What do you think?
Rate this book
Love Always #3
Ciao, Bella
Twenty-six-year-old Bella Mancini is moving to Australia! She’s leaving behind her small Italian village on a mission to find a new job, to find new adventures, and maybe even to find love? What she didn’t expect to find was him .
Daniel Richardson was not looking for her . Still grieving the death of his mother, he finds comfort in being alone and is determined to not let anyone too close to him, to not get hurt again. So, when Bella turns up on his doorstep, he has only one he wants her gone, and fast!
Lucky for Bella—not so much for Daniel—she gets to move in! And as the summer progresses, her sunny personality begins to melt his icy exterior and soon they find in each other everything they didn’t know they’d always wanted.
But when their newfound love is challenged, Daniel worries that Bella will leave, that he will be alone again. And Bella is left to wonder if Daniel is healed enough to let her stay forever…
Daniel Richardson was not looking for her . Still grieving the death of his mother, he finds comfort in being alone and is determined to not let anyone too close to him, to not get hurt again. So, when Bella turns up on his doorstep, he has only one he wants her gone, and fast!
Lucky for Bella—not so much for Daniel—she gets to move in! And as the summer progresses, her sunny personality begins to melt his icy exterior and soon they find in each other everything they didn’t know they’d always wanted.
But when their newfound love is challenged, Daniel worries that Bella will leave, that he will be alone again. And Bella is left to wonder if Daniel is healed enough to let her stay forever…
261 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 1, 2023
48 people are currently reading
4620 people want to read
About the author
Belinda Mary
8 books221 followersBelinda Mary is a long-time lover of all the books and has dreamed of being a writer her whole life. Since picking up her first Judy Blume novel at the age of ten, she has been happily lost in the world of fiction, and ask anyone around her, when she has a book to read, she turns into a very unproductive member of society.
After studying for ten years and obtaining her PhD in molecular biology, she pursued a career in the healthcare industry, and has recently taken the leap to make her lifelong dream of writing and publishing a novel come true. And when she is not looking after her two kids, her husband of eleven years and her crazy spoodle, she can be found on the couch reading, watching all things Bravo TV, or listening to true crime podcasts.
Belinda writes the kind of stories that she loves to read; filled with laughs, longing and love.
For the latest news, book information and bonus scenes—sign up to Belinda's newsletter at https://belindamary.com
After studying for ten years and obtaining her PhD in molecular biology, she pursued a career in the healthcare industry, and has recently taken the leap to make her lifelong dream of writing and publishing a novel come true. And when she is not looking after her two kids, her husband of eleven years and her crazy spoodle, she can be found on the couch reading, watching all things Bravo TV, or listening to true crime podcasts.
Belinda writes the kind of stories that she loves to read; filled with laughs, longing and love.
For the latest news, book information and bonus scenes—sign up to Belinda's newsletter at https://belindamary.com
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 127 reviews
July 13, 2024
Дуже сподобалась ця історія, гг такі милі були впродовж всієї книги. Деніел такий мімімішний, хоч у нього була велика втрата в минулому, але він все ж таки зміг покохати Беллу, але потім він її втратив, і так шкода мені його було, але в результаті все ж таки вони разом. Особливо подобається коли в серії постійно зустрічаються пари, які були в минулих книжках, а особливо коли це про родичів. Разом з Беллою переживала за її батька, але вкінці мені якось було мало її батьків, хотілось щось більше.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 27, 2023
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
✨️Grumpy x sunshine
✨️Found family
✨️Brother's best friend
✨️Forced proximity
I loved the other books in the series, and this one was no different.
This book made me feel a lot of emotions while I was reading it. I've been in a situation similar to what Daniel is going through, so I really connected with him.
Bella moves to Australia in search of new adventures and ends up having to share an apartment with her brother's best friend. Daniel is grieving after his mother's death, and he wasn't prepared for a lovely, bright girl to come into his life.
I really liked how Bella and Daniel's relationship developed. Even though he was smitten with her right from the start, he wasn't in the best place to let her in. But as they spent more time together, his barriers started to come down, and seeing him become sweet, caring, and concerned about Bella in every moment warmed my heart.
And I have to say I loved Bella; she's a wonderful character, and seeing her being welcomed by the girls was amazing. I also loved seeing the characters from the other books that I adore.
This book is a sweet romance with a group of friends who are like family, a perfect book boyfriend, and a strong and independent heroine. And lots of sweet and fun moments too!
I received an ARC in exchange for my honest review. But all opinions are my own.
Thank you, Belinda Mary for sending me this ARC.
✨️Grumpy x sunshine
✨️Found family
✨️Brother's best friend
✨️Forced proximity
I loved the other books in the series, and this one was no different.
This book made me feel a lot of emotions while I was reading it. I've been in a situation similar to what Daniel is going through, so I really connected with him.
Bella moves to Australia in search of new adventures and ends up having to share an apartment with her brother's best friend. Daniel is grieving after his mother's death, and he wasn't prepared for a lovely, bright girl to come into his life.
I really liked how Bella and Daniel's relationship developed. Even though he was smitten with her right from the start, he wasn't in the best place to let her in. But as they spent more time together, his barriers started to come down, and seeing him become sweet, caring, and concerned about Bella in every moment warmed my heart.
And I have to say I loved Bella; she's a wonderful character, and seeing her being welcomed by the girls was amazing. I also loved seeing the characters from the other books that I adore.
This book is a sweet romance with a group of friends who are like family, a perfect book boyfriend, and a strong and independent heroine. And lots of sweet and fun moments too!
I received an ARC in exchange for my honest review. But all opinions are my own.
Thank you, Belinda Mary for sending me this ARC.
