Ava Madison and Chelsea are three best friends always decided to support each other at their weddings. Something happened that kind of messed up the friendship but now the upcoming wedding of Ava and Lake Como is the way for them to hopefully reunite. I love that each of them had issues that they were struggling with And they realized how much they needed each other support. The romance takes place with Madison and was enjoyable as well. I really enjoyed the story to about three lifelong friends.

I was immediately drawn to the premise of this novel and the ways in which it set out to explore the complexity of female relationships. After reading it, however, I was left feeling mostly disappointed and frustrated… especially by the ending.

I will try to avoid spoilers, but will say that if cheating is a trigger for you, do not engage with this text. Just don’t do it.

Of the three friends, Maddie is definitely the protagonist of the novel. It’s her trauma that is at the forefront of the novel, and hers is the narrative voice throughout the text. I think that readers miss out through this limited viewpoint, and I would have liked to also read the perspectives of the other two women. Perhaps reading events from Ava’s perspective would have made me like her more, but I highly doubt it. Chelsea is the one character whom I’d actually want to know in real life, and unfortunately, she gets the least amount of character development and time on page.

The inciting incident that breaks up the friendship is truly awful, and the fact that Ava still invites Maddie to her wedding and orchestrates a conversation that Maddie has not wanted to have felt narcissistic and selfish. In fact, I think that Ava comes across as a narcissist the entire book. I also was not rooting for any kind of second chance romance with Riggs. The author just did readers so dirty with the entire thing, including that little twist of the knife in the form of a [SPOILER] surprise baby. The author makes the conflict feel insurmountable, and does not do the complicated narrative work that a redemptive arc would require.

Instead of a book about the beauties and intricacies of friendship, this book relies heavily on trope-y drama that sort of reeks like internalized misogyny.

With NYC and Italy as the backdrop, this friendship fiction focuses on college friends reuniting and healing the past.

Dual timelines, three friends, one romance and two trips to Italy. I thought this one would be romance centric but it focuses more on the friends and their somewhat toxic relationship. Without spoiling anything, this one does get a little heavier than I expected.

There is an air of mystery as I read. The friends are estranged and Madison has herself embroiled in a undescribed scandal.

It is written in an easy to read style that kept me flying through this even though I wasn’t sure I liked the characters. Which is an odd thought in a book like this.

It may have been helped a lot when I switched to the audio version. Carlotta Brennan brought an ease to the toxic friendship theme that made it easier to read.

I think if you go in with the right expectations knowing this is a little heavier than the cover and synopsis indicate, you can sit back and enjoy this friendship fiction.

A wedding in Lake Como is the third installment in the Meet Me in Italy series. It's a book about finding one's true self, your path in life and true love. It's also about true and lasting friendships, their struggles, found family and second chances. I thought it was an enjoyable read. I wish the ending didn't end that way though.

This novel is challenging to get through. Not because of the writing, that was done very well.. I say this because of the detestable characters that are extremely hard to like and really I wanted to throw the book at them if I was to ever be in their presence. Not sure if you could have made a group of three friends be more horrendous. Actually it was 2 of the 3.. the third was just boring af. Okay, got that off my chest.. whew. The novel was good. Well written and interesting, it kept my interest, especially since I was wanting to find out what drove the friends apart. Madison's character did have a more hopeful growth arc to it which was nice to see. A masterful exploration of friendship, manipulation, betrayal, and finding oneself. I highly recommend for those that like a dual timeline, engaging story of forgiveness.

I received a copy from netgalley and the publisher to read and review honestly.

Though this is listed as number three in a series, I have not read the other two and this can easily be read as a standalone in the same world.

I must admit I was looking forward to something fluffy set in Italy. However, this was shallower than I expected and not quite as fun. There was a lot of focus on toxic female friendship and forgiveness, but I think that would have all been better if I liked the main character more.

I did enjoy the writing though, so I am thinking maybe one of the other books in the series will be more up my alley.

