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The Grand Tour
This vivid story of campervans, stowaways and mischief at any age is essentially about the ones you have and the ones you make.
When Ruby and Angela embark on a Grey Nomads road trip, the last thing they expect is a tiny stowaway; one who will turn them from unsuspecting tourists into wanted kidnappers and land them in a world of trouble. As their leisurely retirement plans unravel, Angela's relationship with her brother Bernard goes from bad to worse.
Bernard has his own problems to contend with. Adrift in life, his career as a news presenter has been reduced to opening fetes and reading Voss as an audio book (a seemingly impossible task). His troubles are compounded when his wife starts dating a younger man and a drink-driving incident turns him into a celebrity offender.
As Angela and Ruby set about repairing burnt bridges and helping their unexpected guest, and Bernard attempts to patch together his broken life, they discover that even after a lifetime of experience, you're never too old to know better.
A warm, funny, sharply observed story about aging disgracefully and loving the one you're with.
PRAISE'Laugh out loud funny. If you love characters of a certain age behaving very, very badly - read this book.' Victoria Purman, bestselling Australian author of The Land Girls
'A great debut novel packed with crazy characters, this is an entertaining story of growing older and coming up trumps.' Tricia Stringer, bestselling author of The Model Wife
'Olivia Wearne's compelling and witty novel unveils the frailties and passions of a complex array of characters...The perfect book to take on your own Grand Tour.' - Jane Coverdale, author
When Ruby and Angela embark on a Grey Nomads road trip, the last thing they expect is a tiny stowaway; one who will turn them from unsuspecting tourists into wanted kidnappers and land them in a world of trouble. As their leisurely retirement plans unravel, Angela's relationship with her brother Bernard goes from bad to worse.
Bernard has his own problems to contend with. Adrift in life, his career as a news presenter has been reduced to opening fetes and reading Voss as an audio book (a seemingly impossible task). His troubles are compounded when his wife starts dating a younger man and a drink-driving incident turns him into a celebrity offender.
As Angela and Ruby set about repairing burnt bridges and helping their unexpected guest, and Bernard attempts to patch together his broken life, they discover that even after a lifetime of experience, you're never too old to know better.
A warm, funny, sharply observed story about aging disgracefully and loving the one you're with.
PRAISE'Laugh out loud funny. If you love characters of a certain age behaving very, very badly - read this book.' Victoria Purman, bestselling Australian author of The Land Girls
'A great debut novel packed with crazy characters, this is an entertaining story of growing older and coming up trumps.' Tricia Stringer, bestselling author of The Model Wife
'Olivia Wearne's compelling and witty novel unveils the frailties and passions of a complex array of characters...The perfect book to take on your own Grand Tour.' - Jane Coverdale, author
306 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 2, 2020
About the author
Olivia Wearne
2 books6 followersOlivia Wearne began her writing career as a screenwriter and has several film credits to her name. After receiving a Masters in creative writing she went on to write The Grand Tour, which was published in 2020. Born and raised in Melbourne, Olivia now resides in Ballarat, Victoria, with her filmmaker husband and two sons.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
December 3, 2020
The Grand Tour, although I did enjoy the story, wasn’t what I was expecting. The blurb tells me Ruby and Angela embark on a grey nomads road trip and I expected lots of funny on the road disasters whilst reading about amazing places around Australia.
The Grand Tour is about relationships and the changing landscape of these relationships as we age. A satirical look at ageing disgracefully.
Ruby is estranged from her grown daughter who she has never had a solid relationship with. She was always a bit wary of her wild, rambunctious child as she was growing up.
Ruby and Angela become firm friends after the death of Angela’s husband. They are complete opposites but they compliment each other. Ruby who is an introvert loves Angela’s flamboyance. They live in the same complex and whilst their units are being renovated they take to the road in Ruby’s motor-home.
Bernard, Angela’s brother, is a curmudgeonly washed-up news reader trying to restart his career when he is pushed back into the limelight for all the wrong reasons. We are also introduced to his actress wife, Mia and her eclectic friends. An arty group of ageing bohemians.
Eight year old Izzy lives with her mother in a caravan park. Izzy’s mother has trouble coping and Izzy is neglected. Thinking her mother would be glad to be rid of her she stows away in Ruby and Anngela’s motor-home, making them unwary kidnappers.
There are many funny moments as each character navigates the different relationships in their life.
The book was a slow read for me. A character driven story.
