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Nymph
Ten-year-old Leo spends her mornings tidying the rooms of her nonna’s time-worn Italian hotel, quietly accumulating the junk and treasures left behind by guests—a pearl earring, a lock of hair. Her nights are suffused with her father’s liquor-spun tales of his childhood, mingled with stories of Greek heroes of old.
Years later, over another hot, endless Italian summer, the hotel is one of the only things in Leo’s life that has remained constant. An accident has knocked her family sideways; her brother Max is distant, and Nonna has grown frail. But then she meets Dolores, a young American woman who sets something alight in Leo that she didn’t know existed.
Heat-soaked, sensual and steeped in an exquisite longing, Nymph traverses the extraordinary pains, soaring pleasures and many metamorphoses it takes to finally grow up.
Sofia Montrone is a writer based in New York. She teaches at Columbia University, where she earned her MFA. Her short fiction and criticism have appeared in the Columbia Review, Quarto, and Adroit. Nymph is her debut novel.
'Polished, economic, swift, smart, spiritual...a transcendent work of intelligence.' Heidi Julavits, author of Directions to Myself
'Montrone’s lyrical prose is masterfully precise. Nymph is a dazzling debut that captures the dizzying intensity of first love.' Adam Wilson, author of Sensation Machines
Years later, over another hot, endless Italian summer, the hotel is one of the only things in Leo’s life that has remained constant. An accident has knocked her family sideways; her brother Max is distant, and Nonna has grown frail. But then she meets Dolores, a young American woman who sets something alight in Leo that she didn’t know existed.
Heat-soaked, sensual and steeped in an exquisite longing, Nymph traverses the extraordinary pains, soaring pleasures and many metamorphoses it takes to finally grow up.
Sofia Montrone is a writer based in New York. She teaches at Columbia University, where she earned her MFA. Her short fiction and criticism have appeared in the Columbia Review, Quarto, and Adroit. Nymph is her debut novel.
'Polished, economic, swift, smart, spiritual...a transcendent work of intelligence.' Heidi Julavits, author of Directions to Myself
'Montrone’s lyrical prose is masterfully precise. Nymph is a dazzling debut that captures the dizzying intensity of first love.' Adam Wilson, author of Sensation Machines
237 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 9, 2026
About the author
Sofia Montrone
1 book58 followersSofia Montrone is a writer based in New York. Her debut novel Nymph is forthcoming from Avid Reader Press (US) and Canongate (UK). She teaches at Columbia University, where she earned her MFA.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 582 reviews
June 22, 2026
i may not be traveling to italy this summer, but i have a library card
(review to come)
(review to come)
July 25, 2026
A book filled with gorgeous, atmospheric writing! Sofia Montrone has captured this feeling of an Italian summer so completely - where you can genuinely feel those hot, hazy days. It feels real, and not overly cleaned up - in the physical sense because there is actually a lot of focus put on our protagonist Leo, cleaning hotel rooms and finding the garbage and detritus that these guests leave behind. But also in the sense where this book doesn't feel like it's been censored or cleaned up, or overly romanticized. Which is great!
While the writing is great however - at the end of the day, I just didn't get that much out of this read. There were some concepts with tying our protagonist's coming-of-age with the story of Odysseus & also the life span of a grasshopper. But it just didn't quite resonate with me. It's one of those books that feels a bit stream of consciousness with no real focused plot, and it is quite possible I just wasn't in the correct mood to read this at this moment in time.
I couldn't quite connect to the characters, and I find with coming-of-age stories, I'm really waiting for that revelatory moment where I can let out a breath I've been holding in for a long time and just be like... "ahhhh, look how far we've come!" And I just didn't get that feeling.
Definitely a vibes read, and I enjoyed the writing. But one that likely won't stick with me!
While the writing is great however - at the end of the day, I just didn't get that much out of this read. There were some concepts with tying our protagonist's coming-of-age with the story of Odysseus & also the life span of a grasshopper. But it just didn't quite resonate with me. It's one of those books that feels a bit stream of consciousness with no real focused plot, and it is quite possible I just wasn't in the correct mood to read this at this moment in time.
I couldn't quite connect to the characters, and I find with coming-of-age stories, I'm really waiting for that revelatory moment where I can let out a breath I've been holding in for a long time and just be like... "ahhhh, look how far we've come!" And I just didn't get that feeling.
Definitely a vibes read, and I enjoyed the writing. But one that likely won't stick with me!
July 22, 2026
I judge books by their covers. It's why they're there. This is probably the biggest mismatch between a book’s container and contents that I've ever read.
I was expecting a soft sapphic bildungsroman adorned with a backdrop of Italian summer. I was given extensive descriptions of hygiene protocols, of depressed divorcees, of gross trinkets of bodily remains. It took ages for any suggestion of a plot to take shape, and when it did, it was often liquid, intangible. Characters were very little fleshed out, quite vague, and most of them spoke the same way, and it happened more than once when I could not make out who was who in a dialogue. I would go back and re-read it, thinking I was then distracted, but no: it was just constructed weird. Lacking.
The sapphic part was alright, but I've seen it, and probably so have you, if you've read more than three sapphic stories. The trauma part—I think you have to relate to it to feel it, perhaps, because I was unmoved by all the drama. Probably because I can't relate to it? Maybe I don't really get family dramas? Or maybe it was just a bit dull.
I understood the meaning of bouncing back to Odysseus, but it was often so randomly placed, it totally broke the flow of whatever else was going on. Its episodic nature was frequently messy and hard to keep up with its time and space.
I did not find it “atmospheric” or “nostalgic” or “whimsical”, which are all words I've seen describing this book in reviews: I found it dull, numb, unrelatable and quite unrealistic in its depictions of people and relationships. Actually, I don't even know if “unrealistic” is the word; it felt forced, like everyone was trying to sound smart all the time. All this emphasis on wit is tiring.
Anywayyyyyyyy. I'm gonna read something else now! Wish me luck ˖ 🦢ᡣ𐭩 ⊹ ࣪☁️ ౨ৎ˚₊
I was expecting a soft sapphic bildungsroman adorned with a backdrop of Italian summer. I was given extensive descriptions of hygiene protocols, of depressed divorcees, of gross trinkets of bodily remains. It took ages for any suggestion of a plot to take shape, and when it did, it was often liquid, intangible. Characters were very little fleshed out, quite vague, and most of them spoke the same way, and it happened more than once when I could not make out who was who in a dialogue. I would go back and re-read it, thinking I was then distracted, but no: it was just constructed weird. Lacking.
The sapphic part was alright, but I've seen it, and probably so have you, if you've read more than three sapphic stories. The trauma part—I think you have to relate to it to feel it, perhaps, because I was unmoved by all the drama. Probably because I can't relate to it? Maybe I don't really get family dramas? Or maybe it was just a bit dull.
