City Lights Bookstore in San Francisco, CA. Benjamin Heath for Lonely Planet
One might think that working at a guidebook company would exhaust our staff from reading when we’re off the clock, but au contraire. We’re constantly reaching for our next great reads, both on and off the road, not only to get lost in fascinating stories but also to visit incredible places with no plane ticket required.
Here are the books our staff are reading on the road this summer, and the travel-worthy destinations they're set in.
Citizens by Simon Schama
Set in: France
An in-depth history of the French Revolution – a lovely, long read for sitting out in the sun.
– Amy Lynch, Destination Editor for the UK, Ireland and Scandinavia
Nueva correspondencia (1955-1972) by Alejandra Pizarnik
Set in: Buenos Aires, Paris and New York City
I bought this for the beautiful cover, and also because I'm trying to brush up on my Spanish this summer. I also love books of letters — it's so close to being inside someone's brain and so close to their emotions. It's also a voyeuristic read. Pizarnik lived between Argentina and Paris, which is great travel inspiration for me as well.
– Pia Peterson Haggarty, Photo Director
Sex and Rage by Eve Babitz
Set in: Los Angeles
My tried-and-true summer read. This book oozes sweltering, dreamy summer vibes. It has everything you could ever want: glimmering 1960s LA, unrequited love, glamorous parties, surfing on crashing West Coast waves and chaotic dinner parties where everyone is in a miniskirt and has sandy hair. Babitz's prose is hilarious, heartfelt and captivating. I reread this novel nearly every summer, and it never disappoints.
– Chamidae Ford, Digital Editor
The Racket by Conor Niland
Set in: Ireland, and Grand Slam tournaments across the globe
An inside look at the lives of pro tennis players who aren't part of the 1%. Few people travel as much as tennis players, but it's hardly glamorous for anyone not named Roger or Serena. I'm an avid tennis fan, and reading about what most players sacrifice just to have a shot at being a tennis pro is an eye-opener.
– James Pham, Destination Editor for Southeast Asia
One Golden Summer by Carley Fortune
Set in: Ontario's countryside
In the fourth book by this Canadian author, Fortune shows she understands exactly what makes for the perfect beach read: exclusively summer settings (think: Ontario's cottage country); deeply relatable female protagonists; a plot that's light enough to keep you turning pages without feeling like you're eating junk food; and just the right amount of spice.
– Jessica Lockhart, Destination Editor for Oceania
Northbound: Four seasons of solitude on Te Araroa by Naomi Arnold
Set in: New Zealand
Last year, Arnold walked the entirety of Te Araroa – a 3000km (1850-mile) trail that spans the length of New Zealand – taking notes along the way that would eventually become this book. If Arnold's book makes you want to hike across NZ but you don't have months to spare, she's also shared some of her favorite day hikes with us in Lonely Planet's forthcoming Best Day Hikes New Zealand, which will be published in September 2025.
– Jessica Lockhart, Destination Editor for Oceania
Lolly Willowes by Sylvia Townsend Warner
Set in: England's countryside
A woman in early 20th-century England moves to the countryside from London after buying a guidebook to the Chilterns at her florist's. She eventually becomes a little bit witchy and finds her familiar in a cat named Vinegar. (And you know how LP's resident cat lady feels about books with cat characters!)
– Akanksha Singh, Destination Editor for Central Asia and the Indian Subcontinent
Can't Get Enough by Kennedy Ryan
Set in: Atlanta
The final book in the Skyland series (which follows three friends in Atlanta navigating life in their 40s) is a little spicy. Kennedy creates a world and characters that are not free of hardships but filled with love and support to tackle them.
– Alicia Johnson, Destination Editor for South America and the Caribbean
Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi
Set in: Tokyo
The chapters in this book about a time-traveling cafe are each dedicated to a different patron's journey. The premise is kooky enough to be fun, but the short chapters have surprising emotional depth.
