American Towns That Feel Like Europe
June 1, 2025 - August 31, 2025
Healdsburg, California
With its undulating hills and abundance of vineyards and wineries, the Northern California town of Healdsburg (pop. 11,340) looks strikingly similar to Tuscany. In fact, both locales fall along the same line of latitude and have similar temperate climates, making Healdsburg the ideal growing ground for Tuscan grape varietals like Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon. One winery in particular, Portalupi, specializes in creating Italian-inspired wines, or what the owners (both of whom have Italian ancestry) dub “Cal Ital.” There are a variety of Italian restaurants specializing in Tuscan cuisine, with menus touting panzanella and ribollita. However, the scenery alone is enough to transport you to a lazy afternoon basking in the Tuscan countryside.
🏘️ 1. Read a book with a 0, 1, 3 or 4 in the page count (share count) OR set in California OR where a person enjoys wine or goes out to a restaurant.
The Lyon's Love Letters - Deb Marlow (Dragonblade - May 2025) (132 pgs) - June 6
Holland, Michigan
With its boundless fields of blooming tulips and towering windmills, Holland, Michigan—a city (population: 33,327) located on the shores of Lake Michigan—is the spitting image of the Dutch countryside. In 1847, the first Dutch settlers arrived there in search of religious freedom, and their historic stamp can be seen throughout Holland. You can learn about early settlers at the Cappon House, a museum that was once the home of Isaac Cappon, a Dutch immigrant and Holland’s first mayor. Climb four flights of stairs to the lookout deck of De Zwaan, an authentic Dutch windmill built in 1761 in Krommenie, Netherlands, and moved piecemeal by boat to the United States in 1964 where it’s now listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Other points of interest include Nelis’ Dutch Village, a living history attraction set in the early 1900s where you can watch artisans as they carve wooden shoes and learn to klompendansen (clog dance), and a host of eateries like DeBoer's Bakkerij, a bakery known for its delectable danishes and tijgerbrood, a slightly sweet bread with a crunchy, crackled crust.
🏘️ 2. Read a book with a 2, 3 or 7 in the page count (share count) OR set in Michigan OR with tulips on the cover (show cover) or with the word WINDMILL in the text (share page/loc#).
With its boundless fields of blooming tulips and towering windmills, Holland, Michigan—a city (population: 33,327) located on the shores of Lake Michigan—is the spitting image of the Dutch countryside. In 1847, the first Dutch settlers arrived there in search of religious freedom, and their historic stamp can be seen throughout Holland. You can learn about early settlers at the Cappon House, a museum that was once the home of Isaac Cappon, a Dutch immigrant and Holland’s first mayor. Climb four flights of stairs to the lookout deck of De Zwaan, an authentic Dutch windmill built in 1761 in Krommenie, Netherlands, and moved piecemeal by boat to the United States in 1964 where it’s now listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Other points of interest include Nelis’ Dutch Village, a living history attraction set in the early 1900s where you can watch artisans as they carve wooden shoes and learn to klompendansen (clog dance), and a host of eateries like DeBoer's Bakkerij, a bakery known for its delectable danishes and tijgerbrood, a slightly sweet bread with a crunchy, crackled crust.
🏘️ 2. Read a book with a 2, 3 or 7 in the page count (share count) OR set in Michigan OR with tulips on the cover (show cover) or with the word WINDMILL in the text (share page/loc#).
Lie Down with a Lyon - Cerise DeLand (Dragonblade - Apr 2025) (132 pgs) - June 9
Leavenworth, Washington
Cruising through this town is a lot like driving through one of the many German villages peppering the Bavarian countryside. But unlike its German homeland, this small town (population: 2,010) located 135 miles east of Seattle didn’t always have European leanings. The former logging town received a facelift sometime in the early 1960s under the suggestion of town leaders, who were looking for ways to draw in crowds. They looked to the surrounding mountains for inspiration to create an Alpine-inspired paradise that today comes alive with restaurants and brewhouses, like the Andreas Keller Restaurant, helmed by German-born chef Anita Hamilton, making authentic dishes like würste and schnitzel. The town’s annual Oktoberfest celebration, canceled for this year, typically offers plenty of beer and bratwurst.
🏘️ 3. Read a book with a 0, 1 or 2 in the page count (share count) OR where Oktoberfest is celebrated OR where a person enjoys a brew.
