4.25⭐️

I want to live this story (well, minus the twat face ex-boyfriend haha.) I really enjoyed this one!!! The second I knew that Anna needed a partner in crime I knew how this was going to play out (and was excited to see how the author would tell the tale of it haha.)

This story reminded me of my wanderlust and my desire to take off and be somewhere else in the world! It has not only made me want to travel, but has satisfied that need to travel in a small way since I am not currently doing so.

I really enjoyed the characters and the contrast in their personalities. I appreciated that not all of the issues portrayed were just wrapped up nicely with a shiny red bow. There are things in life that don’t go the way we want them to, and I am glad the author included that in a small way here.

I would love to revisit this world of characters and see other perspectives of some of the townspeople. And just to revisit this haven in Italy, and lose myself in it.

I hope you will pick this one up and give it a try!!

Thank you to Kathryn Freeman, One More Chapter m, and Netgalley for a gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.

A nice charming summer read.in a beautiful setting.. Who doesn’t wanna live in a gorgeous castle in Italy?The only thing I didn’t really like was the behavior of the main characters. The way the (over)reacted to every little thing. They behaved more like teenagers then adults.

I got this arc in exchange for an honest review.

If you're looking for a fun summer romp in Italy, I don't really think you can go wrong with this book! I was intrigued by the title, and immediately captured by the fake dating romance between Anna and Jake. The chemistry between the pair is absolutely off the charts, and their sizzling love story was matched by the perfect, dream-like setting of an Italian castle on Lake Como. Basically, this book had all the things I dream about for the future! This is a perfect pool/beach/vacation read and I loved every second!

I normally love a feel-good book that delivers on a classic trope. However, this one didn't resonate with me. I had trouble connecting with the two leads and some of the narration started to take away from the story. I think I would have enjoyed it more if there were more creative spins on these plot devices and if the main characters had a bit more depth.

Absolutely baffled by all the good reviews, maybe it's me that's wrong about this?! Either way, I found it dull and tedious from start to finish.

As with any romance, it's obvious the 2 make characters will end up together, but I could do without them going on and on about how sexy they find each other on every page. It felt like it had no real substance, just a book about 2 people fancying each other.

There were also moments in the book where I feel like consent was a real issue. Although Anna tells us as the reader that she enjoys things Jake does, she certainly doesn't tell him that for the majority of the book. There is one part where he puts her over his shoulders to carry to the bedroom, she thumps his back and tells him to put her down, which he doesn't do. Warning sign! I'm surprised no one else mentioned this from the reviews I have read. The whole thing reads as if it was written by a misogynistic man, I was very surprised it was written by a woman.

Unfortunately, the only thing about this book that I enjoyed was the setting, a beautiful castle in Italy.

This was a super cute, fun read with a winning faux romance / love hate storyline. Disappointingly though that was all it was. With Jake and Anna looking after an Italian castle and its guests I thought that might have provided opportunity for humour or other storylines but sadly not. This was all sex (albeit super cute PG sex) and no substance. It also meant it was slightly repetitive with the continuous descriptions of each other's bodies starting to grate on me in particular. I really did like the characters though and the main storyline was good enough that it was still an enjoyable read.

The sweetest enemies to lovers, that made me cry happy tears at the end. We have our bad boy neighbor Jake and our 'Saintly Anna'. Neighbors who grew up HATING each other to then having an opportunity of a life time, but only if they work together into making it happen.

Like all enemy to lovers we have an idea of how the story will end but this one was different. This book made me swoon for their relationship and definitely took turns I was not expecting throughout the story. This book had so many characters I fell in love with. In my opinion, in many romcom books the two characters you come to love are the two main ones. However, in this book Freeman has an array of characters you fall in love with. She had me wanting all their love stories too and that was such a refreshing take on a love story.

I loved this book and now I cannot wait to read more of Kathryn Freemans books! I gave this book 4.5 stars.

Anna's life has just turned upside down. She broke up with her boyfriend after she caught him cheating and lost her job and house at the same time. Back at her father's house, she looks for the dream job. And she finds it. Management of the gorgeous castle on the shore of Lake Come. Only, the owners want to hire a couple. There is someone she could ask, Jake.

Jake was her neighbour, but they never got along. He has had a tough past few years and going away to Italy for a while doesn't sound so bad.

At first, it's hard to pretend, but the more they talk, the more they connect and the sparks fly.

It's a fun fake to real romance, but that wasn't my favourite part. I loved the dialogues and the way they communicated. They butted heads a lot and were mean to each other, but somehow they worked out all of their issues- talking, apologising, and making up for the mistakes. (It's so rare to see that in books...)

Anna and Jake were both very well developed, they had depth, flaws and weaknesses, quirks, and past,... and it made them pop out of the pages, it made them real and I was rooting for them from the start.

Highly recommend!

Thank you Netgalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. This is going to be one of my favorite books of the year, I can already tell! I really loved this book on all levels. If you know me, you know that some of my favorite romance tropes are fake dating and enemies to lovers, with dual POVs. This book has all three of those and I found myself falling head over heals for this one! The banter between the main characters really put the cherry on top for me. So much happened in this book but it was in no way chaotic for me to read. I haven't read a good romance in awhile so this was sooo satisfying to finish up!

Oh I just love a fake dating trope, because the chemistry is UNMATCHED.

Anna and Jake were endgame from the start for me, their chemistry was so intense and I could just tell their love story was just beginning when they travelled to Italy as a fake couple to work in a castle on Lake Como.

