Wow.

Firstly, thank you to NetGalley, Random House Publishing, and Annie Harnett for the advanced copy of this beautiful book.

I have very few words for this book now that I am finished. From the beginning, I knew it was going to be an amazing journey based solely on Pancakes the cat. In my next life, I hope I come back as him. This story was full to the brim of second chances, love, loss, redemption, reality, and dreams. A perfect combination of anything and everything you could ask from a book. I laughed just as much as I cried.

I found myself in Sophie - hurting and broken after the sudden loss of a sibling that no one understands; feeling like you need to bottle it up and be there for everyone else.

I found myself in PJ; a hoper and dreamer, always trying to see the good in the world and the people in it.

I found myself in Ollie and Luna; the whimsy that is trying to find (or keep) a sense of normalcy when life turns you upside down.

This book made me want to go on a road trip of my own, just maybe with less death!

Kind of a dark start at the beginning of the book but I quickly realized it was so I wouldn't grow attached to a couple of characters. Oh Pancakes! Just enough pancakes for him to be a good anchor charcter of the book. Luna and Ollie show PJ how to live again. Great road trip story.

The Road To Tender Hearts deals with a lot of heavy subjects with a light touch. For the most part that works. Alcoholism, Death of a Child, Abuse are among the issues embedded within this story. I often don't like to read novels that deal with such difficult subjects however I was impressed with how the author didn't shy away from these topics and still the the novel never felt weighed down. Much of this trauma is in the rear-view mirror and the main characters are grappling with how to move forward. Overall, this is a hopeful story about found family and repairing relationships. The best character, of course was the cat. Thank you to #NetGalley for an advanced copy in return for my honest review.

I adored the newest title by author of Rabbit Cake and Unlikely Animals.. It is such a heartwarming story but readers must know that it is rooted in sadness and a lot of trauma. Thankfully the trauma is mainly the back story but still it is quite dark and heartbreaking. But this book shows how found family, a community of unusual characters, and a roadtrip can heal our hearts not just the characters themselves. I loved the quirky characters to pieces and also wanted to simultaneously slap them upside the head. For instance, PJ (the main character) keeps screwing up but if he didn’t it wouldn’t be real at all, especially in regards to him trying to break habits that aren’t as easy as he wants it to be. I am so grateful the author didn’t just make everything okay for everyone. It will be an ongoing battle but the characters have each other and that’s not nothing! There are bits of wonderful magic sprinkled in with the cat Pancakes. Although whether that is magic or not we can’t say for sure as grief and animals may have connections we can’t understand but we may believe.

PJ Halliday is an irresponsible alcoholic. But that’s okay because he’s still lovable, right? And he means well!

PJ is on a mission to win the heart of his newly widowed high school crush. To do this he has to take a cross-country road trip from Massachusetts to Arizona. His twentysomething daughter and his adolescent niece and nephew are also along for the ride.

This story is darkly funny and has a certain charm to it that ropes you in. Think Remarkably Bright Creatures and A Man Called Ove. (I’m sorry. I know we’re all tired of those being used as comparisons)

While this book had a lot of good moments, somewhere along this arduous road I grew tired of PJ and his antics. However, I do think there will be plenty of people that love this book. It has book club and eventual mini-series adaptation written all over it.

This is a heartwarming tale of family, tragedy, and redemption. PJ Halliday is a 63 year old drunk who has failed his family time after time after the death of his elder daughter. His wife Ivy finally divorced him, but still, in her way, looks after. His surviving daughter hates him and loves him. She continues to rescue him, telling herself it’s for her mother’s sake, not realizing her love and need for him.
PJ is surprisingly name guardian of 9 and 10 year old grand niece a nephew he had never met.
During the ensuing road trip PJ, his daughter Sophie, and the children, Luna and Ollie face many emotional ups and downs, eventually becoming a family! Humor, sadness, misunderstanding, and so much love make this a wonderful read.

In Annie Hartnetts The Road to Tender Hearts we follow the cross country journey of 63 year old P.J. Halliday, a warm hearted man whose life has fallen apart since his daughter died at the age of 18. Before long we see him departing on a cross country drive with his estranged daughter, a great niece and nephew who have suddenly come into his life after their parents tragic death, and a cat who can predict people deaths.

The story is told in the authors usual brand of quirky humor which did not really work for me in Unlikely Animals but was a hit for me this time. I loved getting to know these characters as they became a real family. Much of the plot is outlandish, but it somehow works and I am sure anyone who has loved her previous works will like this one, and even those who didn't, like me, may want to give it a try if you enjoy heartwarming family stories.

