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Love at First Sight
She's in love. Just with the wrong man...
Nora is done with dating, but still dreams of finding the one. So when a handsome stranger comes to her rescue one night and vanishes leaving only a business card, it's like a scene out of a movie...
It doesn't take long for the two to 'bump' into each other again, and Nora falls for the perfect-on-paper Gabe. Only a few weeks later, he invites her to Sicily, and she cannot believe her luck!
Until Gabe is forced away for work, leaving her alone with his big and warm family in gorgeous Sicily who welcome her with open arms. Everyone but Luca, his older and distrustful brother, who is always around.
Soon Nora finds herself on a dreamy, romantic getaway-just with the wrong brother...
- GenresRomance
333 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 4, 2024
15 people are currently reading
340 people want to read
About the author
Jessica Gilmore
267 books89 followersAfter several very happy years as a bookseller, Jessica Gilmore moved into the charity sector and now works in the Arts. Married with one daughter and two dogs, she lives in the beautiful Chilterns where she can usually be found with her nose in a book. A lover of a happy-ever-after, Jessica loves to write emotional romance with a hint of humour and a splash of sunshine.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews
April 7, 2025
it was cute, but it wasn't anything special to be honest!
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June 13, 2025zero stars wasn't an option
July 16, 2024
I initially requested this book because I’d seen a review saying it was similar to While You We’re Sleeping, an all time favourite rom-come of mine and while there are absolutely similarities, this seemed to miss the cute and quirky feeling I got from the movie. Instead it’s filled with repetition and a love triangle that I just wasn’t invested in.
Let’s start with the positives because there are plenty. Nora herself is a fantastic character, she’s someone who has no family left in the world, raised by her young mother and grandparents after her mother got pregnant whilst travelling. She has always wanted that instant, romance film style connection her mother and father had, and she thinks she finds it with Gabe. She just want’s somewhere to belong, someone she can start her own family with, so when Gabe’s family think she is his fiance there’s a part of her that wants to play along, wants it to be true. I empathised with her, loosing all her family at such a young age, but there were moments, decisions she made, that annoyed me a little.
I also loved the side characters, namely Gabe’s family and Nora’s friends. I loved how supportive they were of Nora, even Gabes family, knowing what he was like. And then there’s Luca, the older brother who seems suspicious of Nora from the get go. I enjoyed him as a character, he knows something Nora doesn’t, something pretty pivotal to her relationship with Gabe which annoyed me, but you can understand why he made the decision he did, and I loved seeing him help Nora delve into her past, helping her look for the father she never knew. I think one of my favourite parts of the book though was reading the postcards Nora’s mother had written. These were included at the start of every chapter and were a mixture of letters to her parents, unsent ones to Nora’s father and to Nora herself. These really added an emotional aspect to the story, and gave us a great insight into Nora’s life before she lost her family.
Anyone whose seen While You We’re Sleeping knows there’s one nice, ‘good’ brother, and one narcissistic, self involved, and that was similarly the case in this, the main difference is that Nora is actually dating him, and I think this is where my dislike comes in because she knew what he was like, was constantly making excuses for him, ignoring her friends so they could do things he wanted her to do. I guess I just didn’t enjoy how long it took Nora to admit to herself that Gabe was absolutely not the one for her, instead of just moaning about it and then getting really defensive anytime anyone tried to talk to her about it. There’s a twist, one centered around the miscommunication trope, that’s pretty obvious from the start of the book, but one the author takes far too long getting too, which is something I greatly dislike in books.
I guess a big part of why I didn’t love this book was it was so repetitive. If we learned that Nora didn’t know her father, that he and her mother met while they we’re travelling, that Nora’s grandparents and mother were dead once, we must have read it 50 times. I get that you want us to empathise with her, and I did, but I also found myself skipping huge portions of the book because it just got brought up time and time again. It was almost as if Nora couldn’t make a bad decision without it being ok because all her family was dead… brutal I know, but the author almost used it as a scapegoat for any bad decision she made, argument she had etc.
The romance itself was a slow burn, and there were parts of it I loved, but I couldn’t quite get over how both brothers knew something Nora didn’t and almost actively lied to her about it? It’s heavy on the miscommunication trope, which isn’t really my jam either. But all that being said, I did like Luca, I liked his blossoming romance with Nora, seeing the difference in how he treated her compared to Gabe. All in all, I liked this book, but I didn’t love it. It was a little longer than it needed to be, and too overly repetitive for me to truly get invested, but the characters, as well as the little letters from Nora’s mum kept me interested enough to not give up.
