The Italian vibes of the book were beautiful ❤️ felt like visiting Italy in one sitting!!! Extremely beautiful book
The romance between Julia and Alex was beautiful
The way Julia character develops is lovely💖💖✨
Definitely recommended!!

This book was an absolute joy to read.

The characters were fantastic, the setting of the story was brought to life beautifully, and the plot was engaging.... one moment you are laughing and the next you are swooning.

A delightful read

A book set in Italy? Sign me up!

Overall, I liked this book. I liked the evolution of Jules, as she realizes she can do things without her ex, and to feel more confident in a new country.

I liked her relationship with Alex, and how it evolved from a random one off to something more.

I also loved all of the Italian family/culture vibes. That to me was so well done.

Leonie Mack always writes such beautifully descriptive settings and this story had an absolute stunning one.
I was instantly whisked off to gorgeous Italy in the autumn, I really enjoyed the rural scenes she created when Jules finds herself working on a farm, helping with the olive harvest.
Jules is running away from a doomed relationship that saw her left in a country far from home. She comes across Alex, who also was struggling with lost love and together they begin to connect and share their stories.
It was brilliant to see their connection grow and how they supported each other, overcoming their past relationships and to become friends and more.
Jules really needed an opportunity to sort her life out and Alex gave her that chance, and she lifted his spirits too, allowing him to move on from his tragic past.
This was a charming and heartwarming story that warmed my heart as I read, just like the Italian sunshine in the story does. ☀️

Loved this story about Alex and Jules surviving grief and starting over with nothing. Everyone needs a Berengario and Maddalena in their lives! I enjoyed their escapades as much as the main characters and had some LOL moments! Throw in the nosy neighbors and it was truly a delight! If you want a book that makes you want to go to Italy immediately, this is it!

Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

I'm a big fan of Leonie Mack. I find her books romantic (without being sloppy) and hilarious. She is the master of witty banter, and her characters are never the same.
The One night stand trope usually doesn't work for me, but here I didn't mind it. This is not her best book from the Italy series, but I binge read it anyway.

What a fun read! The characters and the plot were fresh, exciting and relatable. Exactly what I needed!

I really enjoyed this story and will most definitely be ordering more books from this author. Set in idyllic sounding Italy, delicious sounding food and likeable characters. A lovely heartwarming story. Thank you netgalley for an advanced copy of this book.

BLOG TOUR REVIEW


Review for 'In Italy With Love' by Leonie Mack

This may be the first book I have read by this author but it most definitely won't be my last!!

This book has absolutely stunning and evocative descriptions that set you straight in the scenes. The cover, title and synopsis suit the storyline perfectly.

Where the heck have you been hiding all my life Leonie!!! I absolutely Love, LOVE, LOVED this absolutely beautiful page turner!! An absolute must read!!!

OMG!!! I cannot wait to get stuck in to all of Leonie's previous books!! They are just guaranteed to be stunning!! I absolutely adored the gorgeous storyline. This truly is an absolutely stunning book that takes you away from wherever you are when you turn the first page of this book, in my case on a sofa curled up under a fleece in rainy dreary Wales, and delivers you to the stunning Cividale del Friuli, Italy!! It really does not matter whether you are reading this curled up by the fire with a hot chocolate or laying on the sand on a beach with a cocktail as Leonie will transport you to Italy at the turn of the pages. I went from snuggling under my fleece to Italy where I could hear Alex playing his accordion, feel the warmth in my heart and seeing Cividale del Friuli coming to life in front of my eyes. I was absolutely devastated when I came to the end of my holiday and had to pack my bags to swap the beautiful Italy for the Welsh rain again! In this gorgeous escapism we meet Julia Volpe who has found herself in an awful situation. She was in a dead relationship and now living with her ex Luca a year after they had split up and has a failed and dilapidated B&B that was meant to be the future for her and Luca but instead it took all her savings. Julia is desperate to leave and return to her home in Australia but her passport has expired and she has run out of money. She cannot continue the way she is living so ends up trying to get as far away as possible from Luca with what she has. She heads to the ancient Italian town of Cividale del Friuli with Arco, the dog who her ex did not want either, where she has found work on an olive farm where she save up to pay for a passport to get home. When Julia arrive it is not what she was expecting and although there is a warm welcome the accommodation she was expecting to stay at is unavailable. However, she meets Alex who has a connection to the farm owners and a spare room they insist that she can use. With neither Julia or Alex are looking for romance, Alex's cat Attila who is not going to be happy with an excited dog around and the farm that is struggling with the elements there is a lot to get through. Will Alex and/or Julia get their happy ever afters? Will they be able to save the farm? Grab your copy of this beautiful page turner to find out for yourselves and I can promise that you will not regret it. With a gorgeous storyline filled with friendship, escapism, heartache, community, animals, romance and everything you could ask for and much more what on Earth are you waiting for?? I was completely invested in this book from the very first page and was hooked throughout. I just could not put it down and ended up devouring it in one sitting!! Leonie's stunning evocative writing skills really do bring the locations, emotions and the characters to life!! This is one of those books that is very easy to read and perfect for any reading situations whether you are laying on a beach or curled up in front of a fire. It is an absolutely ideal read for anyone who is looking for a beautiful and addictive read that will have you hooked from beginning to end. I absolutely LOVED the realism of this storyline which made it so easy to picture everything that was going on which had been helped by Leonie's fantastic evocative writing skills. I cannot wait to get hooked into more of her books so I hope she is busy writing her one while I get stuck into her previous books!! This is definitely one of those books that will turn a frown upside down and make life seem a lot brighter. I cannot wait to devour the rest of her books and travel from Wales to other stunning places that Leonie takes her characters on over and over again. One moment I'm sitting on a sofa in rainy Wales and the next I'm in a beautiful community in Italy!!! What are you waiting for grab your copy of this stunning escapism and escape to Italy today!!

