For some reason I just couldn’t connect with this book; the descriptions of the locations in Italy were wonderful and really made me feel like I was there but I just wanted the story to get a move on. The second definitely picked up the pace a bit but I found myself skipping ahead trying to find out if anything would happen. I also found Andreas quite irritating and selfish with a magically timed turnaround that was just a bit too convenient in such a short period of time.

**ARC** I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest feedback. Thank you NetGalley.

This book is a second chance romance set in Italy. I honestly was not really a fan of this book. Unfortunately I had to DNF around 30%. I could pick it back up in the future but I'm not sure I will. I didn't really feel the connection between the two main characters Sarah and Andreas. I felt that some scenes could have been shortened. I originally picked this book due to the cover looking like it would be a fluffy easy summer read. Unfortunately it just wasn't exactly what I wanted. I guess I shouldn't have judged the book by its cover.

Being totally honest with this one, I really struggled. I took too long to get through this which says it all. It's not that the writing was bad because it wasn't. It's just that it was too descriptive for the type of book it was supposed to be. It read more like a travel guide to Italian nature spots and less like a cozy rom-com. Speaking of which I just didn't buy it between the 2 main characters Sophies and Andreas. This is a 2nd chance romance meaning they had a brief 5 month relationship 8 years ago whilst travelling predominantly and then the Sophie decides to propose even though she knows the Andreas doesn't ever want to get married and is heartbroken when he turns her down and they break up - shocker. Fast forward the 8 years in which time she has married and divorced but is still somehow still 'hung up' on this guy. Through her work destination wedding planning and hus work Adventure holidays guide they are forced into proximity of scouting and planning an Italian destination wedding and the rest is pretty predictable for the most part. This unfortunately also fearured one of my worst tropes - the miscommunication/ assumptions/ not saying you feel and this would just avoid the majority of the storyline which to be honest needed to have been a shorter book.
I'm sorry but this was not for me this time.
I would still like to thank Boldworld books for providing me with a copy of the book for review via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

((3.5 rounded to 4))

An Italian Wedding Adventure is a warm, scenic second-chance romance that combines destination weddings, adventure travel, and emotional reconnection—all set against the stunning backdrop of the Italian mountains.

It’s a story with a unique premise: wedding planner Sophie-Leigh once boldly proposed to her boyfriend, Andreas, on Leap Day eight years ago… only to be rejected. Now, fate (and a company merger) throws them back together, forcing them to confront their past while planning a wedding for another couple in the great outdoors.

💕 Second chance romance |👱 Third-Person POV | 🇮🇹 Italy

From the start, I was drawn in by the fun concept and adorable cover. The setting is absolutely the star here—Mack paints the Italian landscapes beautifully, making you feel like you’re climbing alongside Sophie & Andreas. The mountain wedding angle felt fresh and added a bit of charm and excitement that set this book apart from other romance reads.

The dynamic between Sophie & Andreas had real potential, and I liked the emotional tension as they gradually revisited their shared history. Their slow-burn reconnection works well in parts, and the Leap Day proposal twist added a memorable touch. However, their interactions at times felt repetitive, with a lot of back-and-forth that didn’t always move the story forward.

But despite that, I found it difficult to connect with the story on an emotional level—and for me, a big part of that came down to the third-person point of view. I personally tend to connect more deeply with characters when a story is written in first-person, especially in romance, where emotional intimacy is so central. Here, the third-person narration kept me at arm’s length. Even during more emotional or vulnerable scenes, I felt like an observer rather than truly being inside Sophie or Andreas’s heads.

The POV shifts between the two characters also weren’t always clearly signaled, which added to the distance I felt. At times I had to pause and reorient myself, which disrupted the flow and made it harder to stay engaged. I wanted to feel more of what the characters were feeling—the heartbreak, the hesitation, the chemistry—but the narrative style didn’t quite get me there.

Despite these issues, this was still a sweet and enjoyable read. The adventure-travel aspect gave it a refreshing twist, and the writing style—though light and sometimes a bit distant—shows real promise. I also loved the little nods to wedding chaos, romantic missteps, and how hard it is to move on when something is unresolved.

