Fourteen years ago I worked in an outlet bookstore, where books on their way to the recycling bin got one last chance to be bought and find a home.  They were marked way down, in many cases as much as 80 percent. Employees liked to grab up copies of stuff they wanted, then hang on to them until the store’s final week, in which everything would be priced for a buck a piece.  100 Best Romantic Resorts of the World was one of my picks.

I’ve held onto it this long because 1) I didn’t really think it was worth reading cover to cover–more of a reference book, and 2) I couldn’t afford to even think about a romantic getaway with Diana.  We were poor, and then we had kids. I didn’t have the prospect of a disposable income or disposable time.

Every so often in my rotation, this book came around again and faced me with the decision of whether or not I’d read it or at least skim it and take some notes. This time, it just struck me right.  We had just moved into a new, spacious house with enough bathrooms to service our small army, as well as space just to get the heck away from each other when we need some quiet time. It was also the new year–fresh beginnings and all that.  I sat down with a pen and got to reading.

It’s a good book and does exactly what it promises it will.  Dyson follows a good formula for each resort, giving you the rundown of the sights, smells, and sounds of each place, its greatest amenities, the characteristics that make it uniquely romantic, the decor, the types of food served, the local culture, etc.  At the end of each entry is a description of how much it costs, major credit cards accepted, the activities available, wedding/honeymoon packages and rates, whether a passport is needed.  

The book is highly informative and communicates clearly about each resort.  You feel like you’ll know what to expect and how enjoyable each one would be.  The variety of price ranges represented means there should be something for every budget, as long as you even have a budget (for many years, we didn’t–at least, not a budget for fun). And it’s an escapist delight anyway, especially during the cold, gray, wet winter days.

Our kids are older and easier to take care of, meaning I could see us sending them to their grandparents for a week while we gallivant off to some tropical getaway that’s been a long time coming.  I look forward to putting this book to work, although we may want to secure an updated edition before we really make our decision.

Rating:  5/5