Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book. I have chosen to write this honest review voluntarily and it reflects my personal opinion.
I didn't like the dynamic between Katy and her mother; from Page 1 it seems that 30-year-old Katy has never made up her own mind about anything as her mother controlled everything about her life. After Carol's death Katy decides to take their planned trip to Positano alone. Thereafter lovely descriptions of the area and food are mixed with mentions of having no water, dehydration, getting water, drinking water, how refreshing it was, etc. until I was fed up reading about it. Katy finds out something surprising, and there is a final twist which was totally predictable. The twist for me was that the book was reissued on Netgalley, and I didn't particularly enjoy it the first time, and changes have only been for the worse.

This was such a lovely read. I was a little unsure at first when Katy first arrived in Positano, and what happened happened, but it all came together so nicely. The Italian characters were wonderful and the ending tugged at my heart strings. Really enjoyed it.

This book was a little bit of a let down. I expected a lot from this author after reading her first book but this was not in the same class. It was enjoyable but the plot never took of and it was quite repetetive.

There were some things I really enjoyed about this book, but overall I found it quite confusing and disappointing.

I wasn't totally accepting of Katy's apparent obsession with her mum, as I think the centre-of-my-world view of the mother/daughter relationship, especially from the daughter's point of view, only really exists in childhood. However, I was willing to accept that this was a byproduct of her grief and I could see how someone might question so many things after such a great loss.

I didn't really understand her beef with Eric, though, aside from the fact that maybe her mother's death had made her put her whole life in perspective and she was questioning everything.

What I did love and appreciate about this book was her journey to the Amalfi coast. I definitely felt transported and present there due to the writer's lively and specific descriptions of the landscape, food and community there.

However, I felt that Katy's physical and emotional journey to Italy was enough to push the book forward and the added complication / question over her heritage and this mysterious appearance of her mother's younger doppelganger 'Carol'. The book didn't need this and the fact that it was not explained or rectified confused me a lot!

I struggled to get into this novel as the writing style and rhythm just didn't flow for me. Not for me I'm afraid.

Absolutely loved this book! It is an absolute gem that captured my heart from the very first page. With its compelling characters, gripping plot, and exquisite storytelling, it's a book I simply couldn't put down

One Italian summer by Rebecca Serle


The book was beautiful. Slow paced but it fitted so good in the books world at Italian coast with beautiful scenery. Also liked how any of the book’s characters weren’t perfect but really real liked.
Melancholy was present throughout the book, but the hopefulness at the end fitted there great.

A deeply moving love story that explores the profound bond between Katy and her mother, Carol. After Carol's courageous battle with cancer comes to an end, Katy finds solace elusive, even in the arms of her husband, Eric. In a transformative turn of events, Katy embarks on the long-awaited trip to Italy that she and her mother had dreamed of. Little does she anticipate the extraordinary twists that await her, forever altering the course of her life. Brace yourself for an emotional journey you never saw coming!

I want to go to Italy, right now. And I am not even the big of an Italy person. The atmosphere of the country, the area, the food, everything is so beautiful written, that it is almost impossible to not book a ticket straight away. I cannot imagine that someone would read this book and not want to visit this beautiful part of Italy.
So, do you want to visit Italy by reading or are you looking for a perfect summer read? This is your book!

And besides the absolute love for this part of Italy, this book is also some kind of love letter to a mother-daughter bond and the love a daughter has for her mother

And although I loved the part about Italy and the mother-daughter part,, I do have some (minor) things I didn't quite love about the book. I loved the fact that Katy loved her mother so dearly, but on the same side, how is it possible that a thirty year woman is so dependent on her mother? I didn't get it, and it didn't quite fit into the story. Do you know the saying, don't speak ill of the death? This book is a great example of that. Katy didn't seem to understand (at least not in most of the book) that her mother was just a person, with flaws. She put her mother on such a pedestal, it was almost sad.

I also didn't like the way Katy was behaving towards her husband. She treated him like crap, something he completely did not deserve.

But, besides those points, this was a lovely story about the love for Italy, the longing to visit a certain place for quite some time, the loss of one of the most important people in your live. I even got emotional at the end.

I would recommend, but with some minor notes!
3,5 stars!

‘When Katy's mother dies, she's left reeling from the loss. Carol had been her best friend, her anchor, and they'd been so close to their dream of travelling to Positano together.

Feeling untethered from her own life and unable to connect with anyone, Katy makes a rash decision. In a bid to keep her mother close, she follows in a young Carol's footsteps, flying to Italy alone.’

I absolutely loved the setting of this book, I’m usually a very seasonal reader but it was the perfect escapism from the wet and dreary weather in England at the moment.

I also thought her approach to the grief that Katy felt for her mother was really well done, but I just couldn’t warm to her! I found Katy’s decision making baffling and self absorbed, and the main twist was just one massive plot hole!!

Am being pretty generous with my rating here as the writing itself (apart from the constant name dropping of LA restaurants 🤷‍♀️) was very good, but for me this book was all about the location.

Although this book starts off sad and it deals with grief, it turned out to be a book so beautifully written that I just couldn’t put it down. I really enjoyed this one immensely. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

When I started reading this book I thought it was going to be your typical holiday romance story, and although there was a bit of that, there was also a big twist on it.
I thought this book portrayed grief brilliantly, and despite the heavy subject it was also really fun.

Rating – 3.5 stars rounded off to 4

An eclectic mix of beautiful location, divine food and harrowing sentiment!

