One Italian Summer is about a woman dealing with the loss of her mother. In an attempt to feel closer to her mom and work through her grief after her death, she takes a solo trip to Italy and visits the same town where her mother once lived. And while there-- she finds her mother, alive and well and only 30 years old.

This story has a touch of magical realism, which I liked! I think it's fun to read contemporary, realistic stories that play around with the rules of time and logic. Unfortunately it was one of the few things that I did enjoy about this book.

Generally I enjoy books about travel and being able to experience a new place through the story. For some reason, I didn't love it so much in this story. I felt like a LOT of the story was about exploring Italy and that overshadowed the story for me, and I struggled to stay interested.

I also struggled with the romantic elements of this story. We didn't know enough about Katy's husband to be invested in him, and then we didn't know enough about the guy we met in Italy to be invested in him. I also don't love stories about infidelity, so in general-- the romance didn't work at all for me in this one.

This one was a miss for me, but I have seen others who enjoyed it. So perhaps it could be just right for you??

Thanks to Netgalley and Atria books for sending me a copy in exchange for my honest review.

*** 4.5 Stars On My Instagram Account***

"I felt a fierce pull of love for her, for all the women she had been before me, all the women I never got to know."

There is no greater love, no more a contentious relationship than mothers and daughters and I speak from personal experience. One Italian Summer by Rebecca Serle explores this dynamic in an emotional story that should come with a box of tissues.

Only child Katy is spiraling from the grief of losing her mother to cancer. She can't even cry. She doesn't think she will ever stop if she starts. She decides to take the trip to Positano, Italy her and her Mom, her best friend, had planned together. It's where her Mom says she discovered herself when she was 30, the same age as Katy now. Once there the beauty of the place just adds to her sorrow knowing her Mom isn't there with her. But then she is there. Not the older sickly Mom but the young vibrant woman who became her mother.

Katy befriends this woman who doesn't know she is looking at her daughter. There are some surprising twists as Katy learns her Mom wasn't a perfect human, that life is for the living and grief should be an expression of love not the end of it.

I am glad I read and listened to Katy's journey. I missed some emotions from others in the book, like Katy's husband, that I found in the audiobook through the heartfelt performance from amazing actress Lauren Graham. Conversely, I appreciated even more the beautiful descriptive prose of Italy, its people and food in reading the book.

Having lost my Mom in 2020 I had a visceral experience with this story. We didn't always get along like Katy and her Mom but unlike Katy I got 60 years with mine. Her last voicemail was, "I love you. Talk later." We didn't talk later. Call your Mom!

I received a free copy of this ARC/ALC from the publishers via #netgalley for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

Unfortunately, this book didn't click for me! I had issues with the main characters (I won't get into it here since I don't want to spoil anything) but it made it really hard for me to get into this book. Bummer!

Thank you to Netgalley for this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

I loved Serle’s other books, so I pushed through reading this one. From the beginning I was turned off by the relationship that Katy had with her mother and unfortunately it never got less cringeworthy. I kept reading because of the great scene setting in Italy, but the main character was hard to get past. I would still read future books by the author because of my love of her past books.

Rebecca Serle always manage to add magic to her books…and crack. There was something so addicting about this book. Serle manages to describe Italy so beautifully that it felt like I was in Italy, Positano myself. After reading this book I long for it to be summer already, my love for summer got stronger after reading this. This might just start my obsession with stories set in Italy. This book made me forgot that I was reading, that’s how good it was.

It seemed like the only MC’s personality trait was being her mothers daughter if that makes sense??

One thing I wish was to see more of ERIC. I’m sure a book about him would be amazing 🥲

Flew through ONE ITALIAN SUMMER! It's a moving story that will allow you to be transported to glorious Positano (complete with descriptions of the food, drinks, scenery) while also taking you on an emotional journey of. daughter overcome with grief and questions after losing her mom to cancer.

I loved @library_journal's review on Instagram that said, "going down as easy as a limoncello on a hot summer's day, this daydream of a story affirms what it means to love and be loved. An enchanting book for the last cold day's of winter, but also suggest it to readers come summer."

In comparison to my other February reads, this one wasn't my favorite but it's definitely been getting lots of hype (and my guess will be a popular spring/summer read).

