Follow The Sun by Liz Locke dives into the opulence of the 1960s International Jet Set Era with depth and heart.

There was so much to love:
-how Caroline processes and grieves the death of her father
-art in a variety of different forms
-extravagant settings
-Caroline's coming of age character arc
-a journalistic side of the Vietnam War from America
-how Caroline overcame family expectations
-a pleasant and unexpected ending

If you're wanting another look into the 1960s after reading books like Daisy Jones & The Six and/or The Women, this is one to pick up! Just be prepared that you'll want to dive into a pool, or sit poolside sipping a cocktail!

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for the complimentary copy to read and review.

Follow the Sun by Liz Locke

Jet-setters in the 1960's. Sitting by beaches, sipping on drinks with umbrellas, and attending lavish parties. This was the life of Caroline Kimball, where her only 'job' was to travel to the next destination, go on adventures, and eventually find herself a husband.
Caroline, however, had other aspirations, one of which was writing poetry/songs and singing. Her father, a famous artist always encouraged Caroline to follow her passions passes away and leaves Caroline with her mother, a famous clothing designer.
During one vacation Caroline meets Jack Fairchild, a photographer of the rich and famous. They instantly form a connection and stay in touch through letters. He helps Caroline see that there's so much more to the world and encourages her to follow her dreams.
I enjoyed how each chapter opens with a letter that Caroline writes to her father. It shows there was a strong connection between them and after he was gone, Caroline felt lost as she never had a strong connection with her mother.
This story touches upon a young woman's dream, a glimpse into high society and its privilege. The descriptions of vacation spots made me dream of hot sandy beaches and tropical drinks.
It was an enticing read, one I would recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I loved all the characters in this book. The vibe was great, the soundtrack was amazing. For rants of Taylor Jenkins Reid, this is a great read!

I was engrossed in this story from the beginning. The love story was such a treat, and the way it moved through Caroline through different life experiences.

It felt unfinished in many ways. There were so many characters brought into it who were later left with no closure. And I do wish the main character had grown more during the book.

An ARC was provided by NetGalley and Random House Canada in exchange for an honest review.

Follow the Sun takes place in the 1960s, revolving around Caroline Kimball, a young aspiring musician and socialite trying to navigate her way through life after her famous artist father's passing.

While vacationing in Acapulco, she meets Jack Fairchild, a photographer she affectionately calls Tex. Caroline's travels and adventures lead her to contemplate her relationship with Tex, and they keep in touch through letters. They reunite in Switzerland and embark on a journey to Formentera, where Caroline uncovers painful family secrets that prompt her to reevaluate her life choices.

This type of storyline, with a privileged woman jet-setting around the world, just doesn't quite do it for me. I think it's a fun light-hearted romance for people who enjoy beachy reads.

hank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random house for the advance for your copy of this book.
The details on the destinations in the book were stellar, and made me feel happy and free, like I was on vacation the entire time!
I highly recommend this one for a great read , especially when on vacation!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! The characters were likeable, big hearted, and curious people. I particularly enjoyed the element of self-discovery Caroline experienced as the novel went on. The travel across the world to beautiful locations made it fun to read about their adventures and imagine such beautiful places. It reminded me very much of Chanel Cleeton style of writing - if you’re a fan of hers, you will love Liz Locke!

Without giving spoilers I will say, I felt proud of the main character by the end of this book. Proud of someone who found her way in a world that wanted otherwise for women in that time.

Set in the 1960s, Follow the Sun is a story about Caroline Kimball, an aspiring musician and jet-setting socialite, in her 20s, who is trying to find her place in the world. Caroline’s father, a famous artist, has passed away, and her mother is a fashion designer. ⁣
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While vacationing in Acapulco, Caroline meets Jack Fairchild, a photographer who she nicknames Tex. As Caroline continues on her travels, she finds herself thinking of Tex and the comments he made there often. The two keep in touch by mail, meet up again in Switzerland, and eventually travel together to Formentera, where Caroline learns some painful family secrets. She must consider her current lifestyle, her expected future, and her dreams as she decides the best path forward for her life. ⁣
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Even with her losses, family secrets and societal expectations, Caroline was definitely a privileged woman. For the most part, I enjoyed her character and I definitely liked Tex, who offered a fresh perspective for Caroline and as the reader. Follow the Sun is both historical fiction and romance. I liked the jet-setting aspect and new destinations throughout the story, along with the theme of finding yourself.

