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Books Set in Western Europe
By: Angela & Melissa
Updated:
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, we may earn a referral fee from qualifying purchases.Whether you found this post searching for Books Set in Western Europe, or are participating in our Book Voyage Reading Challenge, we hope you find the perfect books on our list below. We worked hard to include plenty of variety, so you can discover somewhere/something new to you!
Literary Themes in Western European Books
We’ve compiled a great list of contemporary and historical fiction novels set in Europe’s western countries, as well as some YA titles, memoirs, and non-fiction reads. We focused on finding book recommendations that will transport you to the country of your choice as you read.
While the two world wars of the 20th century are a common theme in literature set in Western Europe, we’ve worked hard to ensure this list covers a wider range of topics and genres. However, if you love historical fiction, there are countless excellent books set in Europe throughout both WWI and WWII. If you’re looking for European historical fiction set during WWI or WWII, you’ll find additional books on these lists: Best WW1 Historical Fiction Novels, Books Set in the 1910s, WW2 Novels Featuring Resistance Workers & Other Helpers, Books Set in the 1940s, and Books Like the Nightingale.
Depending on the context – geographical, cultural, or historical – you’ll find various answers as to which countries are classified as “Western Europe.”
For purposes of this reading challenge, we’ve included the following countries: England, Wales, Scotland, Ireland, Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Iceland, Portugal, Spain, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Italy.
Highly Rated Books Set in Western European Countries
The Berlin Letters
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Book Summary
The 1980s ended with an iconic and hopeful event – the removal of the Berlin Wall, which divided Germany into East and West for 28 years. In 1961, when the wall was raised, it instantly tore families apart. This novel follows the impact on the Voekler family and is told in a split timeline of 1961 & 1989.
Luisa Voekler lives in the US, and in 1989, she moved to a new role as a decoder at the CIA. She’s frustrated to still be working on old WW2 messages while co-workers have been assigned new tasks related to the Cold War.
Everything changes for Luisa and her family when she sees an old symbol from her childhood in Germany. She has always believed she was raised by her grandparents because her parents died in a car accident, but maybe that’s not really what happened. Her discoveries are so shocking that she takes matters into her own hands, empties her bank account, and flies to West Berlin.
The Book Girls Say…
We recommend not reading other reviews before picking this up and it’s better to enjoy the suspense elements without spoilers.
Also Featured on These Book Lists:
The Sea Sisters Swimming Club
Book Summary
At 50, Fran planned to continue her work as a police officer for a few more years. But then she had a heart attack right in the middle of dancing the night away in a sequin dress.
Instead of staying home and feeling sorry for herself, Fran heads to the Welsh coast to relax in a seaside village. The Sea Sisters, a local ocean swimming group, adopt her into their flock and challenge her to face her lifelong fear of the sea.
While in Llanbryn, she meets Wyn. While he appears to be the local troublemaker, the more she gets to know him, the more she’s drawn to him.
The Book Girls Say…
Author Sue McDonagh was born in Essex, England and worked as a policewoman there before being diagnosed with cancer at a young age. After recovering, she moved to the Welsh coast where she began writing books and discovered a love of wild swimming.
This novel is described as inspirational and uplifting with gorgeous descriptions of the Welsh landscape. If this sounds up your alley, you might also enjoy The Ladies Midnight Swimming Club by Faith Hogan set in rural Ireland, which is emotional but similarly uplifting.
For a very different style of book but with equally vivid descriptions of the Welsh coast, consider the psychological thriller I Let You Go by Clare Mackintosh. Many of our readers have rated this thriller very highly over the past few years, but be aware the novel begins with the death of a child and also includes domestic and sexual abuse.
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The Paris Novel
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Book Summary
When her estranged mother passed away, Stella received a one-way ticket and a note reading, “Go to Paris.” While she is much more comfortable living within her strict routines, her boss encourages her to go on the trip.
In Paris, Stella continues to live as cautiously and frugally as she does at home until she stumbles upon a Dior dress in a vintage store. When the shopkeeper insists that it was meant for Stella, she impulsively purchases the dress, and it launches a new outlook on life.
