This book was such a lovely read I don’t want it to end.
Veronica did seem to be at loose ends so after a DNA test her family sends her off to explore her ancestry in Ireland, France, Italy, and Denmark.
I loved her time in Ireland the most because of Niall. Where can I can a dreamboat caretaker of a castle?? Who cooks too!
I loved the snapshots of her ancestors ‘through her visions although Tadgh’s sorrow broke my heart (that’s the part I wish could’ve veen different).
It’s also a foodie book with tons of delectable dishes for readers to salivate over.
We all wander a bit until we find our place and for some it takes longer.
I am open for anyone who wishes to sponsor an ancestry wandering for me!! LOL

pleasant enough read, i liked reading about the different locations, cultures, food. if you're a fan of joanne harris, you'd like this book.

THE WANDERING SEASON by Aimie K. Runyan is a engaging and magical story of family, ancestry and romance that I enjoyed from beginning to end. Veronica Stratton is a specialty food broker poised to take her career to the next level of success. After a difficult break-up from her long-time boyfriend, Veronica is grateful to be spending time with her family at Christmas in Estes Park, Colorado. But a surprise DNA test gifted to all by her sister, Avery, changes everything. Although she has suspected that she was adopted since her teens, having the truth revealed leaves everyone at odds. Why was she never told the truth? Her best friend, Stephanie, and Avery convince Veronica to take a break from work and travel to four places in Europe that were listed in her ancestry report. As she treks from County Mayo, Ireland, to the Dordogne region of France, to the countryside of Lombardy in Italy and Copenhagen, Denmark, she tries to unravel the links to her ancestors. What role will Niall Callahan, a charming caretaker of a castle in Blackthorn, County Mayo, have on her journey of discovery and her plans for the future? The story is the perfect blend of travel adventures, romance, magical realism and family ties. I loved the vivid descriptions of Veronica’s destinations and the mouth-watering food along the way. This is a heart-tugging story full of warmth and charm that I highly recommend. Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the chance to read and review an early copy.

I have been a fan of this author forever and I certainly enjoyed this one as well!

Veronica has arrived at her parents for the holiday season. She has broken up with her long term boyfriend and she is still working hard at her food broker business. Needless to say, she is avoiding answering all questions. So, when her sister gives everyone a DNA test, Veronica knows she is in for some more drama. She figured out she was adopted years ago even though her parents never told her.

With so much of her life in upheaval, Veronica is looking for an escape. Inspired by her best friend, she plans to go to Europe to see four of the places listed on her DNA ancestry report.

I loved how this author unfolded this story with each location. And all the roads lead back to a charming Irish castle keeper Niall Callahan. I could just picture all the unique locations and all the delicious food! This book will definitely make you hungry.

This is a wonderful tangled up family mystery you can read quickly and it will leave you wanting more.

Need a very good atmospheric tale about family secrets…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.
I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

Veronica is a fine food purveyor, amateur chef and food lover whose career is on the verge of taking off, but it’s to help other people succeed in their food ventures, not open her own restaurant. Ever since she was a teenager she has always secretly believed that she is adopted - and one Christmas after her sister suggests DNA kits for everyone her hunch is verified when her parents confirm it. Just off a breakup she goes to Ireland, France, Italy and Denmark in order to learn more about her biological roots. In each place she has visions of women in history and she wonders what her connection is to each other these women. She also connects with Niall, the owner of the inn in Ireland and she wonders how he plays into her future while she looking at her past.

I requested this book because I saw Runyan speak at my local JCC about food writing in fiction and I wanted to try one of her books. Let me just say the trifecta of food, family drama, and magical realism hit the right spot for me. I adored the food descriptions in the novel but I also loved the dabbling of magical realism as well. This reminded me a bit of early Susanna Kearnsley novels and so I really enjoyed it. I can’t wait to now read her backlist!

4.25 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Muse for the ARC to review

3.5 stars:

I expected this book to feel more historical but it was definitely a modern story. I was thrown off by the magical realism aspect of the story and I didn’t love those parts. I do have a renewed wanderlust after traveling around Europe with the main character though, so if you’re wanting to travel via a book then this one might be for you!