Let’s start with the positives because there are plenty. Nora herself is a fantastic character, she’s someone who has no family left in the world, raised by her young mother and grandparents after her mother got pregnant whilst travelling. She has always wanted that instant, romance film style connection her mother and father had, and she thinks she finds it with Gabe. She just want’s somewhere to belong, someone she can start her own family with, so when Gabe’s family think she is his fiance there’s a part of her that wants to play along, wants it to be true. I empathised with her, loosing all her family at such a young age, but there were moments, decisions she made, that annoyed me a little.
I also loved the side characters, namely Gabe’s family and Nora’s friends. I loved how supportive they were of Nora, even Gabes family, knowing what he was like. And then there’s Luca, the older brother who seems suspicious of Nora from the get go. I enjoyed him as a character, he knows something Nora doesn’t, something pretty pivotal to her relationship with Gabe which annoyed me, but you can understand why he made the decision he did, and I loved seeing him help Nora delve into her past, helping her look for the father she never knew. I think one of my favourite parts of the book though was reading the postcards Nora’s mother had written. These were included at the start of every chapter and were a mixture of letters to her parents, unsent ones to Nora’s father and to Nora herself. These really added an emotional aspect to the story, and gave us a great insight into Nora’s life before she lost her family.
Anyone whose seen While You We’re Sleeping knows there’s one nice, ‘good’ brother, and one narcissistic, self involved, and that was similarly the case in this, the main difference is that Nora is actually dating him, and I think this is where my dislike comes in because she knew what he was like, was constantly making excuses for him, ignoring her friends so they could do things he wanted her to do. I guess I just didn’t enjoy how long it took Nora to admit to herself that Gabe was absolutely not the one for her, instead of just moaning about it and then getting really defensive anytime anyone tried to talk to her about it. There’s a twist, one centered around the miscommunication trope, that’s pretty obvious from the start of the book, but one the author takes far too long getting too, which is something I greatly dislike in books.
I guess a big part of why I didn’t love this book was it was so repetitive. If we learned that Nora didn’t know her father, that he and her mother met while they we’re travelling, that Nora’s grandparents and mother were dead once, we must have read it 50 times. I get that you want us to empathise with her, and I did, but I also found myself skipping huge portions of the book because it just got brought up time and time again. It was almost as if Nora couldn’t make a bad decision without it being ok because all her family was dead… brutal I know, but the author almost used it as a scapegoat for any bad decision she made, argument she had etc.
The romance itself was a slow burn, and there were parts of it I loved, but I couldn’t quite get over how both brothers knew something Nora didn’t and almost actively lied to her about it? It’s heavy on the miscommunication trope, which isn’t really my jam either. But all that being said, I did like Luca, I liked his blossoming romance with Nora, seeing the difference in how he treated her compared to Gabe. All in all, I liked this book, but I didn’t love it. It was a little longer than it needed to be, and too overly repetitive for me to truly get invested, but the characters, as well as the little letters from Nora’s mum kept me interested enough to not give up.
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August 11, 2025DNF al 21%
Allora, solitamente cerco di arrivare in fondo ai libri che leggo. Spesso mi capita di lasciarli a metà per poi dargli una seconda possibilità più avanti e terminarli. Però la vita è breve, sono finalmente in ferie e mi merito di meglio che leggere un romanzo in cui l'autrice ha deciso di inserire un personaggio italiano senza fare un minimo di ricerca sulla lingua. Tralasciando perle di saggezza come "cavola" e "accidento", l'autrice è riuscita a sbagliare pure una di quelle frasi che conosce anche chi non sa mezza parola di italiano: "ti amo" è diventato "ti amore" 🤢 dopo questa, mollo il colpo. Peraltro l'impressione che ho avuto della protagonista da quei cinque capitoli che ho letto non è delle migliori - per un attimo ho provato pure tenerezza per la sua solitudine (è rimasta sola dopo aver perso i nonni e la madre), però quella disperazione nel voler per forza avere una relazione, tanto da inzerbinarsi per degli emeriti sconosciuti, è terrificante. Magari andando avanti, il libro migliora, ma non lo scoprirò mai perché dopo "ti amore" non ho alcuna intenzione di proseguire. Se devi inserire una lingua straniera per poi farla a pezzi, forse è meglio limitarsi all'inglese, no?
Allora, solitamente cerco di arrivare in fondo ai libri che leggo. Spesso mi capita di lasciarli a metà per poi dargli una seconda possibilità più avanti e terminarli. Però la vita è breve, sono finalmente in ferie e mi merito di meglio che leggere un romanzo in cui l'autrice ha deciso di inserire un personaggio italiano senza fare un minimo di ricerca sulla lingua. Tralasciando perle di saggezza come "cavola" e "accidento", l'autrice è riuscita a sbagliare pure una di quelle frasi che conosce anche chi non sa mezza parola di italiano: "ti amo" è diventato "ti amore" 🤢 dopo questa, mollo il colpo. Peraltro l'impressione che ho avuto della protagonista da quei cinque capitoli che ho letto non è delle migliori - per un attimo ho provato pure tenerezza per la sua solitudine (è rimasta sola dopo aver perso i nonni e la madre), però quella disperazione nel voler per forza avere una relazione, tanto da inzerbinarsi per degli emeriti sconosciuti, è terrificante. Magari andando avanti, il libro migliora, ma non lo scoprirò mai perché dopo "ti amore" non ho alcuna intenzione di proseguire. Se devi inserire una lingua straniera per poi farla a pezzi, forse è meglio limitarsi all'inglese, no?
