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The Map That Leads to You: A Novel
A romantic, vivid novel that takes place in the tender time of a young woman’s life: Heather has graduated from college and is traveling around Europe with her two best friends. She’s left school responsibility behind and adult responsibility is looming, but this is her one, one last summer to be free. Heather doesn’t expect to even meet Jack, let alone fall in love with him. Jack is an enigmatic Vermonter a few years older than she is, who is following his grandfather’s journal to various cities around Europe. But in the same way that forces are bringing Jack and Heather together, life and duty are pushing them apart. And Jack has a secret that is going to change absolutely everything.
400 pages, Paperback
First published June 13, 2017
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June 24, 2017
My reviews can also be seen at: https://deesradreadsandreviews.wordpr...
As I have mentioned before, I don't read a lot of romance novels but something about this book intrigued me.
Heather has just graduated from Amherst college. She will be starting a job as an investment banker in the fall. Until then, she is going to enjoy her last summer free from responsibilities, traveling around Europe with her two best friends, Constance and Amy.
They have been enjoying their first few weeks traveling. Heather loves Paris and doesn't want to leave. Now the friends are on to the next leg of their trip, and the crowded train headed for Amsterdam changes everything for Heather.
"Could you hold this?"
At first Heather doesn't realize someone is talking to her, but when he asks again she looks up and into the eyes of a very handsome stranger. He wants her to hold his bag so he can climb up and have a nap....in the baggage rack. He even uses a bungee cord to strap himself in.
He tells her his name is Jack before he heads off to sleep. Heather continues reading but steals glances at him as he sleeps. When Jack wakes up a little later, they have their first conversation. It starts out well but then takes a quick turn for the worse, with him thinking she's pretentious and her thinking he's a condescending jerk. They make up, almost argue again... both seeming to enjoy the banter between them. All too quickly the train pulls into the station. After sharing a moment on the platform, they head off but make plans to meet up at a party later that evening.
Jack is from Vermont and is visiting various cities around Europe, following a path his grandfather once took. The journey is outlined in an old journal belonging to his grandfather. He wants to see the places that gave his grandfather hope after the ugliness of war.
After a very special night and magical morning. Heather wonders if Jack really is who he claims to be. She feels like there are things he's not telling her. She realizes she doesn't even know his last name. Jack is a fly by the seat of his pants sort. Seizes the day. A spontaneous free spirit. Heather likes to have fun but she's more of a planner, and likes to stick to a schedule. There's also the fact that Jack's a bit judgemental about her career plans and has made a few passive aggressive remarks.
"I'm planning to go to New York in a few weeks to make a new start, and you let it drop that I am entering a prison of my own making"
She's crazy about him. But after such a short time? Maybe for once in her life she doesn't have to have everything figured out.
Or will his secrets change everything?
I thought the character development was great. Heather's relationship with her girlfriends was heartwarming. I liked how Heather stuck up for herself with Jack, but she could also see when she may have overreacted. She came across as very well-balanced. I could see how Heather could fall for Jack right away. Not just good-looking, but funny and charming, though of course he wasn't perfect.
"Insta-love" is something that usually doesn't work for me. However, I found myself wondering if MAYBE it wasn't quite so "Insta". In the beginning there were times I was frustrated at some of the actions of certain characters. But I stopped over-thinking it, and got pulled into this budding romance. I had to see what was going to happen next.
So will Heather be able to deal with Jack's go with the flow, Livin' La Vida Loca style? Will she stick with her life plan or throw out her expensive Smythson day planner altogether? And what about Jack? What secrets is he keeping? Will it destroy this new and somewhat fragile relationship?
I guess you'll have to read the book to find out!
This book surprised me...in many ways. Is it a bit predictable? Maybe. Did I care? No, not really. I'm not sure how I felt about the ending but this really was a good read. The descriptions of the places traveled were fantastic. The beautiful places they visited, at times it felt like I was actually there. In Paris, I could smell the food cooking in the restaurants. My stomach growled at the descriptions of what they were eating or the wine and expensive vodka they were drinking. I could feel the wind as they were speeding down the autobahn.
Overall, I thought this was an endearing novel with intriguing characters and an enjoyable plot.
Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing an advanced copy of this book for me to read in exchange for my honest review.
As I have mentioned before, I don't read a lot of romance novels but something about this book intrigued me.
Heather has just graduated from Amherst college. She will be starting a job as an investment banker in the fall. Until then, she is going to enjoy her last summer free from responsibilities, traveling around Europe with her two best friends, Constance and Amy.
They have been enjoying their first few weeks traveling. Heather loves Paris and doesn't want to leave. Now the friends are on to the next leg of their trip, and the crowded train headed for Amsterdam changes everything for Heather.
"Could you hold this?"
At first Heather doesn't realize someone is talking to her, but when he asks again she looks up and into the eyes of a very handsome stranger. He wants her to hold his bag so he can climb up and have a nap....in the baggage rack. He even uses a bungee cord to strap himself in.
He tells her his name is Jack before he heads off to sleep. Heather continues reading but steals glances at him as he sleeps. When Jack wakes up a little later, they have their first conversation. It starts out well but then takes a quick turn for the worse, with him thinking she's pretentious and her thinking he's a condescending jerk. They make up, almost argue again... both seeming to enjoy the banter between them. All too quickly the train pulls into the station. After sharing a moment on the platform, they head off but make plans to meet up at a party later that evening.
Jack is from Vermont and is visiting various cities around Europe, following a path his grandfather once took. The journey is outlined in an old journal belonging to his grandfather. He wants to see the places that gave his grandfather hope after the ugliness of war.
After a very special night and magical morning. Heather wonders if Jack really is who he claims to be. She feels like there are things he's not telling her. She realizes she doesn't even know his last name. Jack is a fly by the seat of his pants sort. Seizes the day. A spontaneous free spirit. Heather likes to have fun but she's more of a planner, and likes to stick to a schedule. There's also the fact that Jack's a bit judgemental about her career plans and has made a few passive aggressive remarks.
"I'm planning to go to New York in a few weeks to make a new start, and you let it drop that I am entering a prison of my own making"
She's crazy about him. But after such a short time? Maybe for once in her life she doesn't have to have everything figured out.
Or will his secrets change everything?
I thought the character development was great. Heather's relationship with her girlfriends was heartwarming. I liked how Heather stuck up for herself with Jack, but she could also see when she may have overreacted. She came across as very well-balanced. I could see how Heather could fall for Jack right away. Not just good-looking, but funny and charming, though of course he wasn't perfect.
"Insta-love" is something that usually doesn't work for me. However, I found myself wondering if MAYBE it wasn't quite so "Insta". In the beginning there were times I was frustrated at some of the actions of certain characters. But I stopped over-thinking it, and got pulled into this budding romance. I had to see what was going to happen next.
So will Heather be able to deal with Jack's go with the flow, Livin' La Vida Loca style? Will she stick with her life plan or throw out her expensive Smythson day planner altogether? And what about Jack? What secrets is he keeping? Will it destroy this new and somewhat fragile relationship?
I guess you'll have to read the book to find out!
This book surprised me...in many ways. Is it a bit predictable? Maybe. Did I care? No, not really. I'm not sure how I felt about the ending but this really was a good read. The descriptions of the places traveled were fantastic. The beautiful places they visited, at times it felt like I was actually there. In Paris, I could smell the food cooking in the restaurants. My stomach growled at the descriptions of what they were eating or the wine and expensive vodka they were drinking. I could feel the wind as they were speeding down the autobahn.
Overall, I thought this was an endearing novel with intriguing characters and an enjoyable plot.
Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing an advanced copy of this book for me to read in exchange for my honest review.
May 27, 2017
3.5 stars rounded up
This read like a Young Adult romance with the added fun of a group of friends traveling through Europe after college. I absolutely loved the adventurous travel. That part really made the book for me. I think if I were fifteen or even twenty years younger, I would have given this book five stars. It was harder for me to connect to these characters and the drama and angst within the pages, but I kept reading to see how it all ended. Thanks to the author and publisher for an advance copy.
This read like a Young Adult romance with the added fun of a group of friends traveling through Europe after college. I absolutely loved the adventurous travel. That part really made the book for me. I think if I were fifteen or even twenty years younger, I would have given this book five stars. It was harder for me to connect to these characters and the drama and angst within the pages, but I kept reading to see how it all ended. Thanks to the author and publisher for an advance copy.
June 15, 2017
"You were my biggest fear." he said. "You really were. You, Heather Christine Mulgrew."
Well, I don't think I have to beat around the bush in my review about what this book is about. The cover and the title illustrate perfectly that The Map That Leads to You is about that chance meeting between two people and for whatever reason the stars align and a journey begins. So, I definitely cannot cry " Damn you insta-love!" Frankly, because that is not exactly how the story unfolds.
