This is probably my most favorite book of the year to date. This story which tells you about three women in the same family who travel to Italy together to celebrate a very special birthday. TheBlurb does not do this book justice when it comes to the beautiful writing and intricacies of the story.. Add a fabulous tour of Italy and you have an amazing, beautiful tale of family, traditions and most of all love.
I highly recommend this book and have sent a copy to my Mom as I know she will enjoy it also’

If there is one place I dream of being during Lockdown it is Italy. I have spent many holidays in the gorgeous country and visited many locations. Love the Italian culture, family life and food. I could not wait to start reading. And it was not a disappointment. I devoured every page, my mind getting lost in the story, following the lead characters - Lucy, Poppy and Emilia. It's a tale of families, friendship and one dreaded curse that makes it impossible for any second daughter to find love. 
Poppy is the 79 year old great aunt of Lucy and Emilia. For her 80th birthday she asks them both to join her on a vacation that starts in Tuscany and travels through to Ravello, via the Amalfi coast. 

Lucy is desperate to find love and prove the curse is wrong, Emilia is glad the curse is in place! And Great Aunt wonders if she will be reacquainted with her. 
It's the perfect tale of an adventure following these three characters and the tension and dynamics of the journey they embark on. And it's a story where you need to fasten your seat belt, and step aboard the emotional rollercoaster as there friendship and closeness evolves. 
I have not been to Florence, but feel as though I have after reading this book. Lon's descriptive writing makes a very vivid image spring into mind. I have been to Venice, and the Amalfi coast and the writing truly warms the heart. 
This is an adventure to be devoured, that will make you smile. And is love and the curse impossible or is anything possible. Five stars here. Thank you for escaping my mind to Italy.

Emilia is a second daughter as is her cousin Lucy. Their Aunt Poppy is also a second daughter but she has been banished from the family because of a family scandal. Poppy phones Emilia to say she wants her and Lucy to go to Italy with her to celebrate her 80th birthday

One Italian Summer by Lori Nelson Spielman is a beautifully written and lovely story. Light and heartwarming full of emotion and very well crafted.

ONE ITALIAN SUMMER by Lori Nelson Spielman is a beautiful and emotional journey about love and finding yourself and I enjoyed it immensely.

There is a curse on the Fontana family where the second-born daughter has been destined to live a single life without love and marriage. For one Fontana this is seen as a blessing in disguise while another mourns for what she cannot have. So when their Great-Aunt Poppy announces that they must take a trip together so that she can finally break the curse, it receives mixed feelings. How will they ever find Poppy's long-lost love from so long ago? And can the curse truly be broken?

With stunning settings and characters that get under your skin and feel like family, ONE ITALIAN SUMMER is the perfect escapist read. Poppy was my favourite character and I loved her quirky nature throughout. During this epic adventure trip to Tuscany, we get to learn about Poppy's life and learn more about all three of these special women and there were definitely moments where I felt sadness as well as hope for what they were embarking on. And like life, things never go as smoothly as we hope it will.

​ONE ITALIAN SUMMER by Lori Nelson Spielman is about friendship and true understanding and I highly recommend it to fiction fans everywhere. This was my first time reading this author's work but it won't be my last.

3,5 Stars

Emilia and Lucy travel with their great-aunt Poppy to Italy to meet an old lover. One she hasn't seen nor spoken to in almost 60 years! But she is convinced he'll be there, just as he promised so long ago... The lovestory of Poppy and Rico truly is very romantic, but also tragic. I enjoyed the flashback chapters recounting their time together very much. Same goes for the wonderful descriptions of Venice, Florence and Ravello!

The twist with the family curse was a nice idea, but laid on a bit too heavily. This was getting on my nerves a bit towards the end. Same goes for one character in particular that I found really horrible!

But all in all I quite enjoyed this book about family, love and finding yourself.

There was a curse put upon the Fontana second-born daughters which has come true for generations gone meaning that the second born daughters will not find love. For cousins Lucy and Emilia who are the second-born they really hope that the curse isn’t real, however, they also haven’t found love as yet.

When their elderly Aunt Poppy invited them to go travelling with her in Italy the women are desperate to go but have some hurdles to get over first.

Could Poppy be the one to help them break the curse and can the women find love or will they be another statistic on their family tree?