October 4, 2023
This may be my favorite book out of this series! Bella leaves her home in Italy to try to find herself and to go on an adventure. She goes to Melbourne, Australia where her brother lives with his fiancé. But when she shows up to his house, her brother Lucas isn’t there. His roommate Daniel answers the door. And he is the epitome of grumpy. He has shut himself out to the world after the death of his mother a few years before. He wasn’t expecting Bella. Bella wasn’t expecting Daniel. As Bella makes a life for herself – getting a job with Lilly, making friends, and getting closer to Daniel, much closer. But their maybe relationship is challenged by an unexpected emergency that tests whether they can stay together.
You will fall in love with this grumpy to sunshine, forced proximity romance. It will make your heart swoon, it sure did to mine! Daniel is really the perfect guy. His heart walls are up but for very good reason. The loss of his mother hit him hard. But she raised a great son. He is probably one of the most thoughtful MMC that I have read! Bella is a spark of light and she leaps off the page.
This book is filled with so much love and that love really comes right up off the page. Between the friendships, the other relationships, and Bella’s family, everyone is surrounded by love.
Just a warning, get your tissues ready because there were multiple times that I cried while reading this book
You will fall in love with this grumpy to sunshine, forced proximity romance. It will make your heart swoon, it sure did to mine! Daniel is really the perfect guy. His heart walls are up but for very good reason. The loss of his mother hit him hard. But she raised a great son. He is probably one of the most thoughtful MMC that I have read! Bella is a spark of light and she leaps off the page.
This book is filled with so much love and that love really comes right up off the page. Between the friendships, the other relationships, and Bella’s family, everyone is surrounded by love.
Just a warning, get your tissues ready because there were multiple times that I cried while reading this book
October 25, 2023
Ciao, Bella is book 3 in the Love Always series by Belinda Mary. This book stands completely fine on its own, although you do end up knowing who got together from books 1 and 2. Since they are romance, you pretty much know that anyway😉
Bella decides to spontaneously move from Italy to Melbourne, where her brother lives. Upon her arrival, she finds out that said brother is actually out of town, so she is forced to room with his big grump of a roommate, Daniel.
Daniel is the perfect grump, a man of few words, who sometimes shows signs of being a bit of a softie while often grunting and mumbling.
I absolutely loved these two together. Belinda Mary writes a great love story. This one has unexpected depth in the dreaded 3rd act drama. It was an emotional unraveling and she really pulled at my heartstrings, signs of great writing.
Bella decides to spontaneously move from Italy to Melbourne, where her brother lives. Upon her arrival, she finds out that said brother is actually out of town, so she is forced to room with his big grump of a roommate, Daniel.
Daniel is the perfect grump, a man of few words, who sometimes shows signs of being a bit of a softie while often grunting and mumbling.
I absolutely loved these two together. Belinda Mary writes a great love story. This one has unexpected depth in the dreaded 3rd act drama. It was an emotional unraveling and she really pulled at my heartstrings, signs of great writing.
October 18, 2023
3 stars ⭐️
✿ I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Thank you to the author for
the eARC via Booksirens ✿
✨️ 𝑻𝒓𝒐𝒑𝒆𝒔/𝑵𝒐𝒕𝒆𝒔:
♡ Brother's best friend
♡ Roommates
♡ Italian fmc x Aussie mmc
♡ Clean romance
♡ Dawson's creek and F1 refs
♡ Found Family
♡ Forced Proximity
♡ She makes him happier
♡ Would do anything for her
"With Bella, there are no more goodbyes. There is only forever."
💌⁀➷
Ciao,Bella is the third installment of the Love,Always series and can also be read as a standalone which is what I did.
It was still easy to follow, understand and like the characters. I would say the best part of the story was all of them and ofc mmc,Daniel and his love for Bella and the many gestures he did both grand,subtle or small. I liked how brave Bella was to start a new life for herself in a completely different country. The tropes was what made me apply for the arc and drew me in I'd say they were shown in an okay way, not too bad but neither did it have me grinning or squealing and tbh that's what I actually wanted from tropes like these.
Anyway I liked the Southern hemisphere representation coz I feel like we barely get books setted in this area. As someone from South Africa it was refreshing to see a summer Christmas shown and summer in December described with beach trips and fun in the sun coz that's what we do too.
The fact that it was 256 pages made it preferable and could make a quick filler read.
Overall it was an average story, some cute moments and I can tell it was written with effort and love so I don't want to take away from that and becoz of so, in my humble opinion I believe there was stronger potential indeed for something more but nonetheless still alright enough!
✿ I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Thank you to the author for
the eARC via Booksirens ✿
✨️ 𝑻𝒓𝒐𝒑𝒆𝒔/𝑵𝒐𝒕𝒆𝒔:
♡ Brother's best friend
♡ Roommates
♡ Italian fmc x Aussie mmc
♡ Clean romance
♡ Dawson's creek and F1 refs
♡ Found Family
♡ Forced Proximity
♡ She makes him happier
♡ Would do anything for her
"With Bella, there are no more goodbyes. There is only forever."
💌⁀➷
Ciao,Bella is the third installment of the Love,Always series and can also be read as a standalone which is what I did.
It was still easy to follow, understand and like the characters. I would say the best part of the story was all of them and ofc mmc,Daniel and his love for Bella and the many gestures he did both grand,subtle or small. I liked how brave Bella was to start a new life for herself in a completely different country. The tropes was what made me apply for the arc and drew me in I'd say they were shown in an okay way, not too bad but neither did it have me grinning or squealing and tbh that's what I actually wanted from tropes like these.