Overall, An Italian Wedding Adventure is a lovely escape with a beautiful setting, a soft emotional core, and just enough charm to keep you turning the pages. While it didn’t fully hook me or become a new favorite, it’s a solid choice for fans of destination romances, second chances, and travel-infused love stories. Definitely a cute pick for a summer or holiday read!

I kindly received this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you so much Boldwood Books.

This was such a lovely read! We meet Sophie and Andreas…Sophie works as a destination wedding planner and Andreas works as a mountain guide. When their two companies merge to make Great Adventure Weddings they need to work together which is extremely awkward considering Sophie proposed to Andreas 8 years ago! This book has chapters which are slightly longer but I felt it allowed you to really get into the story. Sophie and Andreas’ chemistry is frustrating at times but overall, great characters! The story gives off summer vibes so if you have a holiday planned, take this book with you!

I thoroughly enjoyed this escapist romance by Leonie Mack. I learned about another area of Italy and a bit about climbing and wedding planning while enjoying the plot and characters of the quirky romance. Definitely something to read in your summer lounge chair!

I love this type of romance where there has been a miscommunication and then a couple reconnects after a long period of time. I loved these main characters with a bubbly FMC and a grumpy MMC and that they are the perfect match for each other. The author has created a fantastic setting which helps to immerse yourself into as a reader and feel all of the emotions that the cast of characters are feeling. I can not wait to read the next one in the series.

I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I was not a huge fan of this book. I spent a lot of time just trying to get through it, as there were a ton of details and pieces I wasn't really drawn to or interested in. The characters weren't super strongly built, and I didn't feel as thought I had any connection to either of them, in turn not investing fully into their story. I feel like the bride/groom at the wedding were way too involved/ interested in someone else's love story when they were paying a ridiculous amount of money to travel and have a ceremony. I also felt like there were a few 'surprise' moments that weren't necessary. Finally, Andreas' inability to show feelings was painful to read. Like, he was supposed to be 40 and couldn't show someone that he loves her? The dual story telling didn't do anything to help with the nonsense either. Also, why is the cover on a beach? There is no 'man on paddle board while woman is on beach' scene.

Leonie does it again!
Mountaineer Andreas is a perfect if reluctant book boyfriend and the tension between him and wedding planner Sophia was perfect!
Loved the Lake Garda setting, it made me want to go back there!
As usual Leonie manages to make you laugh, cry and swoon all at the same time!

I’ve had a decade this week and this book has been my guilty pleasure through it all and the best kind of escapism. The FMC and MMC were just delightful, their story really worked even if I did find them difficult at times. Enjoyed this second chance romance so much!!

While Andreas wasn’t my idea of the perfect man, he did annoy me so much at times. The chemistry was palpable. I loved that Italy was the setting for this book and it was so well written I felt like I was there climbing with them!

Two people who never thought they would have to see each other again after a failed proposal. Unfortunately with their companies merging, one a trail guide and the other a wedding planner, what could possibly go wrong? I guess you could say this was forced proximity too.

I really enjoyed it, will definitely be going through some others from this author!

This one took me a while to get into - but once I did, I enjoyed it. It was something different with the main female character being a wedding planner, fulfilling clients unusual wedding requests! It was set abroad as well which I liked.
There is also climbing involved which I found interesting.
There were a lot of characters introduced, so I did find myself going back and forth in the book to remember who was who! I think this was one of the reasons it took me a while to get into it, as well as not particularly relating to the main character.
Overall, a good holiday read I think with some unusual aspects to it which made it stand out.

An Italian Wedding Adventure by Leonie Mack.
Adventure weddings book 1.
I did enjoy this book. I loved the cover and blurb of this book. I loved the setting. How Italy was described. I wasn't sure how I felt about the characters. I know I didn't like Andreas. He annoyed me. I loved the writing style and the story. The more I read the more I wasn't sure about Sophie. Kira I didn't like how she was. I am looking forward to the next book.

I enjoyed reading An Italian Wedding Adventure by Leonie Mack. You will fall in love with all the characters. I received an ARC of this book courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and given freely. Happy Reading!

When I think of a summer read this fits the bill perfectly.
A sweet second chance romance with humour and a bit of spice thrown in.
The descriptive written brought the story to life, it made me want to travel to italy.
Lots of the great romantic tropes I like made for a really enjoyable read.
A book for all romance readers, plus the cover just screams summer read to me the colours are so good.

