Vivi il Momento was such a pleasant surprise! It’s a story full of passion, twists, and lessons about embracing life as it comes. The mix of lust, lies, and love made for an engaging read that kept me turning the pages. Mary Belle did a great job bringing the Italian setting to life—it added so much atmosphere and charm to the story.

I really enjoyed how the book explores living in the moment. It’s not just a love story; there’s an underlying message about personal growth and letting go of the past. The characters felt real, with all their flaws and emotions, which made it easy to connect with them. The relationships were messy at times, but that’s what made the story feel authentic.

While there were a few parts where the pacing slowed a bit, the overall experience was great. It’s a perfect pick if you’re looking for something romantic with a little bit of drama and a lot of heart. Definitely worth reading if you’re in the mood for a story that’s not just about love, but also about learning to truly live.

I was pleasantly surprised reading this romantic book that was mostly set in Italy. For this book to be a debut from the author, I’m like wow it is so well written. The character development was great, the descriptions about Italy was beyond amazing (loved those parts the most), & the family dynamics with their issues really made it a page turner. I really loved reading about Mia & Genarro chemistry & their budding relationship as time went on. It definitely had me rooting for them throughout the entire book. The father was absolutely exhausting & the mother had no real say or backbone basically so they were a lot. I do not care for cliffhangers at all so the ending left me feeling very underwhelmed but other than that I truly enjoyed this story. Grateful for a complimentary copy for my honest review.

I was honored to get this as an arc from NetGalley. I really enjoyed this book. I gave it a 5 stars. I had never read anything by this author before, but knowing there will be a sequel, I will definitely be reading her next book as well. I highly recommend this book, it’s a romance.
This follows Mia, who spends a 2 week getaway in Italy after something happens to her, and she meets Janiero, who was tired of his father dictating his life so he escapes to Italy. The two find each other and form this lust relationship and I’ll just leave it there.
It was so good,

Romance and Italy, a guaranteed winner.

Vivi il Momento tells the story of Mia, an Italian-American on holiday in Rome and Gennaro a cop there.

Mia loves love, but has trust issues after a string of bad romances, Gennaro, on the other hand, is a love skeptic with a secret..

But with undeniable chemistry, will the two find a way to make their romance work through international borders and family secrets?

If you’re looking for a insta-love trope set against the romance of Italy then you may enjoy this book. This was a charming read and I’d recommend to anyone looking for some romance

This was an amazing read!

The love story! Their connection, the characters, the scenery. It was all just amazing! I am so happy that I found this book!

When it ended I worried that I had to wait a while for the next book to come out and continue on with our characters! So glad that the next book is coming out this month April 2024!!!

I will definitely be reading the next book in the series!

I recommend this book!

With thanks to the author and NetGalley for the opportunity to read “Vivi il Momento” ans an eARC and offer my honest feedback.

I believe strongly that this book will find its audience and they will be vocal in their support. The insta- lust was not my cup of tea and add in a couple of oddities, such as driving up to Roma from Firenze or the local going for a “pie” in Roma after work, I was unable to really love the story. That said, the writing is neat, a little heavy on the telling rather than showing regarding character motivation and behaviour in place. There is a definite grumpy x sunshine story and the cliffhanger suggests that although it’s not HEA yet, there is another book and the story will continue.

The insta love was not it. How do you see someone one time and instantly want them over every one else? It felt forced and I couldn't get into it. If you don't mind insta-love then it would probably be a good book for you. Just wasn't my cup of tea.

ARC generously provided by Net Galley.

Unfortunately this book just wasn't for me. I found some cultural inconsistencies irked me a bit (mama spelled with one M instead of 'mamma' as it is in Italy, Gesù spelled incorrectly as Gezu, Gennaro's mother's last name as Beretta while in Italy, women keep their maiden name after marriage, Gennaro's brother driving up to Rome from Florence, meanwhile he would have driven DOWN to Rome from Florence, etc).

I also didn't like that the author told me about the characters rather than showed me their personalities through dialogue or experience/situations. Their chemistry and instant-love felt implausible and hard to get invested in.

I hope this book finds the right audience, but it wasn't for me.

Debut romance by Mary Belle that transports the reader to the food and sights of Italy.

Mia, recently fired from her job, escapes to Italy with a list of places and food that she has to visit and try. While in Rome, she comes across Gennaro - a sexy Italian cop who she instantly becomes attracted to. There is insta-lust, followed by insta-love. But Gennaro has a complicated past, and a big family secret that threatens their budding romance. And then there's the problem that Gennaro lives in Italy and Mia lives in the United States...

I wish that the backstory at the beginning could have been shorter so that the meet-cute between Gennaro and MIa could have happened sooner. Also, this is not a HEA as the story ends on a cliff-hanger. Good level of spice.

Thank you NetGalley for a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Take me to Italy! What a beautiful story. I loved the dialogue and family relationships the book explored. Well written details about travel and love. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

I’m not a fan of insta-love. And the male main character just so happens to see this girl once in passing and goes and tickles his pickle in the shower but will reject all girls in his path. And I also found myself not really caring about the characters. Quite unfortunate, but with that, I think, the writing is really good! Anyway, hope this finds the right audience!

Vivi il Momento by Mary Belle is such a refreshing and wonderful story.

The book has a sweet romance, love at the first sight, plenty of spicy scenes, angst, suspense, plot twist, family issue and heart breaking moments. The chemistry between Mia and Gennaro are intense. For someone who been heartbroken, this love between her and Gennaro really feels like love came when you are not looking. Even though, Gennaro have a lot of family issue, he shows that he can be a family man whenever his family need him. This book really shows maturity in characters.

I'll definitely will be reading more from Mary Belle and wishing to read the next book.

When Mia, an Italian American meets Gennaro in Italy, she finds herself rethinking her feelings about romance. She has always found herself broken hearted but with Gennaro, true love might just be there for her. For Gennaro, the chemistry with Mia is instantaneous and he fears that his past could ruin it for them both. Yet, when they wake up in each other’s arms with their one-night stand feeling anything but singular, their lives are altered in ways that seem impossible to resist.
This was a great read and quite amazing that it is also a debut novel. The atmosphere of Italy leaps from the pages as do the characters making up Mia’s family. The romance was delightful and well-paced. I am so looking forward to the next book in the series.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This is a spectacular debut, and had a really great balance of romance, spice, and a beautiful Italian setting. The characters felt well developed and they had great chemistry, which made the story easy to get invested in. Their romance felt well paced and well thought out. The writing definitely didn't feel elementary or like that of a debut novelist, it was well done.