Anyway I liked the Southern hemisphere representation coz I feel like we barely get books setted in this area. As someone from South Africa it was refreshing to see a summer Christmas shown and summer in December described with beach trips and fun in the sun coz that's what we do too.
The fact that it was 256 pages made it preferable and could make a quick filler read.
Overall it was an average story, some cute moments and I can tell it was written with effort and love so I don't want to take away from that and becoz of so, in my humble opinion I believe there was stronger potential indeed for something more but nonetheless still alright enough!
October 15, 2023
Another one bites the dust. I think it is official - there is nothing Belinda will write that I simply won't read. Every single book has been a delightful experience. This one was no different.
Bella just wants to restart her life. Hit that refresh button away from her home town. She makes the biggest move you could possibly thinks of and ends up half way across the world. She had so much determination to make her life exactly as she wanted it to be... but she did not count on her brothers grumpy best friend being her roommate!
I think Daniel is the perfect example of a grump who is basically a puppy dog for the right person. He was a complete vibe with how sweet he was!
With it being a closed door romance everything is left to your imagination but the chemistry and all the feels between Daniel and Bella were definitely there and I'm not ashamed to admit I was swooning at times!
𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗗 𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗦 𝗜𝗙 𝗬𝗢𝗨 𝗟𝗜𝗞𝗘
• grumpy X sunshine
• dual POV
• forced proximity
• brothers best friend
• found family
• closed door romance
Bella just wants to restart her life. Hit that refresh button away from her home town. She makes the biggest move you could possibly thinks of and ends up half way across the world. She had so much determination to make her life exactly as she wanted it to be... but she did not count on her brothers grumpy best friend being her roommate!
I think Daniel is the perfect example of a grump who is basically a puppy dog for the right person. He was a complete vibe with how sweet he was!
With it being a closed door romance everything is left to your imagination but the chemistry and all the feels between Daniel and Bella were definitely there and I'm not ashamed to admit I was swooning at times!
𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗗 𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗦 𝗜𝗙 𝗬𝗢𝗨 𝗟𝗜𝗞𝗘
• grumpy X sunshine
• dual POV
• forced proximity
• brothers best friend
• found family
• closed door romance
December 27, 2024
Such a cute book to help meet my reading goal for the year!
I loved loved loved that there was no real 3rd act breakup in this book. I really wasn’t expecting it to be 5 ⭐️ but it tugged on my heart strings so much 🥺🫶🏻
Definitely my favorite in this series and can definitely be read as a stand alone!
I loved loved loved that there was no real 3rd act breakup in this book. I really wasn’t expecting it to be 5 ⭐️ but it tugged on my heart strings so much 🥺🫶🏻
Definitely my favorite in this series and can definitely be read as a stand alone!
July 26, 2024
«Це одна з найбільш освіжаючих частин перебування з ним; ми однаково щасливі розмовляти, як і просто бути разом».
Ця порція милоти ідеальна для хорошого настрою ✨
Я відпочила з цією книгою і мені сподобалась загальна атмосфера сім'ї та друзів. Це було дуже мило.
Лише не вистачило епілогу 😭
Ця порція милоти ідеальна для хорошого настрою ✨
Я відпочила з цією книгою і мені сподобалась загальна атмосфера сім'ї та друзів. Це було дуже мило.
Лише не вистачило епілогу 😭
October 19, 2023
4,75/5 ⭐️ ARC REVIEW
Definitely my favorite book of this series! I wasn’t expecting to love this book as much as i did!
Ciao, Bella was such a good surprise!! These characters truly have my heart and i knew it from the beginning that i would love them deeply <3 Bella and Daniel are SO meant to be together and it was a bliss to get to know them and seeing them falling in love!
Bella, whom we met at the end of Always, Amy is Lucas’ sister who’s moving to Melbourne to start a new life. That’s where she’s going to meet Daniel, Lucas’ best friend but also roommate. See where we’re going there? Brother’s best friend, forced proximity… yeah, yeah, yeah some of the best tropes eheh
Belinda wrote once again one of the cutest stories, with all the cute moments that truly makes you feel even more single than you’re already are but this book also deals with a lot of sad topics and some scenes almost made me cry. My babies went through some hard times, losing or almost losing someone they love.
I can’t even begin to tell you how much i enjoyed reading this book but one thing i know is that y’all HAVE to read it! PLEASE AND THANK YOU :)
A huge thanks to Belinda for trusting me once again with her amazing work. I’ve had the chance to be an arc reader for every book of this series and I’m so so grateful <3
PS: looking for a man who will travel for 30ish hours to confort me and telling me everything will be ok
Definitely my favorite book of this series! I wasn’t expecting to love this book as much as i did!
Ciao, Bella was such a good surprise!! These characters truly have my heart and i knew it from the beginning that i would love them deeply <3 Bella and Daniel are SO meant to be together and it was a bliss to get to know them and seeing them falling in love!
Bella, whom we met at the end of Always, Amy is Lucas’ sister who’s moving to Melbourne to start a new life. That’s where she’s going to meet Daniel, Lucas’ best friend but also roommate. See where we’re going there? Brother’s best friend, forced proximity… yeah, yeah, yeah some of the best tropes eheh
Belinda wrote once again one of the cutest stories, with all the cute moments that truly makes you feel even more single than you’re already are but this book also deals with a lot of sad topics and some scenes almost made me cry. My babies went through some hard times, losing or almost losing someone they love.
