This story is a reflective romance that explores the themes of self-discovery, love, and finding one's purpose. However, it just missed the mark for me. It was far slower than I expected, and I honestly hated the way Williams portrayed Lucy; she's self-righteous. Though I did love Williams' descriptions of Italy. From everything I've heard and the research I've done, it's pretty perfect.

Add some heat to your winter with this sunny Italian romance

With the trauma of war so close to her memory and the knowledge that helpless men, women, and children were caught between warring countries and desperate for medical attention, Dr. Lucy Young could not imagine she would decide to change her life forever.
But a funny thing happened on the way to the end of her Doctors Without Borders respite; under the sienna sun, Lucy realized that she was a doctor needing healing.
What could be more romantic than a wedding in Italy? Perhaps seeing old friends, foes, and flames frolick around in summer attire, or maybe, receiving a new job offer from a clinic, so high-class its patients don’t even know where they are.
Who knows. Do we need to? Not for this one.
Like all fun romance novels worth escaping life to read, Under a Sienna Sun, Escape to Tuscany, Book 1 by T.A. Williams follows the story of a burned-out doctor whose quick trip home to attend a friend’s wedding morphs into a lifetime residency in a new house, new job, and new piping hot romance.
Find out what happens when the young doctor finds injured tennis star David Lorenzo in the woods. Learn what they pair do in the pool and how far they take things with Lorenzo’s top down Under the Sienna Sun.
Ouch. Hot. Sizzling.

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Happy are those who respect the Lord and obey him. You will enjoy what you work for, and you will be blessed with good things. Psalm 128: 1-2

Under the Siena Sun is a gentle sun soaked read, with expert narration by Colleen Prendergast, which was like taking a mental vacation. Would recommend for readers who love Debbie Johnson and Katie Fforde.

Loved this audio book.
The story lines were easy but attention holding and the variety of characters was refreshing. The setting was very appealing and there's some lovely descriptions.
Recommended for an easy fun listen.

I really enjoyed listening to this audiobook. The setting was stunning and I loved learning little bits along the way. A lovely romance read with interesting characters and life lessons.

This was a pleasant, easy going listen. I did find the storyline a little slow, however I’m a sucker for a happy ending which this provided. This was an occasion where I think I may have enjoyed the read over the audio version as I struggled to connect with the characters and found the narration a little rushed at times (I had to check I hadn’t set on a faster speed).
Would make a nice beach read. 3 stars.

This is such a perfect summer book. Sun. Drinks. Sunshine. Friendship. Love. Strong protagonist. This jas everything. One thing that I lived most was how the author described Siena. And My god, I want to visit. Italy seems more and more exciting. The details are so good. It was also a very refreshing book. I loved Lucy's character and every single thing that made this book.


Also I enjoyed the audiobook. The narration was quite good.
Thank you NetGalley for giving me this audiobook.

I received an arc of this title from NetGalley for an honest review. This is the first book that I have read by T.A. Williams and I will look forward to reading more. This book started quickly and left you imagining the gorgeous scenery, tasty food, and wanting to befriend the characters.

Ever since I read Juliet by Anne Fortier, which appears in my favorite books post, I have been obsessed with Siena, Italy.

I knew I had to read this one as soon as I read the description. It’s a romance set in the shadows of an ancient castle ruin and it just made me smile. Doctor Lucy was such a good foil for tennis superstar, David.

It was the escape I needed at the end of a long week. Thanks to Canelo Escape for my review copy. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to Netgally and the publisher for providing me with a audiobook arc in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
This book was pretty middle of the road for me. It wasn't bad but it wasn't particularly capturing my attention and keeping me wanting to find out what happened next. This is best exhibited in how long it took me to finish especially, considering this was an audiobook. That being said, I think this is more about personal taste in books and not a reflection on the writing.
The plot is pretty straight forward but the setting adds something unique to the book and provides a pretty constant stream of beautiful descriptions.
The audiobook was good in that it helped me get through a book I felt no real pull to pick up again after putting it down. On the other hand, it took me while to get used to the rhythm of the narrator. It kind of felt like a news caster was reading me the book. That might also be a result of the writing style but I'm not sure.

