The Tea Drinker’s Guide to Adventure

by Andree Jannette

Was your first computer the approximate size and weight of a 1975 Volkswagen Beetle?
Did you ever inhale… allegedly?
Did your bra refuse to burn?
Did you cry yourself to sleep with Joni Mitchell?

If you answered yes to any of these questions then The Tea Drinker’s Guide to Adventure is the perfect book for you!

This action-filled contemporary romance features three women who set out on an RV road trip to fulfill a dying friend’s wish. Their mission; to spread their late friend’s ashes at Georgia O’ Keefe’s Ghost Ranch in New Mexico. But the friends have no idea that their lives are about to change forever. When a stray dog runs in front of their RV on a dark desert night, it sends them on a path that none of them could foresee.

As the women overcome unexpected dangers and face their own personal conflicts head-on, can the trio’s growing bond help them to conquer the challenges on the road that lies ahead? One gets a second chance at love, one finds the true meaning of friendship and the third confronts a devastating medical diagnosis. The only thing they can be certain about is that there will be plenty of laughter, tears and tea, as they each discover an inner strength they never knew they had.

Genres: Travel

310 pages, ebook

Published September 20, 2022

Reviews

[Cat. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice to read about people my age doing somewhat normal things that focus on kindness, travel and all the good things in life. The text itself could use some layout work, and it got a little preachy at times (and the timeline was completely wacko in a couple of places), but a nice fun, easy, pleasant read.

[Diana Bradford · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was not what I was hoping for. I found it to be a very hard read as it really did not have great flow. I really wanted to like this but it just wasn't for me. Not much character building.

[Stephanie Moccio · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book could have gone a lot of different ways. Pros: loved the rescue dogs, the story of friendship and love no matter what age, and showing the side of different illnesses (like Parkinson’s and needing a walker, a plan for medicine while traveling, etc.) Cons: I felt like the conversations and storyline was not dense enough. Lots of extremes happen at the RV park that were surface level. Most of the book is about what they want to eat and whether they would like to make tea. I wanted to like this book and while it was a quick read, it wasn’t my favorite.

[Trish Young · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to like this book so much… I was more interested in the back story of how they ended up in the rv and the drive to New Mexico. Off by the age of the characters.. 63:yo not burning bras.. think they actually needed to be late 60’s early 70’s for that… too much violence for a book I thought wpuld be a nice travel book.

[Jill · Rating 1 out of 5]

Such a strong start and interesting premise. However, that did not last as the book turned into a big cliche of bad guys and rich "frail" older adults.
Do not recommend at all.

[Book Reviewer · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Tea Drinker's Guide to Adventure by Andree Jannette follows the story of three older women; Cathy, Linda, and Bets. The women had met at a book club in their hometown, and although they come from different backgrounds, they quickly became acquainted. Their promise to a dear friend to scatter her ashes at Ghost Ranch in New Mexico leads them on a journey of adventure, friendship, and romance. Following a late-night incident that brings them into an encounter with an injured dog, the trio finds themselves in an RV community. After spending a few weeks in this community,  each woman's life changes unexpectedly.

The Tea Drinker's Guide to Adventure focuses on three older women. Andree Jannette did a fine job shedding light on the conditions that accompany humans' aging process, including illnesses,  grief, and uncertainty. The novel presents the ups and downs of old age, a reality not often explored in literary works. It consists of colorful elderly characters as they retain the youth's passion, adventurous spirit, and romance. The author refuses to present these characters as frail or dependent. Reading this helps one come to terms with aging and the end of life. The book is also incredibly heartwarming, with the inclusion of pet characters.

Jannette has written a comforting story of healing. However, at times I felt the storytelling was disjointed; secondary characters tended to overshadow the leading trio in the plot. Despite those things, this is a story of strength, of finding the spark and passion inside of oneself to face challenges and overcome obstacles. Life is full of the unexpected, and this novel teaches readers that even those moments, while they might look bad at the start, can lead to beautiful discoveries.

The Tea Drinker's Guide to Adventure is a beautifully written women's adventure novel. The bonds of friendship between the characters and the sparks of romance they feel will keep readers engaged and following the trio through this unexpected journey they end up on together.

[Fiona Campbell · Rating 3 out of 5]

What a lovely read. The three protagonists, Cathy, Linda and Betsy were endearing and I was engaged from the beginning.


When they sadly lose their friend, Alice, the group resolve to grant her dying wish by taking her ashes to 'Ghost ranch.' They set off on the RV road trip of a lifetime. When they unexpectedly find an injured dog, their adventure begins. While the dog (Charlie) is treated by the vet, Alfreda, the ladies find themselves embraced by the community. Cathy, in particular, has a connection with policeman, Peter.