I can’t even begin to tell you how much i enjoyed reading this book but one thing i know is that y’all HAVE to read it! PLEASE AND THANK YOU :)
A huge thanks to Belinda for trusting me once again with her amazing work. I’ve had the chance to be an arc reader for every book of this series and I’m so so grateful <3
PS: looking for a man who will travel for 30ish hours to confort me and telling me everything will be ok
October 26, 2023
This one was really cute! It had a few of my favorite tropes— roommate romance, grumpy/sunshine, forced proximity— and was pretty light overall, even though it did include mention and possibility of a parental death (noted for any potential trigger warnings). Bella moves from Italy to Melbourne, where her brother and his fiancée now reside, to make a new life for herself. Spontaneously showing up on his doorstep, she comes to find that her brother is out of town and instead comes face to face with his roommate Daniel. Daniel is still grieving his mom, and so opening his heart up to anyone is the last thing he wants to do. But he can’t help as Bella worms herself in, simply by being her bubbly and good-natured self, and a love starts to blossom as they both find a home in each other. Also, this book is Dual POV! So no having to guess what Daniel is thinking. In terms of spice, this is a closed door romance.
Thank you BookSirens and the author for the early copy! I really enjoyed it!
Thank you BookSirens and the author for the early copy! I really enjoyed it!
December 2, 2023
Bella and Daniel were such a cute couple. I loved them as characters, loved their relationship and their interactions with one another. Another great aspect is the found family in these books. You have this amazing group of friends and family and I like how they stick together and help each other through thick and thin.
October 30, 2023
In the heart of this enchanting romance, the characters come alive in a tale of profound resilience and newfound happiness. Melbourne's bustling streets and the timeless charm of Italy provide a vivid backdrop for a story rich in human emotions. As the plot gracefully unfolds, the main female character's enthusiasm for life reflects the significance of embracing both the ordinary and extraordinary moments, highlighting the beauty in life's diverse joys.
In the face of life's challenges, the characters find solace and strength in their shared experiences and genuine connections. The main female character's passion for different interests stands as a testament to the importance of embracing life's simple and grand pleasures alike. Through her journey, readers are reminded of the beauty in finding happiness within oneself and in meaningful connections with others.
In essence, this story is a celebration of the human spirit's ability to overcome adversity, finding light even in the midst of darkness. The main female character's passion for Formula 1, intertwined with my own experiences, becomes a powerful reminder of the beauty of shared passions and the connections they forge. It's a heartfelt reflection of my journey, deeply relatable and profoundly impactful. Our mutual love for Formula 1 enhances the story's magic, reminding me of the extraordinary connections our passions can create.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
In the face of life's challenges, the characters find solace and strength in their shared experiences and genuine connections. The main female character's passion for different interests stands as a testament to the importance of embracing life's simple and grand pleasures alike. Through her journey, readers are reminded of the beauty in finding happiness within oneself and in meaningful connections with others.
In essence, this story is a celebration of the human spirit's ability to overcome adversity, finding light even in the midst of darkness. The main female character's passion for Formula 1, intertwined with my own experiences, becomes a powerful reminder of the beauty of shared passions and the connections they forge. It's a heartfelt reflection of my journey, deeply relatable and profoundly impactful. Our mutual love for Formula 1 enhances the story's magic, reminding me of the extraordinary connections our passions can create.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
January 11, 2024
I am so glad I found this series and this author you have no idea. This was so good and warm and just purely wonderfull. I cried.... Like...? I cried on a book? Has not happened in a while but here we are. Makes me wonder how many amazing books are sitting on my neverending TBR. I guess we'll never know but I am for sure keeping my eye on ms. Belinda.
Now I am just missing the second book in this series (I read it not in order I know, sue me) but I will get around it... eventually.
Now I am just missing the second book in this series (I read it not in order I know, sue me) but I will get around it... eventually.
July 1, 2024
Adorable, sweet and spicy!
I fell in love with Bella almost immediately, she is the most adorable FMC. And Daniel is tj perfect grumpy MMC.
I was poised and waiting to see what would happen when they got together and was not disappointed!!
The chemistry was electric and they were such a cute couple!
I've started with the third book so now I need to go back to read the others...
I fell in love with Bella almost immediately, she is the most adorable FMC. And Daniel is tj perfect grumpy MMC.
I was poised and waiting to see what would happen when they got together and was not disappointed!!
The chemistry was electric and they were such a cute couple!
I've started with the third book so now I need to go back to read the others...
September 22, 2023
arc review - I really really liked this book! I loved always, amy so I had pretty high expectations for this and trust me when I say that they lived up to them!!!! I loved daniel being a grump but getting soft when he was around bella and how how grief was portrayed in this book. ciao, bella gave me so many butterflies and made me cry multiple times 😭
belinda mary, I love you! <3
belinda mary, I love you! <3
November 4, 2023
I LOVED IT! It's such a cute little romance book!
However, I wouldn't say I liked that there were so many references to Dawson's Creek because I didn't get them as I have never watched it, but I understood enough. This is part of the series but it was readable as a stand-alone.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
However, I wouldn't say I liked that there were so many references to Dawson's Creek because I didn't get them as I have never watched it, but I understood enough. This is part of the series but it was readable as a stand-alone.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
December 8, 2023
Found Tropes:
✨ grumpy x sunshine
✨ forced proximity (roommates)
✨ brother's best friend/best friend's sister
✨ found family
✨ firefighter x artist
My heart is bursting!!!! Bella and Daniel have my heart, I can't! They're the perfect example of "if you know, you know" and they both knew from the very first time!!!
Daniel my loving grumpy firefighter is for real so precious and a real softie when it comes to Bella. He'll go above and beyond just to see her smile!!!
Bella my cute sunshine, always smiling and taking care of Daniel and making him open up!!!
Fave quotes: "you help bring me back to life" - "“You say that I brought you back to life,” “But you have given me mine. Daniel, I’m so happy to have found you and I can’t wait to spend this and every other life with you by my side.”"
The chapters in Italy broke me !!!!