A fluffy and nostalgic summer romance awash in the excess of the 60s-era jet set. I was especially mesmerized by the variety in setting as the characters hop from country to country.

3.75/5 stars

From start to finish this book was 100% reminiscent of Emily in Paris, and I’m not mad at it.

Lea is hospitality consultant who specializes in French Hotel Properties. She is hired by a family to help turn their estate home into a luxurious hotel in the French wine countryside.

Everything is running smoothly and the hotel is on track to open. But what she doesn’t expect is to fall in love with her bosses much younger son.

I was sucked into the story from the very beginning. Although filled with the typical French clichés, much like Emily in Paris, I couldn’t stop reading.

Poor little rich girl. I felt no sympathy for the main characters. I thought they were not particularly interesting and saw no commonality with any of them.

I want to thank NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for an Advance Readers Copy of Follow The Sun by Liz Locke, in exchange for an honest review.

I listened to Follow The Sun on Audible and followed along on my kindle - first time I’ve ever done this.

Follow the Sun is descriptively written about jet setting in the 60s, and the places the main character, Caroline visited sounded amazing.

Follow the Sun was beautifully written, and the love story between our main character and an unlikely bachelor held my interest.

Caroline must make the difficult decision between keeping her mother happy and making wise decision to keep her future self happy.

This novel was elegantly written with vivid descriptions and an interesting view into the jet-setting lifestyle of elite society in the 60s. I loved how the book was separated by location, and how immersive the writing was. I also really enjoyed the message of the story: stay true to your passions regardless of status or what other people think of them. Even a month and a half after finishing reading, I still think about it.

I absolutely loved this book!! I couldn’t put it down.
I just loved all the characters. I highly recommend this book.

Follow the Sun is a perfect vacation read. Following wealthy Caroline during the jetset era of the late 60's, we get to visit so many luxurious places across the world. Full of references to people, films, fashion designers, and places that were popular during the time, make it feel like you are really there with her. Growing up without a care in the world and all the money one could ever want, Caroline is repeatedly told by family and friends that pursuing a song writing/singing career is a waste of time when all she really needs is husband with a good name. When she meets Tex that all changes, because he believes in her and thinks she should follow her dreams. Caroline must then make the difficult decision between making herself happy or her mother, living the life she wants vs. the one she has, and ultimately whether she's willing to give up everything she has known to follow her dreams.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for this ARC!

This was such a great summer beach read! Learning more about the 60s and following the story of Caroline was so enjoyable.

I recommend you pick up this book, 4 stars!

I appreciate it when historical fiction is about something other than world war two and I suspect that many other readers feel the same way. Follow the Sun takes place in the middle of the 1960's the Beatles have made it to America and Counter Culture is just starting to happen. Unrest about the war in Vietnam is happening and yet there is still some people who jet set around the world following the sun all year round. This book had strong Daisy Jones and the Six vibes, I wish that more of the story had been dedicated to Caroline's music and her time in LA. I think a lot of story could have been told for many of the characters with the setting there instead of in Spain, Switzerland and Mexico. It was interesting, I just wish that there had been more it.

Follow the Sun is the story of a young socialite woman in the 60s, her luxurious lifestyle, and a dream that appears impossible to achieve: to become a singer-songwriter - one that would not only make her late father proud, but also make her stern, disapproving mother proud as well.

This book was a bit disappointing, in that there was little buildup to the story and was quite slow-paced. There are heavy descriptions of party scenes, while the theme of music felt like more of an afterthought and could have been better developed. It took a while for me to personally feel that there was a chemistry between the female and male love interests, and even then, struggled to relate to the characters. This was a good story that gave me serious wanderlust, yet it lacked a depth that would truly make it a memorable book.

Read if you like:
🌎 Travel
❤ Romance
🎶 Music
👨‍👩‍👧 Family drama
💰 Riches and fame

⚠️ Potential trigger warnings: death of a loved one, sexual harassment, performance anxiety (may not be an exhaustive list)

🙏 Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for the gifted electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book. I enjoyed the characters, setting and storyline. I would recommend this to my friends.

This book was interesting in the setting of the 1960's jet set lifestyle of the rich and famous. There was a fair bit of name dropping of various celebrities and events from that era. It was interesting to learn about how these people lived. Overall it was a decent, light book but I wasn't really highly invested in the characters and what happened to them. Overall it was good but not great.