Olivia Wearne’s debut novel is witty and observant. She expertly depicts human foibles and slots them into chuckle inducing scenarios.
The Grand Tour is about relationships and the changing landscape of these relationships as we age. A satirical look at ageing disgracefully.
Ruby is estranged from her grown daughter who she has never had a solid relationship with. She was always a bit wary of her wild, rambunctious child as she was growing up.
Ruby and Angela become firm friends after the death of Angela’s husband. They are complete opposites but they compliment each other. Ruby who is an introvert loves Angela’s flamboyance. They live in the same complex and whilst their units are being renovated they take to the road in Ruby’s motor-home.
Bernard, Angela’s brother, is a curmudgeonly washed-up news reader trying to restart his career when he is pushed back into the limelight for all the wrong reasons. We are also introduced to his actress wife, Mia and her eclectic friends. An arty group of ageing bohemians.
Eight year old Izzy lives with her mother in a caravan park. Izzy’s mother has trouble coping and Izzy is neglected. Thinking her mother would be glad to be rid of her she stows away in Ruby and Anngela’s motor-home, making them unwary kidnappers.
There are many funny moments as each character navigates the different relationships in their life.
The book was a slow read for me. A character driven story.
Olivia Wearne’s debut novel is witty and observant. She expertly depicts human foibles and slots them into chuckle inducing scenarios.
November 20, 2020
⭐️3.5 Stars⭐️
The Grand Tour is a witty tale about ageing mischievously, grey nomads campervanning and family, good and bad.
Angela 64 and Ruby 62 have bought themselves a camper van for their retirement adventures, they are good friends and neighbours. On their travels they encounter a stowaway who turns them into unwary kidnappers.
Bernard is Angela’s brother, he’s an ageing ex-news presenter down on his luck and has just had a drink driving incident with a tree.
A bunch of crazy characters and their relationships will give you a smile in this debut novel by Olivia Wearne.
I wish to thank Better Reading for a copy of the book in return for an honest review
The Grand Tour is a witty tale about ageing mischievously, grey nomads campervanning and family, good and bad.
Angela 64 and Ruby 62 have bought themselves a camper van for their retirement adventures, they are good friends and neighbours. On their travels they encounter a stowaway who turns them into unwary kidnappers.
Bernard is Angela’s brother, he’s an ageing ex-news presenter down on his luck and has just had a drink driving incident with a tree.
A bunch of crazy characters and their relationships will give you a smile in this debut novel by Olivia Wearne.
I wish to thank Better Reading for a copy of the book in return for an honest review
September 16, 2020
Thank you to Better Reading and Harper Collins for an advance reading copy of this debut novel by Australian author, Olivia Wearne.
I really enjoyed this tale of two ageing friends and neighbours who bought themselves a camper-van and embarked on a Grey Nomads road trip together. There were plenty of laughs along the journey and I was able to identify with Angela and Ruby as I am in the same age group as them and my husband has recently retired. It is not always easy growing older but this novel shows that even though we are in our sixties we are not yet ready to be put out to pasture but can still have fun and enjoy life and retirement.
The author made me feel as though Angela and Ruby were friends of mine and I was touring along with them on their grand tour. It was a pleasant, light-hearted, humourous read which I completed in a couple of days. I gave this book 4 stars and am happy to recommend it to others.
I really enjoyed this tale of two ageing friends and neighbours who bought themselves a camper-van and embarked on a Grey Nomads road trip together. There were plenty of laughs along the journey and I was able to identify with Angela and Ruby as I am in the same age group as them and my husband has recently retired. It is not always easy growing older but this novel shows that even though we are in our sixties we are not yet ready to be put out to pasture but can still have fun and enjoy life and retirement.
The author made me feel as though Angela and Ruby were friends of mine and I was touring along with them on their grand tour. It was a pleasant, light-hearted, humourous read which I completed in a couple of days. I gave this book 4 stars and am happy to recommend it to others.
December 3, 2020
‘He held his phone at arm’s length for Lucas to see. ‘She sent me a photo as well. It’s her and a friend, on a road trip apparently.’ ‘Very Thelma and Louise! Mia, having crept up behind to view the screen, startled them both. ‘Let’s hope they don’t run off a cliff.’
The Grand Tour is a quirky Australian tale of a rather eclectic group of people who, through the circumstances they find themselves in, try to make the best of some rather unusual situations.