In this case, we have Heather, a recent college graduate, backpacking across Europe with her two besties- the spirited Amy and the very grounded Constance, just enjoying the carefree last days of youth before entering the" real world." While on a train to Amsterdam, Heather meets Jack, a late twenty something journalist retracing the post WWII travels of his grandfather. Sparks of both passion and annoyance intrigue Heather enough to want to get to know the enigmatic Jack. The dialogue between the two is reminiscent of Dawson's Creek, but where I thought this would be rather nauseating, I felt myself plunging headlong into the story.
Because this isn't a mushy romance, Jack and Heather have their ups and downs in many different countries. As much as they love, the two also fight and Heather feels that Jack just doesn't "get her." Heather is conflicted in her feelings for Jack because he doesn't fit in the plan Awww... the plan! Education= Job= Marriage= Heather with the baby carriage. Instead, Jack pushes Heather's buttons and challenges her ideals and career. But Heather is no push over( Hallelujah!!) and the trip becomes about the soul searching of what she really wants. Can Heather break free of her parent's expectations and throw caution to the wind? Or is Jack supposed to be part of the "journey" and not the "destination?"
Now if I cannot sell you on the romance, let me tell you the other reason that I LOVED this book. The travel! Amsterdam, Paris,Berlin, and all the places in between? Oh my! Trust me, it will make you grab your passport and check out all the places described. But for now you can just live vicariously through the characters. Hands down, author J.P. Monninger has written one of the most beautiful descriptions of Paris.
Paris is the cupped hand of a woman accepting a match light from a man at a small round table under a chestnut tree thirty minutes before a rainstorm.
*STANDING UP AND CLAPPING* I unashamedly admit that lines like that seduce me. Consider me successfully wooed!
The third little gem of the book is the relationship between Heather and her two best buds- Amy and Constance. I liked how they were there for each other and how their sub-stories were fleshed out. Each of them was changed by their European adventures- for better or for worse. Early on, I was wondering why Monninger would choose to have three girls because Amy was cut out of the story for a bit. I saw later on that she was a bit of a cautionary tale which gives the story a bit of an edge amidst all the romance.
But before I leave my review, it would probably be useful to explain why this failed as a five. The thing is, I didn't enjoy the last 20% of the book (albeit I can see why we needed to go through unhappy Heather because she has the ultimate decision to make), but I HATED that ending. Ironically, I think I would have still hated it, if Monninger had gone the other route. It felt a bit predictable- a little more Cameron Crowe or Nicholas Sparks than I had anticipated.
Thanks to NetGalley and St.Martin's Press for a digital galley in exchange for an honest review
Well, I don't think I have to beat around the bush in my review about what this book is about. The cover and the title illustrate perfectly that The Map That Leads to You is about that chance meeting between two people and for whatever reason the stars align and a journey begins. So, I definitely cannot cry " Damn you insta-love!" Frankly, because that is not exactly how the story unfolds.
In this case, we have Heather, a recent college graduate, backpacking across Europe with her two besties- the spirited Amy and the very grounded Constance, just enjoying the carefree last days of youth before entering the" real world." While on a train to Amsterdam, Heather meets Jack, a late twenty something journalist retracing the post WWII travels of his grandfather. Sparks of both passion and annoyance intrigue Heather enough to want to get to know the enigmatic Jack. The dialogue between the two is reminiscent of Dawson's Creek, but where I thought this would be rather nauseating, I felt myself plunging headlong into the story.
Because this isn't a mushy romance, Jack and Heather have their ups and downs in many different countries. As much as they love, the two also fight and Heather feels that Jack just doesn't "get her." Heather is conflicted in her feelings for Jack because he doesn't fit in the plan Awww... the plan! Education= Job= Marriage= Heather with the baby carriage. Instead, Jack pushes Heather's buttons and challenges her ideals and career. But Heather is no push over( Hallelujah!!) and the trip becomes about the soul searching of what she really wants. Can Heather break free of her parent's expectations and throw caution to the wind? Or is Jack supposed to be part of the "journey" and not the "destination?"
Now if I cannot sell you on the romance, let me tell you the other reason that I LOVED this book. The travel! Amsterdam, Paris,Berlin, and all the places in between? Oh my! Trust me, it will make you grab your passport and check out all the places described. But for now you can just live vicariously through the characters. Hands down, author J.P. Monninger has written one of the most beautiful descriptions of Paris.
Paris is the cupped hand of a woman accepting a match light from a man at a small round table under a chestnut tree thirty minutes before a rainstorm.
*STANDING UP AND CLAPPING* I unashamedly admit that lines like that seduce me. Consider me successfully wooed!
The third little gem of the book is the relationship between Heather and her two best buds- Amy and Constance. I liked how they were there for each other and how their sub-stories were fleshed out. Each of them was changed by their European adventures- for better or for worse. Early on, I was wondering why Monninger would choose to have three girls because Amy was cut out of the story for a bit. I saw later on that she was a bit of a cautionary tale which gives the story a bit of an edge amidst all the romance.
But before I leave my review, it would probably be useful to explain why this failed as a five. The thing is, I didn't enjoy the last 20% of the book (albeit I can see why we needed to go through unhappy Heather because she has the ultimate decision to make), but I HATED that ending. Ironically, I think I would have still hated it, if Monninger had gone the other route. It felt a bit predictable- a little more Cameron Crowe or Nicholas Sparks than I had anticipated.
Thanks to NetGalley and St.Martin's Press for a digital galley in exchange for an honest review
August 24, 2025
okay i liked this SO much!!! might even give this 4.5 stars?! this was another backlist book i picked up before the movie 🎬 came out (out now on Prime!) and i’m so happy i did. actually shocked to see the GR rating so low?! this is a veryyyyy solid romance book!!
i was captivated by this right away and literally read it in nearly one sitting by the pool—so this makes a perfect beach or pool read/book to get you out of reading slump! i couldn’t wait to see what would happen / the secret the MMC was holding and the romance was so cute and fun. so was the European setting! made for a fun read in the summer (as it’s set in the summer)
this follows was a group of girls who just graduated high school and are having a European summer before their real life / jobs start. while the girls are in Europe, the FMC meets this boy and they end up hanging out throughout Europe and he brings his friends and before you know it, their lives are changed.
ugh it was so much fun!!! the romance was very believable, the European setting and adventures were so fun. it was giving everything i like out of a romance—GREAT banter (EmHen vibes tbh!), adventure, a little bit emo. the characters were young but they didn’t feel super immature. and the best part was i could perfectly picture Madelyn Cline and KJ Apa as the two main characters which certainly helped sell through the romance 🔥
i will say this book does feel a lot like another book to me buttttt i’m not going to call that out because i think comparing it is a total spoiler… all i’ll say is that this romance also just became a movie 👀🎬 and i liked that book alot too so the shoe fits!
i feel like some people might love or hate the ending and while i thought it was a bit far-fetched in a lot of ways, i really like how it ended kind of open ended? without spoiling, it almost gave me THE IDEA OF YOU vibes in a way.
TLDR; this backlist romance is worth the read IMO! i truly can’t wait to watch how this one comes to life on the big screen!! ❤️
i was captivated by this right away and literally read it in nearly one sitting by the pool—so this makes a perfect beach or pool read/book to get you out of reading slump! i couldn’t wait to see what would happen / the secret the MMC was holding and the romance was so cute and fun. so was the European setting! made for a fun read in the summer (as it’s set in the summer)
this follows was a group of girls who just graduated high school and are having a European summer before their real life / jobs start. while the girls are in Europe, the FMC meets this boy and they end up hanging out throughout Europe and he brings his friends and before you know it, their lives are changed.
ugh it was so much fun!!! the romance was very believable, the European setting and adventures were so fun. it was giving everything i like out of a romance—GREAT banter (EmHen vibes tbh!), adventure, a little bit emo. the characters were young but they didn’t feel super immature. and the best part was i could perfectly picture Madelyn Cline and KJ Apa as the two main characters which certainly helped sell through the romance 🔥
i will say this book does feel a lot like another book to me buttttt i’m not going to call that out because i think comparing it is a total spoiler… all i’ll say is that this romance also just became a movie 👀🎬 and i liked that book alot too so the shoe fits!
i feel like some people might love or hate the ending and while i thought it was a bit far-fetched in a lot of ways, i really like how it ended kind of open ended? without spoiling, it almost gave me THE IDEA OF YOU vibes in a way.
TLDR; this backlist romance is worth the read IMO! i truly can’t wait to watch how this one comes to life on the big screen!! ❤️
January 29, 2018
”You will try to imagine where he is in that exact instant, when he had turned and started to travel towards you, you to him, and how the world around both of you took no notice. ”
Synopsis: For those of you wondering what would happen if Nicholas Sparks and John Green had a book baby, this is the product of what would happen. And it ain’t pretty, folks.
