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Love, Lucy
While backpacking through Florence, Italy, during the summer before she heads off to college, Lucy Sommersworth finds herself falling in love with the culture, the architecture, the food...and Jesse Palladino, a handsome street musician. After a whirlwind romance, Lucy returns home, determined to move on from her "vacation flirtation." But just because summer is over doesn't mean Lucy and Jesse have to be, does it?
In this stunning novel, April Lindner perfectly captures the highs and lows of a summer love that might just be meant to last beyond the season.
In this stunning novel, April Lindner perfectly captures the highs and lows of a summer love that might just be meant to last beyond the season.
304 pages, Paperback
First published January 27, 2015
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5642 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 396 reviews
September 2, 2015
I immediately downloaded Roman holiday because of this book. AND I DO NOT REGRET IT. This book. This wonderful, precious, lovely book! Thank you April Lindner for bringing it to my life!!!!
I have to come clean. I was not sure of Love, Lucy before. But now that I finished it, I'm so glad I gave it a try because, well, the book was incredible. April's words just cut through me. I love how I felt all Lucy was feeling through out the book. The characters are amazingly well done and I love how I just breezed through my reading. Jesse is such breath of fresh air. Tired of the dark,broody and douchepants love interest? Then Jesse is for you! I swear, this guy breaks me. I salute April for writing a character like Jesse. Not cliche and just plain wonderful. Lucy is of course our main character and although she did some things I don't approve of, being in her head was still great. I love seeing Italy through Lucy's eyes. April describes the places beautifully that I can't help but feel like I was there too.
Jesse and Lucy went here:
SIGH... SOMEDAY!
Lucy and Jesse didn't have it easy. There was sucky emails, missing-each-other-so-much-it-hurts-through-the-bones moments and a lot of photo staring. I really like the way April constructed this whole story. Even though I keep putting Jesse on the spotlight in this review (because I love him and I'm biased) this is still Lucy's story. She has obstacles to push through. There's developments that needs to happen. And it's time to stand up for herself. I'm not just glad-- but I'm also privileged that I was there with Lucy watching her grow. It wasn't easy... but it happened.
If there are things that I wished that would happen is that, I want more of Jesse (am I obsessed or what) I mean, I want more of his background, his history, his story. I'm not sure if this will be a series but if there'll be a sequel or novella or something, I WON'T BE COMPLAINING. And lastly, I want more Jesse and Lucy moments. Like, MORE.
Overall, Love Lucy is a captivating read. Brilliant writing, fantastic characters and an absolute feels-filled story.
You can also read my review HERE
February 23, 2015
4.5/5 stars
I am so surprised by Love, Lucy. Several days later and I'm still thinking about it. I loved everything about this book. It is set in Italy (at least over half of it), and the main protagonist is so likable. I truly loved the whole contemporary and wanderlust feel of it. By the end of the book I had the traveling itch so bad. Love, Lucy is the story of Lucy, who gave up her dream of acting for enrolling in business school at her father's alma mater. It isn't that simple, trust me. However as an appeasing gift, her parents send her on a month or two long european trip. The book doesn't cover the whole trip, but only once she arrives to her last destination, Italy.
Italy holds a special place for me relative to all the other european countries. That is mainly because of all the stories I heard about it from both my parents when they visited it often as kids. Being only two hours away and living on the Mediterranean made it quite easy to go to Italy from time to time. Unfortunately I never went there so I experienced everything Lucy described for the first time.. from the streets, the people, the food, to the culture. One thing I could relate to Lucy is the need to get lost in a foreign country. I love just going where the path takes you, especially when traveling to foreign countries. It really is as serene and beautiful as Lucy described it. I truly felt how realistic the experience was for Lucy, it was like April Lindner actually walked the steps that Lucy walked, went through the same emotions as she did, and I love this authenticity in writing.
This is a love story, but it is also a story about Lucy finding herself. It isn't about Lucy ditching everything and everyone and going after what she wants, but it is about making the best out of her situation and trying to turn hit into something she recognizes as her own. This realistic aspect of the book resonated with me. So many of us end up doing things to please the parents or to complete an obligation.. but not all of us get to have that movie happy ending where everything gets resolved and you get exactly what you wanted from the beginning. It's all about compromising and again, Lindner really wrote it superbly.
I've been burnt quite often with abroad romance novels but I actually thought the romance in Love, Lucy was super cute, natural, and really fit well with the whole book. The guy didn't become Lucy's everything, and everything transitioned so well. The conflict was well played out and I really liked the love interest. This is not something I say often when it comes to this type of romance. I am so glad I gave Love, Lucy a chance because I ended up loving it so much. Bravo Lindner!
I am so surprised by Love, Lucy. Several days later and I'm still thinking about it. I loved everything about this book. It is set in Italy (at least over half of it), and the main protagonist is so likable. I truly loved the whole contemporary and wanderlust feel of it. By the end of the book I had the traveling itch so bad. Love, Lucy is the story of Lucy, who gave up her dream of acting for enrolling in business school at her father's alma mater. It isn't that simple, trust me. However as an appeasing gift, her parents send her on a month or two long european trip. The book doesn't cover the whole trip, but only once she arrives to her last destination, Italy.
Italy holds a special place for me relative to all the other european countries. That is mainly because of all the stories I heard about it from both my parents when they visited it often as kids. Being only two hours away and living on the Mediterranean made it quite easy to go to Italy from time to time. Unfortunately I never went there so I experienced everything Lucy described for the first time.. from the streets, the people, the food, to the culture. One thing I could relate to Lucy is the need to get lost in a foreign country. I love just going where the path takes you, especially when traveling to foreign countries. It really is as serene and beautiful as Lucy described it. I truly felt how realistic the experience was for Lucy, it was like April Lindner actually walked the steps that Lucy walked, went through the same emotions as she did, and I love this authenticity in writing.
This is a love story, but it is also a story about Lucy finding herself. It isn't about Lucy ditching everything and everyone and going after what she wants, but it is about making the best out of her situation and trying to turn hit into something she recognizes as her own. This realistic aspect of the book resonated with me. So many of us end up doing things to please the parents or to complete an obligation.. but not all of us get to have that movie happy ending where everything gets resolved and you get exactly what you wanted from the beginning. It's all about compromising and again, Lindner really wrote it superbly.
I've been burnt quite often with abroad romance novels but I actually thought the romance in Love, Lucy was super cute, natural, and really fit well with the whole book. The guy didn't become Lucy's everything, and everything transitioned so well. The conflict was well played out and I really liked the love interest. This is not something I say often when it comes to this type of romance. I am so glad I gave Love, Lucy a chance because I ended up loving it so much. Bravo Lindner!
September 10, 2021
2.5 Stars
Well sadly this was a weak makeover of one of my favourite classics, A Room with a View.
Our modern Lucy is a bit annoying at times so I found it hard to get behind her. It's a shame because the reimagining itself was pretty good. Unfortunately the powerful metamorphosis of Lucy in the classic felt a little diluted in the modern version. Maybe because the original was set in a time where women had very little right to make decisions about their lives and the fact that she took control of her future was cause for a big fanfare in my heart. A good addition to the library nonetheless.
Well sadly this was a weak makeover of one of my favourite classics, A Room with a View.
Our modern Lucy is a bit annoying at times so I found it hard to get behind her. It's a shame because the reimagining itself was pretty good. Unfortunately the powerful metamorphosis of Lucy in the classic felt a little diluted in the modern version. Maybe because the original was set in a time where women had very little right to make decisions about their lives and the fact that she took control of her future was cause for a big fanfare in my heart. A good addition to the library nonetheless.
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October 31, 2016I've enjoyed all April Lindner's prior YA retellings, but sadly this one just wasn't for me. Love, Lucy is also a retelling -- of A Room With a View, a book I've never read, so I can't comment on that aspect, but I'm left wondering if this turn of the century novel with a love triangle and love vs. duty themes was the best choice for a YA retelling. I liked the Italian travelogue and appreciated the Roman Holiday references, I couldn't get over my annoyance with the main character.
In plot structure, Love, Lucy felt similar to Gayle Forman's Just One Day: a sheltered girl with overbearing parents accepts a graduation trip to Europe, has a whirlwind romance with Jesse, a guy she meets in Italy, then returns to college, alone and with a broken heart.
But there is a key difference: Love, Lucy has ... a triangolo amoroso: a love triangle. Back at college, Lucy meets and begins to date the (perfectly nice) Shane but hides the fact she's still obsessed with Jesse, who, after she has started acting weird and jealous, stopped returning her emails. So Lucy decides she will move on, tells Shane they're exclusive, then ... cheats on him.
I couldn't get past Lucy's passive-aggressive behavior. She's from a rich family and has a somewhat dysfunctional relationship with her strict, controlling parents who also happen to bankroll all her expensive pursuits -- her trip to Italy and all the voice and dance and acting lessons that have helped her pursue her musical theater dreams. When Lucy's father bribes her to give up these dreams in exchange for a trip to Italy, I wanted her to tell her father to stuff it. But she agrees, promising to quit acting and major in business.
