Guest Review: Chasing the Italian Dream by Jo Thomas

A summer escape she'll never forget . . .

Lucia has worked hard as a lawyer in Wales, aiming for a big promotion she hopes will shortly come her way. Finally taking a well-earned break at her grandparents' house in southern Italy, the sunshine, lemon trees and her nonna's mouth-watering cooking make her instantly feel at home.

But she's shocked to learn that her grandfather is retiring from the beloved family pizzeria and will need to sell. Lucia can't bear the thought of the place changing hands - especially when she discovers her not-quite-ex-husband Giacomo wants to take it over!

Then bad news from home forces Lucia to re-evaluate what she wants from life. Is this her chance to carry on the family tradition and finally follow her dreams?

Review: As a firm fan of Jo Thomas’s books, I was very much looking forward to this new offering. I knew from the book’s title and evocative cover that I would be off for a glorious trip to Italy and, from past experience, that there would be some mouthwatering descriptions of food along the way. I was proved right; the story had me transfixed from the word go up to the very last page. 

When Lucia arrives for her annual holiday at her grandparents’ home in southern Italy, she is dismayed to find that her grandfather is about to retire and is planning to hand over his beloved and well respected restaurant to her estranged husband, Giacomo. As she realises that the career path she has been following as a lawyer is actually not what she wants in life, and that she would like to take over the pizzeria herself, she has to find a way to convince her grandfather that she is capable of doing just that. She has learned to cook at her grandmother’s side and helped in the restaurant over the years, but a major worry is that a female pizzaiola (master pizza-maker) will not be accepted by the traditionalist customers. As Lucia sets out to follow her heart and prove the doubters wrong, she must also learn to work alongside Giacomo and examine what went wrong with their marriage.

This is a fantastic story of family, friendship, love and tradition that I have enjoyed reading and was sorry to finish. Along with Lucia, I was instantly transported to sun-soaked Italy and could smell pizza all the way through the book. I would defy anyone to read this book and not be craving pizza at some point, although I was not too sure about some of the innovations in toppings being suggested by Giacomo! Throughout the story, there is a strong message about the importance of women in the family and in business, and that they are well able to fill roles traditionally left to men. As with any of Jo Thomas’s books that I have read, I can throughly recommend this one to other readers. It is an excellent read, not just for summer, but will lift the spirit at any time of year.

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Guest Review: A Postcard from Italy by Alex Brown

Grace Quinn loves her job at Cohen’s Convenient Storage Company, finding occasional treasure in the forgotten units that customers have abandoned. Her inquisitive nature is piqued when a valuable art collection and a bundle of letters and diaries are found that date back to the 1930’s.

Delving deeper, Grace uncovers the story of a young English woman, Connie Levine, who follows her heart to Italy at the end of the Second World war. The contents also offer up the hope of a new beginning for Grace, battling a broken heart and caring for her controlling mother.

Embarking on her own voyage of discovery, Grace’s search takes her to a powder pink villa on the cliff tops overlooking the Italian Riviera, but will she unravel the family secrets and betrayals that Connie tried so hard to overcome, and find love for herself?

Review: It would be true to say that I have never encountered an Alex Brown book that I did not thoroughly enjoy. I am glad to report that this one is no exception. This story had me hooked from the very start of the journey as it transported me from the heart of London to a beautiful Italian town on an intriguing quest.

The central character in the book is Grace Quinn, who is employed by a small storage company doing a job which she loves, but has an unhappy life outside work. Part of her job at a small storage company in London, and one she enjoys particularly, involves clearing out out abandoned storage units. One such unit, belonging to a Mrs Donato, really catches Grace’s attention when she discovers potentially valuable items; not the usual type of articles left behind and forgotten. Her curiosity piqued, Grace also finds a diary, which leads her on a search to find out more about Mrs Donato, and ultimately to Italy and a man who becomes increasingly important to her.

I thought this was a truly marvellous piece of storytelling by Alex Brown. I was really caught up in the mystery surrounding the storage locker and the lady owner who, as Grace discovered, had spent such an amazing life. I actually gasped out loud at some points. I had to admire Grace’s determination to get to the bottom of the story, overcoming personal difficulties along the way. There are, of course, other characters in the book, including Grace’s kindly boss, her overbearing mother and unhelpful siblings, and her good friend and neighbour, Jamie. They all play important roles, but Grace is undoubtedly the lynchpin of the story and I was cheering her along all the way. I very much enjoyed the trip to Italy; the descriptions of sights and sounds, and of course the food had me longing to visit again. I would recommend this book without reservation to most readers; there is mystery, romance and travel within one cover.

