Eighty Days to Elsewhere

May 25, 2020
Dyer (Finding Fraser) takes readers on an adventurous trip around the world with this high-concept rom-com. Romy Keene’s life revolves around the introvert paradise of her uncle’s New York City bookshop, so when Frank Venal takes over the building and threatens to evict them (saying “nobody in their right mind reads books anymore”), Romy will do anything to save the store. In a moment of rare boldness, she applies for a lucrative position with ExLibris, a travel firm that specializes in recreating famous journeys from literature. To land the job, Romy must successfully retrace the path of Phileas Fogg as a test-run for a client who hopes to mimic the Jules Verne character’s trip from Around the World in Eighty Days. To make this impossible task harder, she discovers that Frank’s “Evil Nephew,” Dominic Madison, is competing for the same position with ExLibris, leading to a neck-and-neck race around the world. But as their far-flung travels continually throw them together, Romy realizes there’s more to Dominic than meets the eye, and before she knows it, she’s falling for her rival. Like Romy’s journey, the plot sometimes wanders off course with an abundance of misadventures, but Dyer keeps readers engaged with scenic descriptions and a sweet, slow-burning love story. This is a delightful romp. Agent: Laura Bradford, Bradford Literary.

July 1, 2020

Twentysomething New Yorker Ramona Keene is content to experience life through books or from behind a camera lens. When her family bookstore is threatened, however, she decides it's time to leave the timid "Old Romy" behind as "New Romy" embarks on an incredible adventure--re-creating the famous tour of Jules Verne's Phileas Fogg for a literary-themed travel agency. If she succeeds, the payout will both save Romy's family business and secure her the job of a lifetime. The catch? She has far fewer than the titular number of days to complete the trip, and commercial air travel is forbidden. Her competition, Dominic Madison, has his own reasons to come in first. Romy has Dom firmly in the category of enemy. As a series of zany circumstances conspire to throw the two together, though, she soon has trouble remembering that only one of them can win. Will she have to sacrifice her heart to save her family? VERDICT This inspired series launch from dyer (Finding Fraser) offers readers a journey around the world that is both entertaining and enlightening. Fans of new adult romance will enjoy watching Romy discover not only new landscapes but herself in the process.--Rebecca Moe, Alden Ewell Free Lib., NY

Copyright 2020 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

August 1, 2020
A reticent homebody finds herself thrust into an adventure that takes her around the world alongside a man she considers her enemy. Ramona Keene is deeply attached to her uncles' New York City bookstore, where she works. So when their new landlord, accompanied by a dapper young man he calls his nephew, threatens eviction if they don't cough up triple the rent, she starts looking for a well-paying job to help save the shop. In her quest, Romy stumbles upon an opportunity from ExLibris Expeditions, a company that re-creates literary travel experiences: She must retrace the steps of the character Phileas Fogg from Jules Verne's classic Around the World in Eighty Days. If she completes the task--without traveling by commercial airlines--she'll receive a bonus and get hired by the company. She accepts the offer with equal parts trepidation and excitement. On the trip, Romy discovers that the new landlord's supposed nephew, Dominic Madison, is on the same journey, and she must beat him if she is to get the job. As circumstances and accidents require the two to join forces, Romy not only comes to understand Dominic, but is also forced to become better acquainted with herself. Dyer takes readers on a journey of self-discovery that spans several continents, engages with various cultures, and touches on urgent sociopolitical issues. Narrated in the first person, Romy's experiences are able to hint at the wide gamut of emotions that travel can inspire. But while Romy's evolving relationship with herself and the world around her is sketched in intricate detail, her dynamic with Dominic, an extremely compelling character, receives little attention. A charming story detailing a woman's self-discovery through travel.

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