Lucy Young has worked for Doctors Without Borders for the past 4 years, but after an emergency rescue mission from the DRC, she decides to take a break to work for a private clinic in Siena. The wealthy patients she now treats are such a contrast to the lives she saved in the Congo, though, that her conscience questions whether she can get used to this. After spending time with injured tennis star David Lorenzo, Lucy becomes even more conflicted. Lucy's goal in life has always been to serve the underprivileged, so how can she make a future in Siena with David work?

Colleen Predergast did a fabulous job with the narration. I loved Lucy's morals, but by the end of the book, I just wanted to knock some sense into her. I see that this book is to be the first in a series about Tuscany. I am definitely intenrested in reading more books in this series, but I would also love to see more books about others from Doctors Without Borders! Overall, this was a cute book.

Many thanks to NetGalley for providing me an audio ARC of this book.

Under a Siena Sun follows Lucy, a surgeon with Doctors without Borders fresh from the conflict zone, as she moves to Siena for a much-needed change of pace. She soaks up the joys of sunny sienna while working at a private hospital for the rich famous, but her conscience plagues her as she tries to decide if this is really the meaningful life's work she wants.

This book really reads like a leisurely tour through the Italian country side. The descriptions are beautiful and it even gets into the medieval history of the area. All of the characters are pleasant and likeable, and honestly any conflicts that arise seem rather minor and are resolved relatively quickly. The romance and language are clean, and if you're looking for a sauntering stroll of a book (with plenty of friendly dogs there to greet you with a lick), this is probably for you.

But honestly it was a bit on the slow side for me. Although Lucy and her romantic interest are nice, I didn't really feel the chemistry between them, and I felt like the middle sagged a little from lack of tension. Lucy worries a lot about the prospect of dating a millionaire. Like a lot, a lot. And towards the end it came off a little one note for me. Although both Lucy and her romantic interest definitely have some character growth, I found myself wishing for some twists and turns along the way rather than the straight-forward trajectory they took.

Still, this was a well-written, escape kind of clean romance that I think a lot of people would enjoy. I thought the audiobook narrator did a wonderful job with the different voices and accents, and overall it was a pleasure to listen to. (3.5/5 or this fast-paced loving reader)

Thanks so much to the publisher and NetGalley for the free ARC!

I really liked this book! This was such a cute feel good romance! It had a good amount of real world issues to make the romance feel that much more real. It wasn’t one of those almost fantasy romances where everything goes perfectly their way. The writing is well done, and well researched! Lucy is a doctor working for Doctors Without Borders and after a particularly close call in the Congo, she needs a little vacation. She goes to visit her friend in Italy for her wedding and ends up getting a job at a high end clinic in Siena. There she meets an EX-Pro Tennis player who had to stop playing due to an injury. Together they overcome their traumas and fall in love. The relationships with Lucy and her friends is so cute! The little glimpses of Italy are definitely a lovely bonus!

I have this book as a audiobook and that was the best idea ever. Perfect for summer walk and time in gym as well!

Summer is a time when I’m trying to catch all the holiday books and just entertain myself. Under a Siena Sun was a perfect match. Incredible story about finding our place, second chances and unexpected love on the Italian hills.

Food. Wine. Italian lifestyle and this special atmosphere makes this book even more special. Complicated relations and struggle to find new place to be is inspiring, especially that characters have a really tough experiences from the past so peace and quite is definitely needed.

