Pancakes steals the show (or book, whatever). I will die on that hill.

This is my third read by the incredible Annie Hartnett and she never disappoints. The Road to Tender Hearts is a beautiful story filled with quirky, laugh out loud yet flawed characters and I loved every minute. PJ is a 63 year old lottery winner with a drinking problem when he decides to drive cross country to find the "one who got away." He is just one of a crazy cast of characters that make this story so special! He is divorced from his wife, Ivy, whom he still has an incredibly close relationship and lives next door with his best friend, Fred. He has a daughter, Sophia, with whom he is basically estranged (tragically their oldest daughter passed the night of her Senior prom). PJ thinks going after Michelle will be the answer to all his problems. As if things couldn't get any crazier, he finds out that he is the guardian of his brother's grandchildren. When Ollie and Luna come to live with him, PJ sees a second chance at life and the five of them (PJ, Sophia, Ollie, Luna, of course, Pancakes). Did I mention that along the way they are going to stop at a soap opera convention because Luna believes her biological father is a hot soap star?

This story is both hilarious and heartwarming and thoughtful and heart breaking. I truly loved every single page of zany, crazy, thought provoking story. Hartnett truly drives how the idea that family is who you have around you that are always on your side.

PJ Halliday's life never runs quite to the median. He's had some pretty high highs (winning the lottery). He's had some pretty low lows (his daughter's death, the end of his marriage, and now the custody of his brother's grandchildren). PJ wants nothing more than to set off on the road to see if he can revive an old flame, but he won't get there without his youngest daughter's help and a few hiccups along the way. With a touch of Little Miss Sunshine, this is a sweet, thoughtful story about family and our lives choices. Annie Hartnett has written a touching, never saccharine story that appeals to all sorts of readers.

This is so darn close to being a 5 star read! I just wish PJ hadn't been such a man-child. It worked well for the story but at times it really annoyed me and, while I do believe he grew during the course of the story, he had made it to 63 years old being coddled by everyone around him, including his ex-wife and her current boyfriend! Outside of this single issue, I truly loved this book! While there were a lot of deaths throughout the story, most of them were presented in a humorous fashion leading more to chuckles and nods than sadness. This balanced out the deaths that were actually vital to the plot of the book. I also thought the lead up to the basic storyline of how Luna and Ollie come to live with PJ was excellent! Most story tellers would probably have covered it in about 2 pages, feeling the story was what happened after that, but this author fleshes out everything and offers the reader a full plate! This story fully engaged me and kept me turning the pages the whole time!

‘The Road to Tender Hearts’ by Annie Hartnett is a FIVE STAR READ! All the stars!! Infinity stars.

This book is precious. I loved it so much.
An old man named PJ road trips across the country with his adult daughter, two orphaned children, and a cat (who can predict death) to reunite with his high school flame. He read her husband’s obit in the paper and was like YES, now’s my chance. 🤣 PJ has a new enthusiasm for life since his wife divorced him and is now marrying his best friend. Times have been rough for PJ, but here comes his second chance!

If you liked Hartnett’s other book ‘Unlikely Animals’ or you’re a fan of author Kevin Wilson- you’ll enjoy this read. It’s heartwarming, darkly funny, and yes- there’s inner dialogue of a cat!

Thank you @netgalley for the digital advanced copy and @prhaudio for (amazing!) audiobook! I’m critical of the cover though, not my fav and doesn’t do the book justice. This little cutie will be out on April 29, and it’s sure to be a HIT!

Is this on your radar?

🖤🖤🖤

If you’re looking for a story that beautifully blends heart, humor, and deep emotion, The Road to Tender Hearts by Annie Hartnett is a must-read. This book will stay with you long after you’ve finished it. The characters are wonderfully relatable, and their journey of love, loss, and self-discovery feels so real and heartfelt.

Hartnett’s writing is both engaging and evocative, and she captures the complexities of life in a way that feels both uplifting and grounding. It’s the perfect read for anyone who enjoys stories that balance light and deep moments, with a focus on emotional growth and healing.