Thank you so much Belinda for this ARC 🤍
✨ grumpy x sunshine
✨ forced proximity (roommates)
✨ brother's best friend/best friend's sister
✨ found family
✨ firefighter x artist
My heart is bursting!!!! Bella and Daniel have my heart, I can't! They're the perfect example of "if you know, you know" and they both knew from the very first time!!!
Daniel my loving grumpy firefighter is for real so precious and a real softie when it comes to Bella. He'll go above and beyond just to see her smile!!!
Bella my cute sunshine, always smiling and taking care of Daniel and making him open up!!!
Fave quotes: "you help bring me back to life" - "“You say that I brought you back to life,” “But you have given me mine. Daniel, I’m so happy to have found you and I can’t wait to spend this and every other life with you by my side.”"
The chapters in Italy broke me !!!!
Thank you so much Belinda for this ARC 🤍
April 24, 2024
I would give this a 3.5 if I could.
This book was littered with clichés. It had some spelling and grammatical errors. And the protagonist was straight up just unrealistic.
But still. I thoroughly enjoyed it. I 🫶 Daniel. The found family in this book is so heartwarming. It was an easy and wholesome read, especially after my last book.
This book was littered with clichés. It had some spelling and grammatical errors. And the protagonist was straight up just unrealistic.
But still. I thoroughly enjoyed it. I 🫶 Daniel. The found family in this book is so heartwarming. It was an easy and wholesome read, especially after my last book.
October 27, 2023
Good ARC read. Finished it a bit before Halloween and I'm glad I did. It's set in Melbourne and it has a good little storyline. It's cute and I'm glad I finished before the end of the month. I will say that it's a good plot and the writing is very good. I did enjoy the plot and I will say that the main point of the story, I think is very good. Happy Reading!
September 27, 2023
This was a delight to read and finished it in one day. Loved the returning characters, Melbourne references and the journey Bella and Daniel’s love story took. I would recommend reading the first two in this series but it can be read as a standalone book. I would highly recommend Ciao, Bella!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
October 17, 2023
ARC review - The beginning was not my favorite, but as you read the book each of the characters grow on you so much. I love the relationship of Bella And Daniel. The book was so well written with so many heartfelt quotes. The ending was PERFECT. That’s it. After reading the other two books in the series I would say this one is just as good as the others. Thank you for giving me an ARC of this book Belinda Mary, your writing brings me so much joy and I love this book! p.s. Daniel is literally the best guy written ever, he is so intentional, caring, and simply a wonderful person <3
October 31, 2023
I was excited to read the 3rd book in this series after enjoying the first two! This book is no exception. Great writing with romance, family drama and friendships that feel real! Read this series today! Thanks to the author and Book Sirens for the advanced copy of this book!
November 28, 2023
I am currently reading this and I really wanted to like this book especially there wasn’t a single 1 star review and very few 2 star reviews. I was sure i’d love it too but unfortunately that wasn’t the case.
I’m only a couple of chapters in and this book narrates EVERYTHING and it’s super unnecessary. Like I really don’t need to know “Lilly takes a few minutes to reply”This just made the book feel and be SOOO LONG when it really didn’t need to be.
Though the writing style itself wasn’t bad, the way it was written was.
The dialogue given to the FMC is so cringy it hurts if i’m being honest. She’s supposed to be a sunshine character but to be honest it’s a little much. The FMCs dialogue kinda gives those millennial pov tiktok’s like
she literally says
“must not fawn over grumpy roommate, no matter how cute he may be”
and
“so grateful of her easy acceptance of me into her life ” like she’s your employer.. not your life long partner?
I also don’t really like how the FMC is constantly calling the MMC a grump, like I KNOW HES A GRUMP THATS THE POINT. I needed her to call him an asshole or something like that. Like give me some type of tension or hate to work with
The trope really doesn’t hit the same if the characters are acknowledging that they are a grump.
I really don’t want to DNF but honestly I might,
Update: I DNF i’m sorry but I just couldn’t anymore, It wasn’t giving me anything to work with, I don’t feel the tension between the characters, nothing is making me want to root for them, the dialogue was just bad and the grump isn’t even truly grumpy, he’s not an asshole he just likes his own space and not having his friends sister show up unannounced when his mother just died (apparently).
I’m only a couple of chapters in and this book narrates EVERYTHING and it’s super unnecessary. Like I really don’t need to know “Lilly takes a few minutes to reply”This just made the book feel and be SOOO LONG when it really didn’t need to be.
Though the writing style itself wasn’t bad, the way it was written was.
The dialogue given to the FMC is so cringy it hurts if i’m being honest. She’s supposed to be a sunshine character but to be honest it’s a little much. The FMCs dialogue kinda gives those millennial pov tiktok’s like
she literally says
“must not fawn over grumpy roommate, no matter how cute he may be”
and
“so grateful of her easy acceptance of me into her life ” like she’s your employer.. not your life long partner?
I also don’t really like how the FMC is constantly calling the MMC a grump, like I KNOW HES A GRUMP THATS THE POINT. I needed her to call him an asshole or something like that. Like give me some type of tension or hate to work with
The trope really doesn’t hit the same if the characters are acknowledging that they are a grump.
I really don’t want to DNF but honestly I might,
Update: I DNF i’m sorry but I just couldn’t anymore, It wasn’t giving me anything to work with, I don’t feel the tension between the characters, nothing is making me want to root for them, the dialogue was just bad and the grump isn’t even truly grumpy, he’s not an asshole he just likes his own space and not having his friends sister show up unannounced when his mother just died (apparently).
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 12, 2024
Made me sigh happily with all the sentimentalism that i adore and soulmate vibes this couple has.