I seem to be having a run of books set in Italy at the moment, which is good as I visited the country for the first time back at the beginning of February. What I first noticed about One Italian Summer is how easy to read it was. The book captivated me, especially once we are within Italy and all the atmospheric sights, sounds, and smells are brought to the forefront. It also has a remarkable cast of characters that you just can’t help liking.

The plot moves back and forth in time and not only covers romance, love, loss, and disputes it also shines a light on what is deemed to be a curse put on the Fontana second-born daughters for generations.

The story is told from two family members point of views, Emilia (including Lucy), and Aunt Poppy who has invited the girls to Italy to go travelling with her and to end their journey with celebrations for her eightieth birthday. The book also moves back and forth in time.

I became so engrossed in the plot that the time just seemed to slip away. Spending all my hours at home at the moment because of the virus meant that I could relax in my garden with the book and just read away, although it did feel like I was there travelling with the women. The characters all worked well together and I loved their adventures and little secrets. I was also desperate to know what had gone on in the lives of Poppy and her sister to leave them not on speaking terms for decades.

This is a book that had me rooting for the women, I wanted them to find happiness and love as well as become more self-aware and confident. It is a beautiful read and I loved every minute of it.

This is different from the books I usually read with elements of chick lit and romance. Every so often I step outside my comfort zone. I really enjoy family sagas and book about families in general so this seemed a good fit. I had a great time reading this book. I loved the Fontana’s; they were so real and messed up but loveable as well. I felt a real emotional connection with the family and everything that happened in the book. Most of the book is set in Tuscany and the author really brings it to live, the sights, smells and sounds made me feel like I was really there. The book tells the story of three women, Aunt Poppy, Lucy and Emilia. I loved them all a little. This is a gorgeous book.

One Italian Summer has a split timeline, in the present day the story is from the point of Emilia and in the 1950’s-60’s from Poppy’s point of view. Emilia is only twenty nine but has given up any idea of love, as have her family. Emilia turns this into a positive by not having to bother to make an effort with her looks and being able to wear comfortable clothes and shoes. Her sister Daria and her Nonna Rosa treat her terribly, running her life for her and constantly reminding her that she will never find love. Her sense of loyalty is on the surface is admirable, but with Rosa and Daria walking all over her, putting her down, telling her what to do, including forbidding her to go to Italy, I found myself wanting to scream at her to take control. She is like a caged animal, just waiting for freedom to spread her wings and live her life, and I cheered when she did. Her Aunt Poppy is the complete opposite to her, she is colourful, led a fabulous life, travelled the world and has a fabulous dress sense, I have say I was jealous of her job as a tour guide in the Uffizi, my perfect job. She maybe nearly eighty but she has the joie de vivre of a much younger person and a wonderful outlook on life. Going back to the 1950’s we see a time when Poppy and her sister Rosa were close, a time where Poppy met the love of her life and felt the ultimate betrayal, a time before she was ostracised by the family. Lori Nelson Spielman captures the depth of these characters, making them relatable, fun and familiar; I would love to be on an Italian road trip with them.

Lori Nelson Spielman writes with ease and understanding of her main characters, the family dynamics, their interaction with others and the constraints put on women in 1950’s Italy; a patriarchal society, where they go from the control of their father to their husband, and the importance of family. In contrast America offers them freedom, to work, although in Rosa’s case she is still at the behest of her husband. Poppy on the other hand is able to study at University and live her own life, with her own rules. The irony of this is that America in the present day is stifling for Emilia, where she is under the control of her Nonna Rosa. The Italian setting is a feast for the senses with its stunning architecture, the history of Venice and Florence, and the beauty of the Amalfi Coast and the mouthwatering food.

One Italian Summer, with its stunning setting and family secrets and lies, is a book I got fully immersed in and couldn’t put down. At its centre is the most beautiful love story that really touched my heart, of two young people who sacrifice so much to be together. I went through so many emotions reading this book, I laughed, cried, was shocked and cheered the characters on, ultimately it left me with a feeling of happiness, what more could I ask for. Pure escapism, this is a brilliant read.

There a cruse on the 2nd born to never find love. Emilia has been secretly written to her a relative and now she's been invited to Italy what is she to do. This book is about a family curse for the second born daughter to never find love. I enjoyed how this book brought these three characters together.

I was given a copy of this book for an honest review from net galley. Thank you Net Galley and the Author for this amazing opportunity.