So Lucy enjoys her trip, but when she returns to school, she decides to try out for a college production of RENT. When her father discovers what she's done and threatens to cut her off financially, she calls home and begs her mom to fix the mess she's made. Okay, Lucy's father comes off as a controlling tool, but Lucy acts like someone who is used to having her cake and eating it too. (Again, maybe this is the way the original story goes, but I think that a story of a woman who's helpless and completely financially dependent on men works better in historical fiction.)
Unfortunately, having the cake and eating it is the way Lucy behaves in the romance department as well -- she doesn't seem to want to give up either guy and seems genuinely surprised when one of them tells her that's not the way love works. Maybe two guys loved Lucy, but I did not.
Quotes:
"You can't have us both, Lucy."
"It feels to me like everyone's always trying to tell me what to do," Lucy said, her voice peevish.
This book made me peevish too.
.
In plot structure, Love, Lucy felt similar to Gayle Forman's Just One Day: a sheltered girl with overbearing parents accepts a graduation trip to Europe, has a whirlwind romance with Jesse, a guy she meets in Italy, then returns to college, alone and with a broken heart.
But there is a key difference: Love, Lucy has ... a triangolo amoroso: a love triangle. Back at college, Lucy meets and begins to date the (perfectly nice) Shane but hides the fact she's still obsessed with Jesse, who, after she has started acting weird and jealous, stopped returning her emails. So Lucy decides she will move on, tells Shane they're exclusive, then ... cheats on him.
I couldn't get past Lucy's passive-aggressive behavior. She's from a rich family and has a somewhat dysfunctional relationship with her strict, controlling parents who also happen to bankroll all her expensive pursuits -- her trip to Italy and all the voice and dance and acting lessons that have helped her pursue her musical theater dreams. When Lucy's father bribes her to give up these dreams in exchange for a trip to Italy, I wanted her to tell her father to stuff it. But she agrees, promising to quit acting and major in business.
So Lucy enjoys her trip, but when she returns to school, she decides to try out for a college production of RENT. When her father discovers what she's done and threatens to cut her off financially, she calls home and begs her mom to fix the mess she's made. Okay, Lucy's father comes off as a controlling tool, but Lucy acts like someone who is used to having her cake and eating it too. (Again, maybe this is the way the original story goes, but I think that a story of a woman who's helpless and completely financially dependent on men works better in historical fiction.)
Unfortunately, having the cake and eating it is the way Lucy behaves in the romance department as well -- she doesn't seem to want to give up either guy and seems genuinely surprised when one of them tells her that's not the way love works. Maybe two guys loved Lucy, but I did not.
Quotes:
"You can't have us both, Lucy."
"It feels to me like everyone's always trying to tell me what to do," Lucy said, her voice peevish.
This book made me peevish too.
.
October 5, 2020
This book hit me because I'm sort of in the same spot as Lucy and I'm trying to figure out if I'm going to university next year or if I'm going to travel aiuhsduwehfiwfhdofhfohg
3.5/5 stars!
Lucy had struck a deal with her father. If she goes to university/college for business then he'll pay for a trip to Europe. The book takes place in both Europe and back in America, which is super interesting because you get to see the effect of time and distance on a relationship. This a cute travel/coming of age read.
It wasn't very insightful or detailed-oriented but is a great quick read. I read it in 1 day and just ate it up. I definitely would recommend to those looking for a quick, cute read!
3.5/5 stars!
Lucy had struck a deal with her father. If she goes to university/college for business then he'll pay for a trip to Europe. The book takes place in both Europe and back in America, which is super interesting because you get to see the effect of time and distance on a relationship. This a cute travel/coming of age read.
It wasn't very insightful or detailed-oriented but is a great quick read. I read it in 1 day and just ate it up. I definitely would recommend to those looking for a quick, cute read!
August 14, 2017
Very predictible, very cliché, but so so nice at the same time. And can I just pack my bags and go to Italy right this second?!
April 5, 2015
I adore books which feature travel, I’ve always wanted to travel the world so as I haven’t been able to do so yet, living vicariously through books which feature travel have kept me going so far. So I was extremely giddy when I found out Love Lucy was set around our MC travelling Europe.
Lucy’s dad let Lucy go on this fantastic journey opportunity of a life time however only if she agreed to study business afterwards. Lucy however was not into business; she was a super actress, one of the best. But of course Lucy’s dad knew best, there was no possibility that Lucy could even hit the big time, so business could definitely provide Lucy with the best opportunities. And so what if Lucy didn’t like business, at least she’d get to travel the some neat places before she started her course. Lindner described the places Lucy visited beautifully, it made me feel like I was there as a tourist myself and I did want Lucy to have the best time ever whilst she was out there, she would be stuck doing something she didn’t want to later, so why not make the most of the time she had. However on this trip none of Lucy’s friends were able to go, they were either too busy, or had plans for their own family vacations. So Lucy ended up taking one of her mum’s friend’s daughters with her. I’m assuming Charlene was fun at the beginning, but when we’re given the chance to get to know her she just comes across as a sullen girl who wants no fun. Charlene met a great guy but ended up deciding not to spend more time with him and instead stick to the schedule Lucy and her had planned. Lucy even insisted a couple of times that she could stay if she wanted to and that she wouldn’t mind, but Charlene decides no and ends up being moody for the rest of the trip. Moody enough even when Lucy meets the dream guy in Jesse. Lucy’s never felt like this way about a guy before, so Charlene could at least be happy for her, but no Lucy’s forced to ducking around just to make every last moment with Jesse count. Also Jesse actually makes Lucy believe in herself once more, wasn’t it right to do something you wanted to do and what you was good at rather than something your parents wanted you to do? I appreciated that Jesse encouraged Lucy to want to do things herself.
When Lucy had to leave it did sort of remind me of the book Just One Day, (a book which I loved) Lucy had the best time of her life with Jesse, but now she had to go back and start over. I did feel for Lucy and for the loss of not being with Jesse, but I don’t think I was affected by this loss as much as I was with Just One Day. It was a struggle for Lucy to get through each day, but I had hope that soon things would get better for Lucy, after the summer Lucy had she deserved it.
I’m not going to reveal how things ended up for Lucy, but it really was an unexpected sort of events. I’m glad that Lucy was able to meet some good friends along the way. They gave her the support and encouragement exactly when she needed it the most. And even though this other guy was thrown in to the mix later on I knew and was pretty sure Lucy did where her heart really belonged to. Love Lucy really was a different read to what I was expecting, but I loved getting lost in Italy with Jesse and experiencing some great adventures with both him and Lucy.
This review can be found on: The Readers Den
Lucy’s dad let Lucy go on this fantastic journey opportunity of a life time however only if she agreed to study business afterwards. Lucy however was not into business; she was a super actress, one of the best. But of course Lucy’s dad knew best, there was no possibility that Lucy could even hit the big time, so business could definitely provide Lucy with the best opportunities. And so what if Lucy didn’t like business, at least she’d get to travel the some neat places before she started her course. Lindner described the places Lucy visited beautifully, it made me feel like I was there as a tourist myself and I did want Lucy to have the best time ever whilst she was out there, she would be stuck doing something she didn’t want to later, so why not make the most of the time she had. However on this trip none of Lucy’s friends were able to go, they were either too busy, or had plans for their own family vacations. So Lucy ended up taking one of her mum’s friend’s daughters with her. I’m assuming Charlene was fun at the beginning, but when we’re given the chance to get to know her she just comes across as a sullen girl who wants no fun. Charlene met a great guy but ended up deciding not to spend more time with him and instead stick to the schedule Lucy and her had planned. Lucy even insisted a couple of times that she could stay if she wanted to and that she wouldn’t mind, but Charlene decides no and ends up being moody for the rest of the trip. Moody enough even when Lucy meets the dream guy in Jesse. Lucy’s never felt like this way about a guy before, so Charlene could at least be happy for her, but no Lucy’s forced to ducking around just to make every last moment with Jesse count. Also Jesse actually makes Lucy believe in herself once more, wasn’t it right to do something you wanted to do and what you was good at rather than something your parents wanted you to do? I appreciated that Jesse encouraged Lucy to want to do things herself.
When Lucy had to leave it did sort of remind me of the book Just One Day, (a book which I loved) Lucy had the best time of her life with Jesse, but now she had to go back and start over. I did feel for Lucy and for the loss of not being with Jesse, but I don’t think I was affected by this loss as much as I was with Just One Day. It was a struggle for Lucy to get through each day, but I had hope that soon things would get better for Lucy, after the summer Lucy had she deserved it.
I’m not going to reveal how things ended up for Lucy, but it really was an unexpected sort of events. I’m glad that Lucy was able to meet some good friends along the way. They gave her the support and encouragement exactly when she needed it the most. And even though this other guy was thrown in to the mix later on I knew and was pretty sure Lucy did where her heart really belonged to. Love Lucy really was a different read to what I was expecting, but I loved getting lost in Italy with Jesse and experiencing some great adventures with both him and Lucy.
