I truly enjoy this author's work. This was a great sorry of change, coming to terms with past hurt and not letting the past define your future.

I loved the castle although if you didn't tell me it was in Italy I would have easily believed this was in the UK or anywhere with castles and lakes.

I loved Jake and the way he flirted with Anna and how great he is with his family.

This is the first I have read from this author, but it won’t be the last! I loved this book. I loved the characters, their stories, and the scenery. I loved the development of their relationship and the chemistry they had. Definitely recommend.

I loved this book. Enemies to lovers…okay maybe not enemies exactly, but they didn’t like each other very much. I read this book in just under 8 hours with a few breaks. I just could not put it down. The characters were likeable and relatable. Lake Como and a castle. What more can you ask for? I look forward to reading more from Kathryn Freeman.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and Harper Collins UK - One more chapter - in return for an honest review.

This is a classic fake relationship that turns real relationship rom com read. I enjoyed the setting in Italy and the incredible castle that Anna & Jake lived in. But, I was only meh on the writing. It was fine, but not my favorite.

A beautiful enemies to lovers, fake dating, forced proximity romance set in a castle on Lake Como, The Italian Job is an absolute treat. Anna and Jake have incredible chemistry and I loved their story so much!

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

If you enjoy enemies-to-lovers/fake dating tropes, this book is a must read. I was barely able to put it down! Anna and Jake grew up as opposites who seemed to despise each other, but as adults they agree to move to another country as a fake couple to care for a castle.

The author did a great job giving both characters complex feelings, which was nice to see in a male character. We got a good sense of why both Anna and Jake struggle to make their true feelings known and pursue a relationship. The story overall was well-written, and you can’t go wrong with a beautiful setting such as Italy. Some minor parts did feel a little unrealistic, like Anna and Jake’s parents relationship. But overall this was a fun, slow-burn, enjoyable read.

I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Wow...I don’t even know where to begin! This was so good. I’ve found a new author, and I couldn’t be more excited! The character development, on not only the main characters but side characters as well, was “molto bene”! And yes, I google that. The dialogue was wonderful. I want to run away to an Italian castle now...Luckily for my family, I already have a sweet blond husband.

Anna is controlled and meticulous, while Jake is hotheaded and seemingly controlled by his passions. They’ve been neighbors that don’t mesh for years, and each struggling with recent events that have led them to need a fresh start. Deciding to team up, they fake a relationship to have a chance at a dream job running a castle in Italy for a year. Luckily, they get more than just a fresh start in this touching and hilarious romantic comedy.

Seriously, my only beef with this novel is that I wish authors would find some other form of exclamation than using the Lord’s name in vain which is used constantly throughout the book. But other than that...I couldn’t put it down! For an added bonus, there was no political nonsense! I could just enjoy my life by reading a sweet/spicy romance.

Thank you to HarperCollins, One More Chapter, and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

The Italian Job by Kathryn Freeman is an absolutely delightful rom-com that would make the perfect beach read. The story revolves around Anna, who has found the perfect dream job: managing a castle in Italy. But to get the job, she has to be part of a married couple. She decides to ask her handsome neighbor Jake, and they fake being a married couple to get the gig. But is all of the tension fake?

Here is a romantic excerpt from Chapter 1:

"‘Hey, Jake.’ He halted and turned. Damn, he was tall. She’d forgotten that. Also how intimidating he was, she remembered belatedly as a pair of bold blue eyes locked onto hers. Most people would smile at this point, maybe say hello, but Jake was clearly way too cool for that because he just quirked an eyebrow. ‘You dropped this.’ She glanced down at the paper and noticed a phone number with a girl’s name scrawled next to it. Typical. ‘You wouldn’t want to disappoint Tracey.’
His lips tilted in a smirk. ‘Trust me, I never disappoint.’
God, he was annoying. Always had been, as far as she could remember."

