Wanderlust and Second Chances

Leonie Mack's latest romance is a breezy summer read set against the scenic beauty of Italy—ideal for anyone craving a little armchair travel. With its vivid descriptions and atmospheric weather details, it’s especially appealing to hiking enthusiasts and fans of European getaways.

The second-chance romance angle felt unique, and I enjoyed watching the characters navigate their way back to one another. The pacing was generally steady, though it did lag in parts. A large supporting cast added some depth, but at times it was hard to keep track of everyone. It almost felt like some characters were being introduced for future books, which made their presence here feel a bit overwhelming.

The story could’ve been more immersive with a clearer narrative format. Switching perspectives without labels made it confusing at times—I often found myself pausing to figure out who was narrating. A dual first-person POV with clear chapter headings would have helped. Some plot points also felt a bit too convenient, and with limited backstory on the main couple’s previous relationship, I was left with more questions than answers.

Thank you NetGalley and Boldwood Books for my eARC

Sophie is a wedding planner who goes above and beyond for her clients, so if they want to have a wedding that includes climbing mountains in Italy, then she can make that happen. Given that more couples are wanting adventure/destination weddings she flippantly suggests to her boss that maybe they should join forces with an adventure company. She is still a bit shocked when her boss announces that they are merging with one. Of course it happens to be the company where her ex, Andreas, works.

Eight years previously Sophie and Andreas had a brief but very deep relationship. On February 29th she proposed to him, but he said no, leaving a heartbroken Sophie behind to pick up the pieces. She moved on, married and then divorced, but Andreas has always had a bit of her heart.

Having to spend time in Italy scouting for the ideal wedding location, Sophie and Andreas are forced to spend time together, and they are both still very attracted to each other. Andreas avoids any kind of emotional attachment, mainly because he knows how dangerous it is when he goes climbing on some of the biggest mountains in the world, and he also knows how traumatic it is for those that are left behind when something goes wrong. He has seen it in his own world when his best friend died during a climb.

There are times when Andreas is a bit frustrating. He is so closed off to the idea of allowing himself to even be open to have a relationship, despite the pressure he is getting from his family.

Part of the charm of this book lies in it's setting in Northern Italy, close to the German border. Historically the border has moved many times over the centuries, with the area sometimes being German and other times Italian, and this is reflected in the language, food and characters. Coincidentally, I was watching the new Tucci in Italy series, and Stanley Tucci visited this area in one of the episodes. I love that Leonie Mack takes us to Italy, but not just Tuscany or the Amalfi coast. She takes us to the lesser visited parts of Italy and makes me wish that we were going back to visit some of these fantastic locations.

Bearing in mind that the most climbing I do is off the couch or occasionally out of the bath, the adventure stuff is not really my jam, but the idea of seeing all that gorgeous scenery overlooking the lake - that I would love. There were times that the technical terms got a bit draggy for me, but I do think it was great that they were there, and it is clear that the author has done a lot of the things that she is talking about.

We did, however, have a location wedding. Ours was just the two of us on a beach in Vanuatu, so a little less strenous!

This is the first in a series, and we have already met some of the people who are going to feature in the future books! The next one is due to be released in September and I am already looking forward to reading it

I am sharing this review with the New Release Challenge hosted by The Chocolate Lady's Book Reviews. Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the review copy.

Rating 4.5/5

Leonie certainly takes us on an adorable adventure!
I really enjoy a duel view story, it’s interesting to hear both sides of the story as the characters interact with each other, especially as they had a history for us to discover.
Sophie is a fantastic character, I loved how her past was suddenly catapulted back into her life, and how she adapts and accepts Andreas into her career. You could really feel the tension between them.
The setting was glorious, I so love the beautiful locations and fascinating activities we are treated to in a Leonie Mack story.
The story was fast paced with lots of interesting emotions being shared. The enforced proximity trope gave their relationship extra sparkle. And at times it really did sizzle!

Second chance romance. Sophie has her heart broken when she proposed to her boyfriend and he turned her down. She walked away, cut off any and all contact and locked down her heart as well. Cut to 8 years later and they’re forced back together for work. Will they, won't they? Can she ever trust him, herself, open her heart, let him in and what will happen if she does? Sarah was very likable, easy to get, understand and I only wanted the best for her under really uncomfortable circumstances. Andreas took a while. It took quite a while for him to show any emotion, but be patient, he eventually gets there. It’s a nice read that gets to the ending we read these stories for. Upped to 4 stars from what would have been a3.5 rating if half stars were available.

Oh man, this book is a RIDE! I loved this one a lot and thought it was so well paced and put together. Definitely a must read!

