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The Lovers' Guide to Rome
This gorgeous romantic novel set around the beautiful sights of Rome tells the story of three couples and their adventures with love in the eternal city.
Young artist Alice has come to Rome for adventure and inspiration before settling down with her safe boyfriend, Daniel. Is there such a thing as love at first sight and how will she know if it's happening to her? Middle-aged Meg and Alec have come to Rome to rekindle their love affair, which has faded over the years as they've become busy parents and successful businesspeople. Constance and Lizzie are here to scatter the ashes of Constance's beloved husband Henry, who's also Lizzie's brother. But Lizzie doesn't know the real story of how Constance and Henry met decades ago in Rome, and what secrets their trip back there will uncover.
The narrator of this romantic novel is actually Rome itself, who tells the story of the city and why it is has become a blessed place for lovers. It turns out that Rome will play a part in the lives of these characters and make sure they find the happiness they deserve.
The Lovers' Guide to Rome will appeal to readers of David Nicholls and fans of films such as Midnight in Paris and Love, Actually. It is a beautifully written, warm, funny and compelling novel full of heart and pure romantic delight.
Young artist Alice has come to Rome for adventure and inspiration before settling down with her safe boyfriend, Daniel. Is there such a thing as love at first sight and how will she know if it's happening to her? Middle-aged Meg and Alec have come to Rome to rekindle their love affair, which has faded over the years as they've become busy parents and successful businesspeople. Constance and Lizzie are here to scatter the ashes of Constance's beloved husband Henry, who's also Lizzie's brother. But Lizzie doesn't know the real story of how Constance and Henry met decades ago in Rome, and what secrets their trip back there will uncover.
The narrator of this romantic novel is actually Rome itself, who tells the story of the city and why it is has become a blessed place for lovers. It turns out that Rome will play a part in the lives of these characters and make sure they find the happiness they deserve.
The Lovers' Guide to Rome will appeal to readers of David Nicholls and fans of films such as Midnight in Paris and Love, Actually. It is a beautifully written, warm, funny and compelling novel full of heart and pure romantic delight.
304 pages, Paperback
First published March 23, 2016
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 257 reviews
August 7, 2017
Absorbing, romantic and incredibly moving!
One Summer Day in Rome is a story about love, new love, struggling love, eternal love, and lost love.
The story takes place in the time span of one day and takes us into the lives of three couples; Alice and August, university students from different continents who test the idea of love at first sight; Alec and Meg, a middle-aged married couple who've lost that loving feeling; and Constance a heartbroken widow who recently lost her soul mate.
The prose is light, humorous and incredibly descriptive. The narration is unconventional. The characters are multi-layered, real and endearing. And the plot is an entertaining mix of emotion, dialogue, humour, hijinks, mishaps, and passion.
I have to admit that I wasn't sure what to expect when I started One Summer Day in Rome but it wasn't long before Lamprell not only swept me away to a city he obviously knows and loves and gave me a truly romantic guidebook to all the history, must-see landmarks, culture, lifestyle, and food but also immersed me in a heartfelt, touching story that made me laugh, smile and even cry.
Thank you to NetGalley and Flatiron Books for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
All my reviews can be found on my blog at http://whatsbetterthanbooks.com
One Summer Day in Rome is a story about love, new love, struggling love, eternal love, and lost love.
The story takes place in the time span of one day and takes us into the lives of three couples; Alice and August, university students from different continents who test the idea of love at first sight; Alec and Meg, a middle-aged married couple who've lost that loving feeling; and Constance a heartbroken widow who recently lost her soul mate.
The prose is light, humorous and incredibly descriptive. The narration is unconventional. The characters are multi-layered, real and endearing. And the plot is an entertaining mix of emotion, dialogue, humour, hijinks, mishaps, and passion.
I have to admit that I wasn't sure what to expect when I started One Summer Day in Rome but it wasn't long before Lamprell not only swept me away to a city he obviously knows and loves and gave me a truly romantic guidebook to all the history, must-see landmarks, culture, lifestyle, and food but also immersed me in a heartfelt, touching story that made me laugh, smile and even cry.
