Book Review - Italy Ever After by Leonie Mack

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Title: Italy Ever After

Author: Leonie Mack

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Boldwood Books

Publication Date: 11th May 2021

Rating: 5 Stars

TV journalist Lou feels battered and bruised after her divorce from Phil, the father of her daughter Edie. Her confidence and sense of fun have steadily been drained away, and she isn’t sure who she is any more.

When the opportunity arises to accompany Edie on a music camp in Italy for a month in the summer, Lou jumps at the chance for new adventures, new horizons and new friends. The hazy warmth of the summer sun, shining brightly over the stunning Lake Garda, slowly brings Lou back to life.

Nick Romano, Edie’s music teacher, loves being home in Italy, but coaching his students for their concert in Milan, is bringing back difficult memories. His blossoming friendship with Lou is the perfect distraction, although a summer fling would be easier to conduct without the scrutiny of his mother Greta, not to mention the interference of his extended Italian family.

As the summer passes, full of sunshine and breath-taking scenery, gelato and delicious feasts, Lou and Nick get ever closer. But as the time for farewell creeps up on them, will they be able to say goodbye and leave their memories behind in the Italian sun, or can a summer romance last a lifetime?

I felt drawn into this story from the first few pages and the book didn't let go of his hold on me until I reached the end.   I felt instantly at home with these characters, and they are all brand new to the reader, it's just the writing is so comfortable that you can't help but feel you knew these characters. 

And Lou and Nick are both flawed characters, they aren't the most confident in their own abilities, or elements of their personalities, and as a result they are very relatable to them. 

And Edie what a star she is, central to the book, to how Lou and Nick respond to things but also not the most vocal of children, but just when she is in a scene she adds a lot. 

And the trip to Italy, accompanying a music camp is a new situation for me which I loved.  I enjoyed seeing how Lou is keen amongst all these talented children to try to find her own talent and thus takes part in various workshops with differing degrees of success. 

I enjoyed the setting so much and the simmering chemistry between Lou and Nick even if for large amounts of the book they were both trying to ignore it. 

I enjoyed the occasional bits of Italian being spoken, to add to the flavour of the setting, and meeting Nick's grandparents was really lovely too. 

It's a story that I just thoroughly enjoyed reading and this book cements my opinion that Leonie Mack's a fabulous writer who seems to love all elements of music and stunning settings.  If she keeps up like this she will be a must read author for me, without even looking at the blurbs.   I'm enjoying her writing that much. 

Thank you to Boldwood Books and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.