Ruby and Angela, two retirees, decide to go on a road trip together whilst their units are being renovated. Herein lies my first disappointment - it’s not really that much about the road trips as they don’t really venture that far. This is much more a character driven tale with a weird and wonderful assortment of people you can come across in life. It’s also a story of the journey the main leads find themselves on (figuratively speaking) as they search for meaning through either age, lost spouse, lost career, lost family ties or all of the above.
‘A road trip.’ Ruby bobbed to let Angela hook an arm around her shoulders. ‘For someone who can’t stand somebody, you spend a lot of time worrying what he thinks. Precisely. Now do a big smile and make it look like we’re having the time of our lives.’
So whilst I was hoping for a good road trip story, the focus is more on working through the ups and downs of relationships and how meeting new people can ultimately show you how you can adapt to the many changes life can throw at you. The story perspectives jump around somewhat, some characters are hard to like and it's a tale that just trundles along with no real strong, key factor. I would also have loved a more engaging ending with closure, particularly for Ruby and her family.
If you are after a lighthearted and easy read, full of quirky and eccentric people and places then give The Grand Tour a go.
‘She’d equated motor homes with freedom: safe, comfortable, manageable freedom. She’d fore- seen spontaneity and adventure, something to stop her from stagnating. The idea now seemed oppressive. Escape was never on the cards; you can’t break free from yourself.’
This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.
The Grand Tour is a quirky Australian tale of a rather eclectic group of people who, through the circumstances they find themselves in, try to make the best of some rather unusual situations.
Ruby and Angela, two retirees, decide to go on a road trip together whilst their units are being renovated. Herein lies my first disappointment - it’s not really that much about the road trips as they don’t really venture that far. This is much more a character driven tale with a weird and wonderful assortment of people you can come across in life. It’s also a story of the journey the main leads find themselves on (figuratively speaking) as they search for meaning through either age, lost spouse, lost career, lost family ties or all of the above.
‘A road trip.’ Ruby bobbed to let Angela hook an arm around her shoulders. ‘For someone who can’t stand somebody, you spend a lot of time worrying what he thinks. Precisely. Now do a big smile and make it look like we’re having the time of our lives.’
So whilst I was hoping for a good road trip story, the focus is more on working through the ups and downs of relationships and how meeting new people can ultimately show you how you can adapt to the many changes life can throw at you. The story perspectives jump around somewhat, some characters are hard to like and it's a tale that just trundles along with no real strong, key factor. I would also have loved a more engaging ending with closure, particularly for Ruby and her family.
If you are after a lighthearted and easy read, full of quirky and eccentric people and places then give The Grand Tour a go.
‘She’d equated motor homes with freedom: safe, comfortable, manageable freedom. She’d fore- seen spontaneity and adventure, something to stop her from stagnating. The idea now seemed oppressive. Escape was never on the cards; you can’t break free from yourself.’
This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.
September 27, 2021
Ruby and Angela are both in their 60s and not ready to settle quietly into old age. They become friends after the death of Angela’s husband. They are complete opposites when it come to character, Angela is outgoing and confident, Ruby is quiet and introverted. Which makes it a surprise when Ruby buys a second hand motor home and announces they are going to be grey nomads.
Izzy is an eight year old girl who lives in a caravan park with her mother. Her mother has issues and is not coping very well. Izzy is neglected and decides her mother doesn’t want her and runs away. She hides in the motor home and when the ladies depart on their road trip unaware of their young passenger they don’t realise they are now kidnappers.
I did identify with Angela and Ruby, as I am in the same age group, and recently retired. But despite this identification, I found I didn’t really connect to any of the characters. I understood where they were coming from, and why they did what they did. But the connection didn’t really come other than a recognition that I ‘know’ people like some of the characters mentioned. The story shows that while it is not easy growing older there is plenty of life left and one can still enjoy life once work has stopped.
Overall, I found ‘The Grand Tour’ to a very lighthearted read with occasional laugh-out-loud section. The story was less about the tour and more about a journey to discovery as they figure out where they fit in society as older people.
With thanks to Netgalley and Harlequin Australia for my copy to review
Izzy is an eight year old girl who lives in a caravan park with her mother. Her mother has issues and is not coping very well. Izzy is neglected and decides her mother doesn’t want her and runs away. She hides in the motor home and when the ladies depart on their road trip unaware of their young passenger they don’t realise they are now kidnappers.
