This was a warm and funny read with a cast full of unconventional, lovable characters. A bit reminiscent of A Man Called Ove (which is one of my favs).
PJ is an endearing character and I was continually amused (and sometimes frustrated) by his antics.
With the added touch of magical realism and a kitty, the story is even better!! Pancakes is sure to win your heart.
Thank you to the publisher/author for the opportunity to read this complimentary advanced copy. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.

FIVE STAR BOOK REVIEW

Contemporary Fiction — 5⭐️

A sixty-three-year-old lottery winner weighed down by grief and regret, embarks on a cross-country journey, bringing along his struggling daughter, two orphaned grandchildren, and a death-predicting cat.

Oh my gosh, this book 😭🥺🥹🥲 I was a mess

This novel is a tender, heartbreaking and heartwarming exploration of grief, redemption, and second chances. I cried on and off while reading, but really shed tears in the final few chapters. These characters, even the cat Pancakes, with all their quirks, flaws and heart, completely wrecked me in the best way.

This was exactly my type of book (it gives A Man Called Ove)! It made me laugh, sob, and believe in humanity again. This will definitely land in my top reads of the year.

Major trigger warnings though — dm me if you have questions!

Fans of Hartnett will fall easily into her telltale style. Like her past offerings, The Road to Tender Hearts tackled some of life's darkness traumas with a healthy dose of wit and heart. The results are both thought provoking and viscerally human.

Readers follow sixty-three years old PJ Halliday as he navigates a life that's been touched with intense loss and grief. When two children, with their own deep traumas, unexpectedly join his life, PJ starts on a trajectory that will highlights the best and worst of humanity.

Hartnett pulls no punches here, The Road to Tender Hearts is a story riddled with darkness from beginning to end. How the characters choose to navigate and persevere, despite it all, is in my opinion a journey worth going on. I appreciate the authors candor when tackling a healing journey and highlighting the fact that is is rarely linear or easy.

This isn't a lighthearted romp as the cover may convey, but the happy moments are juxtaposed so perfectly with the darkness, that they serve as a reminder of how we find happiness dispute the darkness and that is a lesson worth while.

This is not typically the type of book I go for as I try to stay away from anything that is labeled as cute, quirky or feel good and this is all of those things. I do love Annie Hartnett’s writing style, somehow she makes all of these things work for me.
This is a story about PJ who is a 63 year old loveable guy that is also a complete screw up, he inherits his dead, estranged brothers grandchildren when they lose their family. Pj also comes across a cat, Pancakes that is basically the grim reaper in kitty cat form.
There’s PJ’s daughter Sophie who is kind of lost and struggling at the moment.
Pj wants to take a road trip to Arizona to reunite with his high school crush who has just lost her husband, PJ is needing a date to bring to his ex wife’s upcoming wedding in which PJ is the best man.
There’s a lot going on but it is a fun story that is very interesting and entertaining. Some of the things that happen are totally bizarre but still believable.
I had a lot of fun with this book and will certainly pick up anything Ms Hartnett writes in the future. Thank you to Netgalley and Ballantine books for the opportunity to read and review this book.

What a road trip! The Road to Tender Hearts is fulled with a lovable cast of flawed and quirky characters. We meet Pancakes the cat first, a cat who gets kicked out of a nursing home when everyone who chooses to visit for a while... is the next to die. PJ, a lottery winner and divorced man dealing with the loss of one of his children badly, visits his ex wife's house for breakfast every morning, where she has cut out all articles that have anything to do with bad things happening to children or animals, because they upset him so much. Her boyfriend, Fred, is his best friend. The cast of character's only gets more colorful and lovable from there. When PJ is left to his own devices, is contacted by child services to take on two orphaned children, and his surviving daughter shows up... a road trip like no other begins, and ends, perfectly. While this book deals with some heavy hitting topics, read through the content warnings, it still felt lighthearted and lovable. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

The Road to Tender Hearts is aptly named, possibly the most big-hearted novel of 2025. Author Annie Hartnett first came on my radar in 2022 when she published Unlikely Animals, which turned out to be one of my favorites that year. When I saw that she had a new one out, I tried to temper my expectations; not many authors can write more than one novel so hugely imaginative, genre defying, darkly funny, and yet heartwarming. And it’s true; not many can. As it happens, however, Hartnett can, and she has.