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Review: The Place We Met by Isabelle Broom

Lake Como, Italy, New Year's Eve. The perfect place to fall in love? Or the perfect place for everything to fall apart? 'Utterly romantic' Adele Parks Lucy may have suffered her fair share of bad men, but now she has Pete. Finally, a man worth sharing her favourite place with, Lake Como. That's if she can put mysterious phone calls and glamorous ex-girlfriends out of her mind. Taggie is rushed off her feet, but distraction is exactly what she needs to forget why she fled England and the sadness she left behind. She certainly doesn't have time for infuriating stranger Marco. A man is the last thing she needs right now. Lucy and Taggie might not know it, but their lives are about to collide. The New Year might begin with fireworks - but how will it end? 

Review: This book obviously has a wonderful setting and so you'll be sucked right into Italy as soon as you pick this up. The book follows two characters and so we have a dual narrative structure that I love. Both characters have skeletons hiding in their closet that we don't know about and all is revealed as the book continues. Despite the fact that I really wanted to find out what each of these women were hiding I did find the pace of the book a little slow and struggled to bond with the characters initially because I knew they were hiding something, nevertheless I wanted to know what that is and I enjoyed reading about the Italian food and the Italian landscape. 

The characters were really quite different and so I can see why this author chose to have their stories come together in this way. I really liked Taggie and respected the way she composed herself and her reasons behind being in Lake Como before and after finding out what they were. I didn't like Lucy as much. I found that I really didn't get along with the way she had so many doubts about things but she didn't follow up on them. She was a little indecisive and it really began to grate on me. Later on in the novel she definitely finds a little more back bone but I wasn't entirely happy with the ending that she got. 

The secrets that both these women have and even those they don't fully appreciate are what kept me reading through this book and the structure definitely made me keep turning the pages. Because I struggled to identify with one of the characters I think I struggled to keep up the pace during her sections of the story. Overall though this was a good read and I really enjoyed spending time in Lake Como. 

To order your copy now, just click the link: UK or US

Review: One Italian Summer by Keris Stainton

Milly loves her sisters more than anything - they are her best friends. But this holiday is different. The loss of their dad has left a gaping hole in their lives that none of them know how to fill.

Heartbreak is a hard thing to fix ... Still, there is plenty to keep the girls busy in Rome. A family wedding. Food, wine, parties and sun. And of course Luke ....

Luke is hot, there is no way around that. And Milly will always have a crush on him. But this summer is about family, being together, and learning to live without Dad.

It isn't about Luke at all ... is it?

Review: this was such a sweet and lovely read. The main thing that has stayed with me about this book is the setting. The very beginning of this book is set in the UK and then we travel over to Italy to enjoy a fabulous summer holiday, some Italian food and drink and an Italian wedding-I just loved it. The way that Stainton describes these Italian scenes, you can feel the heat of the pavement, the sun on your face and the gentle breeze coming in from the Med! I loved her descriptions of the food and the coffee too of course and I just really wish I was sitting in a Piazza right now with an espresso, a glass of wine and some little Italian snacks!

Of course this book isn't just about Italy, it also features gorgeous family relationships between sisters Milly, Leonie and Elyse, as well as their mum and their family in Italy. I loved reading about the dynamic between these sisters, not having any siblings of my own, I always love when a book features this kind of relationship. Since losing their Dad, things have been a little strained between the women and they all have burdens, and secrets, of their own to bear. The story is told through Milly and I really enjoyed her as a character, I could relate to her fears and insecurities and I liked watching grow over the course of the novel. 

There is also a little romance in this novel, and not just for one of the characters. The romance isn't a key features but carries a few of the lovely secondary story lines. This is definitely a warm and fuzzy feeling, but of course not everything runs smoothly for everyone involved. This was a great read and I loved getting to know these sisters and their family and spending the summer in Italy with them. As I said, this is a great book for escapism and it's no co-incidence that I'm making pasta right now. This is definitely a summery book and something which fans of Keris Stainton or other contemporary YA romance writers are sure to enjoy!