DNF 20%

I really tried to give this book a chance, but I've been reading it for almost 2 months and have only made it 20% of the way through. My main gripe with this book is that it's obvious Sophie has been thinking about this man for the past 8 years (even though they were only together for 5 months and she had a whole ass marriage and divorce in the interim) but Andreas clearly hasn't been thinking about her. In my romance I prefer mutual pining not the FMC being down bad, for a man who doesn't deserve it.

There dynamic was giving, the beginning of a romance novel when the FMC is still hung up on their kinda shitty ex, but they move on with a better guy. But unfortunately the shitty ex is the love interest. Maybe it could have gotten better, but I was already struggling just to get through that 20%. I think the premise still sounds fun, and if it interests you and you don't care about the FMC being more into the MMC than he's into her then this might work for you. I however am giving up.

While it did take me a while to get into this read once I did, it was a very enjoyable read, a perfect summer, pool/beachside read. I absolutely loved the setting, mainly around Lake Garda in Italy, the perfect idyllic mixture of stunning Italian settings, the authors descriptive, atmospheric writing was spot on.

Second Chance romance is not a trope I'm generally drawn but I enjoyed it here, I think the adventure, travel, activities elements really added to it. This was an adventure filled, sweet yet spicy, fun filled read.

This was my first read from the author but I will definitely be adding her to my summer TBR list.

A great book full of wonderful imagery of Italy........a really good will they, won't they read.

Sophie is working on expanding into adventure weddings when she comes across an old flame, Andreas.
A lot has happened since they split, Sophie has been married......and divorced. Andreas has continued to climb high mountains and avoid any form of commitment.
When they meet again, emotions are stirred up for both of them. Will they be able to work together planning adventure weddings and keep feelings under control??!!!!

A great summer read.

A sweet and emotional second-chance romance set against a gorgeous outdoor backdrop. When wedding planner Sophie takes a couple to scout venues at Great Heart Adventures, she’s not expecting to run into Andreas—the man who broke her heart eight years ago. As they hike through old memories and new possibilities, sparks reignite and past wounds resurface.

Can Andreas finally choose love over adventure, or will history repeat itself?

Thank you to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for the free advanced copy. I’m leaving this review voluntarily.

An Italian Wedding Adventure, by Leonie Mack, is a captivating, slow-burning second-chance romance that will keep you entertained throughout. The cover caught my eye, and the story compelled me to continue reading.
I appreciate NetGalley and the publisher for providing the ARC ebook I read and reviewed. All opinions are my own.

This heartfelt second-chance romance takes place in the breathtaking mountains of Italy, where wedding planner Sophie and mountain guide Andreas find themselves forced to work together several years after a painful breakup. Their past is messy, complicated, and full of unresolved feelings that they’d rather avoid but being thrown back into each other’s presence makes that nearly impossible.

Despite all the misunderstandings and stubbornness, there’s still something undeniable between them, even if neither is ready to admit it. Their slow-burn reconnection is frustrating at times and following along with the conversations can sometimes get confusing.

The Italian mountain setting makes the story feel fresh and different, giving their romance a unique twist. I enjoyed this book, even when I wanted to shake the characters and tell them to just say how they feel!

"She would always just be Sophie in his mind and apparently, he would always want to kiss her."

It is what it says on the tin, as they say. It's a perfect blend of Italian scenery, adventure, and a classic wedding theme. There was also a simplicity to Andreas and Sophie's second-chance romance that had me smiling to myself, even when he held too much back, or her, not enough. I empathised with Sophie's mortification at having to work with the man who so bluntly broke her young heart, and with her strength in persevering.

As any of my friends will know, I also wish for a little spice, and this felt like it slightly missed the bar, and the potential of the building angst between the two! However, it was a fabulous summer read, that has me yearning for the Italian countryside, food, and an adventure of my own.

I’ll admit I picked up *An Italian Wedding Adventure* because that gorgeous cover screamed "perfect summer read" at me. And it delivered. Leonie Mack whisked me away to the Italian Alps with this messy second-chance romance that had me grinning one minute and clutching my chest the next.

The setup hooked me immediately: wedding planner Sophie gets stuck scouting locations with her ex Andreas, the gruff mountaineer who broke her heart eight years ago when he turned down her Leap Day proposal. The author let their history unfold naturally through flashbacks and little revealing moments rather than dumping it all at once. And the whole adventure wedding premise - complete with bridezilla moments and logistical nightmares - kept things light.

The story wasn't perfect though. Andreas' emotional walls got frustrating at times, and I could've done without one particular third-act miscommunication. But all in all, it's a fun, quick read. I'll definitely be reading whatever Leonie Mack writes next!

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to review a temporary digital ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.