Thank you @lovebookstours @leoniejmack and @boldwoodeverafter for having me on the tour and for a copy of the ebook.

I love a good second chance romance, and I was NOT expecting this one. Sophie is a wedding planner and she is really good at it, but she has a client that wants their wedding to be a little too adventurous, and she knew of the right place, she just didnt know that her Ex will be there, STILL.

Andreas is a thrill seeker, and he loves to hike, and the higher and more challenging the better. And 8 years ago these two were in love, and then all of that ended when Andreas let Sophie down, and that broke her heart, I AM HEARTBROKEN FOR HER! HOW DARE YOU ANDREAS!!!!!.. Anyway, now they have to work together for the sake of her clients wedding and while all of this is going on they are getting to know eachother again, talking about what happened in between the 8 years and even what happened before their break up.

Andreas clearly had issues with commitment but then not really?? That was a little confusing for me, but I loved Sophie, how she handled everything and even when the happily ever was approaching I liked how she was still a skeptic about everything and Andreas had A LOT to prove when it comes to this love for her, any woman would be on their guard. But I loved how he finally grew the heck UP!

Thanks Netgalley and the Publishers for givine me the opportunity to read this book.

What a beautiful and messy story.

Sophie Leigh plans destination weddings when a series of events leads her to an adventure company with her own Italian adventure she has to try and work with Andreas.

So much depth and growing in the main characters a really fabulous summer read!

This book centers around Sophie and Andreas and is a second chance romance. Not only did it focus on the two main characters and their misunderstandings and drama, but also had other characters who were a lively part of the story.

The author painted beautiful sceneries and vivid weather that made you feel like you were there.

Did the end of this book hint at something to come? We'll have you wait and see, but I certainly hope so.

I really enjoyed this book and binged it in one sitting. I look forward to reading more books from this author in the future!

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

Unfortunately I chose to DNF at 28%! I was really struggling to get into this story. Nothing was holding my attention & I know if I force myself to continue I won’t enjoy it. I went into this book expecting more humor. The cartoon cover reminded me of a RomCom so I guess that’s what I was expecting. I do think there are plenty of readers who would enjoy this book. I did really appreciate that the main characters are older!

This is the second book I have read from this author.

An Italian Wedding Adventure follows second chance romance between Andreas and Sophie. Sophie is a wedding planner while Andreas is a gruff mountain climber. Many years after they break up, they ended up working together. And suddenly they realize that they still love each other.

This story's unique thing is both the characters are little older and the whole story explores the scenic countryside in Italy. The author's writing is great and I like her writing style. Only thing is that I felt the story kind of dragged on a little bit and there were some unnecessary plot lines and too many characters that made if slightly difficult to follow up. However, I did like the plot of the story and overall it was an enjoyable read.

Overall this is worth 3.5 stars.

Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC. The review is based on my honest opinion only.

I’ve been looking forward to reading this book, hoping for a great story that would transport me to Italy & help me forget about the damp English spring weather I could see outdoors.

Sophie is a wedding planner, specialising in unusual settings. Andreas is a mountaineer & outdoor pursuits instructor. They first met 8 years ago when Sophie was a participant on a course on which he was an instructor, and had a relationship which ended messily. They meet again when Sophie’s employer buys the adventure company that Andreas works for. They are forced to work together on planning a wedding that is due to take place in the mountainous area around Lake Garda in Italy, where they have old memories together. Neither is enthusiastic about working together. Both are surprised to find that the old attraction is still there despite the fact that both have changed.

I loved the descriptions of the mountains, lake & surroundings which conveyed a strong sense of place, with the sights, scents & sounds conjuring images of these places. I could really feel Sophie’s tension, fear & resolve in the descriptions of how she climbed & traversed the rock faces. Both of the main characters are strong people, & I liked how they changed over the years as they reflected & responded to changing events & feelings. This is a romance & of course everyone expects an HEA, don’t they? For me the outcome was far from clear, but I loved that there was uncertainty almost to the end as the characters worked out who they were now & what they really wanted.

I loved this book, which exceeded my expectations. It’s a fun & ultimately optimistic story about love & second chances. I would recommend it as a good summer read, or an escape to read during the colder days of winter.

Thanks to Boldwood Books & Netgalley for the opportunity to read an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.