"One Italian Summer" introduces us to three women that, except from belonging to one family, have nothing in common. Or maybe they do - they are all the second daughters in the Fontana family. The family curse says that, as a second - born daughter you will never find love. Isn't it time to break the curse? Poppy, who is nearing her 80th birthday, is about to complete a journey of her life and she decides to take her two estranged nieces with her. Emilia and Lucy both need to learn what life is really about - is the journey going to help them?

In this dual - narrative story we follow Poppy, Emmie and Lucy, three virtual strangers travelling together, about to discover that actually there are many things they have in common. I immediately fell in love with Poppy - she was wise but without being patronising and she felt real. She was not the über - wise older person who knows everything and passes her knowledge on with a small smile on her lips and patting you on the head, oh no, she'd rather tell you, not mincing her words, how the things are and what she thinks about them. It was so great to see how her life - approach, her flamboyant ways started to rub off onto Emilia and Lucy, especially on Emmie who needed this so much. Emmie was also great, there was so much more to her than met the eye at the first sight - yes, she was so subordinate and let her Nonna decide about everything but deep, deep inside she knew that it's not right, and it was absolutely brilliant (albeit sometimes depressing, as it took her So.Much.Time) to see her manning up and start to live her life on her own terms. It made my heart sing to see them all blossoming, finding themselves and their self - esteem, learning what it is they want from life and learning how not to be afraid to reach for it - you'll want the characters to find happiness, hoping for a happy end for all of them.

If there is only one thing that you should take from this book, let it be that everything is possible. That the word "impossible" doesn't exist. But there is so much more to enjoy in this book, believe me. It oozes with love, care and acceptance, and even though there is sadness running through the story, there is also the overwhelming feeling of joy.

The story is beautifully written, the author has a lovely way with words and her descriptions are vivid and colourful, bringing all the characters, events and settings to life and she takes you on a journey through years and countries and continents that is filled with adventures and evocative narration.

It was full of secrets, lies, twists and turns and you just want to keep reading, to keep turning the pages to see what's going to happen, to know the truth. There came a moment that I started to guess what has really happened and, as it turned out, I was right but it didn't spoil the reading at all. It only confirmed me in my sympathy to some characters and antipathy to the others.

Yes, in my opinion there are some things that are a bit too far - fetched, that the reality is a bit stretched for the purpose of fiction but it is still a powerful story that will quickly draw you in. You will feel a part of this book and characters' worlds, going with them on a roller - coaster journey full of sadness and happiness, love and hate. "One Italian Summer" is a lovely, heart - warming and clever story, beautifully written and engaging, that I thoroughly enjoyed. Highly recommended!

An engaging romantic story that spans familial generations from post-war Italy to North America.
The Fontana family curse still prevails. Aunt Poppy is determined to end it with the help of her great-nieces Emilia and Lucy on a life-changing trip to Italy.

The story reveals family secrets told from Emilia's and Poppy's points of view. The family dynamics and individual characters are authentic and relatable. The settings are vivid and bring the story to life.

This is a charming, poignant romantic story. Full of humour, misunderstandings and self-sacrifice.

I received a copy of this book from Avon Books UK via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

I would like to thank Avon Books for asking me to review this book and to be apart of the blog tour.
This was a lovely read and one I really enjoyed. I have not read anything from Lori before but from looking at the cover and reading the blurb I was intrigued. A family curse that sees the second born daughter in each generation not be married, leads to one summer in Italy where Emilia is finally standing up to her family and her cousin also second born wants to find love. Travelling to Italy to celebrate their Aunt Poppy's 80th birthday should be an exciting time but with family secrets it could be anything but.
On Italian Summer is a well written story that is set in the present and the past. Reading about the past and Aunt Poppy's life was interesting and the author knew her history about that time period and the large family in this story. I was sad and emotional in both eras but it was a joy to read seeing how these strong women develop. The characters are incredible detailed and real. Aunt Poppy was a joy to read.
I am very glad I picked up this book to read.

