What a sweet and engaging blend of romance and women’s fiction.

Natalie Malone arrives in Italy to renovate an old pensione to its former B & B like glory. She has a plan, a budget, a contract, a deadline… and absolutely no experience. (Plus a bit of a personal side quest)

Pietro Indelicato, a local architect, clashes at first with Natalie. He has low expectations, exacting standards, high ideals and a strong love of his hometown.

It Takes A Villa is populated with diverse, interesting and awesome characters that along with the amazing scenic descriptions really make this story top notch.

It definitely takes a whole town to recreate a villa and it will take a villa to find an HEA for Natalie and Pietro.
-4 Stars-

This story brought to life everything I want to experience when traveling to a foreign country, including the food, people and scenery.

Natalie takes the biggest risk of her life to become the owner of a Villa and abandoned bed n breakfast. Her first order of business is renovation, I could picture the expansive Villa over looking the Amalfi coast.

Even though she has been warned about the hot, flirty Italian men, sparks fly between her and the architect Pietro. I liked both of their characters. Natalie is smart, independent and bi-racial. Pietro is kind and protective. Natalie has just lost her “ Gram” who she discovers has left secrets behind. Pietro comes with his family drama.
A good part of the story did revolve around the politics and challenges of the renovation.
I totally enjoyed and needed to escape into this lovely world.

A charming story about a small town in Italy with a little community of people from around the world trying to restore old homes and buildings in rather difficult circumstances. There is hope though, with those who want to see history preserved and wish to help. In this setting is a very slow burn romance with a woman who came to restore a villa to its former glory, and the man trying to help everyone, who is also an architect. The burning looks, the interactions between them, everything is quietly building. The story is a slow burn, building quietly all the way through, but it is charming with not just the romance but the friends she makes from the other projects going on. It is rather inspiring in a way, makes you want to pick up and go somewhere new. #netgalley #ItTakesAVilla

Kilby Blades is known for charming, interracial/multicultural romances, and this one is no exception. Set in Italy, this was an enjoyabel and inspiring romance. Natalie buys a villa in italy and is intent on rehabing it, something she was to do with her grandmother before she ended up passing away. She only has six months to complete it, and finds out that might not be posible. While she's there, she also discovers not only a secret love, but the reason someone left her grandmother the property there. Pietro loves his home town, and feels that Natalie is too far over her head. Although he wants to help, he didn't plan on falling for her.

This book was so rich and i could tell it was well researched. It makes me want to visit one day. The supporting characters were great as well, as they helped round out the story. It had just the right amount of romance and women's fiction and was such an enjoyable and great story.

I received a copy of the book via the publisher through Netgalley and am voluntarily leaving an honest review of my own thoughts and opinions.

A hotel in Italy for just $1 - too good to be true?
Well it is abandoned and restoration means lots of work to do...
However, Natalie Malone is following her dream
Though things aren't quite as straightforward as it might seem.

With obstructions, bureaucracy and a time limit, too,
Is there any chance she'll see the restoration through?
And what about Pietro, the local architect, she meets -
Will he help or cause her defeat?

Get ready for family drama, dreams and more
In this delightful story, with folks to adore.
The setting is glorious and so are the dream
Though the twists make things harder than they first seem.

A contemporary romance with a small community, too,
A delightful read I recommend to you.
For my complementary copy, I say thank you,
A gorgeous read and this is my honest review

Life is Short! Drink the Limoncello.

An Italian Casa Dolce Casa (Home Sweet Home)
If you need inspiration for a new adventure featuring love, great food and a sense of community check out IT TAKES A VILLA. No passport required. I was completely charmed and transported.

Thank you, Entangled Publishing. What a great reading experience. Traveling helps you to explore a different life, food, culture, art and entertainment. However, its also expensive. But Books can help you experience everything life has to offer from the comforts of your couch.


Who says a holiday has to be all about relaxing. HGTV meets Under The Tuscan Sun. Natalia Malone purchases an abandon villa on the Amalfi Coast for 1 Euro and finds love with Pietro, a local architect who helps her to restore the property back to glory plus heal a broken heart. A great seaside beach read !!!

It Takes a Villa check all the boxes for a must-read. This one gives you the feeling of traveling without leaving home.

