Cover Image: A Match Made in Venice

A Match Made in Venice

Pub Date:   |   Archive Date:

Member Reviews

Having visited Venice just before lockdown, I was excited to read this one and the descriptions were lovely and accurate - a lot of the time I could imagine exactly the parts of the city that the author was writing about. The cover of this book is adorable also and I loved the idea of living like a Murano local as the reader.

But I wasn't a huge fan of the book overall - the plot line didn't seem very strong to me and I didn't love the writing style unfortunately, but that's just personal opinion.

I still do think that it was a lovely story, and there were parts that did have me smiling and rooting for the main characters, Didi and Piero, and I enjoyed trying to visualise Piero's art in my mind.

Thank you to NetGalley, Boldwood Books and the author for the review copy, provided in exchange for an honest opinion.

Was this review helpful?

I was surprised by this book as I enjoyed it. I wasn’t sure as it wasn’t my usual type of book. I’ll be reading it again! Well done.

Was this review helpful?

A Match Made in Venice is a charming contemporary romance! When Didi travels to Venice to commission artist Piero Zanetti to create something for her work, Piero shows no interest. A moody and brooding man who has lost his muse, Pietro balks at the idea of selling out for consumerism, but he can’t deny that Didi makes him feel again. She inspires him, and Piero convinces Didi to return with him to Venice with the promise that he’ll think about commissioning a piece. As the pair explores Venice and their feelings, they both risk losing their hearts. Can they be convinced it’s worth the risk?

I love Didi and Piero’s story and their friends-to-lovers romance. They are both such unique and well-developed characters, and they grow so much throughout the story. Both characters fear falling in love for different reasons, but their attraction slowly builds until they can’t deny their feelings. I like how this couple grows closer and learns about each other as they explore Venice. The couple actually starts off as reluctant friends, and they realize that they have a lot of fun together. They enjoy each other’s company, and they really seem to understand each other, sometimes better than they know themselves. From this friendship blooms a deep respect and love for each other, though both are slow to admit it.

Piero and Didi both have complicated relationships with their family, which has definitely affected their feelings toward love. Past hurts and fear of vulnerability, as well as the fear of abandonment, add to their conflicted emotions. I like that the story explores all facets of their lives – from their relationships with family to their ties to their community to their feelings about their careers, the story shows how all the pieces of one’s life affect one’s decision-making, relationships, and future. Plus, their chemistry is fantastic. They have so many wonderful moments, some light and fun, others more serious and deep, but all are memorable.

The Venetian setting is vivid and romantic, and I love that you get to learn about pieces of Venice that tourists wouldn’t ordinarily experience. I’ve never been to Italy, but this story reaffirmed my desire to visit at least once in my life. The glass blowing is also so fascinating, and I could see how one would lose track of time watching the masters create their art. It all made for a very romantic backdrop to Piero and Didi’s story, and I enjoyed learning more about the glass blowing process and the beautiful pieces Piero created.

I thought this was a charming read, and I highly recommend it to readers of contemporary romance. The characters are wonderful and well-layered, and I loved the romantic setting! Powerful messages of embracing love, finding happiness, and following your heart and your dreams add to the optimistic charm of the story. Thanks so much to Rachel’s Random Resources, Boldwood Books, and Leonie Mack for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

Was this review helpful?

This is a great book. You learn about glass making and un touristy bits of Venice. It is also a story of intense love. Piero and Didi both had challenging relationships with their parents. Luckily they worked it out. A good read

Was this review helpful?

I wanted to like this because it takes place in Venice and I usually like books that take place abroad.

This was not my taste at all. I wasn't able to get into the plot or show interest in the characters. Thank you Netgalley and publishers for allowing me the chance to reading. This was a two star rating.

Was this review helpful?

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. This was my first book to read by this author and I would love to read more! Didi is going to Venice for work and is zero percent interested.. she's been before and sees the job as almond tan inconvenience and definitely not open to romance. Piero is getting over some heartache and also not in the mood for romance. What I think I enjoyed most about their characters was the natural progression of the relationship and that it seemed to be based on something more than a whirlwind romance in a foreign country you read so often in these types of books. They encourage each other so well to be the best versions of themselves. The setting was beautiful and romantic.

Was this review helpful?

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC for an exchange of an honest review.

A lovely story. It was a good read.

Was this review helpful?

This book was sweet. It was a little slow at first and hard to get into, but I enjoyed the ending. The setting was fun and the art parts were entertaining.

Was this review helpful?

Oof. This was not my cup of tea. I was determined to finish it, but I did not like this book. Surface level it seems like it should be perfect for me! Travel, art, romance, what could be wrong? A lot apparently.

I couldn’t get invested in any of the characters, and the plot was tedious and unrealistic. I wasn’t a fan of the writing, it was a challenge to get through the book. If you absolutely love romance and the idea of a Venice romance is too good to pass up, give it a try! It might be for some people- just not for me.

I appreciate the ARC from NetGalley, but this wasn’t the book for me.

Was this review helpful?

Did not finish. Quite honestly, I got very bored of the main characters. I found them uninspiring which is ironic considering it was a story about two people who meet whilst both searching for inspiration… I liked the setting of Murano and the descriptions of the locations and events.

Was this review helpful?