Biblio-Babble
Pretentious Book is Pretentious: The main quality this book has (other than the romance aspect, of course), is the fact that it tries so damn hard to be pretentious. It’s like a person who lists off famous classics they said they have ‘read’ but really haven’t. But they say they have to make themselves look better. This is the bookish form of that. It wants to be a grand romance, but also one of those deep, philosophical books that you could have deep book club discussions about. It constantly wavered over whether it wanted to be a cutesy romance or a deep tome. Those two things rarely mix well together, and this book was no exception. I mean, Nicholas Sparks is sappy, but not pretentious. John Green is pretentious, but not sappy. Those two genres shouldn’t really associate with one another, if at all.
Aujugstus Jauters: Jack Quiller-Couch is a combination of 1990s Leonardo DiCaprio, Augustus Waters, and Jughead Jones. Leonardo DiCaprio because you will be continuously reminded throughout the novel that his name is indeed Jack (Titanic fans will know what I’m talking about), and Augustus Waters because his arrogant pretentious levels are off the charts, and Jughead Jones because he’s prone to monologues about life, love, and meaning of philosophy and all that shit (but no monologues about burgers, unfortunately). Look, I get what the author was trying to create, but Jack Quiller-Couch practically screams manic-pixie dream boy. It was just ridiculous. There are going to be a lot of ladies who will probably fall all over his dialogue and trying to hard to be poetic monologues, but Jack did none of that for me. And let me tell you, he was extremely shitty in the final act of the book because of ‘the thing that he did that shall not be named but puts him permanently on the douch-bag of the year award.’
Message in the Notebook: Dust jacket often lie; this much I know. The whole damn time I was reading this book, I thought the big secret had to do with Jack’s grandfather’s journal and what the grandfather was trying to look for. The journal is barely mentioned at all, and we never really do find out what the grandfather was trying to find. Instead, we get a lot of drinking, munching on edibles (if you know what I mean), and banging. Which would all be fine if this were marketed as a college romance road trip book. But the journal is made to be such a big deal that you would expect it to play a much bigger part than it actually did. And it did not. I wasn’t expecting National Treasure thrills, but for it to be almost a non-presence in the storyline really bummed me out.
The Greatest Love of Not: The main problem I had with this book was the romance. Rather, the complete lack of chemistry between Heather and Jack. Their little meet cute on the train to Amsterdam? Yeah, no sparks there. Impromptu meetings at clubs dancing the night away? Melania Trump has more chemistry with the Oompa-Loompa than they are. Witty banter that seems to never end? Please page Armie Hammer and Timothee Chalamant to show them how it’s done. I literally could not root for them as a couple because I found them to be as dull as cardboard. If you’re gonna market yourself as a romance novel, make sure there’s romance (duh! It’s not that difficult). I honestly found them more annoying than adorable, and couldn’t quite figure out what made them gel.
Same Song, Different Tune: Good Lord, this book was so predictable. It’s as if the author was stuck on just one plot point and device and said to himself, “Screw it, I’ll just write this over and over and hope people won’t notice”. So for time’s sake: Heather and Jack travel, and all is good. They then have an argument because pretty-boy Jack won’t keep his pretentious mouth shut. Heather storms off to another country. Jack manages to find her in said other country and makes up with her. Everything’s all lovey dovey, ooey-gooey. Then the cycle starts again. Follow steps 1-4 and all that jazz. It just became predictable, and while all romance novels are essentially predictable, this was snooze-worthy predictable. It got to a point that the book had gotten to such a stalemate that I just wanted it to end, which thankfully it did. While it’s all right for authors to have separate books follow the same pattern and plotline, it shouldn’t bleed into books.
*******************
Traveling across Europe and having a vacation flirtation? What could possibly go wrong? Everything. Everything could go wrong. With a lukewarm romance, pretentious act, and an extremely arrogant MC, this book is what would happen if Nicholas Sparks and John Green had a one-night writing stand and ended up with this. Do yourself a favor and leave this book on a metaphorical train back in Europe where it can sit alone in all its pretentious glory.
And DON’T GIVE SPARKS OR GREEN ANY IDEAS.
Synopsis: For those of you wondering what would happen if Nicholas Sparks and John Green had a book baby, this is the product of what would happen. And it ain’t pretty, folks.
Biblio-Babble
Pretentious Book is Pretentious: The main quality this book has (other than the romance aspect, of course), is the fact that it tries so damn hard to be pretentious. It’s like a person who lists off famous classics they said they have ‘read’ but really haven’t. But they say they have to make themselves look better. This is the bookish form of that. It wants to be a grand romance, but also one of those deep, philosophical books that you could have deep book club discussions about. It constantly wavered over whether it wanted to be a cutesy romance or a deep tome. Those two things rarely mix well together, and this book was no exception. I mean, Nicholas Sparks is sappy, but not pretentious. John Green is pretentious, but not sappy. Those two genres shouldn’t really associate with one another, if at all.
Aujugstus Jauters: Jack Quiller-Couch is a combination of 1990s Leonardo DiCaprio, Augustus Waters, and Jughead Jones. Leonardo DiCaprio because you will be continuously reminded throughout the novel that his name is indeed Jack (Titanic fans will know what I’m talking about), and Augustus Waters because his arrogant pretentious levels are off the charts, and Jughead Jones because he’s prone to monologues about life, love, and meaning of philosophy and all that shit (but no monologues about burgers, unfortunately). Look, I get what the author was trying to create, but Jack Quiller-Couch practically screams manic-pixie dream boy. It was just ridiculous. There are going to be a lot of ladies who will probably fall all over his dialogue and trying to hard to be poetic monologues, but Jack did none of that for me. And let me tell you, he was extremely shitty in the final act of the book because of ‘the thing that he did that shall not be named but puts him permanently on the douch-bag of the year award.’
Message in the Notebook: Dust jacket often lie; this much I know. The whole damn time I was reading this book, I thought the big secret had to do with Jack’s grandfather’s journal and what the grandfather was trying to look for. The journal is barely mentioned at all, and we never really do find out what the grandfather was trying to find. Instead, we get a lot of drinking, munching on edibles (if you know what I mean), and banging. Which would all be fine if this were marketed as a college romance road trip book. But the journal is made to be such a big deal that you would expect it to play a much bigger part than it actually did. And it did not. I wasn’t expecting National Treasure thrills, but for it to be almost a non-presence in the storyline really bummed me out.
The Greatest Love of Not: The main problem I had with this book was the romance. Rather, the complete lack of chemistry between Heather and Jack. Their little meet cute on the train to Amsterdam? Yeah, no sparks there. Impromptu meetings at clubs dancing the night away? Melania Trump has more chemistry with the Oompa-Loompa than they are. Witty banter that seems to never end? Please page Armie Hammer and Timothee Chalamant to show them how it’s done. I literally could not root for them as a couple because I found them to be as dull as cardboard. If you’re gonna market yourself as a romance novel, make sure there’s romance (duh! It’s not that difficult). I honestly found them more annoying than adorable, and couldn’t quite figure out what made them gel.
Same Song, Different Tune: Good Lord, this book was so predictable. It’s as if the author was stuck on just one plot point and device and said to himself, “Screw it, I’ll just write this over and over and hope people won’t notice”. So for time’s sake: Heather and Jack travel, and all is good. They then have an argument because pretty-boy Jack won’t keep his pretentious mouth shut. Heather storms off to another country. Jack manages to find her in said other country and makes up with her. Everything’s all lovey dovey, ooey-gooey. Then the cycle starts again. Follow steps 1-4 and all that jazz. It just became predictable, and while all romance novels are essentially predictable, this was snooze-worthy predictable. It got to a point that the book had gotten to such a stalemate that I just wanted it to end, which thankfully it did. While it’s all right for authors to have separate books follow the same pattern and plotline, it shouldn’t bleed into books.
*******************
Traveling across Europe and having a vacation flirtation? What could possibly go wrong? Everything. Everything could go wrong. With a lukewarm romance, pretentious act, and an extremely arrogant MC, this book is what would happen if Nicholas Sparks and John Green had a one-night writing stand and ended up with this. Do yourself a favor and leave this book on a metaphorical train back in Europe where it can sit alone in all its pretentious glory.
And DON’T GIVE SPARKS OR GREEN ANY IDEAS.
August 25, 2020
4.5
While scrolling through my library's e-audiobook offerings, I came across this unfamiliar novel. The cover and the title grabbed me so I placed a hold.
