A weekend at a reading retreat in the New Forest helped one self-confessed lapsed reader fall back in love with novels, as new data suggests many UK adults struggle to make time for books.
According to research cited by the traveller, only half of UK adults say they read regularly for pleasure, while 35 per cent describe themselves as 'lapsed readers' who used to read regularly but have stopped, often due to busy lives or time spent on social media.
The trend for book-focused breaks is growing. Expedia's latest Unpack '26 report found that 91 per cent of travellers would be interested in a trip 'centred around reading, relaxation and quality time with loved ones', while Pinterest searches for 'book retreats' and 'book club retreat ideas' have risen by 100 per cent and 275 per cent respectively.
Deborah Cicurel booked a weekend with Boutique Book Breaks at the four-star Burley Manor in the New Forest. The itinerary included quiet reading time, pilates, spa treatments, country walks, a Jane Austen quiz, and talks with authors. Attendees also received advance copies of new novels and a session with a bibliotherapist, who offered a 'fiction prescription' of tailored recommendations.
Emma Donaldson, founder of Boutique Book Breaks, said: 'Reading retreats are the antithesis to the instant gratification and stress of all the screen time that's forced on us now. Getting lost in a story and stepping away from the news cycle or work deadlines is very cathartic and aligns with the trend to be more mindful and slow-living.'
Cicurel said the weekend 'reset my love of reading' and, weeks later, she was still eagerly working through her bedside stack of books.