Books Set in Western Europe

by Lori Nelson Spielman

Setting: ITALY

Do you dream of seeing the Venetian canals, the Amalfi Coast, or wandering through gorgeous Tuscan villages? This 2020 release will transport you to all three dramatically different scenic Italian locations in vivid detail.

Two hundred years ago, Filomena Fontana cursed her sister and since then, every 2nd born sister in the Fontana family has been unable to find love.

Some of the women believe in the curse and others are skeptical, but when elderly Aunt Poppy invites two of the young second-born sisters to return to Italy with her, promising to have a plan to break the curse, they can't pass up the chance. The trio of women travel throughout Italy, learning about their family history and uncovering secrets.

If you're looking for a book to get lost in, this is a charming and light read filled with vivid atmospheric details! The narrator's Italian accent makes the audio book especially enjoyable.

Book Girls' Readers Rate This Book ⭐⭐⭐⭐½
100% Would Recommend to a Friend

by Sofia Lundberg

Setting: SWEDEN & FRANCE

Throughout Doris's life, she's documented the people she encounters in the same address book. Now, at 96 and living alone in Sweden, she begins looking back through the address book, especially at all those who she has crossed out one by one as they died. In her bittersweet trip down memory lane, she reflects back on those who entered her life for various reasons and seasons, each making a mark on who she would become.

Doris sets out to document her life, from working as a maid in Sweden, to modeling in Paris before escaping WWII, to searching for a lost love in Manhattan. By documenting her personal and family past, she hopes to help her only living relative, a grandniece named Jenny.

The Book Girls Say... The Kindle version is currently free with Kindle Unlimited.

Book Girls' Readers Rate This Book ⭐⭐⭐⭐
94% Would Recommend to a Friend

by Ruta Sepetys

Setting: SPAIN

This young adult historical fiction focuses on life in post-war Spain under Franco's dictatorship. In 1957, the regime needed money and opened the country to Americans hoping for investment. Eighteen-year-old Daniel travels with his oil tycoon father from Houston to Madrid.

Daniel brings his camera, eager to explore the city beyond the image that Franco is projecting to the world. Along with Ana, the young hotel maid tasked with assisting his family, Daniel discovers and documents the atrocities happening in the fascist regime.

The Book Girls Say... This 2020 release is the latest book from the New York Times bestselling author of Salt to the Sea and Between Shades of Gray.

Book Girls' Readers Rate This Book ⭐⭐⭐⭐½
96% Would Recommend to a Friend

by Helen Simonson

Setting: ENGLAND

The small village of Edgecombe St. Mary is filled with thatched cottages set among the rolling hills of the English countryside. It's also filled with endearing and hilarious characters, including Major Ernest Pettigrew. He embodies the things that proper Englishmen are supposed to value - honor, duty, decorum, and a properly brewed cup of tea.

Major Pettigrew befriends a Pakistani shopkeeper from the village - Mrs. Jasmina Ali - and it begins to blossom into something more. But their relationship is complicated by the views of the other villagers who see Mrs. Ali as an outsider and an unsuitable match for the Major.

The Book Girls Say... True to it's proper Enlglish protaganist, this book is a bit slow paced and verbous, but it's perfect for fans of PBS and Masterpiece Theater. Kate Quinn, author of the Alice Network, says, "There has not been so perfectly English a read in its deadpan humor in a very long time."

Book Girls' Readers Rate This Book ⭐⭐⭐⭐
95% Would Recommend to a Friend

by Kristin Hannah

Setting: FRANCE

The Nightingale tells the story of French sisters Vianne and Isabelle who have always been at odds. Vianne is a rule-follower and Isabelle more rebellious and willing to speak her mind.

With WWII ongoing, Isabelle is intent on fighting for France, while Vianne simply wants to survive the war with her family intact - even if it means allowing an invading officer to live in her home. Isabelle, who refuses to live passively under German authority, joins the French resistance and begins hiding Jewish children and guiding Allied airmen out of France through treacherous terrain- work for which she adopts the codename the Nightingale.

The Books Girls Say... If you've already read The Nightingale and want to read other historical fiction books with strong female characters during WWII, you'll find lots of great options here: Books Like The Nightingale.

Book Girls' Readers Rate This Book ⭐⭐⭐⭐½
92% Would Recommend to a Friend

by Marie Benedict

Setting: SWITZERLAND

Mitza Maric was the only female studying physics at a prestigious Zurich, Switzerland university when she met her classmate and future husband - Albert Einstein.