January 22, 2025
"Isabella Mancini, I never plan on saying goodbye to you again. You are stuck with me. Wherever we go, you will be my home.”
this man worked her job for her, gave her Christmas, and stayed up all night with her
he is an acts of service man and i am HERE for it
Lorelei Gilmore and Luke Danes type beat
and this whole series is so lovely
oh and he’s a firefighter 👨🚒🔥
this man worked her job for her, gave her Christmas, and stayed up all night with her
he is an acts of service man and i am HERE for it
Lorelei Gilmore and Luke Danes type beat
and this whole series is so lovely
oh and he’s a firefighter 👨🚒🔥
October 1, 2024
It took me a bit to finish because I got really busy. But 4.7 they are definitely my favorite couple in this series. There was just something about the way that Daniel was just so obsessed with her and just would do anything for her. It was so cute. I loved all of the stuff that he did for her and how he supported her and was there for her. They were adorable.
October 16, 2023
★★★★☆ 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 ⋆·˚ ༘ *
"𝗟𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁, 𝗜 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱𝗻'𝘁 𝗳𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗺 𝘄𝗲𝗹𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿｡ 𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝗰𝗸𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝗺𝘆 𝗱𝗼𝗼𝗿 ｡｡｡ 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗺��� 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗴𝗮𝗶𝗻｡"
ೃ⁀➷
➳ brothers best friend
➳ forced proximity
➳ found family
✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧
Belinda does it again with the third book in the 𝘓𝘰𝘷𝘦, 𝘈𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 series! These books can easily be read as standalones but I would highly recommend reading them in order because I just love how the author makes the previous characters a big part of each book, so even though you don’t need to know the back story, it really adds that extra element to the reading experience and 𝗜 𝗝𝗨𝗦𝗧 𝗟𝗢𝗩𝗘 𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗦𝗘 𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗥𝗔𝗖𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗦!
In this book we follow 𝗕𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗮 as she up and decides to leave her hometown in Italy and follow her brother in moving to Australia in search of a new life and new adventures. But when she gets there he is on holiday, leaving her stuck lodging with his grumpy best friend, 𝗗𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗲𝗹! But 𝗢𝗕𝗩𝗜𝗢𝗨𝗦𝗟𝗬 he was a real softy deep down!
This is very insta-love (more so from Dan’s POV I would say). I am not usually a fan of this type of romance 𝗕𝗨𝗧, I love Belinda’s writing style and I think it was done in a really good way because although the initial attraction was there really quickly the entire book spans over a good couple of months so it feels somewhat more realistic in a sense.
I loved both of our MC’s, as I have done with the previous books and I do love the grumpy/sunshine trope. Daniel puts up this harsh exterior and has built an emotional wall around himself but it really doesn’t take long for our Bella to chip away at it and bring out the softer side in him and 𝘂𝗴𝗴𝗴𝗴𝗴𝗴𝗴𝗵𝗺𝘆𝗴𝗼𝗱 did he have a soft side!! I just loved some of their interactions and they were just so many swoon-worthy moments.
I was expecting more of a Christmas element in this one so if you are holding off on it thinking it will be more festive I will say don’t let it stop you from reading this now. We do get some Christmas scenes which are just 𝗦𝗢 𝗖𝗨𝗧𝗘 - when he gave her snow I officially 𝗠𝗘𝗟𝗧𝗘𝗗 - but it is a really small element of the book and a nice little addition.
Grief is a big part of this book also, which Belinda handles really well, so I would check the trigger warnings going in to this one as although it is a clean and fluffy romance, there is a deeper side to it that adds so much more depth to the story and the characters.
Overall another hit for me and I have thoroughly enjoyed this series. Oliver and Lilly are my OG’s and I will forever love them but I have loved getting to know more characters and the journeys they go on.
Thankyou so much to the author for providing me with an eARC of this book. I am leaving this review voluntarily and have not been influenced in any way.
"𝗟𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁, 𝗜 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱𝗻'𝘁 𝗳𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗺 𝘄𝗲𝗹𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿｡ 𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝗰𝗸𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝗺𝘆 𝗱𝗼𝗼𝗿 ｡｡｡ 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗺��� 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗴𝗮𝗶𝗻｡"
ೃ⁀➷
➳ brothers best friend
➳ forced proximity
➳ found family
✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧
Belinda does it again with the third book in the 𝘓𝘰𝘷𝘦, 𝘈𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 series! These books can easily be read as standalones but I would highly recommend reading them in order because I just love how the author makes the previous characters a big part of each book, so even though you don’t need to know the back story, it really adds that extra element to the reading experience and 𝗜 𝗝𝗨𝗦𝗧 𝗟𝗢𝗩𝗘 𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗦𝗘 𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗥𝗔𝗖𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗦!
In this book we follow 𝗕𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗮 as she up and decides to leave her hometown in Italy and follow her brother in moving to Australia in search of a new life and new adventures. But when she gets there he is on holiday, leaving her stuck lodging with his grumpy best friend, 𝗗𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗲𝗹! But 𝗢𝗕𝗩𝗜𝗢𝗨𝗦𝗟𝗬 he was a real softy deep down!
This is very insta-love (more so from Dan’s POV I would say). I am not usually a fan of this type of romance 𝗕𝗨𝗧, I love Belinda’s writing style and I think it was done in a really good way because although the initial attraction was there really quickly the entire book spans over a good couple of months so it feels somewhat more realistic in a sense.
I loved both of our MC’s, as I have done with the previous books and I do love the grumpy/sunshine trope. Daniel puts up this harsh exterior and has built an emotional wall around himself but it really doesn’t take long for our Bella to chip away at it and bring out the softer side in him and 𝘂𝗴𝗴𝗴𝗴𝗴𝗴𝗴𝗵𝗺𝘆𝗴𝗼𝗱 did he have a soft side!! I just loved some of their interactions and they were just so many swoon-worthy moments.
