Move over Gay Uncle Patrick, here comes Great Uncle PJ! In her trademark quirky style, Annie Hartnett has written another heartwarming story of family, friends, and finding oneself. She deftly writes about heavier topics with heart and humor, and uses the most entertaining situations to illustrate universal feelings and emotions. Even the smallest details are included to make the reader laugh, cry, or sigh with contentment. I can't wait to read whatever she writes next! Thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine for the advance digital copy!

Rabbit Cake is one of those books that I think everyone who has experienced grief should read. It’s a favorite of mine. So I was thrilled to get approved for this one on NetGalley. But I wish I liked it more. I see a lot of 5 star reviews for it but for me it’s a 2-3 star. Why you may ask? Simple: the main character is profoundly unlikable. He’s a drunk who won the lottery and hasn’t moved on from his divorce. I didn’t feel a connection to any of the characters even Pancakes. And I’m a crazy cat lady. It’s described as “lighthearted” but it definitely isn’t. And the twist as the end? Came out of nowhere.

My opinion is just that, mine. Many others loved this book but it wasn’t for me.

**Thanks to the author and Ballantine Books for the e-arc I received via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.**

When I read the description for this book, it sounded like a grumpy old guy does right story along the lines of A Man Called Ove. This book is not at all what I expected. It is a hilariously dark comedy with some feel good moments, great flawed characters, many tragedies and one crazy road adventure.

A brief summary: PJ Halliday is in his 60s living in Pondville, Massachusetts. He is a million dollar lottery winner but has had his share of tragedies including the death of his eldest daughter on prom night and the dissolution of his marriage. PJ reads the obituary of an old romantic rival and realizes that his high school sweetheart Michelle is single again. He decides to go cross country to the Arizona retirement community where she lives to win her back. Before PJ can leave, there is more tragedy in Pondville and PJ is named the guardian of his estranged brother's grandchildren. PJ talks his adult daughter into coming on the road trip along with the two children and the stray cat.

This book covered a lot of ground--family dynamics and old wounds, grief and how to deal with it at all ages, regret and second chances. The characters were well developed and deeply flawed, coming with their own individual baggage. The pacing was very well done with just enough time spent in the various stops along the road trip. This was a darkly humorous and touching story. I will look for other works by this author.

4.5 stars. I spent the first half of this book resisting it, but it won me over. Between the over the top premise and a hard-to-like main character as well as the weird cat plot device, it felt like a lot for one book. But something about this band of misfits packing their piles and piles of personal baggage into the Red Volvo eventually got to me. I really enjoyed the classic road trip shenanigans as they made their way across the country on not one but two missions that seem to be doomed to fail.

The crew is accompanied by an orange tabby cat that has been deemed an “agent of death” due to his tendency to hang around individuals who end up dying. I have to say I was extremely concerned by this ominous cat but I do think overall the theme of mortality not so subtly represented by the cat was woven into the book in an effective way. Subtle is not a word I would use to describe any part of this book. But I love a book with an animal along for the ride.

As far as the eccentric main character PJ, I don’t know what to do about him. The author really itemized all the ways in which PJ has failed the people in his life, and I really did not like him right off the bat. But it’s hard to discuss to what extent PJ is redeemed as a character in the end without revealing too much of the surprisingly intricate and thoughtful ways that the second half of the novel attempts to get things sorted out for each character.

Ultimately this book is about the stories we tell ourselves and others to survive— I’ve read that in a thousand plot synopses but in this case, it doesn’t feel cliche. I feel like I’ll be thinking about this one for awhile. I recommend this book if you like your quirky summer adventure novel more than tinged with dark absurdity and don’t mind a little suspension of disbelief to feel the magic of a story.



You may also like:
Nothing to See Here by Kevin Wilson (who also has a road trip book coming out this spring!)
The Wedding People by Alison Espach
Beartown by Fredrik Backman
The World According to Garp by John Irving

PJ Halliday won a million dollars in the lottery and has done nothing since other than sit in the bar and mourn his bad luck- and he has had his fair share. He lost a daughter, had a terrible divorce, and his health is steadily declining (which is not helped by the fact that he is an alcoholic). To top it off, his ex-wife is marrying his best friend and they are headed to Alaska for four months- alone.

When PJ sees an obituary of his old rival, he decides to head to the Tender Hearts Retirement Community across the country to win back his high school sweetheart. It just so happens that he is now the guardian of two young orphans and a cat who can predict death. Oh, and did I mention that he cannot drive because he had his license revoked after his last DUI? Enter his daughter as the driver of this ragamuffin crew.