The Other Einstein is a fictionalized story of their tumultuous relationship and places Mitza as the originator of some works credited to him. While not a biography, the book still highlights accurate depictions of life in Western Europe at the time, including rampant classism and sexism.

The Book Girls Say... With Einstein being one of the most well-known citizens of Switzerland, we thought this would be a fun pick, but it's imporant to keep in mind that this is a fictionalized version of events. Audiobook listeners have noted that the narrator was a bit too monotone, so this one is more enjoyable to read than to listen to.

Book Girls' Readers Rate This Book ⭐⭐⭐⭐
91% Would Recommend to a Friend
91

by Clare Mackintosh

Setting: WALES

A mother's worst nightmare happens to Jenna Gray when she briefly lets go of her child's hand on a busy street. Desperate to escape the tragedy, she moves to a small Welsh village on the coast. Her grief, fears, and memories of that day follow her as she tries to make a new life in the picturesque town. This thriller continues to twist and leave you in page-turning suspense.

Book Girls' Readers Rate This Book ⭐⭐⭐½
81% Would Recommend to a Friend

by Fredrik Backman

Setting: SWEDEN

In the tiny community of Beartown, set deep in the Swedish forest, life revolves around hockey. It provides entertainment and the hope for a better future. When a shocking event occurs, the people of Beartown quickly take sides. Who will stand up for the truth, and who will put hockey above humanity?

The sequel to Beartown, Us Against You, is also a winner, and we are eagerly awaiting the third book in the trilogy, which will be published in 2021 or 2022. The US title of which has not been officially released, but the Swedish title translates to roughly Those Who Run Towards Fire.

The Book Girls Say... This was a 5-star read for both of us! Some will say you have to like hockey to like this book, but the book really isn't about hockey - it's about people. Fredrick Backman has a gift with words and melodic phrasing, along with a phenomenal insight into the motivations of people. He writes characters that are so well-rounded that even when you don't agree with their decisions, you will still understand what they were thinking.

WARNING: This story includes one scene with sexual violence.

Book Girls' Readers Rate This Book ⭐⭐⭐⭐½
97% Would Recommend to a Friend

by Helen Russell

Setting: DENMARK

This non-fiction option chronicles the author's first year living in Denmark. She shares her experiences while exploring what makes Denmark consistently rated as the happiest place on earth. Despite long and cold winter nights, the people of Denmark rate their happiness higher than those from beautiful islands. Will she feel the same way by the end of her first year?

The most current edition has a new chapter from the author updating her thoughts in 2020, six years after the original publication.

The Book Girls Say... The humorous book provides a good overview of life in Denmark, as opposed to a how-to guide for duplicating the lifestyle. The Kindle version is currently free with Kindle Unlimited.

Book Girls' Readers Rate This Book ⭐⭐⭐½
82% Would Recommend to a Friend

by Scott Andrew Selby

Setting: BELGIUM

Antwerp, Belgium is the diamond capital of the world, and in 2003 it became the sight of the largest diamond heist in history. A group of thieves managed to break into an airtight vault in the diamond district, making off with $108 million worth of diamonds without tripping any alarms.

Even as police identified and closed in on the thieves, they couldn't figure out how they had pulled off the heist.

Author Scott Selby, a Harvard grad and diamond expert, followed clues throughout Europe to solve the mystery of what actually happened in this real-life Ocean's Eleven crime story.

by Josstein Gaarder

Setting: NORWAY

This Norwegian YA novel is a story within a story. Georg's father died when he was just four years old. Eleven years later, Georg is a teenager living in Norway when he receives a letter his father wrote to him before he died, and within the letter is a story.

It is the story of the orange girl, and it is a riddle from the past. In his youth, Georg's father encountered a captivating girl on a streetcar. She was holding a huge bag full of oranges, but a jolt on the train caused him to bump into her, sending her oranges flying. She hopped off the streetcar leaving him holding the oranges, and now, from the grave he is asking his son to search Oslo to solve the mystery of who she was and who she is.

by Frances Mayes

Setting: ITALY

When Frances Mayes began restoring an abandoned villa in the Tuscan countryside, she found unexpected treasures at every turn. Within her villa, she discovered faded frescos and a vineyard hidden beneath an overgrown garden. In the nearby hillside towns, she is welcomed by vibrant markets and delightful people.

Reminiscent of A Year in Provence, this memoir is written with the voice of a poet, the palate of a food writer, and the eye of a seasoned traveler. Mayes invites us to tag along to experience the pleasures of life in Italy.