First of all - can we talk about the cover for a minute? Because it is stunning! It was what initally drew me to request this book. But I ended up staying for the story. I loved it so much! I've never been to Venice before, but I definitely want to visit now. And Piero is such a dreamy Italian man! This was a quick and cute read, and I found a new favorite author. I fell in love with Leonie Mack's writing style.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the author, for providing me with an eARC in return for an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

A Match Made in Venice is the story of Didi, who travels to Venice in hopes of commissioning Piero to create a custom work of art for her job. Piero, the brooding artist that he is, is less than agreeable to the task and has lost his focus since a recent heartbreak. Didi will have to get creative to keep Piero on track, and may get swept up in the romance of Venice along the way.

A Match Made in Venice is the second book set in Venice that I have read this year, and is a much happier plot. Seriously, I'll take it, bring on the romance and dreamy travel settings please! This book was fun to read, and I find myself continuing to smile as I write this review. Poor Piero! Way to get his heart stomped on. I like how not only does Didi swoop in to try to get him working again, but they also develop this friends/muse/oh my relationship along the way. I enjoyed reading A Match Made in Venice and would recommend it to fellow romance novel fans.

Thanks to Netgalley and Boldwood Books for this ARC; this is my honest and voluntary review.

Was this review helpful?

This is a real feel good Christmas story.

Piero is a struggling artist and can't help but smash everything he makes.

Didi has one goal in Venice, to get Piero Zanetti to agree to do the Christmas display in the high end department store she works.

The trouble is he lives in his own world with no phone, social accounts and no manager.

The two form a special friendship and Didi comes to love Venice but will Piero get over his previous heart ache in time to realise what is in front of him.

Throughout the story the two struggle with similar family troubles and find solace and encouragement in each other.

I loved the feeling of living in Venicr in this book and visiting Murano. It was absolutely fascinating learning about glass making too!

A lovely read set in beautiful Venice!

Was this review helpful?

Sweet, romantic and full of life, A Match Made in Venice is a heartwarming read.

Leonie's descriptions of the city, the art and the feelings breaths so much life into this book. Piero's passion for his work is so palpable and the history and magic of one of the worlds most romantic cities really seeps through the pages,
This isn't an all-encompassing, sweep you off your feet, burn bright and fast kind of romance. No, this is the real world kind of romance, filled with many sweet and quite little moments, and a slow and subtle ignition that burns forever.

4 stars and a glass sculpture

Was this review helpful?

The story
Didi, short for Diedre, works for a London department store doing visual merchandising. She is in Venice for a two day business trip to meet and try convince a famous Murano glass artist Piero Zanetti to construct a Christmas display for the following year that will tie in with Murano merchandise. But when she finds Piero’s workshop down a side street, he and his premises are in disarray. He hasn’t worked for months and won’t accept her commission. But they spend the day together and Piero is able to work again that evening. Does he need her as his muse or is this feeling something deeper?

My thoughts
This book masquerades as chick lit but behind the facade is an absolutely beautifully written love story. This is a tribute to a quieter Venice in the middle of winter but also a story of two people whose hearts aren’t immediately open to falling in love. Didi is resigned to not having been in love before and Piero is recovering from his crazy love affair to American opera singer Ava. As the friendship between the two grows and strengthens with the support of their families, their strict patterns from before fall away to reveal a more calm and mature love. This is gorgeous writing and a beautiful story. ❤️

Was this review helpful?

3 stars for the story itself - just a perfectly fine but not especially memorable romance. 5 stars for Venice as a rich setting that we get to enjoy. Glass blowing, canals, Carnevale, the whole shebang.

Was this review helpful?

Thanks Netgalley for a arc copy of this book for a honest review..  


OMG!! This cover is adorable... A Match Made in Venice is a feel good read I have never been to Venice.  The author with her words makes you feel like your there 5 star read 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟





 Happy Reading Lisa 📚

Was this review helpful?

I received an ARC from NetGalley in return for an honest review.

This is a first for me - and what a fabulous find this author is. I loved this book. Properly romantic, escapist, emotional, evocative, and altogether brilliant. Didi and Piero were simply fabulous characters, and I loved getting to know them and following their story. I love Venice, so it was so delicious to be given the opportunity to explore it again through this book. Murano glass is such a fascinating product, so I enjoyed that aspect of the story as well. I will search for other books by LM.

Was this review helpful?

This was a very enjoyable romance to read! A slow born set in Venice and Murano, as an Italian I loved the description of the cities! Venice is very romantic and unique and I also loved the characters with their defects and their insecurities! If I'm being honest the first chapters doesn't attract me very much, but luckily by continuing the reading I changed my mind!
So I appreciate this book and I rate it 3.5 stars

Was this review helpful?

This was such a cute story indeed. And look, while I didn’t even know glass making was a serious thing in Venice, I enjoyed the author’s descriptive passages about the Zanetti family career. Venice sounds like an extremely romantic and dreamy place, from what I read, excluding the disturbing details about the history of some places. The Zanettis were glass blowers, yes. Piero’s passion for the job was palpable, but his uncertainty proved to be a hindrance in actually showcasing his talent. Didi had everything, a good job, a pretty good family and didn’t need romance in her life. Spending time together sort of grounded them both and brought out the shades of themselves that they never knew they had in themselves.

This book was honestly a breather for me. Third person narrative, alternating between both sides of the MCs. I had my fill of cute moments, deep ones and quiet, comfortable ones. Got that giddy feeling during that New Year’s kiss.

The last few chapters were incredibly romantic, not the swoony kind, but the feel-good and forever kind. So much for Didi being the hell-no-not-romance type😂. I highly recommend this book. I really really liked it. You would have seen me with a plastered smile on my face for the entirety of this book. Still haven’t wiped it off:)

Was this review helpful?