Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book

This Book Belongs To

Rate this book
While trekking across South America, Ellie Bartlett finds a mysterious guidebook that changes the course of her journey—and her life.

Ellie dreams of a life away from the sharp edges of New York City. Away from her creepy boss, shoebox apartment, and nights spent alone eating ice-cream. She’s desperate to find happiness—and love.

After losing out on yet another promotion, Ellie quits her job and buys a ticket to South America. Arriving at her hostel as a first-time backpacker, she finds a mysterious guidebook filled with cryptic messages about life and love. Intrigued, Ellie contacts the previous owner, Bella, who wrote her name under the heading THIS BOOK BELONGS TO.

Her email lands in the inbox of Jerry Townsend, an architect and widower living in San Francisco. Jerry is barely keeping his life together as he juggles raising three daughters alone and construction of a museum in memory of his late wife—Bella.

Ellie and Jerry start messaging, sharing their fears, hopes and desires. Following Bella’s advice, Ellie embarks on a six-month solo adventure across South America, and over the course of emails, texts, phone calls and video chats, Ellie and Jerry’s pen-pal friendship develops into something more…

But can you fall in love with someone you’ve never met?

486 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 3, 2022

213 people are currently reading
651 people want to read

About the author

Nick Levy

1 book11 followers

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
498 (64%)
4 stars
176 (22%)
3 stars
73 (9%)
2 stars
16 (2%)
1 star
8 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 97 reviews
Profile Image for Mallory.
137 reviews2 followers
May 2, 2022
Wow! My first thought of a comment was just wow! I loved this book so much. I'm not even sure I can truly explain why. I read it slowly trying to savor each chapter as if it was nourishment for my soul. Something about Ellie's journey touched me inside in a way another book hasn't in a long time. The self discovery and joy she experience in juxtaposition to the scares, tribulations and dangers she encountered really resonated with me. Part of me just lived vicariously through her adventures, but also nick's writing was so splendid it honestly felt like I was there with her. I laughed, I cried, I got angry, my heart beat hard with fear in some of her more dangerous moments. But my heart soared for her as she found love and finally allowed herself to admit the love she felt and have it returned in such an equivalent manner. It was such a shining beacon of hope.
Profile Image for Monica.
59 reviews
April 29, 2022
I truly loved this book. The descriptions of Ellie's travels were perfect, not too much fluff so it did leave a little to let your imagination make up the rest. What I liked most about the book is it was believable that someone could spend 6 months traveling in South America with as little funds as she had. Instead of it being the usual trope of "finding yourself" because you have tons of money and can afford to travel, she rode buses, hitchhiked, trains, walked, etc. I just really enjoyed how much more real this book was compared to some others. I find myself wanting to re-read all the travel parts but have Google open so I can see the pictures. I also fell in love with Jerry and his girls, again, it was realistic and raw.
Profile Image for Bonnie Walters.
7 reviews
May 10, 2022
I enjoyed the book. I enjoy traveling and to read about this solo traveler in South America was interesting. Reading about all these unique and wonderful places was fun.
48 reviews
April 29, 2022
Laugh out loud emotional trip!

I am surprised by how much this book pulled me in. What a journey! Super great story, wonderful writing that made me feel I was right there beside Ellie. A must read for everyone no matter your age, skill set, place of birth, or background. We all would be Blessed to do what Ellie and so many like her have done or are in the process of doing. Read the book! You will not be disappointed. One of my top five.
Profile Image for Christina.
257 reviews2 followers
January 1, 2023
I really enjoyed this book. Ellie is done with her job and life in New York City. On a whim she decides to leave everything behind and climb Mt. Roraima in Venezuela. Upon arriving in Venezuela her iPad containing all her trip plans is stolen. In search of a map, she stumbles across an old South American guidebook filled with the former owner, Bella’s notes. Ellie begins to follow in Bella’s footsteps and a trek that was supposed to be two weeks turns into a 6 month adventure to discover herself and the amazing world we live in. This book truly was an escape read. You can tell the author has traveled to many of the locations in this book, his description left me feeling like I was trekking through South America. Just a really fun read.

