If there’s one thing that’s become abundantly clear in 2020, it’s that international travel is a long way away.
Disheartening as it may be to not be able to take off for a summer under the Italian sun or to catch a glimpse of the Northern Lights, it is worth remembering that this, too, shall pass.
And in the meantime? We always have books.
Because while losing yourself in a good page-turner is transportive at the best of times, there’s arguably never been a better way to channel pent-up wanderlust than with a brilliant beach read (even without the beach).
Looking to add to your reading list? Below, nine excellent books that offer armchair escapsim – no flights necessary.
Sex and Vanity by Kevin Kwan
Set in: Capri and the Hamptons
Arguably one of the best books of 2020, Sex and Vanity goes down easier than a limoncello spritz under the Amalfi sun. Penned by the author behind the incredibly successful Crazy Rich Asians trilogy and all set to become a movie, it kicks off the sun-drenched Italian island of Capri, where New Yorker Lucie Churchill meets the handsome George Zao from Hong Kong – whom she instantly can’t stand. She can’t stand his chivalry, she can’t stand his intelligence – and she really can’t stand it when he kisses her in the darkness of the ancient ruins of a Roman villa. The daughter of an American-born Chinese mother and a blue-blooded New York father, Lucie has always suppressed her Asian side, and vehemently denies having feelings for George. But several years later, when George unexpectedly appears in East Hampton, where Lucie is weekending with her new fiancé, she finds herself drawn to him again. Soon, Lucie is spinning a web of deceit that involves her family, her fiancé and ultimately herself, as she tries to deny George entry into her world—and her heart.
Buy it here
It Is Wood, It Is Stone by Gabriella Burnham
Set in: São Paulo, Brazil
Told through sharp, captivating prose, It Is Wood, It Is Stone takes place over the course of a year in São Paulo, Brazil, in which three women’s lives intersect. Linda, an anxious American, has moved to the city with her husband Dennis, for a year professorship. As he busies himself with work, Linda finds herself becoming restless and adrift. Her maid, Marta, has more claim to Linda’s home than she could imagine. Marta, who is struggling to deal with her country’s complex history and racial tensions, is frustrated by Linda’s instability. One day, Linda meets Celia, a mesmerising and enigmatic artist, whom she joins on a life-changing adventure that has consequences for them all.
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Secrets Under The Sun by Nadia Marks
Set in: Larnaca, Cyprus
Perfect for fans of Liane Moriarty, Secrets Under The Sun tells story of three childhood friends who reunite in a small seaside town on the island of Cyprus for the funeral of Katerina, the much-loved old woman who had a profound impact of their lives. Eleni, Marianna and Adonis grew up as close as siblings, while Katerina, a housemaid from humble beginnings, shaped their lives with her love and wisdom. But her funeral is not only a time to mourn. Adonis’ mother decides that with Katerina’s passing comes the moment to share the family’s secrets and answer the riddles of their childhood, unveiling a story of forbidden love, deception and undying loyalty, that changes everything.
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House of Trelawney by Hannah Rothschild
Set in: The coast of Cornwall and London, England
Trelawney Castle: Once the jewel of the Cornish coast and home to the prestigious Earls of Trelawney for over 800 years, is crumbling. Unfortunately, recent generations of the aristocratic yet dysfunctional family have been much been better at spending money than making it, and now, their beloved fortress is in a complete state of ruin, and they’re running out of options. Three unexpected events only speed up their downwards spiral, with the sudden appearance of a new relation, an illegitimate, seductive and beautiful girl; a ruthless American hedge fund manager set on retribution, and the crash of 2008. A juicy social satire and love story taking place in the worlds of British aristocracy and high-flying finance, it boasts a cast of amusing characters that are ripe for a TV adaptation and moves along at a rollicking pace, punctuated by twists at every turn.
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Less by Andrew Sean Greer
Set in: Paris, Mexico, Italy, Germany, Morocco, India and Japan
Forty-nine-year-old writer Arthur Less discovers that his ex-boyfriend is about to get married. To avoid both the wedding and the heartbreak, he decides to take off on a trip around the world, accepting a series of half-baked literary invitations from all across the globe. And so commences a wild ride that sees Arthur head to Mexico, Italy, Germany, Morocco, India and Japan, putting thousands of miles between him and the heartbreak he refuses to face. What could go wrong? From almost falling in love in Paris, to nearly falling to his death in Berlin, and an encounter in the Sahara Desert with the last person on the planet he ever wants to see, Less is an endearingly funny and utterly heartwarming about missteps, misunderstanding and mistakes.
Buy it here
If I Had Your Face by Frances Cha
Set in: Seoul, Korea
If I Had Your Face is an electrifying plunge into the world of contemporary Seoul—where extreme plastic surgery is as routine as getting a haircut, women compete to entertain wealthy businessmen in secret ‘room salons’ after hours, and K-Pop mania reigns supreme. Attempting to navigate this intimidating city are four young women: Kyuri, a stunning woman whose hard-won position at an exclusive ‘room salon’ is under threat due to an impulsive indiscretion with a client; her flatmate Miho, an orphan who wins a scholarship to study at a prestigious art school in New York, where her life becomes tragically intertwined with the ultra-affluent offspring of the Korean elite; Wonna, their neighbour, who is pregnant with a child that she and her husband have no idea how they will afford to raise in a fiercely competitive economy; and Ara, a hairstylist living down the whole, whose obsession with a K-pop star drives her to violent extremes.
Buy it here
The Little Paris Bookshop by Nina George
Set in: Paris and Provence, France
A charming tale that will sweep you away from the first to last page, The Little Paris Bookshop tells the story of Jean Perdu, who runs a bookshop, or rather, a ‘literary apothecary’ on a beautifully restored barge on the Seine. But while he has a rare gift for intuiting which books will soothe the troubled souls of his customers, the only person he’s unable to cure, it seems, himself. Nursing a broken heart for 21 years, since that fateful night when the love of his life fled Paris after leaving a letter he never dared to read, Jean has been stuck — until now. The arrival of an alluring new neighbour in his eccentric apartment building on rue Montagnard inspires Jean to heal his heart, untether his floating bookshop and set sail for Provence, in search of his beloved.
Buy it here
Swing Time by Zadie Smith
Set in: London, New York and West Africa
Flitting between London, New York and West Africa, Swing Time is about two brown girls from the wrong side of London who want to be dancers. Only one — Tracey — has the talent. The other, however, has wordly ideas that take her much further than she could have ever imagined. What follows, is a gripping journey across two wildly different paths, traversing fame, friendship, music, and finding happiness in the meanest of places, with each page pulling you in more than the last.
Buy it here
Polite Society by Mahesh Rao
Set in: New Delhi, India
If you loved the scandal and grandeur of Crazy Rich Asians, Mahesh Rao’s witty, observational look at India’s high society and modern maharajahs is sure to satisfy. Based on Jane Austen’s Emma, Polite Society centres around Delhi ‘It’-girl Ania Khurana, whose well-intentioned matchmaking attempts for her best friend go awry. And when a handsome suitor from America arrives on the scene, Ania soon realises that when it comes to love, things rarely go to plan.
Buy it here
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