June 19, 2025
This book was very cute🥹
It was just a very easy and light read so if you want that then this book is a good option.
I prefer more tension in romance novels, I love enemies to lovers SO much or just prefer more banter between the love interests and that was just lacking.
It was a slow burn and messy journey for them which was enjoyable to read however it wasn’t written very well (apart from mentioning Taylor Swift and speak now and folklore 👏, would give them 5 ⭐️ on that by itself) but yeah ot didn’t stand out as a love story compared to Emily Henry’s stories.
Eventhough Luca sounds gorgeous 😍😍
It was just a very easy and light read so if you want that then this book is a good option.
I prefer more tension in romance novels, I love enemies to lovers SO much or just prefer more banter between the love interests and that was just lacking.
It was a slow burn and messy journey for them which was enjoyable to read however it wasn’t written very well (apart from mentioning Taylor Swift and speak now and folklore 👏, would give them 5 ⭐️ on that by itself) but yeah ot didn’t stand out as a love story compared to Emily Henry’s stories.
Eventhough Luca sounds gorgeous 😍😍
March 4, 2025
Cute holiday read😄devoured it on my sun lounger
May 16, 2025
I found this book super slow to get into but the ending and the story line was so nice. I struggled with the Italian parts but loved the family aspect and the life they lived. The characters were all really likeable and made it more enjoyable to read.
July 15, 2025
When most of the Italian is actually Spanish, it’s a nope from me
August 9, 2024
Listened to the audiobook and it was so lovely! Feel good, found family, romantic tension and loved the characters!
I got the tiniest bit frustrated with Nora and her indecisiveness 😂 but overall a cute book!
I got the tiniest bit frustrated with Nora and her indecisiveness 😂 but overall a cute book!
July 22, 2024
Rating 4.5/5
This time of year I long for stories with a wonderful sense of place, to whisk me off somewhere and make me imagine that I can feel the sun on my face and soak up the culture…and a little romance never hurts. Love at First Sight ticks those boxes and then some, with a beautiful Sicilian vineyard as the setting and the food and the family, I felt transported and I was engrossed with Nora’s story.
I loved that Nora was a romantic and that she created the opportunity for her meet-cute, feeling that spark of infatuation, and was so happy for her when it seemed to work out. That faltered a little when she started trying to be a slightly different Nora to fit into Gabe’s life, which as much as it pains me to say I found very relatable. I’m not going to lie I did start to worry that Nora was going to let ‘fate’ play too much of a hand in her life and then end up with someone all wrong for her because she is such a fun and quirky character and was letting herself be moulded a little, but luckily my worries started to disappear when she got to Sicily.
The slow burn of the connection between Nora and Luca was delicious, especially because they were really having to fight against it. I did get slightly frustrated at her always sticking up for Gabe and trying to portray him as a different person to people who clearly know him very well, but understood that it came more from a place of guilt and longing to fit in.
I was glad that Gabe’s family could be honest about who he was and that Nora’s friends were being upfront with her about their thoughts on the relationship. It was refreshing to see the honesty about their personalities and it helped to highlight why they maybe weren’t the best match for each other. These characters also made the story, I love a story with a big family, the mix of personalities and the warmth that it brings to the story, especially when there is also the found family with Nora and her friends, it got a little emotional at times.
Nora’s story is also interspersed with her mother’s in the form of letters, that chart her adventures, her lost love and her life with Nora. I enjoyed these as Nora’s family are important to her so it was lovely to get a little extra insight into their life.
The one thing I did struggle with at times in this story was the miscommunication, now I can usually give a little leeway for a story because it is fiction after all, however, there was one aspect of the story that I found it tough not to get a little annoyed at Nora about. If you don’t like spoilers skip to the next paragraph…it pained me that Nora didn’t set them straight about the engagement, I could understand the first bit of confusion but when she started actively leaning into it I struggled, I know it provides a catalyst for Nora to confront her feelings but I couldn’t suspend my belief enough to accept that.
Luckily I was often distracted by how amazing Luca was with Nora and that helped to shift that little annoyance and had me hooked once again into the story. I struggled to put it down because I was enjoying it so much and did accidentally stay up very late one night just to fit in some more of the story.
Love at First Sight is just such a joyful book, it made me feel warm and happy, it has some wonderful characters and a gorgeous setting and is well worth a read.