Overall, The Italian Job is a lovely rom-com that will appeal to fans of Christina Lauren and Sally Thorne. One highlight of this book is the exotic vacation. I like reading books set in faraway places, and I'm sure that the romantic setting of Italy will appeal to many readers. I did take off 1 star, because I enjoy rom-coms with plots that include goals or endpoints. The plot about being fake-married kind of meandered around the place. if you're intrigued by the excerpt above, or if you're a fan of rom-coms, I recommend that you check out this book when it comes out in May!

Anna who recently was dumped by her boss and now living back with her cop father find a dream job in Italy, but there's a catch -- she has to be part of a couple. She proposes a fake relationship to Jake, her father's neighbor who was fired as a firefighter after going to jail for punching Anna's ex boyfriend, Miles. Their plan works and soon Anna and Jake find themselves as caretakers for a mansion on Lake Como. As they have to fake their relationship for guests and locals in town, that relationship starts to shift for both Anna and Jake. Their relationship and jobs are put to the test when Miles comes to offer Anna a job and the town and mansion owners find out about Jake's past and the truth about the "fake" (now real) relationship. This book was an easy read and the first I'd read by Kathryn Freeman. Thanks to NetGalley and publisher for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

An enjoyable read, the sort of book that would be fun to take on the beach to while away those hot summer days

When the job of a lifetime falls into Anna’s lap, she jumps at the chance to take it. Only one problem—the job needs to be filled by a couple. Anna gets the bright idea to ask Jake, her annoying former neighbor and ex-con looking for a steady job, to pretend to be her fiancé. Anna needs to escape her cheating ex and former boss, and Jake needs to escape a life where his past overshadows his future.

Both are willing to risk deceiving their potential employees to get a fresh start, and don’t expect their hair brained plan to actually work. Jokes on them though because now they’re stuck pretending to be in love with each other. At least they can hate each other while living in Italy in a frigging castle.

Anna and Jake start off like oil and water, but despite their differences they were really well
balanced once they stopped hating each other. I really loved their banter and watching the inevitability of their relationship as they continued to fake date. This was cute and funny and will definitely be a perfect beach read this summer!

Thank you Netgalley and HarperCollins UK for the opportunity to read this early!

I have read several of Kathryn Freeman's contemporary romances, and they don't disappoint! The Italian Job is an enemies-to-lovers with forced proximity trope that hits the mark. Anna and Jake have known each other since they were kids. Jake the wild child, and Anna the 'saint'. Anna and Jake are both looking to get a fresh start for different reasons. Anna finds a great opportunity to start over running a business on Lake Como in Italy. The catch is the job requires two people, a couple to run the place. In comes Jake as the fake partner. The two of them are like oil and water and just don't mix!

Anna and Jake have great banter, and great chemistry. Both of them make wrong assumptions about the other and each have insecurities that they need to work through. Overall, I thought this was a cute, fun read. Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC.

I loved this wonderful novel.I was transported from my reading chair to the castle in Lake Cuomo.Wonderful characters romance a delightful read.#netgalley #theitalianjob.

Thanks to NetGalleyand Harper Collins UK for the opportunity to read Katherine Freeman's The Italian Job. Ioved it.

A dream job come true, and all the good stuff that can come along with it.

This was a well written feel good book with good people, good sense of place and good food. What's not to love?!

I received this ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to HarperCollins UK (One More Chapter) for allowing me to read this.

Anna Roberts’ finds herself looking for her dream job and stumbles across a once in a lifetime job in… Italy. The only catch is the job requires her to be in a couple. Enter, brooding hero Jake Tucker, her neighbour.

This book was so good! I flew through this book so quickly I hadn’t realised I was so close to the end. The story was addictive to read and the relationship between the two characters was full of tension and great banter. It paired fake dating and enemies to lovers in a way I really enjoyed reading. I like a slow-burn romance most of the time but I LOVED the way this one was written as both characters really began to understand the other and their quirks before realising they were falling for each other.

Jake was the sweetest broody male who had so much love to give.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and really want to be in a castle in Italy right now.