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Guest Review: A Wedding in Italy by Tilly Tennant

This is a review of part 2 in a series so may contain spoilers for part one...

Sun, spaghetti and sparkling prosecco. When it comes to finding love, there’s no place like Rome... 

Kate is living the dream with her gorgeous boyfriend Alessandro in his native city, but the reality is sometimes a little less romantic than she’d hoped. Every day in her new home is a fight against leaking pipes, her cantankerous landlord and her less-than-perfect grasp of the Italian lingo. 

All around her there is talk of weddings, but when a secret from her past is thrust out into the open, Kate must fight to prove to Alessandro’s Mamma – and the rest of his formidable family – that she truly is Italian marriage material. 

With the women in Alessandro’s life on a mission to break them apart, the cracks begin to show and Kate starts to question if Alessandro really is the man of her dreams. Can love and the city of romance conquer all, or is that just a fairy-tale?

Review: This title is Book 2 in the From Italy With Love series, following on from Book 1: Rome is Where the Heart Is. I very much enjoyed the first in the series, and had high hopes for this new book. I certainly wasn't disappointed - the story was every bit as good and another triumph for Tilly Tennant. The storyline had me hooked from page one, and I finished the book in quick time. 

It is always hard not to give any spoilers when dealing with a sequel, but I'll do my best. As in the first part, the story revolves around Kate, who is living the dream in Rome with her policeman boyfriend Alessandro. She is working hard to gain acceptance from his family, and at the same time trying to find some gainful employment. There are also other obstacles to overcome, and she misses her family at home in England, but she seems to remain happy despite all that. 

It was really enjoyable watching as Kate built up a relationship with Alessandro's, at times, disapproving family. However, a close friend of the family is not at all easy to deal with, and is responsible for a sinister turn in the plot. Kate's desire to make a living from her talents as a seamstress is proving a difficult one to fulfil, but I felt a little disappointed in her decision to look elsewhere for employment rather than trying a little harder to get her dressmaking business off the ground. 

As our thoughts turn to holidays at this time of year, I would heartily recommend this book as an addition to the suitcase or e-reader. It is an easy read, evoking lots of mental pictures of sunny Italy, its people and, of course, it's delicious cuisine.

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Guest Review: Rome is Where the Heart is by Tilly Tennant

Can a holiday romance ever have a happy ending? Escape with Kate to the sun-drenched city of Rome where a love affair is just about to begin …

When Kate’s husband Matt dumps her on Friday 13th she decides enough is enough – it’s time for her to have some fun and so she hops on a plane to Rome. A week of grappa and gelato in pavement cafes under azure blue skies will be just what the doctor ordered.

What she doesn’t count on is meeting and falling for sexy policeman Alessandro. But the course of true love doesn’t run smoothly – Alessandro has five meddling sisters, a fearsome mama and a beautiful ex Orazia. They’re all certain that Kate is not the girl for him.

Can Kate and Alessandro’s love last the distance? Or will she return home with the one souvenir she doesn’t want – a broken heart 

Review: I have really enjoyed everything I have read from Tilly Tennant, so I was looking forward to reading this one, and, indeed, wasn't surprised to find myself spellbound by this title too. Once I got started, I found it difficult to put down, so there were quite a few late nights Kindle in hand. I have never been to Rome, although it is on my list of places to visit, but Tilly brought the city to me nicely, with her descriptions of the famous landmarks, the gorgeous food and wonderful restaurants, and the people themselves. 

The story revolves around Kate, who suddenly finds herself free to do as she wishes after her long time marriage to childhood sweetheart Matt comes to an end when he walks out. Kate has always wanted to travel but been held back by Matt's unwillingness to venture far. She sets off for a holiday in Rome, a city she has longed to experience more than anywhere. There she first encounters Jamie, an American who helps her find her way around and introduces her to some of the Roman culture, and then meets the incredibly handsome Alessandro, a local policeman. By the end of her week, she finds that she has not only fallen in love with a city, but also with a man and has made a new friendship that is made to last. When she finally has to return home, Kate is torn between a desire to up sticks and return to this place she has become incredibly drawn towards and her family, especially her sisters Anna and Lily with whom she has a close relationship. 