I did identify with Angela and Ruby, as I am in the same age group, and recently retired. But despite this identification, I found I didn’t really connect to any of the characters. I understood where they were coming from, and why they did what they did. But the connection didn’t really come other than a recognition that I ‘know’ people like some of the characters mentioned. The story shows that while it is not easy growing older there is plenty of life left and one can still enjoy life once work has stopped.
Overall, I found ‘The Grand Tour’ to a very lighthearted read with occasional laugh-out-loud section. The story was less about the tour and more about a journey to discovery as they figure out where they fit in society as older people.
With thanks to Netgalley and Harlequin Australia for my copy to review
August 25, 2020
I recently received a copy of The Grand tour by Olivia Wearne thanks to Better Reading and Harlequin Australia as an early reading copy. It's a fabulous book sometimes hilarious, sometimes filled with drama and misunderstanding. The story is about retiree friends Ruby and Angela whom feel redundant in the world as their relationships with their families are complicated and so embark on a road trip together. Due to a misunderstanding they inadvertently kidnap Izzy Ruby's granddaughter and galivant across country in an old Winnebago.
Angela also has her celebrity brother to contend with who is going through a midlife crisis and can no longer get good gigs after being terminated from his news reading job and his wife starts dating a younger man.
It's a story of repairing broken relationships, meeting new people who have the potential to lead you to finding who you want and need to be as life changes with getting older and that although people often overlook older people's opinions because they believe they are antiquated, they find that maturity and experience is usually the wisest course of action.
I really liked this book and found it pleasant reading. I recommend it to everyone but especially those that feel they've lost their way and are at a crossroads in their lives.
Thanks for the opportunity to review this great book.
Angela also has her celebrity brother to contend with who is going through a midlife crisis and can no longer get good gigs after being terminated from his news reading job and his wife starts dating a younger man.
It's a story of repairing broken relationships, meeting new people who have the potential to lead you to finding who you want and need to be as life changes with getting older and that although people often overlook older people's opinions because they believe they are antiquated, they find that maturity and experience is usually the wisest course of action.
I really liked this book and found it pleasant reading. I recommend it to everyone but especially those that feel they've lost their way and are at a crossroads in their lives.
Thanks for the opportunity to review this great book.
September 20, 2020
This arc was provided by Better Reading in exchange for an honest review.
I do apologise for the low rating, but this book was just not for me.
Don't get me wrong, The Grand Tour is a very nice, pleasant read with occasional chuckle-out-loud bits, but I could not connect with the characters.
I felt the introduction into the characters and their lives dragged out and felt sorry that Bernard was portrayed as a weak flippy floppy man in a story with loud over opinionated women.
I would recommend this book to actual grey nomads, or a mother/daughter book club.
I do apologise for the low rating, but this book was just not for me.
Don't get me wrong, The Grand Tour is a very nice, pleasant read with occasional chuckle-out-loud bits, but I could not connect with the characters.
I felt the introduction into the characters and their lives dragged out and felt sorry that Bernard was portrayed as a weak flippy floppy man in a story with loud over opinionated women.
I would recommend this book to actual grey nomads, or a mother/daughter book club.
January 22, 2021
Way too descriptive, and long, and predictable
December 2, 2020
Thank you Harlequin for sending us a copy to read and review.
A story of two older friends and neighbours getting into all sorts of mischief and shenanigans on a road trip in a camper van.
Ruby and Angela are besties who embark on a holiday adventure in a recreational vehicle.
On one stop they find themselves with a stowaway that has a connection to one of the women.
Whilst travelling Angela has to deal with an estranged relationship with her brother mostly via texts and phone calls.
Bernard, Angela’s brother is going through a crisis, a former popular news presenter who now has been reduced to mediocre appearances and the voice of an audio book and he also has to contend with his wife wanting to date a younger man.
As the vacation continues they both set about repairing relationships, dealing with a mischievous guest and experience life on the road.
A light hearted, pleasant and occasionally humorous read that unfortunately didn’t hold my attention.
I loved the premise of this book but how it was executed on paper just didn’t seem to work for me.
I enjoyed the two leads characters who are fun, bold mature age women and it’s been very entertaining getting to know them.
At times, the addition of Bernard felt out of place and dragged on, I thought it could have been written in less pages.
This book just wasn’t for me.
I’ll just leave it there and if you happen to pick it up yourself, I hope you enjoy and have a better reading encounter than I did.
A story of two older friends and neighbours getting into all sorts of mischief and shenanigans on a road trip in a camper van.
Ruby and Angela are besties who embark on a holiday adventure in a recreational vehicle.
