona learns in hers is that it's about the people you meet. Learning about the cultures you've found yourself surrounded in.
There is a scene when Ramona and Dominic are in Canada and with a group of Indigenous Natives and Dominic, who is half Samoan and doesn't mean any harm, says the word tribe; he's educated on how they don't use that word. Moments like that, for me as the reader put into perspective what the bigger picture of the story was. Ramona meets a crazy cast of characters in the book but she truly took something away from every country she stepped foot in.
This book felt kind of women's fiction there for a while, being so much about Ramona's journey..and it literally is about her journey so I think this book is a really good balance of both. I love that it literally is about how far would you go to help those you love?
"I stand in the dancing firelight, mesmerized by the pulsing rhythm of the drums, the rising and falling of voices in a language older than any I've ever known. Sure of nothing-not making it back to New York in time, not of winning the job at ExLibris, not even of the slow, subtle, changes in my feelings toward Dominic, I'm overwhelmed by a sudden wave of gratitude my life has brought me to this place. If I lose everything, I will have seen this. I will have seen this."
Thank you to Berkley and Netgalley for granting me the opportunity to read and review this book.
Read
August 10, 2020Having to DNF this at 26%
This book is 480 pages, which is insanely long for a romance novel. I mean, obviously when the book is great you’ll never want it to end, so a long book is a gift. But this wasn’t great. Reading 125ish pages and it already felt too long. Also, normally after reading that many pages, I feel something for the main character, but she just felt flat.
I couldn’t find it in myself to continue because I knew reading it would feel tedious by the end.
This book is 480 pages, which is insanely long for a romance novel. I mean, obviously when the book is great you’ll never want it to end, so a long book is a gift. But this wasn’t great. Reading 125ish pages and it already felt too long. Also, normally after reading that many pages, I feel something for the main character, but she just felt flat.
I couldn’t find it in myself to continue because I knew reading it would feel tedious by the end.
February 14, 2021
Watch this video for a more comprehensive review: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1KVLDzDUNx8
I'm not really sure how to rate or review this book. On one hand, I did like the character arc that our main character Romy went through and I loved seeing all of the destinations that she hit throughout her adventure. But on the other hand, this was disappointing on so many levels.
I was expecting this to be a fun romance, but this was anything but. I feel like the author tried to make this book a lot more than it had to be. While I can appreciate the discussions about racism, activism, and refugees, coming from a white author, it felt a little weird. They also felt a little out of place in the story, as if the author was just including those topics to get brownie points or whatever.
There was also not that much romance, for a book marketed as such. While I enjoyed the plot-driven narrative and all of Romy's misadventures, I was in it for the romance and it only kicked in in the last third of the book. And even then, I didn't feel the romantic chemistry between the two characters.
I'm not really sure how to rate or review this book. On one hand, I did like the character arc that our main character Romy went through and I loved seeing all of the destinations that she hit throughout her adventure. But on the other hand, this was disappointing on so many levels.
I was expecting this to be a fun romance, but this was anything but. I feel like the author tried to make this book a lot more than it had to be. While I can appreciate the discussions about racism, activism, and refugees, coming from a white author, it felt a little weird. They also felt a little out of place in the story, as if the author was just including those topics to get brownie points or whatever.
There was also not that much romance, for a book marketed as such. While I enjoyed the plot-driven narrative and all of Romy's misadventures, I was in it for the romance and it only kicked in in the last third of the book. And even then, I didn't feel the romantic chemistry between the two characters.
October 14, 2020
Romy's uncles have run a bookstore in New York City for thirty years. Now they have a new landlord and the rent has gone up; the bookstore will probably have to close. Romy must do something, but what?
An opportunity presents itself (yes, they always do...it's a romance, after all) and Romy is given a chance at a job planning trips based on travel experiences in books. To prove herself, she must take a trip around the world like that in Around the World in Eighty Days, and she must return by the end of April. If she does so, she will win a bonus that will help save the bookstore and she will have the job. But she doesn't realize that she has competition for the challenge until she runs across the nephew of her nemesis the new landlord and realizes he is also vying for the job.
It's a fun trip around the world, with lots of (curiously) opportunities to help others, and, of course, to fall in love.
