If you are a regular visitor to my blog, then you know how highly I regard Sue Moorcroft’s writing. Under the Italian Sun is another humdinger of a story which had me engrossed from the start.
TV shows, such as Long Lost Family, have taught us that there is a lot of pain associated with tracing missing or unknown relatives, Sue takes us deeper into this world of potential heartache. Zia is an immediately likable character and I found myself rooting for her.
There is a lot going on in this story, besides Zia’s search for her Italian family. From the future of a family vineyard to the rules regarding marital secrets, Sue tells this story brilliantly, taking everything in its stride, and despite covering this extended number of situations, the flow is unhindered and there is no feeling of being rushed.
Piero is a worthy holder of the love interest role, and I enjoyed following their gentle flirtations. Of course, if you are curious to discover if they move beyond flirtation, this book is available from 13th May via all the usual outlets!
I certainly enjoyed the wide array of characters, in this book, but in particular, I loved the immediate connection between Zia and Lucia Costa. The love from Lucia was a tangible emotion which was evident almost immediately.
I enjoyed my book escape to Italy, it coincided with some rather rainy weather

A fantastic trip to Italy, filled with intrigue and twists galore!
Beautiful setting and characters, it was easy to loose myself in this lovely story.
Very heartwarming and uplifting too, you found yourself hoping for a family reunion.
Sunshine filled fiction at its best! ☀️

OMG what an amazing book. I literally could not put this book down. I stayed up all night til 6am to finish it then went to sleep and alarm went off at 7.45am for work totally shattered but loved it so much. Great characters and loved find out all the twists and turns of Zia's life. I want to be at that vineyard now.

Sue Moorcroft's latest novel is mostly set in gloriously sunny Umbria where Zia-Lucia is trying to discover the identity of her father. The setting is on the edge of a vineyard and, of course, there is a handsome neighbour. The story proceeds apace through dramas, accidents, coincidences and misunderstandings. Family is all-important to Italians, provided that things are done correctly and within the dictates of the Catholic church. Luckily their hold is not as strong as it used to be. Evocative and warm-hearted, full of love and friendships.

Thanks to Net Galley and the publishers for the opportunity to review this book.

The Sun and the Stars twinkle throughout this book!
I've laughed, cried and thought my heart was trying to escape from my chest. Family, friendship and loyalty, with a few undesirables thrown into the mix, nothing is ever as simple as you'd hope it to be and for some of the characters, they face this turmoil. Sue will whisk you away to sunny, stary Italy, where the foods good, the wines better and togetherness will conquer all! If not you can always stay with the Nuns ;-)
Wonderful read!

This was lovely to read especially to ease that travel itch during quarantine. The setting was so richly built, and it was definitely my favorite part of this book - although I enjoyed our lovely heroine's development as well

Zia-Lucia is looking through her mother's things and comes across some letters and documents to make her question her parentage. She's always known that her father was Italian but has no idea who he is.
So she goes to Italy on a quest to find her family and along the way, meets Piero, part owner of the neighbouring vineyard.
What sets Sue Moorcroft's books apart from other feel good romances is that her characters are all very real and rounded. The meticulous research means that you always learn something new and really get a sense of Italy. Very welcome in snowy England.

The summer sun in this case is in Italy, where Zia has travelled with her friend Ursula in search of answers to some tantalising questions that have arisen after the death of her grandparents, who were her guardians. This is a great family mystery, set in the most beautiful scenery with a delicious romance along with warm friendships. A real feelgood read.

Under the Italian Sun by Sue Moorcroft hooked me from page one! I instantly wanted to know what the mystery was behind Zia's family and why she must go to Italy to find out.

Sue seamlessly wove past pain, love, and new beginnings together in a way that left you turning the pages to see what happened next and if Zia uncovered the mystery about her mother and father. That is what makes it hard to write a review for this book, because no matter where you dip your toes, you could be revealing a ripple that you don't want to give away.

I will say Zia's ex and the horse he rode in on should go all the way to H E double hockey sticks! Brendon was garbage, but I liked his character for the simple reason that he was showing Zia what she didn't want and what she could have with Piero.

Piero, oh, Piero. He was a hero worthy of his queen. He wanted to save his home so he could continue to do what he loved, but family pressure was making that difficult. We all understand being torn between our family and our passion, and Sue did an excellent job in showing us that we can't make everyone happy all the time, but there is usually a compromise in there somewhere.

Zia and Piero had problems, though. She couldn't stay in Italy without proof she was Italian and if she couldn't find her parents or family members, which was the reason she was in Umbria, then no matter how much she wanted to stay with Piero, her avenues were blocked. Or were they? Zia had a lot of soul-searching to do as she looked for the man who created her. She found love, lost love, found it again, and then had to decide if what she had waiting for her in Italy was worth giving up what she had in the UK. That answer was easy for Zia, but first, she had to find a way around her roadblocks keeping her from Piero.

I loved all of the secondary characters in Under the Italian Sun. I would love to see a book written about Zia's best friend Ursula finding her HEA! I loved her instantly and her sadness at the end of the book really hit me in the heart. I wanted her to find happiness and real, true love.

I can't say enough about how well-written this book was. I am rarely a fan of reading romances about other countries. They are usually not well done or accurate and I tend to shy away from them, but that is not the case with Under the Italian Sun. Sue Moorcroft transports you to the hills and valleys of Umbria, opening up a world to you that makes you feel like you're standing right next to Zia as she experiences the scenery herself. If you're looking for an excellent story of family love and loss with a hot hero to swoon for, you'll want to grab Under the Italian Sun, a cold drink, and settle in for a love story against the backdrop of beautiful Italy.