Sometimes, it pays to take a chance. To say this was a pleasant surprise would be an understatement. It's basically about two young Americans, Heather and Jack, who meet on a train to Amsterdam. It's a love story, complete with travelling, famous and less famous landmarks, literature discussions and falling passionately in love. I found both protagonists endearing. If I were to put on my critical-cranky-hat, I would say they were a bit too knowledgeable, too articulate and mature. The writing was so good, I didn't mind in the least that it was written in the first person, from Heather's point of view, which usually drives me bonkers in new adult/romance books.
The Map That Leads to You is a beautifully written novel, it reminded me of "Love Story".
Ah, to be young again and to travel the world ...
While scrolling through my library's e-audiobook offerings, I came across this unfamiliar novel. The cover and the title grabbed me so I placed a hold.
Sometimes, it pays to take a chance. To say this was a pleasant surprise would be an understatement. It's basically about two young Americans, Heather and Jack, who meet on a train to Amsterdam. It's a love story, complete with travelling, famous and less famous landmarks, literature discussions and falling passionately in love. I found both protagonists endearing. If I were to put on my critical-cranky-hat, I would say they were a bit too knowledgeable, too articulate and mature. The writing was so good, I didn't mind in the least that it was written in the first person, from Heather's point of view, which usually drives me bonkers in new adult/romance books.
The Map That Leads to You is a beautifully written novel, it reminded me of "Love Story".
Ah, to be young again and to travel the world ...
January 12, 2017
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I wanted to like this book. I love travel romances, so I thought that this would be right up my alley. But everything about this book was cliched and almost unrealistic.
I never got a vibe for the main character. What was her personality? I get that she had oppressive parents, kind of, but was she sarcastic? Was she a dreamer? What? The boy, Jack, was entirely a manic pixie dream boy, deep and sarcastic and zany for no reason. He felt exactly like Augustus from The Fault In Our Stars, except he was supposed to be older, which took away some of the charm.
And I never really "got" the relationship. One second, they are exchanging witty repartee, the next they're fighting, the next they are so in love they can't possibly live without each other. Their fights were all about the same exact thing, and always resulted in the same breakup/reunion (where he magically found her in whatever country she was in). After the big "twist" at the end of the second third of the book, I had no sympathy for the main character at all. She was better off without him.
The last third of the book, when the focus remained with Heather, definitely picked up again. There was SOME intrigue and some mystery, though the cliches didn't go away.
The author also shifted tense multiple times. There would be a short chapter in second person(which was jarring to me as a reader), then half the book in first person, then several more short chapters in second person, followed by more first person. I think I understand what the author was trying to do, but it didn't work for me.
I wanted to like this book. I love travel romances, so I thought that this would be right up my alley. But everything about this book was cliched and almost unrealistic.
I never got a vibe for the main character. What was her personality? I get that she had oppressive parents, kind of, but was she sarcastic? Was she a dreamer? What? The boy, Jack, was entirely a manic pixie dream boy, deep and sarcastic and zany for no reason. He felt exactly like Augustus from The Fault In Our Stars, except he was supposed to be older, which took away some of the charm.
And I never really "got" the relationship. One second, they are exchanging witty repartee, the next they're fighting, the next they are so in love they can't possibly live without each other. Their fights were all about the same exact thing, and always resulted in the same breakup/reunion (where he magically found her in whatever country she was in). After the big "twist" at the end of the second third of the book, I had no sympathy for the main character at all. She was better off without him.
The last third of the book, when the focus remained with Heather, definitely picked up again. There was SOME intrigue and some mystery, though the cliches didn't go away.
The author also shifted tense multiple times. There would be a short chapter in second person(which was jarring to me as a reader), then half the book in first person, then several more short chapters in second person, followed by more first person. I think I understand what the author was trying to do, but it didn't work for me.
August 15, 2025
Read this ahead of the movie, and I honestly could've passed.
The Map That Leads to You got on my bad side immediately with little comments about how a random Polish guy the girls met on a train smelled like sardines, had a voice kinda like Dracula, and his last name sounded like a sneeze. It only went downhill from there.
Granted, as the book went on, comments like these kept appearing less and less, but it didn't make the whole thing any less pretentious.
I'm sure that it was meant to come across that way, to a degree, but that doesn't mean I have to like it.
The banter made me want to roll my eyes out of my head, I'm sure someone will find it really funny and adorable, but it wasn't to my taste.
Jack kept putting Heather down repeatedly, only to make things up with her as if it never happened, and then he did it again and again. It's okay to have different outlooks on life, but maybe knock it down a peg when you're talking to someone you supposedly love, hmm?
Anytime Jack talked about Heather's future career, I kept thinking "these two will never work, leave him", they were some of the most incompatible characters I've seen.
As a contrast, Constance and Raef seemed pretty well-balanced, and I enjoyed their romance a lot more than the main one.
Jack's grandfather's journal seemed interesting at first, but they could've gotten to the exact same ending even if that whole thing was thrown out. It didn't add as much to the story as it should've.
Speaking of the ending, I was expecting it, and it annoyed me just as much as in another book-turned-movie adventure I had recently. Almost the exact same ending .
I would've been more on board if . And I'm supposed to believe it's all sunshine and rainbows after that? I don't think so.
I have hope that the movie will manage to do something better with the story, then again, after the changes they made to My Oxford Year, it might feel like a completely different thing altogether.
The Map That Leads to You got on my bad side immediately with little comments about how a random Polish guy the girls met on a train smelled like sardines, had a voice kinda like Dracula, and his last name sounded like a sneeze. It only went downhill from there.
Granted, as the book went on, comments like these kept appearing less and less, but it didn't make the whole thing any less pretentious.
I'm sure that it was meant to come across that way, to a degree, but that doesn't mean I have to like it.
The banter made me want to roll my eyes out of my head, I'm sure someone will find it really funny and adorable, but it wasn't to my taste.
Jack kept putting Heather down repeatedly, only to make things up with her as if it never happened, and then he did it again and again. It's okay to have different outlooks on life, but maybe knock it down a peg when you're talking to someone you supposedly love, hmm?
Anytime Jack talked about Heather's future career, I kept thinking "these two will never work, leave him", they were some of the most incompatible characters I've seen.
As a contrast, Constance and Raef seemed pretty well-balanced, and I enjoyed their romance a lot more than the main one.
Jack's grandfather's journal seemed interesting at first, but they could've gotten to the exact same ending even if that whole thing was thrown out. It didn't add as much to the story as it should've.
Speaking of the ending, I was expecting it, and it annoyed me just as much as in another book-turned-movie adventure I had recently. Almost the exact same ending .
I would've been more on board if . And I'm supposed to believe it's all sunshine and rainbows after that? I don't think so.
I have hope that the movie will manage to do something better with the story, then again, after the changes they made to My Oxford Year, it might feel like a completely different thing altogether.
June 15, 2017
Poignant, compelling and endearingly romantic!
This is a coming-of-age story about friendship, responsibility, independence, and first love all wrapped up in a beautiful travel guide to some of the most breathtaking historical landmarks, monuments, and cities in Europe.
The characters are young, enthusiastic, and adventurous. The prose is clear and precise. And although the plot in the first half of the novel is a little slow, the second half is definitely much more intense, angsty, emotional, and drama-filled with an ending that will definitely have you shedding a few tears.
Overall, I think this novel will be a big success and really appeal to teens and young adults and even though I think I'm a little older than the target demographic I found it intriguing, unique and wonderfully descriptive.
Thank you to NetGalley, especially St. Martin’s Press, for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
All my reviews can be found on my blog at http://whatsbetterthanbooks.com
This is a coming-of-age story about friendship, responsibility, independence, and first love all wrapped up in a beautiful travel guide to some of the most breathtaking historical landmarks, monuments, and cities in Europe.
The characters are young, enthusiastic, and adventurous. The prose is clear and precise. And although the plot in the first half of the novel is a little slow, the second half is definitely much more intense, angsty, emotional, and drama-filled with an ending that will definitely have you shedding a few tears.
Overall, I think this novel will be a big success and really appeal to teens and young adults and even though I think I'm a little older than the target demographic I found it intriguing, unique and wonderfully descriptive.
Thank you to NetGalley, especially St. Martin’s Press, for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
All my reviews can be found on my blog at http://whatsbetterthanbooks.com
December 6, 2018
Cuore/amore/dolore/colore/pall-ore (perse a leggerlo)
Heather Postlewaite: leggera come un macigno, maneggevole come una longherina di ferro, carezzevole come un porcospino, astiosa come un gobbo nel 2007 (e nei 4 anni successivi, poi non più, han vinto sei scudi di fila facendoci diventare tutti rassegnati) ironica come Di Pietro. Questa creatura di Monninger è eccitante più o meno quanto Tyson (di cui Monninger è il biografo) (*1) con la differenza che lui era il campione dei Pesi Massimi, lei il massimo dei pesi che un uomo può decidere di caricarsi in spalla.
