All About Audrey: The Fiction

All About Audrey: The Fiction

• May 6, 2015

Yesterday, we talked about our favorite Audrey Hepburn films. But since we typically blog about books, we thought it would be fun if we worked some fiction in to the event! While Rachel's sharing road trip books inspired by Two for the Road, I've got five books you should read after watching Roman Holiday!

Before I share book recommendations, you might want to know a little about what happens in Roman Holiday:

Princess Ann (Audrey Hepburn) is on a highly publicized tour of European capitals. When she arrives in Rome, she chafes against her regimented schedule and finds a way to sneak out of her room. However, the sedative she was forced to take earlier in the night finally kicks in, and she falls asleep on a public bench. Reporter Joe Bradley (Gregory Peck) finds and helps her, though he doesn't recognize her at time. The pieces begin to fall into place the next day, and Joe decides to give Ann a day of freedom in the hopes of scoring an exclusive interview with her. And so, they spend a day experiencing the glory of Rome. But what happens when the day comes to a close?

If you haven't gotten a chance to watch this movie, I highly recommend it. It was Hepburn's first starring role in film, and she won an Academy Award for it. You can tell she was born to be a star!

I was initially going to share five books about European adventures, but I realized that I wanted to instead share five books that capture my favorite elements of this unforgettable movie. So, here's what I came up with:

YOU'RE SECRETLY A PRINCESS?! // The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot

Princess Ann obviously knows that she's royalty, but Joe Bradley doesn't at first. While circumstances are different in The Princess Diaries, I love that it captures the idea of suddenly finding out someone is royalty. Mia is shocked by her own identity in this case, but I couldn't resist including it as my "secretly royal" book.

LIFE IN SPOTLIGHT // The Royal We by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan

The catalyst for Ann sneaking out and exploring Rome is her frustration with the rules governing her life. Because everyone's eyes are on her, she must always be on her best behavior. The Royal We explores the challenges and sacrifices of modern life in the spotlight. With social media and the paparazzi, it's even worse!

ONE DAY CAN CHANGE EVERYTHING // Just One Day by Gayle Forman

Ann only has one day, but it changes everything. She gets to be fully alive and begins to fall in love! I wanted to include Just One Day before I ever realized it actually was inspired by the movie. In Gayle Forman's words: "Constrained girl, new identity, one day, beautiful city, hot guy who maybe didn't have the best motives."

THE BEAUTY OF ITALY // A Room With a View by E.M. Forster

In many ways, Roman Holiday is a little love letter to Rome. I adored seeing the city on screen, and it made me want to have my own Italian adventure. A Room with a View is one of my favorite classics, and it features a heroine who is exploring Italy and coming of age. The place changes her, just as Rome changes Ann!

EXPLORING A NEW CITY // Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

Ann longed for the freedom to have a day to herself, but she's a little unsure in an unfamiliar city. In the same way, Anna is excited to be in Paris but takes time to discover all that the city has to offer. This book (and Isla and the Happily Ever After) always come to mind when I think of books about European adventures.

Make sure you check out Rachel's post, follow #AllAboutAudrey on Twitter and enter the giveaway!