I was expecting more of a Christmas element in this one so if you are holding off on it thinking it will be more festive I will say don’t let it stop you from reading this now. We do get some Christmas scenes which are just 𝗦𝗢 𝗖𝗨𝗧𝗘 - when he gave her snow I officially 𝗠𝗘𝗟𝗧𝗘𝗗 - but it is a really small element of the book and a nice little addition.
Grief is a big part of this book also, which Belinda handles really well, so I would check the trigger warnings going in to this one as although it is a clean and fluffy romance, there is a deeper side to it that adds so much more depth to the story and the characters.
Overall another hit for me and I have thoroughly enjoyed this series. Oliver and Lilly are my OG’s and I will forever love them but I have loved getting to know more characters and the journeys they go on.
Thankyou so much to the author for providing me with an eARC of this book. I am leaving this review voluntarily and have not been influenced in any way.
October 29, 2023
When I think about writers who have been
readers first, I think they are fortunate to be
able to write a whole new world. A new world
that a lot of people will love, cherish, relate
and feel many emotions for. For me, reading
is an emotional journey. Each time I read a
new novel, I feel like I am entering a whole
new world, becoming a whole new person and
feeling whole new different feelings.
So, when I think about Belinda Mary, I feel a
whole lot of excitement and if I am being
honest a little wary. Taking myself as an
example I know that not everyone is capable
of making that new world. But I am happy to
admit that she has been somewhat successful
in making it and I feel that she has a lot of
potential.
While reading I noticed that her style of writing
is very different from the authors which I have
read before. It can be because of that she is
an Australian writer and she is the first one
that I have read (yet). So, the sentence
structures sometimes felt a bit weird to me.
When I say that she has been somewhat
successful in making that world, I mean to say
that little loopholes are present or some
details are missing. She just comes straight to
the point, the making of that point gets lost a
bit. But I feel a lot of emotions when reading
her. I fell in love with every character and I fell
in love with every place she described. I can
feel the love and pain between the two main
characters but not the path to it. That's all
brief, at least for me.
For example, in starting the prologue could be
more detailed and long and be filled with
details of the backstory. It's in the author's
hands how to make that happen but I felt like
it was not enough. I also felt that there should
be more male points of view. In the previous
books, I felt that they were too little, too brief.
I loved the plot and I just feel like the part
where Bella was afraid of losing her father
was a very emotional scene for me. That
whole situation made me feel like I would
have taken the same decision as her.
That being said I usually don’t like
miscommunication tropes even if they are
between parents and children but it worked for
this book.
All in all, I felt like, like all the other books of
hers that I have read, this one was also very
well emotionally written but could use some
work on the technical things.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
readers first, I think they are fortunate to be
able to write a whole new world. A new world
that a lot of people will love, cherish, relate
and feel many emotions for. For me, reading
is an emotional journey. Each time I read a
new novel, I feel like I am entering a whole
new world, becoming a whole new person and
feeling whole new different feelings.
So, when I think about Belinda Mary, I feel a
whole lot of excitement and if I am being
honest a little wary. Taking myself as an
example I know that not everyone is capable
of making that new world. But I am happy to
admit that she has been somewhat successful
in making it and I feel that she has a lot of
potential.
While reading I noticed that her style of writing
is very different from the authors which I have
read before. It can be because of that she is
an Australian writer and she is the first one
that I have read (yet). So, the sentence
structures sometimes felt a bit weird to me.
When I say that she has been somewhat
successful in making that world, I mean to say
that little loopholes are present or some
details are missing. She just comes straight to
the point, the making of that point gets lost a
bit. But I feel a lot of emotions when reading
her. I fell in love with every character and I fell
in love with every place she described. I can
feel the love and pain between the two main
characters but not the path to it. That's all
brief, at least for me.
For example, in starting the prologue could be
more detailed and long and be filled with
details of the backstory. It's in the author's
hands how to make that happen but I felt like
it was not enough. I also felt that there should
be more male points of view. In the previous
books, I felt that they were too little, too brief.
I loved the plot and I just feel like the part
where Bella was afraid of losing her father
was a very emotional scene for me. That
whole situation made me feel like I would
have taken the same decision as her.
That being said I usually don’t like
miscommunication tropes even if they are
between parents and children but it worked for
this book.
All in all, I felt like, like all the other books of
hers that I have read, this one was also very
well emotionally written but could use some
work on the technical things.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
March 7, 2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
What I loved:
- grump & sunshine
- She brings out the sunshine in him
- Brother’s best friend
- Forced proximity (roommates)
- All of the friends becoming like family 😭🥰
- Christmas time
- Nicknames 💕
- The Love, Lilly Cafe
- Sassy, Witty MMC
- He takes care of her
- She cooks for him
- Dual POV, but mostly hers
- Cute, wise Italian mother
I must read Belinda Mary’s other books because I loved “Ciao, Bella” so much! I need to read Lilly and Amy’s stories.
I flew through this book because I had to know how these two ended up together. Their story is so sweet and it makes me emotional thinking about all the battles they faced to get together and stay together.
There is so much struggle and heartache in the book with the intense issues the MCs face. I felt for Daniel so much throughout this book as he struggles after his mom’s passing. Bella is trying to figure out where she fits in the world. She’s torn between everything she’s ever known and the fun new place, which seems to be everything she’s ever wanted. I did wish they got together sooner but they both had a lot to work through. Once they both stopped being scared and put their feelings into words, it was worth it. 💕
I would have enjoyed more of Daniel’s POV, especially more in the later chapters with so much going on. Like a said before, I struggle with third act breakup books. However, this didn’t feel forced and the problem they faced was huge. I appreciated how Belinda Mary wrote it, which I felt showed the character’s actively developing through their struggles.