Jack (La Motta) Vermont: colui che se la caricò in spalla. Borioso, saccente, provocatore.. Da Montelupo si vede Capraia, Dio li fa e poi li appaia.
Ok, ho le mie colpe, non lo nego, non mi nascondo. Nel titolo c’era già tutto, non importava scomodare
T.S. Eliot: ‘Nel mio principio è la mia fine’, e nemmeno E. Hemingway «Noi mangiavamo bene e a poco prezzo e bevevamo bene e a poco prezzo e insieme dormivamo bene e al caldo e ci amavamo»
La verità è che la quasi totalità dei libri che avessi deciso di leggere dopo il coniglio di Updike sarebbero stati vittime sacrificali e allora tanto valeva sacrificare le strade che portano a Monninger e leggerlo fuori dai cenci di biografo, alle prese con un romanzo. Che paragone impietoso, Updike in confronto sembra faccia un altro mestiere.
Torniamo al corteggiamento di Jack, degno di un gentiluomo rinascimentale. Heather ci mette del suo e aspetta 150 pagine prima di dargliela (non che lui gliela chieda, per carità, preferisce qualsiasi sorta di attività alternativa) così monta l’insoddisfazione e litigano come scimmie ubriache. Quando finalmente gliela dà, immagini le cose miglioreranno e invece “il fu romanzo” si trasforma in un Harmony scadente privo di qualsiasi pudore sentimentale. Pensi che più in basso di così non si possa scendere e sbagli di nuovo perché dopo essersi lasciati per finta si lasciano davvero, e toccherà sorbirsi pagine di lacrime, supposizioni, accidenti (che son come le foglie) finché Heather non decifrerà la mappa che porta a te, cioè a lui (fortunatamente).
Se volete il punto preciso dove si trovava, eccolo:
https://tinyurl.com/yaf5a7go
Ed è qui che si incontra anche l’ultimo degli odiosi personaggi partoriti da Monninger, uno pseudo santone che dispensa perle di saggezza parlando all’infinito come i Vucumprà e gli Shamani (niente da eccepire sulla traduzione che per rendere l’inglese bulgaro si è affidata all’italiano infinito).
Va bene, se non vi fidate della mia descrizione potete avvalervi di quella editoriale
È l’estate dopo la laurea, quella della libertà e dei progetti, quando il futuro ti inebria con le sue infinite possibilità e la vita sembra invitarti a percorrere mille strade diverse. Quell’estate, al termine del college, Heather parte per l’Europa con le amiche del cuore. È un viaggio zaino in spalla, alla scoperta della magia del vecchio continente, i romanzi di Hemingway a farle da guida da una capitale all’altra. Ad attenderla al suo ritorno negli Stati Uniti c’è un avvenire già accuratamente tracciato: un impiego sicuro, l’inizio di una carriera importante, le aspettative della famiglia. Ma su un treno notturno da Parigi ad Amsterdam, ecco, inaspettato, l’incontro con Jack, capace in un istante di cambiare il corso del suo viaggio e della sua vita…
A vostro rischio e pericolo. Leggetelo se avete meno di 25 anni, se non avete mai letto Hemingway (sarebbe meglio leggeste Hemingway), leggetelo perché vi sarà più chiara la differenza fra un gran libro e un Monninger romanzato. La seconda stella va alla traduzione resa in un italiano corretto, anche quando è c’è stato da metterlo all’infinito.
(*1) Ho preso un granchio enorme, il biografo, in realtà era J.R. Moehringer (già autore di Open).. macchè, il biografo in realtà era Larry Sloman. In sintesi ho letto un libro di Monninger scambiandolo per Moehringer e credendo che costui fosse anche autore di True. Due stelle anche al Nood lettore, la seconda è per la correttezza.
Heather Postlewaite: leggera come un macigno, maneggevole come una longherina di ferro, carezzevole come un porcospino, astiosa come un gobbo nel 2007 (e nei 4 anni successivi, poi non più, han vinto sei scudi di fila facendoci diventare tutti rassegnati) ironica come Di Pietro. Questa creatura di Monninger è eccitante più o meno quanto Tyson (di cui Monninger è il biografo) (*1) con la differenza che lui era il campione dei Pesi Massimi, lei il massimo dei pesi che un uomo può decidere di caricarsi in spalla.
Jack (La Motta) Vermont: colui che se la caricò in spalla. Borioso, saccente, provocatore.. Da Montelupo si vede Capraia, Dio li fa e poi li appaia.
Ok, ho le mie colpe, non lo nego, non mi nascondo. Nel titolo c’era già tutto, non importava scomodare
T.S. Eliot: ‘Nel mio principio è la mia fine’, e nemmeno E. Hemingway «Noi mangiavamo bene e a poco prezzo e bevevamo bene e a poco prezzo e insieme dormivamo bene e al caldo e ci amavamo»
La verità è che la quasi totalità dei libri che avessi deciso di leggere dopo il coniglio di Updike sarebbero stati vittime sacrificali e allora tanto valeva sacrificare le strade che portano a Monninger e leggerlo fuori dai cenci di biografo, alle prese con un romanzo. Che paragone impietoso, Updike in confronto sembra faccia un altro mestiere.
Torniamo al corteggiamento di Jack, degno di un gentiluomo rinascimentale. Heather ci mette del suo e aspetta 150 pagine prima di dargliela (non che lui gliela chieda, per carità, preferisce qualsiasi sorta di attività alternativa) così monta l’insoddisfazione e litigano come scimmie ubriache. Quando finalmente gliela dà, immagini le cose miglioreranno e invece “il fu romanzo” si trasforma in un Harmony scadente privo di qualsiasi pudore sentimentale. Pensi che più in basso di così non si possa scendere e sbagli di nuovo perché dopo essersi lasciati per finta si lasciano davvero, e toccherà sorbirsi pagine di lacrime, supposizioni, accidenti (che son come le foglie) finché Heather non decifrerà la mappa che porta a te, cioè a lui (fortunatamente).
Se volete il punto preciso dove si trovava, eccolo:
https://tinyurl.com/yaf5a7go
Ed è qui che si incontra anche l’ultimo degli odiosi personaggi partoriti da Monninger, uno pseudo santone che dispensa perle di saggezza parlando all’infinito come i Vucumprà e gli Shamani (niente da eccepire sulla traduzione che per rendere l’inglese bulgaro si è affidata all’italiano infinito).
Va bene, se non vi fidate della mia descrizione potete avvalervi di quella editoriale
È l’estate dopo la laurea, quella della libertà e dei progetti, quando il futuro ti inebria con le sue infinite possibilità e la vita sembra invitarti a percorrere mille strade diverse. Quell’estate, al termine del college, Heather parte per l’Europa con le amiche del cuore. È un viaggio zaino in spalla, alla scoperta della magia del vecchio continente, i romanzi di Hemingway a farle da guida da una capitale all’altra. Ad attenderla al suo ritorno negli Stati Uniti c’è un avvenire già accuratamente tracciato: un impiego sicuro, l’inizio di una carriera importante, le aspettative della famiglia. Ma su un treno notturno da Parigi ad Amsterdam, ecco, inaspettato, l’incontro con Jack, capace in un istante di cambiare il corso del suo viaggio e della sua vita…
A vostro rischio e pericolo. Leggetelo se avete meno di 25 anni, se non avete mai letto Hemingway (sarebbe meglio leggeste Hemingway), leggetelo perché vi sarà più chiara la differenza fra un gran libro e un Monninger romanzato. La seconda stella va alla traduzione resa in un italiano corretto, anche quando è c’è stato da metterlo all’infinito.
(*1) Ho preso un granchio enorme, il biografo, in realtà era J.R. Moehringer (già autore di Open).. macchè, il biografo in realtà era Larry Sloman. In sintesi ho letto un libro di Monninger scambiandolo per Moehringer e credendo che costui fosse anche autore di True. Due stelle anche al Nood lettore, la seconda è per la correttezza.
December 13, 2025
3.5 ⭐️’s
I was really hoping to enjoy this read, unfortunately it just didn’t make it to 4 ⭐️’s.
I was really hoping to enjoy this read, unfortunately it just didn’t make it to 4 ⭐️’s.
May 26, 2017
Copy received through NetGalley.
There’s something about this review, it just doesn’t want to get written ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Getting into this book was close to impossible, but once I did, I enjoyed every minute of it.
The start is slow, but the writing is well-done, and while the characters don’t carry any special characteristics, they still jump off the page. The organization of the text left me with question marks throughout the reading process, but something about the story kept me reading. I loved the abundance of drama, it’s why I love romance novels so much.
This is the perfect read for any fan of romance novels. That Nicholas Spark’s quote on the cover says it all.
Pre-review note: (May 7th 2017)
I finally focused long enough to finish it. RTC.