Thanks to Netgalley and Avon for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Intriguing!
Never a dull moment in Sue Moorcroft's stories! I was intrigued from the very first chapter and compelled to read chapter after chapter as the story developed with its many twists and turns (oh I do love a bit of mystery, me). I have followed Zia's quest with trepidation and captivation and exhaled a big sigh of relief when finally all was well. I read this book from a very peculiar point of view and I can only praise for the author's attention to details; you feel her love for my country and she depicts very authentic surroundings. The descriptions are so vivid you can almost hear, feel, smell the beautiful Umbrian countryside. There's an amazing set of characters you'll soon bond with (no, not to Brendon - and Stephen- you don't LOL) and will be sad to let go.
It's been great to travel to Montelibertà and my only regret is that Bella Vista is fictional or I would go there pronto!
Many thanks to Avon Books UK, NetGalley and the author for an early copy.

****Under the Italian Sun by Sue Moorcroft is a lovely book about family...both of blood and of the heart. Zia long has wondered about the identity of her father and goes to Italy with her best friend in hopes of finding him. She finds much more. The author does a good job describing her settings and her characters are defined. Dialogue is realistic and thankfully her characters don’t drown a good story in angst. I voluntarily reviewed an advance copy of this book from NetGalley. Highly recommend.

Exactly what you come to expect from Sue Moorcroft. Well crafted, relatable, multi layered characters and an absolute joy to read.

I want to thank the author and Netgalley for gifting me the ebook. I loved every page if this story. I read it in just a few days and I found the story from start to finish just had me hooked! The author did a great job holding your interest throughout the whole book. I love the book cover also. I highly recommend this book to all my friends and people reading this review.

I received this book for an honest review

What a fun summer read! The setting was to die for with the rich culture and views. So much fun.

Zia has never known her father, all she knows is that he was Italian. When she discovers she is not who she thought she was, she travels to Italy to try to get some answers to her questions. As she begins her quest to unravel family secrets, will she find the answers that she is looking for?

A really lovely book. Great storyline and characters set in a beautiful location. This was an enjoyable and entertaining read.

"Under the Italian Sun" needs a different title. I don't think it fits the story very well, but it was still a good story overall. I felt like Zia overcame a lot as she discovered her paternal side of the family.... But man, she is friends with/ dates freaks back in England. I really enjoyed her relationship with her aunt, and namesake.
Piero: the Italian of my dreams. He has his head screwed on right. He balanced Zia out, and I just wish he came to his senses sooner.
If this was made into a movie, even a Netflix show.... It would be interesting for sure!

I have read many of Sue Moorcroft’s books and I have to say I think this is my favorite! I love the characters, the plot and especially the setting. I definitely felt like I was on holiday with Zia in the beautiful area of Monteliberta, Umbria. The descriptions of the vineyard, the houses, the food and the wine had me relaxing just as Zia was as she lounged outside soaking in the Italian Sun.

I was so interested in what was going to happen in the story that I wanted to rush through and reach the end without stopping, at the same time I really did not want the book to end. I made myself stop at certain points, since I really wanted to enjoy this wonderful story for as long as possible. Also, a sign of a great book, is that I cannot begin another one soon afterwards. I want to continue thinking about the book I finished. This was absolutely true for Under the Italian Sun!

The sparks definitely fly between the Zia and Piero from their first meeting and while their story is wonderful to read, the book has other subplots going on that are just as interesting. Zia is alone in the world (except her friend Ursula) now that the few family members she had have died. She recently discovered her father’s identity and goes to Italy with Ursula in search for information about him. As you can imagine, the quest to find him is emotional.

As important as the interaction of the two main characters of Zia and Piero is, I feel the friendship of Zia and Ursula needs to be comment on. These two people are different in many ways, but they exhibit the true meaning of friendship. To care about each other so much that they drop everything to help the other one.

I enjoyed this book so much and highly recommend it! During this time of stress while the world is still dealing with Covid, for over a year now, this book took me on a vacation to Italy, let me meet new interesting people and see, through the author’s words, a beautiful future since it does end with a happily ever after.

I want to thank NetGalley and Avon Books UK for giving me the pleasure of reading the advance reader copy, with no obligation to write a review. My review is written freely as a hobby, and is totally my own opinion, not influenced by receiving the ARC.

Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher. I like this author her books are light hearted with great characters and great locations, this was no exception. Good read

Whenever I read a Sue Moorcroft book, I know I won’t be disappointed, and Under the Italian Sun was no exception. It was a real page turner and I really enjoyed getting to know the wide cast of characters. The plot flowed well and there was enough romantic - and other - intrigue, to keep me hooked.

I absolutely loved the beautiful Italian setting - it was so well described and I truly felt the magic of the Italian stars. It was exactly what I needed during lockdown, and I almost felt like I was in sun-scorched Umbria, about to take a wander through the cypress trees and twisting vines.

Zia was a well-rounded and likeable character, and I enjoyed her quest to find out about her parentage, as well as her chemistry with Piero - another hot Moorcroft hero. Zia’s best friend Ursula was quirky and great, and at times I found myself shaking my head at her husband Stephan’s old-fashioned attitude. My swearing was reserved for Zia’s ex Brendon though! I won’t say any more for fear of spoilers...

Overall, Under the Italian Sun was a joyous read about identity, and claiming love, and I can’t wait to read Sue’s next book.

With thanks to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for this ARC.

As any of Sue's books they are simply wonderful and makes you really feel like you are there. It really makes me want to go to Italy.

With likeable characters I loved Zia's story and a great plot this is truly magical and just what I needed to read.