This book has it all: a meet-cute gone wrong, an aggravating and rude love interest who is actually quite sweet (and ugh fine actually attractive), and a career-minded protagonist whose life is being held together by an expertly sewn thread... all set against a beautiful picturesque Roman summer.

For recent grad Violet, finishing her degree means entering her thirties with massive debt and a golden opportunity: a summer internship at a Roman fashion label and the chance to win a design competition and score her dream job in New York. But while Violet thinks the biggest obstacle she’ll face is her own self-doubt, a glance at who she thinks is the ex she only maybe wants to get back together with proves disastrous—literally. Spilling coffee on a stranger and his expensive laptop? Not great. Learning that man is her hostess’s son with whom she’ll be spending the entire month? Well… merda. If Violet is annoyed at how infuriating and condescending Matt can be (because it was an accident, Matt!!) she’s doubly annoyed when their forced proximity unearths Matt’s vulnerabilities and his soft underbelly… as well as their mutual attraction (I, too, am a fan of facial hair, Violet).

The more time Matt and Violet spend getting to know one another, the less she spends working on her designs and the further she spirals into completely relatable self-doubt when pit against her classmates—who are also about half a decade younger and don't quite understand working towards a professional goal that may never happen. Faced with the choice between a whirlwind romance she thinks will fizzle stateside and the opportunity of a lifetime, Violet has to say ciao to something—but will it be Matt or her dream job?

Ciao for Now

Thank you NetGalley for this advanced copy ebook!

I love enemies to lovers books and this was set in Italy which made it even better! Matt and Bree meet in a not so cute way when she spills coffee all over him and ruins his laptop. Then they find out Bree is one of the students Matt’s mom is hosting in their home for six weeks. There was good banter between Bree and Matt even though much of it was immature. The characters did not seem 29 and 32. I could see them in their early 20s, especially Bree.

Their trip to Capri was the highlight of the book for me, they finally got to explore their relationship more. I also felt the all too real pain she felt when she realized she shirked her responsibilities for a couple of fun days and has to scramble to get things done… it’s like me and grad school!

This is a great romcom read. You’ll especially love it if you’re into fashion and travel!

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“What is with all the emotionally charged one-liners?  You’re throwing a barrage of romantic quotes at me.”

But seriously, this book was full of perfectly quotable lines…“ ‘A real chance at what?’ ‘A chance at forever.’” 

Ciao For Now one line synopsis: When an American interning at a fashion house in Rome butts heads with her professor’s surly son, sparks fly!

This was a perfect romcom read.  As someone who is super clumsy, I loved how it started with an awkward meet cute that felt completely realistic, like this is something I could see actually happening and happening to myself.  The writing made me wish I was in Rome visiting all the same sites and having similar experiences as the characters.  It was also full of fun references, like to Never Been Kissed, Lizzie McGuire, and Bob Ross…“No one is universally liked, save for Bob Ros, our eternal lord of the landscapes.”

I loved both of the main characters.  Violet as she pushed through all her insecurities about following her dream and fitting into them.  And Matt, the perfect grumpy writer with his own self-doubt, but who was willing to show his vulnerability and was full of swoon…“You told me when we were swimming in Rome that I should slide into your DMs if I started to miss you.  So...I slid.”  And what amazing side characters such as a best friend in Marco, a wonderful coworker in Mira, a supportive sibling in Daniella, and wonderful mentors in Professor Leoni and Louisa.

This book reminds us that we all have our own paths in life and that we should make sure to enjoy the journey along the way.  It is about finding and loving yourself, dreaming big, and learning that “Love isn’t something that you find or that finds you—love is something you gift yourself.  You design it.  You decide who you are going to love and who will have the privilege of loving you back.”

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This would make the perfect rom-com movie!  Thank you so much to Kate Bromley, Harlequin Trade Publishing, and NetGalley for this free e-ARC for my honest review.

Pub Date: June 6, 2023

Reviewed 2.23.2023 on Goodreads and Instagram

Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing, NetGalley and Kate Bromley for the ARC of Ciao for Now. I received a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Ciao for Now was a romantic, quick read that I enjoyed very much! I especially enjoyed having the story primarily based in Rome and the Amalfi Coast. The setting really added a lot to the story and made me want to get on the next plane to Italy! I found the romance between Violet and Matt to be very refreshing and honest. I loved that both characters had flaws and insecurities and they weren’t afraid to talk about them. It created more depth to this story than other romantic comedies.