There’s something about this review, it just doesn’t want to get written ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Getting into this book was close to impossible, but once I did, I enjoyed every minute of it.
The start is slow, but the writing is well-done, and while the characters don’t carry any special characteristics, they still jump off the page. The organization of the text left me with question marks throughout the reading process, but something about the story kept me reading. I loved the abundance of drama, it’s why I love romance novels so much.
This is the perfect read for any fan of romance novels. That Nicholas Spark’s quote on the cover says it all.
Pre-review note: (May 7th 2017)
I finally focused long enough to finish it. RTC.
March 25, 2019
Am început cartea cu idei preconcepute, dar am avut câteva zile în care m-am simțit copleșită de tot ce reușește să inspire primăvara, așa că mi-am zis sa citesc o poveste romantică. Harta care mă duce la tine este printre poveștile mele preferate de dragoste. Lipsită de veșnicele clișee, ne face părtași la iubirea dintre Heather și Jack. Cei doi s-au cunoscut în tren, când amândoi plecaseră să exploreze lumea, înainte de a deveni ,,prea adulți''. Deși sunt firi foarte diferite și văd cu totul altfel viața, chimia dintre ei este perfectă, discuțiile lor sunt inteligente, amuzante și spirituale, iar relația lor este bruscă, dar intensă și matură. În cam 80% din carte luăm parte la conversațiile lor și vedem aceleași locuri ca ei, descrise atât, atât de frumos! M-au făcut să îndrăgesc locuri în care nu am fost niciodată. Știți filmele Before Sunrise și Before Sunset? Eu le-am văzut de muuulte ori. Exact aceeași atmosferă este și în carte. E un roman emoționant, plin de sensibilitate și un romantism aparte, care constă nu în dulcegării ordinare, ci în gesturi mărunte și speciale, cum ar fi plantarea unui copac care să reziste un secol ca mărturie a unui moment de iubire.
,,Nu, nu, lucrurile nu se întâmplă așa. Nu e atât de ușor, nu se petrece atât de rapid, tu nu-l iubești, doar îl placi, și o să te întorci la New York, și povestea se încheie, și uite, desprinde-ți ochii dintr-ai lui, pentru că ochii lui sunt o vizuină de iepure și, dacă te mai uiți mult, o să cazi, și o să cazi, și o să tot cazi.
Însă niciunul dintre noi nu și-a întors privirea. [...] niciunul dintre noi nu va mai fi singur vreodată, nu pe deplin, nu complet, în veci.''
,,Nu, nu, lucrurile nu se întâmplă așa. Nu e atât de ușor, nu se petrece atât de rapid, tu nu-l iubești, doar îl placi, și o să te întorci la New York, și povestea se încheie, și uite, desprinde-ți ochii dintr-ai lui, pentru că ochii lui sunt o vizuină de iepure și, dacă te mai uiți mult, o să cazi, și o să cazi, și o să tot cazi.
Însă niciunul dintre noi nu și-a întors privirea. [...] niciunul dintre noi nu va mai fi singur vreodată, nu pe deplin, nu complet, în veci.''
January 28, 2020
Es war genau der richtige Zeitpunkt für dieses Buch, aber nieeeemals hätte ich mit diesen Wendungen gerechnet. Mein Herz, es blutet. Dieses Buch gehört ab sofort zu meinen Lieblingsbüchern! Ich bin schlichtweg begeistert und doch so unglaublich traurig. Ich liebe Heather, weil sie Hemingway liebt. Ich liebe Jack für seinen Freigeist und ich liebe Amsterdam und Paris. Und ich liebe all das in Kombination!
August 22, 2025
I’m sorry but men should not be allowed to write from the perspective of young female characters
July 20, 2017
• Uwielbiam wartości, które są pokazane w tej książce i podejście bohaterów do życia. I oczywiście kocham też ich bardzo nerdowo-książkowe przepychanki słowne np. na temat Hemingwaya czy Freuda.
• Historia momentami bywa bardzo banalna, jednak jest w niej "to coś", przez co nie można się od niej oderwać.
• Niektóre wydarzenia wydają się nieprawdopodobne, ale według mnie to w tym zawiera się cała magia tej historii i relacji głównych bohaterów.
• To jest naprawdę dobrze napisana książka. Chyba właśnie język i jej przekaz najbardziej mi się spodobał.
• Nie przypadnie ona do gustu wszystkim, ale ja znalazłam w niej dokładnie to, czego od dawna szukałam i będę ją niesamowicie dobrze wspominać. ❤️
• Historia momentami bywa bardzo banalna, jednak jest w niej "to coś", przez co nie można się od niej oderwać.
• Niektóre wydarzenia wydają się nieprawdopodobne, ale według mnie to w tym zawiera się cała magia tej historii i relacji głównych bohaterów.
• To jest naprawdę dobrze napisana książka. Chyba właśnie język i jej przekaz najbardziej mi się spodobał.
• Nie przypadnie ona do gustu wszystkim, ale ja znalazłam w niej dokładnie to, czego od dawna szukałam i będę ją niesamowicie dobrze wspominać. ❤️
January 9, 2018
I'm a sucker for flirtatious banter like in The Bet and The Book of Broken Hearts. The banter at the beginning of this one though, had my eyes rolling. Once I stopped rolling my eyes, LOL, it made for an entertaining read. Liked the scenic European descriptions and the female friendship. This is one of those books that is both heartbreaking and heartwarming.
November 26, 2018
Oh my gosh. I’m slayed. This book y’all. It was everything I wanted. Heather is traveling through Europe with her two best friends. Enter Jack...on a train to Amsterdam.
.
It is so much more complicated then my previous statement. It is rich with friendship. Steaped in an unforgettable love story. Book darts pepper my copy with lyrical quotes. And the characters. Oh my, the characters. They are richly constructed with a picture perfect backdrop of Europe.
.
I highly recommend this title. Give yourself time to read it. I savored it and I am so glad I did. It contained my beloved short chapters which helped immensely. I always feel like I can walk away and pick back up when the chapters are short.
.
This novel is for lovers of Nicholas Sparks. It will break your heart in the very best way...have your tissues ready.
.
It is so much more complicated then my previous statement. It is rich with friendship. Steaped in an unforgettable love story. Book darts pepper my copy with lyrical quotes. And the characters. Oh my, the characters. They are richly constructed with a picture perfect backdrop of Europe.
.
I highly recommend this title. Give yourself time to read it. I savored it and I am so glad I did. It contained my beloved short chapters which helped immensely. I always feel like I can walk away and pick back up when the chapters are short.
.
This novel is for lovers of Nicholas Sparks. It will break your heart in the very best way...have your tissues ready.
August 22, 2017
All the feels. The love story is as exquisite as Monninger's writing, and lingers with you long after you finish the book. THE MAP THAT LEADS TO YOU is a new favorite of mine.
July 24, 2025
I fear this was absolutely awful! I read the first page 20+ times, but that may also be the previous reading slump. Honestly, the plot twist was the most obvious twist ever. I figured it out not even 20% in. Although, I did second guess a little bit because that just seemed too predictable and wondered if this was going to be another this ends with us situation. Turns out it was that predictable after all.
Not to mention, during the airport scene I actually wanted to smack Heather upside the head. CLEARLY GIRL HE’S GOING TO RUN!!! I swear to god that could not have been any more obvious. I will give this 2.5 stars though because despite all of that, it still managed to make me cry so hard at 5 am that my eyes were burning. Turns out expecting pain doesn’t make it hurt any less. I was also not a huge fan of the ending. Clearly, Jack will end up dying at some point.. but I have so many questions.
Not to mention, during the airport scene I actually wanted to smack Heather upside the head. CLEARLY GIRL HE’S GOING TO RUN!!! I swear to god that could not have been any more obvious. I will give this 2.5 stars though because despite all of that, it still managed to make me cry so hard at 5 am that my eyes were burning. Turns out expecting pain doesn’t make it hurt any less. I was also not a huge fan of the ending. Clearly, Jack will end up dying at some point.. but I have so many questions.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 1, 2017
When I first began reading this, I really thought I would enjoy it. The first few chapters were interesting, but the middle was so slow.
I found myself having a hard time reading and finishing it. It took me a month to read because I could only read a few pages at a time.
It wasn't until the last 100 pages or so that I was interested again.
The writing was really good, but I think a lot of the pages could have been taken out. They were really unnecessary.
I found myself having a hard time reading and finishing it. It took me a month to read because I could only read a few pages at a time.
It wasn't until the last 100 pages or so that I was interested again.
The writing was really good, but I think a lot of the pages could have been taken out. They were really unnecessary.
July 10, 2017
I'm a little torn on my feelings about this one! There's a lot of good stuff - the way the author writes about travel and details the places the characters visit, the portrayal of friendship post-college, the writing itself. But the key portion of this story - the romance - is honestly where it fell flat for me.
