wow this book was SO cute and sweet! I’m ready to book a trip to Italy just because of Violet & Matt. They have the sweetest but very genuine relationship. Their banter, the grumpy sunshine…. i love an enemies to lover but this book exceeded my expectations 100%

I have always been a fan of Kate Bromley ever since reading Talk Bookish to Me so I was excited to get a copy of her latest book!

I really liked this setting more than I thought I would.I have not read a book set in Rome for awhile, and when you add the fashion world onto that I was hooked! Oh the tension between Violet and Matteo is everything! The friendships she makes along the way add even more to the story that had me turning the pages. If you’re a fan of this author like I am then you won’t want to miss this! Happy Pub Day!

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing (Graydon House) for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book. Give me a good enemies to lovers trope, set in Italy, and I'm a happy lady. This was so enjoyable to read and is making me want to book a trip to Rome ASAP.

This is my second Kate Bromley, and while I really enjoyed Talk Bookish To Me, I absolutely adored this one!! I love Rome, I love travel adventures, and a fling abroad storyline is always so much fun!

Violet (Violetta) and Matt (Matteo) have a terrible meet cute when she thinks she sees her ex across a Roman coffee shop, and slams into his table, spilling coffee and knocking his laptop over … and breaking it. After they stop and chat and end up taking an Instagram selfie (because of course that’s what you do in this situation?), she goes to her professor’s apartment where she’s staying for the month of her Roman internship in fashion design - to discover that Matt is the prodigal son home for the summer.

Violet and Matt have great enemies to lovers chemistry through the entire book, while they try to avoid each other and that instant spark from the cafe, while she tries to win a job from her internship, enjoy her time in Italy, and navigate her ex (of 2 years) trying to get back in her life.

I really enjoyed everything about this storyline. Pacing was perfect, all the chemistry was just right (main and side characters), conflict between everyone was exactly right. I highly recommend it! A fantastic read with not too much angst, and you get a great feeling of Italy, one of my favourite countries to visit! The fact I read the whole thing on the plane home from Europe made it that much more special.

I received an advance review copy from NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing (Graydon House), and this is my honest feedback.

This was such a sweet story. I loved that while it was a romance, it also really focused on the main character becoming independent and learning more about herself. There were several laugh out loud moments in the story, and the characters were entertaining. I loved that the ending focused more on her career than just the romance aspect in the story.

You have to add this one to your summer TBR!! It's got a romance in Rome (*swoon*), grumpy/sunshine trope, witty banter, and cute moments between the MCs!

This wasn't my favorite book by Bromley, but I loved being transported to Italy and getting to watch the romance bloom between Violet and Matt! Definitely recommend for an easy and fun read this summer.

Thank you to Graydon House and the author for an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A very very classic grumpy-sunshine romance, loved it! Honestly getting to see Violet's career shine made every page of this romance even more powerful. My major critique is that Greg was never a really believable "villain" / foil and had his character been richer it would have added more to the story. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the free advance copy.

Thank you to UpLit Reads and Netgalley for the ebook ARC! I read Talk Bookish to Me by this same author and absolutely loved it, so I was very excited for this one!

This one is set in Italy. Three fashion students are offered a competition which is more like an internship, and it’s the chance of a lifetime. Our MC has an an unfortunate accident in a coffee shop when we meet our love interest, and comically enough – he is the son of the woman whose competition she’s entered. So they’re going to be living together, despite their chemically charged insta-hate.

There is some sight seeing, some romance, some drama, and delightful friendships in this gem!

I loved this book. It’s such a fun read!

This is the perfect summer read for anyone wanting a romance with the grumpy meets sunshine trope. I would recommend this to anyone looking for an easy and fun read this summer.

The book is well written and I loved that the characters were really easy to like and root for. This was my first book by Kate Bromley, but I'll be looking out for any of her future releases.

Thank you to the publisher for kindly providing me with an ARC via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Synopsis:

Violet's dream of working in fashion is finally about to come true when she lands an internship at an up-and-coming fashion brand in Rome. She plans on winning the competition among interns for the ultimate prize - a job at a NYC label. On her first day, when a coffee run goes wrong and she destroys a stranger's laptop, she's horrified to see its her professor's eternally grumpy son, Matteo, who thinks she's a clumsy American. The animosity (and chemistry) grows as together they face a summer of chic parties, adventures through Rome and sharing a home.

Review:

OK - Kate Bromley does it again! I love her knack for writing about Americans in faraway places. Rome is one of my favourite cities and she really does it justice in this book. I could imagine all the settings in vivid detail (including the handsome Italian men!) The grumpy sunshine/enemies to lovers was done soo well - and I loved the banter between Violetta and Matteo. Reading about the beautiful fashion the characters create - I'm left wanting to see the pieces in real life.

You should read this! I will read anything that Kate Bromley writes, because it's a guaranteed LOVE for me!