An opportunity presents itself (yes, they always do...it's a romance, after all) and Romy is given a chance at a job planning trips based on travel experiences in books. To prove herself, she must take a trip around the world like that in Around the World in Eighty Days, and she must return by the end of April. If she does so, she will win a bonus that will help save the bookstore and she will have the job. But she doesn't realize that she has competition for the challenge until she runs across the nephew of her nemesis the new landlord and realizes he is also vying for the job.
It's a fun trip around the world, with lots of (curiously) opportunities to help others, and, of course, to fall in love.
December 10, 2020
Going into it, I totally expected by to just be a lighthearted romance with lots of travel, but I am here to tell you friends that this is not the case. There is humor and romance to be sure, but there are also very serious subjects like race and class as well. As Ramona (or Romy as she is called) travels the world she comes into contact with so many different people, and this is one of those books that is full of lessons. There are also a lot of issues and basically anything bad that could happen to Romy does. Some readers tired of this, but I thought it kept things interesting and it seemed plausible to me that this could actually happen on a major trip like that.
I listened to the audio while following along in the book and I loved our narrator Lauren Ezzo. I didn't realize that the book was so long at almost 450 pages, so the audio is long as well and comes in at just under 14 hours. It probably could have been a bit shorter, but I still enjoyed it in its entirety and the audio really helped me along. I loved each chapter heading and the way you see Romy's likes on Instagram grow as she posts more and more on the trip. I can't say I loved Romy all of the time, but most of the time I did, and I REALLY loved her love interest. I actually think this would make a really fun movie and if it were optioned for film, I would definitely watch it.
If you are looking for a light romance in a (at times) heavier read, Eighty Days to Elsewhere could be for you. I loved getting a taste of all of the different places Romy travels to and the way Dyer writes really brought each place and experience to life for me. This was an entertaining read/listen and I hadn't read this author before, but now knowing that this is her EIGHTH(!) novel, I will definitely be looking into her other books.
Thank you to the publisher for my advanced reader copy via Edelweiss. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I listened to the audio while following along in the book and I loved our narrator Lauren Ezzo. I didn't realize that the book was so long at almost 450 pages, so the audio is long as well and comes in at just under 14 hours. It probably could have been a bit shorter, but I still enjoyed it in its entirety and the audio really helped me along. I loved each chapter heading and the way you see Romy's likes on Instagram grow as she posts more and more on the trip. I can't say I loved Romy all of the time, but most of the time I did, and I REALLY loved her love interest. I actually think this would make a really fun movie and if it were optioned for film, I would definitely watch it.
If you are looking for a light romance in a (at times) heavier read, Eighty Days to Elsewhere could be for you. I loved getting a taste of all of the different places Romy travels to and the way Dyer writes really brought each place and experience to life for me. This was an entertaining read/listen and I hadn't read this author before, but now knowing that this is her EIGHTH(!) novel, I will definitely be looking into her other books.
Thank you to the publisher for my advanced reader copy via Edelweiss. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
August 6, 2020
The synopsis and overall idea of this book really drew me in and made me so excited to read this book! Then I actually started reading it...
The beginning started out really slow, but I was optimistic. The author was setting up the scene nicely and I recognized there were some things I, as the reader, needed to learn before I could jump into the adventurous part of the story. However, it all seemed to drag on for too long. Even once the main character embarked on her great adventure, I wasn't feeling the excitement of it with her. I was still feeling bored and almost like I was being dragged along.
I stuck with it though, hoping things would get better. They somewhat did, just not as much to the extent that I would have liked. I appreciated that we were able to experience a lot of different activities and highs and lows with the main character, but it didn't feel exciting.
Even the romance fell a little flat for me in this book. We'd get little glimpses of her love interest, but not enough to really progress the relationship in my opinion. Again, I was hopeful at the beginning because things seemed to be setting up nicely, and then it just dragged. There were some cute moments, but I wasn't completely swept up in it.
The evolution we see in the main character was probably the only thing I really liked about this book. She was almost in a rut in her life at the beginning of the book so it's nice to see her learn more about herself and what she wants in life as she goes on this crazy adventure.
