Best ‘Armchair Travel’ Books: Escape to Paris, London, Italy & More Without Leaving Home!

Fans of When Harry Met Sally will delight over this wildly funny and tender rom-com set in sunny Palm Springs. When they met in college, wild-child Poppy and straight-laced Alex didn’t hit it off. Then after doing a car-share for summer break, the unlikely pair became best friends. Now, years after college, Poppy works in New York City while schoolteacher Alex stayed in their hometown — but every summer, for a decade, they’ve taken a vacation together. Until two years ago, when they ruined it all. They haven’t spoken since, but when Poppy gets a work travel assignment and asks Alex to join her, he agrees. Can they fix their friendship and address the truth that’s been hiding in plain sight for so long?

Bestselling author of In Five Years, Rebecca Serle is known for her powerful stories that tug at the heartstrings — and this novel, set on the colorful coastline of Positano, is unforgettable. When Katy’s mother, Carol, dies, Katy is shattered. To make matters worse, their mother-daughter trip to Positano — the magical town where Carol spent the summer right before she met Katy’s father — is already planned, so Katy decides to go alone. As soon as she arrives at the Amalfi Coast, she’s warmed by the charming local residents, the delicious food and beautiful cliffside views. Katy even starts to feel her mother’s spirit and comes to learn that those we love never leave us. 

Readers will fall in love with this lush, picturesque novel that follows Anna as she runs away to Greece in a last-ditch attempt to hide from a failed relationship, a stagnant career and a complex family. After learning she has inherited a dilapidated summer house from her estranged father, she arrives in Santorini with its lovely villas, blue-tiled roofs and turquoise waters of the Aegean Sea. Soon, Anna begins to rebuild the house — and her life —but in the process, she begins to uncover life-altering family secrets. Will these secrets threaten her blossoming romance with Nikos, the handsome and so-charming local?

Set in 1938 Paris, The Paris Mystery is a new novel, the first in the Charlotte ‘Charlie’ James series, written by Australian author Kirsty Manning. It’s 1938 and fearless Aussie reporter Charlotte ‘Charlie’ has arrived in Paris eager to make a fresh start. As a new corespondent for a British newspaper, she’s chasing her first big scoop. To make new contacts, she befriends Lord and Lady Ashworth. Lady Eleanor knows people in Parisian high society. So when she invites Charlie to her decadent annual party, a Circus Ball, it’s the perfect place to meet everyone. The ball is full of glitz and glamour…that is until there’s a murder. Now, Charlie vows to crack the case — while searching for clues at lavish parties, wine bars and couture houses. Will she uncover the culprit still lurking in the City of Lights?

This tale about family secrets and forgiveness by bestselling author Sarah Jio sparkles with heart and wit. When Valentina Baker was 11 years old, her mother, Eloise, fled to her native London, leaving Val and her father in California. Now a divorced librarian in her thirties, Val is still not over her mother’s abandonment. In a twist of fate, she receives news that Eloise has died, leaving Val the deed to her mother’s Primrose Hill apartment and the Book Garden, the quaint bookshop she opened almost 20 years prior. Though the news is tragic, Val takes the chance for a new beginning and hops a plane to London. A story about making peace with the past, uncovering secrets and finding hope for the future.

Glamorous scenes, family drama and luxurious moments abound in this international bestselling novel by Kevin Kwan. The story follow professor Rachel Chu, who is traveling with her boyfriend, Nicholas Young, back to his home city of Singapore for his friend’s wedding. It’s also an opportunity for her to finally meet his family for the first time. Before long, Rachel is facing a meddling mother, crazy rich relatives and a shocking truth that may derail her future with Nick.

This sweeping historical novel written by bestselling authors Beatriz Williams, Lauren Willig and Karen White allows readers to step foot into beautiful Newport, Rhode Island — in the past and the present. Andy Figuero is currently in Newport to produce a reality show about restoring historic homes. But as she takes on the task of documenting the crumbling Sprague Hall, while being banned from speaking to the elderly owner, past secrets arise. Spanning three time periods — and the secrets hidden in each — the story of Sprague Hall and its inhabitants is interwoven into the lives of America’s royalty (the Rockefellers, the Vanderbilts, and others). A sumptuous story that covers a century of juicy history from the Gilded Age to the present day!

In this iconic New York Times bestseller, chef, poet and travel writer, Frances Mayes takes readers into her Tuscan home called Bramasole. Bought as a fixer-upper, Frances moved into a Tuscan villa as a way to show people the power of embarking on their own journeys that they believed would make her happy. Filled with recipes, beautiful descriptions and inspirational messages, this classic and memorable book always has something for everyone.

Stunning coastal settings and a warm cast of characters…this novel whisks readers away to the beaches of North Carolina. Following a betrayal, Kayana Johnson moves back to lovely Coates Island to help her brother run the Seaside Café. After Kayana meets two patrons, Leah and Cherie, who feel like kindred spirits, they start a book club. Soon, the trio unpacks the drama in their books and their lives. It is a tale of love, friendship and new beginnings.

Filled with beautiful scenery, emotion and Italian charm, this captivating debut novel written by Francesca Giacco follows Emilia, who arrives in Rome reeling from a broken heart. She dreamily wanders every corner of the city, eating food, drinking wine and reflecting back on memories. Then, while climbing a hill near Trastevere, she meets John, a handsome American expat. As their initial connection deepens, Emilia finds herself on a journey of true self-discovery.

Heartfelt, charming and fun, the latest saga by best-friend author duo Christina Lauren is a stand-out page-turner! As the daughter of a treasure hunter, Lily Wilder now uses her father’s maps to guide tourists on hunts through the red rock canyons of Utah. But when she runs into the long-lost love of her life, Leo Grady, in the canyons, the duo have a chance to take another kind of adventure­ — rekindled romance.