This little gem should be on everyone's summer reading list. The cover alone will draw you in and have you feeling like you're in Italy. The characters are all unique and I managed to find something endearing in each one. The food and atmosphere of the countryside is divine. A real keeper.

Thank you to the author, the publisher and @netgalley for sending me this ARC in exchange for my honest review...official release day is June 6, 2023.

I was so excited for this book.  The cover alone had me!  I will start with the positive….I LOVED how this story transported me to Italy.  I felt like I could actually see all of the picturesque scenes that were so beautifully described throughout the story line.  I loved how the main character decided to take a three week vacation in Italy with strangers where the main goal was to help each other mend their broken hearts as they embark on a journey of self discovery and personal growth, with Italy as the star of the plot!

Overall, this book didn’t work for me. It didn’t captivate me and I lost interest halfway through. I really wanted to love this book! It didn’t work for me but it may work for you!

In Phaedra Patrick's newest novel The Little Italian Hotel, Ginny Splinter spends her days giving advice to callers on her radio talk show in a small town in England. She loves helping people and believes that she can help them solve their life problems. There isn't a problem Ginny can't fix,

Ginny is married to Adrian, who sells high end sports cars at a local dealership. She is about to surprise Adrian with a special anniversary trip to Italy when Adrian tells her that he is moving out, he doesn't know if he wants to be married anymore.

This stuns Ginny, and when she discovers that Adrian has a profile on a dating website, she is even more shocked. How could she, the woman with all the advice for her listeners, have been so clueless as to what was going on her marriage?

When Ginny finds out that the trip is nonrefundable, she invites four listeners from her show to join her in Italy. Instead of a stay for two at a luxury hotel and spa in a small town outside Bologna, Ginny will be joined by four strangers at a little Italian hotel near the luxury hotel. The only catch is that each of these strangers must have their own heartbreak story.

The hotel is run by Nico and his teenager daughter Loretta. Nico's wife left them when he refused to sell the hotel after a deathbed promise to his mother to change nothing in the hotel. The hotel is charming, and a bit lived in, nothing like the successful luxury hotel up the road run by Nico's best friend.

Edna, an elderly woman who dresses in black, is sharp as a tack. Eric is quiet and gets up early every morning to run in the Italian hillside. He carries a dog collar with him. Rachel is a vivacious young woman whose mother has Alzheimer's. Curtis spends all his time on his phone and can be a bit rude to everyone.

The group is slow to come together, but once they do, they all become very supportive of each other. We get the backstories of each of them, what their heartache is, and each story is moving as we become emotionally invested in them. The Italian setting is so vivid, if you close your eyes you will see the Italian countryside and smell the delicious fresh foods that Nico prepares for the group.

When Adrian shows up unexpectedly, Ginny is torn. She has to take a good look at her life and decide what she truly needs to be happy. The Little Italian Hotel would be good for a book club discussion, and you could have a great Italian-themed dinner to go with it.

Thanks to Harlequin for putting me on their Summer 2023 Blog Tours.

Ginny Splinter’s in shock, she’s an acclaimed radio host and an advice expert, she prides herself on knowing what’s best for others and gives everyone who calls in relationship advice , so she wasn’t prepared when the surprise 3-week trip planned to Italy to celebrate her silver wedding anniversary, her husband drops a bomb telling her he wants a divorce. With no luck with being able to cancel it, she decides to extend the invitation to four heartbroken listeners a chance to join her in Italy. She calls them Team Heartache they are headed to the village of Vigornuovo, 150 km from Venice. Team headache consists of
A property developer, Curtis
An 80-year-old widow, Edna,
A gregarious school teacher, Heather and
An introverted carpenter, Eric.
When they arrive at Hotel Splendido, a small inn whose owner Nico and his seventeen year old daughter are also going though changes, we follow this wonderful mismatch group as they grow closer and open up and help eachother in different ways while also finding themselves. I loved this book it was perfect and I highly recommend, you will tear up, smile and even laugh all while loving each character!

I enjoyed reading The Little Italian Hotel, the latest from one of my favorite go-to British authors, Phaedra Patrick. I think my favorite of hers is still the first one of hers I read (The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper), but I've enjoyed her others as well.

