This book is well written. I couldn’t warm to any of the characters. The setting of Capri is beautiful. The plot feels a bit too forced for me.

I want to thank Netgalley and the author for gifting me the ebook. I was able to find the audio version through my local library.
I really enjoyed reading this book at first and then all of a sudden the morals went straight out the window on these characters. I absolutely could not stand them as a person. The story went down hi from there. I was honestly not expecting any of that at all. Just a huge disappointment.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book. I have chosen to write this honest review voluntarily and it reflects my personal opinion.
This book starts with Stella and Fern enjoying a spa weekend. We learn about their friendship and as the book progresses we are taken through their relationships against a backdrop of a holiday in beautiful Sicily. Secrets unfold and elements of romance are introduced, making this a perfect beach read. I thought the descriptions of the area were lovely, the author enabled me to soak up the atmosphere. The characters were credible although Amber's behaviour was a little too free for my personal taste. I liked the way the end of the book gave us an insight to Fern and Stella's lives after they had settled into a new way of living but I did think the biggest 'secret' lacked credibility. I'll leave you to make up your own mind as you enjoy this summery read!

This book is just what was needed this summer so a good book just to escape from life , the a description of the plots was just perfect could imagine myself in the sunshine as-well , first book by the author and certainly not my last .

I liked this book. Such a feel good story that left me wanting to book a flight to Italy.. The characters were fun, it held my interest, and provided an escape from reality. I would definitely recommend! Especially during the cold winter months!

The cover is what caught my eye at first, it's so pretty! Overall it was an enjoyable read and I'm excited to read more by this author!


Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for my arc in exchange for an honest review.

Absolutely yes! I really enjoyed reading this novel. The characters were fun, it held my interest, and provided an escape from reality. I would definitely recommend!

A beautiful summer novel. The most perfect escapist holiday read, ideal for chilling by the pool in the sun.

Capri has always been on my bucket list of summer destinations and the stunning descriptions of the setting & food have only fortified this!

Theirs is a friendship that has lasted through the years. The ups and downs of life, love, and family, have been navigated with little to no upset by this best gal pal duo...until now. Life has a way of passing us by if we don't roll with the changes, but some changes are simply to big to get over, so you best go around...even if you lose your way for a while; in the end, your true family, and friends will be there to help ground you again.

Stella has come into some significant money thanks to a lotto win...but, as she finds out, money can't buy you love, or keep your heart safe when you've broken another's. Fern has hit a stalemate in her marriage, but she's unable to see the forest for the trees, or the lies for the truth. Her chance meeting with Edith, a septuagenarian on holiday, leads to other wonderful surprises and connections, though she's uncertain if she's ready for them. These two, Stella and Fern, have seen each other through a lot, but life can play tricks on you, even when you ARE looking. I felt for their friendship, but was, quite honestly, worried from the start! There was hidden jealously revealed, and the mention of secrets needing to be told that had me on edge. I was like a detective trying to ferret out the truth...but when I did, I almost wished I had never known. I mean, I guessed it, all the signs were there, but I didn't know how to look at the one character anymore. It was that jarring, so I can only guess how it was for the other person actually in the situation. It was fortuitous that Fern met Edith, a septuagenarian on holiday, because not only does that meeting grow into friendship, but it helps Fern begin to uncover her true self...while sparking a connection with a golden hearted Italian.

In the end, everything is set to rights, at least, the best rights they can be, all things considered. There is no magic cure for betrayal, and a broken friendship can have a worse time healing than a broken bone but for those willing to fight the good fight, even when they weren't all along, the potential payout, the chance to rebuild anew what was once lost, is all the incentive needed. Take a trip around the world without ever leaving your favorite reading spot, and discover the multitude of joys to be had with this wonderful cast of characters.

Wow!!! What a cracking read, I loved this, I couldn’t put this book down, I read this from cover to cover in just two sittings!!!

More books from Kate Frost I say

5 stars from me!!

Kate Frost’s An Italian Dream is the perfect summertime escape!

Fern Chambers and Stella Shaw have been best friends since childhood. The two of them have been friends through good times and bad and innumerable highs and lows. With their fortieth birthdays fast approaching, Fern and Stella find themselves at a crossroads. Stella is burdened by a secret that is weighing heavily on her shoulders while Fern’s idyllic home life is not as perfect as it seems. A holiday to Capri is the perfect excuse for the two friends to reconnect, let their hair down and celebrate in style. However, under the sizzling Italian sun, past secrets come to light that could end up driving these two best friends apart…forever!

Fern and Stella thought they would spend this holiday topping up their tans and drinking cocktails by the sea, but in beautiful Capri, the two women find themselves forced to look deep inside themselves, look at their lives and wonder whether they are on the right path. Is this trajectory making them happy? Or will they find the courage to make changes in their lives and finally be the ones in charge of their own destinies?