I understood the meaning of bouncing back to Odysseus, but it was often so randomly placed, it totally broke the flow of whatever else was going on. Its episodic nature was frequently messy and hard to keep up with its time and space.
I did not find it “atmospheric” or “nostalgic” or “whimsical”, which are all words I've seen describing this book in reviews: I found it dull, numb, unrelatable and quite unrealistic in its depictions of people and relationships. Actually, I don't even know if “unrealistic” is the word; it felt forced, like everyone was trying to sound smart all the time. All this emphasis on wit is tiring.
Anywayyyyyyyy. I'm gonna read something else now! Wish me luck ˖ 🦢ᡣ𐭩 ⊹ ࣪☁️ ౨ৎ˚₊
June 25, 2026
‘They try to find the places where their lives rhyme. Birthday parties attended at bowling alleys, the thrilling sweetness of powdered orange juice, honeysuckle on the night air, the unbearable fragility of a butterfly in their hands.’
There are some books that tell a story, and then there are books that wrap themselves around you like a hot summer afternoon. Nymph falls firmly into the second category.
Set against the backdrop of an Italian hotel and endless sun drenched summers, this is a coming of age story filled with longing, grief, desire, and all the messy emotions that come with figuring out who you are. It follows Leo from childhood into young adulthood, and while the plot itself is relatively quiet, the emotional journey is anything but.
The writing is absolutely gorgeous. Sofia Monrone has a way of capturing feelings that are difficult to put into words, the ache of wanting, the confusion of growing up. This is very much a book to savour rather than race through.
The Italian setting felt vivid and immersive, and I loved how the hotel itself seemed to hold memories and secrets within its walls. Leo’s journey felt authentic, tender, and often heartbreaking.
This is one of those books that leaves you with a feeling more than a memory of specific events. Heat soaked, wistful, and quietly devastating, Nymph lingers long after the final page.
Perfect for readers who enjoy literary fiction, coming of age stories, and books that are overflowing with yearning.
I Highly Recommend.
Thank you Text Publishing for my advanced readers copy.
Available Now!
4.5
There are some books that tell a story, and then there are books that wrap themselves around you like a hot summer afternoon. Nymph falls firmly into the second category.
Set against the backdrop of an Italian hotel and endless sun drenched summers, this is a coming of age story filled with longing, grief, desire, and all the messy emotions that come with figuring out who you are. It follows Leo from childhood into young adulthood, and while the plot itself is relatively quiet, the emotional journey is anything but.
The writing is absolutely gorgeous. Sofia Monrone has a way of capturing feelings that are difficult to put into words, the ache of wanting, the confusion of growing up. This is very much a book to savour rather than race through.
The Italian setting felt vivid and immersive, and I loved how the hotel itself seemed to hold memories and secrets within its walls. Leo’s journey felt authentic, tender, and often heartbreaking.
This is one of those books that leaves you with a feeling more than a memory of specific events. Heat soaked, wistful, and quietly devastating, Nymph lingers long after the final page.
Perfect for readers who enjoy literary fiction, coming of age stories, and books that are overflowing with yearning.
I Highly Recommend.
Thank you Text Publishing for my advanced readers copy.
Available Now!
4.5
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
3-3.5! FULL REVIEW TO FOLLOW
Atmospheric yearning of Call Me By You Name which highlights the highs and lows of girlhood and coming-of-age primary focused on Leo at 10 and then 18 years of age.
This book is featured on BOTM!
Many thanks to NetGalley, Avid Reader Press and the author, Sofia Montrone for an early copy!
Publication date: June 9, 2026
Atmospheric yearning of Call Me By You Name which highlights the highs and lows of girlhood and coming-of-age primary focused on Leo at 10 and then 18 years of age.
This book is featured on BOTM!
Many thanks to NetGalley, Avid Reader Press and the author, Sofia Montrone for an early copy!
Publication date: June 9, 2026
June 13, 2026
The hotel has been in the family for a century and, in one way or another, has always been a place for people to pass through. (loc. 58*)
At ten, Leo's world is secure—summers in Italy helping her grandmother at the family's agriturismo, a brother to share in her games, a father who has the answer to any question she might ask. If her mother struggles to get out of bed and her father's exuberance sometimes tips into something darker, she can write those off.
They share everything in the manner of siblings who have not yet distinguished themselves with time. (loc. 71)
As a teenager, poised to start university, Leo's world feels less certain. She's still scavenging forgotten items from hotel rooms, still swimming in the pool and still (or, well, now) playing cards with the town's contingent of old men. But things have changed, for better and for worse, and when an American drifts into town her perception of the world changes again.
The body is a long series of betrayals. (loc. 151)
I read this, I think, for the sensation of a slow, sticky Italian summer. It's a relatively quiet story: a climax in the middle, yes, and some big shifts in Leo's understanding of her Italian life (maybe less of her American life) and her family and her place in it all. But mostly it is two summers in a girl's life, summers that would unfold exactly as she expects were it not for the unpredictabilities of life. Think litfic with a high readability factor; think coming of age; think hot weather and dry seasons and complicated characters and bows left intentionally untied. Satisfying.
*Quotes are from an ARC and may not be final.
Thanks to the author and publisher for inviting me to read a review copy through NetGalley.
At ten, Leo's world is secure—summers in Italy helping her grandmother at the family's agriturismo, a brother to share in her games, a father who has the answer to any question she might ask. If her mother struggles to get out of bed and her father's exuberance sometimes tips into something darker, she can write those off.
They share everything in the manner of siblings who have not yet distinguished themselves with time. (loc. 71)
As a teenager, poised to start university, Leo's world feels less certain. She's still scavenging forgotten items from hotel rooms, still swimming in the pool and still (or, well, now) playing cards with the town's contingent of old men. But things have changed, for better and for worse, and when an American drifts into town her perception of the world changes again.
The body is a long series of betrayals. (loc. 151)
I read this, I think, for the sensation of a slow, sticky Italian summer. It's a relatively quiet story: a climax in the middle, yes, and some big shifts in Leo's understanding of her Italian life (maybe less of her American life) and her family and her place in it all. But mostly it is two summers in a girl's life, summers that would unfold exactly as she expects were it not for the unpredictabilities of life. Think litfic with a high readability factor; think coming of age; think hot weather and dry seasons and complicated characters and bows left intentionally untied. Satisfying.
*Quotes are from an ARC and may not be final.
Thanks to the author and publisher for inviting me to read a review copy through NetGalley.