Review will be posted on 6/6/24

During college, Ava, Chelsea, and Madison were as thick as thieves. After an unforgettable trip to Lake Como, they swore to always be in each other's lives and be a bridesmaid at each girls' wedding. Madison, who had a sad childhood with unsupportive parents, really relies on the girls, Ava especially, for support and encouragement. But as the years go by, the girls grow apart due to events that were handled poorly and mistakes were made. Madison, now a successful fashion influencer, gets an invitation to Lake Como for Ava's wedding. This would be a great opportunity for the girls to reunite and put everything aside and where better to do that than in dreamy Italy? Jennifer Probst's A Wedding in Lake Como is a tale of friendship and forgiveness, but ultimately it missed the mark.

If you love fashion, you may appreciate A Wedding in Lake Como more than me. Most of Ava's plot deals with her and her dreams to be in fashion. She is currently a fashion influencer and that isn't something I enjoy, so it got very redundant. Another disappointment for me was the character of Ava. She has crippling insecurities and needs constant reinforcement from her friends. She barely grew as a character, so this also got old quickly not to mention I felt the friendships were borderline toxic. Lastly, I expected more of Lake Como and fewer college shenanigans; however, this novel felt like more of a coming-of-age story at times. What did keep me reading was the setting of Lake Como, which I thoroughly enjoyed. I just wish there was more of it!

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I am prone to disliking stories about American women going abroad. This is not made better by having Ava be half Italian for the fun of it.

I hated Ava from the beginning. She is the worst kind of toxic person, and shouldn't call anyone a friend. Maddie is very woe is me, which is okay, but grows increasingly more annoying as she furthers her influencer career. Chelsea, the only palatable friend, is off screen too often for my liking.

Two tropes I abhor are second chance romance and cheating, and this book has a healthy dose of both. In my opinion, forgiveness comes too quick.

**Many thanks to Berkley and Jennifer Probst for an ARC of this book provided via NetGalley!**

"True friendship resists time, distance, and silence" - Isabel Allende

Maddie has never been the center of attention...at least, not in the way she would hope. As a quiet, tall, redhead who would rather pore over poetry than party, she doesn't have the confidence to talk to the 'cool' kids and feels like a very tiny fish in a large pond as a freshman in college. So she's nothing short of stunned when two of the popular and fun girls, Ava and Chelsey, come up to her and seem interested in being friends. Ava is at the center of the group, with her drop-dead gorgeous looks and personality, and Maddie feels special to be chosen as one of her nearest and dearest. The three spend countless hours together, with Ava and Chelsey encouraging Maddie to follow her TRUE dream of being a unique social media influencer, whose goal is to bring quirky fashion and a unique vibe to the mainstream...and of course, gain a social media following and earn a living along the way.

The three are inseparable over the years, navigating life and love as a group and tightening their own bonds...and when Maddie meets the ultra hunky Riggs at a bar and slowly falls for him, it seems all of the pieces of her life are coming together. But Ava's special attachment to Maddie and her neediness as a friend slowly starts to erode the edges of her relationship and Maddie starts to question if what she's feeling could be forever...or if her friendship and her business should be her TRUE priority. As she slowly climbs to greater popularity with Ava's help, one unfortunate incident calls their ENTIRE friendship and group harmony into question...and ultimately leaves the girls at odds with one another, their friendship estranged and seemingly a thing of the past.

UNTIL one day, when Maddie receives a wedding invitation...AVA's wedding invitation. She's getting married in gorgeous Lake Como, Italy...and the girls had made a pact to be part of EACH wedding day back in their college years. After a scandal online, Maddie's career is hanging by a thread and she finds herself questioning if this is the moment for reconciliation....but with such heartache and betrayal in the past, is there any hope for a new future? Can Maddie, Chelsey, and Ava reclaim the magic they once had as a unit...or has life and growth forced them apart for a reason...and for good?

New to Jennifer Probst and not knowing what to expect from the third in a series, I am happy to report that this book is very firmly a light romance whose focus is more on female friendship AND that it can most definitely be read as a stand-alone book. (From what I gather, it's the location that makes this part of a series rather than any recurring themes or characters.) And although this one looked a bit long given the subject matter (400 pages!) I have to admit I got swept away initially by the promise of an enchanting locale to come, as well as the sort of "introverted fashionista comes out of her shell" premise.

But somewhere between 30-50% of this read, I came to realize that what came off as fun and fresh in the beginning was moving into more shallow and redundant 'fluff' territory...and not even the promise of the enchanting Lake Como could keep me FULLY invested.