Similarly to IN FIVE YEARS, this book also contains a time-warp element, which to be completely honest didn't work for me (even though I typically love magical realism aspects). It just left me with more questions and confusion!

Rating: 4

This was a good book but wasn’t a book for me. I can appreciate a book that is well written and tells a story well even if I didn’t vibe with it. The problem with this book for me was timing. I wish I would have read this book a month ago because then I would have loved it. It felt like a different version of her other book, In Five Years. Almost like this was a rough draft before she finalized that story. This book had such a similar premise, main character, and the issues the main character dealt with were almost identical. This wouldn’t have bothered me a month ago because I hadn’t read In Five Years. Now that I have and I loved it, I do not know if similar books will be able to compete. I know you shouldn't compare two books but when they are almost identical it’s hard not to.

This is definitely a book you have to experience for yourself. Each person is going to have a different connection to the characters and the storyline. For me, I was expecting it to be more heart-wrenching and emotional and I just didn’t feel that. It could be that I don’t have a strong relationship with my mom. She left when I was 7 and I saw her once a year until I was 18. I think if you have a strong relationship with your mom then this book would really impact you. If you need a book that will transport you to a different location then read this one. The author did such a great job with describing the settings and making you feel like you were in Italy! Overall, I do recommend this one because it was a good book and just wasn’t a book for me.

Thank you so much @atriabooks for the #gifted copy on #netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I love that this is a book about the mother/daughter relationship. I was closer to my mom growing up than my dad, and I really hope that my daughter and I keep a close relationship as well. This book definitely pulls at the heart strings, and I can’t imagine how lost Katy must have felt right after the death of her mother. The setting in Italy is amazing, and it makes me want to hop on a plane and visit!

There was a lot of wisdom in these pages, but I found myself having a hard time connecting with Katy. While I am close to my mom, and I hope that Zoe is always close with me…I am not narcistic enough to think that I am the love of either of their lives. I also think that Katy treated her very supportive husband like complete garbage, and those parts were really hard to read. Overall, I really enjoyed this book but I am also left wondering exactly what we were supposed to think of Katy seeing her mom in Italy. If you read it, I would love to hear your thoughts.

Bottom Line: Read it.

**I received a copy of One Italian Summer from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. All opinions of of my own.**

What a delightful read! I really enjoyed reading about the beautiful Italian scenery and the food. I loved hearing about the delicious food and I wanted to eat it through the pages!

I thought for awhile that Katy's relationship with her mother was too close for parts of the book, but as the book progressed and as things were revealed, it made more sense. I liked how she reconnected with Eric and strengthened their relationship.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an e ARC of this book.
A fantastical story set on the Amalfi coast with great scenery and lots of yummy food.
Love and family and and twists of time. A light, entertaining read.

This book is the reason I read! This was perfect escapism and such a beautiful story. First off, the plot is unusual, I did not expect the turn it took and that made me want to read the book in almost one sitting. Writing is incredible and emotional, but not overly complex. And Italy, just WOW! I am ready to book my ticket to Italy today if I could, this book just made me fall in love with the place I've never been to before.
This book screams summer from the cover to the last page and will be perfect to match any summer vacation.

Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for the free copy in exchange for my honest review.

This book fell a little bit flat for me, but I think it's because I loved her other book so much. In this one, there is quite a bit of magical realism, which didn't really intrigue me that much. However, I did love the description of Italian food and scenery. If this book doesn't make you yearn for a trip to Italy, I don't know what will. There was also major marital infidelity in this book, and I really could see no reasoning for it. Not a big fan of that plot point.

Although upon quick glance at the title, One Italian Summer might seem to fall into the cliché chick-lit category, there is much more to the story and overall it was well executed. This is not the type of book I would normally gravitate towards and honestly, at different points of the book the relationship between Katy and Carol was hard for me to read due to my own recent experience with loss. There is always something to be said for an author that is able to convey an emotion in an authentic way, and I believe Serle was able to do so in this novel. I’m glad I read it, and perhaps at a different time, I would have enjoyed it just that much more. On a lighter note, this was an extremely visual book that captures the essence of the Italian coast (and makes me want to travel in Italy again ASAP).

Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for this ARC!

This book reminded me of Mamma Mia vibes but make it Italy!

I may be biased, but I think reading this in Italy really elevated it for me! The setting was everything from the descriptions of the scenery to the the food and everything in-between 🤌🏻. It truly described my experience, and I was living for it.

I loved the sentiment of Katy and Carol’s relationship, the messiness and realness that reflects real life relationships with everything that comes with it; the highs and lows, the love and loss, and the hurt and heart were all so evident in every word.

The magical realism was woven in a way that worked for me, but you have to suspend some belief and just go with it.

I really enjoy her writing style, and can’t wait to see what’s next for her!

Believe it or not, this is my first book by Rebecca Serle but it won't be my last. One Italian Summer has a vivid Italian setting that makes you wish you were there. All the imagery and my goodness, the descriptions of all the amazing sounding food had me daydreaming of an Italian getaway.

One thing that had always deterred me from her books is the magical realism aspects that I know they have. For whatever reason, that's just a hard genre for me, but it worked with this plotline.

A good vacation/beach read or one for when you just need to escape even if you can't physically travel.

3.5/5⭐️

Katy's beloved mother, Carol, dies and she is lost. Her marriage seems to be in trouble as she grieves the loss of the woman who was her best friend. Katy and Carol had planned to take a mother-daughter trip to the Amalfi Coast of Italy to visit Carol's old stomping grounds. After Carol's death, Katy makes the trip on her own. She learns more about her mother than she ever could have expected and rediscovers herself along the way. This one kept me guessing and makes me want to plan a trip to Italy!

Review will be posted on 3/28/22
Katy and her mom, Carol, have been planning a trip to Positano, Italy. Positano holds a special place in Carol's heart as she spent a summer there in her younger years and she can't wait to take Katy there. Everything is going as planned until Carol is diagnosed with cancer and unfortunately dies before they could take the trip. Katy, who is very close to her mother, is absolutely devastated. She's questioning everything at this point, including her marriage to her college sweetheart. She realizes that she's unhappy with him and wants a break from their marriage. Meanwhile, she plans to take the trip to Positano alone even though it scares her to travel by herself. Once there, Katy realizes why her mother was always so enamored with the Amalfi Coast. It's gorgeous! While at Hotel Poseidon, she tries to relax and also do some of the things that she planned with her mother. Katy is obviously still grieving, but she meets Adam, a businessman also staying at the hotel. They hit it off immediately. Katy spends this time exploring the coast, eating the delicious Italian food, hanging out with Adam, soaking up some sun, drinking more than a few glasses of wine, and surprisingly, she sees her mother. Except this isn't her mother on her death bed, it's Carol, in her thirties, living on the Amalfi Coast, just like she did that one glorious summer. How can this be? How could Katy's mother be right before her eyes? Without thinking too deeply about it, Katy tries to spend as much time with her "new friend" and along the way, she learns some secrets about her mother. Katy comes to realize Carol had a whole entire life before she became a mother and she sees her in a whole other light. Rebecca Serle's One Italian Summer is a book that examines the grieving process, but the story's end it is undoubtably hopeful.

I'm going to be honest here, but Katy wasn't my favorite in One Italian Summer. I was hoping for a nice mother-daughter relationship, but what I found was a co-dependent one that bordered on unhealthy. Katy was way too reliant on her mother for just about everything to the point where her death uproots her life entirely. I wondered if Katy was going to be able to live without her mother telling her what to do, how to dress, etc. Once I got past their extremely codependent relationship that would have benefited from some healthy boundaries, I tried to enjoy the ride. Serle makes a regular contemporary novel more magical by incorporating a time-warp element to the story. Once Katy meets her younger mother, I really got suck into the story. What can I say? I love a good Back to the Future vibe.

The real star of the show is the Amalfi Coast setting in One Italian Summer. Serle really brought it to life and I felt like I was there. The descriptions of the landmarks, the azure water, the delectable food, the wine, and the people were spot on. It had me wanting to drop everything to plan a trip to visit the Amalfi coast and Capri once again. Because of this absolutely immersive setting, One Italian Summer would be a great spring break read.

