I loved how descriptive this book was on Italy, and will be a great summer read for those that want to escape into a sweet book.

4 STARS!

I adored this book! Thank you Atria publishing for the ARC! I was super excited for it because I was a big fan of In Five Years.

Rebecca Serle has such a unique way of writing that I am absolutely obsessed with! She had me feeling all of the emotions. She writes the perfect amount of sweet, heartfelt, mixed in with some sad and interesting and quirky plots! I thoroughly enjoyed the magical realism of this story.

I felt like I was teleported to Italy. The descriptions of Positano and the Amalfi Coast were incredible and I truly felt like I was right there alongside Katy experience everything. Left me with a ton of wanderlust.

There were many things throughout the book that had me relating to Katy a whole lot! The concept of time and feeling like "is this all there is" and feeling like you're too young yet running out of time is so relatable and something we all go through. The story had me constantly pausing to reflect on my own life and my own relationship with my mom.

This story was enchanting and I enjoyed every second of it. I did go back and forth with the audiobook and I also recommend checking it out because Lauren Graham does an incredible job and truly brings the story to life.

What an enchanting story! Loved every minute. I have traveled to Italy but this book makes me want to plan a trip to Positano immediately. I can almost feel the warmth of the sun and the taste of a glass of Montepulciano wine.

Katy has recently lost her mother, who was also her best friend and her guiding light. Her marriage is at a crossroads as well, so Katy decides to take the trip to Italy that she and her mother had planned before her mother's death. Her husband is understandably unhappy with Katy's decision but the call of the Hotel Poseidon and magical Positano is just too strong.

Once Katy arrives on the Amalfi Coast, everything changes. She locks her cell phone away in the hotel safe and embarks on a magical adventure involving a handsome hotel investor named Adam and a beautiful young woman named Carol. Katy has come face to face with her mother as a young woman. If this sounds all too crazy to be believable, it's not, and the author weaves this lovely tale with a clever hand and a story that is almost like a travel guide to Italy.
“I feel like there are more hours in the day here,” I say to Adam. “That’s why I love it,” he says. Everything is longer in Positano. Even time.

I do not like overly sentimental books, but the emotion in this story is so genuine that everything felt natural and unforced. I loved watching Katy discover new things about her own mother that she never knew, and in the process, discovering things about herself as well.

"I watch her disappear down the steeply descending staircase. I am watching her becoming, I think. Here she is, at the start."

Adam is very charming and seductive and Katy is conflicted about what to do about her husband Eric, who she met and married when she was relatively young. Katy is looking for answers and is shocked to learn a secret from her own family's past when she meets the 30-year-old Carol. How can this be? Everything in Positano has a magical aura, from the food and wine to the sites and the gorgeous scenery.

I got lost in the Italian setting and seriously want to visit Hotel Poseidon. I loved the conclusion of this book, and found the characters and plot absolutely enchanting. Rebecca Serle has wonderful insights into mother-daughter relationships and I really enjoyed reading about Katy and Carol. If you are looking for a wonderful escape from real life for a few hours of delicious reading, this is the book for you.

"There is more to life than just continuing to do what we know. What got you here won’t get you there."

(Thanks to the publisher Atria Books for providing an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.)

#OneItalianSummer:

“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.”

Searle is definitely on brand with this hit as our MC believes she’s seeing her mother from 30 years ago.. the same mother that just passed and was supposed to go on this trip with her. If you read In Five Years, it has the same feel of Dannie going 5 years in the future. I really didn’t enjoy the ending of In Five Years and felt it was very left field, so when I realized we were going down this path, I got weary. Happy to report, my heart is still with One Italian Summer and I enjoyed it much more than IFY.

Basically, all you need to know is that It’s a short and sweet book. It ripped my heart out and I cried for hours after kind of book.

The big twist/reveal was one that I knew was coming and I’m glad it played out. There were little breadcrumbs, so it was good that they weren’t left field like IFY.

I listened to this on audio thanks to Simon and enjoyed it! Lauren Graham brought Katy to kite in the best way. She did such a great job evoking all the emotions.

If you saw my stories, you saw how wrecked I got from this book. 🥴 Overall, an amazing read that had me crying like a baby. Thank you bookcluv and Simon for the gifted copies! One Italian Summer is out now!