When Stella meets Jules, an octogenarian art collector, he takes her under his wing and shows her the best of the literary, art, and culinary worlds of 1980s Paris.
The Book Girls Say…
Both Book Girls read and enjoyed this character-driven novel. When Angela first started reading it, life was busy, and she was only getting in about 10 or 15 minutes at a time and found it hard to connect to the story, but as soon as she sat with the book for a longer chunk of time, she found herself drawn in.
This novel includes many of our favorite things – food, art history, fashion, and books (including interactions with real-life authors at the famous Shakespear and Company bookstore) – all set in the City of Light.
If you’re looking for more books set in Paris, be sure to check out these lists: Best Novels Set in Paris and Rom Com & Romance Books Set in Paris.
Also Featured on These Book Lists:
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Books Set in the 1980s
Book Club Books for Summer 2024
Maria: A Novel of Maria von Trapp
Book Summary
Most of us have seen The Sound of Music at least once – whether on stage or screen – but did you know that the character of Maria von Trapp is based on a real woman? This is her story.
In the 1950s, Oscar Hammerstein (of the famous duo Rogers & Hammerstein) was asked to write the lyrics to a musical based on the life of a woman named Maria. She planned to live the quiet life of an Austrian nun before her abbey sent her to help teach the sickly child of a widowed baron. It was meant to be a 10-month assignment, but it turned into a marriage proposal. When the family was later forced to flee their home to escape the Nazis, Maria taught them how to survive using the power of their voices.
Hammerstein knew, however, that much of Maria’s real story (and that of her husband) – no matter how inspirational – would need to be reimagined in order to become a Broadway hit. He felt it was too soon after WWII for audiences to want to see just how close the von Trapps actually came to losing their lives.
When Maria gets her hands on the script version of her life, she is irate and wants to confront Hammerstein in person. But the only person who will listen is his secretary, Fran. The two form an unlikely friendship as Maria tells Fran her real-life story.
The Book Girls Say…
While this novel is said to tell the true story of Maria von Trapp, told from the first-person point of view, keep in mind that it is still historical fiction. However, the author benefitted from autobiographies written by Maria (one in 1949 and the other in 1972) as source material.
The Sicilian Inheritance
Book Summary
Sara is struggling after both her business and marriage failed. When her beloved great-aunt Rosie passes away, it just feels like another punch from her terrible year. However, Aunt Rosie left Sara a plane ticket to Sicily, a deed to a possibly valuable plot of land, and a shocking secret. Rosie believes Sara’s great-grandmother Serafina was murdered.
Sara is recharged by this new mission to discover what happened to Serafina. She ends up on an epic adventure through the Italian countryside and learns all about her feisty great-grandmother, who fought for the rights of all the women in her small village. However, as Sara begins challenging the status quo like Serafina did, she’ll find herself in the same danger.
The Book Girls Say…
This dual-timeline novel will draw you into the stories of both Sara and Serafina. It’s the perfect read for anyone who enjoys both historical fiction and mysteries. The story was inspired by the author’s own great-grandmother, adding extra depth to the writing.
Another great book that will transport you to Sicily is the memoir, From Scratch by Tembi Locke, which chronicles three summers that Tembi and her young daughter spent in Sicily after the loss of her husband. Despite having once been estranged from her in-laws, she begins to discover the healing powers of food and family.
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Beartown
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Book Summary
In the tiny community of Beartown, life revolves around hockey. It provides entertainment and hope for a better future. This is a story about hockey, small-town life, and much more. When a shocking event occurs, the town quickly takes sides. Who will stand up for the truth and put hockey above humanity?
If you’ve already read Beartown or the sequel Us Against You, this is a great excuse to pick up the final book in the trilogy, The Winners, which was published in September 2022. All three books in the trilogy are set in the same small town in Sweden.
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 the people of this Swedish town.
Swedish author Fredrick Backman has a gift with words and melodic phrasing, along with a phenomenal insight into the motivations of the teenagers and adults alike. 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.
Be aware that this story includes one scene with sexual violence.