The author did a fantastic job engaging the reader until the last page. The storyline was so realistic and enlightening, with the vivid imagery, political meetings, and the cast of characters all add to moving the story along.

Natalie risked it all for $1, a dream and vision of a property in need of TLC. Even though the odds were against her, she was determined not to fail. The care and passion are what drew Pietro to offer a helping hand. As they worked beside each other, I could see the finished project come to light.

I enjoyed how the author took care of showing us the details of the steps in each of the project's issues and progress. It was interesting to hear the different perspectives of Pietro and his father about the goals of the town's restoration projects and the obstacles those in the program faced.

The lessons in lemons and the Idelicato men's traditions were uniquely endearing and offered a love story within itself.

A Fantasy Travel Review:

I was delighted to get an invite for the dry run opening of Pensione Malone. I found the stay delightful and the view of Pensione Malone and all its soundings breathtaking. It offered a
variety of great amenities making the visit feel like a home away from home.

The accommodations were clean, comfortable, and decorated with a sense of serenity that made for
peaceful relaxation.

If you get the opportunity to venture into the surrounding areas of Zavona, stop by some of the
local shops, and other newly renovated properties.

A must on your to-do list is a tour of the Indelicato Lemon Farm.

I hope to make the visit again.

I highly recommend this one for your reading pleasure. It is more than just an enjoyable read; it is a wonderful experience.


https://www.midnightacebookbar.com/post/a-book-bar-review-it-takes-a-villa-by-kilby-blades

I like the idea of picking up and moving your entire life to another country. That's what first drew me to this book. I also enjoyed the added layer of a little mystery.

Following the death of her grandmother, Natalie Malone takes a calculated risk and moves to the Amalfi Coast. With one dollar she bought an abandoned villa and she only has six months to renovate it. She runs into a few issues when she first arrives and gets a little help from resident grump/architect Pietro Indelicato.

He loves his hometown and is not happy with the program letting new residents destroy the old homes instead of pushing for renovation or abandoning the project altogether when they become overwhelmed. . It's one of the reasons he butts heads with his dad.

When he learns that Natalie plans to restore the property he agrees to help her. And of course, the more time they spend together the more their attraction grows. They also have a little side adventure of trying to figure out who left a fifty thousand dollar inheritance for her grandmother.

Thanks so much to the author, Entangled, and NetGalley for this ARC to review.

Kilby Blades is a new author to me, and I am so glad I gave this book a read. She writes this story so beautifully, and makes me feel as if I'm in the story itself. With wonderful characters, a great plot, and the scenery around the villa, this book is guaranteed to make any reader fall in love with it.

A story of a very determined lady who is set on accomplishing what she set out to do no matter what. Natalie and her grandmother had a dream and when her grandmother passes away, Natalie is going to make this dream come true.
I had a hard time getting into the story line of the story. I was intrigued with the idea of renovating the villa. The descriptions of the village, the villa, the scenery was wonderful to read about. The romance aspect was just meh. Definitely a slow burn romance.
Overall, a ok read but not one I would want to read again.
Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

It Takes A Villa will carry you away to the beautiful Amalfi Coast. Kilby’s story is so enchanting you’ll feel as though you’ve been transported to an enchanting Italian seaside village. If you like Under the Tuscan Sun and HGTV-style small-town romance, then this book is for you! Natalie is in need of a fresh start and in search of answers. So, when Natalie discovers a 1€ town restoration project, she packs up and sets off to fulfill her grandmother’s dreams and solve a family mystery. Language barriers and misconceptions set Pietro and Natalie off on the wrong foot. It Takes a Villa drew me in with family secrets, mysterious inheritance, and big family dynamics. It’s a slow-burn, whirlwind destination romance. Pietro is a surly Italian bachelor with a romantic side. Natalie is a vivacious, albeit cautious intriguing heroine. Pietro’s rocky romantic past has made him cynical of love, but not without hope for a happily ever after. Natalie is lonely, has been burned romantically, but is ambitious to make a beautiful life for herself on the Amalfi Coast. Pietro and Natalie have a wonderful chemistry that feels like a well-practiced, graceful dance despite only knowing each other a short time. It’s a story about chasing dreams, taking chances, finding community, and family. You’ll fall in love with the Indelicato family and the rest of the quirky village residents. I loved the family traditions and cultural nuances Kilby wrote into the story. It Takes A Villa is a delightful, low-angst, low-spice, incredibly sweet feel-good romance. If you enjoy charming home reno-style romance with a touch of mystery, grab a glass of wine and prepare to travel to lovely Zavona. I want more Natalie & Piertro

