I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I feel like I could have done without the romance in this one. Aurora’s story is so beautiful on its own. I’m glad that she found a man who actually treats her like a person (unlike Jason) but falling in love in under 4 weeks is so not realistic I’m sorry!

I wanted the story to focus more on her familial ties. The overall theme of self discovery and appreciating the loved ones in your life while you still have them is a strong enough plotline on its own in my opinion.

Other than that I think this was really cute and I appreciated the imagery! Makes me want to add Sicily to my list of travels!

DNF. Unfortunately this writing style just wasn’t for me but the bigger issue is a personal one. By the 10th mention of a dead parent I wanted to be done. And then the second parent died and I had to be done. I don’t feel like I am able to give an accurate star rating but I have to submit one. The cover is beautiful! Thank you for the opportunity, I’m sorry it didn’t work out.

A heartfelt, romantic story about a woman who needs to learn how to love herself before she can really move on with her life. Aurora is struggling professionally. A life coach, with a boyfriend who shares her type A work ethic, she finds herself stuck and questioning everything after the death of her mom, an Italian immigrant who never talked about her life before moving to the United States. Aurora is shocked to find out that she has a big, extended family in Italy, and when they invite her to visit, she goes, just thinking she will spend a week and get back home to get her life together. But she is captivated by the big, loving family she always dreamed of, and the possibility of a new career and new love. Readers will really cheer for Aurora as she works to find her way forward. A great story!

Okay do I need to go to Sicily now?! I think I do! I loved this little book- the characters were fantastic and I loved the connection!

Jennifer Probst’s To Sicily With Love is a captivating love story that transcends borders and transforms lives. Probst masterfully weaves a tale of love, loss, and the power of second chances.
Aurora, a highly-controlled and successful businesswoman, embarks on a journey to Sicily, a place she’s always dreamed of visiting. This trip becomes a catalyst for profound change. As she immerses herself in the island’s beauty, she begins to let go of her rigid lifestyle and embrace the beauty of spontaneity.
Probst’s vivid descriptions of Sicily’s stunning landscapes, delectable cuisine, and warm-hearted people transport readers to this enchanting island. The author’s keen eye for detail brings the sights, sounds, and flavors of Sicily to life.
The romance between Aurora and the enigmatic Sicilian chef, Quint, is both passionate and tender. Their connection is palpable, and their chemistry ignites the pages.
To Sicily With Love is more than just a love story; it's a celebration of self-discovery and the transformative power of love. Aurora’s journey from a tightly wound individual to a woman who embraces life’s uncertainties is both inspiring and heartwarming. Probst has crafted a truly unforgettable reading experience.
Michele Roberts
With the help of Gemini AI

I have never read anything by this author before, but I really enjoyed reading this book. The pacing was good and the character's were developed very well.

this is a truly lovely story! a love story of family, past and present, and the multitude of ways it is shown, shared, grieved, revived, and long lasting. Aurora goes on a healing and heartbreaking journey to Sicily to meet the family she never knew she had. there she finds the connections she’s yearned for, the answers she didn’t know she needed, and the love she oh so deserves.

I absolutely loved seeing Aurora get all she needed and more from this story. her family is precious, and just like a real family in all the wonderful nuanced ways. and I loved seeing Aurora and Quint get their beautiful love story together too. this story is filled with so much love, honesty, adventure, and tenderness.

thank you for the arc!!!!

This was such a fun read for all of the recovering workaholics who haven’t discovered that listening to our inner voice is a sure-fire way to find peace with our lives and ourselves.

Following Aurora, who suffers from both a super Type A personality and the loss of her parents in quick succession, she makes time to find her long-lost family and discover what’s most important to her future and heart.

There’s a little romance, but zero spice.

I was rooting for her the whole time. Jason was a terrible character, and a great reminder that we are often the last ones to realize we have someone toxic in our lives.

Overall, very good read! I didn’t put it down!

The main character really annoyed me for so long but I was thrilled when she finally broke up with Jason! I wanted a little bit more about the mom and dad but I appreciated the scenery and descriptions of Sicily, it felt like I was actually there.

**Insert crying emoji here, please!!!** I was very possibly more excited for this title than any other I've read this month, and it did not disappoint! The start of the book took it's time allowing me to settle into the world. Also, I HATED Jason. The number of times I yelled at the kindle, "Kill him!" was extensive, before remembering that this was not, in fact, a thriller. LOL. When he told her it was time to "move past" her mom's death, I lost it.

