This is a super fun read all about love, fashion, and the magic of Rome! Violetta and Matt instantly become frenemies after a hilarious collision in a cafe. Soon, what was disdain and annoyance becomes something else entirely, maybe even love. Anything can happen on a summer trip to Italy!

love kate bromley and her style of writing. this one was one of the best ive read from hers. I would definitely recommend it and i cant wait to see what she comes up with next

DNF @ 28%
I don’t think this was for me. The interactions between MCs felt forced, immature and lacked chemistry and the secondary characters were kind of annoying.

I received this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Overall a nice easy read but missing something to really set it apart.

I'm disappointed that this was a miss for me. I wanted more romance, a less rushed ending and a lot more of the funny banter and amazing dialogue that I've come to associate with Kate Bromley.

The strength of this book lies in the beautiful descriptions of the Italian setting that easily brought me back to my own trip to Italy with its food, landscape and culture. While this wasn't a hit with me, I eagerly look forward to whatever books Bromley comes up with next. This would be a good pick for readers who love a gorgeous setting, are into fashion and are eager to plan their own vacation in Italy.

This book was adorable. The characters were likable, even when they didn’t like each other. I read the book in one sitting without putting it down. The story was fresh and unlike other romantic comedies I’ve read. I highly recommend for a fun and breezy read! Perfect summer book!

One CIAO FOR NOW blurb warns that the book will make you “hungry for pasta, a vacation in Rome, and a lot of steamy romance.” Just having finished reading Kate Bromley’s latest, I will say only one of those things is true. (And it’s definitely not the romance.)


Violet is a 30-year old fashion student who finds herself in Italy’s capital for a one-month internship at a fashion brand, where she’ll compete with two fellow students for a coveted job at an NYC label. Violet’s head should be in the game — this is allegedly her last shot at chasing her dream, after all — but she is quickly distracted by Matt, son of the fashion professor that is housing her and her peers while they’re in Rome. But the more time she spends with Matt, the less time she’s got to devote to securing her spot in the design world. And so the plot unfolds.

I have many feelings about CIAO FOR NOW. I’ll start with the positive — Bromley’s writing style. She’s good at writing dialogue, pacing the story and paying homage to scenery in a way that doesn’t disrupt the plot itself. (Although I do wish she had spent a *little* more time developing background details and scene-building while the characters were in Rome and Capri. There’s just a wealth of unique location-based descriptions she could have worked in that would have really drove home the awe-inspired perspective Violet often had about what these places looked like around her.)

*************SPOILERS AHEAD*************

The relationship between Violet and Matt is another. I really didn’t get that. It seems like what drew them together is playful antagonism and attraction, and sure, occasionally they could hold a serious conversation, but why else should a reader root for them to be something more than a summer fling? What about each-other made them want to move past ‘fun’ to ‘forever’? That question was never answered — not while their romance developed, and definitely not after the fact.


Now for the biggest problem: Violet’s relatively toxic dynamic with the people around her. More pointedly, how she continuously lets men she’s into treat her poorly. Greg, her ex who dumped her mercilessly after she quit school and moved her entire life to another city for him, is a fantastic example. Why, in the name of all that is good and holy, would Violet keep reaching out to someone who treated her like that?!? I’m not even going to go into the infuriation I felt reading about how Greg showed up to surprise her at her show, and she actually entertained the idea of getting back with him. (Nope. Just…no. Does not compute.)


Let’s also talk about Matt. Violet has one terrible day and takes it out on him, even calls off their fling, which wasn’t cool but hey, we’re all human. (She had also just been told by someone she idolized to essentially quit chasing her dream of designing, upon which Matt did not treat that news with the empathy it deserved...probably not the best time to talk about your future together, right?) Not long after, Violet recognizes the error in her ways and calls Matt to apologize, even putting her heart on the line by telling him she wants to try — and he flat-out rejects her.


