This book was a solid three stars, but I just don't think I can rate it higher. It has the tested rom-com tropes, but the characters are relatively annoying throughout the book. They each have their own hangups and insecurities and that seems to be the focus of the book rather than any real character development or advancement of the plot. They make the same mistakes for the same reasons right until the very end, which seems very rushed. I'm sure there are people who will find this to be a cute beach read, who want a bit of fluff, but I did not feel even remotely invested in the characters because of their personalities and inability to learn from their mistakes and miscommunications.

This book checks all the boxes for a fun summer read. Anna and Jake pretend to be a couple to land their dream job in Lake Como, Italy, working and living at a castle. But they are also desperate to leave their past behind and figure out how to move forward. Love, angst, drama.

Anna is recently free of a cheating boyfriend, but unfortunately it also leaves her free of a job & home. I could definitely identify with her disappointment, sadness, & anger as I read. While staying with her dad, she reconnects with the neighbor’s son. Jake is a cocky, leather wearing, motorcycle driving, former firefighter who’s struggling to find steady work. These two have a history, & definitely don’t bring out the best in each other @ the beginning.
When Anna finds her dream job, & it requires she be part of a couple, she thinks of Jake. He doesn’t have to be her dream partner if it’s all fake, right?
I really enjoyed this fun rom-com that also touches on weightier subjects along the way. It’s an odd couple, enemies-to-friends, close proximity, fake relationship all rolled into one. Although I found it fairly easy to guess where Anna & Jake would ultimately end up, the path there has a lot of interesting turns.
I don’t think I’ll ever take an Italian trip again without visiting Lake Como.
Was able to read an advance copy via NetGalley, & am happy to leave this voluntary review.

5⭐️

It took me a little while to get into this book but once I did, I couldn’t put it down. I loved everything from the setting, the tropes and the characters in this book, I felt like it was well-written and steamy and had a sweet ending that left me wanting more.

I liked that even though the characters sometimes got into their own heads about stuff and got mad a la miscommunication, that on the whole they sorted it out within moments – coming back to apologise etc. it all felt very human and I love seeing characters that are real and flawed.

Overall, a steamy and sweet read!

Many thanks to @onemorechapterhc and @netgalley for the ARC of this slow-burn enemies-to-lovers adventure. I seem to be on an "escape to Italy" kick in my reading lately and this book hit the perfect balance between romance and adventure.

Long-time childhood neighbors Anna and Jake are both looking to escape problems in their lives. For Anna, it's a tough breakup with her chef-boyfriend that was topped off by losing her job and her apartment. For Jake, it's finding work after spending the past six months in jail for punching none other than Anna's ex-boyfriend. So when Anna finds a job posting to manage a castle on Lake Como, she jumps at the chance. The only problem: the owners are looking for a couple. Cue Jake's motorcycle roaring into the picture.

You see where this is going, right? 😏

This book has all the best tropes: fake relationships, forced proximity, enemies to lovers, and the slowest of slow burns. That tension really builds! Add in the gorgeous setting and you've got a great summer read.

This was absolutely scrumptious. It was cute, just the right pace and just the right amount of sauciness. I fell in love with both Anna and Jake, but with Italy too. Absolutely perfect for a summers day read

eARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!

4.25/5 ⭐️
2/5 🌶

The way I was not prepared to be as obsessed with this book as I am! Being Italian and in the midst of preparing to go visit my family in Italy in a few weeks, I thought this book was going to be perfect for me. The story follows childhood neighbours Anna, a type-A half-Italian chef currently dealing with her douche of an ex, and Jake, a super loyal and sweet golden retriever-like ex-con looking for a new start, putting how much they despise each other on the back-burner to pretend to be a couple in order to work managing a castle on Lake Como. I mean, the tropes for a great book are all there: enemies to lovers, fake dating, forced proximity, cute jealous simps...the list goes on! Although this book heavily centres around the romance between Anna and Jake, it does also have some discussions around the premise of 'turning over a new leaf': both Anna and Jake are looking for a new start, and the book illustrates some of the challenges individuals have in doing so.