Thank you to NetGalley and Flatiron Books for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
All my reviews can be found on my blog at http://whatsbetterthanbooks.com
March 9, 2016
“When it came to decorating she had a natural inclination towards the less-is-more approach, although she had to admit more-is-more was definitely working for this room. But that was the great thing about Rome. Nobody bothered with restraint”
The Lovers’ Guide to Rome is the second novel by Australian screenwriter and author, Mark Lamprell. Instructed by her Fine Arts Professor to do something “voosh” on her vacation, nineteen-year-old Alice goes to Rome. The plan is to meet her (very non-voosh) boyfriend, twenty-nine year-old lawyer Daniel in Florence the next day: they will shop for an engagement ring. But Rome, the Eternal City, the city that welcomes lovers, has other plans for Alice...
Megan and Alec Schack are on a mission: they have a day to track down an artisan who will make Megan’s latest project complete. And maybe they can rekindle a bit of the romance they found in Rome on their honeymoon, almost twenty years earlier, if they can just stop arguing with each other for long enough.
Constance is taking her beloved husband, Henry back to Rome, back to the Ponte Sant’Angelo, where they first met. His sister Lizzie has come along, too, to witness her brother’s ashes being scattered into the River Tiber, as he decreed in his will. But being in Rome brings back other memories for Constance, and doubts about their grand love emerge.
The City of Rome is also a star in this story: its tourist attractions, both well-known and obscure, its romantically-named streets and its stylish residents. It is actually the spirit of the city itself who narrates this tale, and, as the story moves around the city, gives the reader plenty of interesting historical tidbits, often delivered in a wry tone. Even the little vignettes describing the incidental characters (drivers, doctors, concierges etc) are amusing.
There is plenty of action in this madcap romp through Rome: a car accident and subsequent ambulance trip, a mugging, a daring visit to a gypsy camp, a crazy motorino ride down the famous Spanish Steps (as shown on the brilliant cover of the Allen & Unwin edition), trespass into a cemetery, quite a bit of getting lost, and a bout of dysentery.
Lamprell gives the reader appealingly flawed characters, snappy dialogue that includes a good helping of witty banter between them, plenty of laugh-out-loud moments and even a few thoughtful ones as he explores grief, jealousy, love at first sight, and insecurity. Lamprell’s first book was a fun read, but this one is even better. Perhaps not a book to be read in public as readers will find it difficult not to snicker, giggle and erupt with laughter. Very entertaining!
With thanks to Allen&Unwin and TheReadingRoom for this copy to read and review.
The Lovers’ Guide to Rome is the second novel by Australian screenwriter and author, Mark Lamprell. Instructed by her Fine Arts Professor to do something “voosh” on her vacation, nineteen-year-old Alice goes to Rome. The plan is to meet her (very non-voosh) boyfriend, twenty-nine year-old lawyer Daniel in Florence the next day: they will shop for an engagement ring. But Rome, the Eternal City, the city that welcomes lovers, has other plans for Alice...
Megan and Alec Schack are on a mission: they have a day to track down an artisan who will make Megan’s latest project complete. And maybe they can rekindle a bit of the romance they found in Rome on their honeymoon, almost twenty years earlier, if they can just stop arguing with each other for long enough.
Constance is taking her beloved husband, Henry back to Rome, back to the Ponte Sant’Angelo, where they first met. His sister Lizzie has come along, too, to witness her brother’s ashes being scattered into the River Tiber, as he decreed in his will. But being in Rome brings back other memories for Constance, and doubts about their grand love emerge.
The City of Rome is also a star in this story: its tourist attractions, both well-known and obscure, its romantically-named streets and its stylish residents. It is actually the spirit of the city itself who narrates this tale, and, as the story moves around the city, gives the reader plenty of interesting historical tidbits, often delivered in a wry tone. Even the little vignettes describing the incidental characters (drivers, doctors, concierges etc) are amusing.
There is plenty of action in this madcap romp through Rome: a car accident and subsequent ambulance trip, a mugging, a daring visit to a gypsy camp, a crazy motorino ride down the famous Spanish Steps (as shown on the brilliant cover of the Allen & Unwin edition), trespass into a cemetery, quite a bit of getting lost, and a bout of dysentery.