If you’re in the mood for a story that will make you laugh, cry, and think long after the last page, The Road to Tender Hearts is definitely worth picking up!

PJ and Pancakes were such lovable and ridiculous characters I was rooting for them the entire story. The journey they find themselves on is full of heart. Did I mention Pancakes is a cat? There are many difficult circumstances that touch them and all the characters in the book, but they are handled lightly and gently. I truly think anyone could pick this up and enjoy it.

This is one of my favorite authors. She writes the zaniest stories that simultaneously make me laugh out loud, break my heart and fall in love with the characters.

This book reminded me of the movie Little Miss Sunshine. Not the same subjects, but the same dysfunctional dynamic with characters who mean the best but do things in very unconventional ways. The vastly misguided characters in this story will grab your heart and reignite your belief in goodness and reinvention. True to form, this story.’s animal, a cat, brings in a bit of magical realism. This is one wacky journey to find lost love, a lost father, and a lost relationship. I loved it!

PJ is a middle-aged and divorced man-child, heavily and emotionally reliant on his ex-wife and her boyfriend Fred. PJ and his family have seen some tragedy in their lives. (Do not let the book cover fool you, and pay very close attention to trigger warnings for this book, because hoo boy is there a *lot* to process.) He's surprised to become a sudden guardian to a young brother-and-sister pair (Ollie and Luna) who have lost their parents under tragic circumstances. Along with PJ's adult daughter Sophie (and Pancakes the cat), the group goes on a cross-country road trip to find PJ's lost love, with some interesting detours along the way.

There's a lot going on here so pay close attention or you'll miss something. I read a lot of romance, which I adore. But the thing is, those stories can be predictable. This story was not predictable in any way, and it was an adventure to follow along with PJ and Pancakes (which, incidentally, would be a great title for a buddy-cop dramedy). The subplot with Pancakes' special talent was an amusing diversion from the darker themes, even though Pancakes' purpose in the story was inherently dark. Overall the book was a little hard for me to get into, there was a grimness to the story that kept popping up in ways that were surprising to me. I struggled to finish but the mood did lighten here and there throughout the book (helped along a great deal by the dry wit used by the author). But despite the pervasive wit, this is a gloomy book wearing a thin veneer of hope and love.

PJ was very hard for me to warm up to, he had a selfish streak that defined almost everything he did and all of his relationships. This was definitely a theme for the book: very few of the characters were 100% lovable which, of course, is realistic. It also kept me on edge as I was reading though, wondering what troubling character trait was going to pop up next in which person. And I guess the over-arching theme here is that no one is happy and we're all damaged and just doing the best we can. And of course that death, like love, is unavoidable.
I was probably not the right audience for this story. But even though I struggled a bit to finish and I found the story to be darker than expected, I'm giving this 4 stars for the quality of the writing, the author's attention to detail, and the increasingly ridiculous storyline with all of its quirks. And, of course, for Pancakes. :) Publishes April 29, 2025. This review was based on a complimentary ARC of the book, all opinions are my own.

The Road to Tender Hearts features a quirky cast of characters, each dealing with trauma, who take a road trip to meet a potential father for one character and a love interest for another.

Hartnett blended the wackiness I expected with darkness but I wish there was a bit more depth at times. I enjoyed the writing and most of the characters.

This review has been posted to Goodreads and Storygraph on April 21st, 2025. Links provided.

The Road to Tender Hearts follows PJ Halliday, a 63-year-old lottery winner whose seemingly fortunate life is overshadowed by personal losses and poor choices. When PJ stumbles upon the obituary of a former romantic rival, he’s reminded of his high school flame, Michelle Cobb—now single. Spurred by this rediscovery, PJ plots a cross-country drive from Massachusetts to Arizona, aiming to reconnect with her. However, just as he prepares to depart, tragedy strikes again: PJ is named guardian of two young children, the grandchildren of his estranged brother, who are left parentless after a sudden and violent incident. Rather than cancel his trip, PJ brings the children along, reasoning that the change of scenery might benefit everyone. He convinces his adult daughter, Sophie, to join as a caretaker, despite their strained relationship. Rounding out the group is Pancakes, a once-therapy cat with an eerie knack for anticipating death.

