Love on Lake Como

by Joy Skye

244 pages, Paperback

Published June 2, 2026

About the author

Joy lives on the seductive island of Corfu with her four dogs and an embarassing number of cats.

Her many years working in the tourist industry on this sunny isle and her love of all things literary inspired her first novel Corfu Capers which recently hit the #1 spot in Parenting and Family humour much to her delight.

She loves to cook, dance and drink wine, usually at the same time, and is currently working on book number four, due to be released later this year.

She also loves to travel, absolutely anywhere, and is looking forward to jumping on a plane!

Reviews

[Karen]

3.75*
A beautiful setting, mouth watering food, and a handsome hero. There was much to like about Love on Lake Como. Having spent time there some years ago I was looking forward to being reacquainted with this gorgeous location.

Following heartbreak from a failed relationship, (Indigo) Indie Summers is persuaded to take up a job as a concierge at Villa Adeste, a Sublime Retreats luxury villa. Her confidence is at rock bottom and Indie is unsure if she can cope with the demands of the guests whose expectations are high but her sister Rose, the head chef at the Villa, is a superb backup when Indie has a wobble. In dealing with the Texan Six, a group of boisterous Americans, Indie finds her feet and confidence again. Love is unexpected when she meets Marco, a rather serious security guard outside a nearby celebrity’s villa who shoos her away. Marco has his own history which comes to light in a rather dramatic way.

This is very much a slow burn romance. I enjoyed the will they/won’t they aspect as these two people tiptoe around each other, each wondering if they dare trust again and take a chance.

The setting of Lake Como and Bellagio is superbly described and I now want to go back! The close relationship between sisters Rose and Indie was lovely to see and with its touches of humour and some excellent supporting characters (Aunt Juniper was just wonderful) this was a lovely read to while away a few hours. My one slight disappointment was the ending; after the gentle pace of the story we were suddenly at the conclusion and an Epilogue. This seemed rather rushed and I would have liked to see a little more development of the story before this sudden conclusion.

[Dasja]

Leeservaring was een 5/5. Er is niks beters dan met je twee zussen een flutboek compleet aan flarden bekritiseren in een zonovergoten tuin aan het Comomeer. Lees: gillen na elke tenenkrommende eindzin van ieder hoofdstuk. Dit verhaal sloeg werkelijk nergens op en ik heb ervan genoten.

PS: is het nou eindelijk klaar met die vreselijke namen van hoofdpersonen? Indie Summers? Dat meen je toch niet?

[Sabrina Hoxha]

appalling. maybe to a fourteen year old who doesn’t know any better this seems like a fabulous read but don’t be fooled. it’s a sign of a bad writer when every single character is speaking with the same tone of phrase, colloquialisms and all that jazz.

but that aside, why is the main character such a pathetic person. like girl, get a grip. you’ve know the geeza ONE WEEK and yet we’re ready to pack our bags and move countries because he didn’t tell you about his ex finance from two years ago that he has no obligation to tell you about? it’s such a pitiful excuse of writing a woman. i understand she’s healing and damaged but come on. four dates and she’s putting her whole life on this relationship, after spending the whole book going on about how she doesn’t want to get involved too quickly.

and don’t even get me started on the double wedding at the end. so cliche i couldn’t even believe it happened. based on the back cover with all these over stupid “meet me in malta” love stories, the author clearly just churns out these underdeveloped stories as a cash grab.

after all that, i’ve gone with two stars because if i was sat bored and all i had in front of me was meet me in malta, i’d probably still read it

[Sara Zonneveldt]

Dit boek was zo vanilla en braaf. Ergens verwachtte ik zinderende zomerzon, zwoele avonden, spanning en sensatie. Wat krijg je? De twee saaiste personen ter wereld die binnen één week verliefd worden op elkaar en elkaar welgeteld één kus gaven en dat is het. Er waren ook zo veel story lines die echt niks maar dan ook helemaal niks toevoegden. Very jammer. Wel gewoon leuk om te lezen met mijn zussen, als je dan toch bij het comomeer bent...