Lamprell gives the reader appealingly flawed characters, snappy dialogue that includes a good helping of witty banter between them, plenty of laugh-out-loud moments and even a few thoughtful ones as he explores grief, jealousy, love at first sight, and insecurity. Lamprell’s first book was a fun read, but this one is even better. Perhaps not a book to be read in public as readers will find it difficult not to snicker, giggle and erupt with laughter. Very entertaining!
With thanks to Allen&Unwin and TheReadingRoom for this copy to read and review.
February 7, 2017
Een aantal mensen komt elk met een eigen doel naar Rome, waar alles anders verloopt dan men verwacht. Het verhaal speelt zich af op een stuk of dertig locaties. Sommige details, zoals de namen en het interieur van bepaalde hotels, zijn gefingeerd, maar verder is alles echt. Het zijn allemaal korte hoofdstukken en aan het einde komen de personen samen. Het leest vlot weg. Het lijkt net alsof je erbij bent in Rome. Ik heb zin om op vakantie te gaan naar Rome!
March 10, 2016
The blurb likens this book to the movie Love, Actually, and although I wouldn’t totally agree with that, I do agree it was a light and easy read with an enjoyable rom com/chick lit feel about it.
It follows the story of three couples, all at different stages of their lives. The young just falling in love at first sight couple, Alice and August; the middle aged married couple contemplating adultery and divorce, Alec and Meg; and the older sister-in-laws and best friends barely coping with their loss couple, Constance and Lizzie.
Not surprisingly, I thought the characters with the most depth were the oldest, Constance and Lizzie, and their plot was the one that engaged me the most. As I pointed out, the book was a light fun read, but they did have some moments that brought tears to my eyes.
I enjoyed all three couples and all three plots though, which is half the battle when it comes to this type of multi-character book. Often there is one plot or character that irritates and makes you want to skip.
Meg was the closest anyone comes to an antagonist, but even she has lots of redeeming qualities that made me cheer her on. (I especially liked the fact she was Australian!)
I could almost say that Rome itself was the only character I disliked. Not Rome the setting. I had no problem with Lamprell’s descriptions and use of the city. Rome’s gorgeous (and sometimes seedy) landscapes and peoples, were a delight to read about. It was the ‘Rome as a narrator’ idea I was wary of. It screamed pretension and gimmick. Luckily, Lamprell managed to use the idea sparingly enough that I wasn’t put off completely.
The other ‘gimmick’ the book used is the one where the characters cross paths and are linked in some way (like many other books of the genre). However, here I did think this was underdone too much. The characters’ associations seemed to be of little consequence and I would consider all three plots as stand alone.
They’re small negatives, and I really liked this book, and I would recommend it. I’ll also be on the lookout for more of the author’s work.
A solid 4/5
It follows the story of three couples, all at different stages of their lives. The young just falling in love at first sight couple, Alice and August; the middle aged married couple contemplating adultery and divorce, Alec and Meg; and the older sister-in-laws and best friends barely coping with their loss couple, Constance and Lizzie.
Not surprisingly, I thought the characters with the most depth were the oldest, Constance and Lizzie, and their plot was the one that engaged me the most. As I pointed out, the book was a light fun read, but they did have some moments that brought tears to my eyes.
I enjoyed all three couples and all three plots though, which is half the battle when it comes to this type of multi-character book. Often there is one plot or character that irritates and makes you want to skip.
Meg was the closest anyone comes to an antagonist, but even she has lots of redeeming qualities that made me cheer her on. (I especially liked the fact she was Australian!)
I could almost say that Rome itself was the only character I disliked. Not Rome the setting. I had no problem with Lamprell’s descriptions and use of the city. Rome’s gorgeous (and sometimes seedy) landscapes and peoples, were a delight to read about. It was the ‘Rome as a narrator’ idea I was wary of. It screamed pretension and gimmick. Luckily, Lamprell managed to use the idea sparingly enough that I wasn’t put off completely.
The other ‘gimmick’ the book used is the one where the characters cross paths and are linked in some way (like many other books of the genre). However, here I did think this was underdone too much. The characters’ associations seemed to be of little consequence and I would consider all three plots as stand alone.
They’re small negatives, and I really liked this book, and I would recommend it. I’ll also be on the lookout for more of the author’s work.