This is a story of finding yourself and who you want to be. Veronica goes on a month long trip to Europe to trace her family’s history. As she visits the different cities, she has a supernatural experience and can see into history. I really enjoyed this part of the book and the glimpse into struggles women in her family had faced. An engaging contemporary fiction story that I had a hard time putting down. I’m a huge fan of the author’s writing and her ability to pull you into the story. I was with Veronica on her journey and in the places she visited. The vivid writing style makes it easy to lose yourself in this book.

What an incredible read! The Wandering Season gave me major Eat, Pray, Love vibes—but honestly, I think I loved it even more. This story beautifully captures the journey of self-discovery through travel, culture, and food, and I was hooked from the very start.

The settings were stunning, from the charm of Ireland to the magic of France, Italy, Denmark, and beyond. Every destination felt alive, and the way food was woven into the story was just chef’s kiss—it made me both adventurous and hungry!

This book had everything I love:
✨ A heartfelt journey of self-discovery
✨ Breathtaking travel moments
✨ Romance
✨ A touch of ancestral magic
✨ Mouthwatering food descriptions
✨ A fantastic cat

If you love books that transport you, inspire you, and make you want to book a trip (or at least a dinner reservation), I highly recommend this one!

Veronica adores her family, but for years suspected she might not quite belong. When her younger sister presents her with a DNA kit at Christmas, her suspicions are confirmed, and her parents tell her what they can about her adoption.

What follows is a month-long journey of self-discovery, set against the backdrop of some of Europe’s most renowned culinary destinations. As a food broker whose whole career is about sourcing quality ingredients for top chefs, this trip is more than enticing. The Wandering Season
offers a perfect mix of personal growth, adventure, romance, and delicious food. The book blends elements of magical realism exploring Veronica’s heritage with a feel-good narrative.

Aimie K. Runyan’s latest is a great choice for anyone looking for an uplifting story that also digs deep into identity and belonging.

Thank you to NetGalley, HarperCollins Focus, and of course the author Aimie K. Runyan for the advanced copy of the book. The Wandering Season is out on April 1st. All opinions are my own.

The synopsis of this book really grabbed my attention because I have such an interest in family history and DNA. To be able to travel to the places your ancestors lived before you were born has always intrigued me.

When the main character, Veronica, goes home for a family Christmas, she is gifted a DNA test. Because Veronica was adopted, it is a big deal for her to find some answers about her past. Her family also gifts her a trip to some locations that matched up with her DNA profile, so soon Veronica finds herself in an ancient castle in Ireland.

From there, she ventures to France, Italy and Denmark, and finally back to New York where she encounters a big surprise. Along the way, Veronica has visions from the past that she feels are key to her ancestors.

Ideally, I would have loved this book, but I was hoping for more solid family history than the visions and that she would actually meet a few other cousins along the way. Veronica’s family and friends also felt she was not realizing her potential professionally, so there was quite a bit of nagging by them for her to advance her career, which I found annoying.

Overall I did enjoy the book and I felt like Veronica got some answers to her past as well as some guidance to her future.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins Focus/ Harper Muse for allowing me to read an advance copy. I am happy to give my honest review.

2.5⭐️

I thought the premise of this story was really compelling: after discovering she was adopted, a young woman named Veronica goes on a month-long European tour, spending a week in each of the four countries found on her ancestors report. I loved reading of her experiences discovering each unique country! Veronica’s career as a restaurant consultant was unique and I found the sections about high-quality ingredients and rich food sources very interesting!

Unfortunately, this book left lots of question marks in my mind. Although I appreciate what the author was attempting, I did not feel the secret adoption element was flushed out well - the behavior of her parents did not fit their overall character, and the sudden appearance of a birth mom seemed forced. I also I did not think the “visions” Veronica kept seeing in each country were explained well. Other than referencing a possible “seeing” power held by her ancestors, and vague new-age ideas about being ‘visited’ by those ancestors, this part was left very unclear. I personally didn’t find the romance plot line to be necessary and I wish the author would have focused more on Veronica’s own journey of her heritage.