Also Featured on These Book Lists:
Books with Teenage Characters
The Most Recommended Books from our First Five Years
Books Set in the 2010s
The Librarian Spy
Book Summary
Ava lives a quiet life as a Library of Congress librarian. Her world is turned upside down when she gets a new job offer from the US military. They want her to work undercover as a librarian in Lisbon, but her real goal would be acting as a spy.
In France, Elaine is an apprentice at a printing press run by the Resistance. As Nazis search for the press to shut them down, Ava and Elaine are connected through the coded messages they send. These book lovers find unexpected hope and friendship through their work with each other.
The Book Girls Say…
While this historical fiction novel is not based on one specific story from WWII, it is inspired by true fact that the US government used librarians as spies during the war, sending them to neutral countries to gather intelligence under the guise of their library work.
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A Good Life
Book Summary
Younger sister Agathe is disorderly, chaotic, and fiery, whereas Emma, the typical older sister, has always been the defender, protector, and worrier. Despite these differences, Emma and Agathe were thick as thieves when they were young, but as adults, they’ve been driven apart by the scars of a tragedy that transformed their happy childhoods into something much more complex.
When the two sisters are forced to reunite in the Basque Country at the home of their adored late grandmother, it may finally allow them an opportunity to share what’s on their hearts for a chance at reconciliation.
The story alternates between the sister’s childhoods and the present day, allowing readers to see them grow from young girls into teens, young women, mothers, and wives with complex lives. As they get to know one another again, can they rebuild the bonds of sisterhood?
The Book Girls Say…
This novel marks the American debut of one of France’s most beloved contemporary novelists, Virginie Grimaldi. This translated story of sisterhood and healing will transport you to the Basque Country of France in both the past and present.
Another great French novel is The Red Notebook by Antoine Lauraine. This short, translated book will transport you to the streets of Paris where a bookseller, Laurent, is trying to find the owner of a purse he found on the street. Inside the purse is a red notebook filled with intriguing jottings that Laurent uses as clues to find the woman it belongs to.
Once There Were Wolves
Book Summary
Sisters Inti and Aggie Flynn arrive in Scotland as a part of a team of biologists tasked with reintroducing fourteen gray wolves into the remote wilderness of the Scottish Highlands.
Raised in Alaska, they are the daughters of a woodsman and an Australian detective. They watched their father struggle to balance his work for a lumber company against his desire not to contribute to environmental demise. While their father gave them insights into the wild world, their mother taught them how to contend with the dangers of predators in the civilized world.
The wolf reintroduction project is opposed by the sheep farmers who call the land home. Nevertheless, the plan proceeds, and the wolves begin to thrive. Soon, however, a tragedy strikes, and Inti knows the wolves will be blamed. She takes it upon herself to investigate other possible suspects, including the local police chief.
The Book Girls Say…
Charlotte McConaghy’s 2020 book Migrations has been a popular pick with our readers for the Arctic prompt of the Book Voyage Challenge. We are excited to read this Scotland-set novel that received a Good Reads nomination for Readers’ Favorite Fiction.
Part mystery and meditation on nature, Once There Were Wolves is based on a real environmental challenge facing the Scottish Highlands. According to official reports, the last wolf in Scotland was killed in 1680 (although there were reports of a handful of wolf sightings as late as the 1880s). Over the centuries, the lack of predators has allowed deer populations to grow unchecked. This has resulted in overgrazing that disrupts the ecosystem and damages new growth in the woodlands.
While this novel examines the effects of rewilding efforts in Scotland, in reality, wolves have not yet been reintroduced in this country, although efforts to gain public support for such plans are ongoing.
If you are looking for a lighter book set in Scotland, consider Bookshop of the Corner by Jenny Colgan or Winter Cottage by Rachael Lucas. Bookshop on the Corner is about an English librarian who travels to a tiny Scottish village to start her own mobile bookshop. Winter Cottage is a cozy romance set in the Scottish highlands.
The Fountains of Silence
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Book Summary
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.