The Book Girls Say... There's no doubt this book will make you wish you could pull up a chair to share in the Italian feast at Mayes' table. The next best thing might be cooking up an Italian feast in your own kitchen with her Tuscan Sun Cookbook.

by Peter Mayle

Setting: FRANCE

In the late 1980s, author Peter Mayle realized his life-long dream of moving into a 200-year-old stone farmhouse in the Provence region of southern France. Along with his wife and two dogs, he delights in French cuisine, experiences goat racing through the middle of town, and learns to live life measured by seasons rather than days.

This memoir is perfect for the armchair traveler, and has been described as "the next best thing to living in France."

Book Girls' Readers Rate This Book ⭐⭐⭐⭐
90% Would Recommend to a Friend

by Karen Swain

Setting: SPAIN

The Spanish Promise weaves together the genres of mystery, romance, and history to tell the story of a present-day recipient of a very large inheritance. The will includes a clause that requires an investigation into the family's past. Wealth advisor Charlotte is brought in from London to assist, and she expects an easy task that will get her back in time for her own wedding.

During the research, it turns out that the past is more complicated than expected, with secrets and scandals spanning multiple generations. Charlotte's own life becomes an interesting sub-plot as she uncovers information about a tragic segment of her past.

The Book Girls Say... This is a great option if you are looking for a lighter read with a little mystery. Reviewers often mention that they felt transported to Spain while reading.

by Jenny Colgan

Setting: ENGLAND & SCOTLAND

Nina loves her life as a librarian at a small neighborhood library. When the library is marked for closure to be downsized from the system, she's devastated. She has a big decision - should she play it safe and go for a job at the main library where she'll be dealing with computers more than books? Or it is time to do something with the thousands of books she's been hoarding in her home?

The Books Girls Say... Melissa really liked this story as a pleasant lighter read about a fellow book lover. Nina travels from England to a very small village in Scotland, giving a great overview of the scenery and comradery that happens in isolated towns in the UK. It's also a good look at the scenic and other differences between England and Scotland, wrapped into easy to read fiction. Audiobook listeners will also enjoy the lovely accents.

There are two other books in this Scottish Bookshop Series: The Bookshop on the Shore and 500 Miles From You.

Book Girls' Readers Rate This Book ⭐⭐⭐⭐
97% Would Recommend to a Friend

By Maeve Binchy

Setting: IRELAND

Life-long friends Benny and Eve grew up in the village of Knockglen, Ireland. Together they head to university in Dublin where their circle of friends expands to include beautiful Nan and handsome Jack. But heartbreak and betrayal result when their worlds of Knockglen and Dublin collide, and long-hidden lies emerge that will test the bonds of their friendship.

The Book Girls' Say... When we think of novels set in Ireland, the name Maeve Binchy immediately comes to mind. All of her books paint vibrantly portraits of life in her home country, and you can't go wrong with any of them. We selected Circle of Friends for the Book Voyage list because it captures both village and city life, and because it is a simple story of friendship that is heart-warming and beautifully told from the first page to the last.

Book Girls' Readers Rate This Book ⭐⭐⭐⭐½
100% Would Recommend to a Friend

by Emuna Elon

Setting: NETHERLANDS

This 2020 novel follows an author named Yoel who travels to his birthplace of Amsterdam to meet with a Dutch publisher, despite having promised his late mother that he would never return to that city.

While in the Amsterdam, Yoel and his wife take a tour of the Jewish Museum, and he is shocked to see a photo of his mother's young face. This discovery sends him on a journey that uncovers the truth about Amsterdam's wartime history.

Book Girls' Readers Rate This Book ⭐⭐⭐⭐
90% Would Recommend to a Friend

by Beth O'Leary

Setting: ENGLAND

When night-shift worker Leon needs some extra cash to help a family member, he decides to get a roommate. However, he only has a one-bedroom flat in London, with one bed. So he places an ad for someone to sleep in his bed while he's at work overnight. They'll never be home at the same time, but it's still a crazy plan.

His wacky offer is just the solution newly-single Tiffy needs. She's leaving a difficult relationship, and that past comes back throughout the book in very real and raw ways.

There's also a great storyline of Leon searching the country for someone on behalf of one of his care home patients.

The Books Girls Say... We thought this room-sharing concept was a great look at the present-day pricy London real estate market. While Flatshare is a light at times, meaty at others Rom Com, it still manages to provide a great overview of both London and the less metropolitan areas of England. Several of Leon & Tiffy's post-it note conversations back and forth between Leon and Tiffy made us laugh out loud. The author is from London and the humor throughout the books is also very British.