For starters, if you aren't a fashionista or would rather grab the NY Times than Vogue...I'd steer clear of this book. There are endless (and I mean endless) descriptions of what everyone is wearing, what their outfits look like, designers et. al for about, I don't know, 30-40% of the book? Yes, I know that Maddie's passion is fashion and that is fine to an extent...I love watching the Devil Wears Prada and ogling designer dresses on Say Yes to the Dress from time to time...but when it gets to the point that I'm rolling my eyes waiting for the clothing's description to be over so we can move on...that tells me it's a bit MUCH.

It's also very hard to fall in love with the female friendships in this one if you don't see the merit of the relationships...and with these three, the initial 'depth' of Maddie felt like a bait and switch. The minute her character decides to go full bore into social media influencing...I already felt my eyes drooping. At first, I was hoping she was going to be a different kind of influencer (although in many ways I doubt such a thing even exists), one who was far more focused on her purpose than her adoring fans....but nope. Ava's influence sort of just brings out what was present in her all along...a desperation to be popular and beloved, and to turn her page into a cash cow. Any sort of respect I had for Maddie sort of withered as the book went on, and honestly, once Ava went so far as to betray her? I was pretty disgusted.

And then there's the character of Ava. Painted as the sort of beautiful, hypnotic enigma that you just can't help but love...but I felt the opposite. She read classic narcissist for me from almost the first page, and despite Maddie's insecurity, I felt like someone as smart as she was should have easily been able to see what a toxic person she is in many respects. Although by the end of the book some transformation has taken place, I STILL wouldn't have been able to forgive her transgressions. Poor Chelsea, the third member of this trio, is the most likable BY FAR...and yet gets the least amount of 'page time' (rather than screen time) and we are all worse off for it. Chelsea is the only one of these three who resembled a fully functioning adult (even by story's end!) and I just didn't understand why she got the bum rush. Maddie's parents also play an important role in her background, but although interesting character development could have come from exploring THOSE relationships too....they are hardly mentioned.

All of this leads to what can only be called a messy, Jerry Springer-esque ending that honestly sort of turned my stomach. As much as I loved the idea of a little jaunt to Italy, I felt like so much of the focus was on the drama that it took away from any true 'growth' most of these characters could have experienced in the interim. As much as this is a pretty readable book (if you don't mind all of the fashion and influencer chat), I spent so much of the read frustrated by the characters and their decisions that I felt compelled to bump down my rating on that basis alone. I'm sure the 20 something set will be satisfied with a lot of the content here, but as a book that I expected to be aimed at a bit of an older audience (perhaps older than me, even!) it was about as deep and resonant as a tiny toy drum.

And although this cover and picture paints a beautiful picture of an idyllic love story in a spectacular locale...this book felt more like a cautionary tale of the dangers of both being an influencer and of BEING influenced by THAT kind of narcissistic friend.

3.5 stars, rounded down from 4

This is not quite the book I was expecting and not really in a good way (for me). To be fair I seemed to enjoy this book a lot less than the majority of reviews I saw so feel free to take this with a grain of salt. I knew this was a book about female friendships and also likely to have some romance. While it was about female friendships it was about a super toxic female friendship and it was a lot about forgiveness and I have to say I was cheering forgiveness on in this situation. Sometimes moving on is only about you and not giving anything to those who hurt you. I also expected this book to primarily take place in Italy, but it was mostly taking place in the past in New York City. While I did like the main character’s love interest and didn’t forgive his mistakes I didn’t like the main character or any of her relationships a lot. This book annoyed me and it was difficult to make myself want to pick this one up. I did like the writing although I had hoped for a little more description of Italy. Overall I found this book ok, but I don’t think I will be rushing to read the other two books that came before this. Overall I gave it 2.5 stars rounded up for the quality of the writing.

Ava, Madison, and Chelsea were inseparable in college but a mistake caused a rift that never fully healed. Ava is getting married in Lake Como and she hopes the pact they made to be there for each other’s weddings will still hold.

Ava was always rich, beautiful, and the center of attention. Chelsea was always practical, but despite having the family she always wanted, her professional life has been put on hold. Maddison has become the fashion influencer she always wanted to be but knows there is something missing.