There were also couple other elements that really didn’t sit well with me. I did not appreciate the euphemisms for abortion and the slight air of disdain that someone wouldn’t support “a woman’s right”. I also found the way money/wealth was portrayed and handled to be problematic. There were way too many references made to “Daddy’s Amex” and “using your inheritance early.”

A beautiful cover & intriguing storyline, but overall not a book I plan to widely recommend.

🤐: occasional language including the UK version of a**, and muld profanity
😍: just a sweet kiss
😇: not much religion talk to speak of, other than general discussion about “fate”

Thank you to HarperMuse & Netgalley for the complimentary ebook in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

I have mixed feelings on this one. While I enjoyed Veronica’s journey to discover her roots upon learning she was adopted, I didn’t love the execution. I wished her journey had been rooted in more in research of her heritage rather than magical realism/visions.

This book is everything you need if you are looking for an adventure. I was so glad I got to go along for the ride, the romance, the food it was all so delicious.

Ever so heartwarming! Loved wandering to Denver, Ireland, Italy and Denmark in Aimie K. Runyan’s latest contemporary romance novel. Loved the characters and particularly loved being transported to Ireland. By the time I flipped past the last page, I was ready to book a trip to the. E.merald Isle - and to stay in a castle while there, of course,

This tale does feature a bit of magical realism/time traveling, which some readers may not enjoy (but I thought served the story well).

Overall, this was a feel good, heart warming, enchanting escape, read in a few hours.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper Muse for the privilege of a complimentary ARC. Opinions are my own.

If you enjoy traveling and food with an Outlander feel, this book will meet many of your expectations. Upon receiving confirmation of her adoption, Veronica's parents and sister organise a trip to explore the countries of her ancestors. The Wandering Season is an easy-to-read novel of self-discovery. Although the romance lacked spark for me, the food scenes are mouthwatering. I also welcomed the echoes that Veronica experienced, I thought it added a mystical side to the story and a great way to experience how Veronica became. 4 stars

I would like to thank the author, HarperCollins Focus and NetGalley for my free copy of this novel, in exchange for my honest review.
#TheWanderingSeason #NetGalley.

This is one of my favorite books of the year so far. As an adoptee, I am always intrigued by books that feature people like me, so I had no doubt that I was going to read it, plus I am a big fan of this author's novels.
Veronica, the main character in this novel, takes a DNA test gifted to her by her sister, and it confirms her suspicions that she is adopted. She goes on a journey to Ireland, France, Italy and Denmark to see where her ancestors are from. She finds romance and explores what she wants to do with her life (she is a food broker but the question is if she wants to be a chef). She finds out some answers but has even more questions.
This book allowed me to be an armchair traveler (no small thing at the moment) and the descriptions of setting as well as the food in the locations allowed me to be elsewhere (and made me incredibly hungry). I wish the book had included a few recipes.
About the only reservation I had were about how the adoption was handled; Veronica seemed remarkably unaffected by it at times, especially since she found out when she was an adult. However, I was able to put that aside because the book was so enjoyable that I read it all in one day.
I also listened to part of it on audio. The narrator was good and I enjoyed her accents.
Thanks to NetGalley, Harper Collins Focus and Harper Muse Audiobooks for providing me with the advanced copies of the text and audiobook in exchange for my unbiased opinions.

Veronica Stratton is at a bit of a life crossroads with her culinary consulting business and after a breakup. That Christmas, her sister gives the family DNA tests and Veronica has it confirmed she's adopted. Her family sends her to the four countries she is from (Ireland, France, Italy, and Denmark) to try and discover her roots and along the way she finds some romance and unexpected answers about her past.

This book was an absolute delight to read. I loved how the book had Veronica process the new information by traveling and embracing and trying to understand new cultures. The characters were down to earth and relatable and Veronica's slow processing of a momentous life change seemed very realistic. The romance was slightly cheesy in the beginning as Veronica and the love interest fell head over heels pretty quickly, but this did even out. I was sad that minimal time was spent in Denmark, but that's just because I love the country.

Veronica Stratton a speciality food broker, is on her way home to Estes Park for Christmas with her parents and younger sister, Avery, who's flying in from NY.

