The Road to Tender Hearts Review

 Hello, all!

Let's chat about The Road to Tender Hearts by Annie Hartnett.

Pub Date: 4-29-25
Adult - Fiction

PJ Halliday is a sixty-three-year-old lottery winner from Pondville, Massachusetts, who has spent the last few years squandering his winnings on booze to help ease the pain of life. PJ's eldest daughter died right before graduating high school, and his marriage never recovered from the loss. Now, the only thing keeping PJ going is the news that his high school sweetheart has been recently widowed, and he plans on driving cross-country to her retirement home to win her back. But before PJ can hit the road, another tragedy strikes.

PJ was never the best father, as his youngest daughter, Sophie, can attest; however, he suddenly finds himself the guardian of his estranged brother's two grandchildren. PJ doesn't know what to do with the kids, so he decides to bring them along on his road trip, thinking that getting them out of town would do them some good. He also convinces Sophie to join, and soon the unlikely group heads out, along with a stray cat named Pancakes, who has an uncanny knack for predicting deaths. PJ hasn't been living his best life recently, but this journey may be the second chance he's been looking for.

This book wasn't on my radar until recently, but I'm so glad I picked it up. I enjoy it whenever an older character interacts with someone younger and forms a solid bond, so I loved watching PJ and the kids interact. PJ is extremely flawed and knows it, and he doesn't always handle things in the right way, but it made him feel human. His journey, both internally and with his family, really tugged on my heartstrings. I also really enjoyed Hartnett's writing and how she balanced heavier topics with such dark humor. There are so many absurd and emotional moments throughout. I'm excited to read more from this author now.

Rating: 4/5

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