There was just the right amount of tension and spice in this novel. Enough to keep it interesting but there were multiple storylines and other characters that created a more in depth story than I was expecting. This book is a must read if you’re looking for a light summer read!

Violet goes to Rome, Italy for an internship at a fashion house. She’s in fashion design school, and she is older than her classmates. She put school on hold to follow a man that she loved, and now, at 29, she is ready to begin her fashion career. On her first day, she meets a sexy stranger named Matt, but she spills coffee and breaks his laptop! Things are off to a rough start, and they get more complicated! She is shocked to find that she will be living with him… because he’s the son of the professor that she is staying with in Italy.

Matt and Violet start out as enemies, but could their back and forth with each other lead to feelings? Their chemistry and tension are off the charts!

I could relate to Violet so much because I’m also Italian, but I don’t look it. Violet is such a strong character, and she knows what she wants. I think it’s so important that she grows to have confidence in herself, and she doesn’t give up on her dreams. I loved learning more about the fashion industry because I don’t know anything about that at all. It was fun to see how designers work and create.

The descriptions of Italy are beautiful! I have always wanted to visit Italy, and now, I'm ready to book a trip right now! I was swept up in the Italian dream vacation.

Overall, I love where they story ended up. I think that the ending was so earned for them, and I was so happy that it wasn’t rushed. I loved how the stories wrapped up for all of the characters.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for an ARC of this book. I definitely recommend it for anyone who loves fashion, Italy, enemies to lovers, and strong friendships.

“That was a bad decision, wasn’t it?” I hear myself ask.

Matt pauses, catching his breath and squaring his shoulders. “Probably. But it’s a bad decision I want to make again.”

-enemies to lovers, forced proximity, fashion internship in Italy 🧵🪡
-falling for her fashion professor’s son cannot happen, especially when she’s got a competition to win
-I really liked Violet and Matt’s chemistry and flow of the story was great, however, the ending left me wanting more
-thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for this ARC ✨

I am calling it now...."Ciao for Now" by Kate Bromley is going to be in my top books for 2023. I am already adding this novel to my 'All Time Favorites' shelf where it will join one of her other novels "Talk Bookish to Me". Kate Bromley has yet to disappoint me. Her novels are auto-buy for me and I can whole heartedly recommend them to others.! Warning to the current queens of contemporary romance, Kate Bromley is coming for your title! OK....sorry my review turned into a letter to the Kate Bromley fan club.....

Going into this novel I was in a bit of a reading slump and I screamed on the inside (maybe quietly on the outside too) when I saw I had been selected to read an ARC of this upcoming Kate Bromley novel. I had high hopes for this book and it didn't disappoint. Nothing feels better to me than when you crack open a book and it grabs you from the beginning and doesn't let you go! "Ciao for Now" had everything I love in a romance novel. Violet and Matt had instant chemistry and banter that romance novel dreams are made of. This book starts with an 'enemies to lovers' theme and it is SO....WELL....DONE. (insert slow clap) Matt and Violets snarky relationship evolves and takes the reader on a romantic journey through Italy. I am a sucker for sarcastic love/hate banter and it absolutely shines in this book. The enemies to lovers theme doesn't go too far (to the point of it being unbelievable) it smoothly transitions from flirty frenemies into an emotional and honest love connection. The female lead was strong, independent and loveable. The male lead was the perfect combination of sarcastic and swoon worthy. This book has the loveliest set of secondary characters who all feel purposeful and add to the charm of the book. I laughed out loud so many times and I am sure I smiled creepily alone in my room for 90% of the book. (Yay for books that bring on creepy far away dream smiles that temporarily give us a break from the worries of the real world.) So many parts of this book that I would love to quote for you but do yourself a favor and read them for yourself. 5 stars!

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Graydon House Publishing and Kate Bromley for allowing me access to an ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion. I was an absolute pleasure to read this book.

Violet takes an internship at an up and coming fashion brand in Rome. She accidentally destroys her professor's son's laptop... There is animosity and chemistry....

