Annie Hartnett delivers another charming and emotionally resonant novel with The Road to Tender Hearts. I loved the quirky, unforgettable characters and the way Hartnett balances heartfelt storytelling with just the right amount of humor and edge—never tipping into saccharine territory. The road trip plot gave the story a fun, propulsive energy, and the relationships that unfolded along the way felt both surprising and sincere. Also, the cat absolutely stole my heart. Hartnett has such a gift for writing with tenderness and warmth while keeping things grounded in emotional truth. A lovely, layered read.

The Road to Tender Hearts is a story about PJ Halliday, a 60-year old lottery winner, who comes up with a plan to journey across the country to woo his recently-widowed high school girlfriend, who had married his best friend many, many years prior. Before he could set out, however, he finds himself the legal guardian of his niece and nephew, neither of whom he knew existed until now. His daughter becomes an unwilling accomplice in his antics, and the four begin an unforgettable and unique adventure to the Tender Hearts Retirement Community.
I was hooked by page one, because what gets you invested more than a death-attuned cat? Chapter one does an exemplary job of setting the tone for the rest of the book: it's blunt, bleak, but still manages to find humor in the darkness of the world. However, it did, at times, feel excessively angsty, rushed, and I did not feel there was much depth in the characters' relationships with one another. The characters, themselves, were more-or-less one-note. It's true they are able to overcome their differences and come together in the end, but besides PJ, who was still only just starting to make progress in his personal journey in the last quarter of the book, I can't say with much confidence that any one character was much different from how they were at the start, nor do I think they were all that likable. I also found Annie Hartnett's prose to be very direct; it does not leave much to the imagination as it tells you exactly who this cast is and what they're thinking, almost as if you are being guided to feel a certain way about them.
Despite my critiques, I did find the story to be incredibly captivating. It consistently had me at the edge of my seat, wanting to know the fates of the two kids and their borderline-crazy great uncle. I would most certainly read this book again, and I do highly recommend it. 100% worth the read.

Please make this into a movie!

The Road to Tender Hearts is like a cozy, warm hug. This was my first by Annie Hartnett, but I loved her whimsical style of writing. The book will grab your heartstrings and pull hard. The protagonist, PJ, is an antihero you will root for. He takes in two orphaned children and takes them on a road trip across America along with his newly acquired cat, Pancakes. I blew through this novel in two days. I couldn't stop reading about this unconventional family. The story deals with death in a quirky, sweet, and tragic manner. I highly recommend this to people who enjoy quirky novels like The Borrowed Life of Fredrick Fife. 5/5 Stars! Don't overlook this one!

This booooook!!! Annie Hartnett, I was not familiar with your game. I devoured this book over the weekend, it was funny and sad and comforting and riveting all at once. I've never read such a lighthearted book that has such sad, dark elements mixed in. Hartnett balances those with expertise - this novel just has everything you would want in an emotional, page-turning literary fiction book.

With a cast of characters that starts with Pancakes, a cat who can predict death, we are introduced to the extended family of PJ Halliday and everyone's tragic (like, seriously tragic, many trigger warnings) backstory. PJ is a divorced alcoholic who decides he needs to drive from MA to AZ to woo his long lost love after he learns her husband, and his old friend, is dead. There are tons of unexpected hiccups along the way, including the road trip additions of two precocious children that PJ is all of a sudden the caregiver for, and his grown daughter who has a strained relationship with him. I really don't want to give away much more than that since the journey is so fun and shocking and lovely.

Everyone needs to read this now, you won't be disappointed!

Annie Hartnett does it again! She made me laugh and cry, and she knew exactly how to pull at every heartstring. She told a story full of sad and heavy pieces, yet she somehow left me feeling uplifted and hopeful. This (mixed with her ability to fill a story with quirky and memorable characters) is why she's one of my favorite storytellers.