Synopsis –

Katy is lost after her mother’s passing. Unable to face the life ahead of her without Carol, she decides to go solo on a trip that was planned with her mother, to the magical sea side town of Positano, Italy. Will this adventure help her to solve her identity/life crisis and accept her destiny?

Review -

Firstly, the gorgeous cover and title of the book were enough to draw me to this book. As with her previous one #InFiveYears, Serle’s books always deal with an immense life tragedy and the consequences that those left behind are left to navigate.

Katy’s grief is unfathomable and I really sympathized with her. Losing her mother Carol has toppled her entire world – her friend, her life’s compass and her very back bone itself has collapsed.

Serle explores the various stages and process of a daughter’s sorrow in such great depth, that I was left wondering whether Katy had an unhealthy obsession and reliance on her mother. Love for your mother is totally natural and warranted - but in this case, I’m only in two minds about its relative dynamics.

The setting is undeniably the highlight. God, Serle’s rich and vivid descriptions of this pretty town of Positano on the Amalfi coast made me fall head over heels in love with it. And oh! the details of all those mouthwatering Italian delicacies – let me assure you, will leave your taste-buds tingling. This book has put this town of Italy at the top of my travel bucket list!

Furthermore, Serle’s writing is top class. Her prose has great lyrical beauty and emotionally evocative.

Understandably, Katy’s decision making was not at its best. Although determined to make the most of her holiday and in turn come to terms with her loss, I couldn’t help but cringe at her behavior and judgement at times. I couldn’t warm up to her however much I tried and that is an issue for me.

A few plot twists were totally unexpected and kept me hooked until the end. However, I found that the main concept behind the story was slightly flawed in its execution.

Overall a good read considering the highly accomplished writing, a picturesque and surreal setting and poignancy.

One Italian Summer by Rebecca Serle this book was so beautifully written from start to finish I loved reading this especially as its not a book/gene that I usually read, But the cover caught my eye and I am so glad it did. This book would be great for a holiday read or a book where you just want to hide away for a few hours and dream you have the sun on your face, with a cold glass of Chianti listening to the sea in the back ground.

This is a book that will have you smile, Laugh out loud and even shed a tear or two, Plus, dream you are there with Katy walking the streets in Italy. You will love it like I did.

I highly recommend this book.

Big Thank you to Netgalley Quercus Books, Quercus the publishers for my ARC.

Firstly, I would like to express my gratitude to #NetGalley and QuercusBooks for providing me with an advanced reader's copy of #OneItalianSummer by @Rebecca Serle.

The book contains several quotes that resonate deeply with me, such as "There is more to life than just continuing to do what we know. What got you here won't get you there." and "In the end, I just didn't care enough. And I think it's hard to be good at something that you don't love." These powerful messages reflect the idea that if we want to achieve different outcomes, we must behave differently and continue to evolve.

Rebecca Serle has done an exceptional job of creating a captivating and heart-wrenching story that follows Katy Silver as she journeys through the stages of grief after the loss of her mother. The author's masterful writing weaves together a rich tapestry of emotion, setting, and character, leaving a lasting impression on readers.

I strongly recommend this book to anyone looking for a must-read. One way to experience the journey is to dive into it blindly, without reading the blurb. The beautiful cover initially caught my attention, and now, I'm eager to read more of Serle's work, such as "In Five Years."

The book chronicles Katy Silver's struggle to come to terms with the loss of her mother, someone who had been the center of her world. After her mother's death, Katy found it challenging to interact with her father and husband. To honor her mother's last wish, Katy travels to Positano, Italy, and embarks on a journey of self-discovery.

Serle's portrayal of grief is authentic and empathetic, capturing the raw emotions and pain that accompany the loss of a loved one. Through Katy's journey, readers experience the highs and lows of grief, from denial and anger to acceptance and hope.

The setting of Italy is a perfect backdrop for the story, with its stunning landscapes, rich culture, and mouth-watering food. Serle's descriptions are vivid and evocative, transporting readers to the heart of Italy and immersing them in the sights, sounds, and smells of the country.

Overall, One Italian Summer is a beautiful and moving book that will resonate with anyone who has experienced loss. Katy Silver is a compelling and relatable protagonist, and Serle's writing is nothing short of brilliant. I highly recommend this book and give it five stars out of five.

This book literally swept me away to beautiful Italy. To the sea, the sand, the pasta, the cobbled streets, the history, the wine, the charm, and the sunshine. It made me feel like I was on a glorious sunny holiday. I really enjoyed reading this one. Such fun

This was a really great story with just the right amount of emotion.

One of the things I really loved about this book was the main characters development. She was so lost in the start of this book, but through out the book she starts to find herself. She goes from only seeing herself as someone who belong to her mother to becoming her own person. She hit a few rough patches during the book and there were times when I really didn’t agree with her choices and didn’t like what she was doing, but all around she was a very interesting character.

This would be the perfect summer read, if you want a little more emotion than in the usual summer books. An amazing story done with beautiful writing. I will definitely recommend this book!

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.

This book was an emotional read, in a beautiful setting.

Katy is feeling lost as her Mother, Carol, has recently passed away. She goes to a Positano, the place where her Mother spent a summer when she was young.

I loved the setting and the descriptions throughout the story.

I recommend this book.

I do enjoy books with a bit of a blurred reality, and I didn’t see it coming in this one! I was shocked by the couple of twists in this for sure. I loved the mother/daughter bond of it and the ending gave me such warm fuzzy feelings for some reason! About half way through the book if you’d told me that was the ending, I would have been disappointed. But by the time I finished reading I was just like awww 🥰

Such a beautiful story and I love reading book that start with a loreal Gilmore quote! It really set the tone for the book.