Thank you to net galley and Random house for the e galley in exchange for an honest review

I loved this one so much. I love Hartnett's novels and I think this one is the best yet. There are moments that really stick out and make you laugh and feel for the characters. It really has a Kevin Wilson vibe to it, and that is a compliment for sure. Excellent! Loved it!

Annie Hartnett’s “The Road to Tender Hearts” delivers dark humor, tragedy, and quirky family dynamics as we join PJ Halliday’s single-minded mission to reunite with his high school sweetheart.

PJ is an unlikable protagonist on so many levels: he is self-centered, irresponsible, and leans on alcohol for emotional support. He’s also authentic and goes all in to support his community, friends, family, and exes. For that, you can’t help but love him.

As PJ makes his journey, we follow the journey of an orange cat named Pancakes who has a knack for predicting when death is near. Pancake’s presence as a throughline in the story is a reminder that with every moment, every dumb mistake, or every generous act, death continues to draw closer. And with that, we must continue to go all-in on living life.

This book had me in a chokehold the moment the death-predicting cat appeared. Annie Hartnett is a gifted writer who can take the darkest subjects and weave them into a beautiful, reflective story. I loved following PJ on his arc, and it’s super heartwarming to see characters like him (I.e., alcoholic, lying men) have their redemption and grow as a person, even in their older age. A truly stunning novel, I will always read anything Annie Hartnett puts out.

This book felt so different compared to other things I’ve read recently. It’s sweet, dark, and quirky all at once. The omniscient narration fit the story perfectly, and each character was unique and fleshed out, even if we only met them for a paragraph. I will definitely be recommending this one.

I have loved all the books I’ve read by this author, Unlikely Animals is a book I have always loved and recommend to friends! So when I had the opportunity to read this book early, I had to try. This book had so many emotions in it. This author knows how to take a really tough subject and make it easier and more light hearted to read which I enjoy. It helps because certain things trigger me to read, but the way she words it I am able to get through it and that’s what I love about her reading. I fell in love with all of the characters and I absolutely loved Pancake! I can’t wait for everyone to read this book!

Annie Hartnett is the very best at writing stories that increase a reader’s empathy as they turn the page. All while being truly hilarious, smart, generous and quirky. With a cast of characters that includes a veteran, a psychic cat, a thief, and a domesticated alligator, you would think that all of these elements would make the story too all over the place. But not in Hartnett’s capable hands. She manages to take on a murder-suicide, alcoholism, divorce, parental abandonment, and even the loss of a child in this novel all while feeling like you’ve been given a big, genuine hug in the process.

This adventure is exactly what my worn out mind and heart needed right now in 2025 and I hope that it gets the praise and attention it deserves.

What Hartnett did with this novel is a feat.

PJ Halliday is a retired lottery winner with a heart that's just too big to handle all of the devastation this world. After a family tragedy, he was never quite able to control his drinking. Even winning 1.5 million dollars wasn't enough to save his marriage, but he still visits his ex-wife, Ivy and her husband Fred, every morning for breakfast. His goth daughter, Sophie, never really got to be a kid again after the events that changed her family and has spent every day since having to be the responsible one. Two kids are left orphaned after a family catastrophe, and irresponsible PJ is the only family member that can stop them from ending in foster care. Luna is bright, but strong willed with an aptitude for kleptomania. Ollie is a sweetheart who just wants to stay with his sister and have everyone around him be happy again. This story would be nothing (just kidding) without the sprinkle of magical realism brought by Pancakes by the cat, who can predict who is next to die in a room full of people.

PJ finds out his high school sweetheart is recently widowed, and he ensnares his new crew to come with him on a road trip from Massachusetts to Arizona to propose to his lost love. Hilarity ensues, and you'll find yourself growing attached to each and every one of these flawed people. This story is sweet, without being cloying, and Hartnett is able to bring light to situations that should be too dark to even want to talk about. All I know is I'll have these characters in my heart for years to come.

Big thank you to Netgalley and Random House Publishing for giving me access to an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Look out for The Road to Tender Hearts on April 29th, 2025!

tw: CSA, suicide, cancer, alcoholism, death (a LOT of death), family conflict

If I had a dollar for every time I read an Annie Hartnett book and immediately was like “WOW okay that’s my new favorite Annie Hartnett book”, I would have exactly three dollars - one for Unlikely Animals, one for Rabbit Cake, and now one for her latest novel, The Road to Tender Hearts.

Is Hartnett actually a clairvoyant who can see into the hearts and souls of every living thing, making her perfectly capture the big & small every day worries that make up the tapestry of a life? Does she somehow have the ability to speak to animals, giving her the power to beautifully capture their spirits in written word? I AM LEANING TOWARD YES!