That year, 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…
While this book is classified as Young Adult, it’s excellent for adult readers. Angela & Melissa both rated it 5 stars. The beginning of the first chapter has a heavier and more literary feel than the remainder of the book, so keep going if you find the beginning odd. 🙂
If you are looking for a different style of book that also gives a peek into Spain’s history, consider The Spanish Promise, a dual timeline romance that takes you to the Spain of today and also transports you back to the Spanish Civil War in the 1930s, prior to Franco’s rule.
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The Guncle Abroad
Book Summary
In The Guncle, Patrick’s career was struggling, but after taking care of his nephew Grant and niece Maisie, he was inspired. Now he’s the star of a sitcom, Guncle Knows Best. But as he approaches 50, he’s lonely.
When his brother Greg announces that he’s getting remarried in Lake Como, Italy, Patrick looks forward to spending some time with Grant and Maisie. When he arrives, he quickly butts heads with the kid’s newfound Launt (Lesbian Aunt). As the kids try to adjust to a new normal, Patrick tries to regain his role as their favorite relative.
The Book Girls Say…
The Guncle was our favorite book of 2021, and we’d been waiting to read more about Patrick, Grant, and Maisie ever since. We found that this sequel still had sections of the original Guncle magic, and we recommend picking it up if you have already read and enjoyed the first book. It’s the perfect way to armchair travel your way around Western Europe!
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The Rhino Keeper
Book Summary
Imagine a world where no one has seen a rhinoceros before and the sense of marvel that would come with seeing one for the first time. In 1740, a ship captain named Douwemout van der Meer comes into possession of a rhino named Clara while traveling in India. He brings her and her young keeper with him when he returns home to Amsterdam. Soon, they begin touring Europe together, becoming a family of sorts and enthralling everyone they meet, from peasants to kings and queens.
Nearly three centuries later, while studying abroad in the Netherlands, college student Andrea comes across a historical document featuring a rhinoceros in a hidden desk drawer. The young research historian is intrigued but will be forced to overcome her fears to uncover proof of a long-forgotten history.
The Book Girls Say…
This dual-timeline character-driven novel is based on the true story. Readers describe it as touching, tender, and beautifully written. It explores the treatment of animals as well as the bond between humans and animals.
Although written by a debut American author, Dutch reviewers praise the portrayal of Dutch culture and the inclusion of many famous (and infamous) Western European historical figures.
Hello, Again
Book Summary
Pepper lives in a small coastal UK town, but imagines a very different life for herself. So, she jumps at the chance to tour more of Europe with her elderly friend, Josephine. While in Lisbon, Portugal, Pepper bumps into a handsome man named Finn. Is he exactly what she has been looking for?
However, are things really as they seem? While she worries Finn might have a secret, Pepper has a secret of her own.
The Book Girls Say…
If you enjoy a love story that also has friendship themes, this one will vividly transport you to Lisbon, Portugal, Barcelona, Spain, Hamburg, Germany, and even the Isle of Guernsey! Reviewers say you’ll feel like you are walking through each town alongside the characters.
Reviewers have mixed feelings about Pepper as she is a more complex character than many romance leads, so you may need to give her some grace based on past tragedies in her life.
The Venice Sketchbook
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Book Summary
In 2001, Caroline Grant was in the midst of her marriage falling apart when her beloved great-aunt Lettie passed away, leaving Caroline a sketchbook, three keys, and the request that her ashes be spread in Venice. Key by key, Caroline will learn the secrets that Lettie kept for more than 60 years – secrets of impossible love, loss, and courage.
In her younger years, Lettie traveled to Venice numerous times as an art teacher, providing a wealth of art history to her students and allowing her to visit the man she loves even though his future cannot include her.
As the story unfolds, this novel is filled with beautiful descriptions of Venice’s narrow footpaths, canals, architecture, and food, both in the 1928-1944 timeline, as well as during the 21st century. Art plays an important role throughout this novel.
The Book Girls Say…
Our readers love that this novel is so descriptive of Venice, both past and present. If you’ve always wanted to visit, consider this book your armchair travel ticket.
