One Italian Summer is not my typical choice of book but I couldn’t resist requesting it on Netgalley, there was something about it that I couldn’t quite put my finger on drew me in and I’m super glad I was approved to read it.

I think I felt connected to Katy as a character because of how close she was to her mother - my mum is also my best friend and I would be equally as lost as Katy if I lost her.

There is so much beauty and magic within this story that makes it really unique and a pleasure to read. I now know that I absolutely MUST visit the Amalfi Coast at some point in my lifetime. Every scene and image was brought vividly to life and I enjoyed picturing the story in my head.

Thanks to Quercus and Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this story - The cover makes you think it’s a feel good romance taking place on the coast of Italy, but it’s really not. Katy and her mom have been planning a trip to Positano for three years, but then her mother dies. Katy decides to go while she’s grieving to feel close to her mom and figure out how she’s going to move forward with her life. I had seen mixed reviews about this one, so I went in kinda thinking I wouldn’t like it, but I was so pleasantly proved wrong!!! It has a magical realism element to it (as basically all of Rebecca Serle’s books do!), which I found really unique and special here. Also, it made me want to disappear to the Amalfi Coast ASAP. Like, I'm actually considering doing it because the Italian summer and food descriptions were soooo dreamy and well done.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC and the chance to read this ahead of publication!

The one thing this novel does wonderfully is make the reader feel as if they're in Italy. I loved everything about that setting: the elegant hotel, the staff there, the food, the views. The author did a wonderful job writing Italy in this book.

I wholeheartedly disliked Katy, the main character. She's selfish and self-absorbed, swimming in her own grief only, disregarding other people. The way she speaks and behaves towards her husband made me raise my eyebrow and cringe at the same time. Katy claims her mother was the one great love of her life, and her passing away took everything that has ever meant anything to her away. I didn't get the same sentiment from her mother towards her, though. Katy seems to regard her father as a second class member of the family. Finding out that her mother had a life before she gave birth to her daughter comes as a total shock to Katy. She's a spoilt, immature 30 year old woman. She's quick to "fall in love" with a man she's known for a total of three days in Positano, and cheat on her husband.
Sure, some of her actions might be excused (might!) due to the weird time travel thing the author chose to include. I get it - it's also how we got to know Carol, Kathy's mother, before she became the domestic-goddess-housewife-on-a-pedestal her daughter insists she was. I actually liked learning more about Carol's character as a young person; she's a better one that the one Katy keeps telling us about as a woman, wife and mother. However, this time-travel bit was surprising and I'm not totally sold on it.

It's an interesting novel, but don't expect to like the main character. If you want to read a novel set in Italy and actually feel the setting, this is a good choice.

Thank you NetGalley for my advance copy of this book. This was an interesting read and I was intrigued to find out what had really happened to Katy, I have read In Five Years by the same author which I loved, sadly this book did not match it which was disappointing, my expectations were really high. I would read another book by the author.

I'll be honest, I had a really hard time connecting with Katy. She just goes on and on about her mother being the one great love of her life. And for some reason, she thinks she's her mother's great love too, and that her father must only be Carol's distant second love. My eyes rolled so hard. You would think Katy was five years old, but she's thirty and married! It makes no sense. It's as if her only identify as a person is being Carol's daughter.

I started this book thinking the main character Kate Silver was a miserable, ungrateful, shallow madam. But as it unpacked a whole other scenario quietly unspools. I confess I sniffled and I cried and I have no hesitation in recommending this book, you will not be disappointed.

I knew straight away I would like this book. The writing was beautiful and felt like I was really in Italy. You are took on a rollercoaster journey throughout the story. Was a very quick read.

I absolutely adored Rebecca Serle's previous book Five Years and so was thrilled to have the opportunity to read One Italian Summer. Sadly I found it to be a disappointing read that I could not connect with. Katy is grieving the death of her beloved mum Carol and goes on a trip to Italy that they had planned together. On the Amalfi coast, where Carol spent time before meeting Katy's father , Carol appears as her 30 year old self and Katy learns to connect with a mother who was far more complex than she had previously been aware of. This should've been an emotional read considering the topic but I found it to be quite flat and I had no emotional connection with Katy or her grief and found it hard to understand the relationship between Katy and her mother. The descriptions of Italy are beautiful but overall for me this was a slow and fairly tedious read.
Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this digital ARC.