What a delightful story. It Takes a Villa by Kilby Blades is such a lovely story that I couldn’t stop reading but yet was sad to see it end. Natalie Malone is such a bright light in this story. You want to move to Italy with her, she makes such a believer out of you. Pietro Indelicato is the perfect hero too. Not perfect perfect, mine you, but in that perfect normal clueless way that men can be about women while being right on about their work.

For me this was a marvelous read. I enjoyed the storyline, liked the bit of mystery, and loved the characters that were keenly interwoven in each other’s lives. The writing was vivid with the Italian countryside descriptions as well as the old B&B Natalie was renovating. Then there are the traditions, the food, the lemons groves, and the sea. So very wonderful.

If you enjoyed the movie Under the Tuscan Sun you will love It Takes a Villa. I thought this book is better. Read it today. Highly recommend.

An ARC of the book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley which I voluntarily chose to read and reviewed. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Love on the Amalfi coast – “tanto de amare” – so much to love! Having vacationed in Positano on the Amalfi coast, I just fell in love with this story and all the scenery references, the sexy romance, and the lemons! And they are HUGE lemons! Kilby Blades takes us on an Italian adventure through the eyes of one American dreamer and a hot Italian architect.

Natalie acquires a neglected villa in the small town of Zavona on the Amalfi coast. She arrives awestruck that she was able to gain said villa for $1, but then the enormous task of renovation on her own is overwhelming. The deal she signed on to was cheap, but the property had to be completely up to code within 18 months or it goes back to the city. She and several other “fixer uppers” in the city begin to realize that maybe the task is too steep, and they are doomed to fail.

Enter Pietro, a gorgeous architect with the know-how to restore properties to their original beauty. He is also the mayor’s son and on the city council in charge of making sure the “fixer uppers” renovations up to their building codes. Pietro has some “daddy issues” to overcome as well as butting up against the council for almost making it impossible to complete the homeowner’s renovations on a timely basis. His ultimate goal is to reinvigorate his hometown of Zavona, delivering commerce and charm that will attract tourists and businesses alike.

Pietro was somewhat blindsided by the lovely American, Natalia, on her own trying to meet the challenges set up by the council. He starts to help her with some of her projects, spending lots of time at her place, inadvertently getting to know her. One thing leads to another, and they are naked in his family’s famous lemon grove having some sexy times under the starry night. Swoon! While a side story, Natalie is also looking for the Italian gentleman that left her grandmother the inheritance money she is using for the renovation. Pietro assists her and that ends up being a super interesting epilogue to this sweet story.

It Takes a Villa is everything you could wish for in an American meets hot Italian love story. The few obstacles that they overcome makes sense, but you still are wanting more of their together story. This is my first read from Ms. Blades and I am certainly interested in her other stories for sure. This book is the perfect read for this summer’s beach season. Ciao and enjoy!

I was given this ARC from Entangled Publishing and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

A perfect novel to add to your summer beach read.

The reader is immersed in ocean views, timeless construction with rich histories in a charming Italian village in It Takes A Villa. This endearing story has lovable characters and a sweet, slow-burn romance. How do I book a stay at this newly renovated Villa?

Thank you Entangled Publishing for the complimentary copy.

This book was kind of a mixed bag for me. On the one hand I thought it was kind of cute and funny and on the other it left me annoyed. There was a ton of potential here and I really liked the characters and the setting. The burn is slow, and the romance is sweet.

Kilby Blades is a new author for me and I love the way she transported me to Italy to the small region where Natalie is restoring property. I've never heard of a program like the one that allowed Natalie to buy property for one euro and then claim it as her own once she had restored the buildings to the satisfaction of the committee. I don't know if it really exists, but it was so neat to think of people from other countries doing that and becoming a vital part of the community.

