Talk about cute. This book is all the cute. From its vivid pastels, bringing to life a beautiful, sandy beach cover to the cute romantic style blurb that hints at all the things to come, there is not shortfall of adorable things to kick off the beauty of this book. 

We are introduced to our main character and she is so much fun to get to know. I really liked that she was running away to escape everything and find herself, but instead fell into truly finding herself and where she has come from. In meeting someone from her past, she ends up meeting someone even better

 Their interactions were absolutely brilliant and made for such a sweet and fun read. 

I really liked the flow of this book and how well it brought together such a lovely wee read. I also really liked how exciting the read was and what it led to, in the end. 

Overall, this was very well written and will be a book that will absolutely adored by so many readers.

This is the first Julie Caplin book I have read and if they are all like this, I've definitely been missing out!

Right from when Lia discovers a father she had never known about, the author pulls you right in. I loved Lia with her no nonsense attitude right down to her insecurities where her 2 families are concerned. I was glad to see her viewpoint change. Raph, on the other hand, I had mixed feelings about especially with his severe trust issues with Lia. I understand where he was coming from but it was a bit much. As for the chemistry between them!

The description of Positano and the surrounding areas were so good you could almost visualise yourself there and it took me back to when I visited that area. As well as that I loved the descriptions of the food, the villa and family life with the Savatores. What a great bunch they were.

If you like enemies to lovers and forced proximity with a bit of spice, I would definitely recommend this one to you.

Thank you Netgally, One More Chapter and Rachel's Random Resources for my gifted copy. I am leaving this honest review voluntarily.

I feel Julie Caplin is back to her best with this book, I loved the first few she wrote but though the one in the snowy hotel and the one in Croatia were a bit rubbish! but this one set on the Amalfi coast was really entertaining, the descriptions of Italy were amazing and made me want to go, the storyline was fun and the characters were pleasant and fitted well together. I would recommend this for a great summer holiday read

A Villa with a View was so much more than what I was first expecting and I pretty much realised this within a few pages. What I found was a really beautiful story and that it was a joy to read. There was romance, a wonderful setting and an emotional edge too. The story itself moved at a good pace, keeping me invested throughout. I loved getting to know the characters and enjoying the gorgeous scenery and food. It was just like taking a trip to Italy albeit within the pages of this book. It provided a gorgeous escape and I loved it!

There was depth to the characters and I thought the author did a lovely job of revealing that there was more to their personalities especially in the case of Raph. There was definitely mistrust lingering between certain characters which brought an entertaining edge. Although at times I probably could have shaken some sense into certain characters! However I could definitely understand how it all played out and it was all because of issues in their past. I have to also mention that it wasn’t just the main characters that brought this story to life the minor characters really added something too.

If you are looking for a heartwarming tale that will whisk you away to Italy with wonderfully engaging characters then look no further. A Villa with a View had a brilliant mix of both light and more deeper moments. This made it so very easy to connect with the characters. I couldn’t help but root for them. I can’t believe I haven’t read any of the other books in this series. If they are anything like A Villa with a View then I really have been missing out!

I loved A Villa With A View by Julie Caplin! It is filled with loads of charm, wit and playfulness. And not to mention a divine setting in Italy that shines with its rich palette of colour and delicious foods! The descriptions provided by Julie oozed atmosphere and yes made me want to pack my bags and jump on a plane and spend a summer in such a gorgeous place. It is a cultural haven with so much history to explore and fun experiences to sample.

Lia is a textile artist: and a gifted one at that. But she receives some unsettling results after she takes an ancestor DNA test, urged by a friend, and discovers she is fifty percent Italian. She approaches her mother with this news who reluctantly reveals the truth. Her father is not quite who she thought he was. The man who nurtured her is not her natural parent. This hits Lia hard and suddenly her identity is shaken. She has always felt like an outsider and very different from her mother and sister, who are business minded. Now she knows why she feels out of place but where does she go from here? To get answers she heads to Italy to meet her father (unannounced), to see who he is and if he has any likenesses to her. Lia needs someone she can identify with. This revelation has caused a shock even to her artistic abilities. She needs to come up with a design to win a special project. But all this new information shatters her core. Maybe if she meets her biological father, it will help her feel whole again? And she might also gain some inspiration for her art textile project in this gorgeous country. So off she goes, at odds with her mother for not revealing her parentage before and upset with her sister who defends her mother’s reasons. And the loving man who raised her gets lost in the trail of dust that follows.