Originally posted on everywhere and nowhere
This time of year I long for stories with a wonderful sense of place, to whisk me off somewhere and make me imagine that I can feel the sun on my face and soak up the culture…and a little romance never hurts. Love at First Sight ticks those boxes and then some, with a beautiful Sicilian vineyard as the setting and the food and the family, I felt transported and I was engrossed with Nora’s story.
I loved that Nora was a romantic and that she created the opportunity for her meet-cute, feeling that spark of infatuation, and was so happy for her when it seemed to work out. That faltered a little when she started trying to be a slightly different Nora to fit into Gabe’s life, which as much as it pains me to say I found very relatable. I’m not going to lie I did start to worry that Nora was going to let ‘fate’ play too much of a hand in her life and then end up with someone all wrong for her because she is such a fun and quirky character and was letting herself be moulded a little, but luckily my worries started to disappear when she got to Sicily.
The slow burn of the connection between Nora and Luca was delicious, especially because they were really having to fight against it. I did get slightly frustrated at her always sticking up for Gabe and trying to portray him as a different person to people who clearly know him very well, but understood that it came more from a place of guilt and longing to fit in.
I was glad that Gabe’s family could be honest about who he was and that Nora’s friends were being upfront with her about their thoughts on the relationship. It was refreshing to see the honesty about their personalities and it helped to highlight why they maybe weren’t the best match for each other. These characters also made the story, I love a story with a big family, the mix of personalities and the warmth that it brings to the story, especially when there is also the found family with Nora and her friends, it got a little emotional at times.
Nora’s story is also interspersed with her mother’s in the form of letters, that chart her adventures, her lost love and her life with Nora. I enjoyed these as Nora’s family are important to her so it was lovely to get a little extra insight into their life.
The one thing I did struggle with at times in this story was the miscommunication, now I can usually give a little leeway for a story because it is fiction after all, however, there was one aspect of the story that I found it tough not to get a little annoyed at Nora about. If you don’t like spoilers skip to the next paragraph…it pained me that Nora didn’t set them straight about the engagement, I could understand the first bit of confusion but when she started actively leaning into it I struggled, I know it provides a catalyst for Nora to confront her feelings but I couldn’t suspend my belief enough to accept that.
Luckily I was often distracted by how amazing Luca was with Nora and that helped to shift that little annoyance and had me hooked once again into the story. I struggled to put it down because I was enjoying it so much and did accidentally stay up very late one night just to fit in some more of the story.
Love at First Sight is just such a joyful book, it made me feel warm and happy, it has some wonderful characters and a gorgeous setting and is well worth a read.
Originally posted on everywhere and nowhere
September 23, 2024
Rating: 4.5 Stars
Love at First Sight is the gorgeous new novel by Jessica Gilmore that ticks all the right boxes!
Nora might be sick of dating, but she hasn’t give up on finding the one. She still believes that a happy ending for her could be possible – but she just needs Prince Charming to come along and save her from having to kiss yet another frog! When she crosses paths with a handsome stranger who comes to her rescue one night, Nora thinks that all of her romantic dreams are about to come true – if only he didn’t vanish leaving only his business card behind! Nora wonders if she will ever see the man who in a few seconds had stolen her heart ever again, but as luck would have it she bumps into him again and a few weeks later he invites her along to Sicily. Is Nate the man Nora has been waiting for? Or should she be careful about pinning all of her hopes for the future on a man like him?
Sicily is as gorgeous as she had imagined and Nate’s family all welcome her with open arms – except for his older brother Luca, who makes it clear from the off that he doesn’t trust Nora. Although she is aware that he’s only looking out for Nate, Nora cannot help but find Luca rather rude and stand-offish and when Gabe is forced to go away for work, she finds herself having to spend a lot of time in the company of the one brother she had been keen on avoiding.
However, Nora soon comes to the conclusion that there is far more to Luca than she had initially thought and that they might have more in common that she had initially realised…
A dreamy romantic escape that will make you laugh, cry and fall head over heels in love, this swoon-worthy contemporary tale rivals Emily Henry for its witty banter, red-hot chemistry and superb characterisation. Love at First Sight is contemporary romance at its finest and Jessica Gilmore has written a fantastic page-turner that has winner written all over it!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Love at First Sight is the gorgeous new novel by Jessica Gilmore that ticks all the right boxes!
Nora might be sick of dating, but she hasn’t give up on finding the one. She still believes that a happy ending for her could be possible – but she just needs Prince Charming to come along and save her from having to kiss yet another frog! When she crosses paths with a handsome stranger who comes to her rescue one night, Nora thinks that all of her romantic dreams are about to come true – if only he didn’t vanish leaving only his business card behind! Nora wonders if she will ever see the man who in a few seconds had stolen her heart ever again, but as luck would have it she bumps into him again and a few weeks later he invites her along to Sicily. Is Nate the man Nora has been waiting for? Or should she be careful about pinning all of her hopes for the future on a man like him?
