The Itinerary

So excited for this exciting wanderlust travel adventure. I’m so excited it is a READNOW option. As someone who recently lost my father this definitely hit home. I cannot wait to go on this adventure with our main as well as meet her charming stranger that helps her along the way.

Thanks to NetGalley and Books Go Social for the opportunity to read The Itinerary by Penny Pentley a fun, light read for those who suffer from wanderlust.

I grabbed this book from NetGalley on kind of a whim, and I’m sure glad I did! This sweet little book hooked me from the start with a good reminder to always pack a few outfits in your carry-on 🥲

Initially, the premise reminded me of One Italian Summer by Rebecca Serle- the story of a young woman going on a euro trip that was supposed to be with her mother, who has died. Other than that though, they’re very different stories. This one was very realistic in terms of what happens when you travel- e.g., if you leave your bag open, someone can reach in. If you make a plan, it’ll probably have to change at some point. Your feet will hurt. But also you’ll make friends fast, learn a ton, see beautiful stuff, eat incredible food, and you’ll bond with random people who help you even from across linguistic barriers.

Hard relate to the main character in so many ways. The bits about grief and anxiety, and the conversations with her sister, it all felt very real. And I was happy to see her make friends and meet a cool guy, but I honestly could’ve just kept reading about her wandering around Rome and every other city, eating pasta and thinking about her mom. Also, “I’m calling the policios” was an excellent line.

The book has cute, tiny twist that I thought was pretty guessable— but I suppose I shouldn’t expect the protagonist to know she’s in a novel.

What as lovely book. As someone who loves to travel, I really enjoyed the travel and exploration element of this story, particularly as I have visited a lot of the places which feature in the book so I could really imagine myself wandering through the streets of Rome and Paris with a sense of nostalgia!
The storyline itself is well written and very romantic without explicit details. I really enjoyed finding out the true identity of the FMC’s love interest, and I was guessing throughout why she kept bumping into him!
The grief element of the story was dealt with sensitively and did not overpower the storyline, but felt subtle yet still, of course, very important to the plot and story.
I would absolutely recommend this book to readers who love romance, meet-cute and travelling! It is a brilliant combination of them all.
Thank you to Penny Pentley for the ARC of this book,

The Itinerary by Penny Pentley is exactly what I needed to fuel my wanderlust, while also processing the complex grief that comes with a significant loss.

Lisa was excited to take a trip around Europe with her Mom, something that they planned as a way to move forward following her father's death. But when her Mom dies suddenly, Lisa finds a way to honour the planned itinerary while at the same time working through waves of despair. As an American in Europe for the first time, Lisa finds herself alone and struggling to meet the challenges of the itinerary, but a cute and compassionate stranger will make things a little more bearable, particularly as he keeps showing up in different cities. Stalking or serendipity?

I love a travel-themed narrative, and found so much of this story to be both familiar and relatable. So happy to have stumbled across this charming little gem of a read. 4.5 stars

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for an ARC.

This was such a short and lovely book

The book focuses on love and grief but the grief themes are not overpowering and just sprinkled in.

As someone who has been to Rome and Paris, it felt like I was walking the streets of these incredible cities again.

The love story was very sweet and kept me guessing on how she kept bumping into this man.

Lovely, wholesome read and would recommend.

A short sweet story about a girl going on a trip and finding her own purpose in life. Empowering, heartwrenching and very simple yet, beautiful. The author has wonderfully portrayed themes self-doubts, love, dilemma, and grief. Absolutely recommend.

I really enjoyed this rom com book based around a trip across Europe. Great characters and lovely descriptions of beautiful cities. A feel good summer read.

