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The Vacationers
Emma Straub
Sometimes even the most picture-perfect location can be the setting of a terrible vacation. Taking place on the beautiful Spanish island of Mallorca, The Vacationers is the story of a celebratory trip gone wrong. While meant to bring the Post family together, the trip reveals long-buried family secrets and jealousy that had thus far been concealed.
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Siracusa
Delia Ephron
Going on a vacation with another couple might sound like a great idea, but for the couples in Siracusa—Michael and Lizzie and Finn and Taylor—it’s the catalyst for a major conflict. While their story is dark, the beautiful town of Siracusa on the coast of Sicily—and the descriptions of the piazzas and gelatos—will cast a bright light onto your future travel plans.
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Crazy Rich Asians (Movie Tie-In Edition)
Kevin Kwan
When Rachel’s boyfriend Nicholas invites her to spend the summer in Singapore, she imagines she’ll have a nice quiet trip spending time with his family in their modest home. What she doesn’t know is that Nick’s family is extremely wealthy and his humble family home looks more like a palace. Instead of exploring Singapore’s sites, Rachel has to learn how to overcome the obstacles that having money—either old or new—create.
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Do Not Become Alarmed
Maile Meloy
A cruise through Central America with your cousin and both of your families sounds like the perfect holiday. For cousins Liv and Nora, this dream vacation comes crashing down when their children suddenly go missing during an excursion. Told from the perspectives of the adults on the trip and their children, the novel characterizes the two opposing sides of crisis: falling apart and finding previously unknown strengths.
Summer can be the perfect time to go on vacation—longer days provide more time for sightseeing or exploring, and warm weather pairs perfectly with a cold drink on a relaxing trip. While it’s easy to decide when to travel, sometimes it’s hard to pick where to go and who to go with. This week we’re featuring five books that provide inspiration for your next summer vacation. While you may not be jetting off to Europe anytime soon, reading these in your own backyard will make it seem like you’re in a glamorous destination with your favorite travel companions. In fact, some of these books may even make you feel better about your own holiday—in most of these novels, the vacations—like best-laid plans—often go awry.
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