This review can be found on: The Readers Den
April 1, 2015
My Thoughts
Lucy Summerworth has one last summer before she start college as her parents want her to and give up her dream of musical theater and singing. Her dad wants her to major in business and even though her heart isn’t in it, she agrees to his offer of a trip backpacking through Europe. A suitable companion is found and studious Charlene accepts the offer of a paid trip to Europe. Charlene seems to have a chip on her shoulder since Lucy’s father is paying for the trip. The girl have a good time, with Charlene using her skills as a photographer to document the journey. Then things go a bit south when Charlene meets a boy in a hostel and she decides to stay on with Lucy rather than follow her heart.
Lucy also meets a boy, Jesse, a local street musician in Italy. The pair click and Lucy spends as much time with him as possible, which completely upsets Charlene. Charlene, a regular negative Nelly, seems to never be happy, while Lucy figures this is her last chance at happiness before she follows her father’s dream for her. When the pair return home, Jesse and Lucy play phone and email tag and never really connect until Jesse shows up at her school unannounced. Again, more missed connections and miscommunications until they finally get together again.
At times, Lucy’s father drove me up the wall. Lucy bowed to all of his wishes and her mother never backed her up. Even though her dream was to sing and she is good at it, her father always said it was a waste of time. Finally, she stands up to him after winning the part in a college musical. With the subtle urging of Jesse, who turns out to be from a nearby city, the pair make beautiful music together. I know, that was a giant groan, but I couldn’t resist. Parents: this is best for older teen since there are sexual situations in context and mentions of drug and alcohol use.
Lucy Summerworth has one last summer before she start college as her parents want her to and give up her dream of musical theater and singing. Her dad wants her to major in business and even though her heart isn’t in it, she agrees to his offer of a trip backpacking through Europe. A suitable companion is found and studious Charlene accepts the offer of a paid trip to Europe. Charlene seems to have a chip on her shoulder since Lucy’s father is paying for the trip. The girl have a good time, with Charlene using her skills as a photographer to document the journey. Then things go a bit south when Charlene meets a boy in a hostel and she decides to stay on with Lucy rather than follow her heart.
Lucy also meets a boy, Jesse, a local street musician in Italy. The pair click and Lucy spends as much time with him as possible, which completely upsets Charlene. Charlene, a regular negative Nelly, seems to never be happy, while Lucy figures this is her last chance at happiness before she follows her father’s dream for her. When the pair return home, Jesse and Lucy play phone and email tag and never really connect until Jesse shows up at her school unannounced. Again, more missed connections and miscommunications until they finally get together again.
At times, Lucy’s father drove me up the wall. Lucy bowed to all of his wishes and her mother never backed her up. Even though her dream was to sing and she is good at it, her father always said it was a waste of time. Finally, she stands up to him after winning the part in a college musical. With the subtle urging of Jesse, who turns out to be from a nearby city, the pair make beautiful music together. I know, that was a giant groan, but I couldn’t resist. Parents: this is best for older teen since there are sexual situations in context and mentions of drug and alcohol use.
February 3, 2015
Love. Love. Love.
I'm such an ardent fan of April Lindner. I waited several years before reading Jane, resisting the idea of a revamped, contemporary Bronte retelling. When I acquired a copy of Catherine, Lindner's retelling of Wuthering Heights, I finally read both and loved them utterly. Lindner's skill with finding the important themes and crafting a modern narrative throughout is nothing short of brilliant. I love what she does with these books. When I heard that she was writing Love, Lucy, a current-day retelling of E.M. Forster's A Room with a View I jumped up and down with glee. Literally. A Room with a View is one of my favourite classics and I knew that Lindner would do it justice.
Lucy Sommersworth is a young woman in between her senior year of high school and her first year of college. As part of a deal with her overbearing father Lucy is on a trip to Europe. The deal was that she would forgo her dream of studying drama in college in lieu of pursuing a business degree. Her Father agreed to fund the trip but sent along a companion, Charlene Barr, a level-headed peer, to keep Charlene safe. The two arrive in Florence, cranky and anxious for the last leg of their tour. Charlene is upset that the room given to them at the hostel is sub-par and complains enough to the management that two live-in tenants, Nello and Jesse, offer to swap with them during their stay. Lucy, embarrassed but wanting to avoid confrontation, accepts the better room before venturing out into Florence.
Lucy discovers a part of Italy that she falls in love with. She also begins a "vacation flirtation" with a young man from the hostel - Jesse, the gorgeous street musician with a penchant for roaming. Before she knows it she is swept up on a journey of self-discovery, of first love and first times... A journey that will, ultimately, have to end.
Now, in her first semester of college, Lucy is desperately trying to move on; to forget Jesse and Italy and the magical feeling of their street performances. College is her future and college affords many chances for reinvention, even if you found your true self on the cobbled streets of Europe.
There are so many things that are right about this book - the tone, the adventure, the build of the original story within these dynamics, the balance of romance with duty, the second romance... Everything rings true. The one thing I noticed about this book was that it lacked a little of the tension that I felt with the two Bronte retellings. But I owe that to the original source material more than Lindner. The Brontes both had the Gothic flavour to draw upon and, as such, there is a heightened degree of suspense. A Room with a View is a story about finding oneself and knowing what you want from life and going against convention. It's about exploring one's own heart. Lindner captures that essence perfectly, honoring Lucy's indecision in the face of a domineering parent and a girl coming of age. It does translate well into a modern sense of unease and determination for resolution. It just did not have the immediate, urgent sense of gravitas of the previous two.
Is that a bad thing? By no means, no. It's just a very different book. As it is, Love, Lucy tells a story that many modern young men and women will relate to - a story of a woman coming into her own. Lucy is bright with a quiet sense of adventurous spirit. She is like the proverbial flower blossoming throughout the book. In no way do we have a better sense of her character than when she becomes involved with her second boyfriend, Shane, another business major who appreciates art and artists in all of their beauty. Shane brings out the best (and the worst) in Lucy. He makes her realize what is worth fighting for, and what is worth pursuing... even if it is not necessarily what one would think is the best choice. Shane, as such, is a trifle flat from his original counterpart, Cecil, but in a way that makes sense. We don't really want him to be "the right guy". But he makes us want Lucy to realize what she wants with every fiber of our beings.
Love, surprises, adventure, and missed opportunities, Love, Lucy has it all. There's a tricky dichotomy to crafting these retellings and Linder has it with finesse. Even with the quibbles and quirks she has nailed the heart of this story and that makes this fangirl very appreciative of her writing.
5 out of 5 stars.
- review courtesy of www.bibliopunkkreads.com
April 5, 2015
Before I say anything about the quality of this book, I think we should all take a moment to admire the cover of this book. Because I love it. ^.^
This book, although having 300 pages was an easy read. I sat down and finished it in a day. The flow was smooth and I was interested in knowing what would happen.
The themes and messages in this book were evident. We have Lucy who wants to do acting, but her parents want her and manage to bribe her into taking a business major and giving up acting for good. Lucy, in the end is torn between pleasing her parents and doing what makes her happy. I think this is a pretty important thing to include in a book because there are so many other teenagers and young adults who face the same problem nowadays! As well as that, friendship plays a large role in this story. Mostly because either she is fighting with a friend, or she is being supported by them. And I loved that because I found the friendship to be really realistic in this novel.
I thought the writing style and the beginning of the story was a bit young. But in the second half of the book, when they leave Italy, things mature again and it goes back to the way I like it. So that wasn’t too bad at all.
Oh, and let me talk about the setting. Half of this is set in Italy, in Florence and Rome. The descriptions were beautiful and seeing as Italy is a place I have never been to myself yet, I know I really want to go now! The book also mentions an Audrey Hepburn movie called Roman Holiday. I am going to make sure see that one soon as well! Oh, and speaking of which this book is based on another one, called A Room with a View. (Which I also have yet to read…)
Although there is a summer romance in here, like a fling, I was impressed by the fact that it was NOT an insta romance. I was basically expecting it because they wouldn’t get too long to know each other. But the way that April Lindner writes it and slowly forms the romance, it doesn’t seem like that at all. Yes, it does happen in a short period of time but it still seemed slow and steady. I have to applaud her author skills for that. There also was a love triangle towards the end, but it was a natural one that wasn’t annoying at all. I mean, if you had a summer fling and it’s still lingering with you when you’re trying to move on, is it really your fault? I think it was the only realistic case where emotions can be torn in two, especially when the guy you really want is one you’re likely to never see again. So again, two things that usually ruin books are written incredibly well here.
I liked all the characters well enough, but no one stood out to me especially! This was a good book overall and I look forward to trying anything else this author writes :)
This book, although having 300 pages was an easy read. I sat down and finished it in a day. The flow was smooth and I was interested in knowing what would happen.