I really enjoyed In Five Years by Rebecca Serle, and the premise for One Italian Summer intrigued me.

I loved how this book made me feel like I'd been transported to Italy. The setting was beautiful and I'd recommend it if you're looking for a quick holiday read.

I would have liked to have felt more emotion from the characters, and I struggled with the way that Katy treats her husband in this book.

I'd still pick up future books by this author, but overall I was a little underwhelmed by this one.

Thanks to Netgalley for a copy of this book for an honest review.

What a hard book to rate and review. The descriptions of Positano are beautiful but it is hard to like a book with such an unlikable character as Katy. Still not sure what I think about this book!

I’ve always enjoyed Rebecca Serle’s books, and One Italian Summer was no different!

After the death of her mother, Katy feels adrift. In a bid to get closer to the formidable woman she’s just lost, Katy leaves everything behind to go on the mother- daughter trip the pair had booked in happier times.

Carol, in her youth, had spent a summer in Italy, and Katy longed to get to know this side of her mother. And sure enough, everywhere she turns, she sees Carol. She’s there in the hidden cafes, down the cobbled laneways and tucked away on remote parts of the town.

In her quest to understand the woman Carol was before she became ‘mum’, she finds that Carol was complex and flawed, trying to find her own way in the world.

I must say at one stage I was a little concerned at the dependency Katy had to her mum, I even made a mental note to encourage independence in my own daughters! The first half did feel incredibly tough to read. It was slow in parts and just very sad and raw in others. All understandable in the context of the book.

Nonetheless, I thoroughly enjoyed this one by the end, even shedding a tear or so at the bittersweet ending. If you’re into books with a sliver of magical realism, and in need of serious escapism, give this one a go!

Unfortunately, I had to DNF this book at 30%. Normally, books in which a mother dies make me feel something. It's the one subject that really gets to me. I had trouble connecting with the characters in this novel. I thought the plot was strange. The main character's bond with her mother appeared out of nowhere and was completely improbable, and I quickly lost interest.

This read more like a travel advert for Italy than a fictional novel about love, grief, and friendship.

One Italian Summer

When Katy's mother dies, she is left reeling. Carol wasn't just Katy's mum, but her best friend and first phone call. She had all the answers and now, when Katy needs her the most, she is gone. To make matters worse, the mother-daughter trip of a lifetime looms: two weeks in Positano, the magical town where Carol spent the summer before she met Katy's father. Katy has been waiting years for Carol to take her, and now she is faced with embarking on the adventure alone. 

But as soon as she steps foot on the Amalfi Coast, Katy begins to feel her mother's spirit. Buoyed by the stunning waters, beautiful cliffsides, delightful residents, and - of course - delectable food, Katy feels herself coming back to life. 

And then Carol appears, healthy and sun-tanned... and thirty years old. Katy doesn't understand what is happening, or how - all she can focus on is that somehow, impossibly, she has her mother back. Over the course of one Italian summer, Katy gets to know Carol, not as her mother, but as the young woman who came before. 

But can we ever truly know our parents? Soon Katy must reconcile the mother who knew everything with the young woman who does not yet have a clue.

I enjoyed Rebecca Serle’s last novel rather unexpectedly, as it became so much more than the simple romance I was expecting. Her new novel One Italian Summer also had some unexpected elements and was an interesting look at the relationships between mothers and daughters, the endurance of long term relationships and coping with grief. As the book opens Katy is married to Eric and has just lost her Mum to cancer. Katy is broken as her Mum has been her best friend, her shopping buddy, her sounding board, her arbiter of taste and so many other things and now she doesn’t know what to do without her. In a strange way she sees her mother as her partner in life, rather than her husband. Eric is also grieving, having been a part of Katy’s family since they were at college. However, when her mother started receiving end of life care, Katy went to live at her parent’s home sleeping on a sofa to keep her mother company while her father slept in a chair next to his wife. As the couple meet again at her mother’s funeral, Katy still feels unsure about their marriage. She wonders if her mother was right and they married far too soon. Katy needs some space, to grieve her mum and think about her marriage and an obvious opportunity presents itself. When her mother was younger she spent a summer living on the Amalfi coast at the picturesque town of Positano renovating a hotel. To surprise her mother Katy had bought them tickets to spend a week in Positano and the thought comes into her head. What if she went ahead and travelled to Italy by herself?