Sicily is as gorgeous as she had imagined and Nate’s family all welcome her with open arms – except for his older brother Luca, who makes it clear from the off that he doesn’t trust Nora. Although she is aware that he’s only looking out for Nate, Nora cannot help but find Luca rather rude and stand-offish and when Gabe is forced to go away for work, she finds herself having to spend a lot of time in the company of the one brother she had been keen on avoiding.
However, Nora soon comes to the conclusion that there is far more to Luca than she had initially thought and that they might have more in common that she had initially realised…
A dreamy romantic escape that will make you laugh, cry and fall head over heels in love, this swoon-worthy contemporary tale rivals Emily Henry for its witty banter, red-hot chemistry and superb characterisation. Love at First Sight is contemporary romance at its finest and Jessica Gilmore has written a fantastic page-turner that has winner written all over it!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
December 23, 2025
Love at First Sight was a surprisingly mixed experience for me - slow, frustrating, and honestly a bit irritating for most of it… but the ending completely won me over.
The first two-thirds of this book dragged. The pacing was slow and I found myself getting increasingly annoyed, especially with Nora. She was difficult to warm to, and her choices often frustrated me rather than made me root for her.
Gabe, however, was my biggest issue. He didn’t seem genuinely interested in Nora as a person at all. He disliked the way she dressed, showed no interest in her passions, didn’t care about where she lived, and barely acknowledged her family or the things that mattered to her. It felt less like love and more like convenience. His behaviour after Nora said no - immediately returning to Lily - only reinforced that for me. You don’t love someone, or want to marry them, if you don’t truly see them.
Then there’s Luca.
From the moment Luca was introduced, I had a strong feeling he was the one who had saved Nora - and I was right. Luca was everything this story needed. Kind, thoughtful, patient, and genuinely attentive, he took the time to know Nora, understand her, and support her. He saw her in a way Gabe never did, and the contrast between the two men made the ending all the more satisfying.
While the journey was slow and at times frustrating, the final part of the book was genuinely heart-warming. The ending was sweet, well-earned, and left me smiling - which is ultimately why I rated this book four stars.
Not a perfect read, but one I’m glad I didn’t give up on.
The first two-thirds of this book dragged. The pacing was slow and I found myself getting increasingly annoyed, especially with Nora. She was difficult to warm to, and her choices often frustrated me rather than made me root for her.
Gabe, however, was my biggest issue. He didn’t seem genuinely interested in Nora as a person at all. He disliked the way she dressed, showed no interest in her passions, didn’t care about where she lived, and barely acknowledged her family or the things that mattered to her. It felt less like love and more like convenience. His behaviour after Nora said no - immediately returning to Lily - only reinforced that for me. You don’t love someone, or want to marry them, if you don’t truly see them.
Then there’s Luca.
From the moment Luca was introduced, I had a strong feeling he was the one who had saved Nora - and I was right. Luca was everything this story needed. Kind, thoughtful, patient, and genuinely attentive, he took the time to know Nora, understand her, and support her. He saw her in a way Gabe never did, and the contrast between the two men made the ending all the more satisfying.
While the journey was slow and at times frustrating, the final part of the book was genuinely heart-warming. The ending was sweet, well-earned, and left me smiling - which is ultimately why I rated this book four stars.
Not a perfect read, but one I’m glad I didn’t give up on.
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May 21, 2024Title: Love at First Sight by Jessica Gilmore
Release Date: July, 4th, 2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Stars
"Love at First Sight" by Jessica Gilmore is a charming romance novel that captures the essence of unexpected love.
Nora, tired of dating but still hopeful, finds herself drawn to a handsome stranger who comes to her rescue one night. When they cross paths again, she falls for Gabe, who seems perfect on paper.
However, a twist of fate leads her to spend time with Gabe's brother, Luca, in Sicily, where she finds herself on a dreamy romantic getaway with the wrong brother.
The plot line is engaging and realistic, reminding readers that life doesn't always go according to plan, and unexpected surprises can lead to new and exciting experiences.
Nora’s dilemma and the sparks flying between the characters are impossible to miss as you dive into the story. The tension ramps up the excitement, especially with the forbidden love angle weaving its way through the narrative. Experiencing the internal struggles and the undeniable chemistry between the characters keeps you fully invested in the story, making it a truly captivating read.
"Love at First Sight" is a delightful read with a relatable storyline that keeps you hooked until the end.
Thank you to The Publisher Orion Publishing Group | Orion ,The Author Jessica Gilmore & NetGalley for an advanced reader copy (ARC) in exchange for my honest review.