[Isis]

Als eerste wil ik graag zeggen dat dit boek perfect is als je wilt dat iemand alle informatie voorkauwt en het daarna in je mond uit tuft en dat er dan geen kruiden of smaakmakers in zitten. Snap je?

Ten tweede wil ik graag zeggen dat ik dit boek alleen lees omdat ik bij het Como meer ben en mijn zussen hem ook lezen!!!!

Maar het is wel zeer smakelijk en vermakelijk om te lezen als je hier bent. Dat dan weer wel.

[Axl]

Bon, 200 pages pour qu’il n’y ait rien et en même temps trop d’évènements.

L’histoire se termine abruptement sur une fin qui ne m’apporte aucune satisfaction. C’est une fin parce qu’il faut une belle fin de romance.

Ces 200 pages m’auront occupé sur la plage.

[Dawn]

Love on lake Como is the first book I’ve read by joy Skye and now I want to go and read all her back catalogue. What an absolute perfect setting - I’ve travelled a lot of Italy but haven’t visited the lakes yet. This book has had me googling holidays in Lake Como.

Everything about this book was dreamlike from the setting, to the cast, the food and drink, I loved everything about it - I can almost feel the sun on my back and taste the sublime food, my mouth is literally drooling writing this.

When Indie’s life in London falls apart, what better place to lick her wounds than Italy. Indie’s twin sister Rose worked as a chef at Villa Adeste in Lake Como and persuaded Indie that the best place to lick her wounds and get over the ‘shit show’ that her life had become - dumped by best friend who decided to move in with the love of her life, dumped by her VERY married boyfriend and looking to avoid her rather smelly, slightly sleezy landlord who moved himself in would be to take a job as a concierge looking after exclusive guests.

I’d have been in that plane in a heartbeat - to say the Villa was stunning was an understatement and despite Indie’s reservations she’s soon sucked into Italian life. An unexpected encounter with a certain security guard might have helped settle her into her unexpected new life.

Love in Lake Como delivered just the right amount of love, drama and a huge dollop of sensory overload - the smells and tastes oozed from the pages! Reading on a wet Saturday afternoon this was the perfect pick me up that left me dreaming of summer holidays. I loved the twins relationship, Rose definitely played the know all older sister, even if it was technically only by a few minutes - persuading Rose to move out to Italy turns out to be the best idea she had for both of them.

I fully intend to start at book 1 in Joy Skye’s Sublime Retreats Romances series - this was book 7!! I’m not sure quite how I’ve never come across them before.

[VickydpBooks]

Indie flees her old life to work a summer at a Lake Como villa, hoping for a fresh start and clues about her missing father. She never expects to clash with Marco, the handsome, brooding bodyguard next door. Opposites attract, secrets surface, and summer works its magic.

Sun-drenched, funny, and so romantic — pure escapism. Joy Skye paints Italy perfectly, and their slow-burn love is lovely. Warm, uplifting, and happy — the perfect holiday read.

Themes of healing and fresh starts; sweet, gentle romance.

[Mimi ౨ৎ]

Cute summer read, nothing too special. Indie and Marco were cute.

[Lisanne (:]

2,5⭐️

[Aoibhe finnie]

This book was so surface level. The way the characters spoke to each other and interacted with the world around them was stiff and odd. We never actually see anything substantial happen with marco and indie - they go on 4 dates (4!!!!!) and are all of a sudden in love. The four dates we see we don’t even get them talking about anything interesting other than the slightly more intriguing situation of marco as a doctor but even that was told weird. Like just not how you would speak to this lady you’re courting. Then the way the sisters spoke to each other or to their aunt was so odd and it all seemed forced and weird which is crazy because it’s a fiction novel so why am I thinking these characters are forced to talk to each other?? The romance plot was so unrealistic, the double wedding was freaky, the nude guests??? It wasn’t even funny so what was the point? The “‘miscommunication” trope was stupid becuase you’re telling me these people know each other maybe 9 days and she’s pissed off and fleeing the country because he said we need to talk? Fleeing the country. Every character was unlikable and had no depth to them. Genuinely confused at people’s positive reviews.