Katy finds herself in a beautiful hotel where she feels immediately embraced by the family who run it. She meets a man at breakfast called Adam who works for the large luxury hotel chain. He would love to acquire the hotel and his bosses would like a piece of this beautiful coastline for their portfolio. He charms Katy and offers to show her around a little, he has been coming to Positano for many years in his time off and can suggest some great places to eat and explore. Katy has felt totally cut off from her mother, but here she feels closer to her as if part of her mother’s spirit has always been here waiting from her. One morning as she wanders through reception she sees a woman who has brought a parcel to put into the hotel’s outgoing post. She looks strangely familiar and as she turns around Katy can’t believe her eyes, this is her mother Carol, full of life and only thirty years old. I loved the way the author creates this strange time loop in such a magical setting. I never once questioned it, because I was so involved with Katy’s feeling that she might just turn the corner and see her mum as if she’d never left. It was such an interesting chance for her to meet her mother as a young woman and understand more about her. This Carol is young, carefree and full of passion for her goal of becoming an interior designer. There’s so much that Katy wants to know, but is this going to change her view of her mother and their relationship.

I loved the Italian setting of this novel, having just read Adriana Trigiani’s new novel also set on the Tyherrenian Sea I am now dying to visit this beautiful coastline. The way the town is nestled into the cliff side and every balcony makes you feel you’re hanging over the sea. I could literally feel the sunshine and the warm sea on my skin. The descriptions of food had my mouth watering and I found myself longing for Italy. Meeting her Mum at this age was always going to throw up things Katy didn’t know about her mum. Carol doesn’t recognise her, so is responding to her the same way she would anyone of the same age. Her actions are completely unguarded, whereas Katy has the knowledge of who Carol is and I wondered how long she would be able to keep it to herself. It was interesting to see Katy starting to question whether all aspects of their relationship were positive. Carol has always been so opinionated and matter of fact about how things should be done. As a couple, Katy and Eric have always gone to her for advice when making decisions and she is the family’s anchor, keeping them grounded and safe. However, was this safety always a positive thing? Katy starts to see that she’s never been left to make her own decisions, that she and Eric have rarely made their own choices as a couple and Carol has always weighed in on everything from what clothes to buy and whether they should have children yet. She always seemed so sure of what to do and Katy has felt inadequate to an extent, unable to weigh up the options and make her own mistakes. There is a bit of anger and resentment here; if she’s never been allowed to stand on her own two feet, no wonder Katy feels lost. As her mother’s story unfolds, will Katy get the answers she’s looking for? Why does this Carol seem so go with the flow and chilled, when her mum always planned everything, even a family picnic, with military precision?

This was another beautiful book from Rebecca Searle, concentrating on the relationships between women and perhaps the most complex female relationship we have. This shows beautifully the effect our parents have on our development as people and how one mistake can change the way someone approaches life forever. All set in the magical Italian sun, with a lot of personal reflection and even a little bit of romance thrown in. I loved how the space and the experience gives Katy a chance to re-evaluate her life and the way she’s been living it. This is the perfect summer getaway book and if you’re not going anywhere this year I definitely recommend it for vicariously enjoying Italy.

"Every day the world is born again. Every day the sun rises. It is a miracle, I think. A simple, everyday miracle. Life."

One Italian Summer focuses on Katy after her mother's death. Set to spend two weeks together in Positano this summer, she decides to go on her own. But when she arrives, she meets her 30-year-old mother and gets to learn more about her life while simultaneously grieving her.

Despite my rating, there were a few things I enjoyed about One Italian Summer:
- I appreciated how Serle handled Katy's grief and character growth. It was both tender and relatable.
- The book as a whole was very reflective and an important reminder to believe in the miracle of every day.
- Her descriptive writing style will transport you directly to Positano. "Colorful hotels and houses sit chiselled into the rocks as if they were painted there." At times you feel like you're indulging in a glass of wine or some fresh cheese alongside Katy.