Cruising through this town is a lot like driving through one of the many German villages peppering the Bavarian countryside. But unlike its German homeland, this small town (population: 2,010) located 135 miles east of Seattle didn’t always have European leanings. The former logging town received a facelift sometime in the early 1960s under the suggestion of town leaders, who were looking for ways to draw in crowds. They looked to the surrounding mountains for inspiration to create an Alpine-inspired paradise that today comes alive with restaurants and brewhouses, like the Andreas Keller Restaurant, helmed by German-born chef Anita Hamilton, making authentic dishes like würste and schnitzel. The town’s annual Oktoberfest celebration, canceled for this year, typically offers plenty of beer and bratwurst.
🏘️ 3. Read a book with a 0, 1 or 2 in the page count (share count) OR where Oktoberfest is celebrated OR where a person enjoys a brew.
The Lyon's Last Gamble - Brenna Ash (Dragonblade - May 2025) (119 pgs) - June 10
Lindsborg, Kansas
Called “Little Sweden,” the first Swedish settlers arrived in Lindsborg, Kansas, in 1869, an area that sits smackdab in the center of the state where Interstate 70 and Interstate 135 now intersect. Much of the heritage brought over from the homeland remains intact in the small community of 3,200. At the Birger Sandzén Memorial Gallery on the Bethany College campus, visitors can step back in time by viewing the pastel-toned landscape paintings by artist Birger Sandzén, who arrived in 1894 to teach in the college’s art department. Another glimpse into the town’s Swedish past can be experienced during a stroll through Heritage Square, a downtown grouping of seven historic structures, including a livery stable, wooden windmill and the Swedish Pavilion, which was brought over from Sweden and first displayed in St. Louis during the 1904 World’s Fair.
🏘️ 4. Read a book with a 0, 2 or 3 in the page count (share count) OR with a Swedish character or a person of Swedish descent OR with a pastel-toned cover (show cover).
Called “Little Sweden,” the first Swedish settlers arrived in Lindsborg, Kansas, in 1869, an area that sits smackdab in the center of the state where Interstate 70 and Interstate 135 now intersect. Much of the heritage brought over from the homeland remains intact in the small community of 3,200. At the Birger Sandzén Memorial Gallery on the Bethany College campus, visitors can step back in time by viewing the pastel-toned landscape paintings by artist Birger Sandzén, who arrived in 1894 to teach in the college’s art department. Another glimpse into the town’s Swedish past can be experienced during a stroll through Heritage Square, a downtown grouping of seven historic structures, including a livery stable, wooden windmill and the Swedish Pavilion, which was brought over from Sweden and first displayed in St. Louis during the 1904 World’s Fair.
🏘️ 4. Read a book with a 0, 2 or 3 in the page count (share count) OR with a Swedish character or a person of Swedish descent OR with a pastel-toned cover (show cover).
Canyon Killer - Cindi Myers (HI #2290 - June 2025) (224 pgs) - June 2
Natchitoches, Louisiana
Founded by French explorer Louis Juchereau de St. Denis in 1714, Natchitoches became the oldest permanent European settlement of the Louisiana Purchase territory. Although Mardi Gras is one of the best times of the year to visit, the town’s French leanings are apparent year-round, from the 33-block Historic Landmark District, which is home of the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception, the area’s first parish church. Just downriver sits the Fort St. Jean Baptiste State Historic Site, a replica of the original settlement, that offers guided tours focused on how the fort once served as a major trading post.
🏘️ 5. Read a book with a 1, 4 or 7 in the page count (share count) OR set in Louisiana OR where you find the letters FORT in any order in the title.
New Britain, Connecticut
In the 1930s, one-fourth of New Britain’s population (now 72,495) could claim Polish ancestry. While that proportion has reduced in recent years as more people have flocked there, hints of the city’s Polish beginnings can still be seen around every corner, and especially along Broad Street or “Little Poland.” In this neighborhood, you’ll find Sacred Heart Parish, one of the oldest Polish-American Roman Catholic churches on the East Coast, founded in 1894, alongside restaurants, bakeries, meat markets and pubs advertising everything from kielbasa and pierogi to golabki and paczki. Broad Street also hosts the annual Little Poland Festival that draws crowds in the thousands looking to experience a slice of Polish heritage through traditional dance, music and food.
🏘️ 6. Read a book with a 2, 4, 5, 7 or 9 in the page count (share count) OR where someone eats kielbasa, pierogi, golabki or paczki OR where a town has a festival.