Hartnett crafts a story that balances sorrow with lightheartedness, never shying away from heavy subjects such as grief, trauma, and addiction. PJ, as a central figure, is both sympathetic and exasperating—an imperfect man grappling with decades of regret and a rapidly deteriorating body. The journey becomes more than just a physical relocation; it evolves into a path toward healing, reconciliation, and unexpected transformation. The novel stands out for its rich character development and unique family dynamics. The children, Luna and Ollie, are not mere plot devices but fully realized personalities coping with their new reality. The touch of magical realism, largely embodied by Pancakes the cat, adds an element of unpredictability and charm to a narrative otherwise rooted in realism. Though the themes are often somber, the pacing and dialogue keep the story dynamic, culminating in a fulfilling conclusion.

Reading The Road to Tender Hearts felt like taking an emotional road trip with a group of misfits I didn’t expect to love so much. I didn’t think I’d root for PJ—a man who’s made a long string of bad decisions and clings to the past like it owes him something. But somehow, Hartnett made me care about his journey, flaws and all. What drew me in the most was how the story refuses to simplify its characters. PJ doesn’t magically redeem himself overnight. He makes mistakes—big ones—and yet there's something undeniably human in his efforts to do better. His relationship with Sophie, his only surviving daughter, was one of the book’s most meaningful aspects for me. Their shared grief, resentment, and tentative steps toward understanding felt raw and real.

I also appreciated how the humor snuck in—not necessarily in a laugh-out-loud way, but in the kind that warms you from the inside, even when the subject matter is anything but warm. Hartnett doesn’t pretend life is easy, but she also doesn’t let it be entirely bleak. Yes, the book is heavy at times, and yes, some trigger warnings should be included. But that complexity is what made it resonate so deeply. It’s a messy, beautiful reminder that second chances can come in strange forms, that love doesn’t always follow a straight path, and that healing often starts in the most unexpected places. For me, The Road to Tender Hearts was a moving, bittersweet adventure filled with unforgettable characters, layered emotion, and just the right amount of weird. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who likes their stories with equal parts grit, heart, and cat fur, but would also suggest checking for content/trigger warnings beforehand if you feel the need to.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and NetGalley for the opportunity to read to an ARC of The Road to Tender Hearts in return for my honest review.

What a crazy read. It was incredibly unique with so many interesting POVs. It had a dash of magical realism weaving through all the traumatic characters. It felt like I was reading a Wes Anderson film. There was a moment I almost stopped reading at the beginning. If you end up feeling like that, too, just keep going. This is a dark comedy, so you have to release some bias a few times to truly enjoy the journey. The characters are really flawed, and the situations are also random, but all in all, it's such a unique read that it's enjoyable. I like its short chapters.

The cat was my favorite.

Thank you, Netgalley and Ballentine, for this ARC.

The Road to Tender Hearts by Annie Hartnett--This novel releases 4/29. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy. This is a quirky novel about PJ, an alcoholic middle-aged guy who has acquired his estranged brother's two orphaned grandchildren. They take a weird road trip across the country along with PJ's adult daughter and a cat named Pancakes who predicts death. This book started off rough for me because PJ is pretty annoying, though for some understandable reasons. But by the end all of the characters had won me over and the ending was satisfying. There are heavy topics dealt with among the dark humor that happens on the road trip.

Well damn!.....

To start thank you NetGalley and Random House for this ARC. The Road to Tender Hearts was one of those reads that start with a bang and ends with a bang. The characters were written so beautifully and well rounded that you couldn't help but fall in love with them. Safe to say this was an ending that I was not expecting and I was moved to tears because it was simply just that PERFECT!