Following Lisa's travels was like flipping through my own photo album, reminiscing about all the places I've been!
And can we talk about Lisa's love story? So sweet! I was cheering her on the whole way through. But seriously, how does she manage to nap so much? 😴😂
Overall, if you're in need of some wanderlust and a dash of romance, "The Itinerary" is your ticket to adventure! 🎟️✈️

I love to travel, and I even love to live vicariously through my friends’ trips between my own trips. This cute book appealed to me for that reason right off the bat. Lisa is on her own in Europe, and it was fun to read her descriptions of the different places she was, the food she ate, and the people she saw. I looked forward to each new location she visited and to reading the details of each place. Add to that the romantic twist, and this book was a delightful read. I do wish it was a bit longer simply because I was enjoying it so much. At times, it did run the risk of being a bit depressing given what Lisa was dealing with, and I do wish that was not quite so prevalent. I understand why it was, but I would rather have had more development in the relationship at hand and a bit less maudlin behavior.. All in all, this was a fun story which I enjoyed reading; it was light and fun. I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

After Lisa’s father passed away, she and her mother plan a trip to Europe using her Bob Adam’s Adventure Guide to create the perfect itinerary. Before Lisa can set out on this adventure, her mother unexpectedly passes away. Lisa is left going on this trip solo with the intention to honor her mother’s itinerary.

During her travels, Lisa experiences fun filled sights, people, and steps out of her comfort zone. The story provides you with an opportunity to vicariously sight see (or stir up nostalgia) as she goes to typical tourist locations in each city. Lisa’s grief over the significant losses is woven into the storyline when she meets another traveler. There were times during the story, I wished there was more development with the characters to create a deeper connection to the trip, her grief, and her potential love interest…or stalker?

Overall, this is a sweet, entertaining, meet cute that will want you to plan your next vacation.

The pace of this story mirrored the fast and fun travel itinerary followed by our lead characters so well. I savored the highs and lows of traveling unaccompanied after the loss of loved ones, and the excitement and nervous energy of finding new friends and love while abroad. I would happily read this again and will definitely recommend to others.

This book was an adorable romance across Europe. The main character is taking a trip after her parents die. She meets a guy and they end up experiencing the cities together.

The romance is very wholesome and pg-13 through the whole book. I really enjoyed reading about the things she did throughout every city she went to. I wish I would have kept this book for my Europe honeymoon coming up. This would be a fun read when you are traveling.

I really enjoyed this!
As someone whose lost my mom I would 100% do what Lisa did and go on a solo trip my mom dreamed if.

Lisa and Rocky are adorable. My only complaint was I wanted MORE!

Thanks for the ARC!

4.25 ⭐

[NetGalley Read #2]

Really liked this.

• Positives:
Main characters (Lisa and Rocky) are well-written. They have great chemistry and are relatable and funny.

Europe as the setting is a great choice. All the descriptions of museums, paintings, architecture and food are quite nice. Also the whole mystery element is resolved quite well.

Lisa's relationship with her mother is written very well and the ending is sweet.

• Negatives:
Can't think of many.

It's a sweet little story with good dialogue, great characters and a beautiful setting. Worth a read. 👍

“The Itinerary” by Penny Pentley is a poignant and captivating read that took me on an unexpected emotional journey. The story follows Lisa, who, after the loss of her parents, embarks on a European adventure they had planned together. With only her mother’s itinerary and a copy of Bob Adams’ Adventures as her guide, Lisa’s trip becomes a heartfelt exploration of grief, healing, and self-discovery.

Pentley’s narrative is beautifully crafted, with each city’s description so vivid and enchanting that I felt transported across Europe myself. The serendipitous encounters with a mysterious stranger add a layer of intrigue and romance that kept me turning the pages eagerly.

What resonated with me the most was the authenticity of Lisa’s experiences—the setbacks and surprises of travel, the bittersweet moments of reflection, and the joy of new friendships. It’s a story that reminds us that sometimes the best way to honor the past is to embrace the present.

In essence, “The Itinerary” is more than just a travelogue or a romance; it’s a journey of the soul. It’s a book that I found both comforting in its familiarity and inspiring in its message to live fully. For anyone who has experienced loss or is seeking a story that combines wanderlust with a deep emotional core, I highly recommend this touching novel

This was a nice, shorter read. The storyline keeps moving. The author does a nice job with visual storytelling; it was easy to picture scenes that Lisa is observing during her travels.

