5 Sexy Novels to Unleash Your Wanderlust

Interview with a Vampire, by Anne Rice
New Orleans, Eastern Europe, Paris…sounds like a whirlwind trip, especially if you’re immortal. If you’re like me and watched the movie adaptation of Anne Rice’s gothic novel detailing the saga of Louis and Lestat (and Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise), then there’s no time like the present to pick up the moody, evocative, and lushly descriptive novel. Louis is living on a New Orleans plantation in 1791 when he meets Lestat, a vampire who turns him, hoping for a lifelong companion. But tensions arise between them because Lestat feeds on humans, while Louis attempts to deny his nature. What begins as a journey of them traveling the world together becomes a story of Louis traveling alone, trying to reconcile his morals with his immortality.

The Golem + the Jinni, by Helene Wecker
Another historical fiction novel, this time spanning the time and space between the Middle East, Eastern Europe, and New York City. Chava is a golem, created by a Rabbi with nefarious goals who dies while transporting her from Poland to the city. Ahmad is a jinni from Syria, released from a lamp to run wild in New York in 1899—while still not being entirely free. These two mythical beings meet and an undeniable—and potentially dangerous—connection between them forms.

Safe Haven, by Nicholas Sparks
Safe Haven takes us to North Carolina, and in true Nicholas Sparks form, the romance is just as visible in his descriptions of the place as they are in the relationships that bloom. Katie comes to Southport, North Caroline, determined not to form personal relationships, protecting a secret from her past. But when she meets Alex, a widower with two kids, she can’t help but find her heart opening to him.

Mine Till Midnight, by Lisa Kleypas
We continue our travels in London high society with a Lisa Kleypas historical romance. Amelia Hathaway is 26, which according to The Laws Created By Men, makes her a spinster. But it’s all well and good, since she doesn’t want to get married anyway, since her life is too full of obligations, like taking care of her family after her brother lost his wife. Then she meets Cam, a Romani and Irish rogue—who, despite wanting to abandon society’s expectations, finds himself falling for Amelia. This one will not only make you want to travel, but travel back in time!

Eat Pray Love, by Elizabeth Gilbert
Possibly the most quintessential travel romance of the modern age, Eat Pray Love isn’t just a book about finding love in unexpected places (like Bali!) but also about learning to love yourself. When her marriage crumbles, Elizabeth Gilbert takes off on an epic journey of eating her way through Italy, praying her way through India, and learning to love the journey life takes you on when you’re least expecting it.