“Darlin’, are you jokin’? I don’t have it together. No-one does. You need to stop faffin’ about tryin’ to have it together and just get on with living’. Once you accept that life isn’t perfect- and never will be- you’ll be free to enjoy life as it is, with all its ridiculous twists and turns. Remember, we don’t have nearly as many days as we’d like. And it can all be over in an instant.”
Profile Image for Heather Donovan.
349 reviews9 followers
February 15, 2022
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an ARC of this book. Opinions are my own.

If you love travel books, this one is for you! The descriptions of Ellie's travels are truly breathtaking, and you can fully imagine yourself along with Ellie on her journey. Donna, her sister is the typical over-protective nay-sayer, and I would love to see her softened a little. I understand there needs to be conflict within the book but I felt Donna was just stereotypical and over the top. That being said, a few things didn't ring true for me like the Dec 31 meeting (why would they wait until the last day and not have Jerry arrive at least one day earlier?) and it's never really discussed how Ellie is paying for this adventure. That being said I really enjoyed this book and would recommend to others.
Profile Image for Anjana.
2,571 reviews60 followers
June 15, 2022
The first thing I should warn anyone picking this book up is to pace themselves. I feel like I was at a disadvantage, mostly because I had the time and ended up reading this continuously, something that might have affected my reading experience.
Ellie has an epiphany about her life and ends up packing up her life to take a tour of South America. On her very first stop, she chances upon a book that includes personalized tips for places to visit, things to do and gave an email address to contact just to spread the story. This is the start of a friendship neither party expects.
The narrative includes the ups and downs of travel, the excitement of learning new things and charting previously uncharted territories (both physical and metaphorical). It contains a lot of detail and almost felt like a travel book in itself, something that the reader should know going in. I really enjoyed the characters’ growth arcs as situations caused them to step out of their comfort zones.
What put me off was the romance angle. I usually like such twists in the tale, but in this case, I thought it took away from the central plotline. I did not want things to go the way they did, and I was not cheering the events on for the sole reason that I thought it distracted me from the ‘actual’ story. I will not go into further details, but I must admit that all the characters were fleshed out and seemed to be their own people. I had no complaints on that front. On a very personal level, I wanted something more or even different to happen to wrap everything up. If they had remained friends or something along those lines, I would have rated this much higher (this is something I want very rarely).
I would recommend this to anyone who wants a coming of age story with many colourful travel and adventure stories thrown in. I probably will never want to travel this way, but I know of people who feel like it would be the ultimate adventure; for those people, until they take off on it in person, this might be a worthy substitute.
I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience.
Profile Image for Erin Whipple.
2 reviews
April 5, 2022
An adventure for the soul

Most of us have thought, at one time or another, of casting off the reins of work, societal expectations, and daily drudgery to explore the far corners of our planet. Ellie Bartlett shows us that it can be done, even by the most timid and self-doubting of us. That I’m discovering the world, you can discover yourself in the process. You just have to have enough courage for that first step.
Profile Image for Irene Frances Olson.
302 reviews4 followers
May 22, 2022
Extraordinary

This novel reads like a travel guide…but with stories you would never find in one. I don’t have the bravery of Ellie Bartlett but I sure enjoyed traveling with her. The novel’s concept and the characters that carried out that concept worked magnificently. Congratulations to Nick Levy for having the vision and the guts to produce such a successful story. Thank you for the nuggets of wisdom you provided that I added to my 69 years of wisdom gathering.
632 reviews4 followers
April 3, 2022
I enjoyed this book as I learned a great deal about South America! A young woman decides to find out why she’s on this earth and decides to backpack across South America! You will meet some interesting characters and learn what it’s like to back pack! Hostels & what is done in them!

What I really enjoyed the most was the Beaty of the country’s. My husband & I like to travel and I’m always interested in the people.

I would definitely recommend reading this book!
Profile Image for Tracy.
377 reviews4 followers
July 16, 2023
I was backpacking on the Appalachian trail while reading this book which was a perfect accompaniment to my own adventures!
Profile Image for Janet.
7 reviews
April 2, 2022
A fun read if you like adventurous travel - so well told it could give you the travel bug!
30 reviews
May 14, 2022
I want to start traveling