I really liked the romance between Anna and Jake! They were so adorable! I appreciated how healthily their relationship grew - it was not rushed, but also not snail paced. It was really fun to look in on them simping over whatever the other person was doing for the first 50% of the book. What I appreciated the most about them was that even if they fought (hello enemies to lover, hey!), they were always apologising and taking accountability for their actions. Honestly, I realise that should be the bare minimum in relationships, but it's surprising how stubborn and prideful characters in romance books tend to be, so this was a welcome change. The fact that both Anna and Jake were very wholesome once they discarded their tough exterior really helped in bypassing this issue. Overall, I just really loved how honest their relationship was, and how they both supported each other so feverishly in front of adversities. I am usually not a fan of the opposite-attract dynamic but in this case it worked well - they truly made each other into better people. Ah, they just had really good vibes!

Although Anna and Jake's relationship was definitely the shining star, the story was genuinely entertaining, albeit simple. This was a very romance-focused book, so most of things that happened were a way to continue the romance. Though I like these kind of storylines, I know they are not for everyone so I wanted to flag this. That being said, something outside the romance that I actually really liked was the subplot surrounding Anna and her mother. This is probably going to be an unpopular opinion but, as someone who also has an estranged parent, I felt the way that Freeman handled Anna meeting her mother again was very realistic and well done. A lot of times there is this narrative in books that long-lost parents are what the character needed in their lives and its all rosey and wonderful. Although I can understand how those stories can be heartwarming, I can never relate to them because they are so rooted in fantasy. At the end of the day, even if someone is your biological parent, if they have not been present for most of your life, they are strangers to you. Setting boundaries as a child who has been abandoned by a parent is so important, and I loved seeing how Anna navigated that.

While the positives were many, they did take a bit before clicking in. When I first started this book, I was extremely underwhelmed: the writing felt so slow and did not flow well, and it really put me off reading this book (took me ~2 weeks to get through the first 30% BUT then I finished the other 70% in 2 days). The story definitely picked up once they got to Italy so I would not necessarily fault the book too much, although I would recommend holding off DNFing until the 40% mark if its not clicking in the start. Retrospectively, I do think that the third act conflict was a little rushed. However, while the conflict might have been resolved very fast, as Jake and Anna took quite a bit to get back together, even when the conflict was no longer an issue, it didn't feel too rushed. To be fair, I am never really sold much on third act conflicts, so I am always critical of them and how characters behave in response to them. It probably did not help that I found the side characters outside of Anna and Jake's families to be somewhat one-dimensional: it is very clear that Freeman created characters in order to either be seen as 'good' or 'bad'. Although that is not inherently bad, it did have moments which was very confusing to understand the motivation that certain character had (like, why is Nigel such a git apart from being rich and spoiled? Why is he so intent on selling the castle? Not clear).

A final point I wanted to raise. As I mentioned, I primarily picked this up because I wanted to get in the Italy-mood before going to see my family. Although the story has an Italian backdrop, that's as much 'Italian' as it gets. The side characters that are meant to be Italian do not really behave as Italian people would, nor was there any inclusion of Italian culture throughout the book (apart from the characters eating pizza twice). Even the meeting places in the village, such as Will's bar, were not things that would usually be found in an Italian town. It felt like the author had written the book as an English village and then changed it to be set in Italy at the end, but did not bother to change any of the story apart from the name of places (which once I read the author's note, I realised was the case). I would have appreciated if Freeman had actually worked alongside an actual Italian person when editing the book, as to actually give an accurate non-touristy account of Italy. Considering that Anna was half Italian, that was a missed opportunity.

Overall, I expect this book to turn into a bit of a booktok favourite, if I am honest! It has every trope that people eat up, as well as offering a super sweet romance with a hardcore simp as a hero - what is not to love?!

Anna and Jake have been neighbours since they were 14. And he's always seen her as Saint Anna, while she's thought of him as bad boy rebel.

With life on a downward spiral for both of them, they find themselves applying for a job living and working in a castle by Lake Como. The only snag is they have to pretend they're a couple. And with them barely able to stay civil, this is a challenge and a half.

But as they spend more time together, the sexual tension is undeniable and each finds themselves falling for the other, both sure it's one-sided.

I really enjoyed watching Jake and Anna fall in love and overcome the difficulties they faced with ex partners, the despicable Nigel and their own insecurities. I did get a little frustrated with the push/pull between them as it became a little repetitive, but overall, I really enjoyed this lovely escapist romcom.