February 2, 2026
a sun-soaked sapphic romance set over the course of two sweltering Italian summers. Leo has spent her childhood summers at her family’s hotel, cleaning rooms after checkouts and collecting treasures left behind by guests. whilst her mother is unwell, spending many days at a time in bed, she looks up to her often distant and confusing father, revelling in his attentions and hanging on his every word as he lavishes her with epic tales of Greek heroes.
fast forward nearly a decade, Leo is still tending to the hotel rooms, whilst her beloved Nonna becomes older and more frail, and the hotel shows its own signs of age. enter: Dolores, an American girl with a shaved head who has come to set Leo alight, in more ways than one.
this book oozes summer and sticky heat and sweat - it moves at a languid, almost sleepy pace, allowing us time and space to fall in love with Leo, Dolores and sun-drenched Italian summers. Montrone perfectly captures the awkward parts of girlhood; growing up and noticing changes happening in every part of you.
thank you, Canongate, for the early copy of this gorgeous debut.
fast forward nearly a decade, Leo is still tending to the hotel rooms, whilst her beloved Nonna becomes older and more frail, and the hotel shows its own signs of age. enter: Dolores, an American girl with a shaved head who has come to set Leo alight, in more ways than one.
this book oozes summer and sticky heat and sweat - it moves at a languid, almost sleepy pace, allowing us time and space to fall in love with Leo, Dolores and sun-drenched Italian summers. Montrone perfectly captures the awkward parts of girlhood; growing up and noticing changes happening in every part of you.
thank you, Canongate, for the early copy of this gorgeous debut.
June 15, 2026
I have complicated feelings about Nymph by Sofia Montrone.
On paper, Nymph should have been a perfect fit for me: an Italian summer, a sapphic coming-of-age story, Greek mythology, family drama all tied together with a poetic literary prose. And to be fair, Sofia Montrone delivers on *most* of that. The writing is soft, lyrical, and full of a hazy, memory-like quality that makes everything feel sun-bleached around the edges. The Italian setting is vivid and I loved seeing Leo at multiple stages in her life, watching how grief and growing up reshape the way she understands the world.
But wow, this book certainly takes its sweet time getting anywhere.
For long stretches, the book felt less like the story I signed up for and more like a collection of observations, memories, conversations, and side characters orbiting around one another. Sometimes, that immersiveness worked for me and other times I found myself confused about what exactly I was supposed to be holding onto. The romance is nice, but it’s a much smaller piece of the novel than I expected. The mythology was also interesting, but some of the references felt dropped into the narrative rather than woven through naturally.
To Montrone’s credit, there is a lot to admire here, and I can see why this book has found its audience. Unfortunately for me, I spent more time reading Nymph than actually being moved by it.
Thank you very much to the publisher for sending an early copy.
On paper, Nymph should have been a perfect fit for me: an Italian summer, a sapphic coming-of-age story, Greek mythology, family drama all tied together with a poetic literary prose. And to be fair, Sofia Montrone delivers on *most* of that. The writing is soft, lyrical, and full of a hazy, memory-like quality that makes everything feel sun-bleached around the edges. The Italian setting is vivid and I loved seeing Leo at multiple stages in her life, watching how grief and growing up reshape the way she understands the world.
But wow, this book certainly takes its sweet time getting anywhere.
For long stretches, the book felt less like the story I signed up for and more like a collection of observations, memories, conversations, and side characters orbiting around one another. Sometimes, that immersiveness worked for me and other times I found myself confused about what exactly I was supposed to be holding onto. The romance is nice, but it’s a much smaller piece of the novel than I expected. The mythology was also interesting, but some of the references felt dropped into the narrative rather than woven through naturally.
To Montrone’s credit, there is a lot to admire here, and I can see why this book has found its audience. Unfortunately for me, I spent more time reading Nymph than actually being moved by it.
Thank you very much to the publisher for sending an early copy.
June 18, 2026
First of all, this book was gorgeous and the writing was lovely. It felt soft, dreamy, and drenched in summer vibes. But I just didn't love the book as a whole.
I did enjoy the atmosphere and Leo's story overall. The themes of first love, grief, friendship, and growing up were handled beautifully, and there were so many passages I wanted to highlight. The relationship between Leo and Dolores could have been more exciting, but I wasn't entirely disappointed with how it all turned out.
That said though, I think I admired this book more than I actually enjoyed reading it. The pacing was very slow, and because it's so focused on emotions and excessively describing every minute detail, I found myself drifting at times. I kept waiting for something bigger to happen, and when something significant did happen, I was already so tuned out that I couldn't fully appreciate it. I wanted a little more payoff by the end.
I did enjoy the atmosphere and Leo's story overall. The themes of first love, grief, friendship, and growing up were handled beautifully, and there were so many passages I wanted to highlight. The relationship between Leo and Dolores could have been more exciting, but I wasn't entirely disappointed with how it all turned out.
That said though, I think I admired this book more than I actually enjoyed reading it. The pacing was very slow, and because it's so focused on emotions and excessively describing every minute detail, I found myself drifting at times. I kept waiting for something bigger to happen, and when something significant did happen, I was already so tuned out that I couldn't fully appreciate it. I wanted a little more payoff by the end.
January 5, 2026
Poetically written, emotional & beautiful coming of age story. Leo pulled at my heart, she was just such an easy character to love. The pacing dragged at times but overall a memorable story that absolutely pulled at my heartstrings.
Big thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for allowing me to enjoy this.
Big thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for allowing me to enjoy this.
June 19, 2026
My friend who works for S&S recommended this book to me and to her I am forever grateful.
Nymph is marketed as a sapphic 'Call Me By Your Name' and while I have a deep seated hatred for that book and its author I can understand the parallels being drawn between the two books.
Nymph follows Leo through two distinct summers at her family's mountain-top hotel in Northern Italy. The first when she is young child, and the second being the summer after she turns eighteen. Through these summers we get to see Leo for everything she is; young, inquisitive, loving, weird, a little gross, and often times selfish & insensitive to the plights of others. And this is why I loved her and found her so relatable - she felt so real and tangible. I saw myself in Leo. I saw my friends in Leo.
In her second summer we get to see Leo experience two very different romantic experiences. The first with a boy from the village that ends as awkwardly as you can imagine - with Leo's worst qualities showing the most in their interactions. The second is the main love story of the novel - Dolores, who comes to work at her family's hotel for the summer. Their slow burn fall into attraction and first love is so beautiful to read. It's bittersweet and realistic ending adding to the feelings of teenage angst and love.
I also want to quickly shoutout the dynamics between Leo and the different members of her family because they were all so complex and well done. The depiction of mental health struggles and how different it looks on everyone is something Montrone does a great job of through Leo and her family.
When I looked through the reviews I saw so many people talking about how gross this book is & how its all bodily fluids and blah blah blah. And all I have to say if that some of you are weak stomached LOSERS. The way some of these people complained I thought I was about to read some fucked up shit. In reality its descriptions of bodily fluids from the perspective of a weird child who is cleaning them up. The 'grossest' scene involves some tampons and that lasted for like half a page. Books can sometimes shy away from the gross truth of being human and I actually really enjoyed that Nymph lets Leo be weird and gross. Because the truth is that most people have done some weird or gross things at least once in their life, usually as a child too.
