Simply Scintillating in Sicily!

I absolutely adored this book, from the first few pages, to the location, the story, the writing and just about all the characters.

What a fabulous premise, a group of strangers all needing a second chance in life enticed to relocate to a small village in Sicily as part of a revitalisation project. They even get paid for the privilege.

Sounds to good to be true, well it definitely isn't as easy as it sounds. It appears the locals aren't as welcoming as you would imagine.

Zelda and Lenny agreed as teenagers that they would marry age 40 if neither had found true love, and well it's clear they care for each other.

I loved getting to know all the people involved in this project, the variety of characters is fabulous and everyone is very believable.

What amazed me was how fast I read this book, just a few short hours while I was on some trains. I was so absorbed in the first 15% that I almost missed my stop.

Feel good summer reading at its best. Another complete an utter gem of a book from Jo Thomas. You won't regret this virtual trip to Sicily.

Infused with the warmth of a Sicilian summer, with helpings of fabulous sounding food, limoncello and a spattering of Italian phrases, this really is another amazing book that touched me in all the right places from one of my favourite authors.

Thank you to Netgalley and Headline for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

This wasn't my favourite of Jo Thomas's books but I still enjoyed it. A perfect read if you're looking for some sunny escapism, romance and mouth-watering descriptions of food! Comfortingly predictable.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

As seems to be the case with some of Jo's work for me, I had to suspend disbelief at times with the storyline however don't let that take away from a gem of a read!

Luscious descriptions of a clearly well-researched area and food had me literally salivating. I read this in the scorching hot sunshine which helped transport me right there with Zelda, Lennie and a real motley crew of characters - all of whom fit right into this novel.

Zelda and Lennie have been life-long best friends, approaching 40 years old Lennie suggests the pact made decades ago about getting married to each other if they were still single is made a reality and they jet off to Sicily to begin a new chapter. They agree to move to accommodation in the area in exchange for bringing some new life and potential business to the region. As expected things go wrong with this too good to be true offer but I won't spoil it further...

The friendship/relationship that Lennie and Zelda had was genuinely heart-warming, they were so supportive of each other and their new venture which helped ensure they made friends easily along the way. I loved the way they all settled into the Italian way of living as the story progressed.

I am still to find a story from Jo that I don't like, she is an auto-buy author for me and this was another sublime example of her talent!

My many thanks to Headline via NetGalley for providing me with this advanced reading copy in exchange for an honest review.

Zelda and Lennie made a pact when they were younger that if they had not married by the time they turned 40, they would marry each other and make a life together. They move to Sicily as part of a programme to revitalise a crumbling town, and set off a chain of events exposing a controlling patriach and a hidden lemon trade.

A Sicilian sensation!
I have read all jo Thomas previous books and really feel that due to the descriptive prose that you are almost there in Sicily sampling the gastronomic delights that are described! Whilst sat amongst the lemon groves!
Lennie and Zelda move to Sicily to start a whole new life, however it soon becomes apparent that things are not as they were led to believe! Both romantically and domestically!however with the assorted crew of housemates they triumph over adversity, showing great camaraderie and winning over the towns bully, everything coming together with a lovely happy ever after!
A lovely summery read, with gorgeous recipes that you can try at home!
Thank you net galley for this advance copy

A great read. Same high standard from Jo Thomas. I felt myself immersed in all things Sicilian. Thomas is great at getting across a strong sense of place. Very relaxing, and I loved the group camaraderie. I found the ending twee, especially the epilogue. The relationship between Zelda and Lennie was beautifully written (stronger than Zelda and Luca), and I can't help thinking that what Lennie revealed towards the end of the story was a bit too convenient. I wanted there to be a different ending. Ah well. I also found Luca's father too much. Are there really people like that out there? But this doesn't change the fact that it's a lovely story, and one which held my attention throughout.

Another great read by Jo, When it starts you wonder where it's going but it soon becomes obvious that this is another wonderful journey for those that love food/drink /foreign parts and romance!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Can't wait to see where we go next and what treats are awaiting us.

Yet another fantastic book from Jo Thomas. She’s amazing at making you really feel the surroundings.. I need a sunny holiday now! Fab book

I’ve enjoyed all Jo Thomas’s previous books so I knew this would be no exception. She writes standalone books which work under the premise of relocating the main character and giving them a new working world which you would think would get repetitive however doesn’t as there’s heaps of originality in them all. This book features the impetuous Zelda and her best friend / future husband Lennie and a wonderful gang of misfits. Told from Zelda’s perspective this book has all the warmth you’d expect from the Sicilian backdrop, a simple but effective storyline and lots of well rounded characters. Yes you have to suspend belief sometimes but that’s the joy of fiction, this is a great summer read and I’d certainly recommend it

Zelda agrees to marry her best friend Lennie, honouring a pact that they would marry if they were both single when they got to 40.

For a complete change of life, they take the opportunity to move to Sicily, as part of the local mayors plans to revitalise his town near Etna. But when they arrive all is not what it seems, so will they give the new life a chance?

The setting of the book sounds amazing!