I needed a book that would make me feel emotional, yet hopeful - The Road to Tender Hearts couldn’t be more perfect for that need. I don’t want to describe the plot because getting to know the characters & their respective storylines is such an important part of this reading journey. Just know, you will laugh and you will want to cry and you will fall in love with an orange tabby named Pancakes.

Hartnett writes with a tenderness that makes me feel entirely safe as a reader. Even when bad things happened in the book, I trusted that Hartnett would see these characters (and me!!) through the darkness with a thoughtful, loving hand.

This book is a gem and I am so grateful I was lucky enough to receive an ARC. Pounce on this one as soon as you’re able to; it’s a moving story about family, love, and suffering - but at its heart, it is about hope.

Annie Hartnett has the amazing ability to make you want to laugh, cry, strangle a main character, and adopt a cat. This story is so sad but also so redeeming and heartwarming. I loved following along with PJ, Luna, Ollie, and Sophie, through every bump in the road. This was a beautiful story of redemption and family.

Thank you NetGalley & Random House for the ARC This book was as the title claims it to be. This was very light hearted given the heavy themes dealt with. The characters can seem so fantastical that it lead to a disconnect for me at times. Overall, it was a sweet & quick read.

I did not go into this book knowing much of what to expect, then finished it wondering where it's been all my life. As I write that observation, I chuckle as I realize that's a bit like how our characters start and end their own journey. Stuffed with dark humor and themes, Hartnett succeeds in balancing this callously riotous tale with genuinely tender and tear-jerking moments.

Our adult characters are flawed and pained and real, the "Irish twins" are wild and sweet and so funny, and Pancakes is perfect in every way and one of the kindest, cutest and fluffiest depictions of the Grim Reaper I've come across. I found myself so heavily invested in seeing where this story went, how characters were going to grow and change, and absolutely loved every plot point through to the end. Not to mention: nearly everything the kids said was gold.

In that same vein, the dialouge was so well written. The pacing was perfect, all the little side characters throughout even felt like real people, and the character arcs were something special to see unfold, if not a bit heartbreaking, nervewracking and frustrating at times. But that's just life, isn't it?

Besides individual growth and revelations, the relationships between each character fostered some of the sweetest and moving moments that will stick with me.

Be warned, this can be a difficult read for some, so please be aware that there are very heavy, very complicated subjects inherent to the story. I would advise looking for a list of content warnings before diving right in. I would hate for someone to read this with certain expectations and then be blindsided by how dark some of the themes and humor can be.

For those who do choose to read it, just know that this book is as sweet as it is sour, bitter and gratingly human. There might be a character in this book that reflects someone in your own life, or maybe even a character you see yourself in — and that may be alarming or uncomfortable.

Be gentle with yourself. Be kind. Be open and reflective and know that while others may have hurt you, while you yourself may make mistakes, change isn't impossible if you're willing to do the hard work of loving yourself, letting yourself be loved, while also loving those who surround you, need you and care for you in ways that they might need.

That is what The Road to Tended Hearts has urged to remind me, most of all. And that's why I'm giving it five stars.

Thank you Netgalley and Randomhouse Publishing Group for this ARC! Thank you Annie Hartnett for writing something so brutally beautiful. The Road to Tender Hearts is set to publish on April 29, 2025!

The Road to Tender Hearts is a quirky road trip novel about PJ, a former mail carrier who is a Massachusetts lottery winner, a grieving father who lost his teenage daughter, a divorcee who remains close friends with his wife, and an alcoholic. PJ learns he has been named guardian for his estranged niece's two children after a Visine murder and suicide. Luna and Ollie are Irish twins age ten and nine. Within days of accepting the children, they, along with PJ's adult daughter, Sophie, are off on a road trip to Arizona so PJ can reunite with a high school crush. Pancakes, the orange cat, is also along for the ride. The plot involves misadventures and deep conversations about family relationships among PJ, Sophie, and the kids. A subplot involves Luna's quest to prove a current soap opera star is her father. Annie Harnett's new novel is highly recommended for discussion groups who enjoy unconventional plots and characters.

I received a free DRC of this book through Netgalley. I have previously read another book by this author [book:Unlikely Animals|58502645] which I enjoyed greatly, but I have to say that this book surpasses even that way. I would give 6 stars if I could. I love all of the main characters including the orange cat, Pancakes. I do give a trigger warning for domestic violence, suicide, murder, and sexual impropriety, but once you get past that part of the book, it's just a heartwarming tale of 4 people and a cat on a mission. It is both funny and tragic and a great escape from current reality.