A solid 4/5
May 16, 2017
Damn! This romance-y book has foiled my attempts to remain impervious to romance-y type books! The story follows three parallel tales. One concerns Alec and Meg, an unhappily married American/Australian couple too busy grumping at each other to smell the roses. Another is about aristocrats Lizzie and Constance, sprightly septuagenarian British sisters-in-law on a mission to spread the ashes of Henry, their husband/brother, respectively. The third revolves around a heavenly beautiful ginger named Alice, wallflower timid until her art professor instructed her to “…go have a ‘voosh’ experience.” All make their way to Rome where Lamprell has created a clever guiding force/oracle of romance, “…a genius loci—a spirit of place—assigned to inspire and challenge the people within it.” The characters are uniformly charming (except for Meg—she’s a bitch on wheels). Though all of the characters share quick wits and a strong sense of self (Alice’s is just beginning), each is refreshingly distinct. Scenes are sharply, if lightly, sketched, ranging from ebullient (e.g., when a boy so gobsmacked by Alice’s beauty drives a Vespa down the Spanish Steps ) to forlorn (e.g., when the discouraged Alec says “I’m tired of being at war” to Meg who immediately begins to mock the poor bastard). Lamprell (The Full Ridiculous) even manages to keep the mood light in odd, harrowing moments (e.g., when Alec and Meg are assaulted). VERDICT Will secrets be revealed? Will love triumph? Will Lizzie and Constance get their own book series? One hopes. Warm and breezy, this is an enjoyable, romantic adventure.
Find reviews of books for men at Books for Dudes, Books for Dudes, the online reader's advisory column for men from Library Journal. Copyright Library Journal.
Find reviews of books for men at Books for Dudes, Books for Dudes, the online reader's advisory column for men from Library Journal. Copyright Library Journal.
August 20, 2017
"Via dell´Amore - Jede Liebe führt nach Rom" erzählt uns nicht nur eine, sondern gleich drei Geschichten.
Einmal geht es um die 19-jährige Alice, Sie ist Amerikanerin und reist nach Rom, um einmal etwas Verrücktes zu erleben. Und das tut sie tatsächlich, als sie bereits am Flughafen auf vier junge Männer trifft...
Dann geht es um Megan und ihren Mann Alec, die ebenfalls aus Amerika nach Rom reisen. Megan ist hier auf der Suche nach einer ganz bestimmten Fliese, die sie damals vor zwanzig Jahren aus ihren Flitterwochen mitbrachte.
Und die dritte Geschichte handelt von Constance und ihrer Schwägerin Lizzie aus London. Die beiden älteren Damen reisen mit der Asche von Constances Mann und Lizzies Bruder Henry nach Rom. Hier möchten die beiden Henrys letzten Wunsch erfüllen.
Das Besondere an diesem Buch ist vielleicht, dass die Geschichte dieser ganz unterschiedlichen Charaktere von einem Geist erzählt wird. Das mag verrückt klingen, aber eigentlich wird das nur an einigen wenigen Stellen im Buch deutlich, so dass man sich davon nicht abschrecken lassen sollte.
Mir haben alle drei Handlungsstränge sehr gut gefallen. Die Charaktere sind gut ausgearbeitet, wirken echt und authentisch. Zwar waren mir nicht alle Charaktere immer sympathisch, aber das muss ja auch nicht sein.
Sehr gut gefallen hat mir, dass wir auch einiges über die Stadt Rom und dessen Geschichte erfahren. Dabei sind diese Daten und Fakten gut in die Handlung eingebaut worden, so dass es nicht störend oder belehrend wirkt.
Die Wege dieser ganz unterschiedlichen Menschen bzw. Paare kreuzen sich im Laufe der Geschichte nicht, und doch werden ihre Geschichten miteinander verwoben. Auch das hat mir sehr gut gefallen.
Zum Schreibstil kann ich mich ebenfalls nur positiv äußern, so dass ich abschließend dieses Buch auf jeden Fall weiterempfehlen kann. Mir hat es viel Spaß gemacht, die Geschichten dieser Menschen in Rom zu lesen!
Einmal geht es um die 19-jährige Alice, Sie ist Amerikanerin und reist nach Rom, um einmal etwas Verrücktes zu erleben. Und das tut sie tatsächlich, als sie bereits am Flughafen auf vier junge Männer trifft...
