When the author, a travel journalist, shares about her own solo trips, I really enjoyed this book. Alas, she writes more about women who traveled alone in years, decades or centuries past. She also spends a lot of time writing about her divorce experience; not the focus I'd hoped for. I had wanted to hear more about how and why traveling changed her and what her trips entailed. Had she'd offered that, the content of the book would have better matched its description, and impacted more readers personally.

Thanks to Sourcebooks and NetGalley for the ARC. Opinions are mine.

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A Trip of One’s Own is part memoir and part travel guide. The book has alternating chapters with Willis’ own experiences/the experiences of other female solo travellers and tips on having your own solo adventure.

She follows in the footsteps of fellow solo female travelers throughout history, going to Israel and Palestine like Egeria the first female solo traveler to Shanghai following Emily Hahn, a solo traveler from the 1920s with stories reminiscent of a soap opera.

The stories were immersive and I felt like I was there, seeing the sights with Willis! It made me nostalgic for my own travels in the past and being excited for future adventures. She even makes me consider traveling solo one day.

All the women she discussed sound phenomenal and I want to read and learn more about them, especially Gellhorn and Hahn! Her stories and the stories of others were inspiring, emotional, and funny. Willis also gives a reminder that you don’t have to leave home to explore and have an adventure, which I loved!

Willis of course recognizes her privilege in being able to travel and feeling (relatively) safe as a white hetero cis woman, acknowledging that not everyone has that luxury. She also emphasizes the importance of safety when traveling solo, and things to consider when choosing your destination.

I enjoyed the first half better than the second half. It’s always hard writing a review for a memoir but the second half took a turn that didn’t hold my focus as well as the beginning.

I recommend this book for anyone who loves travel or enjoys travel inspired books like Wild and Eat, Pray, Love!

Let me say it from the outset, I really enjoyed this book. I went in expecting a simple travel memoir yet it proved to be that and so much more. Part memoir, part travel with tips and tricks, part historical investigation - this book has much to offer.

‘Women have many reasons for going traveling alone, apart from seeking adventure. Often we’re searching for something, reaching for some meaning in our lives, something bigger and higher than ourselves.’

Kate’s personal story provides the foundation of this book and whilst some readers did not enjoy this aspect, I thought it made sense and helped project the book to the next level. Losing and finding yourself is life’s journey - both figuratively and actually - and is the obvious place to base your findings on life’s discoveries whether they be close to home or further afield.

‘… I became obsessed with putting some distance between myself and everything I knew - both the monotony of everyday life and the big soul-searching questions that would creep in from time to time. It was as if I thought that the meaning to life could be found in a well-packed suitcase and a freshly printed boarding pass.’

The most engaging aspect of this book, however, is Kate’s investigations into the stories of women from the past who made some incredible trips travelling alone. Some I had heard of, many I had not, but they all served to bring both entertainment, education and inspiration to this book. Gosh, there were some remarkable women with incredible tales to tell mostly from times when female adventurers were uncommon and mostly frowned upon.

‘I was only just starting to unravel the untold stories of so many unconventional women who had traveled the world and lived life on their own terms.’

Kate then also includes practical tips and tricks to the various aspects of travelling - everything from staying safe to how to pack and travel on a budget. This alone is full of really useful advice no matter what or where you may be.

‘Getting lost occasionally is essential—not only while traveling but when traveling through life. The destination we think we want is often, when we actually get there, not what we need.’

This book is definitely empowering and not only for women who intend to travel. Your journey may be an internal one and this book will be sure to speak to you as well. I so want to go back and tab this book as a future reference for drive, determination and inspiration.

‘There was a whole world right on my doorstep; it had always been there, I’d just had to open my eyes and ears and nose to it.’

Please do not be deterred from reading this book if you are not a traveller. Whether you be an armchair traveller or just seeking to become more aware of things around you closer to home, I believe you are sure to find something that will speak to you from within these pages. Many of us now live vicariously thanks to Covid and if the backyard is as far as you get, Kate certainly has some thoughts to share on that.