If you love art history but want a grittier historical fiction suspense, consider reading The Last Mona Lisa by Jonathan Santlofer. It is about an art history professor who travels to Florence, Italy, to read the long-lost journal of his grandfather, who he suspects may have been behind the 1911 theft of the Mona Lisa. Uncovering the truth turns out to be a dangerous endeavor. Like The Venice Sketchbook, the many art references and vivid descriptions of Italy bring life to the story.
The Heart’s Invisible Furies
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Book Summary
Cyril Avery was born out of wedlock to a teenage girl cast out from her rural Irish community before being adopted by a well-off couple from Dublin. His adoptive parents tell him that he’ll never be a real Avery, but if that’s true, then who is he?
As a boy, he becomes friends with Julian, but this is complicated when Cyril realizes he loves Julian as more than a friend. Keeping this secret comes with great costs.
Over the course of 70 years, Cyril struggles to discover an identity, a home, a country, and much more. Through his eyes, readers also see the history of Ireland and LGBTQ rights from the 1940s to the 2010s.
The Book Girls Say…
This character-driven work is long at 582 pages, with reviewers saying it will make you laugh and cry. In addition to the phenomenal rating among our readers as well as with over 150,000 readers on Goodreads, The Heart’s Invisible Furies has won numerous awards, including being the 2017 Book of the Year for the Book of the Month club.
Be aware that this book includes a lot of talk about sex and covers some difficult topics, so check trigger warnings if necessary.
Irish author John Boyne lives in Dublin. He is also the author of the bestselling YA novel The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, which was adapted into a movie in 2008.
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The Star-Crossed Sisters of Tuscany
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Book Summary
Do you dream of seeing the Venetian canals, the Amalfi Coast, or wandering through gorgeous Tuscan villages? This novel will transport you to all three dramatically different scenic Italian locations in vivid detail.
Two hundred years ago, Filomena Fontana cursed her sister. Ever 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.
The Book Girls Say…
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 audiobook especially enjoyable.
If you are interested in a dual-timeline novel that also gives a historical look at the Tuscany region of Italy, consider These Tangled Vines by Julianne Maclean. As a bonus, that book is currently available with Kindle Unlimited.
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Intergenerational Novels: Books that Connect Generations
Books Like Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine
All This I Will Give To You
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Book Summary
When Madrid-based author Manuel Ortigosa 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. With the help of a recently retired police detective, who is one of Álvaro’s childhood friends, Manuel follows the trail to piece together his husband’s double life. The investigation leads behind the walls of an unwelcoming estate and deep into one of Spain’s most powerful and guarded families.
The Book Girls Say…
This slow-paced and beautiful book is part suspense and part family drama. Dense with atmosphere, you will feel transported to Spain as the beautiful Galician countryside becomes like a character in the novel.
Spanish author Dolores Redondo studied law and owned a restaurant before becoming a full-time writer. She is recognized as one of the best-selling authors in Spain, and her works have been translated into nearly 40 languages worldwide.
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Book Summary
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 Kindle edition has a new chapter, in which the author updates 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.
If you’d prefer to read a cute rom-com set in Denmark, pick up The Little Cafe in Copenhagen by Julie Caplin.
Book Summary
During the day, Josephine is forced to serve German officers at the Hotel Métropole in Belgium. However, at night, she’s part of the resistance with her brothers. The siblings help Allied soldiers and civilians cross into Holland.
Arthur, an English soldier trapped behind the German-occupied lines who finds a new purpose in helping Josephine’s resistance mission. Franz, a remorseful German soldier, is also a surprising source of protection. While the two men are from opposite sides, they both test her heart and loyalty.
The Book Girls Say…
If you’d like a book that provides a look at Belgium in the 21st century, we recommend the true crime non-fiction, Flawless: Inside the Largest Diamond Heist in History.
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Cold Victory
Book Summary
Shortly after the end of WWII, with the Cold War on the horizon, Finland is teetering between the Soviet Union and the West. This historical fiction puts the spotlight on the wives who are navigating diplomatic waters with far less information than is afforded to their diplomat husbands – an especially precarious position to be in when everyone is being watched. One wrong word could end in catastrophe.
