Characters Abroad!

Characters Abroad

Not going on holiday this year? Travel with the help of a good book!
I recently finished This Is Not a Love Story by Keren David, which is set in Amsterdam, and it got me thinking about YA/NA books I have read of characters abroad. As Summer is just around the corner, I thought I'd share with you these books set in holiday destinations!

Florence, Italy

One Thing Stolen by Beth Kephart - Something is not right with Nadia Cara. She’s become a thief. She has secrets she can’t tell. And when she tries to speak, the words seem far away. In Florence, Italy, with her epicurean brother, professor father, and mother who helps at-risk teens, Nadia finds herself trapped by her own obsessions and following the trail of an elusive Italian boy whom no one but herself has seen. While her father researches a flood that nearly destroyed Florence in 1966, Nadia wonders if she herself can be rescued—or will she disappear?

Set against the backdrop of a glimmering city, One Thing Stolen is an exploration of obsession, art, and a rare neurological disorder. It is about language and beauty, imagining and knowing, and the deep salvation of love. From Goodreads.

I really enjoyed this book! Florence sounds so beautiful, and a wonderful place to explore, but it's also a really poignant story. My review.

Love, Lucy by April Lindner - While backpacking through Florence, Italy, during the summer before she heads off to college, Lucy Sommersworth finds herself falling in love with the culture, the architecture, the food...and Jesse Palladino, a handsome street musician. After a whirlwind romance, Lucy returns home, determined to move on from her "vacation flirtation." But just because summer is over doesn't mean Lucy and Jesse have to be, does it?
In this stunning novel, April Lindner perfectly captures the highs and lows of a summer love that might just be meant to last beyond the season. From Goodreads.

I've not yet read this one, but I do have it on my TBR pile. I'm looking forward to reading it, it sounds so good, and I'm excited to read about Florence again!

Paris, France

Just One Day by Gayle Forman - A breathtaking journey toward self-discovery and true love, from the author of If I Stay.

When sheltered American good girl Allyson "LuLu" Healey first meets laid-back Dutch actor Willem De Ruiter at an underground performance of Twelfth Night in England, there’s an undeniable spark. After just one day together, that spark bursts into a flame, or so it seems to Allyson, until the following morning, when she wakes up after a whirlwind day in Paris to discover that Willem has left. Over the next year, Allyson embarks on a journey to come to terms with the narrow confines of her life, and through Shakespeare, travel, and a quest for her almost-true-love, to break free of those confines. From Goodreads.

Oh, this book! One of my favourite books by Forman, and Paris sounds absolutely gorgeous! We also get to see other parts of the world, including Amsterdam! So, so beautiful! My review.

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins - Anna has everything figured out - she was about to start senior year with her best friend, she had a great weekend job, and her huge work crush looked as if it might finally be going somewhere... Until her dad decides to send her 4383 miles away to Paris. On her own.

But despite not speaking a word of French, Anna finds herself making new friends, including Etienne, the smart, beautiful boy from the floor above. But he’s taken – and Anna might be too. Will a year of romantic near-missed end with the French kiss she’s been waiting for? From Goodreads.

More of beautiful Paris, with the edition of Etienne St. Clair! What's not to love about this book? My review.

Amsterdam, Netherlands

This Is Not a Love Story by Keren David - Kitty dreams of a beautiful life, but that's impossible in suburban London where her family is haunted by her father's unexpected death. So when her mum suggests moving to Amsterdam to try a new life, Kitty doesn't take much persuading. Will this be her opportunity to make her life picture perfect?

In Amsterdam she meets moody, unpredictable Ethan, and clever, troubled Theo. Two enigmatic boys, who each harbour their own secrets. In a beautiful city and far from home, Kitty finds herself falling in love for the first time.

But will love be everything she expected? And will anyone's heart survive? From Goodreads.

A really intriguing and enjoyably frustrating LGBTQ novel (intersectional, too - Jewish bisexual male!), and set in Amsterdam! I want to go to the Vondelpark! And see all the cute shops and cafés! And the museums! Especially Rijksmuseum with the dolls houses! Though I think I'd feel a little nervous about the prospect of cycling everywhere! My review.

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green - Despite the tumor-shrinking medical miracle that has bought her a few years, Hazel has never been anything but terminal, her final chapter inscribed upon diagnosis. But when a gorgeous plot twist named Augustus Waters suddenly appears at Cancer Kid Support Group, Hazel's story is about to be completely rewritten.

Insightful, bold, irreverent, and raw, The Fault in Our Stars is award-winning author John Green's most ambitious and heartbreaking work yet, brilliantly exploring the funny, thrilling, and tragic business of being alive and in love. From Goodreads.

I cheated a little here, as they only visit Amsterdam for a short while, but it still sounds amazing! The canals, the restaurants, Anne Frank's house! I need to gooo! My review.

Various

Just One Year by Gayle Forman - When he opens his eyes, Willem doesn’t know where in the world he is—Prague or Dubrovnik or back in Amsterdam. All he knows is that he is once again alone, and that he needs to find a girl named Lulu. They shared one magical day in Paris, and something about that day—that girl—makes Willem wonder if they aren’t fated to be together. He travels all over the world, from Mexico to India, hoping to reconnect with her. But as months go by and Lulu remains elusive, Willem starts to question if the hand of fate is as strong as he’d thought. . . .

The romantic, emotional companion to Just One Day, this is a story of the choices we make and the accidents that happen—and the happiness we can find when the two intersect. From Goodreads.

This is a real globetrotting novel! It shows the second half of Just One Day from from Willem's point of view, and it's a really emotional story! And we get to see so many parts of the world! We see a few of the same places in Just One Day, but most of the novel is set in Paris, where in Just One Year, there seems to be almost equal amounts of the story in each location, and god, it's just brilliant! So many awesome contries! And again, Amsterdam! I so need to go there! My review.

Do you know of any other YA/NA novels about characters visiting other countries? How about books set in the characters' native countries that aren't the UK or the US? Any books made you want to go travelling? What would be your ideal holiday destination from the books you've read?