The story follows down-on-his-luck PJ on a road trip, as PJ heads from Massachusetts to Arizona in hopes of a second chance with his high school crush, Michelle Cobb. PJ is joined on his journey by Pancakes (a cat who can predict death), Sophie (PJ’s adult daughter who is stuck in life and doesn't have the best relationship with her dad), and Luna and Ollie (two newly orphaned children, who are no strangers to grief or trauma). The story is ultimately about a beautiful healing journey, despite the bumps along the road.

The initial set up is heavy, as each character experiences various traumas and losses, but trust in Hartnett to balance out the heavy with heart and humor. Regardless of the darker plot points, the story manages to be uplifting.

I fell hard for these characters (and the cat). The characters are flawed, yet endearing, and they will steal (and expand) your heart. Even the briefest of side characters are fully developed (and interesting), and the backstories for each character are flushed out and layered. In giving us these complex characters, Hartnett demonstrates that the difference between empathy and judgment is a story.

I love how unique and fun Hartnett’s stories are, and I also love her subtle, yet impactful, insights and reflections (on grief, resilience, family, storytelling, and more). And the cat! The way she utilized Pancakes, the cat, was so clever and entertaining. Though the ending was not without some tears, it all came together perfectly. I cannot gush about this book enough. I simply adored this story, and it will stay with me.

Rating:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Genre: Literary Fiction

Themes/Tropes/Topics: Grief/loss, road trip, found family/family, parenthood, safety, empathy, morality, second chance, flawed characters, healing/growth, trauma, stories/storytelling, cat, loneliness, paternity/father, orphans, death

Moods: Heartwarming, Funny/LOL, Emotional, Sad, Tissues, Quirky, Uplifting, Touching

Format: 🎧&📱 (tandem read). I pre-ordered the audio book, and I received an ARC from Net Galley. (Thank you, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine!). I also borrowed the ebook from Libby to read the Acknowledgment section (which was partly an author's note and which was not in the audiobook or the ARC).

For: Readers who appreciate books full of heart and humor and quirky, flawed characters and books that expand empathy, and readers who loved Unlikely Animals by Annie Hartnett or who enjoy books by Kevin Wilson & Rufi Thorpe.

Not for: Readers who can't do flawed characters (because they find humans who make bad choices unlikeable and unredeemable), don't enjoy a quirky/unique story, or would have an issue with suspending belief about a cat being able to predict death. Also, while I find Hartnett to be good for sensitive readers (because she makes darker content more accessible with humor and because her stories have "all the feels"), if you have specific triggers for things you will not read about, check the content warnings.

I just absolutely love Annie Hartnett books and this might be my favorite so far. The characters are so real even though some elements of her stories are very fantastical it blends together perfectly. I loved the twists and turns even though it wasn't really a suspense novel. I loved Pancakes. There wasnt anything in this story that I didn't love. It's my top book of the year so far.

I have loved every book I've read by Annie Hartnett so I eagerly requested The Road to Tender Hearts and it was another success. I do love a road trip novel and this is a darkly funny trip from Pondville, MA to the retirement community called Tender Hearts in Arizona. The novel is full of quirky characters who have gone through some deep trauma. PJ Halliday, a lottery-winning alcoholic, "inherits" his grand-niece and grand-nephew and takes them on an unforgettable road trip to meet up with PJ's childhood sweetheart. There is also an unforgettable orange tabby who can predict death. Hartnett has a way of writing dark scenes and infusing them with laugh-out-loud humor. The characters are unforgettable and lovable and this will be one of my favorite books of the year. The audiobook is excellent as well.

As in all Annie Hartnett books, The Road to Tender Hearts is chock full of quirky, flawed, yet lovable characters in an offbeat, funny, and ultimately heartwarming story. In this one, grieving alcoholic PJ travels across the country with his adult daughter, two orphans, and Pancakes, a very special cat who can predict death, to surprise his high school crush.

As a general rule, I hate road trip/quest books. I gave this one a shot because I trust Annie Hartnett — and I wasn’t disappointed. I fell in love with these messy characters and I was happy to follow them from destination to destination, laughing and cringing the whole way.

This book won’t be for everyone. There’s a lot of darkness and trauma here (a LOT), and a lot of bad decisions. But for lovers of dark comedy who can suspend disbelief, this will be likely be a hit.