On one stop they find themselves with a stowaway that has a connection to one of the women.
Whilst travelling Angela has to deal with an estranged relationship with her brother mostly via texts and phone calls.
Bernard, Angela’s brother is going through a crisis, a former popular news presenter who now has been reduced to mediocre appearances and the voice of an audio book and he also has to contend with his wife wanting to date a younger man.
As the vacation continues they both set about repairing relationships, dealing with a mischievous guest and experience life on the road.
A light hearted, pleasant and occasionally humorous read that unfortunately didn’t hold my attention.
I loved the premise of this book but how it was executed on paper just didn’t seem to work for me.
I enjoyed the two leads characters who are fun, bold mature age women and it’s been very entertaining getting to know them.
At times, the addition of Bernard felt out of place and dragged on, I thought it could have been written in less pages.
This book just wasn’t for me.
I’ll just leave it there and if you happen to pick it up yourself, I hope you enjoy and have a better reading encounter than I did.
August 26, 2020
Thank you Better Reading and Harper Collins Publishing for my advance reading copy the The Grand Hotel. This is a quirky story of an eclectic group of people thrown together through happenchance and eventually discover their better selves. Tongue in cheek digs at a number of Australian icons give this easy to read novel a humorous tone.
October 18, 2020
Thank you for the advanced copy. I found that this book, whilst Ok, wasn't really a fit work me. I did not connect with the ladies at all, and to me Bernard was a bit wishy washy. This may be a better fit with the grey nomad readers better than me. It wasn't bad bad, it just wasn't for me.
January 8, 2021
The good and the bad of some families. Sometimes fairly biting, sometimes slightly pathetic, sometimes comical. The character of Bernard has the best lines.
October 10, 2024
This book was meandering and boring, the characters unlikeable and the main plot almost non existent.
I wanted to read about Ruby and Angela on their road trip and the family difficulties they faced when joined by Ruby’s neglected grand daughter.
Instead, we’re treated to three equally boring stories where nothing of import happened
1. The “roadtrip” portion of the book spanned at least a hundred pages, despite ruby and Angela limping their way to Adelaide, complaining relentlessly the whole time and ending up back in their home town with nothing accomplished.
2. Izzy, Rubys grand daughter, was slightly more interesting story of a neglected 8 year old living with her mother. However she doesn’t go to school and it’s strongly inferred her mother is an addict, but the book never takes a very strong stance about anything. It’s like the author was talking to a friend they didn’t want to offend, stating facts but then downplaying them so much that it was hard to know what was actually happening. In the end she went on a short holiday to the beach with Ruby and then was returned to her mother, Ruby taking all the blame for her poor parenting and the police and media interest over the “kidnapping” not to be addressed again. There were no consequences for Ruby taking Izzie, and none for the mother who had been keeping her child out of school, neglecting her to the point that she had no clean clothes and sometimes no food and emotionally abusing her.
3. Bernard. What a waste of time storyline. Boring, stereotypical, nothing to do with the plot. I read on hoping for the stories to meaningfully intersect but they never did. Bernard was ineffectual and irritating, unable to talk to his wife about anything or even to read a single book. His wife was apparently beloved by everyone but was actually a selfish woman that took without ever giving back. And of course their friends were a group of aging, stereotypical gay men that fawned over them both despite them not ever doing anything for anyone else and drinking so much that they’re all alcoholics (another thing that was never addressed, despite Bernard crashing his car while drunk and feeling annoyed that others demanded he take even the smallest amount of accountability). Absolutely infuriating.
The author shows promise in that I finished the book, but the selfish, awful characters and the thin plot that led nowhere ruined any real readability for me
I wanted to read about Ruby and Angela on their road trip and the family difficulties they faced when joined by Ruby’s neglected grand daughter.
Instead, we’re treated to three equally boring stories where nothing of import happened
1. The “roadtrip” portion of the book spanned at least a hundred pages, despite ruby and Angela limping their way to Adelaide, complaining relentlessly the whole time and ending up back in their home town with nothing accomplished.
2. Izzy, Rubys grand daughter, was slightly more interesting story of a neglected 8 year old living with her mother. However she doesn’t go to school and it’s strongly inferred her mother is an addict, but the book never takes a very strong stance about anything. It’s like the author was talking to a friend they didn’t want to offend, stating facts but then downplaying them so much that it was hard to know what was actually happening. In the end she went on a short holiday to the beach with Ruby and then was returned to her mother, Ruby taking all the blame for her poor parenting and the police and media interest over the “kidnapping” not to be addressed again. There were no consequences for Ruby taking Izzie, and none for the mother who had been keeping her child out of school, neglecting her to the point that she had no clean clothes and sometimes no food and emotionally abusing her.
