July 3, 2023
It’s summer! Time to grab a good book and a glass of crisp Rosé and head to the nearest poolside chaise lounge. You may have just returned from your summer getaway, or maybe it’s still a few weeks away. Whichever it is, we’ve compiled some of our favorite books that inspire wanderlust. Whatever destination you’re dreaming about on a train to work, at the pool, or tucked in bed at night, we’ve got you covered.
Jacqueline in Paris by Ann Mah
A good friend recommended this book to us, and we’re so glad she did! Before Jacqueline Kennedy was a Kennedy, she was a Bouvier, and in 1949 she arrived in Paris to spend her junior year abroad. Based on true stories, we follow Jacqueline through Paris, and as she falls in love with the bustling cafés, striking artwork, and glittering chateaux, so do we. Beneath it all, though, is a France still recovering from German Occupation. Jacqueline gets a front-row seat to the world of spies, suspicion, and betrayal that came with the rise of communism. This story reminds us of our own cultural awakenings and the idea that love need not be a person but a place.
Love & Gelato by Jenna Evans Welch
Love and Gelato takes you back to childhood when life was about nothing more than, you guessed it, love and Gelato. After her mother passed, Lina was given her mother’s diary from her time in Italy. Hidden in the diary was a trail to Lina’s father, but while discovering the truth, Lina gets a taste of dolce vita. She visits all the best Florence spots with a cute local Italian boy. You’ll be ready to book a flight before the end of the book!
Sex and Vanity by Kevin Kwan
If you’ve seen Crazy Rich Asians, you’ll know Kevin Kwan’s hype is real. Sex and Vanity is not a movie (yet), but if you want a frivolous romantic read that touches on all things luxury, this is it. We may be unable to relate to Charlotte Churchill’s extravagant meals, private Roman villas, and lavish couture, but we can sit back and pretend we’re there too. There are, however, a few things privilege can’t protect. This book tackles love, cultural identity, and family ties. You’re in for a modern love story and a good laugh.
A Year in Provence by Peter Mayle
In the 1989 memoir, Peter Mayle reflects on his first year in Provence, France. Chasing a dream of the slow Provençal life, we hear about his witty and heartwarming stories through each season. The seasons bring their own trials, much like life, but Mayle learns to appreciate the little things while capturing quintessential Provence with its cicadas, rolling lavender fields, and crisp wine. Loved by men and women alike, walk, don’t run to the bookstore for this read. Wait, don’t rush. Stop to smell the lavender on the way.
Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
It’s a bit obvious, but we just had to include Elizabeth Gilbert’s memoir of her trip to Italy, India, and Bali. A favorite among homebodies and travelers alike because the story comes from a feeling many of us can relate to: there is more waiting for us out in the world if we surrender to it. Discovering the life of pleasure in Italy, devotion in India, and a comfy middle ground in Bali, Gilbert shows how visiting a new place is so much more than checking it off the list; it’s about learning from and living like the people there.
Need more inspiration? Click here for 7 Films to Inspire Your Wanderlust.
Feeling inspired? Click here to start planning your fabulous getaway!