This is easily one of my favorite books of the year so far. Big thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine books for the review copy.

This was a fun read! I enjoyed the grumpy old man character, who we see soften over time for his brother’s grandkids. I loved the family drama, and you really saw the relationships grow over time in a positive way. Overall a light summer read.

If you’re a fan of Kevin Wilson or Little Miss Sunshine.. I think you’ll like this.

Annie Hartnett's latest novel was such a beautiful story - well-paced and the characters were quirky but felt real. I loved Pancakes the cat.

I absolutely loved this book. It's a bit hard to describe - I can't say that I really loved any one of the characters, but they all came together in a unique and ultimately heartwarming way. But this wasn't really that kind of story - it was dark for large parts. Full of people doing bad things. But then the cat would come along and inject a bit of humor and the story would take a different turn, or one of the characters would do something sweet and you'd change your mind about them a little bit. It was just an all-around good read.

I'd describe this as a weird and wonderful book that I'd highly recommend. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this.

I thoroughly enjoyed this read. It was laugh-out-loud funny, sad, warm, and charming. Hartnett introduced me to some of my new favorite characters, including the clairvoyant cat, Pancake, who I want in every book going forward.

PJ Halliday is an alcoholic ex-mailman living in the small town of Pondsville. Recently divorced, he is still coddled by his kind ex-wife and her new fiancee. He enjoys quite a bit of freedom due to a lucky lottery win, so when his high school girlfriend’s husband passes away he decides to drive across the country to surprise her. His plan is complicated by the tragic death of his estranged niece, leaving him with sole custody of two children that he has never met. When his adult daughter Sophie finds out about his harebrained plan she joins on the road trip (along with a stray cat named Pancakes). Hijinks and tender moments ensue.

When I heard that this one involved a cat and magical realism I was turned off, but then I read jenniferreads’ glowing review and decided to give it a try. I am so glad I didn’t let my preconceived notions get in the way of reading this amazing book! It is the perfect blend of funny, moving, and heartwarming and can best be compared to Kevin Wilson’s Nothing To See Here. The characters in this novel perfectly walk the line of being sweet and funny without being mawkish, and are complex enough that I cared deeply about their progress. There is quite a bit of tragedy in this novel, but it is balanced with hope and connection. I anticipate this being on my top 10 list for the year and I look forward to reading Hartnett’s backlist.

Read this if: you are a fan of Kevin Wilson or Laurie Frankel and/or you enjoy reading about flawed characters that you can root for.

Skip this if: you are in the mood for a plot-based genre book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the electronic advanced readers copy!

QOTD: Have you discovered any new-to-you authors lately?

I was hooked from the beginning!!
It was amazing and engaging.
I was instantly sucked in by the atmosphere and writing style.
The characters were all very well developed .
The writing is exceptional and I was hooked after the first sentence.

This book was an absolute delight and I loved every second of it! I also have no idea how to write the review - too often the case for books I love most. PJ Halliday decides he’s going to drive across the country to reunite with his high school love.

There’s a lot going on with the plot and you can find more in the synopsis - but what really made this book so amazing for me was the way it was written and falling in love with these characters. I kept being amazed because there are things that normally don’t work for me in books that I absolutely loved in this one. I’m so excited to read Hartnett’s other books!

I also have to suggest reading this one on audio. The narration by Mark Bramhall was excellent and really added to the experience. All the stars!!! Thank you Random House for the gifted book.

I cannot get enough of Annie Hartnett’s voice. This book is so delightful, sweet without being saccharine, and hilariously funny. This is a book about finding yourself and finding a family.
I loved every character in this book. Even though the plot got a bit outlandish, the characters seemed so real that they really grounded the story.
If you love books about road trips, found family, adorable kids who do outlandish things and a very smart cat definitely check out this book.
Thank you to Netgalley and Ballantine Books for an advanced copy of this book.

