"The Grand Tour is the rollicking Aussie road trip read that'll help you laugh off 2020."

Ever heard of the sayings that laughter is the best medicine, and a book is as good as a holiday?

Probably not, because I just made the second one up. But it's true, isn't it? 

Especially in 2020, when travel has been so limited and picking up a book – especially one that's an adventure – is as close to a big holiday as many of us will get.

Which is why I was so excited to read Aussie author Olivia Wearne's debut fiction novel The Grand Tour; an enlivening read that takes us on a summer road trip with two grey nomads who go from tourists to unlikely, but wanted, kidnappers. What could possibly go wrong?

It's an astutely observed, slyly funny, adventure-packed Thelma and Louise-type romp – with a significantly better ending. Put simply: The Grand Tour is the ultimate escapism without having to pack a suitcase.

In telling the story of two ordinary Aussies whose lives unexpectedly intertwine for extraordinary reasons, Wearne explores the families we have, and the families we choose. That's a concept I firmly believe in – that unconditional love and real friendship can come from the most surprising places. Life has proven that to me time and time again, and it's so interesting to see the way it transpires in this novel.

It's a situation neighbours Angela and Ruby find themselves in, after Angela's husband dies. The ladies, who are already firm friends, are forced to find alternate accommodation for a week while their apartments have work done. So, they decide to take a Winnebago on a sightseeing drive from Ballarat to Adelaide (ah, my hometown!).

With details like Vegemite, the Mount Gambier Blue Lake and Macca's stops, The Grand Tour is so distinctly Australian. It reignites those memories we all have of road trips – and the Australian experience – and reminds us it's a shared experience.

Having said that, there's a lot you won't see coming. As the two polar-opposite friends hit the road, Angela and Ruby's trip comes to an unexpected halt thanks to an encounter involving Ruby's daughter and her own very bright eight-year-old daughter.

The Grand Tour. Image: Supplied.

We’re also introduced to Bernard, whose career in media is all but over. We see how he copes with the breakdown of his marriage to wife Mia, who’s a fascinatingly glamourous woman – and definitely my favourite character because of it.

Bernard’s story is one of almost comically awkward failure, complicated by the presence of his stepson, Lucas. It soon becomes apparent how Bernard’s story connects with Angela’s and Ruby’s, thanks to Wearne's cleverly written conversations and scenarios. Keep an eye on the details – there's crucial information in there, as well as some sly comedy gold.

I can't tell you too much more for fear of spoiling the story, but I can tell you that the result is a very Australian trip worth taking. The Grand Tour will make you feel at home, but also give you the spirit of adventure and make you smile.

And most of all, it will remind you that age is just a number, and you're never too old for anything you want to do.

As a first novel, The Grand Tour impressively walks the line between humour and heart. Hailing from Ballarat, Wearne has had a career as screenwriter and novelist, and was awarded the Film Victoria First Feature Writer's Fund for her screenplay Crater Lake. She's had numerous short films successfully produced and screened at major festivals, and has two feature-length screenplays in production development.

I'm surmising from her life, and this book, that Wearne also firmly believes that hitting a certain age doesn't mean exciting things, or the best in life, isn't yet to come. Which is an uplifting message for all us, don't you think?

The Grand Tour is officially being released just in time for Christmas and summer, making it the perfect gift for yourself or someone else ready to 'escape' from 2020.

The Grand Tour is available to now at all good bookstores, as well as instore and online at BIG W, you can find it as an eBook, including on Apple books.