This post was originally published at Novelicious.com and is now at WritingTipsOasis.com. WritingTipsOasis.com acquired Novelicious.com in June 2022.
For those of us that haven’t managed to get away on holiday this summer, a book can offer a much-needed dose of sandy beaches, exotic markets and historic cobbled streets, even if only for an hour or two! So, if your summer vacation is on hold until further notice, why not try one of these novels set in alluring faraway places to tide you over?
1. The Olive Branch by Jo Thomas – It's amazing what you can buy online these days: memorabilia, fashion accessories, a crumbling Italian farmhouse … After a Prosecco-fuelled girls' night in gets out of hand, Ruthie Collins awakes to discover that she has bid for her dream Italian home online … and won. Recently out of a relationship, a new start is just what she needs. But arriving in Southern Italy, Ruthie doesn't know the first thing about running an olive farm. And with new neighbours – the tempestuous Marco Bellanouvo and his fiery family – to contend with, will she be able to finally put the past to rest and find her own piece of the Dolce Vita?
2. The Saffron Trail by Rosanna Ley – After the death of her beloved mother, Nell travels from rural Cornwall to the colour and chaos of Marrakech. With her marriage already on the rocks, she throws herself into exploring all the heady delights that Morocco has to offer. It is there that she meets Amy, a young photographer trying to unravel her family story, and the two women develop a close friendship and discover a surprising connection between their own pasts that leads them on their very own saffron trail.
3. The Last Kiss Goodbye by Tasmina Perry – Deep in the vaults of a museum, archivist Abby Morgan stumbles upon a breathtaking find. A faded photograph of a man saying goodbye to the woman he loves. Looking for a way to escape her own heartache, Abby becomes obsessed with the story, little realising that behind the image frozen in time lies a secret altogether more extraordinary. This sweeping love story will whisk you away from the streets of London to St. Petersburg in Russia, the wild, windswept coast of Ireland and the hot and humid Amazon jungle in search of the truth behind the photo.
4. Some Kind of Wonderful by Sarah Morgan – Long, hot summer days on the beach and sultry, starry nights await in the second installment of Sarah Morgan’s Puffin Island series, which is set on the USA’s Maine coast. Her whole life, Puffin Islander Brittany Forrest has dreamed of adventure. And at the age of 18, she thought she’d found it in bad boy Zachary Flynn. But after just ten tempestuous, smouldering days, their whirlwind marriage went up in smoke, and Brittany resolved to put him out of her mind forever. Ten years may have passed since then, but when Zach returns to the island, the sparks between them are as powerful as ever.5. Summer at Shell Cottage by Lucy Diamond – A peaceful and idyllic seaside stay at Shell Cottage in Devon has been a summer staple for the Tarrant family for decades, but everything has changed following the death of patriarch Alec and a shocking discovery …
What books have been whisking you away this summer?