Nymph is marketed as a sapphic 'Call Me By Your Name' and while I have a deep seated hatred for that book and its author I can understand the parallels being drawn between the two books.
Nymph follows Leo through two distinct summers at her family's mountain-top hotel in Northern Italy. The first when she is young child, and the second being the summer after she turns eighteen. Through these summers we get to see Leo for everything she is; young, inquisitive, loving, weird, a little gross, and often times selfish & insensitive to the plights of others. And this is why I loved her and found her so relatable - she felt so real and tangible. I saw myself in Leo. I saw my friends in Leo.
In her second summer we get to see Leo experience two very different romantic experiences. The first with a boy from the village that ends as awkwardly as you can imagine - with Leo's worst qualities showing the most in their interactions. The second is the main love story of the novel - Dolores, who comes to work at her family's hotel for the summer. Their slow burn fall into attraction and first love is so beautiful to read. It's bittersweet and realistic ending adding to the feelings of teenage angst and love.
I also want to quickly shoutout the dynamics between Leo and the different members of her family because they were all so complex and well done. The depiction of mental health struggles and how different it looks on everyone is something Montrone does a great job of through Leo and her family.
When I looked through the reviews I saw so many people talking about how gross this book is & how its all bodily fluids and blah blah blah. And all I have to say if that some of you are weak stomached LOSERS. The way some of these people complained I thought I was about to read some fucked up shit. In reality its descriptions of bodily fluids from the perspective of a weird child who is cleaning them up. The 'grossest' scene involves some tampons and that lasted for like half a page. Books can sometimes shy away from the gross truth of being human and I actually really enjoyed that Nymph lets Leo be weird and gross. Because the truth is that most people have done some weird or gross things at least once in their life, usually as a child too.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Cue *whimsy girl* summer
Wow! What a stellar book for a debut. I’m blown away by Sofia Montrone’s writing. She writes exquisite prose that is elegant and immersive; her writing was evocative for the senses. Every element of this book had a feel or a smell (it very much matched the vibe of the book cover if that at all made sense).
I thought Nymph itself was so interesting. It was truly a book in exploration of the transition into adulthood and mental illness/addiction. I’m definitely going to need to sit with this book for a bit to gather my thoughts as I process and unfold the meanings in Nymph (I’ll come back to edit my review!) but truly the best books are the ones that leave you processing. I was not expecting to have so much of The Odyssey woven into the story but that was a unique element. Part of my processing will be to look up more about it, as it’s been decades since I have read it! I know that it’s consistent throughout the story has deeper meaner that I’m still unpacking.
This is a beautiful novel. I’m so happy I was given the chance to read and review it!
Wow! What a stellar book for a debut. I’m blown away by Sofia Montrone’s writing. She writes exquisite prose that is elegant and immersive; her writing was evocative for the senses. Every element of this book had a feel or a smell (it very much matched the vibe of the book cover if that at all made sense).
I thought Nymph itself was so interesting. It was truly a book in exploration of the transition into adulthood and mental illness/addiction. I’m definitely going to need to sit with this book for a bit to gather my thoughts as I process and unfold the meanings in Nymph (I’ll come back to edit my review!) but truly the best books are the ones that leave you processing. I was not expecting to have so much of The Odyssey woven into the story but that was a unique element. Part of my processing will be to look up more about it, as it’s been decades since I have read it! I know that it’s consistent throughout the story has deeper meaner that I’m still unpacking.
This is a beautiful novel. I’m so happy I was given the chance to read and review it!
June 10, 2026
wowow what a debut!!! 4.5 ⭐️
“when the time comes, will she care for this place? having crossed the ocean, could she return to the mountains, their enclosed horizon, behind which so much light is hidden? it takes many years, a lifetime, to leave the place that you are from. every possibility has, at its centre, a single choice. to tell or conceal. to stay or to go.”
nymph is a story about a young girl whose summers are filled with working at her family’s italian agriturismo — changing bedsheets, baking bread, serving tourists always there for a break from ‘real life’. but when an unexpected tragedy befalls the family and an american girl comes to stay, leo must be ready to step out of the past and into a new life where she is forever changed.
✨
what a captivating debut; a prose so sensual and so immersive you can’t help but fall into it fully. this novel is meant to be read with the sun warm on your face and a cold drink in hand. as leo glides from room to room, pocketing treasures from long-gone guests, you feel her yearning to connect with people. but where the guests are off-limits and with a mother too ill to get out of bed, she and her brother latch onto their elusive father who speaks to them mostly with games and the epic tales of odysseus. was leo doomed to repeat the yearning and disconnection of telemachus?
each detail of leo’s life as we follow her from age 8 to 18, is eked out like juice from a peach, spilling down your arm and leaving a residue that lingers and sticks. this story felt very personal to me, bits of leo’s life so tangible that exact words from my family were echoed in montrone’s pages as if plucked directly from my memories.
and then when leo meets dolores during one sun-drenched summer, we fall into the utterly human, occasionally awkward, experience of falling in love for the first time. i love stories of desire, of wanting connection but not knowing how to get it.
a very heartfelt thank you to simon & schuster canada for sending me a copy, I am forever grateful. this one will stick with me.
“when the time comes, will she care for this place? having crossed the ocean, could she return to the mountains, their enclosed horizon, behind which so much light is hidden? it takes many years, a lifetime, to leave the place that you are from. every possibility has, at its centre, a single choice. to tell or conceal. to stay or to go.”
nymph is a story about a young girl whose summers are filled with working at her family’s italian agriturismo — changing bedsheets, baking bread, serving tourists always there for a break from ‘real life’. but when an unexpected tragedy befalls the family and an american girl comes to stay, leo must be ready to step out of the past and into a new life where she is forever changed.
✨
what a captivating debut; a prose so sensual and so immersive you can’t help but fall into it fully. this novel is meant to be read with the sun warm on your face and a cold drink in hand. as leo glides from room to room, pocketing treasures from long-gone guests, you feel her yearning to connect with people. but where the guests are off-limits and with a mother too ill to get out of bed, she and her brother latch onto their elusive father who speaks to them mostly with games and the epic tales of odysseus. was leo doomed to repeat the yearning and disconnection of telemachus?
each detail of leo’s life as we follow her from age 8 to 18, is eked out like juice from a peach, spilling down your arm and leaving a residue that lingers and sticks. this story felt very personal to me, bits of leo’s life so tangible that exact words from my family were echoed in montrone’s pages as if plucked directly from my memories.
and then when leo meets dolores during one sun-drenched summer, we fall into the utterly human, occasionally awkward, experience of falling in love for the first time. i love stories of desire, of wanting connection but not knowing how to get it.
a very heartfelt thank you to simon & schuster canada for sending me a copy, I am forever grateful. this one will stick with me.