This wedding may be their last chance to heal old wounds. Will they be able to keep their friendship and move forward?

Why I Like This Book: I love the relationships and friendships in this book. There are highs and lows that made me laugh and cry with the characters. The growth over the years as well as the descriptions of fashion throughout were wonderful. #gifted

Huge thank you to @berkleypub @berittalksbooks @thephdivabooks @dg_reads and @netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book will take you on a journey. I mean look at this cover! Three college best friends made a vow to each other. They vowed that no matter where they are in their own life they will be there for each wedding.
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Ava, Madison and Chelsea thought they would always be the best of friends but then something tore them apart. Now Ava is getting married and the pact stands. The three reunite in Italy and maybe old wounds can be healed once and for all.
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I was disappointed in this book. The friendship between Maddie, Ava and Chelsea was not quite believable, as Ava and Maddie seemed too reliant on each other. I think this book is for a younger audience than me since I don’t really get the whole influencer thing as a career choice. Other than the descriptions of beautiful settings in Italy, I can’t recommend this book. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

A Wedding In Lake Como by Jennifer Probst is book 3 of the Meet Me in Italy series. This is a perfect summer read about female friendships and how people change over time. Our 3 main characters meeting in Lake Como for a wedding after 5 years apart. So much has changed and truths are revealed. Now they have to figure out how to move on with their lives be it together as friends or separate. This book and series is so good. Not only do you have your love story in there but also the importance of friendship. AND the setting is pretty spectacular!

A Wedding in Lake Como is a coming of age story of the power of friendship and sisterhood. Madison really needs the friendship and love of her besties but when betrayal pulls them apart she struggles to find her footing on her own.

“I wondered what lies were forgivable in order to protect someone you love.”

It is also a second chance romance. Madison has to see herself, find her truth, before she can give Riggs a chance to redeem himself.

I’m not the biggest fan of the back and forth timeline. But I did appreciate the need to tell the story by almost blending the past and the present.
-3.5 Stars-

I have loved the books I've read by Jennifer Probst in the past. This is the first book I've read/listened to in this series. I plan to listen to the other two books after researching them first. This is a great standalone as I didn't feel like I missed anything from not reading the first two books. I first read this ebook, then listened to the audiobook to see if my opinions changed. They have not.

Romance is my normal genre. I would say this is more women's fiction/chick lit rather than romance. Mostly because the girl's relationship seems like the focus. If the ending had been expanded, I might would change my opinion on this.

There were beautiful descriptions of Italy that had me spellbound. The story about friends and their very different backgrounds/lives that intrigued me. But as much as I loved it, I hated it as well. This needs to be said, because if I had known, I would not have picked up this book...there is cheating by main characters. It is not glorified or acceptable, so I kept on reading although I thought I'd be sick. There's a toxic aspect of the friendships, and with the cheating, it made this a very hard read for me. It hit so close to home. I cried and my heart pounded and squeezed with pain for the characters. I honestly didn't like how it played out and I can't say why without giving too much away. BUT I couldn’t put it down! The writing is beautiful, there's flawed characters, friendships, forgiveness... And the ending was not what I expected. I can say that I won't forget this book.

Carlotta Brentan is a new to me narrator. Her performance was excellent! I loved her voice.

This was another beautiful story by this author. I look forward to the next one in this series. This author never disappoints.

Maddie has felt alone forever. Her parents told her she was a “mistake” and had ruined their lives. While other little girls had parents that attended special events, hers never did. They told her once she graduated high school, she was on her own. Maddie worked hard and got a full ride to a smaller college. Of course, she’d have to work part-time to cover some expenses. Her college life really took off after two popular girls took her in and they became besties. Ava came from a wealthy family. Chelsea had a wonderful supportive family. Suddenly Maddie had friends that welcomed and encouraged her to do things she had never experienced before. Since Maddie didn’t have anyone to go home to on school breaks, Ava even included her on a visit to her father who lived in Italy.

Over time each girl had to decide on goals for after college. They also had to decide what to do about relationships outside of their close bonds. Maddie wants to get into fashion of some sort. She’s always been able to create stunning outfits from inexpensive, vintage items. She’s surprised when being an online influencer leads to avenues and opportunities she never expected. Will fame be everything she imagined or can unexpected events blow up hers and her friends’ lives?