‘Travel doesn’t have to mean a journey through space, it can be an inner change, too.’

This book is wonderful. It is written from the heart and contains things that will make you smile and laugh, to things that will inspire and stir you to action. I very much appreciated the list of books referenced at the end detailing the many admirable women who are mentioned within this book. This is so much more than just a travel book, it really is inspirational in encouraging women to make ‘ a trip of your own’ whether it be around the world or around your backyard.

‘Nearly all the women in this book speak of achieving remarkable feats by being in the moment and not thinking beyond the end of each day, the next step, the next mile.’

I am sure we have all wished to escape our seemingly humdrum lives at some time or other - physically or metaphorically. Katie gives readers a book that shows us how to live a life - wherever that may be - in a meaningful and present way. Thank you Kate.









This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.

I really enjoyed reading this one and I am grateful for the opportunity to have done so. During the pandemic I have not been able to travel, so it was fun to read about what it would be like. I have never traveled solo, but this book convinced me that this is a meaningful experience and worthwhile adventure. I very much appreciate the chance to review this one. Thank you!

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is an interesting collection of travel stories.

Wills shares experiences of hers while traveling for work and fun along with comparisons and contrasts of other women travels. There's quotes from historical books and other memoirs as a sort of theme for each chapter relating to Wills' experiences.

This is an interesting collection of stories - some are funny, some are heartfelt, but they all give us a sense of travel and what it is to see the world (even if it's sometimes rushed). There are also tips for traveling solo and traveling as a woman throughout the book.

Overall it's an interesting read for those wanting to see more of the world.

I've done my fair share of traveling solo over the last 15 years, and was super excited to read this book. I could relate to many of Wills' travel experiences (and cracked up at some of the descriptions, especially around airports in the beginning!).

But, I do wish she'd focused more on the travel component (given the book blurb/title/etc.) and less on relationships-gone-wrong (and some colorful experiences in that regard--TMI for me, personally). And the summary of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict felt so...high-level--too much so for such a nuanced topic. I had high hopes in that regard, having been to Israel twice myself (most recently, just two months ago)...but it left out some key elements that would have gone a long way in helping readers begin to tap the surface.

Solo travel can teach each of us so much--I know I've learned a ton with every trip!--this book just ended up missing the mark. The tips at the end of each chapter are worthwhile, so consider skimming a copy from your local library.

Note: There is some language, as well as the aforementioned colorful relationship stories (along with some about the female travel writers whose footsteps she followed).

I received an eARC of the book from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC for an exchange for an honest review.

Wonderful story, I thought it was very good.

I have always been seduced by travel. I do a ton of reading of travelogues while comparing them to my travels. Wills is a globetrotter and I have been to a few of the places she has visited. She interspersed her experiences with single intrepid women who also visited those same areas. She also includes tips for solo female travelers. While I disagree with some of her tips, I do agree with her encouragement to spread your wings far and wide because if not now, when?

I found the book a little confusing. The author seemed to have little knowledge or information about the places she was interested in or traveling too. No ideas about visas, thought hula dancing was hula hooping? I was really scratching my head here.

An enjoyable and inspiring book. This memoir/travel book gives you three for one: a memoir of a young woman who works as a travel writer and struggles to settle down, a vivid history of female solo travelers over the ages, and practical tips for women traveling alone. The personal story served as a pretty good framework, but the real strengths of this book are the stories of women who made monumental and dangerous trips by themselves over the centuries. Many of these women were unprepared and ill equipped, but they all adjusted and continued on to complete their journeys, experiencing many adventures.

As a recently widowed woman, I found this book truly inspiring. After traveling with my late husband for many years, I had assumed I would need to find a travel companion before I hit the road again. Maybe not!

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was a DNF for me, sadly. The premise of this book instantly piqued my interest but I found I couldn’t connect with the author’s style. The promise of following and learning from women travelers of yore was very appealing but the transitions from historical profile to the author’s personal life often felt clumsy and even confusing. I will say that I’ve learned of a few I’ll definitely be researching further! I may come back to this in the future but it wasn’t a great fit now.