As a big fan of Rebecca Serle, I knew that One Italian Summer would encompass both some heavy topics and an interesting twist to how they’re approached. I wasn’t wrong!

A hard read if you’re recently lost a parent or grandparent, this book is beautifully written and nuanced in its depiction of its characters. What I loved most was the dive into getting to know mothers before we knew then as such, giving them the respect and complexity as women they deserve.

If you’ve ever been to Positano you’ll recognize a lot of locations and restaurants too which is so fun!

Hug your loved ones extra tight and dive in to this tough but beautiful read.

I’ve been excited to read 𝐎𝐍𝐄 𝐈𝐓𝐀𝐋𝐈𝐀𝐍 𝐒𝐔𝐌𝐌𝐄𝐑 by Rebecca Serle since the moment I first heard about it. Her last book, 𝘐𝘯 𝘍𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘠𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘴, was one of the books that got me through those early days of lockdown. For that it will always stand out, so there were big shoes to fill. In many ways, Serle delivered exactly what I had hoped in this story about 30ish Katy who has just lost her mom. Overall, the feel was light. The Positano setting was vividly described, made stunning in my mind. So much so that I’ve added it to the list of places I MUST visit. The side characters were well done, adding a sense of reality and contributing to the overall atmosphere.⁣
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Where the story broke down for me was in Katy herself. I lost my own mom this year, so that grief lives close by. I’d love nothing more than to see her again and I know that others who loved her feel exactly the same way. For me, Katy’s single mindedness in believing her own grief was so much more than anyone else's really bothered me. Especially her father’s grief, which Katy largely dismissed. Ouch! I found her difficult to like because of this. I also found it hard to believe that Katy knew so little about large parts of her mom’s life when she spoke over and over about how close they were. The reasons given for this just didn’t add up. I know many have enjoyed 𝘖𝘯𝘦 𝘐𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘢𝘯 𝘚𝘶𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘳 much more, so please check out other reviews before deciding on this one..
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Many thanks to @atriabooks for an ARC of #oneitaliansummer

This book was a wonderful escape from reality. Who wouldn’t want to be in Positano - or anywhere on the Amalfi Coast? The descriptions were amazing. The story was sweet and heartbreaking all at once. A young woman's experience with the loss of her mother, her best friend. She begins to question everything in her life, and escapes to Positano, where she learns not only about herself but her mother too. The story grabbed my attention from the start, easily brought me right to Positano and kept me engaged until the very end.

Katy's mother Carol was more than just a mother to her. She was her best friend and Katy doesn't know what her life is supposed to look like without her mother in it. They had planned a trip together to visit Positano so Carol could show Katy all the beauty that beloved city has to offer, since it was where Carol spent the summer before she met Katy's father. Still reeling from the her mother's death, Katy decides to embark on the trip alone. When she arrives, she can certainly see why her mother loved this area so much. Then, she sees Carol, looking absolutely stunning and 30 years old. Katy cannot understand what is happening, but if she has the opportunity to spend even one more minute with her mother, she is going to do everything it takes to do so.

I related to this book on so many levels. My mom was also my best friend and my everything, so when she passed away suddenly, I felt so many of the emotions that Katy had. I thought the author did a wonderful job handling that sense of loss and really tapped into those feelings. I think many of us would love to know our parents as their younger selves and ask all the questions we didn't ask when we had the chance. The descriptions of the Amalfi coast are so vivid that I felt transported away from the snowy days we have had here.

One Italian Summer was a beautiful novel that showcased the power of family bond and the love between a mother and daughter. I received this book courtesy of the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Wow wow wow!! This was such a beautiful story. I want to pack up my bags and head straight to Italy! I was able to connect so much with this book because of my relationship with my mom. I put myself is Katy’s shoes and I loved her journey so much. From the second she lands in Italy I just kept picturing all the beautiful scenery. The author did a phenomenal job at describing the small town and all the amazing food. It was very hard for me to to put this book down! I could of read 200 more pages!!