Edit - I forgot all about her self discovery journey. I get so irritated when authors don’t follow the basic rule of writing - show don’t tell (and I’m not a writer and never claimed to be one but just like come on). At about 80% of this book, after literally no trial or tribulation, character development or growth from indie she goes (in the Brittney Cartwright from the valley way) “I’m getting my sporkle back”?! But like where when and how? The book is listed as a slow burn romance and journey to self discovery but the romance was as fast as Romeo and Juliet and the self discovery was a secret to the reader. “A new life. An old secret and one unforgettable Italian summer” what old secret? The exes? What unforgettable Italian summer the book spans over 10 days.

I feel duped.

[Ella Gray]

Love on Lake Como by Joy Skye is a sweet, feel-good romance and the definition of an easy beach read. Light, escapist and set against a gorgeous Italian backdrop, it’s the kind of book that’s very easy to settle into when you want something warm and uncomplicated.

I enjoyed the overall story and its feel-good nature. There’s something inherently comforting about a romance like this, and the Lake Como setting adds exactly the kind of escapism you’d hope for. It would be a perfect book to pick up on holiday and read by the pool in a couple of sittings.

For me, though, the story moved a little too quickly in places. The short chapters made it incredibly easy to fly through, but they also sometimes left me wishing certain moments, relationships and character developments had been given a little more room to breathe. I would have loved slightly more depth to allow me to become invested in everything that was happening.

The storyline also follows some fairly familiar romance beats, so I had quite a good idea of where things were heading quite early on. That isn’t necessarily a negative - sometimes the appeal of a feel-good romance is knowing roughly where you’re going and simply enjoying the journey there - but personally, I would have liked a few more surprises along the way.

Overall, a cute, easy and uplifting read with plenty of holiday escapism. It didn’t quite have the depth or unpredictability to completely win me over, but I still enjoyed my time with it and can see it being a lovely summer read for fans of lighthearted, comforting romance.

With thanks to the publisher, Joy Skye and NetGalley for the ARC.

[Laura Taylor]

Love on Lake Como is the first book I have read by Joy Skye although it is part of the series of her Sublime Retreats novels. I was initially attracted to the beautiful location of the setting and the premise of the story of new beginnings for both the main characters, Marco and Indie.

I really enjoyed all the delicious foodie descriptions - Indie's twin sister Rose is a chef in the exclusive Villa Adeste, and she convinces Indie to come out after her life in London implodes around her. I thought the meet cute of Marco and Indie's primary attraction at the villa of a very well known celebrity was sweet and I liked how their romance blossomed over the course of the book.
There was not much peril in the storyline, and for me the novel lost a star for a couple of reasons: 1) the secondary characters we needed to care about were not very fleshed out and many unanswered questions about what had happened to them in the past to warrant their appearance. Perhaps they were in a previous book? and 2) the ending was a bit too neat!

Overall a cute summer read - take it to Italy along with your appetite!

Many thanks to the publishers and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Harps]

With the invite to help out at a luxurious villa in Lake Como and escape her manipulative ex, Indie packs up and leaves London behind to help her sister and maybe even grow closer to her father.
What she doesn’t expect is to meet brooding bodyguard Marcus.Not ready for a new relationship, Indie has her guard up, while Marcus is also dealing with his own past traumas.

Initially, I was expecting a bit more from this. I wasn’t really able to fully connect with Indie, and I expected more emotion around the issues with her ex and her relationship with her father. To me, those parts felt a little glossed over. Even though a big theme throughout the story was that she wasn’t ready for a relationship, it still felt like it all just happened without much build-up.

I did like all the background characters though, Al, Rose, Enzo and Juniper, and the little connections they all had throughout the story.

I also wasn’t that thrilled with the epilogue. Yes, my go to is something that’s a cheesy predictable romcom, but this one just felt a bit off and anticlimactic for me.

Thanks to NetGalley for the copy.

[Jo Fryer]

This was such a fun read! I haven't read any Joy Skye before and next time I'm in the mood for a light and easy escape from reality, I'll be sure to seek her books out.