Dann geht es um Megan und ihren Mann Alec, die ebenfalls aus Amerika nach Rom reisen. Megan ist hier auf der Suche nach einer ganz bestimmten Fliese, die sie damals vor zwanzig Jahren aus ihren Flitterwochen mitbrachte.
Und die dritte Geschichte handelt von Constance und ihrer Schwägerin Lizzie aus London. Die beiden älteren Damen reisen mit der Asche von Constances Mann und Lizzies Bruder Henry nach Rom. Hier möchten die beiden Henrys letzten Wunsch erfüllen.
Das Besondere an diesem Buch ist vielleicht, dass die Geschichte dieser ganz unterschiedlichen Charaktere von einem Geist erzählt wird. Das mag verrückt klingen, aber eigentlich wird das nur an einigen wenigen Stellen im Buch deutlich, so dass man sich davon nicht abschrecken lassen sollte.
Mir haben alle drei Handlungsstränge sehr gut gefallen. Die Charaktere sind gut ausgearbeitet, wirken echt und authentisch. Zwar waren mir nicht alle Charaktere immer sympathisch, aber das muss ja auch nicht sein.
Sehr gut gefallen hat mir, dass wir auch einiges über die Stadt Rom und dessen Geschichte erfahren. Dabei sind diese Daten und Fakten gut in die Handlung eingebaut worden, so dass es nicht störend oder belehrend wirkt.
Die Wege dieser ganz unterschiedlichen Menschen bzw. Paare kreuzen sich im Laufe der Geschichte nicht, und doch werden ihre Geschichten miteinander verwoben. Auch das hat mir sehr gut gefallen.
Zum Schreibstil kann ich mich ebenfalls nur positiv äußern, so dass ich abschließend dieses Buch auf jeden Fall weiterempfehlen kann. Mir hat es viel Spaß gemacht, die Geschichten dieser Menschen in Rom zu lesen!
September 27, 2017
"How is it possible to say an unkind or irreverential word of Rome? The city of all time, and of all the world!” —Nathaniel Hawthorne
Incredibly charming, One Summer Day in Rome is a tale of love in all its stages - new love, love rediscovered, love's end. The narrative follows 3 couples that seemingly have nothing in common, aside from the fact that they're all in the beautiful, eternal city of Rome. Alice is on a journey for self-discovery and to find some inspiration, Meg and Alex are a married couple in search of the perfect tile for their home remodel, Lizzie and Constance are on a quest to scatter Constance's dearly departed husband's ashes. All 3 are in the various stages of love, and they each get a little help and a little direction from the Great Lady of Rome herself. That's the charming and incredibly enchanting part of the story, to have bits and pieces narrated by the city herself.
Lamprell has a very fine knack when it comes to characterization, giving each and every character such depth and dimension. My heart broke alongside Constance's, fluttered alongside Alice's, and shattered alongside Meg's. There's quite a bit of heaviness to be found in these pages, but that's to be expected when it comes to matters of amore. As good as Lamprell's pivotal characters were, they could never outshine the star of this book - the eternal city of Roma.
"Listen carefully and you will hear her columns humming like heart strings, plucked by those who have been enchanted before you, among them Caesars, popes, despots, dreamers, scientists, artists, and lovers. Look carefully, beyond the masterpieces and marvels, and you will see that there is not a single mundane sight to be witnessed. Here, even the gutters are beautiful."
I certainly didn't know what to expect going in to One Summer Day in Rome. What I thought was simply a love story turned out to be so much more and by the end, I garnered a greater appreciation for love in all its forms. One Summer Day in Rome is a love story, yes, actually multiple love stories, but it's a book that makes you reflect on how love can change, grow, expand, shrivel, sour, blossom, bite and scratch, moving about as if its a thing of fluidity.
In the end, I was delightfully surprised by this gem of a book. It's a story of love and hope and heartbreak and loss, but there's a fair bit of humor thrown about that certainly helps to lighten the load. Highly recommended, and I'll certainly be looking out for anything else by Mark Lamprell.
*I won a free copy of this book through the Goodreads giveaways program.