Then a whole ass YEAR goes by before she realizes Matt has sent her a few unanswered DMs (excuse me sir, at least pick up the phone), at which point Violet drops everything to go and see him and profess her love or whatever.


In that reunion, she shares loads of flowery words — and this man gives her *absolutely nothing.* Pause: Where’s Matt’s big speech? More importantly, where’s his grand gesture? Why are we rooting for them to reconcile when it seems like Violet is already putting in way more work than he is? So he sent her some DMs — many, many months after she asked him to be with her and he essentially told her to have a good life. This move does not exactly scream emotional maturity to me. (And yes, you could argue Violet also didn’t reach out, at which point I’d say both ‘thank god she didn’t,’ bc of how she was with Greg, and ‘you’re right, they both kind of suck.’ Again — why are we rooting for them together?)


Listen, I completely get how love can fuel poor decisions, but the message embodied by these choices isn’t one that exactly screams empowerment. I almost wish Bromley had instead allowed Violet to end up single and better off for it — because IMHO, neither Matt nor Greg (most definitely not Greg) proved themselves to be very worthwhile.

*Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC.*

Adored.
Cutest sweetest happily ever after.
Gem.
My immediate thoughts after finishing Ciao For Now also depict my state of being while reading this book. Violet and Matt are two of the most well rounded and relatable characters. Their professional and personal struggles, their emotional depth, and their banter make Ciao For Now a must read.

My only complaint is that we did not get to read Matt’s POV. If this was dual POV I wouldn’t have been able to put it down. However, the last 30% held my captivation and left me with the HEA high that only the best of books deliver. ♥️

Side note: Matt is one of my new favorite heros and I would love to read many epilogues about the couple 🥰

This was an absolute delight and the perfect Italian vacation! The snarky swordplay was TOP notch and as a long time fan of Project Runway, I loved getting immersed in the fashion world and design process. One of my favorite parts was the sample closet - what a dream come true it would be to “shop” in there and I was totally envisioning a dress up montage.

Violet and Matt’s banter and chemistry were so perfectly balanced, and I really appreciated how their relationship stayed more realistic and there weren’t any declarations of love after four weeks of knowing each other. While there were feelings and attraction, it wasn’t all heat. I liked how Violet and Matt took the time to get to know each other and shared some tender, vulnerable moments. I also really enjoyed that while a romance, this was also a story of friendship, family, and never giving up on your dreams.

This was the perfect book to pick up heading into summer that had me seriously contemplating packing up and traveling Capri!

If you're searching for a romantic book that will transport you to Italy, look no further than Ciao for Now! Violet Luciano's thirties are rapidly approaching as she dreams of finishing design school and working in fashion. A coveted internship lands her in Rome, but shortly after arriving, she spills coffee on (and destroys) a grumpy stranger's laptop. She soon discovers that the handsome stranger is her professor's son Matteo. As Violet and Matteo are thrown together throughout the summer, their animosity (and chemistry) grows, and Violet finds herself increasingly distracted from her goals. She has to decide whether to say to ciao to Matteo or ciao to a shot at her dream job.

Ciao for Now was such a cute, lighthearted book ... it would make the perfect summer beach read! I loved the fun enemies-to-lovers trope, I found myself rooting for Violet to make her fashion dreams come true, and Violet and Matteo had amazing chemistry. The Roman setting also added many wonderful details to the book and definitely made me want to travel there!

Absolutely loved this one by Kate Bromley! I loved the development and characters (side characters too!). The slow burn relationship of Violet and Matt was so sweet. I love Kate's writing and cannot wait for her next book!

I am here campaigning that you give an author a second chance. CIAO FOR NOW is my second chance and I am so thankful to @graydonhousebooks for my copy so I can experience this novel!

I read an earlier novel from the author and the character/setting didn’t work for me, nothing wrong with the writing, just wasn’t me. I read the blurb for Ciao for Now and I thought that I might like it, and here we are.