Louise is from the US and married to a Finnish diplomat. She feels adrift in the political environment but finds her purpose working with the children orphaned by the war. After meeting at an embassy party, Louise begins to form a friendship with Natalya, the wife of a Russian diplomat. But in an environment where anyone can betray you, how much can these women disclose to one another?
Louise and Natalya’s husbands, Arnie and Mikhail, have another thing in common. They are both world-class skiiers and they drunkenly challenge each other to a friendly cross-country wilderness ski race. What begins as a harmless, secret wager gets leaked to the press, and ultimately becomes an international spectacle.
The Book Girls Say…
Readers say that this novel is very descriptive of the setting of Finland and that you’ll learn a lot – in an easy-to-read manner – about the history of Finland and its role during and after WWII. It’s described as a great story of female friendship.
A graduate of Yale University and a Rhodes Scholar, author Karl Marlantes served as a Marine in Vietnam, where he was awarded the Navy Cross, the Bronze Star, two Navy Commendation Medals for valor, two Purple Hearts, and ten air medals.
Book Summary
We’ve always loved the Irish works of the late, great Maeve Binchy, so when we heard Jean Grainger referred to as “the next Maeve Binchy,” we knew we needed to check out her books. We knew we found the perfect option for you when we read a review that described The Tour as “a feel-good Irish springtime read.”
Each week, Conor O’Shea leads American tourists on a high-end tour of “The Real Ireland.” He’s a seasoned guide, but his most recent tour group is filled with a colorful cast of unintentionally hilarious characters that manage to leave him speechless for the first time in his life. As the tour continues, you won’t be able to help but fall in love with these tourists, as well as the locals they meet along the way.
The Book Girls Say…
Readers describe this as pleasant and enjoyable. In addition to feeling like you’re traveling around Ireland with the characters, you’ll also learn a lot about the country, including gaining some modern perspectives on historical events.
Born in Cork, Ireland, author Jean Grainger drew from her experience as both a history lecturer and a tour guide in writing this novel. She is also the author of the popular WWII historical fiction The Star and the Shamrock.
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The Enigma of Room 622
Book Summary
Years ago, there was a murder in Room 622 of the Hôtel de Verbier, a luxury resort in the Swiss Alps. The murder was never solved.
Now, years later, a famous Swiss writer named Joël Dicker has arrived at the same hotel. He’s getting over a bad breakup, mourning the death of his longtime publisher, and he needs to begin his next novel. But before he knows it, he finds himself investigating the old cold case. Playing Watson to his Sherlock is the beautiful aspiring novelist in the room next door.
The Book Girls Say…
As you may have already noticed, Joël Dicker is both the author and the main character of this whodunit novel. He breaks the metaphorical “fourth wall” between the author and reader, directly addressing his audience and using his expertise as a thriller writer to investigate the murder mystery. What results is described by many as a multi-layer masterpiece – an unraveling of the story in the first person perspective while at the same time, Joël creates a full novel in the third person.
In his real life, Joël continues to live in Geneva, Switzerland, where he was born and raised. He spent all of his childhood summers in Bar Harbor, Maine, and has set numerous of his other mystery novels in the United States.
The Northern Lights Lodge
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Book Summary
Lucy is suffering from a broken heart and a crashed career, so she jumps at the opportunity to move from the UK to Iceland to manage the Northern Lights Lodge. Despite romance being the last thing she wants for herself, she’s determined to make the hotel a top romantic destination in Iceland.
Her new life is full of quirky characters who become her new family away from home. Dreamy Scottish barman, Alex, makes her question whether it’s time to reopen her heart to love. But will his secret impact their future?
The Book Girls Say…
If you love a cute and cozy, but NOT-steamy, romance novel and traveling to Iceland in hopes of catching the Northern Lights is on your bucket list, this is your book!
We’ve both read and enjoyed other books in Julie Caplin’s Romantic Escapes series and can’t wait to pick up this one. The books in the series stand alone with no need to read them in any particular order. If you love this book, you can also look forward to armchair traveling to many more destinations through the pages of this series, including more Western European locations like Copenhagen, Paris, Ireland, Scotland, Switzerland, and France.