PJ Halliday sets off with his band of misfits to reunite with the one that got away and along the way adventure, lesson's, and love grows. You become so attached to the character that you can't help the need to protect them all because you've grown to love them as if they were your own keen.

The Road to Tender Hearts was a beautiful work of literature expanding on family relationships, dynamics, and growth from the lowest possible places. Teaching us all that there's always time and chances to fix things when the love is real.

This also created conflicting thoughts on pancakes and cats as a lover of both, I need a break from them now lol.

Please pick this up and love it as much I did!

This is a quirky, funny, grief stricken book about PJ Halliday a sixty something year old man who seems to have lost everything, but encounters a series of events that take him on the road trip of his life. It has a cast of unlikely characters including his adult daughter, two children, and a cat named Pancakes who predicts deaths. All of the characters have endured devastating losses, but Hartnett weaves the power of healing and found family through the stories these characters tell. I loved the characters and the laugh out loud moments. Some parts were a little too quirky for me, but overall I would recommend this book. I think it would make a great summer read.

A complementary copy was provider by Ballantine Books and Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.All opinions are my own.

This was an unusual book. Definitely a dysfunctional family, one wrought with tragedy after tragedy. There’s also a prescient cat whose thoughts the reader hears, and a hat that talks to PJ. You see what I mean by unusual?

The family also loves each other, although they hide it down deep. The road in the title refers to a road trip taken by PJ, his surviving daughter Sophie and two children that PJ was appointed as guardian to after their parents died (tragically of course). Once they finally reach the destination, there’s more surprises waiting for them, but the most surprising is the bonds that grew along the trip.

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book, but my opinions are my own.

This was such a sweet story about a man who is left 2 kids in the will of his niece (who he has never met because he was estranged from his brother). After being left with the kids, PJ goes on a roadtrip to meet back up with the one that got away.

This story is heartwarming, has found family, humor, precocious and lovable kids, and a lot of places to look at your own life. I loved this quirky story and would recommend to any reader who loved The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife and The Guncle.

This was a super quirky and fun book. It took me a bit to get into the story, but I was hooked once the road trip starts about a third of the way in. It definitely borders on cheesy at points, but I think it worked for the story.

* I received an e-ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is a lovely, heartfelt, cosy, adorable and funny story about family, love and relationships, with a slight dose of dark topics, such as death and grief.
It's also a road-trip kind of novel, so it might please readers who are into road trips.
The main character can be easily relatable, regardless of the reader's age, and all characters read very realistic.
Personally, I prefer this author's previous novel, Unlikely Animals, but this one can definitely be recommended to anyone who has read that book and enjoyed it. Also, if you enjoy reading older main characters with daily real life issues.

Thank you, NetGalley and Ballantine Books, for providing me with a free eARC of this novel in exchange for my own opinion.

4-4.5 stars
PJ, an alcoholic senior citizen, unexpectedly becomes the guardian of two orphaned children and a cat and sets off with them (and his remaining daughter) on a cross-country roadtrip. I love this kind of book: quirky, mismatched characters building relationships as they face challenges on the road. The only thing I didn't like here was that the main character, PJ, seemed to have the mental and emotional level of a ten-year-old.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for a free e-ARC of this book.

Annie Hartnett, author of one of my favorite books, Unlikely Animals, is back with another heartfelt quirky story. PJ Halliday is planning a road trip to reconnect with the one who got away with two orphans, his daughter, and a cat named pancakes. It’s a book about second chances and found family and grief and a cat and so much more!

As with Hartnett’s other books, it is hard to bucket this book with any one theme. Her voice is truly unique and may not be for everyone, but I’d like to convince everyone to give her a try! As with any good road trip book, it is truly about the journey, both physically and emotionally. Hartnett has created well developed and truly lovable and flawed characters that each go on their own journey. I loved the tiny twists of prose and plot that popped from the book and made me laugh out loud. This book has both humor and heart with a touch of magical realism. It is a binge worthy book that I planned my schedule to read so I could binge it, and I was not disappointed!