3. Bernard. What a waste of time storyline. Boring, stereotypical, nothing to do with the plot. I read on hoping for the stories to meaningfully intersect but they never did. Bernard was ineffectual and irritating, unable to talk to his wife about anything or even to read a single book. His wife was apparently beloved by everyone but was actually a selfish woman that took without ever giving back. And of course their friends were a group of aging, stereotypical gay men that fawned over them both despite them not ever doing anything for anyone else and drinking so much that they’re all alcoholics (another thing that was never addressed, despite Bernard crashing his car while drunk and feeling annoyed that others demanded he take even the smallest amount of accountability). Absolutely infuriating.
The author shows promise in that I finished the book, but the selfish, awful characters and the thin plot that led nowhere ruined any real readability for me
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 20, 2020
I was fortunate to receive an early reading copy of The Grand Tour by Olivia Wearne thanks to Better Reading and Harlequin Australia. The story is an enjoyable, light-hearted, and easy read, with quirky characters. It held a storyline that was witty and kept me captivated throughout.
The story predominantly follows Ruby and Angela, retirees, friends, and neighbours, who opportunistically decide to undertake a road trip in an old Winnebago during their home renovations. Both women rely upon each other and hold strenuous and complicated relations with their family. Angela with her celebrity brother Bernard, and Ruby with her daughter Carol, leading to delicate circumstances for her granddaughter Izzy.
This novel teaches the importance of restoring broken relationships, connecting with family, accepting changes, challenges and appreciating that there are always new things to learn, no matter your age and lifetime experiences.
I definitely recommend this novel to others and I look forward to any books written by this author in the future
Thank you, Better Reading and Harlequin Australia, for this review opportunity.
The story predominantly follows Ruby and Angela, retirees, friends, and neighbours, who opportunistically decide to undertake a road trip in an old Winnebago during their home renovations. Both women rely upon each other and hold strenuous and complicated relations with their family. Angela with her celebrity brother Bernard, and Ruby with her daughter Carol, leading to delicate circumstances for her granddaughter Izzy.
This novel teaches the importance of restoring broken relationships, connecting with family, accepting changes, challenges and appreciating that there are always new things to learn, no matter your age and lifetime experiences.
I definitely recommend this novel to others and I look forward to any books written by this author in the future
Thank you, Better Reading and Harlequin Australia, for this review opportunity.
September 11, 2020
Ruby and Angela, two retirees, enjoy road trips and visiting places deemed to have something you have to see in your lifetime. Whilst their units are being renovated, they’ll travel the backroads in their Grand Tour Winnebago and drop in on obscure and interesting places. First trip Ballarat to The Great Ocean Road, then Ballarat to South Australia. They’ll encounter a number of weird and wonderful characters, whilst coming to the realisation that life is a rollercoaster and the ride can be amazing.
Olivia Wearne introduces identifiable characters. Those wanting to discover their place in retirement, those that fall from grace believing they continue to be a radiant star, and those that have struggled with familial neglect. We laugh at their idiosyncrasies and cry with their heartache. Ruby and Angela learn from Izzy that they aren’t as informed about life as they think. Sometimes youth trumps age and experience.
Thank you to Better Reading and HQ Fiction for the advanced reading copy.
Olivia Wearne introduces identifiable characters. Those wanting to discover their place in retirement, those that fall from grace believing they continue to be a radiant star, and those that have struggled with familial neglect. We laugh at their idiosyncrasies and cry with their heartache. Ruby and Angela learn from Izzy that they aren’t as informed about life as they think. Sometimes youth trumps age and experience.
Thank you to Better Reading and HQ Fiction for the advanced reading copy.
October 29, 2021
I have to say the story about Angela and Ruby and their camper-van adventure has inspired me on how I may spend my retirement age when I reached 60ish. Thank you Better Reading for the book preview in exchange for a review. I really enjoyed reading this novel about friendship, family, ageing and adventure. It’s funny, heartwarming, refreshing, something to look forward to read in my spare time.
December 26, 2020
66 percent. The characters were interesting, but the story was all build up and then..... Well to be honest, not much of anything! I'm glad I read it and it was pretty good. It just didn't quite work.