Trigger Warnings

Death of a parent, murder, suicide, drug use

Why Jackie loves it

Although this book deals with a lot of serious topics, it does it in a way that is heartwarming and funny. I laughed my way through this book, which is a series of one disaster after another. On the surface, this book should not work; however, it is a literary wonder. I absolutely loved this poignant, wonderful book. It is one of my favorites of the year, and you will hear me talk about it!

The Road to Tender Hearts is a complete delight! It is funny, sometimes wonderfully inappropriately funny, quirky, unique, surprising, and heartfelt. This was a story that completely drew me in. The book opens with a cat, so I really loved this already. This is a special cat that seems to know when someone will die and will be around the person before that happens. As I learned in chapter one, you can’t hide from this amazing cat if it is your time. The story then goes to the main character, PJ. He is divorced, an alcoholic, has had a few health scares, one of his daughters doesn’t talk to him much, and somehow finds himself now responsible for 2 children. This book is as crazy as it sounds, but in the best way possible. I am glad I found this author’s third book, and now plan to read her first two books.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars (rounded up)

Thank you to Ballantine Books, Annie Hartnett, and NetGalley for allowing me to read this novel in exchange for an honest review.

The Road to Tender Hearts is a quirky, charming read that officially places Annie Hartnett on my short list of living authors I’d love to have a glass of wine with. While some of the early sections felt arguably unnecessary—teetering between dark humor and just plain disturbing—their presence (or absence) doesn’t ultimately alter the heart of the novel.
The remaining 95% is a delight. The characters are maddening and familiar in equal measure; you’ll recognize pieces of yourself in them, even as you want to shake them into making better choices. Still, you can’t help but root for them to find their way.
The twist near the end serves as a clever reminder not to take everything too seriously—and to meet life’s messiness with a bit of levity. I’d recommend this novel to anyone looking for a smart, offbeat read full of humor, heart, and just the right touch of irreverence.

🐈 For my friends who like their books absurdly quirky.

THE ROAD TO TENDER HEARTS by Annie Hartnett

Thanks, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine @ballantinebooks, for the review copy via #NetGalley. (Available 29 Apr 25)

I struggled with how to describe this unique story, but couldn’t do it better than @darbyreadsdarcy, who said, “The subject matter is heavy, but the delivery is light.” Alcoholic loser (and ironically, lottery winner) PJ never recovered from the death of his teenage daughter years ago, but jumps at the chance to take in his estranged brother’s grandchildren after their parents’ murder/suicide. Obviously, the next logical step is to pack up his ex-wife’s boyfriend’s car and head off on a cross-country trip with his (also estranged) daughter and a stray cat (who predicts death).

This story couldn’t be more tragicomic unless it were written and directed by the Coen brothers. In fact, PJ’s character description made me visualize Jeff Bridges from “The Big Lebowski.” But whereas The Dude was chill, seeking his stolen rug because it “tied the room together,” PJ is comically obtuse, blissfully unaware of reality and his role in it.

My favorite character was the cat, Pancakes, who, through no fault of his own, is a harbinger of death. Inspired by him, I asked my friend Stacy for her “most sociopathic” pictures of her gorgeous roommate, Kedi. (Kedi is a Siberian Forest cat who hates cold, is allergic to trees, and is renowned for his death stare. Swipe to see some of my favorites.)

What a fun story. I adored the characters! I loved PJ, the main character, a lonely alcoholic, who ends up the legal guardian of his estranged, deceased brother's grandchildren. Together, with his adult daughter and cat pancake, he goes on a cross-country road trip to win back his high school sweetheart. I loved the special and unique relationship between the characters. There were lots of laughs, lots of tears but an overall wonderful story. The character development is incredibly well done, the descriptions and dialogue are wonderful. I quickly got wrapped up in their life and adventures and did not want to stop reading. A quick and wonderful book about life, love, loss and second chances.

Thank you netgalley for my advanced reader copy.

PJ is 63 years old, an alcoholic, a lottery winner (who has spent all his money), has breakfast with his ex wife and her new boyfriend every day, is still mourning the death of his teenage daughter, and has a shaky relationship with his younger daughter Sophie. Recently Pancakes, a nursing home cat that predicts death has adopted him (so at least he's not totally alone). Then his estranged brother's grandchildren are given to him to care for after their parents' death and he decides that they all need a roadtrip to visit the other great love of PJs life (besides his ex wife). Sophie joins the trip (which is helpful since PJ can't drive because of the amount of DUIs he has) and PJ, with his ragtag crew, begins his second chance, at being a father, being sober and getting another chance at love.