The themes and messages in this book were evident. We have Lucy who wants to do acting, but her parents want her and manage to bribe her into taking a business major and giving up acting for good. Lucy, in the end is torn between pleasing her parents and doing what makes her happy. I think this is a pretty important thing to include in a book because there are so many other teenagers and young adults who face the same problem nowadays! As well as that, friendship plays a large role in this story. Mostly because either she is fighting with a friend, or she is being supported by them. And I loved that because I found the friendship to be really realistic in this novel.
I thought the writing style and the beginning of the story was a bit young. But in the second half of the book, when they leave Italy, things mature again and it goes back to the way I like it. So that wasn’t too bad at all.
Oh, and let me talk about the setting. Half of this is set in Italy, in Florence and Rome. The descriptions were beautiful and seeing as Italy is a place I have never been to myself yet, I know I really want to go now! The book also mentions an Audrey Hepburn movie called Roman Holiday. I am going to make sure see that one soon as well! Oh, and speaking of which this book is based on another one, called A Room with a View. (Which I also have yet to read…)
Although there is a summer romance in here, like a fling, I was impressed by the fact that it was NOT an insta romance. I was basically expecting it because they wouldn’t get too long to know each other. But the way that April Lindner writes it and slowly forms the romance, it doesn’t seem like that at all. Yes, it does happen in a short period of time but it still seemed slow and steady. I have to applaud her author skills for that. There also was a love triangle towards the end, but it was a natural one that wasn’t annoying at all. I mean, if you had a summer fling and it’s still lingering with you when you’re trying to move on, is it really your fault? I think it was the only realistic case where emotions can be torn in two, especially when the guy you really want is one you’re likely to never see again. So again, two things that usually ruin books are written incredibly well here.
I liked all the characters well enough, but no one stood out to me especially! This was a good book overall and I look forward to trying anything else this author writes :)
April 1, 2015
I always love books that take place outside of the US. It's a lot of fun to me to read about new places, places that I've never been. So when I read the synopsis for Love, Lucy, I knew that I would love this book. And I totally did.
I loved reading about Italy and all the adventures that Lucy, Charlene, and Jesse went on.
Everything was described really well and I could picture everything perfectly.
I thought Lucy was really likable and she was so awesome. I felt like she really made the best out of her situation and didn't dwell on the bad things. She wasn't whiny or annoying at all. And even though this is a romance, Lucy didn't drop everything for a boy. And I felt like the story was still focused on Lucy, not a boy and Lucy.
I felt like Charlene was a bit of a hypocrite and really critical of Lucy. She seemed to try to control Lucy a lot. It was really frustrating as the reader because I just wanted to tell Charlene how mean she was being to Lucy without even realizing it. But I thought the character development was really wonderful and I did end up liking Charlene in the end.
The tone of this book is so wonderful. It's light and fun, something that I love in contemporary.
The author did a really wonderful job of creating a really lighthearted story.
Overall, I really, really enjoyed this book. I was so much fun and I felt like I had been on the trip with Lucy and Charlene. The writing is great and the author did a great job setting the scenes.
This is definitely one of my favorite contemporaries that I've read in the last year. I read this as an ebook but I'm going to be picking a print copy soon because I enjoyed it so much.
I highly recommend Love, Lucy to anyone who loves fun, quick reads full of adventure and romance.
Review can also be seen at Bibilophile Gathering
I loved reading about Italy and all the adventures that Lucy, Charlene, and Jesse went on.
Everything was described really well and I could picture everything perfectly.
I thought Lucy was really likable and she was so awesome. I felt like she really made the best out of her situation and didn't dwell on the bad things. She wasn't whiny or annoying at all. And even though this is a romance, Lucy didn't drop everything for a boy. And I felt like the story was still focused on Lucy, not a boy and Lucy.
I felt like Charlene was a bit of a hypocrite and really critical of Lucy. She seemed to try to control Lucy a lot. It was really frustrating as the reader because I just wanted to tell Charlene how mean she was being to Lucy without even realizing it. But I thought the character development was really wonderful and I did end up liking Charlene in the end.
The tone of this book is so wonderful. It's light and fun, something that I love in contemporary.
The author did a really wonderful job of creating a really lighthearted story.
Overall, I really, really enjoyed this book. I was so much fun and I felt like I had been on the trip with Lucy and Charlene. The writing is great and the author did a great job setting the scenes.
This is definitely one of my favorite contemporaries that I've read in the last year. I read this as an ebook but I'm going to be picking a print copy soon because I enjoyed it so much.
I highly recommend Love, Lucy to anyone who loves fun, quick reads full of adventure and romance.
Review can also be seen at Bibilophile Gathering
March 29, 2015
Love, Lucy is a contemporary romance that focuses on the main character, Lucy, and her whirlwind romance while backpacking in Europe. Lucy has just graduated high school and is getting ready to attend college. Lucy has always dreamed of being an actress and when she graduated high school she intended on getting her degree and pursuing acting......but Lucy's father had different plans. Her father offered to pay for her college tuition IF she changed her degree to business. He also offered to pay for her a month long trip to backpack in Europe before she begins college. Lucy accepts this offer and heads off to Europe.....
While in Europe Lucy meets a young man named Jesse who is basically a roamer who travels and works off jobs to make a living. Lucy and Jesse visit Europe together and venture to so many romantic, beautiful locations. Lucy falls head over heels in love with Jesse and is heart broken when she has to go back home to America.
There are many decisions that Lucy has to make once she comes back home. She tries to go back to living a normal life but cant seem to forget Jesse nor can she forget acting. I enjoyed Love, Lucy and anyone that likes a good romance will enjoy it as well. I also liked the beautiful descriptions that Lucy uses while she is visiting Europe. After reading this book ....I really wanted to visit Europe and experience the sights, sounds, and the culture of this amazing place.
While in Europe Lucy meets a young man named Jesse who is basically a roamer who travels and works off jobs to make a living. Lucy and Jesse visit Europe together and venture to so many romantic, beautiful locations. Lucy falls head over heels in love with Jesse and is heart broken when she has to go back home to America.
There are many decisions that Lucy has to make once she comes back home. She tries to go back to living a normal life but cant seem to forget Jesse nor can she forget acting. I enjoyed Love, Lucy and anyone that likes a good romance will enjoy it as well. I also liked the beautiful descriptions that Lucy uses while she is visiting Europe. After reading this book ....I really wanted to visit Europe and experience the sights, sounds, and the culture of this amazing place.
February 12, 2015
To see review with gifs click here.
I’ve never read A Room With a View which is probably really sad since I was an English major. I have read some of April Lindner’s retellings in the past, most notably Jane. That book wasn’t exactly the most memorable book that I’ve read, but I remember it being a decent enough retelling.
Well, I remember not wanting to rip out my hair or my eyes weren’t rolling so much they were going to fall out.
But it wasn’t anything to write home about at the same time.
When I say Love, Lucy I din’t connect the dots right away that it was a retelling. I just saw Italy! And that’s why I preordered it. I’m hoping for the original novel’s sake, that the character were better formed and weren’t idiots with first world problems.
Sigh…
From what I read about the original, I think part of the problem was adapting it to where the problems the characters faced didn’t seem petty. It’s not an excuse for a lackluster book, but it at least sort of gives you an idea of what problems the author was facing when plotting this particular retelling.
Because petty is what everyone, every subplot, and pretty much everything is in this book. Petty or insipid. Yes, that actually probably describes the story better.
I think the biggest problem I had with this book was its main character, Lucy.
God, she annoyed me.
I’ve read enough whiney YA protagonists throughout the years to know that I would squash this girl’s friendship bracelet within five pages.
She’s the sort of person I always get annoyed with. She never wants to stand up for herself even when it’s obvious that she needs to freaking say something. I also hate how she apologizes for her friend, when her friend did nothing wrong.
It’s just annoying.
Once again, I’m giving Lindner the benefit of the doubt and am assuming that the Lucy in the original novel was like this. But I might be wrong.
Regardless, it doesn’t give the novel an excuse to have flat characters. Look at how many layers have been added to fairytale characters in other YA adaptions. Those stories are only a few pages long, versus A Room With a View which was a full novel.
The love interests were just bland. Bland, bland, bland. While there was a triangle, it wasn’t much of one (you knew who Lucy was going to get with) and honestly I didn’t get what the big deal was about Jesse. Other than the fact that he and Lucy made a pretty couple.
As for the actual plot itself, it was pretty predictable. And the big conflict, Lucy’s dad not paying her tuition if she majored in whatever she wanted to major in was ridiculous. Oh, she talks about being in debt if he doesn’t pay for his tuition…but guess what, Lucy, most people are in debt.
I really don’t get what you’re crying about.
That aside though, there were parts of this book that worked. Lindner was able to incorporate the Italian setting really well. You really did feel Italy throughout the entire Italy set parts. Although, there might’ve been one too many comparisons to Roman Holiday. I am all about book traveling, so the fact that I actually felt like I visiting this wonderful country is a plus for this book.
Love, Lucy is a ridiculously predictable story with bland characters. As stated many times in this review, I haven’t read the source material for this retelling so I have no idea exactly how accurate it is to that book. What I do know is that if you have a couple of hours of time that needs to be wasted and you want a quick read, give this one a try.