Overall, this was a thumbs down for me. I've been seeing lots of great reviews for this book so maybe it was just me, but whatever the case may be, I won't be recommending this book.
Disclaimer: I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
The beginning started out really slow, but I was optimistic. The author was setting up the scene nicely and I recognized there were some things I, as the reader, needed to learn before I could jump into the adventurous part of the story. However, it all seemed to drag on for too long. Even once the main character embarked on her great adventure, I wasn't feeling the excitement of it with her. I was still feeling bored and almost like I was being dragged along.
I stuck with it though, hoping things would get better. They somewhat did, just not as much to the extent that I would have liked. I appreciated that we were able to experience a lot of different activities and highs and lows with the main character, but it didn't feel exciting.
Even the romance fell a little flat for me in this book. We'd get little glimpses of her love interest, but not enough to really progress the relationship in my opinion. Again, I was hopeful at the beginning because things seemed to be setting up nicely, and then it just dragged. There were some cute moments, but I wasn't completely swept up in it.
The evolution we see in the main character was probably the only thing I really liked about this book. She was almost in a rut in her life at the beginning of the book so it's nice to see her learn more about herself and what she wants in life as she goes on this crazy adventure.
Overall, this was a thumbs down for me. I've been seeing lots of great reviews for this book so maybe it was just me, but whatever the case may be, I won't be recommending this book.
Disclaimer: I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
August 14, 2020
This book has a wonderful premise--the main character Romy, who has never really traveled outside of New York City, goes on the adventure of a lifetime following the literary footsteps of the book Around the World in 80 Days in order to secure money to save her uncles' bookstore.
Unfortunately, this book suffers a bit from being too much of a travel guide information dump and too little character development.
The experiences Romy and Dom encounter are wonderful, but without their real background information, which isn't really revealed until about 80% into the book, it's difficult to understand Romy's reticence. One other thing I didn't really like was that they never had issues with finding English speakers. In every country and people group they encountered, at least one person spoke fluent English and could help them out. I think this is not as common as the author makes it out to be, and would have given more depth to the story.
I truly loved the exploration of different cultures and the gentle (and not-so-gentle) ways the characters are corrected with their missteps. I think it's a great lesson for Americans in particular that when traveling, we should attempt to the best of our abilities to not make assumptions and to listen and learn rather than try to push ourselves onto other cultures.
Overall, this book is worth reading if you can get past a bit of uneven pacing and understand that you will get more travel information than overall story.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
Unfortunately, this book suffers a bit from being too much of a travel guide information dump and too little character development.
The experiences Romy and Dom encounter are wonderful, but without their real background information, which isn't really revealed until about 80% into the book, it's difficult to understand Romy's reticence. One other thing I didn't really like was that they never had issues with finding English speakers. In every country and people group they encountered, at least one person spoke fluent English and could help them out. I think this is not as common as the author makes it out to be, and would have given more depth to the story.
I truly loved the exploration of different cultures and the gentle (and not-so-gentle) ways the characters are corrected with their missteps. I think it's a great lesson for Americans in particular that when traveling, we should attempt to the best of our abilities to not make assumptions and to listen and learn rather than try to push ourselves onto other cultures.
Overall, this book is worth reading if you can get past a bit of uneven pacing and understand that you will get more travel information than overall story.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
September 11, 2020
What a perfect book for this particular time, when we're all sick of our own houses! This is a fantastic romp around the world, with unexpected twists, moments of seriousness, and plenty of fun. I sped through the pages. Romy is a winning main character, with just the right balance of flightiness and smarts. I was sorry to say goodbye on the final page.
May 17, 2021
A girl goes around the world to get a job for a boutique travel agency. She discovers herself and falls in love along the way.
The audio was not great. The narrator couldn't do any of the accents.
I was not into the privileged white girl going on tragedy tourism.
The book doesn't do much for someone who has travelled a lot. I need vaccines? I got robbed? There are international plugs??
The audio was not great. The narrator couldn't do any of the accents.
I was not into the privileged white girl going on tragedy tourism.
The book doesn't do much for someone who has travelled a lot. I need vaccines? I got robbed? There are international plugs??