A long time ago my brother retired early and traveled around South America. Almost settled in Venezuela but there was a lot of political unrest. He finally settled in Nicaragua. I traveled to Costa Rica and backpacked with him for three weeks. Was so much fun. A few years later met up with him in Nicaragua and travelled for a few weeks. This book made me want to set off on an adventure at 73 years of age. Maybe I will
Profile Image for Sandy.
256 reviews
May 26, 2022
I really enjoyed the travel parts of this book. The author does a great job of describing all the travel spots in South America. The love story was just ok.
Profile Image for Gill Wynter.
11 reviews
April 29, 2022
If this book doesn’t make you want to travel off the beaten track nothing will!
Nick Levy’s Amazing description of Ellie’s travels around South America leave you feeling you’ve been with her every step of the way. Leave the Rat race behind and delve into this amazing book
66 reviews
April 28, 2022
A New World

I loved this book and didn't want it to end. I would love if everyone would read it. This book takes Ellie and then maybe you and me out of our little worlds and makes exploring and just "going with the flow" a way of life. I wish I had Ellie's (main character) chutzpah in my 30's. I also loved the idea of a guidebook with handwritten notes. How wonderful!
106 reviews1 follower
April 28, 2022
Review

I absolutely loved this story! There were times I could almost believe I was right there with Ellie. What a wonderful, courageous love altering adventure. Read this story! You won't be disappointed.
Profile Image for Linda.
505 reviews4 followers
March 17, 2022
delightful!

So enjoyed this story—-a young woman abandons the rat race and begins a road trip through South America. Lots of adventures—not all good, but she learns a lot during the trip. I could have done without the descriptive details of sexual activity. My favorite part of the book was following her journey on a map and googling recipes for some of the foods mentioned and some of the places she visited. Who knows, I may one day get to experience some of them!
Profile Image for art_gouge.
10 reviews1 follower
March 12, 2022
Excellent

Great book! Wanted it to go on and not end. Loved the travel, messages and romance. Very easy to immerse oneself in
116 reviews4 followers
March 4, 2022
A beautiful, reflective story about the way travel can shape our lives and experiences. Being brave enough to step out of the rat race, or love somebody again after a devastating loss can lead to powerful experiences.

I loved both characters in this book and while the story is long, it didn't drag, instead painting a picture of all the beauty South America has to offer.
Profile Image for R.K. Emery.
1,257 reviews56 followers
March 1, 2022
Wow, I loved this.
The characters are so real and interesting. It's great to have characters with real problems and dealing with just, well, life!
The author brings you in to the story so nicely, he makes you feel what they feel along the way, which is A LOT! In the end, you feel like you are part of their world.
While there are many deeper moments and hard issues, there is also plenty to make you smile.
Profile Image for Gina Stamper.
786 reviews35 followers
March 2, 2022
Great story! I found this to be very enjoyable with a lively pace, colorful characters, a emphasis on human emotions and a satisfying ending.
This was a solid piece of writing from start to beginning.
Profile Image for Bookishdays.
183 reviews3 followers
July 18, 2022
Get ready to embark on an exciting journey to South America! If you ever wanted to know this beautiful part of the world, you can have a taste of it reading this book.

We follow the adventure of Ellie, a young woman, who is tired of her stressful job and in an impulse, she decides to go travel to a place very special of her childhood, Mount Roraima, in Venezuela. This is the beginning of a physical and emotional journey.

On her first hostel, Ellie finds a travel guide with some tips, observations and recommendations of the previous owner, Bella. She left her contact and Ellie decides to send and email just to thank her some advice. Unfortunately, Bella died some months ago and Jerry, her husband, is the one who receives the email.

Ellie and Jerry star to communicate regularly, she tells him all about the places she is visiting, and Jerry talks about his family, job and struggles in life. They found in each other the person they need, and eventually they fall in love.

I liked all the descriptions of the amazing places, this is a very complete guide, for the ones who dream to know South America, because Ellie visits the most iconic, and special places, historically and culturally.

I especially enjoyed the community spirit between all the travellers Ellie meets on the hostels. The relation of Jerry and Ellie is very romantic, the emails between them are fun, and light.

If you have the wanderlust and miss real travelling, this is the perfect book for you.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Profile Image for Bee.
426 reviews6 followers
January 3, 2022
There is a rhythm to this story.

I chose to read this book because it was a story about a traveler. I haven’t been anywhere for the last couple years (thanks COVID) so I thought this would be a good way to have a mental vacation.