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
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Book Summary
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 wondered 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 Nordic Noir novel that combines murder mystery, family saga, love story, and financial intrigue.
The Book Girls Say…
Author Stieg Larson was born in Skelleftehamm, Sweden, and worked as a journalist and editor for a Swedish magazine. When he passed away in 2004 at the age of 50, he left behind three unpublished thrillers, and unfinished manuscripts for more. The first three books have since been published and become bestsellers in Sweden and around the world.
Be aware that this novel includes some very graphic scenes, including sexual assault.
If you love thrillers and have already read this one, be sure to check out our list of Winter Thrillers, as many of them are set in Western Europe.
The Rachel Incident
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Book Summary
University student Rachel works at a bookstore, where she meets James, who quickly becomes her new BFF and roommate. The duo runs the streets of Cork, striving for a Bohemian lifestyle but also sharply aware of a looming financial collapse.
When Rachel falls for her married professor, Dr. Fred Byrne, she plots to seduce him after a reading at her bookstore. However, Fred has other desires that launch a series of secrets and compromises that intertwine the fates of James, Rachel, Fred, and Fred’s glamorous, well-connected wife.
The Book Girls Say…
Reviewers say this book is spicy and provocative, so consider whether that is something you enjoy in your reading before selecting this one. It’s also a strong character-driven literary read with more subtle happenings than page-turning plot points. However, it’s a great pick for those interested in stepping into the life of a modern young woman in Ireland.
Born and raised in Cork, Ireland, author Caroline O’Donoghue now calls London home. Speaking about her hometown in an interview, she says, “Cork is goth. … It was like that when I was growing up, and it’s like that now.”
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For Those Who Are Lost
Book Summary
With WWII looming, Ava and Joseph are forced to make the impossible decision to send their children, 9-year-old Henry and 4-year-old Catherine, away from their home in Guernsey. They put their trust in their children’s teacher, Helen, to safely escort the kids to England without knowing (or if) they’ll be able to be reunited.
Helen’s sister, Lily, needs a safe way to escape her abusive marriage, so Helen agrees to let Lily take her place on the ferry off of Guernsey with the children. Once in England, Lily puts Henry on the designated train, but not Catherine. Having always wanted a child of her own, Lily instead walks away with Catherine in her arms, determined that they will start a new life together as mother and child.
Told from multiple points of view, we see the ramifications for both children and for their parents back in Guernsey during and after the German occupation.
The Book Girls Say…
We are both huge fans of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, an epistolary novel that also deals with the impacts of the German occupation on the lives of all those in Guernsey during and after WWII. Since we know that many of our readers have already enjoyed that novel (since we’ve recommended it so many times over the years), we were excited to come across another novel set in Guernsey and look forward to reading For Those Who are Lost.
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.
Love & Gelato
Book Girls’ Readers Rate This Book
Book Summary
This YA novel is an excellent option if you’re looking for a coming-of-age story with mystery, adventure, and a sweet romance that will transport you to an Italy filled with – you guessed it – love and gelato. The descriptions of Italy in this book will have you immediately planning your next vacation, but this story also brings much more depth than you might expect at first glance.
Lina’s mother had one dying wish – that her daughter get to know the father she’d 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 processes her grief while also discovering art, hidden bakeries, and even romance.
The Book Girls Say…
While this is a YA book, it has been enjoyed by many of our adult readers over the past few years. This is the perfect book to pick up if you just want something light and enjoyable that will make you feel like you’ve been on a very relaxing vacation to Italy.
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). Kisses & Croissants by Anne-Sophie Jouhanneau is another great YA romance set in Paris and is said to be perfect for fans of Jenna Evans Welch.
The Storm Sister
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Book Summary
Ally and her five sisters were all adopted as babies by their beloved father. Upon his death, all the sisters gather together at their childhood home – a secluded castle on the shores of Lake Geneva in Switzerland. Each woman is handed a letter with a clue about her true heritage, and Ally’s clue takes her to icy Norway.
