The Road to Tender Hearts by Annie Hartnett

The Road to Tender Hearts - A Heartwarming Cross-Country Adventure

National Bestseller - A darkly comic and warm-hearted novel about second chances, family, and a cross-country road trip to win back a high school sweetheart, by the beloved author of Rabbit Cake and Unlikely Animals.

"A miraculous novel—an actual and spiritual road trip you won't forget."—John Irving

NPR and Lit Hub Best Book of the Year

About This Novel

PJ Halliday, sixty-three-year-old lottery winner, would be the luckiest man in Pondville, Massachusetts—if not for life's tragedies. After losing his eldest daughter and his marriage, PJ spends his fortune at the bar, living with three heart attacks behind him and likely not much time ahead.

When PJ discovers his old romantic rival has died, he realizes his high school sweetheart, Michelle Cobb, is finally single. Filled with new purpose, PJ decides to drive cross-country to the Tender Hearts Retirement Community in Arizona to win her back.

An Unexpected Family Road Trip

Before departure, tragedy strikes again, leaving PJ guardian of his estranged brother's grandchildren. Undeterred, PJ recruits his adrift twenty-something daughter Sophie as babysitter and welcomes an unexpected companion: Pancakes, a therapy cat with an eerie ability to predict death.

This mismatched crew embarks on a journey that could offer PJ a second chance at love and parenting—but can his fragile heart handle it?

Critical Acclaim

With 4.4 stars from 4,033 reviews and 44,416 Goodreads ratings, readers praise Hartnett's ability to blend humor with heartbreak in this unforgettable road trip novel.

Book Details

• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 384
• Publisher: Ballantine Books
• Publication Date: April 29, 2025
• ISBN-13: 978-0593873441
• ISBN-10: 0593873440
• Language: English
• Weight: 544g (1.2 lbs)
• Dimensions: 6.35 x 1.32 x 9.54 inches
• Genre: Contemporary Fiction, Literary Fiction

Perfect For

• Literary fiction readers
• Road trip novel fans
• Fans of John Irving
• Coming-of-age stories (all ages)
• Heartwarming family sagas