August 4, 2024
Nora is an excellent central character in this escapist read. She is full of contradictions but that is because of her past. On the one hand she likes the feeling of being with a family and yet she has withdrawn from people following a few bad relationships. Friends are very important to her and she has a tight knit set of them from her childhood. She is desperately lonely after the deaths of her grandparents and mother. A romantic at heart, she is longing for a great love affair and to find the ‘one’. In her search to have the love at first sight which her mother described, she ignores the shortcomings and lack of consideration which Gabe shows.
I particularly liked the parts of the story which were set in beautiful Sicily with Gabe’s family. Much of the story centres on Nora’s coming of age as she learns to follow her own dreams and not rely on keeping everyone happy at her own expense. Luca is an excellent foil and so unlike his brother, Gabe. You feel he always listens to her and accepts her for herself. The story is well structured and the text messages between Nora and her friends are amusing and show Nora how her actions appear to others. You also have excerpts from Nora’s mother’s journal and follow her thoughts and actions. Family, friends, true love based on getting to know someone and following your own path in life are all important themes.
In short: finding love and following your heart
Thanks to the author for a copy of the book
I particularly liked the parts of the story which were set in beautiful Sicily with Gabe’s family. Much of the story centres on Nora’s coming of age as she learns to follow her own dreams and not rely on keeping everyone happy at her own expense. Luca is an excellent foil and so unlike his brother, Gabe. You feel he always listens to her and accepts her for herself. The story is well structured and the text messages between Nora and her friends are amusing and show Nora how her actions appear to others. You also have excerpts from Nora’s mother’s journal and follow her thoughts and actions. Family, friends, true love based on getting to know someone and following your own path in life are all important themes.
In short: finding love and following your heart
Thanks to the author for a copy of the book
July 21, 2024
Nora is unlucky in love but never loses sight of finding the perfect partner, so when a handsome stranger comes to her rescue she feels an immediate connection and is determined to give fate a bit of a helping hand. Gabe is everything Nora wants in a boyfriend and when he whisks her away to Sicily to meet his family she feels like her life is going in the right direction. However, Nora soon discovers that there are flaws in her relationship and has some difficult decisions to make before she can truly be happy.
I enjoyed the way the story developed, particularly the snippets from a series of letters written by Nora's mother when she too was young and in love for the first time. It's the perfect summer escapism as not only do we get an unashamedly romantic story but we also get to spend time on the beautiful island of Sicily, meeting and making friends with Gabe's wonderful family and spending time in the hot Sicilian sunshine in a gorgeous wine-growing region. Love at First Sight is about finding what is important in life, of learning how to take a chance on what is being offered and of opening your heart to love when the right person comes along. It's a perfect read on the beach sort of story, rich in detail, high on romance, and a heartwarming ending, what's not to like?
I enjoyed the way the story developed, particularly the snippets from a series of letters written by Nora's mother when she too was young and in love for the first time. It's the perfect summer escapism as not only do we get an unashamedly romantic story but we also get to spend time on the beautiful island of Sicily, meeting and making friends with Gabe's wonderful family and spending time in the hot Sicilian sunshine in a gorgeous wine-growing region. Love at First Sight is about finding what is important in life, of learning how to take a chance on what is being offered and of opening your heart to love when the right person comes along. It's a perfect read on the beach sort of story, rich in detail, high on romance, and a heartwarming ending, what's not to like?
July 11, 2024
This is a good escapist novel, a very romantic comedy of errors that makes you wonder who’s the right brother, but it’s also the path to change, happiness, and being her own woman made by Nora.
It starts as a standard rom com but it evolves into a poignant&funny story that bring us around Italy with a main focus on Sicily.
As I’m Italian born and bred I often think the description of Italian families or places like a sort of fairy tale. I liked the description of Gabe’s family, but I think there were some details missing as future MIL or nonnas can be terrifying.
Sicily is experiencing a terrible drought and there’s 40C at the moment and I hope it will be soon back to the lovely place pictured in this novel.
I was hooked since the first chapter and liked the twists and the final part. I liked how Nora went from naif girl who wanted the movie perfect love story to one who was able to identify what really matters. I also loved the subplot about her mother.
A cute, entertaining and moving novel I recommend
Many thanks to Orion and Rachel’s Random Resources for this digital copy, all opinions are mine.
It starts as a standard rom com but it evolves into a poignant&funny story that bring us around Italy with a main focus on Sicily.
As I’m Italian born and bred I often think the description of Italian families or places like a sort of fairy tale. I liked the description of Gabe’s family, but I think there were some details missing as future MIL or nonnas can be terrifying.
Sicily is experiencing a terrible drought and there’s 40C at the moment and I hope it will be soon back to the lovely place pictured in this novel.