February 22, 2021
I did not like this book it was disjointed. Hard to read the best thing part was the back of the book that was exciting riveting and made me excited. I was totally let down and disappointed I do not get the hype.
December 29, 2020
The Grand Tour has been a thoroughly entertaining read though I did find the plethora of people dotting the pages a little difficult to follow at times. Set mainly in Victoria, the story revolves around two friends, Angela Brackenberg, a retired hair and make-up artist for theatre and television, and Ruby McPherson, a retired primary school nurse. The story opens with their purchase of a Winnebago and follows their travels. Along the way Ruby’s granddaughter Izzy joins the pair. A secondary story involving Angela’s brother Bernard, a former TV newsreader, his ex-wife Mia and her many gay friends unfolds at the same time.
This story explores relationships and family and is at times very funny while at other times it is both shocking and sad. I thought author Olivia Wearne did an excellent job of depicting her characters, their personalities and the lives they were living. I was appalled at the way Izzy was being raised but on sad reflection realised that there are almost certainly many children in our country living in a state of neglect. With this tale being told through four pairs of eyes it wasn’t always easy to keep track of who was related to whom and in what way and I struggled to link the threads. On the whole though this has been a fascinating read.
This story explores relationships and family and is at times very funny while at other times it is both shocking and sad. I thought author Olivia Wearne did an excellent job of depicting her characters, their personalities and the lives they were living. I was appalled at the way Izzy was being raised but on sad reflection realised that there are almost certainly many children in our country living in a state of neglect. With this tale being told through four pairs of eyes it wasn’t always easy to keep track of who was related to whom and in what way and I struggled to link the threads. On the whole though this has been a fascinating read.
June 27, 2022
As others have mentioned, the title is a bit misleading if you, like me, were expecting a tale of an actual grand tour. The literal mileage Ruby & Angela’s campervan makes during the story is not a lot, as it’s more a tale of family relationships.
There are estranged siblings, distant and fearful mothers in two generations, a timorous yet feisty 8-year-old, and a B (D?) -list celebrity on the rocks. The two main protagonists were a delight in their unlikely but close friendship. Seemingly shy loner Ruby and loud outgoing Angela are surprisingly complimentary and good buddies, but both turn out to have secrets, involving the other characters, that are only slowly revealed.
Bernard, the “celebrity”, seems to get more airtime in the story than the two caravanners, and his “impossible task” is an odd one, though I can relate to the concept. Of course the main hurdles the characters all face, in their individual ways, is about communicating.
A very fast read for me, as I was fascinated with the continual revelations in the story. Good book, though not a keeper; glad that I borrowed it from the library rather than buying it.
There are estranged siblings, distant and fearful mothers in two generations, a timorous yet feisty 8-year-old, and a B (D?) -list celebrity on the rocks. The two main protagonists were a delight in their unlikely but close friendship. Seemingly shy loner Ruby and loud outgoing Angela are surprisingly complimentary and good buddies, but both turn out to have secrets, involving the other characters, that are only slowly revealed.
Bernard, the “celebrity”, seems to get more airtime in the story than the two caravanners, and his “impossible task” is an odd one, though I can relate to the concept. Of course the main hurdles the characters all face, in their individual ways, is about communicating.
A very fast read for me, as I was fascinated with the continual revelations in the story. Good book, though not a keeper; glad that I borrowed it from the library rather than buying it.
July 9, 2021
It irritated me that one of the subtexts was a vital social issue and was done so well but the author just let it slide into an easy fix. I did not ever get the brother who was an expert in weird relationships and then that was all an easy fix. The author knows how to develop characters and create real images and feelings. One of the most powerful was the grandmother and granddaughter sitting together down at the beach. Such a strong image and the impact was significant. Sadly, it is talked away. I read the book with interest even though I could not identify with the bizarre lifestyle of the brother. More could have been made of the relationship between the two women and how, infact, their friendship endured. The book is well crafted and linguistically sound but there were some glaring typos . We need sub editors. The reviews at the back of the book were not right. This book is not funny. It could have been as powerful as a Tim Winton novel. For a first novel it is good. I respected the polish in writing and the capacity to keep me involved as a reader.
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May 5, 2021Just no! It could just be me but none of the characters fitted anyone I would want to read about – so were they based in reality (the author isn’t the right age, stage or of the experience to write from personal experience) –who were they based on???