The identity crisis is a big part of this story but it is also a contemporary romance novel with an enemy to lover’s plot. And there is plenty in that department to keep us intrigued. But hey wait, there is more! The theme or focus at its heart is family and what that means to Italians. It has been said that ‘Family is the foundation of society” in Italy. We see through Ernesto and his wife with their special care of their children ( a mixed family of his, hers and theirs) this is very true. No one person receives special treatment. They all do! (Well maybe Lia at first because she is a new member— similar to the arrival of a newborn! ) It is obvious this couple dearly love all their children. And if any new person enters the fold, like Lia, they receive the same care and attention, too. This acceptance stunned Lia—especially since they are such a close knit family. But they welcomed her with open arms. Well, all but one. Raphael, son of Ernesto’s wife is very suspicious of her motives, questioning her at every turn. He is overprotective of his stepfather because of past experiences.

Ernesto is a famous actor and moves in some prestigious circles so sharks often are lying in the waters waiting to take advantage. But Ernesto still seems cheerful, down to earth and generous with his profits, though a bit naïve maybe (or is he just acting?) when it comes to Layla (Raph’s old girlfriend who gets a star for her slippery though smooth performance). I suspected her real intentions but it appears Ernesto may not have, or did he? Hard to know when an actor/performer is not being an actor!

A Villa With A View gives us a comprehensive view of the Italian world through convincing characters. The bonds of this family are resilient and deeply rooted in ‘love, loyalty and support’ and it makes Lia miss her English family for they were close, too. Have they changed or is it just her from the realisation of her new found parentage? She must work out this new path to wholeness and it is a bumpy one at times but there are some pleasant surprises and victories along the way. I thoroughly enjoyed Lia’s journey and the characters that surround her. 5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thanks to One More Chapter and Netgalley for my review copy.

This is the first book I’ve had the pleasure to read and review from this author and I’ll certainly be looking out for future releases from now on!

I was drawn to this one because of the setting in Positano on the Amalfi Coast in Italy; a place I’ve visited many years ago and which I can still conjure up in my mind due to its unique and wonderful scenery.

Julie Caplin transported me back there in the pages of this book with her vivid descriptions of the landscape. The attention to detail in not only the visual, but also the olfactory nuances in the descriptions of the basil, tomato and lemon groves is simply wonderful, as are the depictions of the many food dishes on offer, which had me scrambling to find recipes to try them out for myself.

All of this and there’s still the characters and romance to discuss! I immediately warmed to Lia and Leo; his sense of fun and lively character was the perfect antidote to Lia’s heartache at discovering her family circumstances.

It took me longer to like Raph but the way the author builds up his personality as the story progresses cleverly allows the reader to unpick the reasons behind his behaviours which then evokes empathy for him.

My favourite character, however, has to be be Aurelia. What an incredible woman! Gentle, warm, compassionate and yet at the same time, a typical no-nonsense Italian mamma. I loved the way she welcomes Lia into the family fold and immerses her in the Italian way of life. I also chuckled at her not so subtle attempts to bring Lia and Raph together.

This is a fabulous, easy read which would be perfect for a summer holiday pick but equally would bring some sunshine into a gloomy day at any time of year.

With thanks to the author and Rachel at Random Resources for the opportunity to participate in the tour.

Across to Europe and the Amalfi coast, so not only are we going to be dropped right into some delightful descriptions of Italian food we are going to feel the warmth of the sun on our backs too.

Lia Bathurst finds herself looking for her father. A father she didn’t even know she needed to look for and one that is rather famous. But first she has to penetrate the ring of protection around him, including siblings she knew nothing about and the dark and brooding Raph who is convicned she is a gold digger.

The one person who welcome her is Aurelia, her fathers wife and she wins her over with the most delicious pasta, fresh ingredients and aperol spritz. Coupled with the landscape around which inspires Lia’s creativity in her role as aa textile artists, it seems that this escape is going to be the best thin for Lia and maybe even Raph.

Another excellent book to add to this series of books which take you all over the world, to experience all the food without leaving the comfort of your own home.

Really good book I enjoyed hearing about the landscapes and the views and how she gets to meet her dad she knew nothing about.