The Book Girls Say... We recommend the audio version for the full experience with accents! If you're not easily offended and need a laugh on your book travels, this is a great pick.

Book Girls' Readers Rate This Book ⭐⭐⭐⭐
95% Would Recommend to a Friend

by Chris Pavone

Setting: LUXEMBOURG & travels throughout Europe

Looking for a thriller that covers several European countries? The Expats features the privileged life of Kate Moore in Luxembourg, who spends weekends in Paris and regularly skies the Alps. But when her family moved to Luxembourg, she left more than America behind, she left a big secret.

After becoming friends with another ex-pat family, Kate begins to suspect that they aren't telling the truth about their own history. On top of that, her husband's job requires secrecy and she becomes suspicious of his long hours.

This suspenseful read includes a non-linear timeline will transport you to enchanting locations across the region while keeping you on the edge of your seat.

Book Girls' Readers Rate This Book ⭐⭐⭐½
82% Would Recommend to a Friend

by Wolfgang Herrndorf

Setting: GERMANY

When two boys are snubbed from the hottest party of the year, they decide to set out on an epic road trip around Germany together. They leave without a map, phone, or parents, just a determination to never be called boring again.

This quick read will have you traveling Germany, meeting interesting characters along the way.

The Book Girls Say... As you can imagine, so many English-language books set in Germany take place during WWII. We wanted something more current and found this fun YA coming of age story by a German author.

by Diccon Bewes

Setting: SWITZERLAND

Looking for non-fiction? Swiss Watching breaks down the diversity of cultures that exist within land-locked Switzerland. The author is an anthropologist and satirist, so you can expect factual information, told in a relatable way and with corny humor interjected throughout.

This is the perfect guide for anyone interested in traveling to Switzerland, and throughout the book, you'll learn about everything from the Swiss political structure to cheese.

by E. M. Forster

Setting: ITALY & ENGLAND

Rated as one of the 100 best novels of the 20th century, A Room With a View follows to English women - Lucy and her chaperone and cousin, Charlotte - as they tour Italy.

Despite being published more than a century ago and set in the early 1900s, this delightful, classic romance novel will whisk you away to sites in Florence in Rome that you would still recognize today.

Book Girls' Readers Rate This Book ⭐⭐⭐⭐
100% Would Recommend to a Friend

by Bill Bryson

Setting: ENGLAND

Born and raised in middle America, travel writer Bill Bryson spent nearly two decades of his adult life living in England. Upon preparing to move back to the United States (he has since returned to the UK) Bryson embarked on a farewell tour all around the island and wrote this memoir that provides a hilariously funny social commentary on Britain.

Notes From a Small Island won the 2003 World Book Day National Poll for the book that best represented modern England at that time.

The Book Girls Say... This would be a great choice on audiobook because Bill Bryson narrates himself and his sarcastic tone adds even more humor to his writing. There's another audiobook version available through "Recorded Books" that is narrated by someone else, however, so double check this if you are wanting to hear it read by Bryson.

Bill Bryson also wrote a travel memoir called Neither Here Nor There: Travels in Europe that would be another great option for the Book Voyage challenge.

Book Girls' Readers Rate This Book ⭐⭐⭐⭐
100% Would Recommend to a Friend

by Jenna Evans Welch

Setting: ITALY

This YA novel is a great option if you're looking for a coming of age story that includes mystery, adventure, and a sweet romance that will transport you to an Italy filled with - you guessed it - love and gelato.

Lina's mother had one dying wish - that her daughter gets to know the father she's never met. Lina isn't thrilled to be spending the summer in Tuscany with this man she just learned about, but when she is given the journal that her mom kept when she lived in Italy, everything begins to change. As she follows her mother's footsteps she is able to process her grief while also discovering art, hidden bakeries, and even romance.

The Book Girls Say... If you enjoy this young adult novel about Italy, you might also want to check out Love & Luck (set in Ireland), and Love & Olives (set in Santorini, Greece). All three coming of age stories are worth the read!

Book Girls' Readers Rate This Book ⭐⭐⭐⭐
89% Would Recommend to a Friend

by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows

Setting: ENGLAND & THE CHANNEL ISLANDS

As London is emerging from WWII, Juliet Ashton, a writer, is looking for the subject of her next book. She begins exchanging letters with a man she's never met - a native of the island of Guernsey. Through their letters, Juliet is drawn into the world of the man and his eccentric friends - from pig farmers to phrenologists, and all literature lovers.

