Kathryn Freeman is a literary genius. She has gone and done it again with The Italian Job which is another incredible read to add to my collection of her favourites, these already include The Beach Reads Book Club, Mr. Right Across The Street, Up Close and Personal, and The New Guy.

Anna and Jake. Jake and Anna. Two people who couldn’t be more different than each other, and certainly not two people you would ever think likely to fall for each other. Which is a good job that they only have to pretend to be a couple to secure a dream job – being managers of a gorgeous castle on the shores of Lake Como in Italy. At first, they both get on each other’s nerves so much, that Anna starts to think she has made a huge mistake.

After a few months of living and working together in the beautiful castle, Anna and Jake find a happy balance between working together and living together. The longer both Anna and Jake pretend to be a couple, the more the real chemistry between the two of them develops and gathers pace so much and so intensly – surprising both Anna and Jake, but they both give in to the feelings.

The Italian Job is a fun, light-hearted read packed full of incredible characters, friendship, and love, and all set in the most incredible and beautiful location. Trust me, this is an absolute must-read this summer.

a beautiful escape read. I could feel the heat from the moment Anna and Jake met up again and loved how their relationship flowed as they worked at the castle. The dialogue between them was witty and fun and showed a warmth that was wonderful to read. With a beautiful setting - who wouldn't love to live in a castle by the shores of Lake Como - and some great characters, Kathryn Freeman has again proved to be a master at storytelling.

[Thanks Netgalley and the publisher for the ebook. This review is my honest opinion but just another opinion, you should read this book and judge it by yourself]
//REVIEW IN ENGLISH SOON//

2'5 estrellitas.
De verdad que me sabe mal puntuarlo tan bajo porque es una autora que me hace pasar buenos ratillos pero es que me ha faltado la chispa y el encanto que he encontrado en otros libros suyos. El punto de partida es muy "romance reasons", que me parece estupendo, pero la protagonista me ha parecido bastante insufrible en muchos momentos, se abusa de la falta de comunicación, hay situaciones simplonas a tope y, bueno, el final es demasiado ñoño. Encima no leemos los guarrerismos, así que peor. En fin, otra vez será

Perfect read to get away from the daily routine.
It has fake dating and is set in Italy, what else could one ask to chill a bit?
It felt mostly light reading, there were some aspects that brought a bit of realness to the otherwise fairytale.
In my opinion that was great, reading is an hobby, but a little realism doesn't hurt.
At the beginning the characters were a bit difficult to care for, but the book got better.
I can definitely see myself re-reading this book

The Italian Job finds Anna and Jake having to pretend they're together in order to score a dream job.

I really enjoyed reading this heartwarming book.I couldn't put the book down and was up until 6am reading it!

I loved the setting! Italy, Lake Como, castle?! Does it get any better than that?! I mean I would also pretend to date someone I don't get along with for that kind of a job, don't tell the hubby. 🤫

I really liked all the side characters in the book as well. The two main characters' families, their new neighbors in Italy, even their bosses. They created a wholesome, welcoming, heartwarming environment. I'd love to read another book on Will and Sarah's romance for example.

I really enjoyed reading the romance. The situations, their feelings, all felt believable. Plus, their chemistry was 🔥. I appreciated that their love grew from spending time with and better understanding one another, even though they do find one another attractive from the get go. The love interest, Jake was a little possessive at times, but I did really enjoy how much he cared for his people, how he took care of them and put them first. Both of the characters suffer from insecurities for different reasons. This causes some hiccups in their relationship, but I did really enjoy how they pulled one another out of their spiral, and how they took care of each other.

Jake is an ex-con, and I really appreciated the commentary the book had around how difficult it is for people to get integrated back into society after they get out.

The only thing I didn't really like about the book was that at the beginning, the two characters are not the easiest to read. I generally like banter, but their insecurities caused them too be touchy and it caused too many misunderstandings. But then as they get more used to one another those squabbles start to go away.

Thank you very much to HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter and NetGalley for the eARC!

Release Date: May 4th 2022

📖📖📖📖

Anna’s life is imploding. She found her boyfriend miles in bed with a waitress from the restaurant where Anna is or rather was a chef. When Anna finds an add online for a couple to take care of a castle in Italy, she is desperate enough to ask her neighbor Jake. Jake is the true opposite to Anna in every way but desperate times call for desperate measures. When both Jake and Anna start to let down their guard and see past the facades, can they find middle ground and maybe more?

I want this happen to me! Not the cheating boyfriend or being jobless but WHERE DO I FIND AN ITALIAN CASTLE TO CASTLE SIT?!? I enjoyed the back and forth between Anna and Jake and I love a good enemy to lovers. The setting is described beautifully and the other characters in the village are fun background characters. I just don’t know that I would re read this book.

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

#bookstagram #netgalleyreads #bookrecommendations. #theitalianjob #kathrynfreeman #enemiestolovers #italy

I liked the premise of this one but didn’t always love the writing. I’m not sure I LIKED the main character? But cute premise and it got better as I went!

