I’ve not read Rebecca Serle before and had no preconceptions. The main character Katy, takes a trip to Italy that she was due to have taken with her recently deceased mother. The descriptions of Italy were extremely evocative and probably the best part of this book. The relationship between Katy and her mother Carole was intense, subservient and almost like an intimate one. The time travel aspects were well done and I didn’t guess the twist. Overall, despite some good aspects, I felt as a whole it missed the mark but can’t decide if this was the unsympathetic characters or unbelievable situation.

I had seen this book recommended on numerous blogs and websites but essentially started reading it without much knowledge of the plot. I was expecting a light-hearted summer chick lit however, this book is far more than that. It explores the theme of death and loss and the struggle of feeling like you're lost in life and the message (There is more to life than just continuing to do what we know. What got you here won't get you there) stayed with me after I put the book down.

The setting of Italy makes for the perfect summer/escapist read and it feels like I've just taken a holiday there myself alongside Katy - the descriptions are magical and really bring the Amalfi Coast to life.

I did find Katy and her mother's relationship rather strange - it came across as unrealistic and slightly disturbing in places and was described more like a romantic relationship rather than a mother/daughter bond. The time travel/meeting her mother in her thirties aspect wasn't entirely well explained and I was left unsure if she had imagined it and was confused at how she had actually found out all of this information. It was well into the novel before she found out she had gone back in time and I feel like she would have realised this earlier - is this part of her grief/ in her imagination or is she having some kind of mental breakdown? This isn't explained entirely clearly but, on the other hand, I don't think it needs to be fully explained as it is left to the reader's interpretation.

After reading In Five Years I knew I had to read Rebecca Serle's next book.

This was such an emotional but beautiful read which really tugged at my heart strings. I loved travelling to Italy with our main character and exploring the island and the amazing food.

However I want into this book expecting I would love it as much as In Five Years and whilst this was a quick and well written book it just missed the mark for me somewhat. I had trouble connecting with the main character and couldn't understand some of her actions throughout.

Overall a great story about finding yourself after losing someone you loved dearly.

3.5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Quercus for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I loved In Five Years which is why I asked for this book without really reading the synopsis. I really should have as I would have realised that it just isn't my sort of book. So I have DNFed but there is zero judgement here as it is a case of me and not the book.

Book review ⭐️⭐️⭐️

ABOUT THE BOOK
Thank you @netgalley for this early copy of One Italian Summer! This book is about Katy who just lost her mom and is struggling to get her life back on track after that. They were supposed to go to Italy together; her mum once went there and always talked about it. Katy decides to make the trip on her own. When she gets there she strangely meets her mum at an early age and gets to know the life of her mum before she was born, or so she thinks….

MY THOUGHTS ABOUT THE BOOK

The story itself is very original and I loved to read about Italy (the writer has done thorough research about the area). I did find the main character rather annoying, she judges choices her mum has made in her life while she herself runs away from her husband and has a fling with someone she meets in Italy. Double standards! She is also rather obsessed with her mum and can’t make decisions without her. I did love the way Rebecca has described how you struggle after the loss of someone, that part is superb.
I wasn’t fond of the writing style, it’s told in a rather staccato way, many short sentences and you don’t get to know the characters that well. The end of the book was well written with a nice twist to the story! This is a great read when you are on holiday or longing for summer.

It’s such a beautiful story about the love between a mother and daughter (Carol and Katy), which is a relationship like no other, how that relationship can impact on other relationships and the pain of the grief felt by a.daughter when her mother dies. It was an interesting cast of characters and all capped off by skilful writing. It's well worth your time if you appreciate great storytellers.

Thank you to @netgalley for the ARC of this book. This is my first Rebecca Searle book so I had no idea what to expect, but I really enjoyed it!

LIKES
- Rebecca's writing is so atmospheric. I felt fully immersed in the sights of Positano.
- I loved how the story centred around the main characters relationship with her mother. If you have a close relationship with your mother, this too will make you emotional!
- Most of the characters were just so lovely. I loved reading about them.
- This felt like a journey of self discovery, which I always adore in a book.

NOT A FAN OF
- I didn't warm to Adam.
- Magical realism in general. But I will say it was done really well here!

I did enjoy One Italian Summer, it's a good summer, beach read.

