It's another best book so far this year for me. I enjoyed this one immensely! I stayed up until the wee hours of the morning to finish it. Wow!
I'm still thinking about this sweet story that has a little bit of everything to keep the readers' interest.
The descriptions of people and places were so vivid that I felt like I was watching a movie!
I deeply resonated with Veronica as I too am adopted. I think that's why I enjoyed this book so much.
My favorite stop on Veronica's journey was Italy. I've never been but thanks to this novel I got to go.
I will warn you though. The food in this book will make you drool another reason I loved this novel. Yummy! "Sigh" are two descriptions I can think of. Oh yes, amazingly wonderful lol.
5 stars from me for keeping me entertained. I highly recommend.
My thanks for a wonderful adventure. I was NOT required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine.

Runyan never runs out of ideas. I was captivated by the protagonists journey to discover her birth mother. She travels near and far. A little mystery, romance and travel along with delicious recipes makes this one to read in one sitting.

A beautifully crafted story that seamlessly blends heartfelt emotion with relatable, authentic characters. Runyan's evocative prose and vivid settings immerse readers in a journey of resilience, love, and personal growth. It's a captivating and uplifting read that stays with you long after the final page.

I was hooked by the premise of this story and I started in with pretty high expectations. This novel had a bit of an Eat Pray Love vibe where Veronica travels to the different countries and finds romance and food etc. The first half the book is the best and I enjoyed it immensely. The ancestry twist is interesting and while there is humor there is a lot of heart between family and also friends. There is an adoption thread that takes unexpected twists and turns that I wasn't expecting. The last part of the book moved a bit slower for me but was still enjoyable. There is a little bit of a time travel element in the form of "visions" of the past. Is this realistic? Of course not. Yet, isn't this fiction? I enjoyed it because it is a unique idea and just imagine if you could see your ancestors from so long ago?! The food conversations and details are delightful and add so much to the story. Be warned, this book will probably make you hungry! Overall I found this to be an enjoyable read with some fresh character perspectives.

Four Stars.

"I received this book from NetGalley for free. All opinions are my own and I was not required to write a positive review."

THE WANDERING SEASON by AIMIE K RUNYAN is the story of Veronica Stratton’s wandering to four countries looking for members of her birth family, once the fact of her adoption is brought to light by a DNA test. On her travels, which are well described, she meets Irishman Niall Callahan, also a food lover, who is equally unsure of his future…
Veronica’s younger sister and her best friend, are an amazing support to her.
The descriptions are lovely and the romance sweet.
I was given a free copy of the book by NetGalley from Harper Muse. The opinions in this review are completely my own.

This book was sweet, but it definitely gave hallmark movie vibes for me in the way that hallmark movies are unrealistic to the point that I have a hard time relating to the story and getting into it. I was a loving it until the “fantasy” element was introduced about a quarter in and it definitely detracted from the story for me because I’m a pretty big skeptic and it just didn’t vibe for me. It especially rubbed wrong when she started telling everyone about it and not a single one of them questioned it…even the “skeptical” characters.

I also wasn’t super into the romance by the end of the book. For a book that was marketed as “romance” there’s literally barely any of it to speak of. I was pretty hooked on it for the first half of the book, but it felt like as soon as they acknowledged their feelings for one another, she just left him and never brought up texting/talking to him again until the very end of the book… and again, a very unrealistic ending for me.

On a positive note, I loved the writing and descriptions, especially with the food. I was drooling the entire time.

I think there is definitely an audience who will enjoy this book, particularly if you enjoy the hallmark channel lol. I just really need to be able to relate to the characters to feel immersed in the story and I honestly don’t think I would have made a single decision that our MC did lol.

Anyways, thank you to NetGalley for a free arc in exchange for my honest review.

Oh this book was phenomenal! I could not put this book down. It was such a beautiful written story. I had every heart string pulled. It was gorgeously put together. Well done Aimie!

The Wandering Season by Aimie K. Runyan ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 1/2

HarperCollins Focus | Harper Muse
Pub Date: 4-1-25

Thank you @netgalley, @harpermusebooks, and @bookishaimie for this eARC.

Don't we all, at one point growing up, wonder if we were adopted?

Veronica Stratton had just such a suspicion when she was fifteen and "pieced it together in sophomore biology class". The truth comes out years later when her sister, Avery, brings DNA test kits to their family Christmas gathering.

Following this revelation and the breakup of a four year relationship, Veronica - with the full support of her parents, sister, and best friend - hesitantly embarks on a four week trip to Ireland, France, Italy, and Denmark - the places represented on her ancestry results.

Veronica experiences "echoes" of her "foremothers" while spending a week in each country. She also meets, Niall, caretaker of an eight hundred year old castle in Ireland. As she's traveling in the off-season, Niall makes himself available to serve as her personal tour guide.

These four weeks offer Veronica a chance to examine her past and determine where her future may lead.

I enjoyed joining Veronica on her journey of self discovery across Europe. Add this to your TBR if you like stories of ancestry, family, food, relationships, and travel.

"I smiled at the idea of pausing a trip to Ireland to immerse oneself in Ireland through fiction and admired the commitment. I loved the combination of the ancient and the recent housed in one space. A cacophony of shapes and colors that somehow managed to produce a symphony of words."

#thewanderingseason #aimiekrunyan #harpercollinsfocus #netgalley