I was hooked since the first chapter and liked the twists and the final part. I liked how Nora went from naif girl who wanted the movie perfect love story to one who was able to identify what really matters. I also loved the subplot about her mother.
A cute, entertaining and moving novel I recommend
Many thanks to Orion and Rachel’s Random Resources for this digital copy, all opinions are mine.
July 14, 2024
I'm reviewing this via NetGalley, as part of a tour with Rachel's Random Resources.
On first impressions, I felt the protagonist, Nora, was a fun character, and I found her a little bit relatable. Some of the exchanges at the start of the book made me giggle. Reading on, I found there were some other characters that I warmed to as well, and I was curious about how some of them may contribute to the rest of the story.
This was a delightful romantic read, and I also enjoyed the escape that it provided, with its Italian setting. I found it fun to read, and a little bit surprising, with some sultry characters. If you are a romance reader, this book would be a good choice to chill out with.
Thank you to NetGalley, Rachel's Random Resources, and to the author and publisher, for the opportunity to read and review this.
On first impressions, I felt the protagonist, Nora, was a fun character, and I found her a little bit relatable. Some of the exchanges at the start of the book made me giggle. Reading on, I found there were some other characters that I warmed to as well, and I was curious about how some of them may contribute to the rest of the story.
This was a delightful romantic read, and I also enjoyed the escape that it provided, with its Italian setting. I found it fun to read, and a little bit surprising, with some sultry characters. If you are a romance reader, this book would be a good choice to chill out with.
Thank you to NetGalley, Rachel's Random Resources, and to the author and publisher, for the opportunity to read and review this.
April 27, 2025
When I first started reading Love at First Sight by Jessica Gilmore, I honestly wasn’t sure it was for me.
The story felt a little slow to start... But something made me stick with it… and I’m so glad I did. As the story unfolded, I found myself completely drawn in.
By the halfway point, I couldn’t put the book down. I was hooked on the chemistry with the other brother Luca 💕, the heartfelt moments with the Catalano family, and the way the romance blossomed naturally.
Jessica Gilmore’s writing sneaks up on you — what starts off feeling simple turns into a rich, emotional experience. In the end, Love at First Sight became one of those stories I was sad to finish. If you’re willing to give it a little time, this book definitely rewards you.
The story felt a little slow to start... But something made me stick with it… and I’m so glad I did. As the story unfolded, I found myself completely drawn in.
By the halfway point, I couldn’t put the book down. I was hooked on the chemistry with the other brother Luca 💕, the heartfelt moments with the Catalano family, and the way the romance blossomed naturally.
Jessica Gilmore’s writing sneaks up on you — what starts off feeling simple turns into a rich, emotional experience. In the end, Love at First Sight became one of those stories I was sad to finish. If you’re willing to give it a little time, this book definitely rewards you.
July 11, 2025
This was so much better than I was expecting it to be! I picked this up at The Works on a whim as I wanted a light, short, summer romance book to read whilst on holiday and it delivered exactly that. It was just what I needed and I absolutely loved it.
I enjoyed everything about this from the setting starting in London to the story moving to Sicily where we are introduced to the Catalona family. I was hooked on the chemistry between Nora and Luca and I loved Nora’s personality and how she was a romantic. I also loved the backstory of her searching for her father and the letters written by her mother as well.
I’ve not read anything by this author before but I’ll 100% be reading more and I’ve already added another one of her books to my tbr list.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I enjoyed everything about this from the setting starting in London to the story moving to Sicily where we are introduced to the Catalona family. I was hooked on the chemistry between Nora and Luca and I loved Nora’s personality and how she was a romantic. I also loved the backstory of her searching for her father and the letters written by her mother as well.
I’ve not read anything by this author before but I’ll 100% be reading more and I’ve already added another one of her books to my tbr list.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
October 30, 2024
I really like this book at the start she didn’t want to find love then she did but she fell in love with the wrong brother but didn’t want to tel him that he was in love with his fiancé brother . Her fiancé went away to do business and she was alone spending time with his family with out him then over the time she started to fall in love but she knew that couldn’t happen and she wasn’t actually engaged to her fiancé he lied to his family and she had to go along with it but then they started planning their wedding and she didn’t know what to do because she couldn’t Marry him when she was in love with his Brother
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 15, 2024
Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC of Love at First Sight by Jessica Gilmore. Love at First Sight is a delightful book about self-discovery, love, fate, and found family. Nora has sworn off love; she knows that she's been trying too hard and wants fate to do its job. Fate steps in 30 minutes later in the form of a shoe stuck in a storm grate and a handsome stranger named Gabe, ready to save the day.
After a whirlwind romance and the introduction of Gabe's family, Nora finds herself wondering if fate got it wrong after Gabe has to leave on a business trip and she finds herself falling for his brother.