I’ve never read A Room With a View which is probably really sad since I was an English major. I have read some of April Lindner’s retellings in the past, most notably Jane. That book wasn’t exactly the most memorable book that I’ve read, but I remember it being a decent enough retelling.
Well, I remember not wanting to rip out my hair or my eyes weren’t rolling so much they were going to fall out.
But it wasn’t anything to write home about at the same time.
When I say Love, Lucy I din’t connect the dots right away that it was a retelling. I just saw Italy! And that’s why I preordered it. I’m hoping for the original novel’s sake, that the character were better formed and weren’t idiots with first world problems.
Sigh…
From what I read about the original, I think part of the problem was adapting it to where the problems the characters faced didn’t seem petty. It’s not an excuse for a lackluster book, but it at least sort of gives you an idea of what problems the author was facing when plotting this particular retelling.
Because petty is what everyone, every subplot, and pretty much everything is in this book. Petty or insipid. Yes, that actually probably describes the story better.
I think the biggest problem I had with this book was its main character, Lucy.
God, she annoyed me.
I’ve read enough whiney YA protagonists throughout the years to know that I would squash this girl’s friendship bracelet within five pages.
She’s the sort of person I always get annoyed with. She never wants to stand up for herself even when it’s obvious that she needs to freaking say something. I also hate how she apologizes for her friend, when her friend did nothing wrong.
It’s just annoying.
Once again, I’m giving Lindner the benefit of the doubt and am assuming that the Lucy in the original novel was like this. But I might be wrong.
Regardless, it doesn’t give the novel an excuse to have flat characters. Look at how many layers have been added to fairytale characters in other YA adaptions. Those stories are only a few pages long, versus A Room With a View which was a full novel.
The love interests were just bland. Bland, bland, bland. While there was a triangle, it wasn’t much of one (you knew who Lucy was going to get with) and honestly I didn’t get what the big deal was about Jesse. Other than the fact that he and Lucy made a pretty couple.
As for the actual plot itself, it was pretty predictable. And the big conflict, Lucy’s dad not paying her tuition if she majored in whatever she wanted to major in was ridiculous. Oh, she talks about being in debt if he doesn’t pay for his tuition…but guess what, Lucy, most people are in debt.
I really don’t get what you’re crying about.
That aside though, there were parts of this book that worked. Lindner was able to incorporate the Italian setting really well. You really did feel Italy throughout the entire Italy set parts. Although, there might’ve been one too many comparisons to Roman Holiday. I am all about book traveling, so the fact that I actually felt like I visiting this wonderful country is a plus for this book.
Love, Lucy is a ridiculously predictable story with bland characters. As stated many times in this review, I haven’t read the source material for this retelling so I have no idea exactly how accurate it is to that book. What I do know is that if you have a couple of hours of time that needs to be wasted and you want a quick read, give this one a try.
January 27, 2015
Featured in a "Pair It With" on Intellectual Recreation.
Room With a View makes me smile with lots of wistful, happy thoughts, and April Lindner's retelling gave me all those same good feelings. Full review to come.
And here it is:
Love, Lucy made my list of favorite reads of the year for 2014. It was such a treat to read. It's a retelling of E.M. Forster's Room with a View, and I really, really love Room With a View. The film version with Helena Bonham Carter, especially, makes me smile with lots of wistful, happy thoughts, and April Lindner's retelling gave me all those same good feelings.
Lucy Sommersworth is bound for college in the fall. Her father, practical man that he is, wishes Lucy to pick a practical major, and promises to send her to Europe in exchange for majoring in business. Although not without some qualms, Lucy takes him up on the offer. In Italy she falls for Jesse Palladino, a free-spirited musician from New Jersey.
I think that April Lindner must have been channeling Italy when she wrote this novel. The Italian portions just ooze sun and old-world charm. Charlene made an excellent Aunt Charlotte character, and Ellen as the reporter was also well down. I love art museums and traveling anyway but Italy really added so much to the romance between Lucy and Jesse. I also loved how Lindner put a little bit of Roman Holiday into the story as well.
I also love how Lindner stayed true to the very artistic sensibility of Forster's original, down to Shane being a collector of artistic friends. Love, Lucy carries on the familial expectations of Forster's original, as well. Lucy not only has to pick between two guys, but she also has to choose between her father's wishes and her own artistic inclinations.
April Lindner's retelling strikes that perfect balance between being true to the original and adding something fresh and new.
Love, Lucy is out January 27th, 2014.
Review copy from Edelweiss.
February 5, 2015
An exotic love story or a ''what was his name'' fling?
After this summer, Lucy's life is going to get serious. Her dad coerced her to drop acting and pursue a career in management. Goodbye artistic dreams, goodbye hope. But wait! Summer isn't over yet, and what a better place to fall in love and godspeed her dreams than in Italy. What Lucy didn't expect was that saying goodbye to a lover or a dream isn't as easy as it seems.
Lindner tackled two of life's big choices: love and career. When Lucy bids farewell to Jesse, the boy who stole her heart in Italy, she didn't imagine to pine over him for so long. It seems that every other boy she meets is instantly compared to Jesse, as she desperately searches to recreate that same connection. Lindner's descriptions were detailed enough to transport us along to the European coast and college.
Cleverly written, Love, Lucy is filled with passion and romance, talks about the pros and cons of travelling with a girlfriend (what happens with her when you meet a guy), and most importantly why sometimes we are unable to admit we've fallen in love.
After this summer, Lucy's life is going to get serious. Her dad coerced her to drop acting and pursue a career in management. Goodbye artistic dreams, goodbye hope. But wait! Summer isn't over yet, and what a better place to fall in love and godspeed her dreams than in Italy. What Lucy didn't expect was that saying goodbye to a lover or a dream isn't as easy as it seems.
Lindner tackled two of life's big choices: love and career. When Lucy bids farewell to Jesse, the boy who stole her heart in Italy, she didn't imagine to pine over him for so long. It seems that every other boy she meets is instantly compared to Jesse, as she desperately searches to recreate that same connection. Lindner's descriptions were detailed enough to transport us along to the European coast and college.
Cleverly written, Love, Lucy is filled with passion and romance, talks about the pros and cons of travelling with a girlfriend (what happens with her when you meet a guy), and most importantly why sometimes we are unable to admit we've fallen in love.
January 20, 2015
Check out a guest post from the main character of Love, Lucy and my thoughts before I read!
I enjoyed Love, Lucy for what it was – a very light, sweet contemporary romance with a little bit of self-discovery. I read the whole thing in a few hours, and the action and drama kept the plot moving, and kept me wanting to finish.
Our MC, Lucy Sommersworth is a talented actress who has found success in high school and her community. But Lucy’s practical, businessman father doesn’t want her to major in drama in college. Instead, he gives her an ultimatum – he will pay for Lucy to go to his alma mater, and a month-long trip to Europe if she will major in business. Lucy, having recently had a bad audition experience, is questioning her choices, and reluctantly agrees. On her trip to Europe, though, Lucy meets Jesse, a musician living his dreams by staying in Florence and busking. Through him and through her own love of Italy, Lucy begins dreaming again.
What this book does best is illuminate some of the very real issues that teens – and adults - have in marrying the practical with the whimsical. If you’re an artsy teenager, or a teen who really wants to major in something where there is an uncertain future ahead, what do you do? Do you go with your heart and do what you love, or do you major in something practical and just follow your dreams on the side? It’s a question that I still struggle with even now in my adult life, and I think a lot of teens will relate to Lucy’s confusion.
I never got really feels-y with this book because it was written in third-person, making Lucy’s voice seem a little distant from me. It was heavy on description, which worked for the travelling part, but made me feel more like I wanted to actually experience the things that Lucy was going through, not just have them told to me.
I also found Jesse’s voice a little hard to believe – he just didn’t seem like a real teenage guy to me. He seemed far too self-aware – and observant of Lucy’s feeling and actions. He was definitely a fantasy guy in that way.
Despite my reservations, I enjoyed this simple love story and it was the perfect book to read on the beach during my holidays. It felt like a fluffy version of Just One Day by Gayle Forman – without the impact that book had – but nevertheless, if you love travel YA with a lot of romance, this one will satisfy that need.
Bonuses:
Old-School Writing: Unlike many YA books these days, Love, Lucy is written in third-person, which reminded me so much of the books that I read way back in the 90s. It feels very much like a throwback to older YA, and to a way of storytelling that isn’t done a lot these days.
I Want To Go To There: Author April Lindner has clearly done a lot of travelling to Italy, and the descriptions of Florence, Rome, and the rest of Europe made me want to go back there immediately.
Photo: Witthaya Phonsawat
The Realities of Travel: Linder describes – with frightening accuracy – what happens when you’re travelling with friends for a long time – especially if you’re backpacking or rooming together. Sometimes it’s just too close quarters, and money is tight, and you start getting a little snippy with each other. As frustrating as this part of the book is, it was vividly real for me and reminded me of a few bittersweet moments in my own travels.
