Monday Mini-Reviews: The Road To Tender Hearts: Five Star Read

Last week I had two five star reads back to back.  It helped me feel like my reading struggles weren't going to hang around forever. It's helped to pick up books that I've been waiting to be published for a long time.  

Annie Hartnett's book Unlikely Animals was a winner for me when I read it in 2022.   And now, The Road To Tender Hearts is also a winner for me. 

 

Annie Hartnett's latest novel is full of the quirky and interesting characters. PJ Halliday at age sixty-three has been lucky enough to be a million dollar lottery winner. But he has also seen some tragedies: the tragic death of his oldest daughter and his marriage's demise.  

Now, when his brother's grandchildren are dropped off with him after the tragic (and somewhat bizarre) deaths of their parents, PJ sees that he has a second chance at being the parent he always wanted to be.  

He knows he's living on borrowed time: he's already had a few heart attacks, and the fact that he's an alcoholic isn't making things any better.  

So, PJ, the two children and his youngest daughter set off on a road trip. They're off to find PJ's high school crush who is newly widowed, in Arizona.  

The characters are unique, the story has humor, and yet there is more to this book than just a fun way to pass time.  I found myself laughing at various parts, and still felt sad for PJ, a great guy with a lot of problems.  As soon as I finished this one, I wanted to talk to someone about it and had to hold myself back from sharing bits and pieces that I am hoping my friends will discover during their reading of this one. 

I still need to go back and read Rabbit Cake by Hartnett, a book I am also sure I will love. 

If you need something a little different, enjoy a good story, appreciate humor and wit, and still like to feel a little heartbreak along with some hope, this is one for you.