July 26, 2026
3 ⭐️ // "der tag war schön und ich dachte an dich" hat mich auf den ersten blick in der buchhandlung angesprochen & ich habe es in freudiger erwartung eines sapphic, weirden, flirrend heißen sommerromans mitgenommen. es war auch all das irgendwo, vor allem war es aber all over the place & für mich leider eine kleine enttäuschung.
zur geschichte: der roman ist in zwei sommern der erzählerin leo erzählt, die sie in italien im hotel ihrer großmutter verbringt - einmal als 10-something-year-old und einmal als 18 jährige einige jahre später. außerdem wird auf die odyssee als metapher, erzählstütze und quasi als dritter erzählstrang zurückgegriffen, was meiner meinung nach leider nicht gut ausgeführt war und die geschichte unnötig verdichtet hat. statt eines schönen (vielleicht ein bisschen weirden) queeren liebes-/coming of age romans handelte es sich unerwarteter weise eher um ein familiendrama mit hang zu ekligen, detaillierten darstellungen der insanity der erzählerin was hinterlassenschaften von hotelgästen angeht und um ganz viel psychische krankheit, die um die erzählerin herum eine rolle spielt. leider aber auch zu sehr an call me by your name angelehnt.
zur erzählweise: wie bereits angeschnitten hat mir die erzählweise in den zwei bzw inkl homer drei erzählsträngen nicht gefallen. mmn war es einfach nicht so gut gemacht, wie es hätte sein können, denn im konzept lag viel potential. oftmals musste ich seiten noch einmal lesen, weil ich dachte ich hätte irgendwas nicht verstanden, nur um herauszufinden, dass es random sprünge und stellen gab, die einfach keinen sinn ergeben haben.
zur sprache: ich habe leider die deutsche übersetzung gelesen, weil ich nicht gecheckt habe, dass das original im englischen erschienen ist. sprachliche ungereimtheiten schiebe ich deswegen einfach mal #indubioproreo auf die übersetzung: sprache teils starksig und gesteltzt, komische wortwahl hier und da - im großen und ganzen aber in ordnung ?
fazit: der roman hat mich weder berührt noch mitgenommen noch wirklich zum nachdenken angeregt NOCH wirklich unterhalten - alles war irgendwie okay. do with that what you will, ich werde ihn vermutlich weder verschenken, noch nochmal lesen, noch empfehlen.
zur geschichte: der roman ist in zwei sommern der erzählerin leo erzählt, die sie in italien im hotel ihrer großmutter verbringt - einmal als 10-something-year-old und einmal als 18 jährige einige jahre später. außerdem wird auf die odyssee als metapher, erzählstütze und quasi als dritter erzählstrang zurückgegriffen, was meiner meinung nach leider nicht gut ausgeführt war und die geschichte unnötig verdichtet hat. statt eines schönen (vielleicht ein bisschen weirden) queeren liebes-/coming of age romans handelte es sich unerwarteter weise eher um ein familiendrama mit hang zu ekligen, detaillierten darstellungen der insanity der erzählerin was hinterlassenschaften von hotelgästen angeht und um ganz viel psychische krankheit, die um die erzählerin herum eine rolle spielt. leider aber auch zu sehr an call me by your name angelehnt.
zur erzählweise: wie bereits angeschnitten hat mir die erzählweise in den zwei bzw inkl homer drei erzählsträngen nicht gefallen. mmn war es einfach nicht so gut gemacht, wie es hätte sein können, denn im konzept lag viel potential. oftmals musste ich seiten noch einmal lesen, weil ich dachte ich hätte irgendwas nicht verstanden, nur um herauszufinden, dass es random sprünge und stellen gab, die einfach keinen sinn ergeben haben.
zur sprache: ich habe leider die deutsche übersetzung gelesen, weil ich nicht gecheckt habe, dass das original im englischen erschienen ist. sprachliche ungereimtheiten schiebe ich deswegen einfach mal #indubioproreo auf die übersetzung: sprache teils starksig und gesteltzt, komische wortwahl hier und da - im großen und ganzen aber in ordnung ?
fazit: der roman hat mich weder berührt noch mitgenommen noch wirklich zum nachdenken angeregt NOCH wirklich unterhalten - alles war irgendwie okay. do with that what you will, ich werde ihn vermutlich weder verschenken, noch nochmal lesen, noch empfehlen.
July 25, 2026
2 🌟
This managed to be disappointing - yet exactly what I imagined it would be.
Like I've already read this book before. It's exactly what it says it is: a mix between call me by your name and some sapphic proses (that are supposed to be deep but are just nonsense.)
The author tried too hard to be unique/deep and describe things a certain way, but the lack of plot and consistency didn't work with the style at all. It ended up being pretty boring.
By trying too hard to exude a certain atmosphere, every character was just level surface and talked the exact same way.
This is the type of books I still enjoy, but it just has already been done time and time again... I can understand how other people could've enjoyed it more than me though.
──────────────────────────────
𝑷𝒓𝒆 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒅 🌱 ₊˚✧ ﾟ
Reading all of my want to read shelf : 1/60
Bought this in Edinburgh and I'm SO excited for the sapphic call me by your name vibes... What can I say - except sad lesbian summer?
This managed to be disappointing - yet exactly what I imagined it would be.
Like I've already read this book before. It's exactly what it says it is: a mix between call me by your name and some sapphic proses (that are supposed to be deep but are just nonsense.)
The author tried too hard to be unique/deep and describe things a certain way, but the lack of plot and consistency didn't work with the style at all. It ended up being pretty boring.
By trying too hard to exude a certain atmosphere, every character was just level surface and talked the exact same way.
This is the type of books I still enjoy, but it just has already been done time and time again... I can understand how other people could've enjoyed it more than me though.
──────────────────────────────
𝑷𝒓𝒆 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒅 🌱 ₊˚✧ ﾟ
Reading all of my want to read shelf : 1/60
Bought this in Edinburgh and I'm SO excited for the sapphic call me by your name vibes... What can I say - except sad lesbian summer?
July 2, 2026
Nymph is a coming-of-age novel set in summer at a family-run hotel in Italy. Leo (only her mother calls her Leonora) spends her days cleaning hotel rooms with her grandmother and secretly collecting the items people leave behind. She listens with rapt attention to her father's stories, particularly his retelling of The Odyssey, while her mother spends her days in bed depressed.
