7 Books to Transport You When You Can’t Afford a Vacation

A summer holiday? In this economy?! If you’re feeling the pinch and your budget just won’t stretch to that five-star resort in the Maldives, have no fear: For the mere price of a paperback book, you can be transported to far-flung, sun soaked climes. The seven novels listed below each offer immersive descriptions of beautiful and exotic locations that will make you feel as if you’re really there—all without suffering the indignity of a long-haul flight. Read on, fair traveler …

1. The Enchanted April (1922) // Elizabeth von Arnim
2. The Beach (1996) // Alex Garland
3. Hotel du Lac (1984) // Anita Brookner
4. My Brother Michael (1960) // Mary Stewart
5. Butter (2017) // Asako Yuzuki
6. You are Here (2024) // David Nicholls
7. The Life Impossible (2024) // Matt Haig

The Enchanted April (1922) // Elizabeth von Arnim

The Vacation Vibe: A girls’ trip to Italy

 Hugely popular when it was first published in 1922, The Enchanted April follows four markedly different women from varying walks of life—romantic Lotty, devout Rose, socialite “Scrap,” and grumpy Mrs. Fisher—who join forces to rent a 15th-century, wisteria-draped castle on the Italian riviera after seeing a classified ad in the newspaper. At first, tensions arise as a result of clashing personalities and competing aspirations for the month away, but eventually, surrounded by a kaleidoscopic abundance of multicolored flora, each woman finds a new perspective, and harmony is restored. 

The Beach (1996) // Alex Garland

The Vacation Vibe: Backpacking around Thailand

If you consider yourself more of a traveler than a tourist, then this cult classic—which sky-rocketed its author, screenwriter and director Alex Garland, into the cultural consciousness—may be for you. Richard is back-packing in Thailand when he acquires a hand-drawn map to a mysteriously exclusive island beach. When he arrives, he finds pure white sand, a glittering sea, and a self-sufficient collective of fellow western travelers under the unofficial leadership of the enigmatic Sal. At first, Richard revels in his new leisurely existence—but at what price comes life in paradise … ?

Hotel du Lac (1984) // Anita Brookner

The Vacation Vibe: A lake-side retreat in Switzerland

The winner of the 1984 Booker Prize, Hotel du Lac details the observations of romance novelist Edith Hope, who, after an aborted love affair with a married man, has fled to the titular hotel on the shores of Lake Geneva to escape the judgment of her friends. Calmed by the vast, cool waters of the lake and the steadfast presence of the mountains surrounding it, Edith watches her fellow guests, reflecting on her own life choices and the circumstances that shaped them.    

My Brother Michael (1960) // Mary Stewart

The Vacation Vibe: A road-trip through Greece

A classic work of romantic suspense from the genre’s undisputed queen, 1960’s My Brother Michael follows school teacher Camilla Haven, whose holiday in Athens is interrupted when a case of mistaken identity leads to her driving to Delphi in order to deliver a car to a mysterious gentleman known only as Simon. Stewart’s lush descriptions of the natural landscape are suffused with an innate appreciation of their literary and mythological past, though in the end it is more recent history—including secret war crimes and hidden treasures—that ultimately drives the plot of this rip-roaring mid-century thriller. 

Butter (2017) // Asako Yuzuki

The Vacation Vibe: A food tour of Japan

As everybody knows, the best part of any good vacation is the food; there’s something particularly satisfying about sampling local delicacies and seeking out hidden gastronomical gems whilst travelling. Asako Yuzuki’s Butter, a bestseller in Japan before becoming a word-of-mouth hit again in its English translation by Polly Barton, offers readers that vicarious experience. Journalist Rika lives mostly on convenience meals, but as she chases the story of Manako Kajii—a cook accused of murder—she becomes increasingly obsessed with eating the best food, all of which is described by Yuzuki in delectable detail. It’s a mouthwatering read inspired by the true story of Kanae Kijima, the so-called “Konkatsu Killer.”

You are Here (2024) // David Nicholls

The Vacation Vibe: Hiking across England

This heart-warming and hilarious romantic comedy from the author of the iconic bestseller One Day follows two strangers—isolated copy-editor Marnie and heartsore geography teacher Michael—as they embark on an epic coast-to-coast walk across the north of England. As they take in the bucolic scenery of the Yorkshire Dales and the rugged wild of the Lake District, the unlikely pair battle every kind of weather and endure a number of dodgy hostels as well as more luxurious hotels. Michael and Marnie grow ever closer as they undertake their grueling 190-mile trek—but will they make it all the way?  

The Life Impossible (2024) // Matt Haig

The Vacation Vibe: Recharging in Ibiza

In this life-affirming work of magical realism from the internationally bestselling author of The Midnight Library, retired mathematics teacher and recent widow Grace is puzzled to learn that a former colleague has left her a house on Ibiza, the Balearic island off the coast of Spain. Famed for its night life, Ibiza is best known as a party destination, but Haig seeks to highlight its other delights, including natural wonders like a stunning coastline teeming with wildlife. Certainly it works its magic on Grace: She arrives on the island numb with grief, but soon begins to realize that her future holds more possibility than she ever could have imagined.

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