My sister has become a huge fan of Julie Caplin, so when the blog tour invite came through, I couldn't resist signing up!
Caplin has a wonderful talent in describing her setting incredibly well, to really help the readers to immerse themselves in the book and feel like they're there with the characters.
The plot is lovely and cosy, and is a fabulous way to warm up when it's cold outside! I was sucked into the drama immediately and even gasped at some of the developmets!
It's a fun read, and has me looking forward to some warmer weather!

The food! The gelato and pastry treats! The wine and cheese! My mouth was watering as I read along with this fun story set in gorgeous Positano, Italy. 

It took me a minute to get into this story. I even read the synopsis (twice!) before I figured out what was going on in the first couple of chapters. It felt like it just jumped right into the middle of Italy, vs easing us in with some backstory. I didn’t fully feel the chemistry between Raph and Lia, even with Raph's mother pushing them together. I was more cheering for the family bonding between Lia and her newfound father and siblings. I especially loved Leo! I hope he makes a triumphant return in a future story!

What I did love? The scene where Raph came out of the water. Oh my goodness- “Daniel Craig, eat your heart out” had me in hysterics (while my heart was palpitating). SWOON!!

I’m a huge fan of Julie Caplin’s books and being in Italy on the Amalfi coast was very special. Julie’s writing is so evocative and brought back so many memories of my times there.
Lia’s story is a good one - her life as a textile designer sounded fascinating and the colours and pictures of her work described sounded beautiful- bringing the Italian coastline to life. I loved her spark and feisty nature - to have found out something so life altering at that stage of her life must have been shattering but I had to admire her tenacity. The sparks between her and Raph were great and I loved the one liners and comebacks between them. Oh and don’t mention that gorgeous sounding food 😊

I'm a huge fan of Julie Caplin's books and currently making my way through her Romantic Interests' Series so when I was offered the chance to review her latest in the series I jumped at the chance. As usual I was not disappointed. Yet another great story which left me wanting to travel to Italy myself. Julie's books always make you feel you are there right in the heart of the action experiencing everything that is happening. Her books often leave me wanting to explore the places she writes about and this one was one of them. I can't wait to see what she comes up with next. I really enjoyed joining Lia on her journey to meet her real father, Julie really captured the emotions that Lia went through and how it had affected not just her but her family as she found out the truth about her heritage and the journey that she goes on. Entertaining, moving, and a great story. Unputdownable! One not to be missed.

A great setting in Italy. Lia meets Raph in London and then in Italy, where they clash. His matchmaking mother has other ideas.

I have to say first of all how much I enjoyed the setting of this book. I visited the beautiful Amalfi coast a few years back and this book brought back many memories of just how lovely it was – and how hot it was too. I could easily picture the steep hillside with the colourful houses seeming to cling to it, the heat of the Italian sunshine, the sparkling azure water of the Mediterranean sea which the author so vividly depicted.

And the food descriptions – oh my goodness! From the home-made pasta to delicious sounding pasta sauces, from the many flavours of Italian gelato to traditionally made pizza and with the scent of lemons permeating the air, everything sounded wonderful. I think my mouth was watering throughout each chapter!

The author has created some lovely characters in Raph’s large Italian family and I really liked how Aurelia and Ernesto, despite their fame and wealth, tried to live as normal a life as possible and had such a wonderful relationship. Their warm and welcoming manner and generosity to Lia was lovely. I enjoyed the depiction of different forms of family in this book and how Julie Caplin showed that what matters most in a family is love.

Love of course is key in this book with it being part of the Romantic Escapes series. Lia was looking for escape in more ways than one but what she didn’t expect was to find that grumpy business manager Mr Knight was in fact the step-son of the man she has just found out is her biological father. Their slow burn enemies-to-lovers relationship was so well related and the passion between them soon built into a heat to rival the Italian sun. But of course, there are misunderstandings and bumps in the road so do they get their happy-ever-after? Well, you’ll have to read it yourself to find out what happens.

A Villa With a View is a romantic, heart-warming read giving a real taste of Italy. I really enjoyed my armchair visit to the Amalfi coast and found the book to have a very satisfying ending. I wonder where Julie Caplin will take us next?

A Villa with a View by Julie Caplin

This author never fails to hit the escape criteria that I am always looking for in a book, beautifully written with lovely descriptions, the Amalfi Coast felt as if it was in touching distance. Perfect for this time of year when I feel we are all in need of a little warmth and sunshine. I was routing for Lia and Raph from the get go, but I was also invested in the supporting characters stories as they were not just mentioned in passing. A lovely slow burn romance to pass away these winter months. Thanks very much Netgalley, HarperCollins UK and One More Chapter for this e-arc in return for my honest thoughts and opinions.