This is me, saying I LOVED THIS NOVEL and am so glad I didn’t write the author off because of one book that didn’t work for me.

The characters are humorous, I loved the fashion background, Italy is DIVINE, and I appreciated the struggle the FMC has throughout the novel. Her new friends are just the loveliest and help her see she’s worth it as a person!

I never would have been able to experience that if I’d just hung it up after the first book.

I highly recommend you read this book- the characters are funny, seriously funny and I laughed out loud and highlighted SO MANY POINTS in this novel. Violetta is finishing her dream of fashion after her life takes a slight detour, her sister is FANTASTIC as a humorous mom-to-littles character, Matt is the most brooding character with such dimensions. I loved his writing and his desire to visit Capri and complete a journey. Marcus and Holly are great supporting characters with more depth than typically seen in Rom Coms that are truly ROM COMS!

OK, Kate Bromley! Coming in hot again with the witty banter, great character development, amazing scenery, and the sweetness! I loved Ciao for Now.

Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley for providing me with the eARC in exchange for my honest opinion. I honestly really liked Ciao for Now and can't wait to add it to my Kate Bromley collection on June 6th.

Violet Luciano wins a coveted fashion internship in Rome. She's competing against two classmates who are also friends. I love the camaraderie between these competitors. There is nothing catty or cruel in this competition, just support. Anyways, she's in Rome and she's a bit of a klutz so she trips in a cafe and spills a coffee all over our hot but surly MATT. She wrecks his computer and he is annoyed but the two have immediate chemistry. And guess what... Matt turns out to be Violet's Professor's SON! And they are staying in the same house. So the antagonistic banter continues.

I loved the evolution of Violet and Matt's relationship. I loved touring Italy with Violet. This was just a fun, sweet- butterflies in my tummy, read and I would recommend it for a great summer read. Kate Bromley is an auto-buy author for me.

📚✨Book Review✨📚

Ciao For Now
Author: Kate Bromley

Rating:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Note:
I received a copy of this book as an advanced reader but all thoughts and opinions are my own.

What I Liked:
🇮🇹 As a person who is obsessed with Italy and has been to Rome a number of times, this book was pure delight. I relished all the Italian references from her arrival in Rome to their social media adventure around the city. Honestly, I wish there was even more!

🇮🇹Enemies to lovers will always be my favorites trope. The pay off between Violet and Matt when they finally get together is oh so good!

What I Didn’t Like:
🇮🇹 I wish we saw more interactions between Violet and Matt while they were in Italy. I felt that there was a
touch too much fashion design and not enough romance throughout the book.

Final Thoughts:
🇮🇹 If you are planning a trip to Italy soon, grab this book to bring along! It will 100% set the tone for a fun frolic through my favorite city in the entire world….Rome!




#bookreview #reviewsneedlovetoo #readforeverpub #unpopularopinion #booktok #bookstagram #bookfriend #books #bookish #booklover #instablog #romancereader #romcom #fantasybooks #netgalley

I absolutely adored Kate Bromley’s prior books, full of great banter and engaging storylines, and this book just added to my love for the author and made her an autobuy for me!

Violet is a fashion student working an internship in Rome for a month in the summer and competing with two other fashion design students for a job. When she first arrives in Rome, she spills coffee in a stranger’s computer and has a very flustered and snarky conversation with him. Of course, he turns out to be Matteo, the son of the professor they are staying with in Rome. Violet now has to juggle workplace woes, designing anxiety, and an attraction to the man she has already made into an enemy.

The setting was perfection, and now I really need a trip to Italy. The fashion houses and fabric stores made me think of project runway and felt like a tiny peek behind the curtain into a behemoth of an industry. I enjoyed the storyline about designing a collection, trying to find inspiration, and all the emotions that go along with it.

Violet is in her late 20s, which is made to feel ancient as she continually compares herself to her early 20s competitors. I can relate to the feeling of coming to a career later, and I think so many others can as well. Sometimes it takes awhile to find yourself and find your purpose, and I enjoyed the story of Violet feeling lost then figuring out who she wants to be and what she wants to do.