There were many things about this book that I enjoyed: I enjoyed the different members of Ginny's motley crew, and I really found myself identifying with several things that Ginny is struggling with (hello, menopause, this change of life is warm...). However, there were several choices made during the course of the plot that seemed, well, out of character for a couple of the characters. And while these characters were doing things that I wasn't expecting or thought they should do, that doesn't mean it's necessarily inconsistent; it could be more about what I enjoy about books not aligning with what the author felt was the best choice for her story. This, reading friends, is what makes books so much fun for everyone.

If you're a fan of Patrick, you'll enjoy this one. If you're not, but are wondering if you should grab this one from the new release table, my advice is YES. It would make a terrific summer read for the plane, the poolside, or the beach.

Title: The Little Italian Hotel
Author: Phaedra Patrick
Genre: Fiction
Rating: 4 out of 5

Ginny Splinter, acclaimed radio host and advice expert, prides herself on knowing what’s best for others. So she’s sure her husband, Adrian, will love the special trip to Italy she’s planned for their twenty-fifth wedding anniversary. But when Ginny presents the gift to Adrian, he surprises her with his own very different plan—a divorce.

Beside herself with heartache, Ginny impulsively invites four heartbroken listeners to join her in Italy instead while live on air. From hiking the hills of Bologna to riding a gondola in Venice to sharing stories around the dining table of the little Italian hotel, Ginny and her newfound company embark on a vacation of healing.

However, when Adrian starts to rethink their relationship, Ginny must decide whether to commit to her marriage or start afresh, alone. And an unexpected stranger may hold the key to a very different future… Sunny, tender and brimming with charm, The Little Italian Hotel explores marriage, identity and reclaiming the present moment—even if it means leaving the past behind.

Not going to lie: Ginny really got on my nerves at first. She was completely passive, lived in denial, and just let life happen to her. I started to enjoy the novel when Ginny got her wakeup call and started to make choices for herself, instead of letting everyone else decide things for her. Adrian got on my last nerve, so I was happy to see Ginny go to Italy and start enjoying life. This was a solid read, although I felt like the ending was a bit of a let down.

Phaedra Patrick is a bestselling author. The Little Italian Hotel is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Harlequin/Park Row in exchange for an honest review.)

I was invested in this story from the first sentence. What do you do when your life is at its lowest and the chance to travel to Italy presents itself? You enter to go and try to heal.
I loved this quirky cast of characters, their backstory and how they each wove with the others. The setting in Italy was described beautifully!
I highly recommend this book!

This story is Phaedra Patrick at her best! With a lovely, heartwarming story, characters you fall in love with and imagery you need to see in real life, you won’t be able to put the book down! It takes the reader down the rabbit hole of what happens when you lose your identity because it has always been attached to someone else. What happens when your perfect marriage is not so perfect anymore. What happens when you begin to think about yourself rather than everyone else?

Ginny Splinter seems to have it all. A popular self-help radio host who is adored by her fans, always giving solid advice, a husband, Adrien who she adores who she’s been married to for almost twenty-five years, and a daughter, Phoebe, the light of their lives who is planning her own wedding, what more could one person ask for? And Ginny has a surprise for her husband. She has booked a romantic Italian getaway at a little hotel to celebrate their anniversary. So, as she is on air excitedly waiting to go home and tell him, she is shocked when a caller, Miss Peach asks her how well she knows her husband. She adds she should be cautious of him. This must be some prank.

But Ginny’s fairytale turns into a horrible nightmare when she confronts Adrien, and he tells her he doesn’t want to be married anymore. He says he needs his space. She tells him about the trip, and he says to cancel, but unfortunately, she can’t. Although Ginny seems to be good at giving advice when it comes to herself, she’s a mess.

So, with Adrien out of the picture and her going to Italy alone, she decides to use her radio show and ask her listeners if anyone is heartbroken call in for a chance to go on a free trip to Italy.

With that she finds four people who begin a journey with her which will change all their lives forever. Eric is quiet and in mourning for the loss of his dog. Heather can’t accept the fact that she is losing her mother. Enda, the oldest has lost both her daughter and husband and is at a crossroads in her life. Curtis, well they can’t figure out why he’s even here.