First of all, I love Harnett's writing style so when I saw there was a new novel coming out I grabbed it! Her stories have a quirky humor intertwined with heartache and it makes for such a wonderful read. The characters' and their backstories were heartfelt and wonderful, making each one multidimensional. While, based on his past actions, the reader could dislike PJ, Harnett makes you root for him, even in his selfish and crazy endeavors. This had a great story, wonderful characters and the right amount of humor (and a really smart cat to boot) - I have to go back and read her first novel, Rabbit Cake.

4.25 stars

Thank you to Ballantine and NetGalley for the ARC to review

Have you ever started a book and immediately regretted it? Like, wished that you did not know that a book existed?

The beginning of The Road to Tender Hearts is a trauma dump. There needs to be trigger warnings for poisoning, shooting, running someone over, drowning, alcoholism, murder-suicide, abuse, molestation, flashing, incest, and a healthy animal almost being put to sleep. And this is the BEGINNING of the book. However, once the reader gets past these horrors, a beautiful, tender, funny, and enjoyable book shines through in the most delightful ways!

Pancakes is a cat that can sense death. After lingering in the office of the nursing home doctor, he is dropped off at the pound to be quickly put to sleep. Upon his escape, he seeks out PJ, an affable 63-year-old drunk and former lottery winner. When Pj's ex-wife and her soon-to-be fiancé travel for the summer, Pj takes in Pancakes and his recently orphaned great-niblings despite his plan to seek out his recently widowed high school crush. So PJ asks his estranged daughter to join, packs up his friend's station wagon, and sets out. But it is all about the journey.

I laughed, I cried, and somewhere along the way I fell in love with this strange little family.

Thank you to Net Galley, Ballantine Books, and Random House Publishing Group.

I didn’t know what to expect going into this one, but I ended up loving it. I laughed out loud more than once, but I also got chocked up at several points.
Annie Hartnett does such a great job writing characters who are messy and flawed but still relatable .
I finished this book feeling like I’d been on a strange but meaningful journey .
If you’re into quirky but heartfelt plots I’d say definitely red this one !

Touching, dark, hilarious, and messy. A wildly entertaining family roadtrip with a chaotic goal.

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and look forward to picking up Annie Hartnett’s backlist. Each character was flawed, engaging, and real. I can’t even pick a favorite character as they were all so well written! Although the cat Pancakes was definitely a star.

Highly recommend to all fiction readers!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group Ballantine for access to this work. All opinions are my own

“Sophie held up her fingers like a gun, pretending to fire at her father, and then she retreated into the hotel hallway. PJ was alone with the kids, and it felt like a small betrayal, being shot at and then deserted. Sophie had promised to help him out with the kids.”

In “The Road to Tender Hearts” by Annie Hartnett, we meet PJ Halliday: one-time lottery winner, current alcoholic, former husband of Ivy, father of Sophie and deceased Kate, three-time heart attack survivor, firmly in his mid-60s without a firm grasp on anything else. PJ spends his days drinking, having breakfast with his ex-wife and her new husband, reliving the tragic death of Kate and puttering around his jam-packed house. But when an obituary from his high school rival tips him off that his high school one-who-got-away is now a widow, PJ decides to hit the road with grand plans to drive from Massachusetts to Arizona, ready to win Michelle Cobb’s heart for the second time and outrun his demons in the sunset of the Tender Hearts Retirement Community.

Before he can leave, PJ gets an unexpected call: his estranged brother’s grandchildren are now orphaned, and PJ is their last chance before getting put into the system. Joined by the two children, daughter Sophie and a former nursing home cat named Pancakes with a knack for predicting someone’s death, PJ is off - to restart his life, or something like it.

Oh, Annie Hartnett, the writer you are. If I could get a day pass to walk around in anyone’s brain, she would be top of the list. You cannot help but cheer for every single character of this indescribable book. It reads quirky, tender, nostalgic, laugh-out-loud funny and clever: all seemingly without trying. I’ll be first in line to get my own hardback copy when it comes out April 29 - don’t miss this one.

This story about a 63-year-old lottery winner, his estranged daughter, two orphaned children, and a stray cat who embark on a cross-country journey is incredibly moving. It is full of extremely quirky, yet delightfully endearing characters who get themselves into all kinds of crazy, unbelievable situations. It is hilariously funny and also very sweet.