The Italian Job was a cute story about two people who never got along yet find themselves applying as a couple and getting hired as caretakers at an Italian castle on Lake Como. We follow Jack and Anna as they struggle to maintain the illusion that they are a couple with locals and the owners in order to keep the job. There is a lot of back and forth as their relationship develops into a genuine one. I feel like that went on a little longer than necessary. It was a light fun summer read though. Thank you to NetGalley and One More Chapter for the ARC!

It always makes me happy when a new Kathryn Freeman book drops on my kindle and I read most of The Italian Job with a huge smile on my face. It's a little more raunchy than usual, as the sexual tension between the two characters sizzles throughout, but there's no graphic sex scenes.

I just loved the characters of Anna and Jake - they're not your typical girl next door and boy next door as they have always been at loggerheads. Jake is a bad boy and Anna is a saint, or at least that's how they've always seen each other. Jake happens to be in the right place at the right time when Anna finds the perfect job to escape her life (and her ex) and the pair find themselves running a castle in Italy.

Jake would have been the last person I would have asked to help out if I was Anna but she's hardly a big fan of men at the moment so I can see why she'd pick Jake as he can't disappoint her when she doesn't expect anything from him. He just needs to pretend to be her boyfriend, which isn't as easy as it sounds when they can't stand each other! Of course, there's no surprises where their storyline goes but I enjoyed it as there are a colourful cast of characters to meet along the way.

Former pharmacist Kathryn should prescribe her novels as a drug-free pick me up; they never fail to put a smile on my face and The Italian Job is no exception. I enjoyed every minute of my virtual trip to Italy - thank you, Kathryn!

I received a digital ARC to read and review for the blog tour; this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

I loved everything about this book. The enemies to lovers trope is one of my favourites in a romance and this one delivers in spades. The setting is amazing and the characters have a great banter and chemistry together. Their challenging persona was so on point with a lot of scenes and that happily ever after is so well done.
Perfect summer read!

Enemies to lovers trope ✔️
Beautiful scenery ✔️
A simmering romance ✔️
Dream job ✔️
A fairytale castle ✔️

What else do you need? Join us as we travel to gorgeous Italy with Anna and Jake as they undertake the job of a lifetime becoming the caretakers of a stunning castle. But can they become more?

There wasn't anything to dislike about this book, it was the perfect piece of summer escapism.

Beautifully written, richly descriptive allowing you to immerse yourself in the whole Italian experience.

I loved both Jake and Anna, their burgeoning romance so obvious to everyone apart from them. Their chemistry was adorable and the tension palpable.

Enjoyable, funny and highly entertaining.

QOTD Would you fake a relationship if it meant you getting your dream job?

Many thanks to Rachel's Random Resources for my tour spot.

Rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐

This book is enemies to lovers and it was very cute! I do wish I can force the characters out of their heads a bit but this book was cute and I would recommend to someone who likes books set in a vacation location such as Lake Como.

Over the years, I’ve read lots of books about fake relationships – and quite a few about enemies who become lovers too. But just when I was starting to think both tropes were perhaps becoming a little tired and too well-worn, this book came along – and, with the extraordinary sizzle the author brings to all her books, both ideas felt fresh, new and exciting and I adored every single moment.

Anna and Jake have been neighbours since childhood – and his mother provided her with the refuge and support she needed when her Italian mother walked away from her family, leaving her to be brought up by her police officer father. They were never friends – Jake was always a little wild and dangerous, Anna quiet and studious and rather more reined in. He’s just spent a while in prison – ironically for an assault on Miles, the man who just happens to have broken Anna’s heart, a restauranteur she found in their bed with one of the waitresses, and their break-up meant she also needed to walk away from her job with him as a chef. Searching online for her dream job, she finds an advert looking for someone to look after their castle on the shores of Lake Como – and as they’re looking for a couple, and Jake’s also finding work difficult to find, she suggests (very much against her better judgement, and with considerable trepidation) that they should join forces and give it a try.

The pair are total opposites – she’s quite obsessed with plans and lists and all the detail, while he’s frustratingly laidback and casual about everything. She prepares cards for him, with all the small details about her that he needs to know to make their relationship convincing – he just turns up, ready to wing it. When they secure the job and start working at the castle, it looks like it’s never going to work – their every exchange is laced with antagonism, he constantly puts his foot in it, she gets increasingly frustrated by his refusal to take anything seriously. But then that wonderful sizzle begins to become apparent – and, however unlikely, their relationship begins to crackle and fizz and heat up in a way that felt entirely authentic and believable, and they find their pretend relationship has become a very real one.

There’s real depth to both characters, and I really took them to my heart, desperately wanting them to have their shared happy ending – I really liked the way the author shared both their viewpoints throughout, smoothly and seamlessly, often within the same chapter, revealing their thoughts and feelings, and all the turmoil of their emotions. The supporting cast is wonderfully drawn too – the castle owners, their horrendous son Nigel with an agenda all of his own, slimy Miles, their new friends at the local bar, and their own families who visit and play an important part in the story. The Italian setting too is vividly drawn – the luxury of the castle itself, the lakeside location, the towns and villages a powerboat ride away.