I love discovering new authors. I especially love discovering new authors who transport you to sunnier climes. I read the synopsis for 'One Italian Summer' and it certainly sounded as though it would transport me away overseas. I couldn't wait to start reading so without further ado, I grabbed my Kindle, grabbed a cup of tea and after shooing my youngest Labrador from my comfy reading seat, I settled down to read. Oh boy, 'One Italian Summer' was one hell of a read, which I thoroughly enjoyed reading but more about that in a bit.
It took me a little while to get into this book, but that has more to do with the fact that I was tired when I started to read the book and can't be taken as a criticism of the way the book is written. As soon as I got into the story that was it, I just couldn't get enough of the story. I would pick the book up only intending to read for a short while but I would immerse myself into the story that I would be reading for an hour or more. I had a need to know what secrets were being kept and so the pages kept on turning over at quite a rate. The further into the story I got, the more desperate I became to get to the truth. All too quickly I reached the end of the story, which I was genuinely gutted about. I was enjoying the author's writing style, the storylines, the characters and the setting so much that I just wanted the story to continue.
'One Italian Summer' is really well written. The author has an easy going sort of writing style. The author grabs your attention with a bright and breezy cover and draws you into the story from the synopsis alone. That's how I felt at any rate. I really did feel as though I was part of the story myself and that's thanks to Lori's very vivid and realistic storytelling. I also loved the way in which she described Tuscany. I got a real sense of Tuscany and had I closed my eyes, I could have easily imagined that I was there in Tuscany with the sun beating down on my face.
In short, I really enjoyed reading 'One Italian Summer' and I would definitely recommend it to other readers. For me, 'One Italian Summer' was something of an emotive read. I will definitely be reading more of Lori's work in the future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 4* out of 5*.

This is a lovely story, beautifully written and with exceptional characterisation. I really got to ‘know’ Emilia, Lucy, the delightful Poppy and the less delightful sister Daria and Nonna Rosa. It was interesting how this family of second generation Italian immigrants to New York are still ruled by traditional Italian family loyalties and traditions. The ridiculous ‘curse’ on second daughters is one such manifestation of this, and though dismissed by the younger generation of Emilia and Lucy, their lives are still effectively shaped by it. Great Aunt Poppy is a breath of fresh air, a wise and wonderful lady with a heartbreaking past.
When Poppy, Emmie ( Emilia) and Lucy ( Luciana) finally travel to Tuscany from USA, the story really unfolds. The dual time line of the young Poppy and the present day is skilfully and seamlessly woven into the narrative so that both stories proceed at an acceptable pace, neither story holding back the other. I loved how Emmie blossomed when removed from her repressive backshop existence in the family business, taken for granted and put upon by everyone, particularly her older sister Daria, , and her stern and heartless Nonna Rosa. Her cousin Lucy gradually emerges from her self-imposed pattern of disastrous relationships with exploitative men, and ‘finds’ herself and her self esteem.
This is a life affirming story about the power of positivity, as Poppy repeatedly says “ It is possible” when her nieces would tell her that a proposed course of action was impossible.
This is a charming and delightful read, and I am sorry to leave behind the characters of the story, and the beautiful sunlight and atmosphere of Tuscany. I really escaped into this book, at a time of national lockdown due to Covid 19. I loved every minute.
My thanks to the author, publisher and Netgalley for my advance copy of this title. I will look for more of this author’s work.

Thank you netgalley and Avon books for this ARC.

One Italian summer is the first book I have read by this author.

A light heartwarming summer read about 3 woman and 1 family curse.

This was beautifully written and I loved the way it goes back to Poppy's story.

A nice read and a wonderful cover to draw you into Italy perfect for the summer

I liked the book but the whole premise of the curse on a family is a bit too unbelievable as a starting point. If I put that aside, it’s a nice story of relationships developing over a summer holiday.

I love a travel based book & One Italian Summer seemed like another good choice for me for my virtual holidays. I was super excited to be invited on the tour itself and let me tell you - its been a long time since i sat and weeped at a book but, this just did something to me.

Emilia and her whole family have spent their lives believing in the second daughter curse - that they will not marry, find love nor bare children. Whilst Lucy wants to be the one to break the curse - Emilia sees its as a blessing in disguise, it means there is no pressure on her to find a happy ever after, because she wont get one (not that she believes in the curse) Yet, when there Great Aunt Poppy invites them to Italy they all follow in the belief that she will break the curse. What follows is a truly beautiful narrative as we learn of the families past and their journey through Italy to the cathedral where love will once more be reunited. However - thats just a flight of fancy and, despite the glimmers of hope, its not going to happen surely.
"I'm brave enough to join her, I might have an adventure,too"


I was expecting a light fancy free trip through Italy book with some swoon worthy men and some delicious pasta. This book was well - i was weeping, it was beautiful, heart wrenching and just fantastic. I adored Emilia, Lucy & Poppy. I loved the way we travelled back in time as Poppy told her story to the girls. It was done in a way that it blended in to the story so well.