August 26, 2020
Sophie Kinsella meets Jules Verne in a romance that's as much in love with self discovery as pairing the previously heretofore grounded heroine with a dashing hero. An adventure of a lifetime might just pair with saving Romy's family bookshop and in exchange she gets a lifetime of unfolding stories
A lot of catnip here for me. Especially the travel part. And the bookish part. And the enemies to lovers part.
Perhaps not quite as immersive as I would have liked but a fab concept.
A lot of catnip here for me. Especially the travel part. And the bookish part. And the enemies to lovers part.
Perhaps not quite as immersive as I would have liked but a fab concept.
April 22, 2025
respectfully, why was this so freaking long??
i was so intrigued by the concept of this book. a man and a woman are competing for a position & in order to win the job they must recreate a literary journey around the world. travel & rivals to lovers?? i was stoked. it didn’t deliver though :(
the travel was so chaotic and she never got to enjoy any of the places she was at because she was hopping on a bus or a train or a cargo ship to a new country.
i could’ve handled that if there was some good romance interspersed throughout. but the two of them were in separate places for the majority of the book and then randomly kissed after a bad flight? and she’s now in love with him?
this is a skip in my opinion. 14 hours of content that could’ve been condensed to 5.
oh also, the FMC has a major white savior complex that literally made me cringe.
i rolled my eyes multiple times while listening.
🔥NO SPICE🔥 closed door romance
🤐LANGUAGE🤐 about 10 uses of the F word
January 11, 2021
This was a really fun adventure! I found myself Googling all kinds of places as I listened to this book. I also found the author’s blog, which had a “link� showing Romy’s IG feed. Pretty cool.
There were some parts to this book that felt a little preachy when it concerned various social issues, but that’s my only criticism.
There were some parts to this book that felt a little preachy when it concerned various social issues, but that’s my only criticism.
September 1, 2020
3.5, maybe closer to 4? I’ll sit on this for a few days.
Shelved as 'can-t-finish'
April 27, 2021DNF at about 120 pages. I just didn't like the main character and was not invested in her. Her naivete and immaturity really wore on me quickly and I felt like the actual travel was so glossed over and disappointing. Maybe it should have been 8 Days to Elsewhere so that more time could've been spent in the locations.
July 28, 2020
ARC received via Netgalley for an honest review
I was intrigued by the premise of this story, and whilst there were parts that I really enjoyed, by the end I was just " finally is over".
I was quite over the travel dramas at every turn. It ended up feeling like the world's longest road trip.
I liked Ramona putting herself or there and the adventure she embarks on.
However as each new destination was reached, I was all "oh god, what will happen here?", But not in an excited way.
I felt that this book could have been cut down a lot, and have at least a few times what nothing went wrong.
I found myself putting this book aside a few times, and was tempted not too finish it more than once. I am glad i persevered though.
I was intrigued by the premise of this story, and whilst there were parts that I really enjoyed, by the end I was just " finally is over".
I was quite over the travel dramas at every turn. It ended up feeling like the world's longest road trip.
I liked Ramona putting herself or there and the adventure she embarks on.
However as each new destination was reached, I was all "oh god, what will happen here?", But not in an excited way.
I felt that this book could have been cut down a lot, and have at least a few times what nothing went wrong.
I found myself putting this book aside a few times, and was tempted not too finish it more than once. I am glad i persevered though.
June 26, 2020
Sad to say that I didn’t end up loving this book as much as I’d expected to! The writing was fine, and I did find some of the travel experiences and locales interesting to read about. But it felt like there was so much being jam packed into one story that it all ended up feeling a little too much for me as a reader, and it negatively impacted my experience with the story. It also probably doesn’t help that I didn’t end up forming any sort of actual connection to the main character.
January 13, 2022
This book was highly recommended to me, but it was a very hard book to read. I thought it would take me eighty days to read, but I finally made it to the end. It was a great storyline but there were so many missed connections along the way that I thought the book would never end.