The book is divided into two parts: adolescence and the summer after high school graduation, before starting university. What was interesting to me as a reader was how mundane Leo's life is in a tourist's paradise, especially since she and her family are visitors to the hotel themselves (well, Leo’s grandmother owns the hotel). We know the landscape is beautiful; we know the town is charming; we know the food is great. But Leo doesn't experience that. And what's also interesting is that Leo doesn't seem bored by any of it. But as a reader, I was mired in the ennui of it all, not unlike her brother Max. And, okay, Leo has her dad and Dolores to distract her. Both of whom, in different ways, fundamentally change Leo's world.
This is an extremely atmospheric novel. So if that's not your thing then steer clear, but Sofia Montrone's debut novel impressed me.
The book is divided into two parts: adolescence and the summer after high school graduation, before starting university. What was interesting to me as a reader was how mundane Leo's life is in a tourist's paradise, especially since she and her family are visitors to the hotel themselves (well, Leo’s grandmother owns the hotel). We know the landscape is beautiful; we know the town is charming; we know the food is great. But Leo doesn't experience that. And what's also interesting is that Leo doesn't seem bored by any of it. But as a reader, I was mired in the ennui of it all, not unlike her brother Max. And, okay, Leo has her dad and Dolores to distract her. Both of whom, in different ways, fundamentally change Leo's world.
This is an extremely atmospheric novel. So if that's not your thing then steer clear, but Sofia Montrone's debut novel impressed me.
April 27, 2026
I received this book as an advance reader copy, and unfortunately, I only made it to page 49 before giving up.
While I genuinely loved the setting—a hotel in Italy—the book itself felt like an absolute mess. Because this was an uncorrected edition, I didn’t hold the lack of grammatical polish or the absence of clear chapter structure against it. That said, the storytelling issues went far beyond that. The narrative constantly bounced between Max and Leo’s dad’s storytelling, Leo’s inner thoughts, and the day-to-day happenings at the hotel. Instead of feeling layered or intentional, it came across as chaotic and disconnected, making it really difficult to stay invested in either the plot or the characters.
On top of that, some of Leo’s behavior was just…off-putting. Scenes involving things like examining used tampons or sucking on someone else’s shed hair found in a hotel bathroom felt unnecessarily gross and added nothing of value to the story. It pushed me further out of the reading experience rather than pulling me in.
Another major disconnect for me was the title. Going in, I expected something involving a nymph—something magical or at least leaning into fantasy elements. But the story didn’t deliver on that at all, making the title feel misleading and out of place.
Overall, this one just didn’t work for me. Between the disjointed structure, unappealing character moments, and mismatched expectations, I’d recommend passing on it. I’m very glad I didn’t spend money on this one.
While I genuinely loved the setting—a hotel in Italy—the book itself felt like an absolute mess. Because this was an uncorrected edition, I didn’t hold the lack of grammatical polish or the absence of clear chapter structure against it. That said, the storytelling issues went far beyond that. The narrative constantly bounced between Max and Leo’s dad’s storytelling, Leo’s inner thoughts, and the day-to-day happenings at the hotel. Instead of feeling layered or intentional, it came across as chaotic and disconnected, making it really difficult to stay invested in either the plot or the characters.
On top of that, some of Leo’s behavior was just…off-putting. Scenes involving things like examining used tampons or sucking on someone else’s shed hair found in a hotel bathroom felt unnecessarily gross and added nothing of value to the story. It pushed me further out of the reading experience rather than pulling me in.
Another major disconnect for me was the title. Going in, I expected something involving a nymph—something magical or at least leaning into fantasy elements. But the story didn’t deliver on that at all, making the title feel misleading and out of place.
Overall, this one just didn’t work for me. Between the disjointed structure, unappealing character moments, and mismatched expectations, I’d recommend passing on it. I’m very glad I didn’t spend money on this one.
July 18, 2026
3.75 stars
I picked Nymph up purely because I was promised sapphic yearning, and Sofia Montrone absolutely delivered on that, but then she also gave me so much else that it almost ended up being my least favourite part of the story, which feels a bit rude. Still, it’s such a deceptively quiet and intimate story with very loud and very big feelings, and somehow it had me in a complete chokehold even when I should have been bored out of my skull.
Now, Nymph really is a book of two halves, not just structurally but also in terms of my enjoyment. The first half focuses on ten-year-old Leonora, or Leo, helping her grandmother run the family agriturismo in the Italian mountains over the summer, and I loved the way that Montrone captured childhood and the strange little worlds children build for themselves, especially when they are looking at their family and the adults around them with so much love but also absolutely no idea what is really going on. The slice-of-life storytelling just worked so well for me because Montrone's prose is just so atmospheric, nostalgic, and transportive, and I was not expecting all the Odyssey and World Cup references but they made the reading experience feel all the more timely and immersive.
But then the second half arrived and we’d suddenly skipped eight years ahead to when Leo is a young adult, back in the same place but haunted by the memories of what used to be. This is where the romance that I came for also enters the story, first with a boy and then with the magnetic Dolores, and while I did enjoy it, I also felt like there was so much else going on by this point that the romance never developed in quite as strong a way as I wanted it to. Dolores just felt too intangible to me, which might have been the point, but I wanted a bit more connection and complexity to the relationship itself rather than drowning in descriptions of the way Leo perceived and experienced it.
Also, Leo is now grappling with grief and loss and trauma and lots of family drama because of some very disturbing things that happened in the eight years since we last saw her, and to me, the exploration of it all sometimes felt a bit surface-level because we got so lost in the metaphors and the pretty prose of it all. And I say this as someone who did really enjoy the writing, but I occasionally just wanted the book to stop being so elegant and actually let someone be properly emotionally destroyed for a minute.
I did really like how Montrone portrays the feelings of youth into young adulthood, though, and I think the way we view our family through different eyes at different stages of our lives was so realistically messy and bittersweet. The way Leo looks back at her childhood and the people she loved, and the way those memories change as she gets older and understands more, was probably one of my favourite parts of Nymph. To me, there is something very sad about realising that the version of your family you grew up with was never quite the whole truth, even if you were happy inside it, and I loved that emotional turmoil.
Despite some of my little quibbles, Montrone's storytelling had me so entranced that I devoured this audiobook in a single day, and the ending was very powerful in the most understated and bittersweet way, so at least we ended with a bang. You definitely do not have to come here looking for a thrilling plot because this is very much a character-driven story about grief, family, memory, growing up, and all the things people refuse to say to each other until it is far too late, but if you like messy character studies with a very rich, sticky atmosphere and the most ethereal writing, I think you would vibe with Nymph.
I picked Nymph up purely because I was promised sapphic yearning, and Sofia Montrone absolutely delivered on that, but then she also gave me so much else that it almost ended up being my least favourite part of the story, which feels a bit rude. Still, it’s such a deceptively quiet and intimate story with very loud and very big feelings, and somehow it had me in a complete chokehold even when I should have been bored out of my skull.