Well done Leonie on an absolutely beautiful book!!! This may be the first book I have read by her but I cannot wait to get hold of more books by this extremely talented author!!!

The characters were all an eclectic mix and each one of them were realistic and strong. I was completely invested in them all. It also makes them more realistic, believable and made me feel even more for them than I normally would. They each had their own unique personalities with positive and negative behaviours and individual quirks, flaws, strengths and weaknesses. I was invested in and enjoyed getting to meet each and every one of the characters in this beautiful story and I loved seeing the close knit community. Leonie's absolutely fantastic evocative writing skills makes them leap off the pages and come to life right before your eyes and I was sad to have to say Goodbye to them! Each and every one of the characters are memorable and unique in their own ways and they are a group that I wont be forgetting any time soon! A stunning escapism and an amazing group of unforgettable characters!!!

Pick up this book and get lost in this absolutely gorgeous page turner! This has got to be one of the most stunning escapism books I have ever read 💜!!!

Congratulations Leonie on an absolutely stunning read that I just could not put down!!! I am absolutely mind blown that I have never read any of your absolutely gorgeous books yet!! I am looking forward to reading more of your previous and future books. I would absolutely love to see this book turned into a movie!!! Welcome to my favourite author list and here's to your next success 🥂

Overall an unputdownable, gorgeous, STUNNING page turning book filled with romance, escapism and so much more!!

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I really enjoyed this read. This was my first roommates to lovers book and I really enjoyed chemistry between Jules and Alex. I also felt like I was in their world. I think the author did a great job with describing italy and the world around the characters. I felt that even background characters were engaging.

Julia moved to Italy for love initially. When it didn’t work out, she moved up to the Frulia Region to get herself sorted out and get away from Luca and their failed
B and B. When she ends up on a working farm, she isn’t looking for love, just independence, but then she meets Alex, who isn’t looking for love either.


I loved the descriptions of the area Frulia as well as Alex’s nosy, but sweet and funny extended family. The author did a great job of describing the area throughout the seasons. The romance was okay, a little too much back on forth with them for my liking. Overall, I love a good story that brings me to life in Italy and the author did a great job of this. This is my second read by the author and I look forward to reading more.


Thanks to @boldwoodbooks, @rachelsrandomresources, @netgalley and the author for this ARC

Thank you to NetGalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review!


The 3rd person POV wasn't very helpful when it came to trying to keep track of information. I feel the plot fell flat and made it hard to continue reading the book. I like the idea that the book was set in another country but other than that, it was just okay.

Desperate to escape the unbearable situation she’s found herself in – a relationship where the love has died, a bed and breakfast business that failed and took all her savings – Jules has made the difficult decision to leave and fly home to Australia. But first, she needs to sort out her expired passports – and rather than stay, she finds a temporary job on an olive farm, somewhere where her obnoxious partner hopefully won’t find her, while she waits. With very little money left, and an unexpected travelling companion in Arco (the dog her partner didn’t want around either), she finds herself in Cividale del Friuli, close to the Italian border with Slovenia, in the foothills of the Italian Alps.

The farm turns out to be not quite what she was expecting – welcoming enough, but distinctly rough and ready, and the expected accommodation not available. But there’s a solution at hand – an accordion player, Alex, who she met on arrival, turns out to have a family connection to the farm’s owners, and a spare room they insist he puts at her disposal. But it’s all distinctly awkward – they got rather closer than they should have done on their first meeting, and neither of them is looking for a long-term relationship, although there are others who’ve already decided that they really need to be a couple. Then there’s Attila, Alex’s Persian cat – he’s not going to take to the presence of the over-exuberant Arco too well. And then there’s all that personal baggage – Alex has even more than Jules does, with real sadness in his past – but it becomes increasingly difficult to resist the sizzle of attraction between them.

This is very much the story of their developing relationship – and I loved every single moment – but it’s also so much more than that. The whole setting is quite beautifully drawn, entirely transporting you to this beautiful small corner of Italy as they struggle against the elements to bring in the olive harvest – Jules crosses the bridge over the stunning Natisone river ravine daily, and the town itself is surrounded by medieval walls and particularly atmospheric. And then there’s the close community who watch their every move, totally invested in their romantic future – such a well-drawn cast of quirky and endearing characters, their interference bringing plenty of humour at times, but adding to the emotional depth of the story too.