One of Violets competitors, Marco, does steal the show a bit with his zingy lines and hilarious commentary. I loved the banter and snarky conversations so very much.

Thank you to NetGalley and Graydon House Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

I thoroughly enjoyed Kate Bromley's previous books Talk Bookish To Me and Here For The Drama. Her latest book, Ciao For Now has a gorgeous Italian setting, but I didn't enjoy it nearly as much as I had expected.

The story and its characters didn't come together for me. The main characters Violet and Matt were lackluster, the banter was sparse and the chemistry between Violet and Matt was like lukewarm espresso. The story relies on the enemies to lovers trope and it was a hard sell for me. Violet and Matt have one interaction and a misunderstanding (I'm so done with the miscommunication trope) that turn them into enemies and readers are expected to believe the whiplash-inducing switch to lovers? Nope. I just didn't buy it.

I liked the idea of Violet's journey to find her own strength and voice, but the way her age difference (she of the 'elderly' late 20's compared to her fellow contestants in their early 20's) was portrayed felt more like Violet was Sophia Petrillo competing against Zendaya and Gigi Hadid in a fashion battle. I actually liked the secondary characters more than the main couple. Not a great sign.

I'm disappointed that this was a miss for me. I wanted more romance, a less rushed ending and a lot more of the funny banter and amazing dialogue that I've come to associate with Kate Bromley.

The strength of this book lies in the beautiful descriptions of the Italian setting that easily brought me back to my own trip to Italy with its food, landscape and culture. While this wasn't a hit with me, I eagerly look forward to whatever books Bromley comes up with next. This would be a good pick for readers who love a gorgeous setting, are into fashion and are eager to plan their own vacation in Italy.

Disclaimer: My sincere thanks to Graydon House for this complimentary digital ARC which was provided in exchange for my honest review.

This was a charming story of two people who started off an enemies but became so much more. The setting is beautiful, and who wouldn’t fall in love in Rome? This book combines two of the things I love most in the world: fashion and traveling. I highly recommend.

Thanks to Harlequin Publishing for my ARC!

I so wanted to love this one. The plot is reminiscent of a R.S. Grey novel (whom I love), so it could have been the perfect escape after a hard week. However, Violet’s personality bothered me and she sometimes seemed immature and definitely younger than 29.

This being a romance, the story relies heavily on the connection and chemistry of the two characters. I didn’t feel Violet and Matt had either. We were told there was tension from their first meeting (the oft used girl clumsily smashes into boy meet cute), but I never got that. I did like the friendship between Violet and Marco, and others she met along the way.

Even though Violet is in her late twenties, she is interning at a Fashion house in Rome for the month when she literally runs into Matteo and breaks his computer. After apologizing, she goes to stay at her professors house and low and behold her sun is grumpy Matteo. The chemistry between Matteo and Violet is undeniable and they end up spending lots of time together even though they both say they don’t like the other. Even though she decides to spend her time with him, she claims he is a distraction and blames her not being prepared for her competition on him. When she returns to New York, life is not the same and she finds herself thinking about him all the time but not able to reach out. When he is in New York for a work thing, she debates going to see him to reunite.


I really loved the idea of someone who isn’t the normal age of a college student getting an opportunity like Violet did. The fashion aspect was so fun and kinda gave me more mature Emily in Paris vibes. I also really loved the Lizzie Maguire reference and how Violet got to have fun during the off time. It was a great summer romcom and the pent up attraction between Matteo and Violet was spicy.

This was brilliant. The Emily in Paris vibes we all love but make it Italy. I fully expected to like this but I’m blindsided by how much I LOVED this book. Caio for Now is hilarious and cleverly written I can’t wait for this to officially come out. I’m not a preorder bitch so I’ll be waiting impatiently for the day I can buy a physical copy.