A huge thank you to Love Books Tours for organising this tour and to Chloe Stevenson for the review copy of this special book to read and review with honesty.
Synopsis
While her friends were busy building careers, getting engaged and signing mortgages, Claire Baxter was busy travelling the world. Finding herself back in Australia with no degree, no career and no direction, twenty-something Claire is feeling a little left behind in life when she unexpectedly inherits her grandfather’s 1968 Kombi van. Falling in love with Rusty Frank’s nostalgic if slightly impractical charm, Claire embarks on a new journey: to restore Frank to road-trip readiness with the help of her overly enthusiastic father and a grumpy, if handsome, mechanic.
As she juggles the upcoming wedding of one of her best friends and the relationship breakdown of another – all while navigating more than enough woes of her own in the love department – Claire finds herself trying to fix more than just a geriatric van with some concerning rust bubbles.
This millennial twist on Pride and Prejudice takes a refreshing, quirky and unashamed look at the unpredictable lessons that life throws at you when you least expect them – like when you find yourself creeping closer to thirty, working at a coffee shop and living in a granny flat in your parents’ Canberra backyard. Those times in life when you find yourself questioning your own purpose in the world.
The Travel in Between is an honest and insightful Australian story about all those little things we don’t really think about but all experience when wading through the murky waters of love, friendship and family.
My Thoughts
I absolutely adored Chloe’s journey and became totally smitten by the characters and plot of this novel.
I loved Claire and Frank and the whole concept of restoring the van lovingly that had been passed down from her grandparents. I am a bit of a wonderer at heart but also love my family and friends, so I completely identified with Claire and her dilemma to travel or stay home. My favourite part about her was that she was so real. She isn’t glossy or a high-flying career woman but she’s a girl who follows her heart on mad adventures, who has fun and who lives life.
Claire’s parents are hilarious and so warm. They are actually my favourite characters and really added a lot of comedy to the book. Her friends also lead real lives and their bond and support for each other is so good. It reminded me of my friends and I immediately recommended this novel to them afterwards.
The plot is light and funny and just so easy to get lost in. I didn’t want it to end and I would love to read more of Claire’s adventures past and present (pretty please).
A story about friends, family and adventure and an absolute perfect escape.
Author Bio – Chloe Stevenson
Chloe Stevenson lives in Canberra with her two fluffy mops, parading as dogs, and her 1977 Kombi Van Sadie. Chloe is a Communications Advisor, an Air Force Officer, a terrible gardener, and a lover of literary, vintage, and wretchedly colourful things.
Herding Cats 