Incredibly charming, One Summer Day in Rome is a tale of love in all its stages - new love, love rediscovered, love's end. The narrative follows 3 couples that seemingly have nothing in common, aside from the fact that they're all in the beautiful, eternal city of Rome. Alice is on a journey for self-discovery and to find some inspiration, Meg and Alex are a married couple in search of the perfect tile for their home remodel, Lizzie and Constance are on a quest to scatter Constance's dearly departed husband's ashes. All 3 are in the various stages of love, and they each get a little help and a little direction from the Great Lady of Rome herself. That's the charming and incredibly enchanting part of the story, to have bits and pieces narrated by the city herself.
Lamprell has a very fine knack when it comes to characterization, giving each and every character such depth and dimension. My heart broke alongside Constance's, fluttered alongside Alice's, and shattered alongside Meg's. There's quite a bit of heaviness to be found in these pages, but that's to be expected when it comes to matters of amore. As good as Lamprell's pivotal characters were, they could never outshine the star of this book - the eternal city of Roma.
"Listen carefully and you will hear her columns humming like heart strings, plucked by those who have been enchanted before you, among them Caesars, popes, despots, dreamers, scientists, artists, and lovers. Look carefully, beyond the masterpieces and marvels, and you will see that there is not a single mundane sight to be witnessed. Here, even the gutters are beautiful."
I certainly didn't know what to expect going in to One Summer Day in Rome. What I thought was simply a love story turned out to be so much more and by the end, I garnered a greater appreciation for love in all its forms. One Summer Day in Rome is a love story, yes, actually multiple love stories, but it's a book that makes you reflect on how love can change, grow, expand, shrivel, sour, blossom, bite and scratch, moving about as if its a thing of fluidity.
In the end, I was delightfully surprised by this gem of a book. It's a story of love and hope and heartbreak and loss, but there's a fair bit of humor thrown about that certainly helps to lighten the load. Highly recommended, and I'll certainly be looking out for anything else by Mark Lamprell.
*I won a free copy of this book through the Goodreads giveaways program.
June 2, 2016
Even though I didn't fall in love with the story, I fell in love with Rome. I love the personification of Rome and it made me want to visit the city more than anything else; it was a beautiful setting and the writing really made Rome feel, alive.
October 23, 2016
Heerlijk boek! Mijn recensie op Samenlezenisleuker:
https://samenlezenisleuker.wordpress....
https://samenlezenisleuker.wordpress....
March 13, 2024
DNF. I REALLY tried but was so boring and hard to read.
July 29, 2017
Note: This is being published under the title, One Summer Day in Rome.
Narrated by an unnamed ancient spirit, this is a story about love…love lost, love found, but most of all it is a love poem to the Eternal City. There are three separate yet interwoven stories, the characters of whom occasionally intersect and just may have something in common. Yet, these six people are just the supporting characters for the true star is Rome itself.
Lamprell has a wry sense of humor and is a good observer of life, especially the vagaries of aging. The three couples sometimes find themselves in comical, yet believable situations.
This is a light, quick read and I loved some of the new eccentricities I learned about Rome.
Narrated by an unnamed ancient spirit, this is a story about love…love lost, love found, but most of all it is a love poem to the Eternal City. There are three separate yet interwoven stories, the characters of whom occasionally intersect and just may have something in common. Yet, these six people are just the supporting characters for the true star is Rome itself.
Lamprell has a wry sense of humor and is a good observer of life, especially the vagaries of aging. The three couples sometimes find themselves in comical, yet believable situations.
This is a light, quick read and I loved some of the new eccentricities I learned about Rome.
January 4, 2018
It was the perfect book to read over New Year's, the characters are fleshed out wonderfully. Although I found the character "Meg" to be such a horrible woman that I was really rooting for her husband to leave her. Maybe its just the mood I've been in lately but these over-indulged, whiny, selfish, spoiled women really annoy me to no end.
August 11, 2017
I have never been to Rome, perhaps that is the reason I didn't like the book...
I just didn't find any of the stories interesting enough and I didn't like any of the main characters (I hated Meg and didn't care for the others).
I just didn't find any of the stories interesting enough and I didn't like any of the main characters (I hated Meg and didn't care for the others).
December 10, 2017
Mlako. Knjiga prati tri priče, od kojih nijedna nema neki vrhunski zaplet, niti rasplet.Opisi Rima svedeni na minimum. Neko osrednje chick lit djelo, koje vjerovatnk ne bih ni zapamtila da nije Goodreadsa.