Google the words "dream job" and Anna's new post will come up. A job taking cooking and taking care of a castle on Lake Como sounds perfect. Too bad she had to tell a small fib to get it. That tiny lie means pretending to be in a relationship with Jake, who is her exact opposite. She likes lists and preparation. He hates being told what to do. He is tattooed and lives in ripped jeans. She is more buttoned down and conservative, When they get together they cannot stop bickering. However, one thing they do share is a need to get away from home and the opinions of others. Surely they stop bickering long enough to make their employers believe they are love so the they can live paradise?

A fun, enemies to lovers story in a setting that had me swooning, this was a book that had me longing to pack my bags. Anna and Todd really know how to get under each other's skin and at times it was hard to read. Neither of them comes across particularly well . It made it difficult to feel their emotions changing because they were often so downright hurtful to each other. The villains were characteristically evil but their potshots were delivered the same brutal accuracy. There was still plenty of heart provided by their families and the friends they meet in Italy who prove to be the kind of people you want watching your back,

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A lovely love story. We do judge people . I loved Anna’s lists. Gosh you hated her mother.. I wanted to visit Lake Como and the castle. A very pleasant feel good read.

THE ITALIAN JOB is a slow-burn. A very slow-burn, in the best way with so many moments of longing between Anna and Jake. And it's mostly set in a quite romantic castle in Italy.

Anna and Jake are both in need of a fresh start. Anna, recently dumped by her chef boyfriend - who was also her boss - needs to find a new job, but ideally one in which she can cook. Jake, fresh out of prison for punching Anna's boyfriend, desperately misses his fireman job. Unfortunately, the fire department no longer wants anything to do with him.

The two are childhood neighbors-turned enemies-turned maybe not enemies-turned somewhat friends-turned fake dating-turned ... you get the picture.

They must fake date in order to get the dream job at the castle for one year. The story lies in their slow growing love for each other with subplots including convincing the little town they are together, the nefarious owners' son and a small cast of charming characters.

I thought the pacing, even with the slow burn, was appropriate for a romance. I did feel a lot of misunderstandings or sentences left hanging could have been solved with more communication between the two characters. However, not being able to express their feelings were part of both characters' obstacles in their lives.

I thought this was a really nice romance, with just the right amount of open bedroom sizzle, in time for the summer. If only we could all get a dream job at a castle in Italy for a year.

Thank you NetGalley and Harper Collins UK, One More Chapter for an e-copy to review.

I rate THE ITALIAN JOB four out of five stars.

Anna Roberts' life has taken a drastic turn in the wrong direction and she really needs to find a new job and an escape. Her search leads her to her dream job - managing a gorgeous castle on Lake Como, except, she needs to be a part of a couple to fill the role. Cue her dreamy but frustrating neighbour, Jake Tucker, a man that has always needled her but unfortunately one that also needs a new job and an escape. Together they agree to try the role but pretending to be a couple is harder than each of them thought and things get a little complicated. 
This was such a fun and entertaining rom com with a gorgeous setting. While parts I could see coming, it was a fun and enjoyable read.

(3.75/5) I loved the premise of this book when I first saw the blurb on NetGalley's website and I was thrilled to be approved for it! Anna and Jake couldn't be more different, but when an opportunity arises to be caretakers of a full-blown castle in Italy, Anna jumps at the chance. Too bad the job requires a couple! Anna asks Jake to pretend to be her boyfriend, and they land the job. But once the two get to Italy, they realize that there might be more in the air than the smell of fresh pizza.

I thought the characters had more depth than a normal romance novel, and I thought the author did a good job of allowing them to process and grow as people throughout the course of the book. As I was reading this book, I couldn't help but think how perfect it would be as a Hallmark movie, with just the right amount of comedy and drama to balance each other out. I liked the dual POV, but I wish that the characters had just been honest with each other up front about how they feel, it could have saved so much time! Darn you, miscommunication trope. Thankfully, there was other conflict with some delightfully Hallmarkian villains and so it didn't feel like the miscommunication was the only issue. I wish there was more for the side characters, as some of them were really growing on me. Perhaps in a future book!