My thanks go to NetGalley and Random House Ballantine for the review copy; however, this is one of those rare instances where I would have paid full cover price if that was the only way for me to read it. It will be available to the public Tuesday, April 29, 2025.

Like Hartnett’s previous novel, The Road to Tender Hearts has quirky characters and at least one sentient animal with an internal monologue, but the structure of the plot is not as complex—a thing I am grateful for, near bedtime—and there are fewer characters and settings. Both are magical, and the distinctions show that Hartnett is not one to write the same book, more or less, over and over. She has more imagination than that; she may have more imagination than ten or twelve ordinary people.

Our protagonist, to the extent we can identify just one, is PJ Halliday. PJ was living the good life, a happy family, steady work, and the esteem of his neighbors in Pondville, Massachusetts, but then his elder daughter, Kate, died when she was eighteen, and PJ, and his marriage, came apart. Since then, he’s been doing two things: drinking, and giving away chunks of his huge lottery prize to every sad sack and every player that comes with an outstretched palm. But all that is about to change.

The son of PJ’s late brother, from whom he was estranged, dies, along with his wife, leaving two elementary aged children without a home or family. It seems that PJ is the only relative these little tikes have. Luna and Ollie aren’t sure that PJ can be trusted, since their own parents and skeezy grandpa never could be, but he actually has some strong if rusty parenting skills, and he is determined to clean up his act for them. There’s just one other thing he needs to do: his old high school flame, Michelle Cobb, has recently become a widow. He never forgot her, and now he intends to drive to her retirement community, Tender Hearts, in Arizona and see if he can try again with her. Two little kids in the car? No problem. And now, add his (still living) daughter Sophie, who figures she’d better keep an eye on him and the tots, and Pancakes, the cat that has adopted him.

Pancakes has a unique talent: he can tell who is about to die, and he goes to them, so that oftentimes, their last breaths are taken as they stroke a purring kitty. And so, Pancakes goes on the trip too, but every now and then, he disappears and is found on the lap of some elderly individual in poor health. (Or, not elderly. Hey, Pancakes just knows.) It’s no coincidence that the story begins and ends with Pancakes.

PJ is not always the best decision maker, and there are several times when I wince at the choices he makes. Sometimes, someone else swoops in and fixes his blunders, and at other times, they’re left hanging in the wind, and we have to wait to see how they will affect the story’s outcome.

Every single aspect of this book is golden. The dialogue flows naturally, and the internal monologues, all told in the third person omniscient, are authentic and full of character. In short—and I rarely say this—there’s not one single thing about this glorious redemption tale that I would change.

Highly recommended to everyone that loves fiction, and that has a beating heart.

PJ, his adult daughter, Sophie, and two ten year old kids he’s recently become guardian of, Ollie and Luna, are going on a road trip from Massachusetts to Arizona.

Besides his desire to see some of the world around him, there are two stops in particular: a soap opera convention in Texas for a paternity test, and the Tender Hearts retirement home in Arizona where PJ plans to win back the one who got away. They’ll take along Pancakes, an orange cat who is a bit of a harbinger of death, and they’ll travel in a car “borrowed” from Fred, PJ’s ex-wife’s new beau. It’ll be all right, though. See, a few years ago PJ won the lottery and can bankroll the whole trip on what remains from his 1.5 million dollar windfall!

And had this weird, wonderful, quirky story had been this, I think I would have adored it. I loved that the title was two fold in meaning - not only the name of the destination, but the quality of every person this journey touched. We’re all of tender heart after all, aren’t we?

However. The whimsy of this story is overshadowed by trigger warnings so numerous (and not listed in the ARC) that I implore you to tread lightly (or DM me for an exhaustive list). For one, there is so much death (of many varying causes) along with so much other tragedy that it’s impossible to just move past it like a stop on the road trip.

And PJ. He’s the epitome of man child in his Birkenstocks, cargo shorts, and polar bear zip up sweater. A man who gives generously (and recklessly) of the money he’s won but relies on his ex-wife for his constant care. A barely functioning alcoholic who relies on his daughter to find him passed out on the side of the road and return him home each night. He’s selfish - at one point, when they learn of yet another traumatic event, his daughter says, “He’ll need a minute. He has to make this about himself.” It feels impossible not to love him when he’s trying so hard, and yet ultimately, he’s kind of awful.

Again, it is highly possible I’m be in the minority here, but I urge you to check TWs before diving in so that you can protect your own tender heart.

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