Sometimes society makes us think that, by the time we enter our fifties, we should have life figured out and be looking forward to the second half of our lives with all the answers. Claire is proof that sometimes that just isn't the case, and I enjoyed Claire's journey of trying to navigate how she wants to live. While the pacing is sometimes a bit slow, When in Rome is a beautifully written novel. Thanks so much for the opportunity to read early and to review.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advance ecopy of this title. I loved this story about a woman entering her 50s, and trying to discern what she is going to do with the rest of her life. Claire is a real estate agent who specializes in selling old religious buildings. She has a grown daughter, a fabulous best friend/business partner, and a complicated friendship with Marcus whom she met at Yale. Deep in the recesses of Claire's mind is her desire to become a religious sister that compelled her as a teenager. When Claire is dispatched to Rome to sell a convent, her desires become rushing back; but what desires are they. This story takes Claire through Rome, and the story of her life that will ultimately help her decide on her act II.

Slow and contemplative story of one woman seeking a fresh start, unlocking (literally and figuratively) her future, and finding herself in Rome.

I wanted to like this book. I REALLY did. But the constant inability of the main character to just SAY WHAT SHE HAS TO SAY drove me crazy. I understand that discerning a call to religious life is a big deal and nothing to take lightly (cradle Catholic here) but she was just so wishy washy about the whole thing. The setting was fantastic. The writing was good. But the main character just irritated the life out of me.

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

I adored this book. Maybe part of it was that it had tied to Milwaukee, where I live. I recognized some of the things the Claire had done.

Claire is in her early 50's. She was raised by her father after her mother died when she was a kid. She took toa group of nuns where she hung out. They helped raise her. After high school, Claire thought she wanted to be a nun but they encouraged her to go to college at Yale. At Yale, she met her best friend and a guy named Marcus. Marcus went on to be an actor of some fame. Claire's career of selling church properties takes her to Rome, to sell a convent whose membership has declined. Claire struggles with once again, becoming a nun or her unrequited love for Marcus.

Which does she choose? Read to find out....

Claire, a totally relatable 50-something, is trying to start her life anew in Italy. She's always been attracted to the lives of nuns, and her job is to try to save a convent and religious order that is on the verge of closure. Claire's daughter is distanced both geographically and emotionally and isn't sure what to do to change this. Marcus is in love with Claire after many years of waffling and "just friends" and bad timing, and is shocked to hear her say she intends to join the religious order. Even though Claire longs for a settled, peaceful life, her consideration of joining the convent is also an easy out from the complications in her life. The writing is lovely, and so are the characters. This story resonated with me and the changes that are coming in my own life.

When young, Claire who was “mothered” by a convent of sisters following her own mother’s death wants to be a nun. The sisters insist she go to college first and so she does. There she makes some very good friends and changes her path. Now she is a real estate agent specializing in church properties and a single mother of a grown daughter. In her 50s and at loose ends she heads off to help with the sale of a convent in Rome. Maybe she shouldn’t help sell it, maybe she should save it, maybe she should join it. Marcus, her old friend from college and love that didn’t happen, may have some thoughts about that. So we go on Clair’s internal journey. There are some good. Nara tears and the book is fun although I felt it dragged at times. That is why it got 3 instead of a 4 stars.
Thanks to NetGalley for an eGalley of this book.

I really enjoyed this novel and its beautiful writing. It's a pleasure to read about a person in mid-life having a chance to experience something new as she looks back on her past and reimagines the future. Lovely story.

The story of Claire trying to find herself at fifty-two in Rome at a convent is very thought provoking. She goes back and forth between her choice of becoming a nun or her love for Marcus. The author makes you think about your own life choices. What would e happened if you took the other road. I felt the book was repetitive and a little bit boring in some areas. Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House/Dutton. This is my own opinion.

The premise and description of this book was so good that I leapt at the chance to get a copy. Sadly, for me it didn't deliver. I kept getting lost in the different times and the convent, etc. The framework was there it just needed more fleshing out and continuity.

Readers probably know that there is something to be said for finding the right read for the right time or mood. When in Rome was that kind of book for me. It offered a slower, somewhat more contemplative stroll through the life of its protagonist, Claire and was just the kind of book that I was seeking.

As the story opens, Claire is fifty-two years old. Her daughter, Dorothy, is in her late twenties and was raised by Claire as an only child. Claire’s own mother died when she was young leaving her to be raised by her father as a single parent. She also became well known to her Milwaukee community of nuns.

Claire goes to Yale where she makes a very good female friend and also falls for Marcus. Her nascent desire to become a nun remains even as Claire takes a post graduation real estate job where her specialty is the sale of ecclesiastical buildings.

This career sends Claire to Rome, a city that is lovely to visit in Claire’s company. There she meets a group of idiosyncratic sisters who engage with her. Will they lose their unique convent to a real estate developer?

The crux of the story is about what decisions Claire will make and what she wants in her life. Is it to be a nun or is it to remain in the world, possibly with Marcus? Read this gentle novel to find out.

Publishers Weekly calls this one “a delight.” I heartily agree.

Many thanks to Penguin Group Dutton for this title. All opinions are my own.

This is really lovely writing but I wanted a bit more depth. Lots of thought provoking life decisions in this novel. Really makes you think.

Thanks NetGalley & the publisher for this ARC

I would rate this somewhere around a 3.5 stars rather than 4 for me personally. While I found the story beautifully told and I think most readers will be able to relate to the fear of making life-altering decisions I did find that the novel ended up feeling very repetitive in some places. I do like how the characters were all layered together and you could see the impact they ended up having on each other's lives.

Originally, I confused this book with another the same title. I did enjoy the premise of this book but didn't find it super engaging.

The best novels make space for the reader to reflect on their own lives. This love.y novel does just that. The main character is coming to grips with her life choices, and how her life has unfolded. She finds herself miles away from home and faced once more with an old decision. This time she chooses differently and us readers get to watch her new story unfold. Lovely writing

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group for the opportunity to read Liam Callanan's When in Rome. This is a beautifully written story of a woman brave enough to make decisions, finally, for herself. The descriptions were gorgeous and sumptuous. I love Ms. Callanan's voce and loved this book.

I was lucky enough to win a digital ARC of WHEN IN ROME by Liam Callanan in a Shelf Awareness giveaway. Thanks for the early look, and have a safe holiday season!

I loved the premise of this book and the author was very successful in conveying the angst and lack of decisiveness of his principal character. But, that ongoing tension and terror of making an important life choice eventually wore me out. I just couldn't bond with a smart woman who behaved that way. I lost patience with her and her journey.

I stuck it out though, expecting something a bit more profound to emerge in the end, but it didnt.

I suspect my reaction to this novel was based on my total absorption in Rumor Goden’s IN THIS HOUSE OF BREDE which also deals with a successful, middle aged woman exploring a religious life. That book moved me profoundly, and offered a lot to think about. WHEN IN ROME did not succeed in doing that for me.

Net galley provided me with a complimentary copy of the book in return for a candid review.