Although this is a beautiful love story, all is not plain sailing for the main characters. There is quite a bit of drama going on throughout, with a few mishaps at home and in Rome for Kate and her fiends and family. It all adds up to a book which, as I said at the beginning, is difficult to put down. I'm glad to see that there is a sequel on the horizon. I'm looking forward to finding out how things progress for everyone and experience a little more of life in Rome. 

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Review-One Night in Italy by Lucy Diamond

If journalist Anna had to write up the story of her own life, it wouldn’t make for a great headline: Dull Journo Has Dull Boyfriend! The only mystery in Anna’s life is that she’s never known who her dad is but with her mum refusing to tell her more she’s at a dead end. When she accidentally comes across a clue that her father is Italian, it opens up a burning curiosity in Anna. Soon she’s cooking Italian food, signing up for an Italian class and even considering dusting off her passport to go and find her dad in person… 

Sophie is serving gelato to tourists in Italy when she gets the call that her father has had a serious heart attack. In a rush, she grabs her well-worn backpack and heads back to the one place she’s been avoiding for so long – home. Living with her mum again while her dad recuperates, and taking a job teaching Italian to make ends meet, Sophie has to face up to the secrets she’s kept buried in the past. 

Catherine has no idea what the future holds. Her children have left for university, her husband has left her for another woman and her bank account is left empty after dedicating her life to raising her family. She needs a job and an identity all of a sudden. At an Italian evening class she makes a start in finding new friends Anna and Sophie. And she’s going to need good friends when she discovers her husband’s lies run even deeper than his infidelity… As Anna embarks on the trip to Italy that could answer all of her questions, will the truth live up to her dreams?

Review: ooo this was a lovely lovely book. I connected with the characters and the storyline right from the word go. I loved the setting, I loved the structure and I loved the way everything was resolved at the end. Because this book centres around three different women, initially the book is structured so we visit one woman at a time and see her storyline (Anna's was my favourite storyline intially because I loved the connection that she had with Italy) but of course these women's lives become intertwined and so we get to visit them altogether after a point as well as sometimes apart when they are off gallivanting on their own. Although it as a little predictable that they would all end up joking together, I really needed that predictability and so I loved it, and I really enjoyed the way the story was structured, it made it very clear whose storyline was being addressed. The storyline I liked the least intially was Spphie's but I grew to enjoy seeing her continue to build upon her relationship with her parents as the book went on. 

The characters in this novel were really believable and easy to like, the whole book had a real Milly Johnson feel about it and although I'm not normally one to compare authors, she is one of my favourites and so I think that's one of the reasons I enjoyed this book so much! Sophie has been living the dream, travelling the world and the reality when she comes back hom hits her hard. Think this is something we can all identify with, even if it's just from having been on holiday, but those people who have travelled or have worked abroad will be able to connect with the lovely Sophie too. Anna's story is lovely, she seems to get the break at work which is fab, there's definitely romance in the air for her too and then there's her mysterious connection with Italy. She handles all the is thrown at her extremely well and I really liked her and her storyline because of this. Someone else who has a lot thrown at her is Catherine. I don't think initially she handled all that she had to cope with as well as Anna but it was really interesting to see her grow and blossom as the book went on and I think, in the end, I was rooting for her the most! 

There are a host of fabulous supporting characters as well, my favourite of these was Pete with his interesting array of spreadsheets. I loved the way this author wrote him and gave him his comeuppance in the end!  The book ties everything altogether nicely in the last few chapters and then in the wonderful epilogue and so some might find the predictability of this a little too much and too full on, but this was just the kind of book I wanted to read and so I loved the fact that everything was tied off neatly, I wouldn't have gone to a book like this if that wasn't what I fancied but predictability is on the high side, so if that's not what you're in the mood for then save this book for another time. 

For a book with Italy in the title, very little of it is actually set in Italy, but a lot of it is set in the north with I loved. I like being able to identify landmarks and towns (as well as shopping centres) when I'm reading a novel sometimes and so the setting for me was absolutely perfect! This book gave me a real warmth of feeling and was just the right amount of coziness for a summer novel. If you are a fan of Lucy Diamon then you won't be disappointed by this latest offering and if you're looking for a real solid, fun, feel-good women's fiction read then this novel is for you-it may even improve your Italian! Now I am gong to go and add a couple more Lucy Diamond books to my collection!