Undoubtably a 5 star read for me. Everything I wanted in this story was executed perfectly - I just couldn't get enough!

The side characters were perfect too. I never got bored of them and they weren't too overpowering nor were they too much on the sidelines. I am really hoping now for a novel on Sara and Will... please?

A great novel from Kathryn Freeman, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend.

Fun fact: The Italian Job was one of my favorite movies growing up.

This book was SO STINKIN CUTE. So cute that it made me say "SO STINKIN CUTE."

Jack is an ex-convict working the odd jobs he can manage to find in his hometown. Anna is back living at home after losing her home, boyfriend, and job in one fell swoop. Clearly, both are down on their luck. When Anna finds her dream job at an Italian castle looking for inn (or castle?) keepers (emphasis on plural as the ad specifically wants a couple), Jack is the only one she thinks is desperate enough to do it with her... because let's be honest, they both need to get away.

DId 'The Italian Job' commit a lot of typical rom-com book follies, like overusing the same adjectives over and over again ("olive-skinned" beauty)? Sure. But I thought, for the most part, those annoyances outweighed the general cuteness of the book, which is what it was striving for. There was enough backstory to Jack and Anna that they felt like real people, not just cutouts of Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant.

Plus, despite how silly I think the fake dating trope is, this felt more like enemies to lovers, so color me happy.

Overall, if you like romance/romance comedies, give this one a go. It's a perfect summer read!

Thanks to NetGalley, Harper Collins UK, and One More Chapter for an advanced e-copy of this book for an honest review.

I love Italy. I love fake dating. I love enemies to lovers! Lots to love in this book. This is my first book by the author. Some of the writing is a bit cringe but overall I did enjoy the read - perfect for summer.

After a very unfortunate week where Anna loses her house, job, and boyfriend, she decides to apply for a job as a live-in chef at a castle in Lake Como (Italy). The catch? The job is for a couple LOL. So...I'm sure you can see how...things happen hehe....

(Italian Job)
Anna had a bad week when she loses her job, house and boyfriend. While staying with her dad, she decides to take a job in Italy for a year. Jake & Anna have been neighbors since their teenage years, but they have never gotten along. So guess the shock Jake had when she asked him to tag along with her to Lake Como.

Personally, Jake took time to grew in me because of his opinions based on his previous events. I almost DNFed (40%) because of Jake but I'm glad i read the whole book because by the end it's quite evident the maturity of Jake's charachter. The ending is predictable but it was the right one.

Overall, it's a Cute read. I'm Recommending this to anyone who loves these tropes - enemies to lovers, fake dating & good girl/bad boy.

Thank you Publisher and Netgalley for the advanced copy in exchange for my review.

I find that a lot of romance books lack the depth that I want, but this book was the opposite! There was so much backstory for each character that helped them bond. The setting was so fun to read about and the plot felt refreshing! I hadn’t read a book that followed this similar story so it kept it interesting! There was so much tension between them and I didn’t want the book to end! This book was such a fun read for summer!

Anna Roberts life falls apart and she convinces her neighbour to pretend to be her partner to take a job by Lake Como... Sounds implausible and unpleasant but makes for a fantastic read!

This is an easy read with likeable characters and a solid plot. The authors style is charming, engaging and realistic. It's your typical chick lit where you feel like you're reading about friends. I read it in a couple of days.

Thank you Netgalley and the publishers for my review copy.

The prose is clunky and insipid, and I couldn’t get into the characters, neither of whom feels real or engaging as individuals, much less as a couple. Loved the premise, but not the execution.

Thank you to NetGalley and One More Chapter for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

"The Italian Job" was a delightful romance, telling the story of Anna and Jake, childhood neighbors forced to be a couple for a dream job and a second chance. They both have preconceived notions towards each other from their past, but overlook misunderstandings and exes to find a connection together. Though it is one of my favorite tropes as enemies to lovers, the book was a lot longer than expected and did take a while to read. It was cute and entertaining, but is definitely not a book that could be read in one sitting. A good happily ever after romance with some character development.

The Italian Job by Kathryn Freeman did not disappoint! The characters were super relatable and sweet. The premise of the book is two very different people come together, fake date, and work at a castle in Italy. Can we talk about the ending?!? I absolutely fell in love with the ending!! Don't want to spoil it for anyone by telling you what happens so I will just leave it at AMAZING! This was my first time reading a book by this author and it will not be my last!

I loved this book! I will be quickly checking out Kathryn Freeman’s backlist.
What’s not to love about a book set in a romantic castle on Lake Como, Italy? Add in some wonderful romance tropes - enemies to lovers, fake relationship, forced proximity, bad oh/good girl… this was so fun and such an enjoyable read, and the cast of characters were all charming!

If you are looking for an escape from your own life, Kathryn Freeman’s The Italian Job will do the trick!

The Italian Job is your classic enemies to lovers trope featuring Anna and Jake. The two have been neighbors since their teenage years, but due to misunderstanding, they have never gotten along. When life leaves them down on their luck, they put aside their differences and take jobs working at an Italian castle. Can what started out as a job lead to a real relationship?

Overall, this was a cute read. While I enjoyed it, I felt that it employed too many predictable elements; opposites attract, forced proximity, fake relationships, emotional scars, etc. This resulted in the book being fairly predictable. However, if you are a fan of romance that is not necessarily a bad thing. It will deliver exactly what you want!!!

I enjoyed the writing style Kathryn Freeman has developed over her years. In fact, I have added her previous works to my TBR list and will recommend her to avid romance readers.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK- One More Chapter for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my honest feedback.