A young woman stuck in a rut is dragged by her grieving grandmother to hike the Inca Trail – but can a holiday heal heartbreak, or will longtime secrets tear them apart? A heartwarming novel from the acclaimed author of Someone Else’s Bucket List .

Heather Russo is miserable – work is non-stop, her love life is in tatters and she’s in a total rut. But Heather’s not the only struggling woman in her family. Her mother, Sandy, is finally separating from Heather’s womanizing father, while her grandmother, Bonnie, is grieving her third husband by carrying his urn everywhere she goes… even the supermarket. She’s had enough of wallowing, though, and plans a surprise girls’ trip: they’re going to hike the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu!

Heather is a reluctant hiker – until she meets charming Owen on the trail and things start to get interesting. But, of course, that’s when Bonnie decides to share some long-held secrets that just might send Heather and Sandy over the edge. Will they even make it to the summit?

With every twist on the trail, Heather learns more about her family – and herself – than she anticipated. And as her time with Owen becomes precious, she’s forced to reconsider what she really wants for her future.

Format: Paperback
Pages: 336
Imprint: SIMON & SCHUSTER AUST
Publication date: 05/03/2025

Staff review

Best, First and Last
By Amy Matthews
Review by Kazia

Amy Matthews delivers a warm hug and a light smack on the hand with this witty roller-coaster of a book about grandmother-mother-daughter bonds and the surprising amount of emotional baggage that can be unpacked on a (reluctant) hiking trip to Peru. Each character was portrayed with such tender care and loving grace, inviting me to linger with them a while. The fullness of the characters made for such an engaging read and the merging of the past and present story-lines was seamlessly accomplished. At no point in the book did the switching between character perspectives feel awkward. Indeed, it was rather refreshing to spend time with both Bonnie’s enduring liveliness and Heather’s quiet determination. Heather and Owen’s romance was absolutely charming to read, just the right balance of swoon-worthy exchanges and grounded conversations. Given just as much space as the romance is the complexity of three generations of women trying to understand each other- or at least to co-exist. Matthews perfectly encapsulates the struggle of establishing and maintaining boundaries with family members while still holding empathy and space for them – and does so with heart-warming hilarity. An absolute delight to read!

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