January 22, 2022
Moc hezká knížka o cestování po světě�
Sice mi to sem tam přišlo trošku blbý, jak Ramona měla často “smůlu„� ale více méně to bylo prima
Sice mi to sem tam přišlo trošku blbý, jak Ramona měla často “smůlu„� ale více méně to bylo prima
December 1, 2020
ok, I never write reviews but here we go. I've never hated a main character more:
-we were off to a bad start when it said she was "quirky" because she's a tall girl who doesn't play basketball
-she lives in NYC and claims she's woke because she has gay uncles and has read a few diverse books. However, she is the definition of the ignorant, uncultured, the-world-revolves-around-me American. There are attempts from the POC around her to remedy this... and fall completely flat
-she expects everyone to start worshipping at her feet when she tells them she's from NYC because *OMG so cool*.... and they do...
-she's constantly surrounded by POC, and most of them are completely one-dimensional, serving only to further the plot and/or give her a chance to look benevolent on social media so that she can gain followers
-she and the love interest "adopt" a young Somali refugee in the most white-savior way possible
-in a white, conservative town, the POC love interest starts to feel uncomfortable because of the looks he's getting. Her white butt got half a shade darker because of their adventures in Africa and she's suddenly convinced that she's about to be the victim of a hate crime because she's apparently a POC now...she never learns or acknowledges that this is wrong
-she makes very minor progress in her ignorant ways throughout the book, but never apologizes for the damage she did nor realizes that the world doesn't in fact revolve around her
-when the love interest just happened to be the on the same train as her (they've had two thirty-second interactions at this point), her brain automatically goes to...omg he's obsessed with me and is following me. A few minutes later, when he isn't worshipping at her feet to make up for the actions of his shitty uncle, she gets mad. What??
-when other people go through traumatic events (ie refugee crises or kids falling off of Niagara Falls) she throws a hissy fit because they're putting a 5-minute delay in her travel itinerary. Logistically, this trip was a hot mess, had zero foresight, and would not be easily replicable for the client.
-there are constant attempts to educate her, and she says she learns but then does it all again. The conversations all felt very soap-boxy and cheap
-I know there was more that I had issues with, but I can't remember anymore
outside of this, this book was just not enjoyable
-this is a travel novel, but 90% is spent on transportation, not actually exploring the places they go.
-its the longest romance I've ever read and the chemistry was completely non-existent
-I listened to the audiobook and hearing the narrator attempt to do various Arabic, Indian, and Cantonese accents was the most cringe thing ever.
-when she gets hired for the expedition, she gets so excited that "her bowels have suddenly turned to water." I almost crashed my car when I heard this. Ma'am, please go see a doctor.
-we were off to a bad start when it said she was "quirky" because she's a tall girl who doesn't play basketball
-she lives in NYC and claims she's woke because she has gay uncles and has read a few diverse books. However, she is the definition of the ignorant, uncultured, the-world-revolves-around-me American. There are attempts from the POC around her to remedy this... and fall completely flat
-she expects everyone to start worshipping at her feet when she tells them she's from NYC because *OMG so cool*.... and they do...
-she's constantly surrounded by POC, and most of them are completely one-dimensional, serving only to further the plot and/or give her a chance to look benevolent on social media so that she can gain followers
-she and the love interest "adopt" a young Somali refugee in the most white-savior way possible
-in a white, conservative town, the POC love interest starts to feel uncomfortable because of the looks he's getting. Her white butt got half a shade darker because of their adventures in Africa and she's suddenly convinced that she's about to be the victim of a hate crime because she's apparently a POC now...she never learns or acknowledges that this is wrong
-she makes very minor progress in her ignorant ways throughout the book, but never apologizes for the damage she did nor realizes that the world doesn't in fact revolve around her
-when the love interest just happened to be the on the same train as her (they've had two thirty-second interactions at this point), her brain automatically goes to...omg he's obsessed with me and is following me. A few minutes later, when he isn't worshipping at her feet to make up for the actions of his shitty uncle, she gets mad. What??
-when other people go through traumatic events (ie refugee crises or kids falling off of Niagara Falls) she throws a hissy fit because they're putting a 5-minute delay in her travel itinerary. Logistically, this trip was a hot mess, had zero foresight, and would not be easily replicable for the client.
-there are constant attempts to educate her, and she says she learns but then does it all again. The conversations all felt very soap-boxy and cheap
-I know there was more that I had issues with, but I can't remember anymore
outside of this, this book was just not enjoyable
-this is a travel novel, but 90% is spent on transportation, not actually exploring the places they go.