Speaking of the community...I wish I could sometime experience a large Italian family like Natalie got to experience Pietro's. They had their issues, but I feel like the family all getting together and eating a meal outside regularly (and beside the lemon groves even!) is not something we're going to experience in the U.S. anymore.

The romance between Natalie and Pietro was a slow burn, but it was luscious! What a guy! I loved everything about this story, the family drama, the romance, the struggles, the friendships that were made and the sense of community. I'll definitely be looking for more by this author!

Thanks to Entangled Pub, Valentine PR NetGalley for the gifted copy. All thoughts are my own.

Rating 4/5
Plot 4/5
Spice 2/5
Character Development 5/5

[I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book]

“It Takes a Villa” is the first book in Kilby Blades’ “It Takes a Villa” series. This book tells the story of Natalie and Pietro. When Natalie Malone buys herself an abandoned villa on the Amalfi Coast, she arrives in Italy with a plan to renovate the villa in six months. Natalie believes her six-month timeline is realistic, however, architect Pietro Indelicato has other opinions. Pietro has seen many botched jobs and distasteful design choices. Pietro thinks Natalie should quit her project before it drains her bank account and high hopes. Natalie is determined to move forward and Pietro agrees to help, giving her a chance to succeed with this project, however, after Natalie views the contract, she realizes that she may have to leave her dream and Pietro behind.

This book was a lighthearted and fluffy read. I loved the storyline and the development between Natalie and Pietro. If you’re looking for a good summer read, check out this book!

***4 Stars***

A story set in a small, albeit fictional, Italian town?

Yes, please!

I’m a sucker for small town romances, but Italy is one of my favorite countries and was part of the lure that drew me to this book. That and the whole “$1” for a villa situation ~ because who hasn’t seen those ads?

And though there were part that did drag for me, and a bit of an abrupt (at least to me) ending, I enjoyed my time in Zavona with Natalie, Pietro and the eclectic group of people who we meet along the way.

I really liked Natalie and Pietro. Natalie is a dreamer, but a practical one. She isn’t afraid to put the time and work into getting done what needs to be done, but also has a bit of an issue asking for help. Pietro is honorable, though sometimes gruff and grumpy, but has a good heart and cares far deeper about things than most know.

Their journey to their HEA was quite interesting. They didn’t meet on the best of terms, but soon found that they shared a similar outlook on issues that mattered the most to them. It was fun to watch them become closer, thanks to the renovation and rehabilitation of the villa, and find out that not only was the physical attraction mutual, but that they connected on other levels.

As I said at the start, this was a fun read, but I will admit that there were times when the details about the renovation didn’t hold my interest. Also, that were a few situations that I wished had been fleshed out a bit more, especially that ending, but that’s a it’s not you, it’s me thing. As for the supporting cast of characters. Ellie and Carlota were my favorites, but I really liked the sognatori crew and how they all rallied around each other. So, if you want to take a bit of an Italian holiday at home and have a liking for HGTV DIY house things, then this is a book you should check out!

~ Copy provided by Valentine PR & voluntarily reviewed ~

Natalie Malone has arrived in Italy to see her abandoned villa she purchased as part of a rejuvenation program. The villa is going to need a lot of work to restore it to its former glory, but Natalie is up to the task. She was supposed to embark on this lifelong dream with her grandmother, but sadly her grandmother passed before they could travel together to Italy. Soon though, Natalie will find out just how much Italy meant to her grandmother as she begins her journey. As Natalie begins her restoration, she meets new friends who are also in the program along with a very handsome architect named Pietro. Can Natalie restore her home before the deadline, or will she have to give up her dream of living in Italy?

This was such a lovely novel by Kilby Blades who is a new author for me. I really enjoyed her writing style and her description of the Amalfi Coast. As Natalie traveled the region, I too felt like I was along for the journey learning about architecture and the customs of Italy. I also loved the Pietro was not just a love interest, but he also had his own story to tell throughout the pages of the book. Entangled Publishing so graciously gifted me this book for which I voluntarily reviewed it. A perfect book to curl up with on your summer holiday.

This is a sweet women's fiction novel with a light side of romance. The journey of both Pietro and Natalie to find the life they desire. It is well crafted and an enjoyable read. Thank you for the opportunity to read this ARC.