Once we hit Sicily, I was excited for an adventure. I saw a lot of myself in Aurora. She was cautiously optimistic with the premise of meeting her family, but she took a chance, and I loved that. I read this with thunder and rain bellowing outside, and this book was like a warm hug. I often feel a little hesitant to read 'summer' titles in the fall and winter, but this was a breath of fresh air and I'm already dyyyying to get my hands on a physical copy.

4.5/5.0

So this was my first book I have ever read by Jennifer Probst, once I finished it, I have been reading more & more of her books. I absolutely love her stories! Anyway, I was ready to review To Sicily with Love from my 3rd chapter in. My mom past a year ago, this book was so emotional for me. I was sobbing at certain parts. Her characters are so lifelike. It starts with Aurora who is a podcast host and a life coach with many clients. She has a boyfriend that is arrogant and a jerk. Aurora is an only child and was always told that her mom was an only child (and her parents had past) .Her mom dies suddenly of a heart attack. She takes a DNA test and finds out her mom was not an only child and has a whole family in Sicily. From there, the story gets better and better. I cannot wait to continue reading all of Jennifer Probsts books.

Podcast host and life coach, Aurora, seems to have it all. Her mom dies unexpectedly and she has a hard time managing her grief. While dealing with the loss of her mom, she has a very public meltdown after which her boyfriend decides they should take a break. Aurora is an only child and with no family left she decides to send her DNA off to an ancestry site in hopes of learning more about her mother's life. She receives a message through the site from familial match and from there she is off to Sicily to learn more about her mom, herself and to connect her new extended family of cousins, aunts, uncles and grandparents.

Overall, I did enjoy the storyline though, at times, it was a bit repetitive and drawn out. With that said, I did love that this story of self discovery was filled with so many heartwarming family connections. I would definitely recommend adding this to your TBR when it's released next year.

I received an ARC copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a review.

I really enjoyed this book! I loved watching Aurora grow as a person and start to understand perspectives outside of her worldview. I disliked a lot of her life/ job as well as relationships at the beginning of the story, which in turn had me struggling to like her. But, seeing her grow, live, and love in Sicily changed my perspective.

I also loved that the places she travels in the book were real, and did a lot of research/ looking up the history of the places outside of reading the story.

My only frustration with the story was the name "Quint." I struggled with this name matching the description of the man in the story, and couldn't really 'feel' the character because of this. May just be my own prejudices.

I want to thank Berkley and NetGalley for allowing me to read an ARC of To Sicily with Love by author Jennifer Probst
“So hard for it if you are brave enough to let go.”
“This is not like the Jersey shore.”
Aurora is doing well with her self help clients, her videos, the book she is writing and her boyfriend Jason. And then everything changes! She’s alone! She decides to try Ancestry. Maybe she has found a cousin!
To Sicily with Love is a warm fuzzy book.scheduled for publication 02/18/2025

I was intrigued by the plot and love Italy, so I dived right into this.

This felt like traveling to Sicily myself. I liked how the author described the setting and atmosphere. Definitely made me want to close my eyes and pretend I was there.

Characters were entertaining, well developed and felt realistic. I thought the author did a great job creating the relationships between everyone, platonic & romantic.

A wonderful escape!

Romantic escapism best describes "To Sicily with Love" by Jennifer Probst. The story is about fresh starts and self-discovery, love and healing, and understanding cultural differences. As the title implies, the setting is Sicily, and the author's descriptions help immerse the reader into the heart of the story, joining in the journey to loving oneself, family found and made, and happiness that can be found in the most unexpected of places.

Thank you NetGalley, author Jennifer Probst, and the publisher for the opportunity to read and love this emotionally driven story.

I am a sucker for a good happy ending romance and this book did not dissapoint! What a fantastic emotional journey. I laughed, I cried, I traveled to Sicily with the Author's writing. Highly recommend to all readers who would like to get away without physically traveling.

Thank you to Berkley for the ARC of this book! I enjoyed the overall story but I did feel like it got a very slow start at the beginning. I very much expected a romance, which was partially true, but I feel like the book was more focused on self discovery and navigating grief. It was four star read for me and I would recommend it! See below for a synopsis:

Aurora is a life coach who really doesn't have time for anything but her job. Her boyfriend Jason is very cold and also only focused on work. When tragic and unexpected circumstances lead Aurora to visit Sicily to visit the family she didn't know she had, what she thought she knew about life and love gets turned upside down. In Sicily she finds a new life, love, and family.

I fell in love with Jennifer Probst when I read her first in this series "Our Italian Summer". This book gave me all of the same feels as that book. With the sights and smells and tastes bursting off of the pages you felt like you were in Sicily with Aurora. Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I realized enjoyed this one and will share with friends. It made me want to book a flight! I appreciate the ARC.