-its the longest romance I've ever read and the chemistry was completely non-existent
-I listened to the audiobook and hearing the narrator attempt to do various Arabic, Indian, and Cantonese accents was the most cringe thing ever.
-when she gets hired for the expedition, she gets so excited that "her bowels have suddenly turned to water." I almost crashed my car when I heard this. Ma'am, please go see a doctor.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 12, 2020
I canceled my summer getaway (for obvious reasons) so instead, I’ve been spending the summer traveling around the world through books📚. Last week’s adventure was courtesy of Eighty Days to Elsewhere by KC Dyer.
What it’s about:
Born and raised in New York City, Ramona Keene dreams of attending photography school and traveling to Paris, but her reality never quite catches up with her imagination. Instead, she works at her uncles� quaint bookstore, where the tea is plentiful and all the adventures are between the covers of secondhand books. But when the new landlord arrives with his Evil Nephew in tow, Romy’s quiet life comes crashing down. He plans to triple the rent, something her uncles can’t afford.
In order to earn the money to help save the bookstore, Romy applies for a job at ExLibris Expeditions, a company that re-creates literary journeys. Romy snags the oddest internship ever: retrace Phileas Fogg’s journey from Jules Verne’s Around the World in 80 Days and plan a suitable, contemporary adventure for a client. The task is close to impossible; sticking to the original route means no commercial aircraft permitted, and she’s got a lot less than eighty days to work with. Shaking off her fear of leaving home, Romy takes on the challenge, only to discover she’s got competition. Worse, Dominic Madison turns out to be the � unfortunately hot � nephew of her family’s worst enemy.
What I loved:
—The traveling. Paris, the Alps, Hong Kong. I can’t tell you how much I’ve enjoyed reading adventure romances this summer☀�. It’s a nice break from the walls of my small Los Angeles apartment.
—The locals. I really enjoyed reading about the locals Romy & Dominic meet at each stop. I also appreciated that there were several teachable moments within those encounters as well.
What I didn’t connect with:
—The length. I wasn’t expecting it to be 480 pages😳 & I did catch myself quite a few times looking to see how much percentage I had left (I read it on my Kindle). That being said, I have to also mention that a lot of that could have just been due to stress. Thanks to the pandemic, there are days I can’t bring myself to concentrate long enough to read a few chapters of a book let alone one that was this long.
—All the issues along the way. It was a very bumpy road for Romy and Dominic. Everything that could go wrong on their journey did. At first I didn’t mind all the missteps, but after a while it started to become almost like a pattern and whenever they arrived to a new location I was just waiting for something to go wrong.
Rating: 3/5 ⭐️
*I received an arc courtesy of the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
What it’s about:
Born and raised in New York City, Ramona Keene dreams of attending photography school and traveling to Paris, but her reality never quite catches up with her imagination. Instead, she works at her uncles� quaint bookstore, where the tea is plentiful and all the adventures are between the covers of secondhand books. But when the new landlord arrives with his Evil Nephew in tow, Romy’s quiet life comes crashing down. He plans to triple the rent, something her uncles can’t afford.
In order to earn the money to help save the bookstore, Romy applies for a job at ExLibris Expeditions, a company that re-creates literary journeys. Romy snags the oddest internship ever: retrace Phileas Fogg’s journey from Jules Verne’s Around the World in 80 Days and plan a suitable, contemporary adventure for a client. The task is close to impossible; sticking to the original route means no commercial aircraft permitted, and she’s got a lot less than eighty days to work with. Shaking off her fear of leaving home, Romy takes on the challenge, only to discover she’s got competition. Worse, Dominic Madison turns out to be the � unfortunately hot � nephew of her family’s worst enemy.
What I loved:
—The traveling. Paris, the Alps, Hong Kong. I can’t tell you how much I’ve enjoyed reading adventure romances this summer☀�. It’s a nice break from the walls of my small Los Angeles apartment.
—The locals. I really enjoyed reading about the locals Romy & Dominic meet at each stop. I also appreciated that there were several teachable moments within those encounters as well.