The main thing I didn't love about the book was the magical realism concept. I honestly found it quite confusing and not effectively executed. *Spoiler: I think it would have been better if Katy has just dreamt she'd spent time with her mother in Italy, rather than time travelling 30 years back in time.* You definitely have to suspend belief, especially when Adam enters the scene.

Overall though, if you want to escape to Italy from the comfort of your couch, check out One Italian Summer.

Thank you to Quercus Books and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for this honest review.

Once I saw Italian in the title I just knew I needed to read this.

This story involves loss of a parent it pulls on your heartstrings alot. I had all the feels whilst reading. It's beautiful, sweet, warm and so heartfelt. You just can't help but love the story.

Anything that involves a story being set in Italy I need to read it. I've been twice to 3 different places and going in October to 3 more places. I love Italy so much its such a beautiful place.

Rebecca Searle does it again.

First she broke me with, In Five Yars, and now all over again with her latest novel, One Italian Summer.

In this book, we meet Katy. Katy's mum, Carol, has sadly passed away. Carol was everything to Katy, her best friend, her sister, her rock.

Throughout Carol's illness, Katy and Carol booked a once in a life time opportunity, for a mother and daughter holiday, back to the place where Carol holidayed the summer before she met Katy's dad. Sadly, and it absolutely broke my heart, Carole did not make it to the holiday and lost her battle with her illness.

Whilst mourning her mum after the funeral, an envelope arrived for Katy with the tickets to the Italian destination. Torn Katy decides to embark on their adventure and find herself in the place her mum loved.

On the Italian coast, with the help of the sun, sea and Sangria, Katy begins to find herself. Then suddenly one morning, when she approaches reception, she sees her mum, her thirty year old mum exploring the hotel. Shocked, and happy at the same time, she approaches her and it seems that all is not lost and Katy is given one last opportunity to really get to know her mum.

The only way to describe this book is stunning. Absolutely stunning.
After reading the first chapter and feeling the raw grief through the pages, I did not know if I could continue to read the novel. It brought up so many emotions. However, I am so so glad I did. Reding the book, it really makes you see just how much we take for granted. It also spoke to me that, I should ask more questions of my parents. What was life like before me. Sometimes, we take them for granted and forget that they were a person before they had us!
The writing is this book is sublime. The description of the settings, I felt as though I was there basking in the sun. The food, I could almost taste it.

It was hard to remember that this was just a novel at times. The emotion jumped off the pages, I really felt what the characters were going through.

This was a hard topic to write about. It could have gone so wrong, but instead, the author delivered a stunning novel.

Thank you for the gifted copy and for such a perfect novel.

I really could not get into this book.
The writing was good and I really wanted to like this. But for a book about grief, I think there was too much emphasis on the mundane stuff that didn't add anything to the story. When a book starts like that, it becomes difficult to get invested in the book.

Rebecca Serle never fails to make me feel all the feelings. These books are so well written, heartfelt, warm and sweet. This one is lovely and I really liked the message behind it about love and life.

The writing really made me feel like I was in Italy. I could clearly picture the hotel, the food and the sunsets.

Serle writes really well about grief- it punches you in the gut. She covers it so well in this book and shows how different people grieve in different ways. Serle puts her own unique magic touch in it too which makes this book stand out.

Enjoyable, emotional read.

For anybody who has been daydreaming of escaping to Italy for a while, this book ticks every box and will get you half-way there! I cried, I laughed. I got angry with Kate when I didn't agree with her actions and choices, I empathised with her when she was suffering.

Rebecca Serle has done it again! Managed to pull at your heartstrings and left you feeling like you lived this yourself, right there in Positano.

3.75

I have really high expectations with this one. I love Emily Henry stories but I didn’t feel this one.
I really hate when siblings calls each other sis or bro.
So I was irritated when the sisters called each other “sissy”
The story is alright. Is all that we want in a romance book. But I feel like we need more. Maybe I was expecting more drama.
I understand that they are still grieving the loss of her mom but I think it was too much.
I know that Nora feel the “obligation” of take care of her sister but as Libby said she is her sister not her mom.
So I found that protective role a bit of obsessive. Like Libby cannot do anything on her own.
Nora ended up being a control freak.