Thank you to NetGalley and Bedford Square Publishers for this ARC.

Lucy Anderson, 39, a teacher from Glasgow, was going to get married to long-term fiancé Stewart Mackintosh in a small wedding in the Caribbean, but he doesn't turn up to the airport. Only when Lucy has already landed, does he let her know in a voice mail that he can't get through with the wedding. Lucy is devastated and takes a job teaching English in Naples, Italy. Brother Jamie warns her not to act hastily but she has her heart set on it.

In Naples, widowed Elena Moretti is struggling to keep both her language school and her mozzarella business afloat with the help of sister-in-law Valentina and father-in-law Alfonso. Her husband Giancarlo died in a mysterious car crash and her son Stefano is only 6 years old. Getting Lucy to help out is her last attempt before selling the businesses.

Lucy initiates a Scottish teashop, a documentary about the mozzarella business, a ceilidh and other random events to help the businesses, and her haphazard approach seems to work. There is also a romance with police officer Dario developing during the year or so the book covers, with absolutely no thoughts whatsoever how Lucy can stay in an EU country that long after Brexit. Also, the Mafia storyline is ridiculous.

I found the writing style a bit abrupt and choppy, going from one event to the next without much in between preparation. I would have liked to have more description of the Caribbean holiday, but as so much in the book, it's barely touched upon.

I hated all the HP references. Now, more than ever we should not constantly refer to the books of a hateful terf. There is other, much better children's literature that could be used, that hasn't been written by a transphobe.

If you're just here for the Italian food and culture descriptions, there are many and they are evocative. The romance is barely there but the recipes at the end are a nice touch. If you ignore the randomness and jumpiness of the plot, you'll have a good time.

2.75 stars

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book. A gorgeous 4 star read book from me. What an exciting plot, vivid storytelling and relatable, rich characters. I couldn't put this book down – absolutely loved it.

What a brilliant story. So many twists. You need good cake to read it Great characters . The beginning has you in floods The wedding dress gesture made me you happy. There is so much to say. The buffalo . The beautiful cheese. A community pulling together and you have love and loss. A fabulous book you can’t put down. My review does not do it justice. Read it.

I really enjoyed Lucy and Elena’s story. It was so nice seeing two different women come from different backgrounds grounds each dealing with their own “heartbreak” and how one thing leads to another to bring them together. It is such a cool thing in life when sometimes the best laid plans sometimes fall apart leading you to what was meant for you all along. I think that us the message of this book and this sweet story of love, resilience, and redemption