Lake Como. Italy. A castle!
After walking in on her boyfriend and restaurant business partner doing <<ahem>> things in HER bed, Anna knows it is time to start again. Moving back to her father's house, she Googles "Dream Job" in her childhood bedroom and a listing appears for a chef caretaker job for a castle on Lake Como. Seems perfect EXCEPT, the listing mentions that the owners would prefer a couple - one to do the cooking and inside work, one for maintaining the boat, pool, fountain - all the outside work. Desperate times call for desperate measures - Anna only knows one person who could fill the other half of the roll ... and they hate each other.
Enter Jake, a tall, handsome, tattooed ex-con who visits his mother next door to Anna's father. He's struggling after six months in prison for assault and life on the outside is different when people think they know what you've done. But he's Anna's only choice and, quite frankly, going to a place where no one knows what he's done could be the fresh start he needs.
Yes, there will be slow burns, fake romance, and real romance in a dreamy setting, but this opposites attract story is also so important because it reinforces that people can put their past behind them. A person's past should not dictate their future - we can all move forward. And, hopefully, we'll find ourselves in a beautiful place where dreams come true.

While I liked the premise, I think the book suffers from being overwritten. I wish the characters/conceit had started soon. I did love the chemistry between the main characters, I found myself skimming. I'm not sure I would pick up another book by this author.

I received this ARC from NetGalley. Opinions are my own.

Imagine having the opportunity to work in an extraordinary castle on Lake Como in Italy. For Anna Roberts, this is the opportunity of a lifetime; however, there is one nagging problem. Anna's dream job is for a couple, and she is single. Anna needs a man to pretend to be her serious boyfriend. How else can Anna obtain employment?

Anna's neighbor Jack Tucker agrees to take the job, but he and Anna have never gotten along. As they set off for Italy, unexpected and humorous challenges await the "couple." Claiming to be a twosome is more arduous than they expected. Can the underlying stress between the two be avoided as they "appear" cheerful and in love? Is this out of the question? Will they successfully pull off the ruse for their employers?

The Italian Job by Kathryn Freeman is amusing and charming. The tension between Jake and Anna, who have opposite temperaments, is delightful. Romance bookworms will fall in love with this heart-warming book.

The Italian Job is available for purchase on May 6th.

Thank you, Harper Collins UK, One More Chapter, and NetGalley, for allowing me to review this glorious book. Your kindness is truly appreciated.💘

This was a good one. I enjoyed the enemies-to-lovers and fake dating trope. It had sizzle and heart and a beautiful background with an enjoyable supporting cast. Loved it!

*I received this book (Via eArc by Netgalley) for free from the Publisher ( HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter) in exchange for an honest review*

I thoroughly enjoyed my time reading this book as I flew through it. Anna who just left a relationship that ended with infidelity and having her mother walk out of her life was pretty difficult and she gets this amazing opportunity to work in an Italian castle. One catch, you must be in a relationship in order to do it. And who will be the "partner" you say, the neighbors son Jake who was an ex-con. Fake dating is one of the funnest trope when it comes to romance, as we experience the inner turmoils of both characters of feeling the desire of one another. I think the obstacle was pretty simple and it was resolved very quickly. The real reason why Jake went to prison was told and God I was so mad on why he was sent to jail ( not that his actions weren't unjustifiable. Trust me it was very valid). Family dynamics were amazing that it was natural and not even remotely artificial.

I would recommend this to anyone who loves a summer romance. It was fun and I will look forward to read more from the author. *Thanks again to HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter for the E-ARC*

Thank you NetGalley and One More Chapter for the ARC, it was super cute.

An “opposites attract” romance that grew on me the more I read. Anna was very sweet and amusingly reminded me of myself with the lists and always needing to know what’s going on and having control.

Jake was sweet, and while at the beginning his way of complimenting left more to be desired, once he came out of his shell, I loved his character more and more.

Jilted hearts. Prison records, and beautiful Italian castles make this one worth the read!

“This job was never the dream. The dream has always been finding someone I love that I want to spend the rest of my life with. You’re my dream.”