We don't always need to read high-brow books to find enjoyment, and even though Melancholic Literature is my favourite genre, sometimes I really need something light and enjoyable to give me some escapism. I found that escapism in this lovely story of new beginnings on the shores of Lake Como.

Any book that takes me somewhere on my bucket-list, they are on my radar, and when this title popped up on NetGalley I thought I'd give it a go and I'm really glad I did. From the Beautiful Villa Adeste where Indie and her twin sister Rose worked to the other places of interest dotted around the Lake, the wonderfully, hilarious guests who's personalities were as big as Texas, and the calm and suave Italians that the girls meet - this story is a joy.

Much thanks to NetGalley and Vinci Books for the ARC.

[Ann Pearce]

This was the first time I'd read a book by Joy Skye and it was a lovely, light-hearted read, consumed in a few hours.
Indigo (Indie) has had enough of life in England. Her relationship and living arrangements have both gone horribly wrong and now she has no job and no-where to live. Fortuitously there's a concierge job going where her twin sister Rose works at a luxury, Sublime Retreats, villa on Lake Como. Indie is soon managing the needs of the Texan Six, holiday makers who are keen to make the most of the villa, the food and the drink. Meanwhile she meets the mysterious Marco and there is an instant spark. Can Indie risk another relationship? Read and find out.
As with most romance books, the time scale doesn't really equate to real life and the ending is predictable, just go along for the ride.

[Gaby | Reading Mode]

I really wanted to love Love on Lake Como because the setting sounded like the perfect summer escape, and Lake Como was definitely my favourite part of the book. The Italian backdrop gave it a lovely holiday feel and made the story easy to picture.

Unfortunately, the romance didn’t fully work for me. I liked the idea of Indie starting over and finding herself again, but I struggled to connect with the characters and I didn’t really feel the slow-burn between Indie and Marco as much as I wanted to.

It was still an easy, light read, and I can see other readers enjoying the escapist setting and second-chance-at-life theme, but it wasn’t completely for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Vinci Books for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

#LoveonLakeComo #NetGalley

[Wendy(Wendyreadsbooks) Robey]

Wonderful romance with the backdrop of the gorgeous Lake Como. This is a beautiful warm-hearted love story. Two characters both hurt and betrayed in their former lives looking for some respite and time away. I loved Indie and Rose’s relationship- always being there for each other and being the one to have confidence when the other was doubting. Aunt Juniper sounded great too.
Indie and Marco had the chemistry from the very beginning and I loved how they both seemed to understand one another right away. The perfect summer romance and has me now searching for holidays in Italy.

[Hayley Thorpe]

Now when SJ pops up in my email on her year out to ask if I would like to read and take part in a blog tour, I know it’s going to be a super special read. Throughout the time I have known her she has never let me down and every read she’s said I think this is right up your street she has been completely bang on.

Love On Lake Como stole my heart almost instantly. Not only do I want to visit because it sounds truly idyllic in so many ways, it’s also made me feel extremely wistful for that sense of connection. This story was funny from the start but there is oh so much to unpack. Families, secrets, lies and heartbreak just to name a few.

When we meet Indie she’s going through a lot and Rose her twin has the perfect escape come join her in Lake Como, Quite quickly Indie starts to discover herself again. It was great to meet the sisters see their connection and how different they are and to see the change in Indie as she embraced Lake Como and all it had to offer.

This is where I have to mention the wonderful Marco. He’s brooding demeanour had me almost instantly. I knew there was so much more to his story and wow.

The slow-burn of this read and the romances and friendships that formed had me truly captivated from start to finish.

This is a book for anyone who has lost their sense of self. It’s a story of hope, fresh starts and beautiful new beginnings.

If anyone else has already devoured anymore from Joy Skye tell me what to read next. Be sure to check out the other reviews on this treat.

[Jennifer]

Love on Lake Como is like a relaxing summer holiday, the romance is unexpected for both Indie and Marco who both need to shed their baggage for their love story to work. That they do as the story progresses, shows growth from both characters – with a minor hiccup to add some drama!
But what’s truly magnificent about this is Ms. Skye’s descriptive writing. The sights, sounds and smells of the scenery and the food (and the Texas six) come alive with her words, transporting the reader to Italy to enjoy all that Lake Como has to offer.