The relationships that develop between the characters are so sweet and touching. The book is full of heartwarming moments that will make your heart sing and fill you with the kind of warm, happy feelings that usually only come when you get near the end of a really good book. It's just a complete joy to read.

Pancakes steals the show (or book, whatever). I will die on that hill.

This is my third read by the incredible Annie Hartnett and she never disappoints. The Road to Tender Hearts is a beautiful story filled with quirky, laugh out loud yet flawed characters and I loved every minute. PJ is a 63 year old lottery winner with a drinking problem when he decides to drive cross country to find the "one who got away." He is just one of a crazy cast of characters that make this story so special! He is divorced from his wife, Ivy, whom he still has an incredibly close relationship and lives next door with his best friend, Fred. He has a daughter, Sophia, with whom he is basically estranged (tragically their oldest daughter passed the night of her Senior prom). PJ thinks going after Michelle will be the answer to all his problems. As if things couldn't get any crazier, he finds out that he is the guardian of his brother's grandchildren. When Ollie and Luna come to live with him, PJ sees a second chance at life and the five of them (PJ, Sophia, Ollie, Luna, of course, Pancakes). Did I mention that along the way they are going to stop at a soap opera convention because Luna believes her biological father is a hot soap star?

This story is both hilarious and heartwarming and thoughtful and heart breaking. I truly loved every single page of zany, crazy, thought provoking story. Hartnett truly drives how the idea that family is who you have around you that are always on your side.

PJ Halliday's life never runs quite to the median. He's had some pretty high highs (winning the lottery). He's had some pretty low lows (his daughter's death, the end of his marriage, and now the custody of his brother's grandchildren). PJ wants nothing more than to set off on the road to see if he can revive an old flame, but he won't get there without his youngest daughter's help and a few hiccups along the way. With a touch of Little Miss Sunshine, this is a sweet, thoughtful story about family and our lives choices. Annie Hartnett has written a touching, never saccharine story that appeals to all sorts of readers.

This is so darn close to being a 5 star read! I just wish PJ hadn't been such a man-child. It worked well for the story but at times it really annoyed me and, while I do believe he grew during the course of the story, he had made it to 63 years old being coddled by everyone around him, including his ex-wife and her current boyfriend! Outside of this single issue, I truly loved this book! While there were a lot of deaths throughout the story, most of them were presented in a humorous fashion leading more to chuckles and nods than sadness. This balanced out the deaths that were actually vital to the plot of the book. I also thought the lead up to the basic storyline of how Luna and Ollie come to live with PJ was excellent! Most story tellers would probably have covered it in about 2 pages, feeling the story was what happened after that, but this author fleshes out everything and offers the reader a full plate! This story fully engaged me and kept me turning the pages the whole time!

‘The Road to Tender Hearts’ by Annie Hartnett is a FIVE STAR READ! All the stars!! Infinity stars.

This book is precious. I loved it so much.
An old man named PJ road trips across the country with his adult daughter, two orphaned children, and a cat (who can predict death) to reunite with his high school flame. He read her husband’s obit in the paper and was like YES, now’s my chance. 🤣 PJ has a new enthusiasm for life since his wife divorced him and is now marrying his best friend. Times have been rough for PJ, but here comes his second chance!

If you liked Hartnett’s other book ‘Unlikely Animals’ or you’re a fan of author Kevin Wilson- you’ll enjoy this read. It’s heartwarming, darkly funny, and yes- there’s inner dialogue of a cat!

Thank you @netgalley for the digital advanced copy and @prhaudio for (amazing!) audiobook! I’m critical of the cover though, not my fav and doesn’t do the book justice. This little cutie will be out on April 29, and it’s sure to be a HIT!

Is this on your radar?

🖤🖤🖤

If you’re looking for a story that beautifully blends heart, humor, and deep emotion, The Road to Tender Hearts by Annie Hartnett is a must-read. This book will stay with you long after you’ve finished it. The characters are wonderfully relatable, and their journey of love, loss, and self-discovery feels so real and heartfelt.

Hartnett’s writing is both engaging and evocative, and she captures the complexities of life in a way that feels both uplifting and grounding. It’s the perfect read for anyone who enjoys stories that balance light and deep moments, with a focus on emotional growth and healing.

If you’re in the mood for a story that will make you laugh, cry, and think long after the last page, The Road to Tender Hearts is definitely worth picking up!