This was a delighful story from beginning to end. The perils of falling in love in a beautiful Italian setting. Some lovely chaacters and a great family atmosphere. I loved the conclusion and fely completely satisfied by the end.

Raphael Knight is determined to protect his famous step-father from any one who might take advantage. From the time his mother married Ernesto, people have been using Raph to get to him. Now that Raph is Ernesto's business manager, he takes this very seriously. When Lia Bathurst contacts Raph to try to meet the man that she is claiming is her biological father, Raph is convinced that she is just another opportunist and sends her on her way.

When Lia agrees to do a DNA test for a friend, she has no idea that her whole world is about to turn upside down. The man who she believed was her father is not, and when she confronts her mother about this she is told that a famous Italian film star. She is furious and suddenly feels like she doesn't belong anymore.

Lia is a textile artists who is suffering from artists block (I assume that this is a thing, like writers block for authors!!) and so she decides to spend the summer in Positano hoping for both some inspiration and maybe to meet her father. This was actually the second book in a row where one of the characters was an artist who was struggling for inspiration.

Raph is furious when Lia turns up in Positano, having met his young brother Leo, and he is determined to keep her away from the rest of his family. However, before long Raph and Lia keep on getting thrown together in one romantic situation after another. He doesn't trust her but he is also very attracted to her.

Last year we went to Italy and we visited Positano as part of a drive along the Amalfi coast. We only stayed for one night. It was an interesting place. There was only main road through the town so if you went past your hotel you had to do the whole road again and hope you didn't miss it the next time around. Whilst we loved the whole amazing Amalfi coast we had said that we probably wouldn't do it again, at least not in the same way. Here's some video of the drive




Having read this book, I said to my husband I think we need to go back in the summer but stay for at least a week so that we could do some of the things that were in this book. For example, Lia and Raph visited a lemon grove and I could almost smell the lemons, or go out on a boat at sunset. I like to save passages in books about food and places and I bookmarked a lot from passages about lemon pasta, ice cream, lemon groves and so much more

I have read a couple of Julie Caplin books now and really liked both of them. I do have a couple of others on my Kindle to read, and I will will absolutely read whatever comes next!

I am sharing with New Release challenge hosted at The Chocolate Lady's Book Review blog.

Thanks to the publisher, Netgalley and Rachel's Random Resources for the review copy. Be sure to visit other stops on the blog tour!

Rating 4/5

A perfect summer read. Full of lovely heartwarming characters and lazy summer landscapes and settings nideal For those summer holidays and bank holidays. Indulge yourself in this warm read this summer time you won’t regret it.

Synopsis……..Lia Bathurst had always dreamed of escaping to the white sandy beaches and turquoise blue seas of the Amalfi coast – but that dream hadn’t included meeting her real father. A father she had never even known about until a few weeks ago! Yet here she was, standing outside the gates of a gorgeous pink villa being refused entry by the insufferable – and insufferably handsome – Raphael Knight, her father’s business manager.
When an old black and white photo proves Lia’s claim to be true, Raph is determined to make sure this stranger, with her long caramel waves and infectious smile, doesn’t have an ulterior motive. Even if that means not letting her out of his sight.
As temperatures rise, and not just from the heat of the Mediterranean sun, could Lia and Raph’s forced proximity lead to something more like… amore?

My thoughts…… this novel was set in the beautiful Amalfi coast as I had visited this part of the world the imagery was vivid . The food the art the scenery took you on an escape with Lia.
Lia has found out her father is not her biological father and travels to Italy to meet her rich father and his/ her family. Raph dislikes her and thinks she is after his stepfathers money but as stories goes of course they are attracted to each other . It was a slow burn but if you enjoy a summer setting and the romance then this is for you !

The most gorgeous setting to escape to and it feels so atmospheric. You can feel the sun on your skin and taste the lovely Italian food. It had my mouth watering! Lia is there too meet her birth father but it is not easy with her father's business manager Raphael standing in her way. In the beginning of the book Lia meets Leo who I liked much more than Raphael. Lia and Raphael are a slow burn romance which at times felt extra slow and repetitive but this does allow you to get to know them on a more intimate level. I enjoyed the easy banter and getting to go on a journey of self discovery with Lia was a pleasure.