The book is funny and sweet. Love the characters. Both very likable. Love how funny the dialogue is too. A very sweet ending. Really enjoyed it.

Thanks to the publisher for the arc.

This is a very light read, almost reads as YA it just flows so easily and is very witty.
I read this book in less than 12 hours, I love the grumpy sunshine, I love the Rome setting and combination of Art loving characters.
The pace started out slow but went quicker as the book went on which was super nice, it kept you hooked and waiting for what would happen next. I’d definitely recommend this read for anyone looking for a sweet romance with a lot of character growth and a super fun setting.

What a delight to travel to Rome and settle in for a terrific read. Romantic, charming, fresh and full of great details, sights and sounds of a great city.

Fashion, spectacular sightseeing in Italy, marvelous food, chilled Prosecco, explosive chemistry between characters - such a powerful romance blended with enemies-to-lovers and forced proximity, sunshine-meets-grump tropes, reminding us of the Italian version of "Emily in Paris" as "Violet in Rome": this is the recipe for the best romcom!

Another standing ovation is coming from me! This book made me giddy, carefree, and highly entertained! The fiery attraction between the sunshiny, optimistic, caring, artsy, creative, and quirky Violetta and the grouchy, surly, charismatic, and playful Matt absolutely excited me!

I loved Violet from the beginning. She's brave enough to pursue her dreams and finish design school, becoming a finalist in a fashion competition that rewards a job at a New York label, even though she's 29. She still misses her ex-boyfriend, the same man she changed cities for, but she's concentrating on her A-game to create killing designs to find her dream job in the fashion industry.

Unfortunately, on her first day, her coffee run turns into a disastrous meeting with a cute guy - she ends up destroying a brooding stranger's laptop. Her Americano treat and several apologies don't solve the matter. Then she realizes this man is not a stranger - he's the sulking son of a professor and he lives a few feet away from her in the same apartment.

Violet does everything she can to avoid crossing paths with him, but eventually, they bump into each other. More sexy, witty banters, dinner, and event gatherings later, they slowly bury the hatchet. They even realize they enjoy each other's company - actually, they enjoy it more than they expected!

I love being a witness not only to Violet's love story but also her journey to find out what she truly wants to do in her life!

Overall, I cannot resist the charm of one of the most spectacular cities in the world. This extremely swoon-worthy, engaging, inspirational romcom is absolutely one of my favorite works by Kate Bromley!

Special thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing/Graydon House for sharing this heartfelt book's digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.

A summer internship in Italy for a fashion student soon turns into something more when she has an unexpected run in with the grumpy son of her professor. Violet Luciana is in her thirties and has finally decided to chase her dreams, after being dumped by her long time boyfriend for “not being ambitious enough” its time for a change. She is now pursuing her dream of becoming a fashion designer. She is given the opportunity to intern at a fashion house in Rome but she has an unfortunate run in with a cute but grumpy guy at a cafe... who later turns out to be her professor’s son who is going to be living with her and the other two interns for the summer. After accidentally destroying his laptop, and getting a bit of a rough start, what starts off as tricks and banter soon turns into something more as Violet and Matteo spend more time together and begin to not only go on cute dates but get to know each other. This was a cute and fun read, I think it would make the perfect summer read and it really made me want to book a trip to Rome and possibly meet a cute stranger in a cafe. Violet and Matteo were cute, they know how to tease each other but also support one another. Overall, it’s a cute read and perfect for the summer!

*Thanks Netgalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing, Graydon House for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

Placeholder. Will update when the Harper Collins union new contract is finalized. Thank you again to the publisher for the copy.

Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing, Graydon House, NetGalley and Kate Bromley for this early gifted copy of Ciao For Now!

I’ll start by admitting that I binged this book within 24 hours, and I would do it again in a heartbeat. This might be Kate’s best book yet. It fun, witty, captivating and lovable. It’s the perfect amount of grumpy-sunshine, enemies to lovers. And hear me out: it’s Emily in Paris meets When in Rome (yes the Mary Kate and Ashley one) with a hint of Lizzie McGuire, and The Devil Wears Prada.

This book was overall a feel good read—a book that left you feeling happy and at home. It’s a book I would feel comfortable recommending to anyone; a book I would buy a physical copy of to have on my shelf and share with people; and a book I would read again.