A Wedding In Lake Como is the perfect title for this story. It’s the culmination of years of ups and downs with consequences from poor decisions and sometimes ambition over calmer choices.

Maddie loves Riggs with her whole heart and has been close to him since early college days. Will they be able to find forgiveness and redemption after horrible situations? Will Chelsea be able to find her way to having something of her own again? Will Ava find lasting happiness with her new husband Roberto and come to love her stepmother?

This book has romance, but more than that it’s a story of the type of friendship that is so hard to find. College really is a time to bond with others from different backgrounds. It’s rare to keep that type of bond going once careers and marriage take center stage. If it can be done, life is even sweeter.

I will probably never make it to Italy. Jennifer Probst’s lush descriptions of the area made it come alive for me. Other than the octopus, the food and written about made me hungry. Italy seems to be a popular setting in novels these days. I love when my reading links me to places I can learn more about while being immersed in a fabulous tale.

The author uses a dual timeline which seems to be trending now. She seamlessly weaves them together to give the reader a full experience. I haven’t read the first two books in the Meet Me In Italy yet. I hope to go back and experience more of Italy from home.

#BerkleyBesties

4 Stars!
Madison Heart never felt wanted as a child, but then she meets two women at college that become as close as sisters. Their friendship changes her life and makes her finally feel accepted and whole. She grew up an awkward, small town girl, and these relationships had defined her and helped her develop a new confidence. She'd learned more about her inner self, and was chasing her dreams of being famous. She'd always been interested in fashion, modeling, and becoming a social media influencer. As her career exploded, she was suddenly the new it girl in New York. She was on her way to becoming everything she ever wanted to be when she meets the love of her life. She has it all, and then her perfect world starts to crumble. As her friend group implodes she feels lost and lonely. She's tired of being angry, and has reached her breaking point when she receives a wedding invitation to Italy. Will she stop running, and confront the past? It's been years since their fallout, and the women that had become her family feel like strangers. Will a life changing trip finally bring her the peace she craves?

A Wedding in Lake Como (Meet Me in Italy #3) by Jennifer Probst is a heartwarming, emotional, college romance about healing, forgiveness, choices, connections, self discovery, first loves, second chances and finding your person. This story explores the intricacies of female friendship, found family, personal growth and evolving. It's a beautiful journey following three friends through all the pivotal moments of their lives. <333

Book: A Wedding in Lake Como
Author: Jennifer Probst
Genre: Fiction
Places Featured: Lake Como, Italy, New York City, New York, Los Angeles, California
Review Score: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A Wedding in Lake Como Book Review:

Oh, Italy--everyone's dream destination for food, wine, scenery, and exploration. Author Jennifer Probst knows that (and she's a big fan of all things Italian) so she wrote the Meet Me in Italy trilogy. And, while it is called a trilogy, the books do not need to be read in any certain order.
A Wedding in Lake Como is actually the third installment and (so far) the only one I've read. It's the story of three best friends who forged a deep and meaningful friendship in school--they saw each other through some hard times, some fun times, and shaped who each other is. But, then life got in the way and choices were made that broke that friendship apart and Ava, Chelsea, and Madison have all gone their own way...

Five years later, Ava is planning her wedding and thinks it's time to confront the past, so she reminds her friends of the promise they made many years ago to be at each other's wedding and the three (somewhat reluctantly and awkwardly) come back together.

It's a story of friendship, forgiveness, family, growth, and change.

The title is a little misleading: yes, there is a wedding, but this book is much more than romance (in fact, I'd say romance is very minor). And, yes, there are parts of the book that take place in Lake Como, much of the book takes place in New York and Los Angeles.

But, Lake Como does come to life with Probst's descriptions of the scenery, the food, and the people. As you read, you'll be transported to a villa overlooking the bright blue lake with a plate of garlicky fresh pasta and a glass of deep red wine on the table while the starts twinkle above you in the night sky. (And, if you really are on your way to Lake Como, I *highly* recommend this wine tasting experience...it so fun!)

It was an absorbing read--I read it in one weekend--with good writing and character development although it was a bit a predictable. It will make an enticing beach read for the summer.

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