We got to spend time with the three as the arrived in Italy and set out on their venture, we discovered destinations with them, and followed not only Poppy but how Emilia and Lucy managed to grow and change as people to find their own happiness.

I was proud of them all, and as they began to discover secrets long since hidden in the family - i adored how it was handled. I adored how love was addressed in all its forms and Lori has just a beautiful way of writing that it fills you heart with warmth even when reading those dark moments. It was a truly elegant read and one that will stick with me

Fancy an escape? Dreaming of sunnier climes? Lusting for romance? This book ticks all of the boxes.

Such an easy five stars to award. I fell in love with Poppy from when she is first introduced and could happily picture her and her flamboyant ways. Her “Poppy-isms” made her wise and it was fascinating to see her behaviours rub off onto Lucy and Emilia. Whilst they appear such opposing characters who would never normally mix, the leap of faith that both girls take when they accompany Poppy reflects the novel’s mantra of not accepting that anything is impossible.

A dual-narrative love story, we follow Poppy, Lucy and Emilia as they travel around Italy. Poppy is approaching her eightieth birthday and is determined to reconnect with her long-lost love. On the other hand, Emilia and Lucy are keen to see the family curse – being doomed to singleton status forever – finally broken.

Poppy’s story isn’t massive and I liked the way the writer trickled it through the story. It made me love her character even more, and the heartache she experiences means she became my adopted aunt throughout her journey. I wanted to meet Poppy and felt envious of the experiences that Lucy and Emilia were able to share with her.

Whilst this story carries a message of love and hope, it is impossible to ignore the sadness that runs through. The lack of identity that Emilia suffers, Lucy’s instability and Poppy’s loss all connect the women, even though the younger generation do not realise it. I wanted each of the women to find happiness and overcome their personal troubles and appreciated how the writer handles each character’s turmoils.

This is going to be up there with one of my favourite reads of the summer, if not the year. It left me with a satisfying smile when I had read the final pages and wished that I could carry on with the three women’s journeys. In fact, I think this quote perfectly summarises the premise of this novel, as spoken by Emilia:

‘Love, in any of its forms, takes the world from a bleak pencil sketch to a magnificent oil painting.’

With thanks to Avon books and Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The first thing that attracted me to this book was the cover, then the blurb.. I mean I love a contemporary book and I'm finding more authors that I add to my auto buy list, Lori Nelson Spielman being one of them.


The book follows three women, Emilia, Lucie and Poppy. All three different women but they have one thing in common, they are all the second daughters from the Fontana family. Poppy is nearing 80 and has a life journey to complete and what better way to complete it than with her two great nieces, who both need to learn a bit about themselves and learn that not everything is about the curse and pleasing their families at the detriment to their own happiness.


Do you know what I hated Emilia's Nonna and her Sister at the start of this book. I had like a physical pain in my stomach when I read how horrid they were to her and, that my friends is how you write exceptional characters!
I do love a stroyline that has a good ending, call me a sucker but I just love them.

There was definite ups and downs in this book and yes I may have cried a little at the end. It was happy tears though and it brought home how important family is.
The characters are likeable and I adored Poppy, she was so flamboyant and knew what she wanted. She wasn't letting her illness stop her from being happy again after nearly 60 years. She was and I admit my favourite character out of the three and I hope when I am older that I am just like her.


Emilia was also likeable, she has been walked over all her life and all she needed was Poppy to come back into her life for her to transform from a caterpillar into a beautiful butterfly and all she needed to do was believe in herself.


Lucie was definitely and extra bonus, she was trying to conform to what everyone else wanted and wasn't happy. Again going away with Poppy and Emilia and opening her mind and heart to what she wants saw her also grow into someone that had found happiness.


The journey see the three travel across Italy to specific locations that are important to Poppy and this is where you see them grow and form the bond that will last a lifetime.

They met a few characters on the way, some good some good looking and some that you won't want to meet again. My heart broke for Poppy with what she went through but she was strong and knew what she wanted. She found her true love and the happiness was worth all the sorrow.


The descriptions of Italy made me want to go back, I mean I have only been to Rome but my goodness the Amalfi Coast sounds divine. The art and history is magical and I hope to go back.


A thoroughly enjoyable contemporary read that had my heart sing for joy and want to slap a character or two.