Book Theme Song:
He said, "Let's get out of this town, / Drive out of the city, away from the crowds." / I thought heaven can't help me now...I can see the end as it begins...Say you'll remember me...Say you'll see me again / Even if it's just in your wildest dreams
The Final Word:
Love, Lucy is a book for dreamers. It’s for people who love contemporary romance, who have a bit of wanderlust, and who just want to escape into a romantic European adventure for awhile. A perfect beach or vacation read.
February 24, 2015
This review could also be found on A Thousand Lives Lived, check it out for more reviews!
When I finished reading this book, my majestic warm-hearted side of me thought, "What a gorgeous damn read." April Lindner was, and still is one of my favourite authors, with each of her stellar novels ending up with a perfect 5 star rating. I'm obsessed and totally innocent, what else can I say? Love, Lucy is probably one of the few best reads that I've picked up this year and there's no doubt that it will end up on my end-of-the-year best book final list. It shattered me, threw me into the wall of happiness, and I can't help but still feel giggly and contoured in the romance.
After my tragic goodbye to Stephanie Perkins' Anna and the French Kiss trilogy back in the summer, I swore to myself that I'd never find a getaway-travel European-romance novel that good ever again. To be honest, I think I've just discovered a rival, and a competitor at this point of time, and I simply need more; April Lindner hasn't written anything new for a long time! When you look at all of the events and plot twists, this is real life. Love doesn't come that easily to everyone and it takes time to form, but it can also happen in an one-night stand, where Lindner sculpted all of the realism to absolute perfection and nothing less.
This all began with Lucy going on a backpacking trip with her mother's friend's daughter, Charlene, who's currently a junior in the college that Lucy herself with be going to in just a week to major in business, which she absolutely is not excited for, as her father forced her to forget about her acting dreams by bribing her on the European trip. Once she gets to her second-last stop, Florence, Italy, she falls in love with the city and its history, and as well with Jesse, an American who's living his life in Italy with his best friend. Her life is everything she has been waiting for, but remembering that it won't last is stumping her. But anything is possible, no?
The city was absolutely gorgeous. I fell in love with the descriptions, and I want to go to ITALY ASAP. I want to go to all of the tourist attractions and sightings and fall in love the same way as Lucy did. With all of the issues contained here and seeing that life isn't all perfect with romance as movies are, this was perfect.
From beginning to end, this was all strengths. EVERYTHING WAS PERFECT. THE ROMANCE KILLED ME AND MADE ME SCREAM AND FANGIRL AND DIE. I LOVE JESSE AND I LOVED SHANE AND ALL OF THE CHARACTERS. *breathes heavily* I don't have enough, I'll never have enough.
Love, Lucy was a book that you can take on a road trip, or read on a snowy day. It really doesn't matter when or why, because I know that you'll enjoy it—everyone will enjoy it. The plot was hot and perfect, and the characters changed my life forever. April Lindner is a fabulous author, and I'm so glad to have had read this in one sitting, where all of the feelings and addictions were there. You won't regret this at all, go and devour to the highest standards!
*A review copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Thank you so much!*
When I finished reading this book, my majestic warm-hearted side of me thought, "What a gorgeous damn read." April Lindner was, and still is one of my favourite authors, with each of her stellar novels ending up with a perfect 5 star rating. I'm obsessed and totally innocent, what else can I say? Love, Lucy is probably one of the few best reads that I've picked up this year and there's no doubt that it will end up on my end-of-the-year best book final list. It shattered me, threw me into the wall of happiness, and I can't help but still feel giggly and contoured in the romance.
"The world would turn, the bus would move, and twenty-four hours later she would be on a train speeding away from him, but at least they had this moment."
After my tragic goodbye to Stephanie Perkins' Anna and the French Kiss trilogy back in the summer, I swore to myself that I'd never find a getaway-travel European-romance novel that good ever again. To be honest, I think I've just discovered a rival, and a competitor at this point of time, and I simply need more; April Lindner hasn't written anything new for a long time! When you look at all of the events and plot twists, this is real life. Love doesn't come that easily to everyone and it takes time to form, but it can also happen in an one-night stand, where Lindner sculpted all of the realism to absolute perfection and nothing less.
This all began with Lucy going on a backpacking trip with her mother's friend's daughter, Charlene, who's currently a junior in the college that Lucy herself with be going to in just a week to major in business, which she absolutely is not excited for, as her father forced her to forget about her acting dreams by bribing her on the European trip. Once she gets to her second-last stop, Florence, Italy, she falls in love with the city and its history, and as well with Jesse, an American who's living his life in Italy with his best friend. Her life is everything she has been waiting for, but remembering that it won't last is stumping her. But anything is possible, no?
"When it arrived, the sunset—orange with streaks of red—was so beautiful it made her heart ache. She found herself longing for someone, anyone, to watch it with."
The city was absolutely gorgeous. I fell in love with the descriptions, and I want to go to ITALY ASAP. I want to go to all of the tourist attractions and sightings and fall in love the same way as Lucy did. With all of the issues contained here and seeing that life isn't all perfect with romance as movies are, this was perfect.
From beginning to end, this was all strengths. EVERYTHING WAS PERFECT. THE ROMANCE KILLED ME AND MADE ME SCREAM AND FANGIRL AND DIE. I LOVE JESSE AND I LOVED SHANE AND ALL OF THE CHARACTERS. *breathes heavily* I don't have enough, I'll never have enough.
Love, Lucy was a book that you can take on a road trip, or read on a snowy day. It really doesn't matter when or why, because I know that you'll enjoy it—everyone will enjoy it. The plot was hot and perfect, and the characters changed my life forever. April Lindner is a fabulous author, and I'm so glad to have had read this in one sitting, where all of the feelings and addictions were there. You won't regret this at all, go and devour to the highest standards!
*A review copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Thank you so much!*
March 30, 2024
60 pages in and i already know i love this book! hndi lang ako kinikilig kay Jessy and Lucy but the fact that Lucy is having fun exploring in a new country by herself feels the ultimate love affair to me ✈️🧳🇮🇹🍕👫🏻🥰 this reminds me so much of my love for Anna and the French kiss and the other books I enjoyed from Stephanie Perkins when i was younger. Btw i totally called that ending!
February 11, 2015
Originally reviewed on The Escapist.
***
*This review is based on an advanced reading copy. There might be some changes with the finished copy.
Reading Love, Lucy was fun. It actually reminds me of Gayle Forman's Just One Day. It was a light read but my overall thoughts about it was split in two. So allow me to write this review wherein I point my likes and dislikes.
Here are the things I loved about Love, Lucy:
It's a travel novel--and most especially--in Florence, Italy. One of the places I'd love to visit. The handsome (and sweet) street musician. The happily ever after that made it feel like a modern fairytale story. The self discovery, and of course, that lovely cover and overall package. Love, Lucy is the kind of book I would grab even if I just saw it.
However, there are also things that I didn't liked:
There are scenes and dialogues that are cliche and predictable. I wasn't able to connect to the characters and feel the chemistry between Lucy and Jesse. The part on the near ending was annoying, which I couldn't tell you to prevent spoilers.
Love, Lucy is an okay book for me, still a worth the read. I was hoping for a more cuter or romantic story, but it didn't work for me. I'm glad for the HEA, though, like I said above.
*Thank you Dianne for letting us borrow your copy!
***
*This review is based on an advanced reading copy. There might be some changes with the finished copy.
Reading Love, Lucy was fun. It actually reminds me of Gayle Forman's Just One Day. It was a light read but my overall thoughts about it was split in two. So allow me to write this review wherein I point my likes and dislikes.
Here are the things I loved about Love, Lucy:
It's a travel novel--and most especially--in Florence, Italy. One of the places I'd love to visit. The handsome (and sweet) street musician. The happily ever after that made it feel like a modern fairytale story. The self discovery, and of course, that lovely cover and overall package. Love, Lucy is the kind of book I would grab even if I just saw it.
However, there are also things that I didn't liked:
There are scenes and dialogues that are cliche and predictable. I wasn't able to connect to the characters and feel the chemistry between Lucy and Jesse. The part on the near ending was annoying, which I couldn't tell you to prevent spoilers.
Love, Lucy is an okay book for me, still a worth the read. I was hoping for a more cuter or romantic story, but it didn't work for me. I'm glad for the HEA, though, like I said above.
*Thank you Dianne for letting us borrow your copy!
March 19, 2015
This book was... Alright. I feel like it went too fast. I didn't really feel Lucy and Jesse's romance when they were together in Italy. I didn't get into the characters all that much. Lucy was a bit annoying to me and she did things that bothered me. This book was also very cliché. It was your garden-variety romance novel. It wasn't a terrible read though. I loved the touch of Italy and how you felt like you were really there with the characters.
March 11, 2019
So hey, in some ways this is the kind of New Adult I want! Half of it is set at school and deals with actual college life.