Poor writing it seems like an attempt to be ‘clever’ with the jumping around telling various different people's stories (which don't actually intersect in the end) and there is no ease or shift in the telling of the individual stories.
In many ways I’m insulted by the book – which I didn’t finish – and I do think I can be a forgiving reader… undoubtedly there is a rich source of stories in the campervan world and even if I’m never likely to do the C word I am able to listen and appreciate the stories of those who do take to the road…. And this book is not kind to them.
Poor writing it seems like an attempt to be ‘clever’ with the jumping around telling various different people's stories (which don't actually intersect in the end) and there is no ease or shift in the telling of the individual stories.
In many ways I’m insulted by the book – which I didn’t finish – and I do think I can be a forgiving reader… undoubtedly there is a rich source of stories in the campervan world and even if I’m never likely to do the C word I am able to listen and appreciate the stories of those who do take to the road…. And this book is not kind to them.
December 23, 2020
Oh, the life of a grey nomad. I must be honest, that life does very little to interest me, at all.
Ruby and Angela embark on a Grey Nomads road trip, the ultimate point of which is to repair relationships, but plans unravel and change through a series of events, including a stowaway, which amounts to kidnapping and then all the things that go along with mending fences (relationships) and meeting new people. As for Bernard, Angela’s brother, he needs to get his life together and perhaps learn a few lessons and grow as a person.
I found this story to be engaging in parts, but it is definitely a character driven book and there were a couple of characters who rubbed me the wrong way. I thought, from the blurb, that it was going to be about a mad-cap adventure of women ageing disgracefully, which it was to an extent, but it was really focused on relationships and how they can be challenging, redemptive, unexpected etc.
That being said, this was a light-hearted read with some comical situations and laugh out loud moments, but I’m not sure I was really the target audience for this one.
Ruby and Angela embark on a Grey Nomads road trip, the ultimate point of which is to repair relationships, but plans unravel and change through a series of events, including a stowaway, which amounts to kidnapping and then all the things that go along with mending fences (relationships) and meeting new people. As for Bernard, Angela’s brother, he needs to get his life together and perhaps learn a few lessons and grow as a person.
I found this story to be engaging in parts, but it is definitely a character driven book and there were a couple of characters who rubbed me the wrong way. I thought, from the blurb, that it was going to be about a mad-cap adventure of women ageing disgracefully, which it was to an extent, but it was really focused on relationships and how they can be challenging, redemptive, unexpected etc.
That being said, this was a light-hearted read with some comical situations and laugh out loud moments, but I’m not sure I was really the target audience for this one.
December 18, 2020
I did enjoy this book. Found the writing a little simple to start but once I got into the book it no longer bothered me. The story is interesting and I like the way the characters weave together... BUT ... the title???? It's just wrong. Where is the Grand Tour? Sure, two ladies buy a Winnebago and go for a short trip but there isn't much of a story in it. Certainly nothing interesting. More just to get to know the characters. 4 stars for an original story and great characters, no stars for the naming of the book.
January 2, 2021
This one took me a few days to get through as I just didn’t really connect with it (this is my personal opinion) but I don’t like leaving things unfinished. When I first read the blurb on the back, I expected a story of Grey Nomads travelling around Australia, not just Adelaide and back. Ruby, Angela and Bernard are the main characters, all flawed In their own ways and during the novel we learn more about their families and back story as we work through the different side narratives. For me, this one didn’t capture me but that’s not to say others shouldn’t have a crack at it.
December 2, 2020
In celebration of their retirement, Angela and Ruby decide to embark on a grey nomad’s trip in their newly acquired Winnebago, this trip begins like any other, neither one ever expecting that they’ve recently acquired a runaway on board. Once innocent tourists turn into wanted kidnapers, things soon go from bad to worse; can the pair restore equilibrium in their once-peaceful lives?
Read my full review here
https://hundredacreofbooks.com/index....
Read my full review here
https://hundredacreofbooks.com/index....
January 10, 2021
A mild, enjoyable tale. Not what I would call a page turner... more like the equivalent of TV viewing when a show is okay so we keep watching it to see how the story turns out.
March 18, 2021
Loved this first novel by Olivia Wearne I enjoyed the story the setting andcthe characters.
I look forward to reading more of this Authors books.
I look forward to reading more of this Authors books.
May 20, 2021
Shallow, plot was all over the place. Characters were one dimensional and I could not relate to or care for any of them. Had to force myself to keep reading hoping it might improve.
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