I don’t know that I’d exactly call it a trigger warning, but if you’ve lost a parent, especially recently, this book will definitely make you cry as you experience Lisa’s fresh journey in grief.

𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘎𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘉𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘴𝘎𝘰𝘚𝘰𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭/𝘍𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘊𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘗𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘭𝘦𝘨𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘈𝘙𝘊 𝘪𝘯 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘮𝘺 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸.

I loved this sweet romance. After the passing of Lisa's father, her mother plans a big European vacation for the two of them, but unfortunately her mother passes away before the trip. However, Lisa promised her mom she'd still go on the trip. While navigating new countries and the grief of the loss of her parents, Lisa finds bright spots in the landscapes and the unexpected companionship of a charming stranger of the male persuasion, with whom she has nice, instant chemistry. Thus ensues the vacation fling, but then what? This book was so cute, but then also sad in parts where Lisa's grief was very accurately depicted. But those sad parts were broken up by some really funny parts, and the lovely chemistry between Lisa and her fling. Additionally, Pentley gives you a nice, verbal tour of Europe that I was completely engaged in throughout! I was also impressed with how great this romance was without the need to inject graphic spice; I loved the closed door way in which the intimacy was written. Definitely would recommend!

The Itinerary was a cute read and shares glimpses of real life grief. However, I felt there could've been more than what was there. An emotional journey, this is a nice feel-good read.

The Itinerary
By: Penny Pentley
Review Score: 4 Stars

Boogie’s Bulletpoints
•You can really feel the emotion as Lisa goes on this trip without her Mom.

•I loved the Itinerary she follows!

•Ok, her and Rocky? Absolutely loved.

•This book is a bit predictable, as I guessed the surprise pretty early on, but it didn’t take away from the story itself.

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The Itinerary was kindly provided as an ARC by Netgalley and Books Go Social. Thank you for allowing me to enjoy this wonderful book!

Release Date: 5/21/24

The Itinerary is such a fun book. Yes, there is definite sadness (I didn’t say it was a “light” book). But I also just really enjoyed the journey.

I loved the places that Lisa visited. It was fun to see ii through her eyes, and to learn about the people she meets along the way.

It was also fun to see her and Rocky. I loved their relationship from the start!

The other thing I loved about this book is the realization that, nothing is perfect. You can follow an itinerary exactly, and something may happen that you didn’t expect. As an avid traveler, and a Type A personality, it was personally hard for me to learn such a thing. However, the realization made travel all the better.

I really enjoyed this book!

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Thank you NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for this Advanced Reader’s Copy of The Itinerary by Penny Pentley.

These are my thoughts:

The last thing Lisa was looking for was to meet a kind, handsome stranger and have a summer fling.
Grieving Lisa, goes on a two-week trip to Europe. This was supposed to be the trip she and her mother took together, after Lisa’s father’s death a year ago. Now, on a plane to Italy, Lisa nurses a double broken heart, as her travel companion died merely two weeks before the trip. Since everything for the trip was booked and mostly non-refundable, Lisa decides to embark on this journey and follow the handwritten itinerary her mother put together.

This was a fun, light read; perfect for summer!

It was interesting to see how Lisa dealt with her grief and all the mishaps that upended throughly the trip. How she started off quite unsure and somewhat, inflexible and gradually opened up to different and new experiences.

I loved all the random strangers that popped up through the trip as well. It just comes to show how small acts of kindness can change a situation and how, even the smallest of gestures, can make a difference, even if it’s just for a moment.

I thought Lisa and Rocky had great chemistry and he was just such a gentleman.

I recommend this to anyone who wants an entertaining and relatively fast read (less than 300 pages). It is also perfect for the no spice readers, since this book is a closed door romance (sexual intimacy is implied/alluded to; some “naughty thoughts”, but no on page descriptions).