August 7, 2017
Nie dziwi wcale opinia Nicholasa Sparksa, że „Droga do ciebie” to lektura romantyczna i niezapomniana, bo to właśnie w prozie tego amerykańskiego bestsellerowego pisarza czytelnicy J.P. Monninger odnajdą wspólne nuty, tę specyficzną mieszankę romansu i dramatu, zwykłego życia wypełnionego zarówno szczęściem, jak niepojętą tragedią. Do tego wymarzona podróż przez malowniczą Europę, rodząca się miłość na ulicach tego magicznego Paryża, którego już dzisiaj nie ma, oraz rodzinna historia, która motywuje do odkrywania tajemnic swoich korzeni. „Droga do ciebie” łączy w sobie romantyczną naiwność, z odrobinką kiczu i wielką dawką wzruszeń. To lektura dla wszystkich miłośników gatunku, dla wielbicieli uroczych, miejscami banalnych powieści o miłości ponad wszystko, o łapaniu wspomnień i zrozumieniu, że wszystko kiedyś się kończy, a nawet najpiękniejszy sen musi dosięgnąć kresu.
June 13, 2017
*I received this copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*
5 "Ineffable" Stars!!!
I want to start off by saying that I'm going into this review with no intentions of giving anything away. Nope, not happening. This book deserves to be read. This book is much more than the words written on its pages. The book deserves to be savored. One of the things I loved the most about this book was the visualization in which the author wrote this beautiful story. It felt as if I was right there traveling through Europe with Jack and Heather. It was sensational and lively and just beautiful.
"It is the last great minute before he walks into your life, but you don’t know that, can’t know. Later, though, you will try to imagine where he was in this exact instant, when he had turned and started to travel toward you, you to him, and how the world around both of you took no notice. Your life would not be the same, but that was all waiting, all up in the air, all fate and chance and inevitability."
Jack and Heather. Heather and Jack. Doesn't matter how you say it, they are, and will always complete each other. Experiencing their love was stunning and whimsical and awe-inspiring. When you think about soul mates, and how they say there's someone out there for everyone, Jack and Heather make you believe it's real. (yes, I know they're fictional characters, but they're very real to me) Jack and Heather were epic. They were bliss. They were unforgettable.
"If I had gone shopping for a guy who fit me, and all the men from my history had been hanging on a dress rack in a well-lit shop, I would have picked Jack every single time. I could have held him up to me, taken one glance in a mirror, and known he’d fit me."
'The Map That Leads to You' swept me away. It transported and took me on a journey and I didn't want it to end. And even though I know it had to end, Jack and Heather will always be with me, forever. I can't stop thinking about them. Or this story and the writing. Oh, the writing was just superb. This book, this book was glorious and sensational. A book that I'll cherish and keep on my shelf as one of my favorites.
Read this book! I implore you, please read this book! Take a trip to Europe without leaving your house. Fill your soul with magnificent writing. And most importantly, let your heart fall in love with Jack and Heather.
5 "Ineffable" Stars!!!
I want to start off by saying that I'm going into this review with no intentions of giving anything away. Nope, not happening. This book deserves to be read. This book is much more than the words written on its pages. The book deserves to be savored. One of the things I loved the most about this book was the visualization in which the author wrote this beautiful story. It felt as if I was right there traveling through Europe with Jack and Heather. It was sensational and lively and just beautiful.
"It is the last great minute before he walks into your life, but you don’t know that, can’t know. Later, though, you will try to imagine where he was in this exact instant, when he had turned and started to travel toward you, you to him, and how the world around both of you took no notice. Your life would not be the same, but that was all waiting, all up in the air, all fate and chance and inevitability."
Jack and Heather. Heather and Jack. Doesn't matter how you say it, they are, and will always complete each other. Experiencing their love was stunning and whimsical and awe-inspiring. When you think about soul mates, and how they say there's someone out there for everyone, Jack and Heather make you believe it's real. (yes, I know they're fictional characters, but they're very real to me) Jack and Heather were epic. They were bliss. They were unforgettable.
"If I had gone shopping for a guy who fit me, and all the men from my history had been hanging on a dress rack in a well-lit shop, I would have picked Jack every single time. I could have held him up to me, taken one glance in a mirror, and known he’d fit me."
'The Map That Leads to You' swept me away. It transported and took me on a journey and I didn't want it to end. And even though I know it had to end, Jack and Heather will always be with me, forever. I can't stop thinking about them. Or this story and the writing. Oh, the writing was just superb. This book, this book was glorious and sensational. A book that I'll cherish and keep on my shelf as one of my favorites.
Read this book! I implore you, please read this book! Take a trip to Europe without leaving your house. Fill your soul with magnificent writing. And most importantly, let your heart fall in love with Jack and Heather.
August 13, 2017
Vorab: viele werden das Buch nicht mögen. Aber was soll ich sagen? Ich liebe Hemingway und jeder, der dieses Buch gelesen hat, wird verstehen, warum es mir so gefallen hat.
September 29, 2018
3'25 🌟
July 22, 2025
This book was almost intolerable. The main characters were kind of the worst and I couldn’t get behind the writing style at all. I don’t understand how one of the first “burns” between the main characters in their weird “I’m convinced I have a deeper understanding of life than you” type of relationship was regarding making fun of the FMC for reading Hemingway bc that’s kind of pretentious. But then the rest of the entire book is filled with these odd (and dare I say pretentious) outlooks on life that just were notttt landing with me. They both reminded me of those people at parties who get on their soapbox and are convinced they know how to “do” life the best.
With that being said, I’ll probably still watch the movie when it releases bc I have hope that Madeline Cline and KJ Apa can save the plot.
With that being said, I’ll probably still watch the movie when it releases bc I have hope that Madeline Cline and KJ Apa can save the plot.
January 31, 2022
Sería un 4,5 en realidad, pero solo porque el final me ha decepcionado un poco (me lo veía venir y se me ha hecho largo el camino hacia él para una resolución luego muy breve). En general, la novela va de más a menos, pero no puedo no recomendarla porque he disfrutado con cada página, con un estilo del autor que es magnífico y con una historia llena de emoción e intensidad. Precioso.
September 9, 2017
Inhalt
Bevor ihr Job als Investmentbankerin in New York beginnt macht Heather noch eine Europa-Reise mit ihren Freundinnen. Im Zug nach Amsterdam lernt sie dann Jack kennen: Er sieht gut aus, hat Humor und einen interessanten Blick auf die Welt. Er folgt zur Zeit einem alten Tagebuch seines Großvaters und besucht Orte, die sein Großvater erwähnt. Heather verliebt sich und will ihn begleiten, und manchmal reden sie auch über eine gemeinsame Zukunft. Aber dann verschwindet Jack plötzlich ohne ein Wort ...
Protagonisten
Heather ist ein Mädchen, das gerne alles geplant hat und wenig dem Zufall überlässt, gerade darum sind die spontanen Aktionen mit Jack sehr aufregend für sie. Oft ist sie etwas misstrauisch, weil Jack meistens nicht genau sagt, was er vorhat sondern sie lieber überrascht. Ihr gefallen zwar die Dinge, die sie so mit ihm erlebt und seine Ansichten faszinieren sie. Sie unterhält sich gerne mit ihm und schätzt seine Meinung, aber sie sind in einer Sache schon verschieden. Obwohl Heather schon gerne reist, möchte sie in New York ihren geplanten Job antreten und ein ordentliches, mehr oder weniger organisiertes Leben führen. Aber Jack findet das nicht so toll und regt sich manchmal darüber auf.
Denn Jack ist eher der freie, unabhängige Typ, der mit diesem Tagebuch durch die Welt reist. Er wirkt wie ein trauriger, romantischer Kerl, der auf der Suche nach etwas ist. Er hat sehr feste Ansichten und tut sich schwer damit, was anderes zu akzeptieren. Er kann zum Beispiel gar nicht nachvollziehen, warum Heather sich freiwillig einsperren möchte. Ansonsten schwingt er oft große Reden und hat Humor.
Andere Charaktere
Heathers Freundinnen Amy und Constance begleiten sie am Anfang, aber zwischendurch trennen sich ihre Wege. Amy ist gezwungen, vorzeitig abzureisen und so haben die anderen beiden Mädchen auch eine Ausrede, um mit ihren Männern zu reisen. Constance verliebt sich auf den ersten Blick in Jacks Freund Raef, obwohl das sonst nicht ihre Art ist, aber die beiden sind direkt unzertrennlich. Amy hingegen ist eher das Mädchen für eine Nacht, das Tratsch, Klatsch und das Abenteuer liebt. Die drei Mädchen sind sehr unterschiedlich, aber ein gutes Team. Ich fand aber, dass man diese Freundschaft im Laufe des Buches immer weniger spüren kann und alles etwas aufgesetzt wirkt.