As old friendships are strengthened, new ones are formed and love is discovered, will this Italian vacation turn out to be just what Fern and Stella have been looking for for so long? Or will their Italian idyll turn into a complete nightmare?

Kate Frost’s An Italian Dream is like an all expenses paid trip to beautiful Capri without all the hassle of airport queues, lost luggage and staff shortages. A wonderfully affecting and deliciously readable tale of friendship, sisterhood and the ties that bind sprinkled with plenty of sunshine, humour and romance, An Italian Dream is a gorgeous page-turner that made me laugh and cry that is perfect for fans of Cathy Kelly and Milly Johnson.

Uplifting, emotional and compelling, Kate Frost’s enjoyable new novel An Italian Dream should be on every reader’s must-buy list this summer.

Novels that are set in Italy is always charming. Because of which I had huge expectation from the book. The story about two friends who led completely different lives were intriguing as well. The book had a good start. But there after the narrative was slow and there weren't much happening in the story. I could easily guess what was coming and how it was going to end.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publishing house and the author for the opportunity to read a complimentary advance reader copy of this book in return for a review based upon my honest opinion.

This was the second book I have read from this author, I did find the other book I read much more enjoyable. I adored the island of Capri when we visited in 2019 and I must admit that was a big reason I requested this book. The description of the area was great and it really brought me back to strolling along the streets of Anacapri and enjoying the tasty foods of Italy, I would go back in a heartbeat. The characters of this book were the problem for me. A lottery win would be wonderful but it can’t buy you everything, it seemed to me like Stella and her big secret just tried to buy her way out of it and Fern seemed whiny on the whole had my children too young and missed out on so much.

The storyline seemed predictable and the main characters irritated me. The scenery and side characters were great.

this book made me want to travel to Italy and just bask in the sun and find someone there. I wanted to book a flight right away. Must read.

Like the characters of Fern and Stella in Kate Frost’s enjoyable romp, ‘An Italian Dream’, I also turned 40 this year.

Sadly, unlike Stella (and by extension Fern), I did not arrive at this milestone with the unexpected good fortune of a bonus cash top up which allowed me to travel to exotic places and reconsider what a birthday with a zero at the end of it meant for my career and future happiness.

But, thems the breaks, as a now widely discredited, floppy-haired fop with the impulse control of a toddler recently said.

An ‘Italian Dream‘ is exactly that: an opportunity to dream away the ugly reality of modern Britain and immerse yourself in the sun-baked warmth and evolving friendship of these two lifelong friends.

This is a novel which will charm and entertain in equal measure, as well as encourage to gaze out at the weather and remember days in sunnier places and it is all the better for that.

~~~ I received a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review ~~~

An Italian Dream is the first novel by Kate Frost that I have read. Overall, it was a good escapist read. However, it did start out slow and a little redundant (a little overkill on the whole I was a teenage mom and missed out on my life thing); It did get better as the book progressed though. I love the location of this book- Capri! (I could relate since I am lucky enough to have recently returned from a trip to Italy including a day in Capri- which is why I requested to read this book). This is a story of friendship, family, loyalty, and honesty. In the end, life throws the main characters Fern and Stella (best friends) some curve balls, but they overcome the obstacles and are happier because of it all. I look forward to reading more of Frost's books taking place in Italy and Greece in the future.

Didn’t love the main character, but felt for her best friend. Overall, enjoyed the book, but it seemed longer than it ought to be.

When Stella invited best friend Fern on a luxury holiday to Capri to celebrate their fortieth birthdays after winning a substantial amount on the lottery, neither of them could have foreseen how life-changing the trip would become for them both.

Close friends since school, Stella has been holding onto a secret that threatens to turn Fern’s life as she knows it upside down.

Set against the stunning backdrop of the isle of Capri, the author has peppered the story with an authentic Italian flavour; descriptions of the setting, the food and the wine make you feel as if you are there sampling them with the characters.

The narrative itself is an exploration of family, friendship and making the most of life, not settling for second best. Fern’s interactions with daughter Amber add another twist to the portrayal of relationships , including that of Fern’s husband Paul.

Fern and Stella couldn’t be more different and this dynamic to their friendship is a key element to the success of the storyline. Add the wonderful Edith and Matteo into the mix and you have the perfect cast for this summer read!

With thanks to the author, Rachel at Random Resources and Boldwood Books for the opportunity to participate in the tour

Positive,
The book with a beautiful cover,,
It happened on one of the famous vacation island in the world
The book is about middle age women’s struggle life
Negative
The writing is so so
The plot is nothing intriguing
3 stars

I was lucky to receive an advance copy of An Italian Dream by Kate Frost from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review and opinion. I seriously enjoyed every single minute of this book! Her writing style makes you feel like you are on an actual vacation in Capri (and make you want to call a travel agent and get a trip planned). Do yourself a favor and read this right away - you will not be disappointed.