This book felt a lot more like a memoir than a travelogue, which is what I was expecting. While I found some of the author's stories entertaining, I just kept wishing that there was more information about the places she was visiting.

This book was a light, fairly enjoyable read. More memoir than travel book. From the publisher’s description I was expecting more of a historical look at the lives of intrepid female travelers and the logistics and impressions of Kate Wills' own travels. I did enjoy these exploits but not so much the approximately half of the book that was Kate's personal non travel related memoir. As I said, I did enjoy it as I have been missing my usual travels in this time of Covid restrictions

A Trip of One’s Own is an interesting mix of nonfiction biographical writing, memoir, and travel tips. I enjoyed learning about all of the female solo travelers throughout history, and Willis’ writing isn’t terrible. However, I didn’t always enjoy the autobiographical parts. Her story: a recent divorcé and travel writer who runs away from London and goes on various solo trips (a little bit like Eat Pray Love- but no where near as insightful or entertaining). Also, the tips about solo traveling feel out of place, and read like a blog post.

Thank you NetGalley and Source Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

i loved this book!!! kate wills talks about her own experiences with travelling across her life, while also intertwining it with various famous women and their pioneering trips, including cycling around the world, walking around the world, and all the oversights of them for men. i found her tone and voice very relatable and kind and i was rooting for her as she threaded all these women together, her admiration for them clear in the way she spoke about her own life. i partly read and partly listened to this which was a lovely experience

The back and forth between personal reflection and the adventures of other female solo travelers was refreshing. Mixed with small sections on how to travel alone, I found this book to be a worthwhile, informative, and inspirational read.

I often read Kate’s column and love her style of writing and as a frequent solo traveller I just knew I had to read this . . It’s a perfect read for those who are thinking about travelling alone as not only do we learn about Kate’s experiences but we also hear the stories of female travellers from the past who inspired her to go solo . I felt that the book reads more like an essay collection than a memoir as such , I liked this but I can see how others may have felt disappointed as it can appear slightly disjointed.
The book is also full of practical tips and a useful reference guide which makes it ideal to read if you were actually travelling !
I would have liked to have read more about Kate’s own journey but that didn’t effect my enjoyment of the book and it’s definitely a book to keep on your shelf and refer to !

I really loved the premise but the execution fell flat unfortunately. I was a little bored sadly. Thank you to Netgalley for the copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

This book isn't quite what I was expecting, but I did enjoy it for what it is. At times the book feels a bit disjointed and like it isn't quite complete. There were more than a few moments where, while I found the topic interesting, it felt like the author didn't quite complete the thought. I did enjoy the snippets about solo female travelers from the past and. the challenges they faced (which, let's face it, all too often aren't all that different to the challenges that solo female travelers today face). It just felt that Wills didn't complete the connection between the historical and her own travels. In some cases it was easy to fill in the blanks myself, but this isn't a MadLibs - I don't want to have to fill in the blanks. The small "tips" bits seem a bit random and honestly, rather specific to the author and her situation. All in all, it's and okay book.

I was excited to start A Trip of One's Own. I did quite a bit of solo travel in my mid-twenties, so I hoped this book would suit my interests. Unfortunately, I got the sense that this book never quite hits its stride. The author's memoir sections focus far more on the end of their relationship than on their solo travel experiences, with jarring transitions to accounts of historical female travelers. This imbalance is especially unfortunate, as the author repeatedly mentions the emotional benefits of travel and how impressive it was to follow in these women's footsteps. Due to the brevity of those sections, the reader does not get to share in the emotional experience.

I also had trouble with the tone of the writing. The breezy attitude and brisk pacing lead to some troubling observations of "cultural differences" that rang insensitive and privileged (think: bemused observations of indigenous customs, and concerns of cleanliness in Asia). Perhaps most concerning was the summary of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which was so brief as to sound glib. I expected more sensitivity, nuance, and awareness from a journalist and seasoned traveler.