Things begin going haywire when her sister produces a DNA kit as a fun game , which forces Veronica to reveal that she is adopted. She had found this out for herself, as a teen, studying genetics in science class; afraid of upsetting the applecart, she had kept quiet and never openly confronted her parents about it. Their parents tearfully reveal that it's true and say it was a closed adoption, and they never met Vero's birth parents and indeed weren't even allowed to take pictures at the hospital as soon as she was born.

This bombshell shakes things up for everyone and Veronica's parents, sister and best friend send her off to Europe, to places her DNA results indicate her forebears came from. Veronica plays along and at each of these places, starting with Ireland has visions into the past. She sees women (presumably ancestresses) at major crossroads in their lives making hard choices that bring them to America. Veronica is forced to face the fact that she has been running away from hard choices since her late teens: choices on career, persona life, future...

While this adds a touch of whimsy and fancy to the tale, this ability to see into the past is not my cup of tea, as I feel it is not Scriptural. But this novel isn't necessarily from a Christian worldview.

However, that these two devices - the culinary journey and unusual journey into the past are a huge part of the charm of this novel. Veronica's journey to find herself continues with interesting characters she meets along the way, Niall Callahan being one of them. Will he be a part of Vero's past or her future? Does she find her birth parents? What about her relationship with her current loving family: parents and sister?And what does life hold for her after these mega revelations? Does she find herself, find her passion and find someone to share that passion and life with? Or will she continue to hide herself ike an ostrich, running from the possibilities life has for her? Will the wanderer find her home?

Buy the novel to find out. It can be had at all major digital and print bookshops.

I loved everything about “The Wandering Season” by Aimie K. Runyan, and I highly recommend this memorable and captivating novel. Pack your imagination and off we go on an incredible journey in this well- written and mesmerizing story. The genres for this novel are Fiction, Contemporary Fiction, Travel, Magical Realism, Sister’s Fiction, Women’s Domestic Life Fiction, and Romance. The locations for this story are set in Estes Park, Ireland, France,Denmark, Italy and New York. I love how the author vividly describes the scenery, and her colorful and dramatic characters. As a side bonus, the author describes foods in such a sensory and delightful way, and offers some recipes in the back of the book.

Veronica Stratton searches for specialty foods as her business, and has been an asset to her customers, and often is asked why she doesn’t run a restaurant. Veronica is on a journey to find herself. She has been going with a boyfriend for a long time and questions her feelings about a commitment. Veronica often wonders why she doesn’t look like her parents or sister. For Christmas, Veronica’s sister gives Her a DNA test. When the results of the DNA test comes back, Veronica takes a chance and decides to both escape and explore the countries listed on the DNA report. She is eager to find her ancestors, and possible answers. With the emotional support from her best friend and sister, Veronica is encouraged to go. She does meet some intriguing and exceptional people, and has some “visions” of her ancestors.

I appreciate that the author discusses issues as the importance of family, friends, sisterhood, honesty, communication, self-discovery, hope and love. Some of Veronica’s ancestors were courageous and determined to survive and make a better life. I hope there is a sequel to this book.

The Wandering Season is a charming and heartfelt story of identity, heritage and belonging. It had a bit of a feel of the Seven Sisters series, with the gentle romance, the journey to discover oneself through the past, and the magical realism/slight suspension of disbelief.

I thoroughly enjoyed Veronica’s ‘wandering’. The desire to experience the places of her ancestors was both relatable and interesting, and I loved the way she experienced each country through their food. The visions felt a little disconnected from the story and seemed to break the flow, though I did enjoy the perspectives they provided. I also liked the way that Veronica’s world expanded through travel, to a satisfying and heartwarming conclusion.

I enjoyed this both as an ebook and audiobook, and would recommend both. The narrator did a wonderful job of capturing quite a large and varied cast of characters, with a wide range of accents. The production beautifully captures the meandering pace and flow of the writing, creating a sense of relaxation and adventure that was delightfully immersive.

Overall, this is a light, heartfelt, cosy, and whimsical read, perfect for anyone looking to do a little ‘wandering’.

Thank you HarperCollins Focus for an advance copy of this book. Opinions expressed are my own.