Love at First Sight is perfect for fans of Mamma Mia, While You Were Sleeping, and The Holiday. It captures the essence of unexpected romance and the magic of finding love when you least expect it. This book is a delightful read that will leave you believing in the power of fate and the beauty of found family.
After a whirlwind romance and the introduction of Gabe's family, Nora finds herself wondering if fate got it wrong after Gabe has to leave on a business trip and she finds herself falling for his brother.
Love at First Sight is perfect for fans of Mamma Mia, While You Were Sleeping, and The Holiday. It captures the essence of unexpected romance and the magic of finding love when you least expect it. This book is a delightful read that will leave you believing in the power of fate and the beauty of found family.
August 20, 2024
Jessica Gilmore at her finest! Loved the twists and turns to this gorgeous love story that isn’t just about finding the love of your life but also realising what’s been in front of you all along — a family minus the blood. Friends who have your back and are rooting for you always 💞 This story left me feeling all kinds of happy and I highly recommend to anyone who loves their romance with a fabulously rich supporting cast of characters and backstory. Those postcards had me welling up over and over, and the slow burn between Luca and Nora expertly dialling up the heat — loved it!!
December 13, 2024
This was a cute book, however, I could not stand Nora for the majority of the time and in all honesty it made parts of the story very difficult to get through just because of her complete lack of common sense. Her chemistry with Luca was very cute though and I enjoyed all their little scenes together but I just could not stand so many parts of this book that it just ruined it in parts for me. I also wish there was more to their trip to Sweden because it felt awfully rushed when it finally came to Luca and Nora getting their ending together!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 7, 2025
So boring. I get the whole love at first sight thing, however even I was cringing at the proposal after 1 month of knowing someone, and I couldn’t be her friends getting shushed for thinking she’s crazy… because that is crazy 🤣 I think the whole concept would’ve been cute if they’d have known each other longer or she wasn’t nearly a 30 year old woman moaning about fate 24/7. Finished the book for the sake of it but do not recommend, so boring. Only thing I didn’t anticipate was it being Luca that saved her that night and not Gabe!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 29, 2024
I have seen Jessica's other book (Love on the Island) and always meant to get around to reading it. So when I saw this pop up, I couldn't wait to take part in the tour!
This is a cute easy read which will be perfect for over the summer. The details about Italy are just amazing and really help set the scene. You could really picture it all.
It's not just a romance, there were other things going on in the book to keep you wanting more. I would have loved some more at the end (don't want to give anything away) as I did feel a certain plot just closed too quickly for me.
It was a funny read, you could definitely see this play out well in a film. I found parts a bit quick, I've always said I'm not a huge fan of instalove, but I loved the way the story developed. The friendship group felt very real and I think we could probably all relate to them in our real life.
This is a cute easy read which will be perfect for over the summer. The details about Italy are just amazing and really help set the scene. You could really picture it all.
It's not just a romance, there were other things going on in the book to keep you wanting more. I would have loved some more at the end (don't want to give anything away) as I did feel a certain plot just closed too quickly for me.
It was a funny read, you could definitely see this play out well in a film. I found parts a bit quick, I've always said I'm not a huge fan of instalove, but I loved the way the story developed. The friendship group felt very real and I think we could probably all relate to them in our real life.
July 8, 2025
i did enjoy this book, just found it a bit difficult to digest at times. felt like nothing really happened. wish we got to see more of the main couple, it was far too slow burn for me.
i had a love hate relationship with the main character and there was far too much description. i did enjoy all of the characters and the last chapter was by far the best but won’t be reading or recommending in a hurry.
i had a love hate relationship with the main character and there was far too much description. i did enjoy all of the characters and the last chapter was by far the best but won’t be reading or recommending in a hurry.
October 25, 2024
Jessica Gilmore is one of my favourite romantic novelists and this is another winner about not giving up on love. Nora is a wonderfully relatable character and the love triangle is filled with banter, wit and the perfect balance of sweetness and steam. Highly recommended, especially if you like holiday romances!
December 30, 2024
Got this in a Folklore themed blind date with a book and although I enjoyed the chemistry, the first few chapters were difficult to get through. If you love a book jam packed with rom-com clichés this is perfect just not my cup of tea. The friendships were beautiful however, and the devotion to family (and different family dynamics) were very well done. And a Sicilian setting is always a plus.
April 7, 2025
luka is so much better than gabe. gabe is stuck up and arrogant while luka is so much nicer. i wish she would’ve realised she fell for the wrong guy. it felt a bit awkward though once she told them she liked luka and rejected gabes proposal. gabe is such a red flag though. luka is the better brother for sure.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 12, 2025
2.5 stars like a very mid book not overly exciting. I actually liked the concept of the book I just thought it could have been more fun and there needed to be more chemistry and like banter almost. Also Nora is so annoying and I really need to stop picking up romance books that aren’t in first person cause I’m never a fan
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