Overall, I loved the banter between Bella and Daniel as well as their chemistry which jumped off the page. Also excuse my lack of quotes all my favorites gave away MAJOR spoilers 🥲
The songs that I feel fit this book are “Come Close” by Jake Scott, “Beautiful Things” by Benson Boone, “One Call Away” by Charlie Puth, and “Hold my girl” by George Ezra.
This is a closed door romcom. There is only kissing / making out. There is light cursing and some innuendo.
Content Warning: grief, loss of parent, cancer, stroke
What I loved:
- grump & sunshine
- She brings out the sunshine in him
- Brother’s best friend
- Forced proximity (roommates)
- All of the friends becoming like family 😭🥰
- Christmas time
- Nicknames 💕
- The Love, Lilly Cafe
- Sassy, Witty MMC
- He takes care of her
- She cooks for him
- Dual POV, but mostly hers
- Cute, wise Italian mother
I must read Belinda Mary’s other books because I loved “Ciao, Bella” so much! I need to read Lilly and Amy’s stories.
I flew through this book because I had to know how these two ended up together. Their story is so sweet and it makes me emotional thinking about all the battles they faced to get together and stay together.
There is so much struggle and heartache in the book with the intense issues the MCs face. I felt for Daniel so much throughout this book as he struggles after his mom’s passing. Bella is trying to figure out where she fits in the world. She’s torn between everything she’s ever known and the fun new place, which seems to be everything she’s ever wanted. I did wish they got together sooner but they both had a lot to work through. Once they both stopped being scared and put their feelings into words, it was worth it. 💕
I would have enjoyed more of Daniel’s POV, especially more in the later chapters with so much going on. Like a said before, I struggle with third act breakup books. However, this didn’t feel forced and the problem they faced was huge. I appreciated how Belinda Mary wrote it, which I felt showed the character’s actively developing through their struggles.
Overall, I loved the banter between Bella and Daniel as well as their chemistry which jumped off the page. Also excuse my lack of quotes all my favorites gave away MAJOR spoilers 🥲
The songs that I feel fit this book are “Come Close” by Jake Scott, “Beautiful Things” by Benson Boone, “One Call Away” by Charlie Puth, and “Hold my girl” by George Ezra.
This is a closed door romcom. There is only kissing / making out. There is light cursing and some innuendo.
Content Warning: grief, loss of parent, cancer, stroke
October 22, 2023
4.5 stars
This was a super sweet read that I read in a day, which was a much needed change of pace after taking nearly a week each to finish the previous two books I read. It's the third book in the Love Always series, but while it references characters from previous books, it can be read as a standalone just fine, myself having not read the second in series. Ciao, Bella follows Lucas's sister Isabella, who decides to follow her brother and dreams of a bigger life from her small village outside Florence, Italy to Melbourne, Australia. Deciding to surprise him, she shows up on his doorstep unannounced, only to find that he is away on vacation. His surly roommate, Theo James lookalike Daniel, answers the door, and unable to turn away his roommate's little sister, reluctantly lets her stay with him. He instantly falls for the beautiful Bella, but in order to protect his grieving heart acts like a jerk to her to keep her at arm's length. Soon, Bella has found her way into their friend circle, but just when she is starting to make a life for herself in Melbourne and breaking through Daniel's icy exterior, she is called home for a family emergency, and must decide if duty or her heart will decide her next step. This dealt with some heavier subjects, such as death of a parent and medical emergencies, but in a way where it did not feel overly dark and more was used as a tool to explain why the characters behaved in the ways they did. Bella was the sunshine to Daniel's grumpy, but not in the overly bubbly way that I tend to find off putting. I sometimes have a hard time believing the insta-love trope, especially when the man falls first, but in this case Daniel kept it to himself for long enough that it didn't seem weird. I enjoyed this one the best of the series I've read so far and am looking forward to seeing more from these characters.
💛 Thank you to Belinda Mary for a copy of Ciao, Bella to review.
This was a super sweet read that I read in a day, which was a much needed change of pace after taking nearly a week each to finish the previous two books I read. It's the third book in the Love Always series, but while it references characters from previous books, it can be read as a standalone just fine, myself having not read the second in series. Ciao, Bella follows Lucas's sister Isabella, who decides to follow her brother and dreams of a bigger life from her small village outside Florence, Italy to Melbourne, Australia. Deciding to surprise him, she shows up on his doorstep unannounced, only to find that he is away on vacation. His surly roommate, Theo James lookalike Daniel, answers the door, and unable to turn away his roommate's little sister, reluctantly lets her stay with him. He instantly falls for the beautiful Bella, but in order to protect his grieving heart acts like a jerk to her to keep her at arm's length. Soon, Bella has found her way into their friend circle, but just when she is starting to make a life for herself in Melbourne and breaking through Daniel's icy exterior, she is called home for a family emergency, and must decide if duty or her heart will decide her next step. This dealt with some heavier subjects, such as death of a parent and medical emergencies, but in a way where it did not feel overly dark and more was used as a tool to explain why the characters behaved in the ways they did. Bella was the sunshine to Daniel's grumpy, but not in the overly bubbly way that I tend to find off putting. I sometimes have a hard time believing the insta-love trope, especially when the man falls first, but in this case Daniel kept it to himself for long enough that it didn't seem weird. I enjoyed this one the best of the series I've read so far and am looking forward to seeing more from these characters.
💛 Thank you to Belinda Mary for a copy of Ciao, Bella to review.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 127 reviews