But first they must check into this little quaint Italian hotel run by a father and his teenage daughter, which seems to be stuck in year’s past. Unlike bigger hotels, it is very simple. But it has beautiful ambiance, and the group enjoys not only the relaxed atmosphere, but their hosts. Unfortunately, they all don’t really expect much. But what seems to happen is they begin to open up to each other, try things they would never have done before, listen and begin to fall in love with each other, their surroundings and most important, themselves.

Ginny finds herself growing stronger by the day and looking at her life and her husband differently. She never imagined a life without Adrien, but now although she still loves him sees her life could be different. With trips to Venice and Florence and the beauty they are surrounded by, who could not change! They all seem to find solace in this little Italian Hotel and each other.

The story is filled with love, friendship, hope, heartbreak and moving forward. The messages are empowering as these strangers who become family find a new strength to take their next steps and begin life anew.

Have some tissues handy because this truly is a story you will never want to forget and never want to end.

Thank you #NetGalley #ParkRow #PhaedraPatrick #TheLittleItalianHotel for the advanced copy.

An unusual rom-com set in Italy and featuring more mature characters. It's well plotted, entertaining but there's some layer as it also talks about choices and how your life could change according to what you choose.
I liked the quirky characters and enjoyed the plot.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this arc, all opinions are mine

2.5 ⭐️

Gosh I wanted to like this soooo badly. And I want to say right off the bat- there was absolutely nothing wrong with this book! It was a sweet little story with a fun premise. Throw in Italy? Yes please!

The issue for me was it just didn’t hold my attention. It read very monotonously in my opinion, and just left me wanting more. I also desperately wanted to see Eric and Biscotti together in the end :(

I have loved every Phaedra Patrick book I have written, and The Little Italian Hotel is no exception! Ginny plans an anniversary trip to Italy for her and her husband--and then she finds out he's been keeping secrets from her live on the air of her advice talk show. She decides to take the trip with 4 of her listeners and ends up finding herself along the way. This book was so poignant, so heartwarming, I read it in one day. A definite recommendation!!

I have a vague memory of liking the last book I read from this author. I had to go back and read my notes. I liked parts of the story but not so much the main character. I feel like I’m reading the same kind of character here. Ginny is really hard to like. She gives advice but I don’t see why anyone takes it. She is insufferable and so is her husband. I could tell he was going to leave her far before she seemed to realize it and the it is one of the first things to happen. Everything that happens after is predictable. It could have been saved by some grezt characters in that little Italian hotel, but it just wasn’t. I was disappointed.

4.5 stars

I loved this story. It's one of my favorite reads of 2023 so far! The setting is charming, and the characters are quirky and realistic. There's likely at least one that will resonate with each reader. I enjoyed the wide age range, as well. There's great character growth throughout the book as each character deals with the loss in their lives, which creates a deep bond between five unlikely strangers. There were a few unexpected twists along the way.
The ending wasn't my favorite part, but perhaps the author is setting things up for a sequel. Key themes are friendship, love, loss, and relationship (that shows family doesn't always mean blood relation). I look forward to reading more books from this author!

I was NOT disappointed by this book! I liked Ginny’s character, how the ups and downs of the others paralleled her own. Too bad there isn’t a real life Splendido where folks can heal their hearts. I finished this book in less than 24 hours. This would be a great read on the beach, an airport, on a rainy day. It’s terrific! Well done, Phaedra!

All of Phaedra Patrick's five novels are quiet stories, which doesn't mean they are not compelling. The Little Italian Hotel is a case in point. The characters are mostly ordinary people who are dealing with despair or who have somehow been prevented from fulfilling their dreams. Family drama, medical issues, personal loss, sacrifice--all are common themes. Watching the characters try to reinvigorate their lives is what I particularly enjoy.

In this book, Ginny's life as a wife, mother, and radio advice expert is upended when her husband won't accompany her on her secretly planned 3-week trip to Bologna, Italy to celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary. In fact, Adrian isn't sure he still wants to be married. Because it's too late to cancel, Ginny arranges with the travel agent to move her reservation to a more inexpensive hotel and add four strangers, those who have answered her call on the radio for others suffering heartbreak, to accompany her to Italy. What follows is the formation of a sort of family, as the travelers reveal their problems with varying levels of reluctance.