Now, Nymph really is a book of two halves, not just structurally but also in terms of my enjoyment. The first half focuses on ten-year-old Leonora, or Leo, helping her grandmother run the family agriturismo in the Italian mountains over the summer, and I loved the way that Montrone captured childhood and the strange little worlds children build for themselves, especially when they are looking at their family and the adults around them with so much love but also absolutely no idea what is really going on. The slice-of-life storytelling just worked so well for me because Montrone's prose is just so atmospheric, nostalgic, and transportive, and I was not expecting all the Odyssey and World Cup references but they made the reading experience feel all the more timely and immersive.
But then the second half arrived and we’d suddenly skipped eight years ahead to when Leo is a young adult, back in the same place but haunted by the memories of what used to be. This is where the romance that I came for also enters the story, first with a boy and then with the magnetic Dolores, and while I did enjoy it, I also felt like there was so much else going on by this point that the romance never developed in quite as strong a way as I wanted it to. Dolores just felt too intangible to me, which might have been the point, but I wanted a bit more connection and complexity to the relationship itself rather than drowning in descriptions of the way Leo perceived and experienced it.
Also, Leo is now grappling with grief and loss and trauma and lots of family drama because of some very disturbing things that happened in the eight years since we last saw her, and to me, the exploration of it all sometimes felt a bit surface-level because we got so lost in the metaphors and the pretty prose of it all. And I say this as someone who did really enjoy the writing, but I occasionally just wanted the book to stop being so elegant and actually let someone be properly emotionally destroyed for a minute.
I did really like how Montrone portrays the feelings of youth into young adulthood, though, and I think the way we view our family through different eyes at different stages of our lives was so realistically messy and bittersweet. The way Leo looks back at her childhood and the people she loved, and the way those memories change as she gets older and understands more, was probably one of my favourite parts of Nymph. To me, there is something very sad about realising that the version of your family you grew up with was never quite the whole truth, even if you were happy inside it, and I loved that emotional turmoil.
Despite some of my little quibbles, Montrone's storytelling had me so entranced that I devoured this audiobook in a single day, and the ending was very powerful in the most understated and bittersweet way, so at least we ended with a bang. You definitely do not have to come here looking for a thrilling plot because this is very much a character-driven story about grief, family, memory, growing up, and all the things people refuse to say to each other until it is far too late, but if you like messy character studies with a very rich, sticky atmosphere and the most ethereal writing, I think you would vibe with Nymph.
June 14, 2026
Summer Sisters by Judy Blume meets Paper Palace. I wanted to love this for its promise of a sun-drenched coming of age Italian summer, but it was incredibly boring - I only finished because it’s short, but somehow felt 400 pages long. This is one of those books where the author loves describing gross things (hair in drains, skin accumulated in pool water, urine-smelling bathrooms, hairy moles in detail, etc.) and does so very often. Also felt more like pretension and feigned depth rather than anything actually profound. For example, there was so much Italian spoken but not at all translated nor intelligible through context, so it lent nothing to the story other than reminding us that the author is also fluent in Italian. Even despite that last detail, I could barely tell this book was set in Italy, which was a part of its initial appeal and promise of “atmosphere.” The constant Iliad/Odysseus inserts also didn’t add to the story or depth, and felt forced and out of place. Overall, quite a disappointment.
June 22, 2026
I feel really bad saying that this caused me to lowkey cancel BOTM. Like I was already going to cancel it, but this is the lit fic option? What the hell. It had some really beautiful prose! But absolutely no substance, nothing to keep you reading, very unclear what was going on, who the characters even were. Sorry…this one needed some more time to marinate.
June 24, 2026
Slow summers of childhood filled with the smells of bread baking, pool lazing, sipping apricot juice while listening to stories from professorial dad, watching the older Italians gamble with card games, watching and waiting for your own life to start … very slow paced, not a lot of plot. While the writing was vivid in a slice of life kind of way, the Odysseus references throughout and going nowhere plot did me in.
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The writing is indulgent, melancholy, and deeply introspective, and maybe to the point of going a bit over my head.
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I almost missed the sapphic romance and coming-of-age story was more focused on realizing that adults (like her father), are not always the idols we think they are, and that adults are complicated.
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There is a running analogy woven in to the story of Odysseus, Achilles, and the Trojan war, which fans of the Iliad will appreciate but which left me largely disinterested.
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A miss for me, although I did appreciate the languorous feeling and vibes of lazy, slow Italian summer days. Read for the sun-drenched landscapes and picturesque setting.
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https://www.instagram.com/p/DZz9bM2kbGq/
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The writing is indulgent, melancholy, and deeply introspective, and maybe to the point of going a bit over my head.
.
I almost missed the sapphic romance and coming-of-age story was more focused on realizing that adults (like her father), are not always the idols we think they are, and that adults are complicated.
.
There is a running analogy woven in to the story of Odysseus, Achilles, and the Trojan war, which fans of the Iliad will appreciate but which left me largely disinterested.
.
A miss for me, although I did appreciate the languorous feeling and vibes of lazy, slow Italian summer days. Read for the sun-drenched landscapes and picturesque setting.
.
https://www.instagram.com/p/DZz9bM2kbGq/
July 1, 2026
“the act of becoming demands such softness”
this book reminded me of a sweltering summers day, it felt sticky at times and had a dreamlike atmosphere.
we follow Leo, at 10 years old and later at 18, as she helps out at her family’s hotel in Italy. we get to see her dynamic with her family and the connections she builds outside of them.
the writing was lyrical and emotional. grief is a major theme throughout the book and i thought it was handled in a unique but realistic way. i also personally really liked the parallels with the odyssey throughout.
i’m not sure what about this i liked so much, i simply just did. it felt both comforting and upsetting ?
overall i thought this was a really fascinating debut and i look forward to what the author does next!
thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review
this book reminded me of a sweltering summers day, it felt sticky at times and had a dreamlike atmosphere.
we follow Leo, at 10 years old and later at 18, as she helps out at her family’s hotel in Italy. we get to see her dynamic with her family and the connections she builds outside of them.
the writing was lyrical and emotional. grief is a major theme throughout the book and i thought it was handled in a unique but realistic way. i also personally really liked the parallels with the odyssey throughout.
i’m not sure what about this i liked so much, i simply just did. it felt both comforting and upsetting ?
overall i thought this was a really fascinating debut and i look forward to what the author does next!
thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review
June 15, 2026
Hmmm a low 3 stars for this one. I absolutely loved the beginning of the book—I especially loved Leo’s relationship with her dad, and the building of him as a myth almost as much as the tales he told her. I wish this book would’ve stayed as Leo’s childhood perspective.
However, things really fell apart for me when Leo became a teenager. Her relationship with Dolores was awkward and lacked any chemistry, and their dialogue was so unrealistic. I kept thinking to myself throughout the second half that no teenagers would speak to one another the way they did.