[Alex]

I enjoyed this book, There was the beautiful backdrop of Lake Como, and fun characters although you loved to hate the Texan Six and their quirks,

After the heartbreak of a failed relationship, Indigo ‘Indie’ Summers is persuaded by her sister, Rose, to take a job as a concierge at Villa Adeste, a luxury villa run by Sublime Retreats. Her confidence in herself, and trust in others, is at rock bottom and Indie is unsure whether she can cope with the demands of its guests and their high expectations.

While looking after her first guests Indie gradually finds her feet and begins to regain her confidence in herself and what she can do, personally and work-wise.

I loved how she first met Marco, who seems to be a rather serious security guard who shoos her away while she is trying to take photographs of George Clooney’s villa. Marco has his own secrets from his background, which when discussed bring forward some interesting results. He is trying to protect himself from what has happened, and can be as guarded as Indie.

The characters of the villa were hilarious, and there is the parallel love story of Rose and another member of staff; and the seemingly stern Valentina - with the added value of Aunt Juniper, and her very key part in Indie's summer story,

The settings of Lake Como and Bellagio are beautifully described, and the book left me longing to visit a place I have heard so much about.

This was a lovely read to take away with you on holiday.

[Deborah]

What a sweet romance! Rose is the chef at Villa Adeste on Lake Como in Italy. Her twin, Indigo, known as Indie, needed a break from Great Britain after a disastrous romance. She joined the staff of Sublime Retreats which operates Villa Adeste. The twins find romance with the van driver and with a security guard at a nearby estate.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Suze82]

pick me up read

This book is such a wonderful pick me up read, we all face ups and downs in our lives so it´s important to never give up hope things will eventually change for the better again. Indie and Marco are both such wonderful characters and I enjoyed reading about how they slowly let their guard down and let each other in in spite of all the hurt and disappointment they faced in their past.

[Aga]

Thank you Vinci Books and NetGalley for this ARC.

This was such a cute summer romance. We get everything for a perfect sweet romance, a heartache, new possibilities, a beautiful Italian setting and a handsome Italian.. What else do we need?

this is a perfect beach read, or a Lake Como read (😉) so grab a copy, make yourself a cocktail and enjoy.

[N Gomery]

Very easy read. Description of Italy is beautiful and realistic. The author also had a nice way of detailing food and atmosphere. I feel the characters were extremely one dimensional though. I didn’t really care about any of them. Also the main character felt she was in love after 1 and a half dates which is insane 😭 quite a few things were unrealistic. But it was grand!

[Nicola]

3.25- 3.5 ⭐️

When Indie's life implodes and her sister offers her a job in beautiful Como she can't say no. (Would you?) Working for a luxury travel company as the concierge she is tasked with looking after every part of her guests stay, whilst having the pleasure of working alongside her chef sister, Rose.

Enjoying the fresh start and with plans for no men or drama, Indie takes herself sightseeing only to bump into gorgeous but grumpy bodyguard Marco. It seems he is never far away and maybe Italy has bigger plans for Indie.

This book is part of a wider 'Sublime Retreats' series comprised of different standalone stories. At just shy of 250 pages this is a quick romance read set in sunny climes and perfect for getting you in the holiday mood. That said, there are some tougher themes explored including complex family dynamics, trauma and ill health so it packs a lot in. I really liked the sister's great aunt and the three women's relationship.

N.B was gifted a copy of this book

[amara]

130. Im done. I hate this so much. The mfc is so insufferable. And the mmc....hes not grumpy or mysterious at all. Hes a golden retriver who has truama. Nothing else.
And all the charcters are throwing me off so this is not for me

[Alexis]

I absolutely adored this book. Felt like I was in Como. Story was well written, characters repayable and I cannot wait to read every other book in the Sublime Retreats series and feel like I'm off exploring the world from my home.

[Hannah]

A sweet but relatively lightweight and by-the-numbers romance. Probably a good beach / holiday read.

[Karen Kingston]

Enjoyed reading. On the blog tour