By Karen Espig 

Reading offers the perfect escape from our everyday lives. If you are looking for a romance novel that takes you far from home, check out these five books and travel to Santorini, Rome, Montego Bay, rural England, and of course, Paris! 

Rome In Love By Anita Hughes 

If you are a fan of Audrey Hepburn, like I am, you will adore Rome in Love by Anita Hughes. In it, Amelia Tate is cast to play her idol, Audrey, in a remake of the 1953 film Roman Holiday. She sets off to Rome, Italy, for two months. Life feels like a dream-come-true to Amelia until her boyfriend, unhappy about her career, breaks up with her.  

While hiding away in her hotel room, Amelia discovers some letters written by none other than Audrey herself. Pouring through them, she begins to see life differently. A romance begins with a handsome journalist who has mistaken her for a maid in the hotel. As Amelia struggles to find a way to reveal her true identity, she wonders if the mysterious Philip will also expect her to choose between love and her career. 

The Summer House In Santorini By Samantha Parks 

In The Summer House in Santorini, Anna gets news from her sister that she needs to go to Greece immediately to claim the summer cottage left to them by their estranged father. Oddly enough, it is just the escape she needs. Anna has been involved in a doomed “casual” relationship with her boss for the past year, and she just caught Marcus in the arms of another woman from the office. 

Heartbroken, Anna arrives in Greece, met by the gorgeous Nikos at the airport. Nikos worked with her family in Santorini for years and has a very different view of the father she barely knew. Beginning to feel more at home and as the truth about her father’s departure is revealed, Anna is forced to question her needs. And then there is the overwhelming chemistry between her and Nikos that she has been resisting because she plans to return to Manhattan. 

This story is woven amid the uniquely picturesque settings on the island of Santorini, and if you want to spend more time there, Samantha Parks is working on a sequel. 

Pride And Prejudice By Jane Austen  

Elizabeth Bennet is an intelligent woman and does not share her mother’s view of wealth and social standing. Her mother, however, is keen to marry off each of her five daughters to suitable men, and Elizabeth is no exception. Mr Fitzwilliam Darcy has set his sights on the unconventional Ms Bennet, but she resists his approaches. 

Meanwhile, she hears some distressing news about Mr Darcy from Lieutenant George Wickham, and her perception of him worsens. Time reveals all, however, and the truth of Mr Wickham’s motives finds Elizabeth setting aside her pride so the aristocratic Mr Darcy can get a little closer.

Austen skilfully transports you into the lives and homes of 18th century rural England. If you enjoy well-developed characters and beautifully described settings, you will love Pride and Prejudice. 

Paris Is Always A Good Idea By Jenn McKinlay 

Sometimes it is nice to lighten things up. If you like a little humour with your romance, Paris is Always a Good Idea by Jenn McKinlay is for you.  

When Chelsea Martin’s father decides to get re-married, she realises she has been merely existing, but not living, since her mother’s death. In fact, not much has happened for her since her post-college year of travelling abroad seven years ago.  

The last time she remembers being happy was during that trip. She decides to seek out Colin, Jean Claude, and Marcelino, who all stole her heart back then, hoping to find love again. As she retraces her steps, naturally, things do not go as planned or expected, but in the process, Chelsea finds exactly what she was looking for. 

How Stella Got Her Groove Back By Terry McMillan 

If the Caribbean is the place you long to escape to, Terry McMillan’s novel How Stella Got Her Groove Back will take you there. 

Meet Stella. She has everything she could want—a successful and lucrative career, a beautiful house, an expensive car, and a loving son—just no personal life. So, when her son goes off to visit his father, Stella decides to take a last-minute vacation to a luxurious resort in Montego Bay, Jamaica. There she finds herself the object of interest of the intelligent and sexy Winston—20 years her junior. Stella decides to let loose for a change and indulge in a vacation romance.  

We all need a little break now and again to relax and recharge. Try one of these books, and let them transport you to beautiful destinations and steal your heart away. Enjoy!

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