It should be noted though that One Italian Summer got a little depressing at times. There's the issue of infidelity, terminal cancer, and family secrets that felt downright heavy at times. Serle has written about terminal cancer before and it is starting to get to be a bit too much at times. Despite this, I felt Serle captured the grieving process very well.

While I had issues with a few things in One Italian Summer, I felt the play on time travel was a nice touch as well as the memorable setting. These factors, along with the fact that it is an extremely quick read, made for an decent novel overall and one that you could throw in your bag over spring break.

So, are you a fan of Rebecca Serle's novels? Is One Italian Summer on your TBR list? Let me know in the comments below.

In the midst of grief, Katy embarks on a solo trip to Italy after her mother Carol sadly passes away. Katy hopes to feel her mother’s spirit with her as she travels to Positano, a place her mother visited before she became the woman Katy knew. In a magical twist, Katy meets a sun-kissed 30-year old version of her mother, alive in more ways than one, who helps her to learn more about herself and her mother than she could have ever imagined.

Can you imagine meeting someone, not to mention your parents, a lifetime before they were the person you know today? The premise itself is reason enough to read this book. Katy gets the opportunity to meet her mother as all the women she had been before her, all the women Katy never got to know. Rebecca Serle masters this premise with such ease and magic. Serle creates a perfect blend of poignant and heartwarming moments that are packaged in short but impactful and thought-provoking stories.

Katy begins this story lost, and that's something that I feel like many people can relate to at some point in their life. But the entire novel was a reminder that life is ever evolving. "What you got here won't get you there." While I am not sure I cared some of Katy's actions or cared for certain sub-plots, I appreciate how the book ended and the message that others can wave and cheer, but no one can give you directions in this long marathon we call love and life.

I would be remiss if I didn't warn you that you'll be looking up travel deals to Postiano immediately. Nothing has made me want to travel to Italy as much as One Italian Summer, and this book would make the perfect itinerary. Oh and it will make you THIRSTY... One Italian Summer pairs well with a tall glass of freshly squeezed ice cold lemonade.

If you liked In Five Years, I think you will feel similar after reading this one. There is a beautiful dichotomy between the two; where In Five Years follows a young woman who thinks she will follow her five year plan to a T, One Italian Summer follows a woman who loses the one person who had all the answers; where In Five Years examines the love of two friends, One Italian Summer explores a mother-daughter relationship; where In Five Years sprinkles bouts of grief, One Italian Summer puts it on full blast from the start. I can't wait to see what Serle's next novel explores.

Thank you to Netgalley and Atria Books for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

One Italian Summer is a well written, from the heart novel about the special relationship between a mother and a daughter. The premise was unique, yet the pace was slow. I had a hard connecting to Katy. For me Italy stole the show. Serle’s descriptive settings made me want to take a trip like Katy and explore beautiful Italy. This one wasn’t my favorite but still a solid read I’d recommend.

2.5⭐️

I went into this with low expectations(but high hopes!) because I really disliked this authors last book, In Five Years.Unfortunately, it did not surpass my expectations.

Even though I don’t subjectively think this was a ~good~ book, I do have to give the author credit for its readability. The writing is simple, the chapters are short, there’s always some sort of turn around the corner to keep your interest, so I can see the appeal. The authors writing reminds me of Taylor Jenkins Reid’s books in the sense that they feel they are written more for TV than they are for paper.

My biggest issues with this book were
1. The absolutely delusional main character and her unbelievably clingy/possessive/selfish relationship she had with her mom
2. The “epiphany” or moral of the story is insultingly obvious
3. Cheating

Katy is obsessed with her mom -

“If your mother is the love of your life, what does that make your husband?”

“If you’d have asked her, Who do you belong to, the answer would have been Katy.”

“I believe there wasn’t a man on earth she would have traded him for, but there was no relationship above ours. I was her one, just like she was mine.”


Ok i’m sorry - but what 30 year old woman is so clueless that she genuinely believes her mothers entire life revolves around her??? I was rolling my eyes the whole time.

There’s also cheating which is never addressed at the end.

Overall this was very much not for me 😊

Thank you to Netgalley and atria books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.