As Ally begins to unravel the mystery of her roots, she finds that her story is connected to that of a young, unknown singer named Anna, who lived there over 100 years ago. The story is told in a dual timeline between Ally’s present day and Anna’s life in the late 1800s. The more Ally learns about the past, the more she questions who her father really was, and why the seventh sister is missing.
The Book Girls Say…
This is book 2 in a series of 8, with each following one sister through a different location around the globe. Each book can be read as a standalone, however if you think you’d enjoy the series, we recommend starting with Book 1, titled The Seven Sisters. It is set in Brazil and has been a very popular pick on our South America list for the past few years, with many of our readers going on to complete the series.
Author Lucinda Riley was born in North Ireland and started her career as an actress, and her family now divides their time between London and Cork, Ireland.
Also Featured on These Book Lists:
The Switch
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Book Summary
When Londoner Leena Cotton is forced to take a two-month sabbatical from work after a disastrous presentation, she escapes to her grandmother’s house in a small village in Yorkshire, England.
Her grandmother, Eileen, is about to turn 80 and hopes her next decade might include a second chance at love. Convinced that her grandmother will have better luck in the romance department if she heads to the big city, Leena convinces Eileen to swap her places and move into Leena’s London apartment.
The Book Girls Say…
This warm and charming novel is filled with vibrant descriptions of London and English village life as the grandmother and granddaughter duo aim to reset their lives after a difficult loss. Although Eileen’s search for love plays a role in this story, we wouldn’t describe this book as a romance. Instead, it’s a character-driven story about a wide variety of relationships.
We recommend the audio version for the full experience with accents!
Both Angela and Melissa are huge fans of English author Beth O’Leary’s debut novel, The Flatshare! While the settings play a more prominent role in The Switch, The Flatshare is one of our favorite rom-coms and provides a great look at modern-day life in London, including the challenges of the London real estate market.
If you are looking for more charming novels set in England, check out the first two book lists from our 2025 Book Lover’s Reading Challenge. A significant number of the books on both of these lists are set in the UK, as well as other parts of Western Europe: Characters Connecting Through Books and Books About Bookstores.
Also Featured on These Book Lists:
The Girl Behind the Wall
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Book Summary
In August of 1961, barbed wire was placed across Berlin in the middle of the night. Families were torn apart against their wishes by the new 30-mile wall. This historical fiction imagines the lives of twin sisters separated on that fateful night.
Karin is in East Berlin when the wall goes up, separating her from her twin, Jutta. They live parallel lives for years, with Karin surviving the brutal East German regime only with Otto’s help. One day, Jutta finds a hidden way to reach Karin, but the Stasi are watching. Should Jutta flee back home with her sister or follow her heart?
The Book Girls Say…
While The Girl Behind the Wall focuses on sisters separated overnight by the construction of the Berlin Wall, The Berlin Apartment by Bryn Turnbull is a 2024 release about a young couple separated by the construction of the wall just days after their engagement.
Also Featured on These Book Lists:
You are welcome to choose any book that you’d like to read for the challenge, but we hope that this list of books has given you a good starting point.
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Printable Version This Book List
Readers who support The Book Girls’ Guide through our Buy Me a Coffee (BMAC) membership site can access printable versions of the reading challenge book lists. As we update each book list throughout the year – following the monthly reading challenge schedule – each list will be available in a single-page printable format for our BMAC members.
We offer two membership levels. Both our BFF members and our Inner Circle members get access to the single-page printables for the year-long reading challenges. Visit our Buy Me a Coffee membership page for a full list of benefits for each level.
Our BMAC members help cover the cost of running the challenges so we can keep them free for everyone!
Book Recommendations for Other Regions
Find more recommendations for other regions of the world using the links below.
- Books Set in South America
- Books Set in North America
- Books Set in the Middle East
- Books Set on a Form of Transportation
- Books Set in Asia: Northern Countries
- Books Set in Asia: Southern Countries
- Books Set in Australia and New Zealand
- Books Set in Eastern Europe & Russia
- Books That Take Place On an Island
- Books Set in Africa
- Books Set in Western Europe
- Books Set in Antarctica and the Arctic
- Books that Span Multiple Continents