However, I did feel a bit confused with the magical realism plot and how this was executed. There was a lot of description of minor points like food/ wine and I found the romantic subplot a bit forced. But if you want an easy quick read and to feel like you are on the Amalfi Coast coast then you might like this book.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was super excited to receive an e-ARC of this book as the synopsis sounded extremely interesting and was a highly anticipated read on my tbr. However, I ended up being quite disappointed as I felt that the execution of the book fell short of my expectations.

Following the death of her mother Carol, Katy Silver follows through with a trip to Italy that she and her mother had initially planned to take together. In hopes that the trip would help her sort through her grief and perhaps "find herself" in Positano as her mother once had, it is there that Katy is unexpectedly reunited with the 30-year-old version of her mother.

One Italian Summer attempts to highlight the special bond and relationship between mother and daughter, with Katy describing her mother as her best friend as well as the love of her life. Unfortunately, this idea does not translate well in this book, as the relationship portrayed between the two women showcases Katy's borderline, unhealthy dependency on her mother.

Furthermore, the romantic subplot of a relationship between Katy and another character felt forced and unnecessary. The unlikeable nature of the love interest as a character and the cheating trope that stems as a result of this relationship only further added to my disappointment with this book.

Finally, the biggest issue I had with this book was the writing. The author was very much tell rather than show, which is something I do not really enjoy in books. They would also often use short sentences that ended up making the writing seem disjointed and did not flow as much as it could have, making it a struggle to read. Overall, I was not a huge fan of the author's writing style.

Although I had some issues with this book, I did feel sympathetic towards Katy as she grieved the loss of such an important figure in her life. In addition to this, a redeeming factor of this book was its setting in Positano. The descriptions of the scenery and food were lovely, and served as a beautiful background to this story.

Whilst I did not personally find this book captivating or amazing, I am in the minority of those who did not enjoy it. Therefore, I would still definitely recommend reading One Italian Summer and forming your own thoughts and opinions.

one Italian Summer is the story of Katy and the summer she spends in Italy, not only discovering the country but also discovering herself.
After her mother dies, who Katy is extremley close to she finds her life in turmoil. She decides to spend the summer in Italy and make the trip her mother never got to.
The story is one that will take you on a journey through your emotions and whilst those who may have experienced loss themselves may find parts very emotional, ultimately I found myself smiling and enjoying her journey of self.

This is the second book I’ve read by Rebecca Searle.
I really enjoyed the location of the book and it provided a great escapism. It was also a very emotional read when it came to grief and loss which I found at times confronting but also well done.

4.5 stars

Wow.
The emotion in the book is a huge wave of love and loss that really sweeps you up into it.

This is the story of Katy and the death of her mother Carol and the trip to Italy they were supposed to take together. I found myself imagining all the beautiful places talked about in this book, like I could almost feel the Italian sun on me as I raced through the pages.

I really enjoyed the magical twists of the plot but I felt the development of Katy's relationship with Adam a bit unnecessary.

All in all a beautiful summer read that will transport you to the Amalfi coast and break your heart a little along the way.

The premise of One Italian Summer held so much promise. A young woman's (Katy) mother passes away and she is filled with an abundance of grief that she begins to reevaluate her life choices.
I had so much hope for this plot but gradually lost interest as the story continued. Whilst understanding that the loss of one’s mother does have a detrimental impact on oneself, their inability to function at all is somewhat unbelievable.
From the offset, Katy seemed somewhat absorbed in her Mother, almost as if she wished they were one of the same. An idealistic perception of someone who seemed to have the final say on what someone ate, drank or wore. This was quite off-putting and I wasn’t entirely sure I would continue further past these chapters.
Nevertheless I persisted. If we look past Katy’s obsession with her Mother, it is rather quite an enjoyable book. Although a grown adult, Katy left for Italy without having experienced the highs and lows of life and crossroads that enable one to know who they are and what they want. There are still flashbacks to ‘my mother was always right type of thing and I should have listened’, but I ignored these for fear of ruining something I was beginning to enjoy.
Despite my criticisms, I did enjoy most of the book. Katy finds a way to love herself external of any connection to her Mother and realises that her Mother was in fact only human and prone to mistakes herself.

Wow. I have no words… I had high expectations for this book, and my oh my they were exceeded. I found it so interesting how it starts how most books end, and I really appreciated the fast pace. The description of the Amalfi coast was slightly reminiscent of ‘The Enchanted April’ - escaping reality when arriving in Italy, though Von Armin does it better I have to admit. But you know that this book was written by someone who knows what it’s like to lose your love. However, parts of the book becomes less relatable to the reader, as they can no longer align themselves with the protagonist (if you know, you know). I was definitely over attached to Adam, but Searle has filled this novel with such loveable characters. The relationship between Katy and her mother - it was so visceral. I feel in love with their love, and thus the plot twist broke me. It was a little far fetched if I’m honest, but it didn’t take the beauty out of the book.