– Selena Takigawa Hoy, Destination Editor for Northeast Asia
Difficult Loves by Italo Calvino
Set in: Italy
Always charming, often funny and occasionally heartbreaking tales about love and the illusion of love. The characters are wacky yet real, from two strangers on a beach (beach crush is the new airport crush) to a couple seeking compromise over an unsolvable ant infestation. It’s set in multiple destinations in Italy and some others across Europe. Most of the tales are brief, perfect for squeezing in between vacation activities – or in my case, on subway commutes.
– Ann Douglas Lott, Digital Editor
Butter by Asako Yuzuki
Set in: Tokyo
It’s about a Tokyo-based journalist who starts to interview Manako Kajii, a woman convicted of being a serial killer who has been accused of seducing her victims with her cooking. The book is inspired by a real-life serial murder case in Japan. It explores various themes, like identity, body image, loneliness, gender stereotypes, sexism and misogyny.
– Zara Sekhavati, Destination Editor for the Middle East & Africa
The Emperor of Gladness by Ocean Vuong
Set in: New England
I'm a big fan of novelist Ocean Vuong, so I had to read his latest book about life in a small Connecticut town where an unlikely friendship forms between an elderly widow with dementia and a young suicidal man.
– Matt Paco, Senior Producer
Lies and Sorcery by Elsa Morante
Set in: Sicily
It's an Italian family saga that made Natalia Ginzburg (one of my favorite authors) declare Morante "the greatest writer of the century" after reading it in one sitting. It also inspired My Brilliant Friend author Elena Ferrante, so I can't wait to get stuck in it. At over 800 pages, it'll keep me occupied during more than one sitting at the beach; I'll be lost in it for days! The book follows three generations of Sicilian women in “a wretched middle-class family” through bad marriages, tragedy and family secrets. It was first published in 1948, but we're only getting the full English translation now.
– Sasha Brady, Digital Editor
Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry
Set in: Coastal Georgia
By the queen of solid, literary-esque beach reads (Happy Place is my favorite book), Great Big Beautiful Life follows two writers on a fictional island off the coast of Georgia who are competing to tell the story of a woman with a secret. Perfect mix of love and mystery. It’s hard to go wrong with Emily Henry, even if contemporary romance isn't your typical genre.
– Rachel Lewis, Senior Social Media Manager
My Roommate Is a Vampire by Jenna Levine
Set in: Chicago
As a Twilight girlie, this one grabbed me immediately: a struggling artist in modern-day Chicago moves into an apartment only to find out her new roommate is a sexy vampire. It's the perfect sort of book for flying through a long flight or car ride. Not exactly seasonally appropriate, but very, very fun. And hot. So there's that.
– Rachel Lewis, Senior Social Media Manager
Carrie Soto Is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Set in: multiple locations, including Grand Slam tournaments
The second tennis-related book on this list, this one's historical fiction about a pro tennis player who comes out of retirement to defend her Grand Slam record.
– Melissa Yeager, Destination Editor for Western USA and Canada
Olga Dies Dreaming by Xóchitl González
Set in: New York City
Fun, sharp, witty, smart. I couldn’t put it down. Set between New York and Puerto Rico, two successful Brooklyn-based siblings navigate the distinctions between material success and personal happiness in their adult lives. A lively tale about the search for authentic identity while confronting the truths about the people and places that raised you. Plus, the book jacket is bright and colorful and looks like cool art.
– Nitya Chambers, Senior VP of Digital Content
Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt
Set in: Washington's Puget Sound
This is a tender story about the unlikely friendship of a woman and an octopus in a fictional town in Puget Sound. It’s way deeper than you would anticipate with this description.
– Melissa Yeager, Destination Editor for Western USA and Canada
Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas
Set in: A fictional land with various kingdoms and castles
A high fantasy series that follows a teenage assassin seeking her freedom in a corrupt kingdom. Because there's something about dipping into a little escapism while you're en route to/in the middle of/returning from your latest IRL escape.
– Shalayne Pulia, Social Contributor Manager
Care and Feeding by Laurie Woolever
Set in: New York City
Woolever is a food writer who worked with Anthony Bourdain and Mario Batali. In this memoir, she writes about restaurants, chefs and life in NYC. It's absolutely delicious.
– Caroline Trefler, Destination Editor for Eastern US and Canada