4.5 ⭐️ (rounding up)

If you want a heartwarming and yet darkly comedic novel about a 60+ year old man driving across the country with his adult daughter, two kids, and a cat named Pancake, this is the book for you. Annie Hartnett developed these characters so well, showing their humanity and brokenness, while injecting humor and silly circumstances to keep this road trip moving quickly. If you want a bit of magical realism in the form of a cat that can predict death, Pancake can offer you that as well. 😂

This is not a story about a cat but this sweet bringer of death is a good way of reminding the reader about the horrible things that happen to people in life but why life is still worth living and what good can come from a life well-lived, even if the good comes from a second chance.

Thank you NetGalley and Ballantine Books for an ARC of this book.

This is truly a crazy book, and I loved it so much. PJ is a 63-year-old divorced man who was ruined forever by his 18-year-old daughter's tragic death and spent most of the next two decades immersed in alcoholism. He goes to his ex-wife's house every morning to have breakfast with her and her husband, and he won $1.5 million in the lottery a couple years ago, so he doesn't worry about much. Then, abruptly, he is charged with caring for his estranged brother's grandkids, who have lost both their parents in quick succession. PJ decides to drive the kids, along with his adult daughter who he has a complicated relationship with, to Tuscon so he can woo his high school sweetheart whose husband just died (crazy lmao). And of course, chaos ensues.

This book was not at all what I expected but so much better than I could have predicted. There's a lot of death in this book, which I wasn't exactly prepared for - the book basically starts and ends with death, and there's a lot of it along the way. But don't let that deter you at all from reading this. Despite the ostensibly heavy subject matter, this is an incredibly heartwarming, funny, and hopeful book. I was touched by so many parts of it: the beautiful depiction of how romantic relationships can end but people can still remain in each other's lives in a different form, the exploration of how grief warps your life forever and affects every aspect of your world, the impenetrable bond between siblings who have been through the worst things imaginable, the quest to be a better parent after failing at it so completely, how death is everywhere and is not always scary, etc.

This is also just a very witty book, and I was cracking up for so much of it. The dynamic of a guy trying to stop drinking and abruptly take charge of kids, a kid who is earnest and sweet, a kid who is a firecracker and suspicious of everything, and a goth adult daughter is endlessly entertaining, and Hartnett's vignettes of their road trip feel so visceral and fun. The side characters feel fleshed out, and I cared so much about all the characters. Overall, this was a delightful read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for an advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review!

The Road to Tender Hearts by Annie Hartnett is like nothing I’ve ever read before (this is my first Hartnett novel).

She manages to make a book dark and light, devastating and delightful, traumatic and hilarious, and sad but uplifting. And on top of all of that, there is a cat named Pancakes.

PJ, aged 63, is a lottery winner, but beyond that, he is not lucky at all. He’s massively struggling years after his teenage daughter’s death. He’s become a hoarder and an alcoholic, and his ex-wife and his new fiance keep a close watch on him, giving him breakfast and the daily newspaper each morning—complete with all the saddest stories cut out.

That’s why he hasn’t heard that his estranged brother’s family has experienced a huge trauma, leaving behind two children—whom PJ is suddenly responsible for, despite being unable to care for himself.

This story follows PJ, his surviving daughter, the two kids and Pancakes as they road trip across the country to achieve two audacious and perhaps very impractical goals.

I laughed and got teary-eyed, but I think the constantly shifting tones kept me from emotionally connecting as deeply as I do with my very favorites. Still, I really enjoyed this one and highly recommend it!

4.25 ⭐️

A road trip with a 63 year old alcoholic, two orphans, an estranged daughter, and a death predicting cat. What could go wrong?

Despite winning the literal lottery, PJ Halliday has had a rough go at life. His daughter died as a teenager, his wife left him, he spends every day in the local bar, his remaining daughter won’t have a relationship with him. When he unexpectedly is named as guardian for two children, he’s given a second chance at life.

While everything begins with unfortunate circumstances, this book somehow remains so much fun. You can’t help but cheer for PJ and the kids. Imagine if Frederick Fife (The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife - Anna Johnston) and Eddie Winston (Eddie Winston is Looking for Love - Marianne Cronin) drank too much and dropped a few F bombs - that is PJ and I love him.