You don’t quite know what reality she is in, but Rebecca Searle makes you forget about your own.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC.

A heartfelt story with breathtakingly beautiful descriptions that will transport you to Positano. I enjoyed this clever original story immensely and was so sad to reach the end. A big five stars from me.

A breathtaking and Soul Searching Summer in Italy

I loved the views, tastes and smells of this book. I could feel the sun on me the more I read and longed for the tasty Italian delights.

I love the story of mother and daughter finding each other and moving on after loss.

A beautifully written book that is raw and real. A perfect summer read.

Oh this book is special, I jumped at the chance to read it as I have enjoyed previous books by Rebecca Serle and I have not been disappointed in the slightest.
We meet Katy who is at a crossroads in her life, she has just lost her mother, who she is exceptionally close to and she no longer knows how to function without her.. Her marriage is also falling apart. She had planned a trip to Italy with her mother for when she got better and Katy is now faced with taking that trip alone.
This is not your ordinary love story, its a love story between mother and daughter and you feel the loss that Katy is feeling. She goes to Italy find out what her mother loved so much about it and you are lead into an alternative reality. You enjoy Katy finding herself but I spent the book willing myself to get to the end, not because I wanted it to finish but because I was desperate to find out what is going on! I took my kindle everywhere so I could just find out quicker, I could not put it down. Once you have read it, you will understand.
This book is perfect if you want something that is that little bit different, not your normal love story and I loved every single minute of it.
Thank you to Rebecca Serle, Quercus Books and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book as an arc

ONE ITALIAN SUMMER speaks of loss and grief. Oh my heart, what a punch this one packs in less than 300 pages.

Katy Silver is mourning the loss of her mother Carol who was the most significant person in her life. Her mother, her best friend and champion. When Carol dies before she and Katy take a planned trip to Italy, Katy goes it alone, leaving behind her perplexed husband and grieving father.

Whilst in Positano Katy runs into another woman and so begins an interesting and bittersweet friendship.

What a transportive book. From the descriptions of Positano and it’s surrounds, to almost feeling like I could taste the food and wine, I was all in. Whilst I felt for Katy’s husband Eric, I understood her feelings of loss, her reflection and how she’d reached that point (living v thriving), how she felt I’ll-prepared for the future without her mother, and her need to feel pleasant ‘blankness’ after such a turbulent time in her life.

At the risk of saying too much, this involves alternate reality, parallel universe, multiverse ideas which I seem to have been lapping up lately (think Dark Matter, Wish You Were Here, A Fate of Wrath and Fury). This one is more poignant I think because of the mother-daughter dynamic.

All the fabulous stars …

ONE ITALIAN SUMMER will make you want to go to Italy SO badly 🤩 I fell in love with this book from the very first page. The writing was beautiful, the descriptions of Positano + the mouthwatering food, and not to mention THE story. It was emotional, moving and just magical ✨

🔎 Katy’s mum (+best friend), Carol, dies. Feeling overwhelmed and lost Katy makes the trip she and her mum had planned to Italy alone. When Katy arrives in Positano, a small coastal village her mother loved she finds Carol - in the flesh - very much alive, but 30 years old 🤯 Katy gets to know her mum in a whole new light, who she was before she became a mother. Grief, Joy, Self -discovery ONE ITALIAN SUMMER will take you on such a ride
📆 Out in March, make sure you guys pre-order now 👀

💭 I’d definitely like to escape to Positano, Italy - where would you like to go? 🗺

Review going up on IG next week

After reading and loving In Five Years in 2021, I was excited to read Rebecca Serle's newest book. I loved One Italian Summer as much as I loved In Five Years. It was easy to get into and I engaged from the beginning. My favourite thing about Serle's writing it how believable she makes the unbelievable seem. The magical realism element of the story was written into the plot expertly and the character development was really interesting. The setting and descriptions of the food and scenery were beautiful. The twist made the ending really come together to complete the book. It was a really enjoyable read and I will definitely be reading more of Serle's work in the future.

Thank you to Quercus Books & NetGalley for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review.