Family Baggage

We've all got it...

Summary (from Goodreads.com): Harriet Turner knows all about journeys. She’s arranged hundreds of them for her family’s travel agency. Now Harriet is joining her adopted sister, Lara, to lead a group through the Cornish countryside. But when Lara fails to appear at the airport as planned, Harriet finds herself in uncharted territory and suddenly alone with a busload of eccentric seniors. As the tour wends its way through the picturesque landscape, Harriet must uncover her sister’s whereabouts and confront long-held family secrets involving Lara’s arrival twenty-five years ago . . . not to mention keeping track of more baggage–real and emotional–than she ever expected. 

Review: I really wanted to love this book, but half way through I found myself skimming the pages. Pages and pages of detailed introspection by each and every character.

I did like that the so-called "Big Secrets" that were causing so much drama within the family were revealed fairly quickly. I'm glad I didn't have to wait until to the very end to find out what each character was struggling with, because for the most part, there was much ado about very little. But I suppose it's that way in real life. Everyone has something from their past that haunts them, but when it's said out loud, it really isn't that big of a deal to anyone else.

There were a couple of characters I could've done without but I understand why there were included. The bits with the busload of seniors touring the Irish countryside to relive a long dead TV program were fun, especially when the special guest arrives on the scene.

This is a cute summer read. If you're looking for something that has more depth than a stereotypical chic-lit but not super heavy and demanding, then this is a good choice.

St. Ives, Cornwall, England

Have you ever lead an overseas tour group?  Or been on a tour with seniors?  Leave a comment below (and pick up this book)~