But overall it was just okay. I couldn't quite get into the conflict between Lucy and her dad--he really DIDN'T say she couldn't ever act!--and the "wrong" guy seemed overall perfectly nice. (I mean, I liked Jesse, too. But she really didn't spend that much time with him, so it wasn't a clearcut choice.)
Oh, and the stuff with Charlene was really well done--so uncomfortable and realistic!
(This is A Room With a View retelling, which I've read, but don't remember super well at this point. I don't know if that hurt or helped!)
But overall it was just okay. I couldn't quite get into the conflict between Lucy and her dad--he really DIDN'T say she couldn't ever act!--and the "wrong" guy seemed overall perfectly nice. (I mean, I liked Jesse, too. But she really didn't spend that much time with him, so it wasn't a clearcut choice.)
Oh, and the stuff with Charlene was really well done--so uncomfortable and realistic!
(This is A Room With a View retelling, which I've read, but don't remember super well at this point. I don't know if that hurt or helped!)
July 7, 2017
1 For Italy Setting's Sake Star
Well, I wouldn't say this book is outrageous or awful, it was just plain and straightly BORING. I didn't care for anyone, or the relationship even, the characters were kind of dislikable. Thinking hard enough it feels like no other character had depth, and were just a necessity of the plot so Lucy could understand herself and what decision to take. I am giving 1 star because I love Italy. The cover was so nice though, I guess is a dissever.
Well, I wouldn't say this book is outrageous or awful, it was just plain and straightly BORING. I didn't care for anyone, or the relationship even, the characters were kind of dislikable. Thinking hard enough it feels like no other character had depth, and were just a necessity of the plot so Lucy could understand herself and what decision to take. I am giving 1 star because I love Italy. The cover was so nice though, I guess is a dissever.
December 24, 2014
DNF at page 200
I requested this book from the publisher three times this past because I fell in love with the cover and the synopsis sounded like a perfect summer read that I could escape into this harsh cold Winter. Unfortunately, this book was a complete let down. The upside is that I received this book on my Birthday! It was a great gift and I am very grateful I received a copy. However, I would only recommend this sour soul to a few people.
If I fall asleep to a book within the first fifteen minutes, most likely I will not enjoy the read. With this novel, I was able to reach page fifty five before I fell asleep for a nice two hour nap. I was really surprised I even made it that far because the beginning was very slow. Within the first sixty pages I realized how outraged I was with Lucy’s morals.
Her relationship with her friend Charlene is a friendship I do not admire. Those two did not get along and had the weirdest take of common sense. It is very dangerous to leave with a guy from another country (or anywhere for that matter) after knowing the person for three days. I applaud Charlene for sticking with Lucy but the fact that Lucy pushes her to go leave alone with the boy she just met for three weeks is insane. That’s a murder ready in the making. Lucy is either very naïve or stupid. The fact that she admits to leaving if placed in her shoes just shows how selfish she is and her friendship with Charlene is worthless. Even though Charlene came across as a very controlling and annoying person, her judgments and common sense were appropriate. Their quarrels were a hassle to read through.
Lucy’s lack of common sense, her deformed relationships, and her selfishness really concerns me. Personally from reading this the message that really stands out to me is that is okay to leave your friend in another country alone with a boy you’ve known for only three days. Because if placed the situation, who wouldn’t pass that down I mean “Vacation Flirtation” amiright?! Heck No. I really cannot get over this…which is why I would only recommend this to older teens who know better. I am a slightly disappointed in myself for allowing my thirteen year old cousin to read this before I did. I thought this would be a cute friendly summer romance where the girls both meet boys and hangout together or with a bunch of people on cute little dates. In honesty this does happen with Lucy and Jesse but being inside Lucy’s head had me on edge. The way she pushed Charlene out of the picture was not admirable in any way.
She mentions to Jesse she doesn’t want to be judged for not keeping promises but gives several examples as to when she has broken her promises to the closest people around her. She breaks her promise to Charlene to sight see together for a boy she’s only known for a day. The deal she made that landed her in Italy the first place is broken and she could care less. Her so called “breakdowns” are laughable at best. I would not trust Lucy and Charlene had reason to come across controlling as she did because someone had to put Lucy in her place.
I found the second half to be a constant eye rolling disaster. I did not make it past page two hundred.
I do have to admit that for a book to make me so outraged, the writing was very good. Plot wise, pacing and the lack of moral issues I’d say needs improvement. The cover is pretty but I kinda wish the boy had a black t-shirt on instead as portrayed in the book so very often.
I requested this book from the publisher three times this past because I fell in love with the cover and the synopsis sounded like a perfect summer read that I could escape into this harsh cold Winter. Unfortunately, this book was a complete let down. The upside is that I received this book on my Birthday! It was a great gift and I am very grateful I received a copy. However, I would only recommend this sour soul to a few people.
If I fall asleep to a book within the first fifteen minutes, most likely I will not enjoy the read. With this novel, I was able to reach page fifty five before I fell asleep for a nice two hour nap. I was really surprised I even made it that far because the beginning was very slow. Within the first sixty pages I realized how outraged I was with Lucy’s morals.
Her relationship with her friend Charlene is a friendship I do not admire. Those two did not get along and had the weirdest take of common sense. It is very dangerous to leave with a guy from another country (or anywhere for that matter) after knowing the person for three days. I applaud Charlene for sticking with Lucy but the fact that Lucy pushes her to go leave alone with the boy she just met for three weeks is insane. That’s a murder ready in the making. Lucy is either very naïve or stupid. The fact that she admits to leaving if placed in her shoes just shows how selfish she is and her friendship with Charlene is worthless. Even though Charlene came across as a very controlling and annoying person, her judgments and common sense were appropriate. Their quarrels were a hassle to read through.
Lucy’s lack of common sense, her deformed relationships, and her selfishness really concerns me. Personally from reading this the message that really stands out to me is that is okay to leave your friend in another country alone with a boy you’ve known for only three days. Because if placed the situation, who wouldn’t pass that down I mean “Vacation Flirtation” amiright?! Heck No. I really cannot get over this…which is why I would only recommend this to older teens who know better. I am a slightly disappointed in myself for allowing my thirteen year old cousin to read this before I did. I thought this would be a cute friendly summer romance where the girls both meet boys and hangout together or with a bunch of people on cute little dates. In honesty this does happen with Lucy and Jesse but being inside Lucy’s head had me on edge. The way she pushed Charlene out of the picture was not admirable in any way.
She mentions to Jesse she doesn’t want to be judged for not keeping promises but gives several examples as to when she has broken her promises to the closest people around her. She breaks her promise to Charlene to sight see together for a boy she’s only known for a day. The deal she made that landed her in Italy the first place is broken and she could care less. Her so called “breakdowns” are laughable at best. I would not trust Lucy and Charlene had reason to come across controlling as she did because someone had to put Lucy in her place.
I found the second half to be a constant eye rolling disaster. I did not make it past page two hundred.
I do have to admit that for a book to make me so outraged, the writing was very good. Plot wise, pacing and the lack of moral issues I’d say needs improvement. The cover is pretty but I kinda wish the boy had a black t-shirt on instead as portrayed in the book so very often.
February 10, 2017
Love, Lucy is a glorious, wonderful, perfectly fabulous book. I seriously read this book in August, and I have not been able to figure out how to explain my love for it, but I have to!! There was not one thing I didn’t love, so I’m just going to make a little fangirl list of the best things about Love, Lucy before I push you off to buy yourself a copy.
– Love, Lucy took me right back to the magical city of Florence, Italy. Florence is one of my favorite places in the world, and April did it right. She made me want to go back again right now.
– Travel. Come on. Everyone knows that traveling makes you fall in love with the person that you are, and Love, Lucy had everything I could have ever wanted in a travel book.
– Not only is the book about travel, but it encourages travel. It’s an inspiring story that makes you want to make your traveling dreams come true, not to mention it makes you feel like you can do it. Lucy is just a young high school grad, but she did it. And you can too.
– In that same vein, this book is about a girl discovering who she is. I love those kinds of books.
– Lucy happens upon Jesse, a sexy street performer (a musician, holy swoon), and a flirtatious little love-ish thing starts. It’s a perfect romance. Jesse is perfection.
– Love, Lucy is happy. It made me happy. This is what books are supposed to do.
– I was so sad when it was over.
– I might love this more than I love Just One Day, which is a lot, so that’s saying something.
Basically, you need to read this. You need to, your mom needs to (my mom LOVED it), your best friend needs to. And then you all need to go to Florence together so you can see that the magic April Lindner speaks of is real. You need to meet and fall in love with Jesse, and you need to explore the city on the back of his moped. I wish I could go back and read it again for the first time.
Find this review and many more at That Artsy Reader Girl!
– Love, Lucy took me right back to the magical city of Florence, Italy. Florence is one of my favorite places in the world, and April did it right. She made me want to go back again right now.
– Travel. Come on. Everyone knows that traveling makes you fall in love with the person that you are, and Love, Lucy had everything I could have ever wanted in a travel book.
– Not only is the book about travel, but it encourages travel. It’s an inspiring story that makes you want to make your traveling dreams come true, not to mention it makes you feel like you can do it. Lucy is just a young high school grad, but she did it. And you can too.
