The Map that Leads to You by J.P. Monninger

 

Summary (from the publisher): 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.

Review: Heather has just graduated college and is traveling around Europe with her two best friends before she has to start her new job in banking in New York. She isn't looking to meet anyone when she meets and falls hard for Jack. Jack is from Vermont and is traveling around Europe tracing his grandfather's steps as outlined in the journal he kept at the time. But despite how deeply she feels for Jack, she doesn't know everything about his life and forces beyond their control. 

This is deeply romantic in a tragic way! This is Heather's first love and Jack seems too good to be true in many ways. He's tall and handsome and deeply drawn to Heather. But there are warning signs. I didn't like how he can be sort of condescending to Heather. When they first meet on the train, he disparages the fact that she is reading on an iPad rather than a physical book. He claims this is inferior and limits your ability to really experience the text. Rude. Later, he is rude to her about her impending new job in New York and likens a job in NYC to imprisonment. Also rude. Later of course we find out why he is desperately traveling and avoiding commitment or settling in one place. But it really rubbed me the wrong way while reading. He hurts Heather over and over. Sometimes he believes this is for her own good, but it still seems cruel. 

I don't want to give away any spoilers, but the ending felt not quite like something that would happen in real life. It felt like a grand, cinematic moment and not reality. But I did think the book concluded at the right point in Heather and Jack's story. 

This was fairly well done on audio. I did appreciate that it doesn't have a stereotypical and predictable ending!

Stars: 3.5