What I didn’t connect with:
—The length. I wasn’t expecting it to be 480 pages😳 & I did catch myself quite a few times looking to see how much percentage I had left (I read it on my Kindle). That being said, I have to also mention that a lot of that could have just been due to stress. Thanks to the pandemic, there are days I can’t bring myself to concentrate long enough to read a few chapters of a book let alone one that was this long.
—All the issues along the way. It was a very bumpy road for Romy and Dominic. Everything that could go wrong on their journey did. At first I didn’t mind all the missteps, but after a while it started to become almost like a pattern and whenever they arrived to a new location I was just waiting for something to go wrong.
Rating: 3/5 ⭐️
*I received an arc courtesy of the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
October 13, 2020
This book made me reallllly want to travel around the world, but we all know that isn't happening anytime soon. I have three small children that I currently homeschool and Rona has crushed any dream of travel in the near future, so I will travel vicariously through books for now.
What I loved about this book:
1. The plot of this novel will appeal to a majority of bookworms. A bookish girl reliving the plot of a classic in order to save her families indie bookstore was everything I didn't know I needed to read. Romy was such a genuine character that was relatable and likeable so that alone makes this a quick fun read.
2. Romy and Dominic's enemies to lovers romance (which is my favorite trope) was a great love story. Everyone knew they were meant to be and the attraction is evident from day 1 even though they try to resist. Their chemistry grows a bit more with each interaction which makes for a tantalizing read. Even though the romance isn't the primary focus of the story the little dashes here and there were the perfect addition.
3. Romy's character growth throughout this book was my favorite aspect of this novel. As she overcomes her fears and becomes stronger than she thought possible I became 100% invested in her outcome. Her character also touches on important topics as she is traveling (such as immigration, refugee struggles, racism, and privilege) in a way that is sure to impact the reader.
This book will be enjoyable for bookworms, world travelers, and romance readers everywhere. I hope y'all enjoy this book as much as I did.
Thank you Netgalley and Berkley for my gifted copy.
What I loved about this book:
1. The plot of this novel will appeal to a majority of bookworms. A bookish girl reliving the plot of a classic in order to save her families indie bookstore was everything I didn't know I needed to read. Romy was such a genuine character that was relatable and likeable so that alone makes this a quick fun read.
2. Romy and Dominic's enemies to lovers romance (which is my favorite trope) was a great love story. Everyone knew they were meant to be and the attraction is evident from day 1 even though they try to resist. Their chemistry grows a bit more with each interaction which makes for a tantalizing read. Even though the romance isn't the primary focus of the story the little dashes here and there were the perfect addition.
3. Romy's character growth throughout this book was my favorite aspect of this novel. As she overcomes her fears and becomes stronger than she thought possible I became 100% invested in her outcome. Her character also touches on important topics as she is traveling (such as immigration, refugee struggles, racism, and privilege) in a way that is sure to impact the reader.
This book will be enjoyable for bookworms, world travelers, and romance readers everywhere. I hope y'all enjoy this book as much as I did.
Thank you Netgalley and Berkley for my gifted copy.
December 2, 2021
Tentokrát opet trocha romantiky, která je v nynějším pochmurném počasí potřeba.
Příběh Ramony, která nikdy nebyla dál než za městem, ale pro své strýčky by jela až na konec světa. Doslova! Jejich knihkupectví totiž hrozí, že se budou muset vystěhovat. A jí cvrkne do nosu nabídka na práci v cestovce, kde se cestuje podle příběhů z knih.
No řekněte, kdo by hned na nějakou takovou cestu nejel?
Vzhledem k žádným zkušenostem s cestováním, se jí ovšem nevyhnou některé nepříjemnosti na cestách. Naštěstí ze všeho v bruslí nebo jí někdo pomůže. Ovšem, že se objeví na obzoru láska, ale i padouch, kterého musí porazit... Ale to už si musíte přečíst sami, aby jste zjistili jak to dopadne.
Příběh Ramony, která nikdy nebyla dál než za městem, ale pro své strýčky by jela až na konec světa. Doslova! Jejich knihkupectví totiž hrozí, že se budou muset vystěhovat. A jí cvrkne do nosu nabídka na práci v cestovce, kde se cestuje podle příběhů z knih.