As Juliet learns about their tastes in books, she also comes to understand the impact that German occupation has had on their lives.

Geography Note: Located between the UK and France, the Channel Islands, including Guernsey, are not part of the UK or the EU, but are dependent territories of the British Crown.

Book Girls' Readers Rate This Book ⭐⭐⭐⭐½
97% Would Recommend to a Friend

by Pascal Mercier

Setting: PORTUGAL

After a chance encounter with a Portuguese woman, Raimund abandons his life as a Latin teacher at a Swiss school to start a new one. He takes the night train to Lisbon, Portugal. As he travels, he studies a book of Portuguese essays exploring loneliness, morality, death, friendship, love, and loyalty.

Raimund becomes obsessed with the writings, and his investigations of the life of the author take him all over the city of Lisbon. Slowly he begins to piece together a picture of a doctor and poet who rebelled against Portuguese dictator Salazar.

The Book Girls Say... This book is best described as a challenging, philosophical novel that builds very slowly. This book was originally a major hit in Germany and went on to be a literary blockbuster throughout Europe.

by Stieg Larsson

Setting: SWEDEN

When the teenager from one of Sweden's wealthiest families disappears in 1966, her uncle is determined to find out what happened to her. For forty years, he wonders what really happened. Nearing the end of his life, he hires a down-on-his-luck investigative journalist, and his angry and tattooed punk hacker prodigy, to help him uncover the truth. The chilly Swedish backdrop sets the scene for this novel that combines murder mystery, family saga, love story, and financial intrigue.

WARNING: This novel includes some very graphic scenes, including sexual assault.

Book Girls' Readers Rate This Book ⭐⭐⭐⭐
92% Would Recommend to a Friend

by Dolores Redondo

Setting: SPAIN

When Manuel learns the devastating news that his husband, Álvaro, has been killed in a car crash, it's just the first of many things that will shock him. It turns out that Álvaro was not on business where Manuel believed him to be - instead he was in Galicia, in the northwestern corner of Spain.

Upon arriving in Galicia, Manuel soon learns that Álvaro hid many secrets there. As he follows the trail in an effort to piece together his husband's double life, he's led behind the walls of an unwelcoming estate and deep into one of Spain's most powerful and guarded families.

This slow-paced and beautiful book is part suspense and part family drama. Dense with atmosphere, you will feel transported to Spain as the region of Galicia becomes like a character in the novel.

The Book Girls Say... The Kindle version is currently free with Kindle Unlimited.

by Joanne Harris

Setting: FRANCE

In a tiny town in the south of France, newcomer Vianne Rocer arrives at the beginning of Lent and opens an exquisite chocolate shop on the square opposite the church. She immediately begins to wreak havoc with the Lenten vows of villagers during the traditional season of fasting and self-denial.

Each box of bonbons she sells includes the gift of Vianne's uncanny perception of its buyer's private discontents and her bewitching cure for them. She awakens the village to joy and sensuality, as the parishioners abandon themselves to temptation and happiness.

The Book Girls Say... Just go ahead and buy yourself a big box of chocolates to enjoy while reading this book. You're going to need it!

by Erik Larson

Setting: ENGLAND

On Winston Churchill's first day as prime minister of the UK, Hitler invaded Holland and Belgium. Over the course of the next twelve months, Hitler would wage a relentless bombing campaign against the UK that killed 45,000 Britons.

In this non-fiction book, Larson explores how Churchill was able to hold his country together and lead England's defiance during the Blitz while teaching the British people "the art of being fearless."

The Book Girls Say... If you enjoy history and non-fiction, Erik Larson's books are a wonderful choice because of his detailed research, however, keep in mind that his writing style moves slowly and deliberately. Another great Larson read for Western Europe is In the Garden of Beasts, about the family of the American Ambassador to Germany during the rise of Hitler and in the lead up to WWII.

Book Girls' Readers Rate This Book ⭐⭐⭐⭐
100% Would Recommend to a Friend

by Jan Stocklassa

Setting: SWEDEN

In 1986, Swedish Prime Minister Olof Palme was assassinated on a Stockholm street at point-blank range. It was the first time in history that a head of state was murdered without a clue about who did it.

At the time of his death, Stiege Larsson - the author of The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo - had been working to piece together a real-life mystery. After his death, the research he had amassed was forgotten, until journalist Jan Stocklassa was given access to Larsson's archive.

In this true-crime book, Stocklassa follows Larsson's trail clues and sets out to solve the mystery.

The Book Girls Say... The Kindle version is currently free with Kindle Unlimited.