Mr Gandy's Grand Tour

Mr Gandy's Grand Tour by Alan Titchmarsh, 313 pages

Thanks to downsizing at his office, Timothy Gandy has found himself retired at 55. He's reluctantly preparing himself for settling into years of being told what odd jobs to do by his forceful wife, Isobel, when she suddenly dies of a heart attack. While he's understandably distraught at her death, Timothy also realizes he now has an opportunity to make his own decisions about his life. To kick it off, he leaves on a meandering Grand Tour of the European cities he's always wanted to visit: Paris, Monte Carlo, Florence, Rome, and Venice. As Timothy discovers these new places, he also discovers himself and creates connections that would never have been formed had he settled down into his dotage (which is what his obnoxious son and insufferable daughter-in-law wanted).

This was a lovely light read, and it was nice to see how Timothy and his relationship to others evolved. An excellent choice for summer travels.