No řekněte, kdo by hned na nějakou takovou cestu nejel?
Vzhledem k žádným zkušenostem s cestováním, se jí ovšem nevyhnou některé nepříjemnosti na cestách. Naštěstí ze všeho v bruslí nebo jí někdo pomůže. Ovšem, že se objeví na obzoru láska, ale i padouch, kterého musí porazit... Ale to už si musíte přečíst sami, aby jste zjistili jak to dopadne.
December 31, 2021
The absolute CHAOS in this book drove me crazy. But that might just be a me problem in that my tolerance for insanity is completely worn down after surviving 2021.
August 20, 2020
"The Amazing Race" meets "Around the World in 80 Days" as a woman desperate to save her family bookstore falls for her competition.
A bookstore, world travel and important social issues come together in a fun, lighthearted adventure story that will have readers visiting various world destinations (in their minds, at least). This was an entertaining and surprisingly informative story about one woman's journey to self-discovery as she puts herself outside her comfort zone to save her family's business.
The story has a definite "Amazing Race" vibe as readers go along on the adventure with Romy (and Dom) as they travel to different countries, giving readers glimpses of off-the-grid attractions (hidden Parisian tunnels, funiculars in the Alps, the world's longest outdoor escalator in Hong Kong ..) often using less than popular modes of transportation in order to win the job of a lifetime.
This adventure read also includes a hearty helping of social commentary which I wasn't expecting but greatly appreciated - including Indigenous reconciliation issues in Canada, refugee and immigration, Hong Kong's 'helper' culture, racism and privilege. We also witness Romy's journey towards self-discovery, and I enjoyed the occasional humorous tidbits.
But there were a few things that I felt were a little weak. This whopping 480-page beast is long for a lighter read and it took awhile for things to get going. I also thought some of the later scenes could have been cut down to help the flow. Readers will also have to suspend disbelief because if something could go wrong or throw Romy into a unique situation it happened and things tended to fall neatly into place (including the ending). There is romance but it relies heavily on the 'enemies to lovers' trope - an expected aspect but a weaker (and unnecessary) part of the book for me.
Overall, this is a fun adventure read and with the issues it touches on, it allows readers a look into the beauty of various cultures that are not our own and will appease the wanderlust beast that dwells within many of us �. or at least hold it off until we're able to safely travel post-pandemic.
Disclaimer: Thanks to Berkley Publishing for sending me a print copy of this title.
A bookstore, world travel and important social issues come together in a fun, lighthearted adventure story that will have readers visiting various world destinations (in their minds, at least). This was an entertaining and surprisingly informative story about one woman's journey to self-discovery as she puts herself outside her comfort zone to save her family's business.
The story has a definite "Amazing Race" vibe as readers go along on the adventure with Romy (and Dom) as they travel to different countries, giving readers glimpses of off-the-grid attractions (hidden Parisian tunnels, funiculars in the Alps, the world's longest outdoor escalator in Hong Kong ..) often using less than popular modes of transportation in order to win the job of a lifetime.
This adventure read also includes a hearty helping of social commentary which I wasn't expecting but greatly appreciated - including Indigenous reconciliation issues in Canada, refugee and immigration, Hong Kong's 'helper' culture, racism and privilege. We also witness Romy's journey towards self-discovery, and I enjoyed the occasional humorous tidbits.
But there were a few things that I felt were a little weak. This whopping 480-page beast is long for a lighter read and it took awhile for things to get going. I also thought some of the later scenes could have been cut down to help the flow. Readers will also have to suspend disbelief because if something could go wrong or throw Romy into a unique situation it happened and things tended to fall neatly into place (including the ending). There is romance but it relies heavily on the 'enemies to lovers' trope - an expected aspect but a weaker (and unnecessary) part of the book for me.
Overall, this is a fun adventure read and with the issues it touches on, it allows readers a look into the beauty of various cultures that are not our own and will appease the wanderlust beast that dwells within many of us �. or at least hold it off until we're able to safely travel post-pandemic.
Disclaimer: Thanks to Berkley Publishing for sending me a print copy of this title.
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