Founded by French explorer Louis Juchereau de St. Denis in 1714, Natchitoches became the oldest permanent European settlement of the Louisiana Purchase territory. Although Mardi Gras is one of the best times of the year to visit, the town’s French leanings are apparent year-round, from the 33-block Historic Landmark District, which is home of the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception, the area’s first parish church. Just downriver sits the Fort St. Jean Baptiste State Historic Site, a replica of the original settlement, that offers guided tours focused on how the fort once served as a major trading post.
🏘️ 5. Read a book with a 1, 4 or 7 in the page count (share count) OR set in Louisiana OR where you find the letters FORT in any order in the title.
In the 1930s, one-fourth of New Britain’s population (now 72,495) could claim Polish ancestry. While that proportion has reduced in recent years as more people have flocked there, hints of the city’s Polish beginnings can still be seen around every corner, and especially along Broad Street or “Little Poland.” In this neighborhood, you’ll find Sacred Heart Parish, one of the oldest Polish-American Roman Catholic churches on the East Coast, founded in 1894, alongside restaurants, bakeries, meat markets and pubs advertising everything from kielbasa and pierogi to golabki and paczki. Broad Street also hosts the annual Little Poland Festival that draws crowds in the thousands looking to experience a slice of Polish heritage through traditional dance, music and food.
🏘️ 6. Read a book with a 2, 4, 5, 7 or 9 in the page count (share count) OR where someone eats kielbasa, pierogi, golabki or paczki OR where a town has a festival.
Lilac Time - Fern Michaels, Lori Foster, Carolyn Brown (Kensington - May 2025) - Everything She'd Ever Wanted by Lori Foster (festival) - June 13
Poulsbo, Washington
Situated on the Kitsap Peninsula on Puget Sound, Poulsbo (population: 10,927) has come to be known as “Little Norway on the Fjord.” Ever since the earliest settlers immigrated there in the 1880s thanks to the abundance of land available for farming, Poulsbo has been a haven for Norwegians, with residents even retaining their native tongue as the town’s primary language up until World War II. Over the years, Poulsbo has kept a tight relationship with its homeland, and in 1975, Norway's King Olav V even paid the village a visit. Today Poulsbo remains rich with Norwegian culture, as evidenced by its Scandinavian-style architecture, numerous beer halls and pubs, and annual calendar of events, which includes a Viking Festival in May and Midsommer Festival in June, both geared toward celebrating the town’s heritage through food, music and art.
🏘️ 7. Read a book with a 0, 1, 2, 7 or 9 in the page count (share count) OR set in Washington OR with a character that is a farmer.
Situated on the Kitsap Peninsula on Puget Sound, Poulsbo (population: 10,927) has come to be known as “Little Norway on the Fjord.” Ever since the earliest settlers immigrated there in the 1880s thanks to the abundance of land available for farming, Poulsbo has been a haven for Norwegians, with residents even retaining their native tongue as the town’s primary language up until World War II. Over the years, Poulsbo has kept a tight relationship with its homeland, and in 1975, Norway's King Olav V even paid the village a visit. Today Poulsbo remains rich with Norwegian culture, as evidenced by its Scandinavian-style architecture, numerous beer halls and pubs, and annual calendar of events, which includes a Viking Festival in May and Midsommer Festival in June, both geared toward celebrating the town’s heritage through food, music and art.
🏘️ 7. Read a book with a 0, 1, 2, 7 or 9 in the page count (share count) OR set in Washington OR with a character that is a farmer.
The Viking's Royal Temptation - Roxy Harper (HH #1863 - June 2025) (272 pgs) - June 20
St. Augustine, Florida
It’s the oldest continuously occupied settlement of European origin in the country. Spanish admiral Pedro Menéndez de Avilés reached the shoreline from his homeland in 1565. A number of structures date back to the city’s founding, including Mission Nombre de Dios, a Catholic mission, and the Castillo de San Marcos National Monument, the oldest masonry fort in the nation. Other notable sites include Colonial Quarter, a living history museum that depicts what life was like in the area during the 1700s, and the Governor’s House Cultural Center and Museum, which served as the local government’s offices beginning in 1598.
🏘️ 8. Read a book with a 1, 5, 6, 8 or 9 in the page count (share count) OR set in Florida OR with a Spanish speaking person.