Thanks to NetGalley for a free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Unfortunately this book was not for me. I almost stopped reading after the first chapter because the main character, Katy, came off as so self centered and immature. I just couldn't connect on any level with how self absorbed she was .... Ignoring the feelings of others, like her father and her husband

Once she got to Italy, the rich descriptions of the setting and food kept me reading, but that soon became a bit repetitive. And Katy didn't become any more likable.... Not to mention the weird time travel component. Just a mediocre book at best. 2.5 stars rounded to 3 .

After Katy's mother dies, she's completely lost; her mother was her best friend, her everything. She begins to question her marriage and how she will go on without the guidance of her mother. Carol and Katy had been talking for years about visiting Positano, but when she got sick they started seriously planning. Carol spent a magical summer there before Katy was born, but now that her mother is gone Katy decides to make the trip alone.

As soon as Katy gets to Positano, she feels her mother's spirit. Then as she's walking through the hotel lobby, she slips; when she opens her eyes, a younger version of her mother is looking over her. Katy doesn't understand what is happening, but she will not let this opportunity go. Katy wants to get to know Carol as the woman she was before she became her mother. But, there are things in her mother's past Katy isn't quite ready to learn.

I'm a bit late with my review, but time got away from me. I listened to the audio version, told by Lauren Graham, and I'm sure glad I did! One Italian Summer was a fast-paced read; I was interested from beginning to end. Serle writes of Italy so beautifully that I felt like I was there myself. Like her last book, In Five Years, it has a time travel aspect, and I enjoyed how it's there, but it's not overdone. I'm not thinking about the mechanics behind it. I'm just there to enjoy the ride. I thought the story was original and beautifully written. I will definitely pick up her next book!

I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I don’t usually like magical realism, but there is something about Rebecca Serle’s writing that makes me enjoy her style of it. I really enjoyed In Five Years and this one was just as good. I don’t want to give any spoilers away but this is the story of a woman deep in grief over the loss of her Mom. No one could understand their close relationship. And because of that she is desperate to reconnect with her Mom. They had planned a trip when her Mom got sick. Get Mom always wanted to go back to Italy and show her daughter all the wonders of it. The trip was planned, but Mom passes before they can go. Katy decides to go anywhere and that’s where the story takes off.
Just as in the previous book there are some very moving moments. Anyone that misses someone so deeply will be able to connect with this story. After all, wouldn’t everyone want what Katy got to experience? I would have given it 5 stars except Katy’s personality bothered me. She was very tough to connect with. I didn’t understand many of her choices.

This was a cute story, but the "paranormal" part gets to me. I've realized this is a theme with her books and the main part that makes me not like it. I think she may just not be an author for me.

This book described the scenery and food so well that I want to hop on a plane to Italy right now.

The plot also kept me engaged and I couldn’t put it down because I wanted to see what happened next. It was very well written, and I love Serle’s writing style. Overall, I loved the exploration of mother-daughter relationships and grief in a way that was very heartfelt but lighthearted at the same time.

However, the main character annoyed me a little bit. I hated the way she treated her husband, and I could have done without the storyline with another male character.

Thank you to Netgalley and Atria Books for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a story about a woman named Katy who lost her true love, her soulmate, her mother. Katy and her mother Carol were the best of friends. Katy relied on Carol for everything. What restaurants to eat at, how she should decorate her home, etc. Her mom was perfect, her everything. When Katy loses her mom to cancer right before they were supposed to go on a trip to Italy. In here youth her mom had spent time in Italy and wanted to share that with Katy. Katy, feeling lost leaves her husband and still goes to Italy to see all the places her mother saw.

Once in Italy, Katy meets Carol, her mother from 30 years earlier. She is floored and wants to spend as much time with her as she can. Katy finds out her mother isn't so perfect and had some of the same fears that Katy has in her own life.

Katy dealing with her grief is not sure what to do with her life. Does she stay with her husband? Does she have a career to go back to? How will she handle life without her mother there to help guide her. Can she find love with Adam, the developer that she meets while in Italy?

I found this to be a heartfelt story. One of grief but also where the main character finds herself. Where she had to leave to find out who she is and grow into a woman without her mother. I'm glad to see that she was able to remove the rose colored glasses and see that her mom wasn't always perfect. That she had made some mistakes in her life and had to grow into the person she was.