I initially felt that the first part of the book was a bit slow and written in a very straightforward manner, but I changed my opinion in the latter chapters, when the plot was not as predictable as I had expected. I came to love all of the characters and reveled in each's individual quest, aided by their new friends. I look forward to each new life-affirming Phaedra Patrick book--I've enjoyed all five to date.

My thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing, Park Row, for the opportunity to read and provide an honest review of this book.

3.5 stars
An enjoyable read that will transport you to Italy! Ginny, a radio host/advice expert/problem solver, has planned a three week trip to Italy to surprise her husband for their upcoming 25th anniversary. When she tells Adrian, however, he surprises her with the news that he wants a divorce. Heartbroken Ginny announces the marital split on air inviting four heartbroken listeners to travel to Italy with her for a vacation of healing and these five complete strangers arrive at Splendido - a small hotel in a village near Bologna run by Nico who is living with his own heartbreak. This eclectic group who vary in ages and backgrounds comes together to help each other heal while planning activities, enjoying Italian food, walking in the hills near the village and taking day trips to Florence and Venice. Over the course of three weeks at the little Italian hotel, Ginny helps the others deal with their heartbreak and puts herself on a path to living the life that will truly make her happy. A pleasant, uplifting summer read and I loved the armchair travel!

Thank you to NetGalley for the digital ARC.

Ginny is heartbroken.

On the cusp of turning fifty and about to celebrate her 25th wedding anniversary, her husband leaves her. Shocked and confused, she offers what would have been her husband's half of their trip to Italy to four strangers who are also going through a challenging time. These strangers are listeners of her radio show, a show in which she gives out life advice. What happens when she is the one who needs help? She is about to find out.

I loved this character-driven novel. I have been a fan of Phaedra Patrick since reading The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper. She has a way of shining a light on her characters and illuminating them from the inside at the same time.

Ginny, Edna, Curtis, Erik and Heather form an unlikely group in Italy, but their moments together are healing.

Some of my favorite scenes take place in Venice. I have been to Italy before but never to that city. I could almost feel the water lapping against the gondola and see the hidden garden blooming behind the door.

Follow the quiet twists and turns of this novel and learn a little more about yourself at the same time.

Thank you to NetGalley and Park Row publisher for the advanced digital copy. This book will be published on 6/6/23.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Phaedra Patrick for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for The Little Italian Hotel coming out June 6, 2023. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Ginny Splinter is a popular radio host and relationship advice expert. She believes she knows what’s best for others. So she’s positive her husband, Adrian, will love the beautiful trip to Italy she’s planned for their thirtieth wedding anniversary. But when Ginny presents the gift to Adrian, he surprises her with his own very different plan—a divorce.

Beside herself with heartache and grief, Ginny impulsively invites four heartbroken listeners to join her in Italy instead. From hiking the hills of Bologna to riding a gondola in Venice to sharing stories around a wonderful meal at the little Italian hotel, Ginny and her new company embark on a vacation of renewal and healing.

However, when Adrian starts to rethink their relationship, Ginny must decide whether to stay in her marriage or start fresh and alone. And an unexpected stranger may hold the key to a very different future. A tender and charming story, The Little Italian Hotel explores marriage, identity and living in the moment—even if it means leaving the past behind.

This is my first book by this author. Books set in Italy is one of my favorite genres. So I was definitely excited for this book and I wasn’t disappointed! The characters were fascinating. I loved the idea of Ginny going away to discover herself and meeting new people. I loved the fun and adventure. There were a couple parts I wasn’t a fan of, such as the dating site parts. I was a little afraid this book wouldn’t end like I wanted it to, but it had some twists and ended exactly the way I wanted! I’m definitely excited to check out other books by this author!

I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys older couple contemporary romances!

Another beautiful story by Patrick. She has a wonderful way for writing that brings people, conversation, friendship and places to life. Here a small group of people grieving in different ways are brought together at a small Italian family hotel. They all begin to find a way forward through that grief. Really enjoyed this.

An easy, bittersweet read that has me craving Italy - especially to visit Florence and the Uffizi Gallery. The author did such a great job of transporting me there.
It was truly thought provoking, with themes of change, grief, loss, and mortality; things I think about often.
I was not expecting the ending to play out the way it did but I was so glad to see Ginny thinking of herself first for once and trying to find her meaning in life.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for allowing me to read this book.