It’s the oldest continuously occupied settlement of European origin in the country. Spanish admiral Pedro Menéndez de Avilés reached the shoreline from his homeland in 1565. A number of structures date back to the city’s founding, including Mission Nombre de Dios, a Catholic mission, and the Castillo de San Marcos National Monument, the oldest masonry fort in the nation. Other notable sites include Colonial Quarter, a living history museum that depicts what life was like in the area during the 1700s, and the Governor’s House Cultural Center and Museum, which served as the local government’s offices beginning in 1598.
🏘️ 8. Read a book with a 1, 5, 6, 8 or 9 in the page count (share count) OR set in Florida OR with a Spanish speaking person.
A Touch of Steele - Cathy Maxwell (Avon - May 2025) (384 pgs) - June 24
Tarpon Springs, Florida
With one out of every ten of its nearly 25,500 residents claiming Greek ancestry, Tarpon Springs, Florida, has the highest concentration of Greeks living in any city in the United States. The Gulf coast town just outside of Tampa comes alive with Hellenic culture, with the ever-present aromas of Greek cooking wafting from the open windows of its many restaurants and bakeries flanking Dodecanese Boulevard downtown (named after Greece’s Dodecanse Islands). Even today, more than a century after Greek deep-sea divers immigrated there in search of sea sponges, eventually establishing it as “the sponge capital of the world".
🏘️ 9. Read a book with a 0, 2, or 7 in the page count (share count) OR set around a restaurant or bakery OR where you find the word SPONGE in the text (share pg/loc#).
With one out of every ten of its nearly 25,500 residents claiming Greek ancestry, Tarpon Springs, Florida, has the highest concentration of Greeks living in any city in the United States. The Gulf coast town just outside of Tampa comes alive with Hellenic culture, with the ever-present aromas of Greek cooking wafting from the open windows of its many restaurants and bakeries flanking Dodecanese Boulevard downtown (named after Greece’s Dodecanse Islands). Even today, more than a century after Greek deep-sea divers immigrated there in search of sea sponges, eventually establishing it as “the sponge capital of the world".
🏘️ 9. Read a book with a 0, 2, or 7 in the page count (share count) OR set around a restaurant or bakery OR where you find the word SPONGE in the text (share pg/loc#).
Hunting the Amish Witness - Dana R. Lynn (LIS #1190 - Aug 2025) (208 pgs) - June 16
West, Texas
West (population: 2,982), the “Czech Heritage Capital of Texas” and home of the largest population of Czech immigrants in the state. While many drivers barreling along Interstate 35 may view West as just another blip on the map, in-the-know travelers know it as kolache heaven. Thanks to the town’s numerous bakeries selling these sweet treats—a staple of Czech cuisine comprised of pastry dough stuffed with fruit fillings like cherries or apricots—even the state government designates West as “home of the official kolache of the Texas Legislature.” One of the most popular spots is the Czech Stop and Little Czech Bakery, a combination gas station-bakery-deli-candy shop that is open 24/7. Come Labor Day, the town swells with visitors during Westfest, a celebration of Czech heritage that dates back to the mid-19th century, when the first immigrants began arriving to the area from Europe in search of new economic opportunities.
🏘️ 10. Read a book with a 2, 8 or 9 in the page count (share count) OR set in Texas or where a person eats something like a kolach which is a type of sweet pastry that holds a portion of fruit surrounded by puffy yeast dough.
West (population: 2,982), the “Czech Heritage Capital of Texas” and home of the largest population of Czech immigrants in the state. While many drivers barreling along Interstate 35 may view West as just another blip on the map, in-the-know travelers know it as kolache heaven. Thanks to the town’s numerous bakeries selling these sweet treats—a staple of Czech cuisine comprised of pastry dough stuffed with fruit fillings like cherries or apricots—even the state government designates West as “home of the official kolache of the Texas Legislature.” One of the most popular spots is the Czech Stop and Little Czech Bakery, a combination gas station-bakery-deli-candy shop that is open 24/7. Come Labor Day, the town swells with visitors during Westfest, a celebration of Czech heritage that dates back to the mid-19th century, when the first immigrants began arriving to the area from Europe in search of new economic opportunities.
🏘️ 10. Read a book with a 2, 8 or 9 in the page count (share count) OR set in Texas or where a person eats something like a kolach which is a type of sweet pastry that holds a portion of fruit surrounded by puffy yeast dough.
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