Just when I had settled down with my hot cup of tea (The teacups at the beginning of each chapter are adorable), this sweet story took a dramatic turn. The author builds the tension very well when Linda finds herself slipping underwater. The panic she felt was tangible.

'she hadn't prayed for years, but she prayed now as hard as she could- for her friends, for herself, for Charlie.'

This is beautifully written.


More drama ensues when Sully and Smithy set off on a crime spree. The fact that Izzy recognised Smithy from her art class was touching. Highlighting how easy it is for young people to lose their way in life. When Peter was injured, I realised how invested I was in the story, willing him to be ok.


The idea of Peter chasing Cathy on horseback is a little cliche, yet it makes for a lovely romantic scene.


' You know Tom Hanks has a lot to answer for.' I found this section really emotional. Linda relates how short life is and that we should make the most of spending time with our loved ones before it's too late. I also liked when the ladies were choosing a fitting playlist for the end of their journey.


I'm so glad the author gave us a happy ending. I wish her every success with this book and her future writing.

[Shawna · Rating 5 out of 5]

.
Tea Drinkers Guide to Adventure by Andree Jannette
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Fast, fun, easy read perfect for readers of a certain age! I started it this morning and finished it this afternoon!

What I liked:
•I read this entire book in a day (that’s not my norm)! 3 women in their early 60’s take a road trip in an RV to spread their friend’s ashes. There is an incident that lands them in an RV park for a week that changes the course of their futures and introduces them to a variety of delightful characters.
•as a nearly 60 year old woman I love a story about starting something new, embracing that next chapter in life. It’s very timely as my husband and I are moving 300 miles away to a new state in about a week!
•Dogs 🐾 There is a love of animals in this story ~ rescuing a hurt dog, adopting a lost dog, appreciating a service dog. All beautiful stories of how intertwined we are with the animals we love!
•a senior love story. It’s predictable and adorable.

What I didn’t like:
•is this serious literary fiction? No. It’s a sweet, funny, touching story that I enjoyed from start to finish. I guess that’s not a negative 😂.

This was a book club pick for my local book club. I had never heard of it before. Super cute and I hope you read it!

Book 44 of 2024
Read August 17

[Rebecca L. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a fun and heartwarming story about friendships and what they can mean to your life. These three women show individual strength and courage, while also leaning on each other for support, and finding amazing new friends (and maybe some loves) along the way. Recommended for anyone who is an animal lover, who has ever wanted to roam in an RV, or who appreciates loving and supportive friendships.

[Sherri Jarlis · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little tea, but a lot of love.

Honestly, I was hoping for and expecting more tea, but it’s a sweet story regardless. My sister was recently diagnosed with Parkinson’s and both my parents died from pancreatic cancer so it really touched home in a few ways. I love tea, rvs, dogs, and horses so I enjoyed the read. They even mentioned some of my favorite songs. Definitely worth a read imo.

[Diane · Rating 5 out of 5]

P E R F E C T

Amazing read! Beautifully written about senior friends on a grand adventure. Lots of heart, wisdom, understanding mixed in with newfound friendships, courage, compassion and a few of life’s perils and circumstances. The characters are wonderfully written and the dogs portrayed so cleverly totally made this book stand out!

[Kidlitter]

Quite a nice read and kudos for having a cast of characters past retirement but still grappling with how to live life, maintain and grow relationships, cope with aging but even more so, the perception by society that nothing of interest could possibly happen to a woman of a certain age. Just the dogs alone make this read worth it!

[Brenda Klaassen · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author was new to me, but the compact writing style was very readable. I enjoyed the characters and the message of "hope" and "maybe". At first I thought the story was going to be unbelievable; the author proved this point wrong. I needed this lighter story. I do plan to read the second book this author wrote.

[✨elora core✨ · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's like a children's novel and not what I was expecting not necessarily a bad novel just not for a teenage girl as it is very clearly about people finding adventure and romance no matter their age which is great but I just personally can't relate to it.

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really fun book! Made me smile

[Stacy Maziejka · Rating 2 out of 5]

Just wasn’t “my cup of tea”. For me, I found it not engaging enough and found myself skimming through it half way into the story.

[Seeareess · Rating 5 out of 5]

Charming story filled with warmth and friendship and lots of action and excitement too.

[Heather Houghtaling · Rating 1 out of 5]

wayyyyy too slow. The dialogue didn’t flow well. The storyline was there but it just wasn’t for me

[Karen Martin · Rating 2 out of 5]

A real feel good story.

I expected this to be a road trip adventure but it wasn't so much road trip as destination adventure. Really good character building with the kind of friendships we all dream of having.

[Joyce · Rating 3 out of 5]

Three retired ladies rent an RV to travel west to spread their friend’s ashes. Along the way they find adventure, create friendships and love.