Thank you to HTP Publishing for my ARC!!

CIAO FOR NOW - KATE BROMLEY
4.5⭐
PLOT -
Violet is an almost 30 ur old fashion student who gets a chance to intern at a fashion studio in Rome where she butts head with her professors son Matteo even before knowing him at a chance encounter at a cafe. Now being forced to live together their animosity turns into chemistry and the more time that they spend in Rome she finds herself distance from her work, friends and even herself. Now it's on Violet whom will she say Ciao to?
MY THOUGHTS
This was such a fun rom com with a perfect setting of an Italian summer. It got me hooked right from the beginning the witty banter ( trying to one up the other) was super fun to read.
The whole trying to find your niche in the fashion industry staying true to what you good at and what you love doing has been portrayed well.
One is never too old to start one has to learn and grow for itself first before doing anything else which is showed well from Violets personal growth.
Thank you Netgalley and publishers for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

This was a fun book to read!

Violet and Matt are great characters and I loved their meet cute. Their storyline isn't a perfect romance, but it's relatable and I really enjoyed getting to know them as their story progressed. I enjoyed the Italian setting and the fashion storyline.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for a temporary, digital ARC in return for my review.

Looking for a book to add to your summer TBR? Then you need to check out this one.

Bromley takes us to Italy where we not only explore the process of a fashion design student, but also a whirlwind vacation romance. Enemies to lovers, forced proximity, a man being upfront and honest about his feelings, and a woman working to truly find and accept herself.

I loved Matt, he was like a male version of myself. Quiet and standoffish when you first meet him, but when he opens up you get to know who he truly is. And Violet was funny and chaotic, which I thought was funny and a balance for Matt.

The storyline was good and the setting was fantastic, but that third act breakup always lacks for me now. It’s what you’re always waiting for when you’re reading a romance, and I always hope for something different.

Aside from that I love how it ended, and I wish there was more!

This was such a sweet read! I really liked Violet’s character growth that we get to see throughout the story. And also, the setting of Rome, Italy had me absolutely swooning the whole time. I’m going there this summer and cannot wait to get there!

I enjoyed reading about the fashion industry that Violet, Holly and Marco were working in. I know little to nothing about fashion/designing so it was interesting to read about, even though some of the writing about it was more surface level. The side characters in this book made the whole story so much better! You couldn’t help but love them all, my personal favorites were Louisa and Mira, they just seemed like wonderful people!

The romance aspect was also very sweet. You can’t help but enjoy watching Matt and Violet begin to fall for one another. The one year later chapter made me absolutely grin because it wasn’t your typical one year later chapter. Knowing that Violet really did work on herself made me that much happier for her!

Make sure to stay tuned to your bookstores because this cutie comes out on June 6!

🤍 Thank you so much to the publisher @harlequinbooks & @graydonhousebooks & @netgalley for this advanced reader copy!

⚠️TW: death of parent, toxic relationship

This book was so much fun, Violet was fun and sunshine. She was quirky and caring and funny. She was an older design student (29) and she was pursuing her dreams even though she was much older than her classmates. Matt was grumpy and distant in the beginning, he seemed to like Violet but also seemed to not like her. The beginning scenes between them were really fun, the banter through the whole book was lots of fun, but particularly between Matt and Violet.

I loved the evolution between their relationship from kind of enemies to lovers to reluctant friends and then to lovers. The progression was fun to read. I also love that Kate kind of makes her characters work for their happily ever after. There is a third act break-up and Violet really has to put some work on herself before she can be ready for a relationship and although it frustrated me in the book, it was also so well done and I think needed for the character.

Overall this book was so much fun! It is perfect to add to your summer/beach TBR. It was funny and sweet and light. It made me smile through almost all of it.

Thank you to Kate Bromley and NetGalley for the arc of this book.

𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬💭:
This is my first from the author and I was so excited to receive it in the mail! I’ve heard great things about her and the cover absolutely won me over. It’s set in a fashion house in Italy and the MC is competing for a spot in the fashion industry. Isn’t that such a fun little story? Thank you @htpbooks for my copy! It comes out 6/6/23!

𝐁𝐥𝐮𝐫𝐛📝:
Violet is interning in a fashion house in Rome, when she bumps into a really fine Italian man. She later finds out he is the son of her professor. As she focuses on winning the competition that will put her on the map in fashion, chemistry start to ensue between the two and they both realize that mixing business and pleasure might just be a mistake.

𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: ⭐️⭐️⭐️.💫/5. Loved the meet cute on this one. The plot of the story was also really fun and I enjoyed the summer setting in Italy. I did find some of the story telling a bit over the place and the main MC’s decisions and maturity really frustrated me. Overall though, i still found myself invested and wanting to find out how the story ended. It’s still worth a read if you wanna take a peek into the world of fashion design and are interested in an Italian summer romance.

𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙞𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚: 𝘐𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘺, 𝘧𝘢𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘨𝘯, 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴, 𝘓𝘪𝘻𝘻𝘪𝘦 𝘔𝘤𝘨𝘶𝘪𝘳𝘦, 𝘗𝘳𝘰𝘫𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘙𝘶𝘯𝘸𝘢𝘺

Ciao For Now by Kate Bromley
Rating: 4 stars
Pub Date: 6/6

Thank you so much to Graydon House, NetGalley, and Kate Bromley for my ARC to read and review!

Violet Luciano, a passionate fashion student, is working as an intern at a popular fashion brand in Rome, Italy, and competing with two other classrooms for a job at a New York label. When a coffee mishap involving Matteo, her professor's irritable son, escalates into a series of unfortunate events, Violet finds herself navigating a complicated relationship with someone she can't stand.

This delightful rom-com was everything I hoped it would be! Set against the backdrop of the fashion world in Rome, this novel intertwines humor, romance, and self-discovery into a captivating story that is impossible to resist.

The chemistry between Violet and Matteo sizzles from the start. I really enjoyed their meet-cute disaster and their grumpy/sunshine dynamic. Their initial hostility combined with the forced proximity gave this an enemies-to-lovers vibe that I couldn’t resist.

The characters are all endearing and charming, with depth and emotional intelligence that make them relatable. The vivid descriptions of Rome made me feel like I was there, and I have never wanted to travel to Italy more than I do now!

As much as I loved the romantic aspects of the story, this wasn’t just a breezy rom-com. It goes beyond the surface-level romance and delves into the complexities of personal growth. Violet has a few more obstacles in her path than her classmates, and the way she deals with criticism and overcomes adversity is inspiring.

Bromley skillfully explores themes of mental health, self-reflection, and embracing one's true self. Her addictive writing made this impossible to put down, and I can’t wait to see what she does next!

Read if you like:
*a gorgeous Italian setting
*Italian fashion
*Italian food
*enemies-to-lovers
*Emily in Paris
*found family

Romance in Rome??? A broody hero??? A meet-cute gone wrong??? This book was such a sweet romance, and the banter between the leads was A++.

This book has:
• A vacation romance: Violet, our heroine, is in Rome for a month for a fashion internship. Love in Rome??? Where can I sign up ✍️
• Enemies to lovers: After a meet-cute gone wrong, Violet and Matteo have an enemies-to-lovers vibe going on for a hot minute
• Grumpy x sunshine ☀️
• Forbidden romance: Matteo is Violet's fashion teacher's son!!

I highly recommend picking this book up if you are looking for a fun beach read. There is a third-act breakup that dragged on for a while (hence the 3-star rating), but overall I enjoyed this one.

Thank you to Grayson House and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars

3.75 rounded up to 4

Pub. Date: June 6
Pages: 320
Genre: rom com

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫✨
🌶️🌶️

Perfect if you like:
☀️ Enemies to lovers
🩵 Grumpy x Sunshine
☀️ Forced proximity
🩵 Romantic Italian backdrop
☀️ Supportive women friends

Ciao for Now was such a good summer read! I want to go back to Italy ASAP for the wonderful descriptions of the food and scenery of Rome and Capri.

Ciao for Now follows 29-year-old Violet as she and two of her classmates from fashion school arrive in Rome for an internship and competition. On Violet’s arrival in Rome, she runs into a café table and spills coffee on a surly and handsome Italian man, Matteo, ruining his laptop.

Fast forward to Violet checking into her professor’s apartment where she’ll stay for the internship, and Matteo is staying two doors down from her. Turns out he is her professor’s son (and also a writer of a nerdy and famous American TV show)!

Sparks fly as the two transform from enemies to more. I really liked the emotional connection these two share on top of their physical chemistry and how they support each other in their emotional journeys. Their banter is witty and sarcastic. So good and filled with tension. Will they get together with Violet heading back to New York? Can Violet find herself and win the competition?

Bromley’s side characters provide lovely support to Violet as she tries to find her voice as a designer and encourage her when things don’t go her way. From Luisa, who runs a beautiful fabric shop to Mira, who is a lovely friend in the fashion industry, to Daniella, her funny and overwhelmed sister and mom of two small kids, Violet cultivates a supportive network of women who inspire her. Marco, her best friend from school, is also a hilarious treat.

I devoured this book in less than two days. It is funny, heartfelt, emotional, spicy, and a real vacation on the page. I recommend it!

Much thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing, Graydon House for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was such a sweet rom-con, perfect for a summer day. No spoilers, but I loved how the beginning and end mirrored each other and how it all came together in the end. The side characters were interesting, the main characters were funny and lovable together, even if they hated each other at first glance, their relationship grew slowly and organically. I liked the emphasis on fashion and the part it played in the story, and I also really want to take a trip to Italy now! Out in the world June 6th, don't miss this cute rom-con!
Thank you to Netgalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for providing an arc in exchange for a review. All opinions are my own.