But it’s that wonderful relationship between Anna and Jake that will stay with me – those wonderful exchanges, the real depth of their attraction, the love that grew between them, the way the heat (and the warmth of feeling) steadily increased. The storytelling is really excellent, with plenty of tension and conflict along the way – much of it even not of their own making – and more than a touch of real drama. And the book’s ending is simply perfect – everything I really wanted it to be. I absolutely loved this book – and recommend it really highly.

This book had a beautiful setting and fun premise, but unfortunately the characters came across as very shallow and too obsessed with sex to create a real connection. The way Jake spoke to her and how his only compliments were about her body reminded me of how men would speak to me when I was bartending trying to impress me with zero wit. In reality, I think these two would connect for a quick summer fling and then fall flat as the foundation would be the excitement of physical connection and nothing more. Not for me, but thank you for the early copy and the opportunity!

🇮🇹 REVIEW 🏰 The Italian Job by Kathryn Freeman

If you love love, I have a book recommendation for you! The Italian Job by Kathryn Freeman was fantastic and such a fun read. Old neighbors, one an ex-con, pretend to be in a relationship so they can work a dream job managing a castle on Lake Como in Italy. I loved both of the main characters, Anna and Jake. Anna and I are practically the same person; watching Anna remind (nag) Jake of his tasks with her never ending lists was like a day in the life with me and my husband. Their banter was great, and even though they were an odd (fake) pairing, they somehow worked. I wish there was a little less of them second guessing themselves and being so insecure - their stubbornness was irritating by the end of the book. There were too many of those types of moments where you wanted to yell, “just shut up and tell him/her how you really feel already!” Regardless, I loved reading this book, and the location being in Italy was just an added bonus because being Italian myself, I enjoyed the Italian scenery and how they made fiends in a local bar - it was so authentic Italy. I highly recommend giving this book a read!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to @OneMoreChapter / HarperCollins UK and @NetGalley for the ACR of this book!

The Italian Job by Kathryn Freeman

I received an advance review copy for free thanks to Rachel's Random Resources and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Dream job. Dream house. Fake fiancé.

A year in a gorgeous Italian castle…

When Anna Roberts’ life implodes, an online search leads her to an ad for the ultimate dream job – management of a gorgeous castle on the shores of Lake Como, accommodation included. The only catch? Anna can’t do it alone…

…With the last man on earth she’d choose!

The castle owners will only accept a couple as caretakers, which means Anna needs a man on her arm at the interview. Enter her neighbour, Jake Tucker. Though Anna and Jake have never seen eye-to-eye, Jake’s had a rough few years and an escape to Italy sounds ideal. Yet, when they get the job and jet off, Anna and Jake face an unexpected challenge. Pretending to be a couple is difficult … but pretending the tension simmering between them doesn’t exist is quickly proving impossible!

This is the first book I have read by Kathryn and what an introduction! I read the first 30% of this book slowly and then binged the rest of it in one sitting - I was a little sad when it came to end. A charming romance filled with comedic moments. A fun example of how to do the enemy-to-lover trope.

Rating: 4/5

An enemies-to-lovers, fake dating romance set within a beautiful castle in Lake Como, Italy. I don't know about you, but that simple description is all the convincing I'd need to pick this up. But let me tell you more!

The banter between Anna and Jake was superb! Jobless and desperate, an online search leads Anna to discover an opportunity for a one-year contract to manage a Lake Como property. The only problem? The owners are looking to hire a couple. Complete opposites and constantly bickering, neighbour Jake Tucker may not seem like the best choice to tag along, but an escape from his current life is exactly what he needs.

Recently released from a six-month prison sentence and constantly misjudged, the uphill journey of ex-firefighter Jake finding his place again was really great. He was fiercely protective but also incredibly warmhearted. With a cheating ex-boyfriend still plaguing Anna's thoughts, I loved seeing Jake guide Anna to find her confidence again.

And with a touch of meddling drama attempting to ruin their stay, this story was truly a fun time!

The Italian Job by Kathryn Freeman is another adorable take on the fake dating trope. Anna Roberts' life is going downhill fast when she finds an ad for a couple to take over as caretakers for an Italian castle. This sounds right up her alley until she realizes that she's not a couple. She asks her unemployed neighbor, Jake Tucker, who she hates, to be her partner and they interview for the job together....and are hired. Chaos ensues as they head to Lake Como in Italy to begin their year as caretakers, all the while trying to fake a relationship, but as they live and work together, is the relationship really fake?

A fun summer read! Thank to the author, HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter, and NetGalley for an ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

Cute rom com with your classic fake dating. Loved the second chances storyline. I could have liked more Italian descriptions as I’ve been to Lake Como. Was a quick run read.

I really wanted to love this one.
It’s enemies to lovers and forced proximity. But unfortunately the writing didn’t keep me enthralled, it was a little clunky.

In the end this wasn’t for me.

Thank you netgalley for the ARC.