I am not going to lie, I was originally interested in this book purely because of the title and my love for the 2003 movie starring Mark Wahlberg. I quickly realized this book was nothing like the movie plot but that it was so much better! I would highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a contemporary romance where characters show each other a side of themselves that no one else sees. Anna and Jake were neighbors growing up but never got along. After losing a parent at a young age, Jake is edgy, rebellious and very popular with the girls. As his complete opposite, Anna is organized, prepared and a rule follower. Both had childhood trauma and both responded differently. Let me tell you - OPPOSITES DO ATTRACT. Jake is not tactful with his words which ends up causing lots of hurt feelings and miscommunications. He is like a lion, fiercely protective of those he cares about. Anna has been burned twice in the past leaving her confidence squashed. She wants so badly to open up and be vulnerable but she is scared to get hurt again. Jake sees right through her from the start. Ultimately, it came down to two people who bring out the absolute best in each other, are in each other’s corners, and are willing to fight each other’s battles. The book is set on the shore of beautiful Lake Como in Italy. The group of friends they meet end up being integral to the storyline as loyal friends that anyone would want to have. I appreciated that this author kept sexual language to a minimum, it really helped me appreciate the dialogue between Anna and Jake and the development of their relationship. Jake gave Anna the space she needed to open up and be vulnerable again.

“I hate the thought of you with anyone else but me.”

I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review via NetGalley and HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter.

Super Cute! The perfect fun, light beach read for a relaxing book! It will hook you very early on and have you wanting more, smiling to yourself as you read. Any fan of romance would enjoy this book!

Thank you to the publishers and Netgalley for the e-arc! This is a cute romance set in Italy. I read it in one sitting and gave me all the Summer vibes!! Def recommend:)

I was drawn in by the cute cover and stayed for the setting and Jake! I absolutely loved the setting of the Italian castle and think this would be the perfect read for a getaway holiday. I loved Jake and Anna’s balance as well as the cast of side characters.

The Italian Job
By Kathryn Freeman

Read if you like…
Fake dating
Enemies to lovers
Opposites attract

Anna likes planning, lists, and having control of situations, but currently she’s heartbroken, homeless, and jobless after she catches her boyfriend, who is also her boss, cheating on her. While trying to figure out where to go next in life, she comes across a “dream job”listing, living in Italy while managing a castle on Lake Como. The one problem? It is requested that only couples apply for this position…insert Jake, her insanely attractive neighbor and resident bad boy. Even though he and Anna have never seen eye-to-eye, Jake is up to the challenge because he could definitely use a change of scenery. Two polar opposites set to live, work, and pretend to be in love with one another for a year in Italy, what could go wrong?

The Italian Job was your classic good girl-bad boy, opposites attract story set in a romantic castle in Italy, I mean how do you not fall in love? The banter between Anna and Jake and the amount of tension between these two characters is absolutely amazing, I could not get enough of it. There was a lot of character growth in this story, I liked how these characters carried their own insecurities but were able to help one another see the best in themselves. Even though they were completely different, they were able to help one another in ways they couldn’t. The conclusion was precious, albeit a little predictable, it still gave me all the feels. I really enjoyed this read.

ARC kindly provided by the publishers and NetGalley in return for an honest review.

The Italian Job is my second Kathryn Freeman book (after The Beach Reads Book Club) but it still won't be my last. It was a light read, charming, with a beautiful setting - who wouldn't want to fall in love and work at your dream job in a castle on Lake Como?

Anna has just lost her boyfriend, her job, and her home all in one fell swoop, thanks to the cheating boyfriend that she was living with who also happened to be her boss. She moves back in with her father, which happens to be next door to Jake, the bad boy of her youth who recently finished a short stint in prison for assulting none other than that same cheating boyfriend of hers. And with whom she can't stop bickering with. In the midst of despair over losing her job and having to live with her father, she starts searching the internet for "dream jobs"... and finds a position as a caretaker for a legitimate castle in Italy's famous Lake Como. And she's actually qualified! The only problem? The job requires the potential applicant to be a couple, to handle the cleaning, cooking, and maintenance. Convinced this is her chance to have a career outside all the restaurants in her area that are owned by her ex-boyfriend as well as get away from all the gossip surrounding her breakup, she convinces Jake that he needs to pretend to be her other half. Jake has his own reasons for playing along with Anna's fake dating scheme, so they apply and ultimately get the job. Once they are in Italy, the pair continue to rub each other the wrong way until they hit the breaking point. But we all know how fake dating goes...

There is lots to recommend this book as a light, funny summer read - a beautiful setting, mutual pining and lusting, and a happy-ever-after epilogue. The dual POV certainly helps set the scene between the pair and allows the reader to see each of their inter turmoil. Their lovely neighbors, friends, and families keep things humorous and heartwarming. And there's just enough steam to keep it from being bland!