I contemplated 2 stars for this book, but it did have beautiful prose and the first half of the book was really excellent, so 3 stars it is!
However, things really fell apart for me when Leo became a teenager. Her relationship with Dolores was awkward and lacked any chemistry, and their dialogue was so unrealistic. I kept thinking to myself throughout the second half that no teenagers would speak to one another the way they did.
I contemplated 2 stars for this book, but it did have beautiful prose and the first half of the book was really excellent, so 3 stars it is!
May 23, 2026
Thank you Simon and Schuster, Avid Reader Press, and the author for the ARC of this novel.
Montrone’s novel reads like a dream, steeped in nostalgia and gorgeous landscapes seen in photographs. This story is the perfect example of how that last summer before university feels: endless but also like an ending. If you love novels that don’t necessarily have a big punchy climax, but soft and sure and feel completely wrapped at the end, this is for you.
Also, when I was reading the last couple pages the song Somewhere Only We Know came on, and it fit the story perfectly.
Montrone’s novel reads like a dream, steeped in nostalgia and gorgeous landscapes seen in photographs. This story is the perfect example of how that last summer before university feels: endless but also like an ending. If you love novels that don’t necessarily have a big punchy climax, but soft and sure and feel completely wrapped at the end, this is for you.
Also, when I was reading the last couple pages the song Somewhere Only We Know came on, and it fit the story perfectly.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I was enthralled by this book. The setting was deeply evocative- I loved the Italian immersion; both the good and the bad. The characters had a complexity to them that was nuanced and well rounded. The story was emotionally compelling and I enjoyed the Iliad insertions as a storytelling device. I found this entire book to be unlike anything I have read recently. I have been constantly thinking about it since I finished and I believe it will continue to stick with me. The way Sofia Montrone portrayed the feelings of youth into young adulthood and the way we view or family through different eyes at different stages was apt and well executed. This was overall an excellent novel and had a very clear and unique perspective that I appreciated. Thank you Avid Reader for this ARC! Always topnotch.
April 20, 2026
i didn't just read this book, i LIVED inside of it. montrone's lyrical-prose is beautiful, and she perfectly captured the blind adoration many of us feel towards our father in childhood. this book felt nostalgic, sunkissed, and sticky with heat. i'm gonna spend the rest of the year chasing the high this book left me with.
thank you again to Avid Reader Press for the advanced readers copy!! now i need someone to wipe my memory so i can reread it again just to feel something
thank you again to Avid Reader Press for the advanced readers copy!! now i need someone to wipe my memory so i can reread it again just to feel something
June 15, 2026
A quick palate cleanser that I could not put down. I was so immersed in the world and loved all the tactile descriptions and references back to the Odyssey
June 19, 2026
Beautifully written novel about falling in love for the first time and learning the beauty of the mundane. Sofia Montrone is a masterful writer and I will recommend this to anyone who likes Italy, yearning, and beautiful prose.
Read
June 19, 2026thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced digital copy!
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i started this book over again about seven times. i couldn't get through it. what i wanted was a sapphic fever dream that felt like an eric rohmer movie with long italian summers, golden light, the slow ache of first love. what i got was something i genuinely cannot recommend.
the premise is promising. leo is ten years old, spending summers at her family's timeworn italian agriturismo, collecting the things guests leave behind. an accident tears apart her childhood. years later she meets dolores, an american girl, and falls into a first love. on paper this sounds like exactly the kind of atmospheric, aching coming of age story i would love.
in practice, i couldn't get past the first fifty pages. the book is obsessed with bodily fluids and not in a way that feels intentional or meaningful. leo looks through the trash of guests staying at the hotel and inspects their used tampons. she talks about scabs in the sheets. at one point there's a completely unnecessary line about a little boy running naked around the hotel and the narration describes his "tiny penis" in a way that made me put the book down and not pick it back up. i don't understand what any of this was supposed to do. it felt like the writer was trying to be shocking and weird for the sake of it, as if transgression alone is enough to make something literary.
the comparisons to call me by your name and elena ferrante feel generous at best and misleading at worst. those books earn their discomfort through precision and emotional clarity. this one just felt chaotic. the narrative jumps between leo's inner thoughts, her father's storytelling, her brother's behavior, and the day to day of the hotel in a way that reads less like intentional layering and more like a draft that needed serious editing.
i don't even know if this is actually sapphic. the most i remember is leo sucking on a strand of hair she found in a hotel bathroom that belonged to a female guest. i didn't get far enough to meet dolores or see any real romance develop. the book lost me long before that.
maybe this comes together into something meaningful for other readers. some of the positive reviews suggest it does. but for me, this was a dnf. i tried seven times and each time i hit the same wall. sometimes a book just isn't for you. this one was not for me.
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i started this book over again about seven times. i couldn't get through it. what i wanted was a sapphic fever dream that felt like an eric rohmer movie with long italian summers, golden light, the slow ache of first love. what i got was something i genuinely cannot recommend.
the premise is promising. leo is ten years old, spending summers at her family's timeworn italian agriturismo, collecting the things guests leave behind. an accident tears apart her childhood. years later she meets dolores, an american girl, and falls into a first love. on paper this sounds like exactly the kind of atmospheric, aching coming of age story i would love.
in practice, i couldn't get past the first fifty pages. the book is obsessed with bodily fluids and not in a way that feels intentional or meaningful. leo looks through the trash of guests staying at the hotel and inspects their used tampons. she talks about scabs in the sheets. at one point there's a completely unnecessary line about a little boy running naked around the hotel and the narration describes his "tiny penis" in a way that made me put the book down and not pick it back up. i don't understand what any of this was supposed to do. it felt like the writer was trying to be shocking and weird for the sake of it, as if transgression alone is enough to make something literary.
the comparisons to call me by your name and elena ferrante feel generous at best and misleading at worst. those books earn their discomfort through precision and emotional clarity. this one just felt chaotic. the narrative jumps between leo's inner thoughts, her father's storytelling, her brother's behavior, and the day to day of the hotel in a way that reads less like intentional layering and more like a draft that needed serious editing.
i don't even know if this is actually sapphic. the most i remember is leo sucking on a strand of hair she found in a hotel bathroom that belonged to a female guest. i didn't get far enough to meet dolores or see any real romance develop. the book lost me long before that.
maybe this comes together into something meaningful for other readers. some of the positive reviews suggest it does. but for me, this was a dnf. i tried seven times and each time i hit the same wall. sometimes a book just isn't for you. this one was not for me.
Did Not Finish
June 13, 2026DNF @ page 125 - I'm aware that it's a character driven novel, but still, things do need to happen. I just wasn't feeling it, despite the summery vibes. And I was also a bit put off by the bodily fluid/hair/etc. things that came up. Like, if someone is sucking on hair they found in a guest's bathroom, that's weird, sorry.
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