Handlung und Schreibstil
Es hat mich sehr an "Nur ein Tag" von Gayle Forman erinnert, obwohl es schon recht verschiedene Bücher sind. Mädchen in Europa trifft auf charmanten und geistreichen jungen Mann, verliebt sich, sie reisen zusammen ein wenig und plötzlich trennen sich ihre Wege. Und das Ende hatte auch grobe Ähnlichkeiten: Außerdem waren sie in Paris und in Amsterdam ... Also ich habe es oft mit dem anderen Buch verglichen, und vielleicht konnte es mich auch darum nicht ganz überzeugen.
Die Reisen fand ich leider nicht so spannend. Sie waren eher ein Zusatz zu der sich entwickelnden Liebesgeschichte von Heather und Jack. Sie nahmen zwar einen großen Teil des Buches ein, standen sogar fast im Vordergrund, aber sie waren eher eine Ausrede und ich konnte nicht die Atmosphäre spüren. Darum fand ich es auch ein wenig langweilig, weil es eine Liebesgeschichte war, die durch die Reisen ausgebremst wurde.
Manchmal waren mir die Charaktere irgendwie zu jugendlich. Erst sind da die romantischen Reisen und die schön formulierten Passagen, und plötzlich gehen sie kiffen. Das fand ich jetzt nicht so schlimm, aber irgendwie hat das für mich die Stimmung zerstört.
Fazit
"Liebe findet uns" konnte mich leider nicht ganz überzeugen. Es hat mich zwar gut unterhalten, aber es gab so einige Aspekte, die ich nicht so sehr mochte.
Bevor ihr Job als Investmentbankerin in New York beginnt macht Heather noch eine Europa-Reise mit ihren Freundinnen. Im Zug nach Amsterdam lernt sie dann Jack kennen: Er sieht gut aus, hat Humor und einen interessanten Blick auf die Welt. Er folgt zur Zeit einem alten Tagebuch seines Großvaters und besucht Orte, die sein Großvater erwähnt. Heather verliebt sich und will ihn begleiten, und manchmal reden sie auch über eine gemeinsame Zukunft. Aber dann verschwindet Jack plötzlich ohne ein Wort ...
Protagonisten
Heather ist ein Mädchen, das gerne alles geplant hat und wenig dem Zufall überlässt, gerade darum sind die spontanen Aktionen mit Jack sehr aufregend für sie. Oft ist sie etwas misstrauisch, weil Jack meistens nicht genau sagt, was er vorhat sondern sie lieber überrascht. Ihr gefallen zwar die Dinge, die sie so mit ihm erlebt und seine Ansichten faszinieren sie. Sie unterhält sich gerne mit ihm und schätzt seine Meinung, aber sie sind in einer Sache schon verschieden. Obwohl Heather schon gerne reist, möchte sie in New York ihren geplanten Job antreten und ein ordentliches, mehr oder weniger organisiertes Leben führen. Aber Jack findet das nicht so toll und regt sich manchmal darüber auf.
Denn Jack ist eher der freie, unabhängige Typ, der mit diesem Tagebuch durch die Welt reist. Er wirkt wie ein trauriger, romantischer Kerl, der auf der Suche nach etwas ist. Er hat sehr feste Ansichten und tut sich schwer damit, was anderes zu akzeptieren. Er kann zum Beispiel gar nicht nachvollziehen, warum Heather sich freiwillig einsperren möchte. Ansonsten schwingt er oft große Reden und hat Humor.
Andere Charaktere
Heathers Freundinnen Amy und Constance begleiten sie am Anfang, aber zwischendurch trennen sich ihre Wege. Amy ist gezwungen, vorzeitig abzureisen und so haben die anderen beiden Mädchen auch eine Ausrede, um mit ihren Männern zu reisen. Constance verliebt sich auf den ersten Blick in Jacks Freund Raef, obwohl das sonst nicht ihre Art ist, aber die beiden sind direkt unzertrennlich. Amy hingegen ist eher das Mädchen für eine Nacht, das Tratsch, Klatsch und das Abenteuer liebt. Die drei Mädchen sind sehr unterschiedlich, aber ein gutes Team. Ich fand aber, dass man diese Freundschaft im Laufe des Buches immer weniger spüren kann und alles etwas aufgesetzt wirkt.
Handlung und Schreibstil
Es hat mich sehr an "Nur ein Tag" von Gayle Forman erinnert, obwohl es schon recht verschiedene Bücher sind. Mädchen in Europa trifft auf charmanten und geistreichen jungen Mann, verliebt sich, sie reisen zusammen ein wenig und plötzlich trennen sich ihre Wege. Und das Ende hatte auch grobe Ähnlichkeiten: Außerdem waren sie in Paris und in Amsterdam ... Also ich habe es oft mit dem anderen Buch verglichen, und vielleicht konnte es mich auch darum nicht ganz überzeugen.
Die Reisen fand ich leider nicht so spannend. Sie waren eher ein Zusatz zu der sich entwickelnden Liebesgeschichte von Heather und Jack. Sie nahmen zwar einen großen Teil des Buches ein, standen sogar fast im Vordergrund, aber sie waren eher eine Ausrede und ich konnte nicht die Atmosphäre spüren. Darum fand ich es auch ein wenig langweilig, weil es eine Liebesgeschichte war, die durch die Reisen ausgebremst wurde.
Manchmal waren mir die Charaktere irgendwie zu jugendlich. Erst sind da die romantischen Reisen und die schön formulierten Passagen, und plötzlich gehen sie kiffen. Das fand ich jetzt nicht so schlimm, aber irgendwie hat das für mich die Stimmung zerstört.
Fazit
"Liebe findet uns" konnte mich leider nicht ganz überzeugen. Es hat mich zwar gut unterhalten, aber es gab so einige Aspekte, die ich nicht so sehr mochte.
October 29, 2025
Story 4 stars. Narration 5 stars
This is now a new movie on Prime and when I saw there was a book I decided to read it first. I’m glad I did because the book is almost always better than the movie in my opinion anyway.
I didn’t like the way it ends. It was too abrupt and although you know the main part of the ending, there was just too many strings not tied up for me. Anyway, that’s my main takeaway here a half hour after finishing it, so that’s why I mentioned it first.
Of course, it’s a romance and I love a good romance. But it is also a road trip around Europe and all the wonderful places that are featured. It’s the only way I’ll ever experience Europe so I loved that aspect. It’s also the story of three best friends, fresh from their college graduations. It’s their dream vacation. The main character is Heather. She already has a dream job in New York City lined up for after her summer abroad. For each of the women it’s their last fling before their adulthood truly starts. The writer has fully realized each of them and I appreciated that. All three have a memorable summer, although not all that is good. Heather meets Jack on a train traveling to Amsterdam. They immediately know they could be important to each other. They end up traveling all over Europe. I’m not going deeper into the story, but just know this is not a contemporary romance or a rom-com. Due to story circumstances, I would put it as woman’s lit. I mostly enjoyed it, but that end kinda ruined things for me. I’m looking forward to seeing how the movie ends.
*****
Edited to add that the movie is not that much like the book. They chose to change whole plot lines, places they visit, where the characters are from, even where her father lives. I might have enjoyed it more had I not just finished the book. They left the actual end the same. I recommend the book.
This is now a new movie on Prime and when I saw there was a book I decided to read it first. I’m glad I did because the book is almost always better than the movie in my opinion anyway.
I didn’t like the way it ends. It was too abrupt and although you know the main part of the ending, there was just too many strings not tied up for me. Anyway, that’s my main takeaway here a half hour after finishing it, so that’s why I mentioned it first.
Of course, it’s a romance and I love a good romance. But it is also a road trip around Europe and all the wonderful places that are featured. It’s the only way I’ll ever experience Europe so I loved that aspect. It’s also the story of three best friends, fresh from their college graduations. It’s their dream vacation. The main character is Heather. She already has a dream job in New York City lined up for after her summer abroad. For each of the women it’s their last fling before their adulthood truly starts. The writer has fully realized each of them and I appreciated that. All three have a memorable summer, although not all that is good. Heather meets Jack on a train traveling to Amsterdam. They immediately know they could be important to each other. They end up traveling all over Europe. I’m not going deeper into the story, but just know this is not a contemporary romance or a rom-com. Due to story circumstances, I would put it as woman’s lit. I mostly enjoyed it, but that end kinda ruined things for me. I’m looking forward to seeing how the movie ends.
*****
Edited to add that the movie is not that much like the book. They chose to change whole plot lines, places they visit, where the characters are from, even where her father lives. I might have enjoyed it more had I not just finished the book. They left the actual end the same. I recommend the book.
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