This sweet second chance romance is set mainly in Italy. There was a good flow to the story which made for an easy read with engaging characters. I was invested in the characters and their story and the descriptive writing. Overall this was a clean romance and a heartwarming read.

I love a romance set abroad, and this cover with its vibrant colours and Sunny scene immediately attracted me as a nice, easy, summers read. Perfect since we've had a couple of super sunny days recently!
This is about second chances, and how love is bigger than anything.
I loved the idea of the wedding company and learning a bit about the adventuring, despite that not being something that would ever appeal to me!
There were so many lovely, sweet moments throughout. Both with the main characters and many of the side characters we met throughout.
I could absolutely see a series here with some of the other characters such as Toni, Ginny, and Kira, who all definitely have stories to tell!
It's such a light romance to race through in a couple of days. I'd definitely recommend

An Italian Wedding Adventure by Leonie Mack

My sincere thanks to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read An Italian Wedding Adventure by Leonie Mack. I give my unbiased opinion of the book in the following review.

I love Leonie Mack's writing! I discovered her last year and plan to continue reading her books. They are a perfect mixture of fun and serious. I love watching her characters grow personally as well as more in love page by page. In this book the main characters Andreas and Sophie are getting a second chance at love when they are thrown together eight years after Andreas turned down Sophie's February 29th proposal. He has been climbing mountains, literally, and Sophie has been working as a destination wedding planner. When one of Sophie's clients wants an adventure wedding on a mountain summit, her company combines forces with Andreas' to try and make this happen. If it goes well, the two companies would combine to offer more adventure weddings in the future which would benefit them both. Will they be able to work together? Will Andreas be able to put aside his aversion to weddings? How do they really feel after all this time? Can the mountain top wedding really go off without a hitch? Believe me, you will want to read this book to find out. It was sometimes frustrating watching Sophie and Andreas work through overcoming the past so they could be together in the present, the conclusion was more than satisfying.

Leonie Mack has this incredible talent to create such endearing, delightfully quirky characters to life. Her characters and romances are often not the norm- but are so sweet and compelling. The settings of her novels are always a character of their own. An Italian Wedding Adventure was quintessential Leonie Mack- fun, compelling, romantic read. I loved Sophie and Andreas. Their journey was all about second chances to fix and grow from past regrets. I've said before- I will read whatever Leonie Mack writes. It always brings such joy- a perfect summer beach bag read.
Thanks to #NetGalley and #Boldwood Books for the ARC.

📱E-Book Review📱

An Italian Wedding Adventure
Leonie Mack

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

This is the first book in the Adventure Weddings series and also the first book that I've read by this author.
I was instantly drawn to this one for a couple of reasons.
Firstly, just look how cute that front cover image is! It definitely gives me summer vibes and I knew it would be the perfect pick for a weekend relaxing in the garden.
Secondly, I'm obsessed with Italy and lemons! My daughter moved over to Italy over a year ago now and I just have to experience as much as I possibly can whilst I can't visit.

This was a gorgeous read and definitely satisfied my craving for all things Italian.
The descriptive writing transported me there with our couple as they navigate their awkward reunion during a scouting mission for work.

I loved that we got the dual pov chapters which allowed us to delve into both of our main character's mindsets.
Both Sophie and Andreas were great characters for us to explore and the connection was quite clear from the start - but.... I did find them frustrating at times, but this is standard for this kind of second chance romance storyline....and I love it really!
I just wish I could give them both a prod and get them to stop wasting time overthinking everything!

I found the writing style really light and easy to read. I was invested in the characters and their story from the start - but I did find the chapters to be quite long, which I wasn't used to in this genre.
Still, I raced through this anyway and enjoyed every minute.

I can't wait to read more from this author, especially as I've spotted more Italy based books in their back catalogue!....

Leonie Mack books are such an escape from the real world and i must say this one was up there with one of the best!

with a fantastic setting, great characters and an amazing story to match this is the perfect summery read

Thank you for the eARC in exchange for honest feedback!

The romance in this novel fell flat for me. I didn't like how the characters interacted with each other, or with anyone else in the novel. Andreas was insufferable. We get it. You hate love. Weddings are stupid. I feel bad for Sophie because she said yes to a man who's just going to continually disappoint her with his lack of emotions.
I didn't understand why the bridesmaid drama was in there. It felt like it just got shoved in to give the story a conflict, but the storm conflict was already there so it didn't make sense to me and was unnecessary.
That being said, I did love the romance between the couple Sophie was working with. They clearly loved each other, and they were the catalyst to get Andreas off of his hate horse.
I'm sad to say I didn't enjoy this one as much as I wanted to. It just wasn't for me.