As I said, there is a rhythm to this story. The first scene takes place at an office. Then it jumps into the first adventure. Then it goes back to an office scene. I was disoriented for about thirty seconds but once I got my bearings I fell into the rhythm of this author’s writing style. This is a ginormously long book that weaves several stories together beautifully. Weaving the stories together this way actually kept my interest to the point where I had a hard time putting my kindle down. Nick Levy is an excellent story teller.

I was looking for a mental vacation and this story delivered in spades via Ellie’s adventures backpacking through South America. The author took the reader along for the ride with his vivid descriptions of scenery, the food, the people. He also tried to keep it real by describing the wonders as well as the perils of this type of travel.

This was also Jerry’s story. His story is about how a travel book connected his first love with his second. This part of the story was also very entertaining.

Highly recommend this story.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Profile Image for Jennifer.
912 reviews8 followers
January 30, 2022
A truly fantastic journey from start to finish.
This is a wonderful book. A truly fantastic journey from start to finish. Part travelogue, part romance, it combined the two seamlessly.
I have done a lot of travelling over the years but have never been able to transpose my experiences into words like Levy does making you feel as if you are right there alongside of Ellie experiencing everything she is.
I have also never been to South America, so I read this book hitting up Google for pictures of every place and town Ellie visited and everything she saw; a slow way to read a book 😊 but bringing the words into vivid life.
Ellie’s journey was as much self-discovery as it was discovering the world with sage advice and life lessons sprinkled throughout the pages. The people she met along the way and her blossoming friendship with Jerry makes this book so much more than just a travel tome and brings it to a very satisfying conclusion.
You will laugh, you’ll definitely wonder at the amazing planet we live on, and maybe you’ll cry a little, I did, but you will definitely enjoy every moment of The Book Belongs To.
Profile Image for Laura Lea.
80 reviews25 followers
December 24, 2021
Loved this book! I loved the characters that the author introduced us to and the beautiful descriptions of the places Ellie traveled to throughout South America. It has me ready to book a flight myself to see their beauty with my own eyes. I can also relate to many of the big questions Ellie is asking about life, and I love the advice she received from the many friends she made a long the way. Including the advice she got from Bella in her guide book.

While some of the plot could ultimately be described as clique and predictable at times, to escape, sometimes, we need this in our lives. Which I totally did. This is a great book to escape into and I definitely recommend it for any one who loves to travel!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
3,221 reviews4 followers
February 11, 2022
After losing a promotion opportunity, Ellie quits her job and heads to South America for a well-deserved vacation. She planned on two weeks, but her adventures kept her there for six months. It was just wonderful to watch her growth as she pushes herself past her fears. She meets some interesting people along the way; some are "interesting", many are amazing and turn out to be wonderful friends. Her connection with Jerry is an added bonus, and I enjoyed his story, as well as their developing friendship. The author has woven an incredible story, and I could easily visualize his descriptions of Ellie and her adventures. This truly is an I-can't-put-this-book-down kind of book - I ignored everything in my life to read it in one day. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Alli Sinclair.
Author 9 books217 followers
January 14, 2022
I adore travel fiction and this book was exceptional. I loved the premise of a travel book connecting people through time and across distance, and I especially loved the blossoming romance between the two characters. It gave me all the feels!

Nick's descriptions of South America were fantastic. As someone who has lived there and travelled the continent extensively, it was lovely to revisit some of South America's most special places through the eyes of Ellie and Bella's musings.

A fantastic debut novel perfect for all adventurers and romantics!
Profile Image for Bec.
788 reviews17 followers
September 28, 2022
I really loved this book. It was a mix of travel journey with a story about the meaning of life thrown in. I loved the friendships Ellie built along her travels and as Ellie travelled around South America I really felt like I was experiencing the places with her. Ellie developed as a character as she questioned her purpose in life. I thought the connection between Ellie and Jerry via Bella was sweet and Jerry's story was a great addition to the storyline. I loved how the novel flicked between Ellie and Jerry. Many emotions in this one. Well worth the read.
1 review
January 25, 2022
I have loved reading this book. Nick Levy paints pictures with his words. While reading it I felt like I was both in South America on an adventure, feeling the desire to be free that Ellie was exploring and at the sametime feeling envious that I actually wasn't Ellie. At the sametime feeling for Jerry and his girls. I loved the way Jerry and Ellie became pen pals and supported each other. Moments of poignanancy, humour, adventure. Great book, which was also easy to read and kept me greatly distracted from the things I should have been doing...like work.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 97 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.