– In that same vein, this book is about a girl discovering who she is. I love those kinds of books.
– Lucy happens upon Jesse, a sexy street performer (a musician, holy swoon), and a flirtatious little love-ish thing starts. It’s a perfect romance. Jesse is perfection.
– Love, Lucy is happy. It made me happy. This is what books are supposed to do.
– I was so sad when it was over.
– I might love this more than I love Just One Day, which is a lot, so that’s saying something.
Basically, you need to read this. You need to, your mom needs to (my mom LOVED it), your best friend needs to. And then you all need to go to Florence together so you can see that the magic April Lindner speaks of is real. You need to meet and fall in love with Jesse, and you need to explore the city on the back of his moped. I wish I could go back and read it again for the first time.
Find this review and many more at That Artsy Reader Girl!
April 14, 2015
I'm so hot and cold with this book! I LOVED the part that's set in Italy. It was magical. I truly felt like I was with Lucy on the streets of Florence and Rome. This book was a quick read, so that part wrapped up far too soon for me. The second part, set at Lucy's college during her freshman year, was where I struggled.
I think if I was younger, I would have had a different reaction to Lucy. Her careless nature and the way she danced with danger so willingly while travelling abroad made my heart skip a few beats. I think younger fans will overlook that aspect, though. The bickering between Charlene and Lucy left me perplexed. Both had valid points, but I couldn't help but want to shake some sense into both of the girls!
The romance between Lucy and Jesse is very much a whirlwind, and I admit that I got caught up in it. I was rooting for them from the get-go.
All in all, Love, Lucy was a fun and quick read. It definitely struck me with the travel bug, and I scrambled to find other novels set abroad to read this year. I had some issues with Lucy, but overall I still enjoyed Love, Lucy a lot. Contemporary fans with wanderlust will enjoy getting lost in the pages of this book!
**I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review with no compensation.
I think if I was younger, I would have had a different reaction to Lucy. Her careless nature and the way she danced with danger so willingly while travelling abroad made my heart skip a few beats. I think younger fans will overlook that aspect, though. The bickering between Charlene and Lucy left me perplexed. Both had valid points, but I couldn't help but want to shake some sense into both of the girls!
The romance between Lucy and Jesse is very much a whirlwind, and I admit that I got caught up in it. I was rooting for them from the get-go.
All in all, Love, Lucy was a fun and quick read. It definitely struck me with the travel bug, and I scrambled to find other novels set abroad to read this year. I had some issues with Lucy, but overall I still enjoyed Love, Lucy a lot. Contemporary fans with wanderlust will enjoy getting lost in the pages of this book!
**I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review with no compensation.
January 16, 2015
Reviewed originally on The Turning Pages.
April Lindner first popped up on my radar with her novel, Jane, a modern retelling of Jane Eyre, that I fell hard for. And like all novels that we love, (I have a particular soft spot for modern versions of classics that are done well), I told everyone I knew about it. Imagine my delight, when at a blogger meet up at the 2014 Y’allFest in November, an advanced reader copy of a novel by, no other than April Lindner, was placed into my hands. Try not to roll your eyes when I tell you this, but I actually school girl giggled. (Quick side note: At the same meeting, I learned that she had also written a modern retelling of Wuthering Heights called Catherine. I downloaded it immediately.)
I was very excited to read Lindner’s first, completely original work, and she did not let me down. My mind quickly drank in this sweet, coming of age tale. As someone with a lengthy bucket list of locales to visit in Europe, one of my favorite things in this book are the descriptions of the settings in Italy. Lidner helped me put a stamp in my literary passport. Though there are fairy tale, happily ever after type moments sprinkled throughout the story, I was pleased that our protagonist, Lucy, is faced with some difficult, real world decisions, and rises to the occasion to take command of her destiny on her own terms.
If you’re looking for a novel to put a little summer into your heart in the dregs of winter, Love, Lucy is a vacation destination that you won’t want to miss!
April Lindner first popped up on my radar with her novel, Jane, a modern retelling of Jane Eyre, that I fell hard for. And like all novels that we love, (I have a particular soft spot for modern versions of classics that are done well), I told everyone I knew about it. Imagine my delight, when at a blogger meet up at the 2014 Y’allFest in November, an advanced reader copy of a novel by, no other than April Lindner, was placed into my hands. Try not to roll your eyes when I tell you this, but I actually school girl giggled. (Quick side note: At the same meeting, I learned that she had also written a modern retelling of Wuthering Heights called Catherine. I downloaded it immediately.)
I was very excited to read Lindner’s first, completely original work, and she did not let me down. My mind quickly drank in this sweet, coming of age tale. As someone with a lengthy bucket list of locales to visit in Europe, one of my favorite things in this book are the descriptions of the settings in Italy. Lidner helped me put a stamp in my literary passport. Though there are fairy tale, happily ever after type moments sprinkled throughout the story, I was pleased that our protagonist, Lucy, is faced with some difficult, real world decisions, and rises to the occasion to take command of her destiny on her own terms.
If you’re looking for a novel to put a little summer into your heart in the dregs of winter, Love, Lucy is a vacation destination that you won’t want to miss!
November 29, 2014
The best books are the ones that can authentically transport you to different places. You'll find that with Love, Lucy. There are plenty of books that take you to England and France, not as many that take you to Italy. If you loved Anna and the French Kiss, I can guarantee you'll love this one!
Lucy is a likable protagonist who really grows into herself as the novel progresses. There may be points in her interactions with others (namely her parents) where you just want to push her in the right direction, but for the most part you can back her actions. I really loved to see representation of a girl, who is quiet and unassuming on her own, really shine in something like theater. There are stereotypes that you must be loud and musical to be in the performing arts, but Lucy defies that stereotype.
Jesse remains an enigma for almost the entirety of the book. The reader gets to know Lucy very well, not as much Jesse. Nevertheless, he's still 'dreamy' and fills the role of a romantic interest. This book shined in its side characters: Lucy's roommates, and the overly-kind Shane.
This book is enjoyable if you love 'vacation flirtations,' college settings, and, of course, romance.
Note: I received an advanced copy from the NOVL newsletter. Thanks so much!
Lucy is a likable protagonist who really grows into herself as the novel progresses. There may be points in her interactions with others (namely her parents) where you just want to push her in the right direction, but for the most part you can back her actions. I really loved to see representation of a girl, who is quiet and unassuming on her own, really shine in something like theater. There are stereotypes that you must be loud and musical to be in the performing arts, but Lucy defies that stereotype.
Jesse remains an enigma for almost the entirety of the book. The reader gets to know Lucy very well, not as much Jesse. Nevertheless, he's still 'dreamy' and fills the role of a romantic interest. This book shined in its side characters: Lucy's roommates, and the overly-kind Shane.
This book is enjoyable if you love 'vacation flirtations,' college settings, and, of course, romance.
Note: I received an advanced copy from the NOVL newsletter. Thanks so much!
December 10, 2014
At seventeen, Lucy Sommersworth has just graduated from high school and has her whole life ahead of her. Acting is her passion and while she dreams of becoming an actress, her father has other plans. At his insistence, Lucy will be attending his alma mater and majoring in business come fall in exchange for an all-expenses-paid backpacking trip through Europe. But when one last carefree summer in Europe leads to first love and a multitude of life-changing experiences, Lucy discovers that the bargain she made with her father just might be impossible to keep. Love, Lucy by April Lindner is a pleasing read with a very nice message of being true to yourself and following your heart. The story moves very quickly with the first half taking place in Italy. As such, readers are treated to some of the sights, sounds, and tastes of the country. If you enjoy books such as Anna and the French Kiss, you will most likely enjoy this one. Both realistic and idealistic, I found the story to be a very satisfying combination of the two. Thank you to Little, Brown, and Company and Novl for the advance reading copy.
February 26, 2016
3.25
I so wanted to love this book more than I did. The cover is BEAUTIFUL. I love to stare at it.
The first half of the book was 4 1/2 stars. But the 2nd half fell flat. I couldn't really connect with the characters that much. This book also really reminded me of Just One Day.
I also just saw there is a spin-off novel coming out this May.
If you're looking for something easy to read then I would give this a go. If you're looking for something with a lot of meaning then this might be one to skip over.
I so wanted to love this book more than I did. The cover is BEAUTIFUL. I love to stare at it.
The first half of the book was 4 1/2 stars. But the 2nd half fell flat. I couldn't really connect with the characters that much. This book also really reminded me of Just One Day.
I also just saw there is a spin-off novel coming out this May.
If you're looking for something easy to read then I would give this a go. If you're looking for something with a lot of meaning then this might be one to skip over.
unfinished
April 2, 2014Contemp take on A Room with A View. I think fans of Just One Day and 13 Little Ble Envelopes and Anna & the French Kiss will love this. It's well written too, just not a book I felt like reading straight through for myself, because it turns out I love the Forster so much that all I wanted to do was reread the original! Definitely one for the collection.
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