The whole story is wonderfully told – and not just the romance, although that was something very special indeed, with very strong chemistry between the unlikely couple as they struggled to resist the powerful attraction between them. The sadness in both their pasts and their uncertainties about the future are so beautifully handled, and the emotional balance – with both tears and laughter – just perfect. There’s a particular degree of drama too – edge-of-the seat writing at its best – along with a few distinctly unwelcome surprises along the way. The author’s writing has never been better – this was a really special book I absolutely loved, and I couldn’t recommend it more highly.

I’m not a huge fan of books written in 3rd person so that’s probably where my dislike came in. I just didn’t love the characters much. The plot fell flat. I loved the autumn background thouch.

One of the best books I read in 2023 was Snow Days With You by Leonie Mack, so I was looking forward to reading her latest release In Italy For Love.
This story is about Julia (Jules) Volpe who is 28. She moved from Australia, went to London and met Luca there. She then moved to Italy to be with Luca, but now they’ve been split up a year, their B&B business has collapsed, and Luca is now with Claudia. It’s time for Jules to leave! Along with her dog Arco, she goes to the beautiful Cividale del Friuli to work on an olive farm in exchange for accommodation.
There’s a fabulous meetcute where Arco begins singing (howling!) along to an accordionist. The musician turns out to be Alex, who’s funny, gorgeous and single, though definitely not looking for romance. Which is handy, because that’s the last thing Jules wants after just leaving Luca.
The book is very atmospheric, full of the sights and sounds of Italy. This is one of those novels where you get to travel vicariously, experiencing another country from your favourite reading place.
There’s also the developing romance, though the two of them have difficult issues to deal with. Jules has just had a disastrous relationship with Luca and is reluctant about trying so soon with someone else, fearing she could be hurt all over again.
I loved the animals in the story. Arco is a wonderful dog and there’s Alex’s cat Attila, who is quite a character too.
If you’re looking for fun and frolics in a beautiful part of Italy, this book is for you.

Sweet romance

I enjoy Leonie Mack's books and In Italy for Love was no exception. Obviously set in Italy, but in a part of Italy that I hadn't heard of, this book is full of geographic details that add a lot to the story. We have a heroine from Australia who follows a man...perhaps not the wisest move. She then needs to get away but needs to wait for her passports... There's a new setting, a new man, new things to do, and lots of angst but the requisite happy ending. Enjoy this one by the fire, on the beach, or wherever you do your escapist reading.

Thank you to the publisher who lent me an e-arc via Netgalley. This review is optional and my own opinion.

an easy fun read set in Italy. following julia and her dog Arco and their adventures which quickly include alex.
a good read for a summers day

I love that when I read Leonie Mack's books I get to "visit" other parts of the world. I was so excited to get an ARC for this book because I fell in love with Italy as a study abroad student and have since taken high school students to visit and fall in love with the beautiful country as well.

I'll be completely honest, this was not my favorite book and I had a hard time finishing it. Don't get me wrong, it's not bad, but it's not incredible either. It's an easy to read romance with some Italian sightseeing along the way. I did feel like the writing lacked some depth and that made it hard for me to really get into the story.

If you're looking for something light and easy, this might be the perfect one for you! It just wasn't for me.

The best thing about Leonie Mack’s romance stories are the way she takes you to little known corners of foreign lands and immerses you fully in the sights and sounds of the place, and In Italy For Love is no exception, in fact, it might be my favourite one yet, although I am sure I say that every time I review one of her books!

It is really obvious when you read her writing that so much research goes in to her work, to the point where she has fallen in love with whatever destination she is writing about and this enthusiasm leaps of the page and pulls in the reader completely. I defy you to read this book and not be googling this area of north-east Italy, wondering how soon you can get there for a trip of your own. Once you have read about the beautiful medieval city, the stunning scenery, the quaint customs and the friendly people, you will be dying to experience it all for yourself. And, if you can’t, reading this book is the next best thing.

If you are looking for more than armchair travel in your novel, maybe a touch of romance, well, this book has that in spades too. This is a gorgeous, emotional, complex love story with two troubled people finding each other and learning to trust and love again. The main characters are both wonderfully written, tender and insightful and so moving. Despite this looking like a light romance – and it does have lightness – the story really touched me deeply and I found myself with a tear in my eye at more than one point in the story. This author’s writing gets better and better and she really manages to plumb the emotional depths with real empathy and compassion, without being preachy or maudlin. The book manages to tread the find line between a light romantic story and a truthful relationship perfectly.

Everything you could possibly want in this type of book, it is absolutely wonderful – I loved it.

Hello Italy! I always gravitate to books with Italy as the setting and this didn't disappoint. I enjoyed both Jules and Alex, and appreciated how the author navigated the complexities of Alex’s past. The secondary characters were equally well-developed, adding depth to the story.

Thank you, NetGalley and Leonie Mack for this ARC!