The Road to Tender Hearts Audiobook By Annie Hartnett cover art

The Road to Tender Hearts

A Novel

 Preview

Audible Standard 30-day free trial

Try Standard free
Select 1 audiobook a month from our entire collection of titles.
Yours as long as you’re a member.
Get unlimited access to bingeable podcasts.
Standard auto renews for $8.99 a month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

The Road to Tender Hearts

By: Annie Hartnett
Narrated by: Mark Bramhall
Try Standard free

$8.99 a month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $20.70

Buy for $20.70

NATIONAL BESTSELLER • A darkly comic and warm-hearted novel about an old man on a cross-country mission to reunite with his high school crush—bringing together his adult daughter, two orphaned kids, and a cat who can predict death—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

AN NPR AND LIT HUB BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR

At sixty-three years old, million-dollar lottery winner PJ Halliday would be the luckiest man in Pondville, Massachusetts, if it weren’t for the tragedies of his life: the sudden death of his eldest daughter and the way his marriage fell apart after that. Since then, PJ spends both his money and his time at the bar, and he probably doesn’t have much time left—he’s had three heart attacks already.

But when PJ reads the obituary of his old romantic rival, he realizes his high school sweetheart, Michelle Cobb, is finally single again. Filled with a new enthusiasm for life, PJ decides he’s going to drive across the country to the Tender Hearts Retirement Community in Arizona to win Michelle back.

Before PJ can hit the road, tragedy strikes Pondville, leaving PJ the sudden guardian of his estranged brother’s grandchildren. Anyone else would be deterred from the planned trip, but PJ figures the orphaned kids might benefit from getting out of town. PJ also thinks he can ask Sophie, his adult daughter who’s adrift in her twenties, to come along to babysit. And there’s one more surprise addition to the roster: Pancakes, a former nursing home therapy cat with a knack of predicting death, who recently turned up outside PJ’s home.

This could be the second chance PJ has long hoped for—a fresh shot at love and parenting—but does he have the strength to do both those things again? It’s very possible his heart can’t take it. Family Life Literary Fiction Heartfelt Funny Witty Feel-Good Literature & Fiction Genre Fiction High School Cats
Heartwarming Journey • Quirky Characters • Emotional Depth • Unexpected Twists • Dark Humor • Excellent Voice Acting

Highly rated for:

All stars
Most relevant
Perfect narration for an absolutely lovely story. What a wonderful book! I’m so glad to have read this.

Sweet story

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Loved the unpredictable way the story unfolded. There was a lot of forgiveness and acceptance in the relationships which was uplifting. A sweet message of the way life works out even amidst sorrow.

The complexity of relationships and families.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
This book was perfect! Quirky, funny, sad and full of heart! Couldn’t wait to know the ending but didn’t want it to end

The best book I’ve read

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
This book has a little bit of everything. Do yourself a favor and read it… you can’t have a bad day with these characters in your life.

The cats meow

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
I loved how the story was not predictable. I usually don't choose humor but this novel got such great reviews. The narration was very well done.

Humor when you least expect it

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
See more reviews