It was a pretty good story and I would love to visit Italy one day to have Katy's experiences. The one draw back I had was I just felt like I'm not sure how she ended back in a time of her mothers youth in Italy. Was it really real? Did she dream it? I felt like that was missing from this story and I would have liked to have that explained.

This was my first book by Rebecca Serle and I absolutely loved it! I immediately connected with Katy and her grief, as I too, have lost my mom. I miss our mother daughter trips and shopping days and just calling to ask advice.
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I have always loved to travel and spent a summer backpacking around Europe. So the magical setting of Positano and the Amalfi coast completely enchanted me and had me googling a trip for myself there!
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This book is an emotional dive into finding yourself after a loss, how our loved ones never really leave us and how we can find comfort in the least expected places.

This was my first book by this author but I had heard that her books could be tearjerkers. It's a good thing I don't mind a good cry because this one gutted me. I was not okay when I finished this book.

What I liked about this book: Let's start with the absolute best part of this book: the setting. Are you longing for a trip to Italy but maybe can't get there these days? I feel you. This book was the perfect escape to Italy that I needed right now. The descriptions of Positano make you feel like you are walking alongside Katy. (I even found myself doing a Google street view of Positano and finding so many of the landmarks mentioned.)

Second, the author captures the feelings of grief so incredibly well. Grief appears differently for everyone and while I may have judged at times some of the decisions of the main character, ultimately I understand that grief makes us do things that may not make sense to others. And I thought the emotions that these characters were feeling throughout their grieving were so well brought to life by the author. So many messages in this book spoke to me, mostly the message of that transition to motherhood and how it's easy to lose oneself in that transition. But also the importance of living in the present, appreciating what you have, and holding on to your loved ones because we don't know what tomorrow brings.

What didn't work for me: I started this book hesitantly and did not care for the main character and some of her decisions, particularly about how she treated her husband. But once again, I reminded myself that grief is complicated. While I didn't agree with the main character, she was written so well.

Overall, I loved this book. I'm so glad I read it. It was the gut-wrenching story I needed right now.

I wanted to read One Italian Summer because I enjoyed In Five Years, there was a surreal element, and the cover is so enticing. If you're looking for an amazing overseas armchair adventure where you can imagine eating delicious food all day long, then pick this one up!

The descriptions in this novel definitely transported me overseas to a place I've never actually been. I could feel it all come to life in front of me. I liked that the focus of this story was more about a mother and daughter relationship, even though there were some romantic scenes outside of that. It felt like I was taking a vacation inside my head while reading this novel. It also had some elements that reminded me of This is Us. I liked the location aspect of this novel the most.

While the story was interesting overall, it didn't really move me like I was expecting it to. Katy was always waffling on her decisions, even when a big revelation happened. I understand how Carol felt about some things, but she could have gone about them in different ways.

Since no two readers are alike, I encourage you to pick this one up and see what you think.

Movie casting suggestions:
Katy: Emily Ratajkowski
Carol (younger version): Billie Lourd
Eric: Logan Lerman
Adam: Brant Daugherty
Nika: Matilda De Angelis
Marco: Rhys Coiro


Originally reviewed at Chick Lit Central

While I loved the slightly magical twist of One Italian Summer - as many of Serle's books have - ultimately it wasn't for me. I struggled to connect with our main character Katy, who never felt like a fully fleshed out character, stuck within a far too predictable plot. The most redeeming part of the whole novel were the descriptions of Italy, Positano, and the food. That transported me and made me want to get on a plane ASAP and head over there. Otherwise, I flew through the whole book, waiting for Katy to find herself and was left disappointed.

Be prepared to go on another emotional journey with Rececca Serle’s newest book, One Italian Summer.
This go around we are following Katy who just lost her mom to cancer. Katy and her mother were extremely close and had a trip planned to Italy together. Katy decides
to go on said trip solo to process, grieve, and figure out who she is without her mother.
The gorgeous setting, tantalizing food descriptions, and the description of Italian culture will have you wanting to pack your bags head off.
There is a twist at the end that is very Rebecca Serle and I love how it wrapped up the story.
Thanks to Netgalley and Atria Books for sending me a copy. All opinions expressed are my own.