It’s the book when you can relax with Prosecco and just spend a moment far away from reality. I needed that and I would definitely come back. Especially that Under a Siena Sun is a first part of the trilogy which is already on my tbr list :)

Lucy, a surgeon with Doctors Without Borders, has just escaped being captured or worse from a clinic in the war torn DRC and is trying to reestablish her life in safer conditions. She travels to Siena, Italy for some R&R, and reconnects with old friends from her summers spent there as a child.. One has become a doctor at a clinic for 'wealthier patrons, and manages to get her a position there. Working there, however, goes against her conscience; after spending so much time serving the underprivileged, she has trouble working for people who can afford anything. At the clinic she meets David, an American tennis star, who has been out of playing due to an injury several years earlier. There's an instant spark between them, but because of the differences in their perceived social status. He's been a recluse since moving to Siena, and only an accidental meeting between him and a journalist friend of Lucy's brings him out of his shell and minto Lucy's life, and she learns that not all millionaires are out for only themselves. The difference between, and her experience in, every country in this book is excellently explored and portrayed. The descriptions of food life in Siena make me want to visit Siena.

This is a charming summer read (or listen!). It kept me company on my daily walks for two weeks, The narration of this book is well done. The many different accents are captured effortlessly. I didn't want it to end -- and I see there's maybe another book in process?

I really enjoyed listening to this audiobook! The way the story progressed and how the characters developed was not what I was expecting. This romance novel makes you fall in love with the characters as they grow and fall in love. But it also makes you fall in love with Italy. T.A. Williams does a wonderful job describing the scenery and where our characters are, you feel like you are right there with them.

This story is about Lucy and David. They meet when Lucy is brought in to take a look at David’s gun shot wound. David is a total jerk to her the first few times they meet. But as they keep running into each they learn more about each other and end up falling in love.

Thank you NetGalley and Saga Egmont Audio for a copy of this audiobook. This is my honest and voluntary review.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

This one is a bit tough for me to review, as I wasn't able to finish it because I have PTSD and it was triggering. Taking a step back from that, I'm still giving it 4 stars because it is well written and a beautiful story. I was just experiencing too much anxiety and flashbacks while listening so needed to set it aside, but that isn't the authors fault and I'm able to subjectively say that this is a good book.

This title was my first exposure to T. A. Williams. I had a hard time connecting with any of the characters, even Lucy, because the predominant 3rd person narration by Lucy of each day's events came across like a stranger's monologue, reading over-detailed journal entries. In summary, distanced and dull. The narration added little energy or emotion to what appeared to be stilted translation to English from the original Italian, using cheesy Italian accents and failing to make the minimal and uninspired dialog lift even parts of this story out of its leaden boots. By the time the romance heated up between Lucy and David, I didn't care, although David's voicing was the only one that made his character sound like a 3 dimensional person. The description and history of the castle were the most interesting part of this story.

I received a copy of this audio production from the publisher Saga Egmont Audio via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. #UnderASienaSun #NetGalley

Thank you NetGalley, author T.A. Williams, and Saga Egmont publishing for giving me a free arc copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own!
4 stars
This was my first book by author T.A. Williams and it was a pleasant surprise! The author did a wonderful job capturing the landscape, food, and culture of Italy with beautiful descriptive language!
Having worked with Doctors Without Borders and escaping an war zone that threated her safety in Africa, Lucy finds herself in need of a break from work. She decided to take a vacation to relax her body and mind. She finds herself wanting to attend her best friend's wedding in Siena.
I loved Lucy as a character! She was strong and steadfast in her beliefs. While she is a talented doctor and can have her pick of jobs, she is determined to work at a hospital that she can make a difference. Lucy was so down-to-earth. I liked how she was willing to immerse herself in the lives of the people around her even when one of them might not be the friendliest neighbor. I found David to be a great love interest for Lucy! While he was a mega sports star, he was not drawn into the glamor and trappings of the rich. He and Lucy made an amazing couple. Both were looking for a way to use what they have been given to make a difference in the world. The writing and the pacing allowed the reader to feel like they had been really transported to the Italian countryside. This was the perfect light summer read! I would recommend this book to those who are looking to escape to the Italian countryside! I look forward to reading more books by this author in the future!

Review of Under a Siena Sun by T. A.Williams - Audiobook

This is the story of Lucy who has been serving with doctors without borders for the past four years, after having to be rescued from a conflict zone she decides somewhere safer is in order, and settles for Siena. This is a fun romance story, very well written with likeable characters all in a great setting. I really enjoyed it.

The audio version was clear and well read, and made for easy listening. Recommended