January 10, 2018
I don't know how Audible got me to buy this book, but it was NOT a favorite...A few of the characters were outright detestable.
July 19, 2024
The Lovers’ Guide to Rome is a gentle romantic comedy about three couples in different stages of relationships who all travel to the Italian capital for different reasons on the same day. I was in the mood for something light-hearted so picked this off my Book Club shelf. It’s a quick easy read but I found the characters either bland or frankly unlikeable and it wasn’t as funny as expected - but it did make me long to pack my bags and visit Italy so it wasn’t all bad!
Art student Alice decides to embrace spontaneity and travel to Italy for her summer break - then her safe but boring boyfriend decides he will join her so they can get engaged. Arriving ahead of him, she meets a group of young Englishmen and is thrown together by circumstance with the nicest of them, Augustus. Middle-aged Meg and Alec have flown to Rome on a frivolous home renovation mission, but each hopes that the City of Love will repair the fractures in their marriage. And Constance is visiting Rome with her husband Henry - or at least his ashes, to finally say Goodbye - and answer the question which has plagued her for twenty years.
Unusually this is told from the POV of an unspecified Roman spirit - not a ghost, but a sort of disembodied Cupid. I’m not sure this worked as there ended up being too many plot threads for a short book, and the character development suffered as a result. Meg and Constance are both awful - and don’t really get a chance to redeem themselves. August and Alec are so dull, and Alice and Lizzie are annoying. I did like the way the connections between them are revealed but found the character arcs a bit disappointing - and I didn’t like the casual way that infidelity is just brushed aside.
It’s an okay read and the architectural and historical details were interesting, but I won’t be in a rush to read more from this author.
Art student Alice decides to embrace spontaneity and travel to Italy for her summer break - then her safe but boring boyfriend decides he will join her so they can get engaged. Arriving ahead of him, she meets a group of young Englishmen and is thrown together by circumstance with the nicest of them, Augustus. Middle-aged Meg and Alec have flown to Rome on a frivolous home renovation mission, but each hopes that the City of Love will repair the fractures in their marriage. And Constance is visiting Rome with her husband Henry - or at least his ashes, to finally say Goodbye - and answer the question which has plagued her for twenty years.
Unusually this is told from the POV of an unspecified Roman spirit - not a ghost, but a sort of disembodied Cupid. I’m not sure this worked as there ended up being too many plot threads for a short book, and the character development suffered as a result. Meg and Constance are both awful - and don’t really get a chance to redeem themselves. August and Alec are so dull, and Alice and Lizzie are annoying. I did like the way the connections between them are revealed but found the character arcs a bit disappointing - and I didn’t like the casual way that infidelity is just brushed aside.
It’s an okay read and the architectural and historical details were interesting, but I won’t be in a rush to read more from this author.
June 17, 2024
One Summer day in Rome, young art student, Alice, Meg and Alec a married couple on a mission, and elderly sister-in-laws, Connie and Lizzie on a different sort of mission wander around Rome. The book of the same title, One Summer Day in Rome follows each of them as they discover or rediscover Rome.
Each of these has something to learn from Rome and I enjoyed traveling with them. This was a nice light book that I found entertaining.
There is quite a bit happening here, but those who enjoy reading something with not too much depth on occasion will be tickled.
Each of these has something to learn from Rome and I enjoyed traveling with them. This was a nice light book that I found entertaining.
There is quite a bit happening here, but those who enjoy reading something with not too much depth on occasion will be tickled.
August 25, 2017
Best een aardig verhaal. Maar meer dan dat is het ook niet. Ik vond het wat afstandelijk geschreven. Daardoor bleven de personages ook op afstand. Ook vond ik het jammer dat er weinig connectie tussen de personages was. Aan het einde wordt nog wel een poging gedaan, maar eigenlijk is de enige echte connectie de stad Rome.
May 24, 2024
2 ⭐️
Niet geheel onaardig, maar het leest meer als een vluchtige film dan als een goed boek. Met vrij veel personages, waar niet echt diepgang in zit. Veel van de ontwikkelingen zijn ongeloofwaardig. Maar wat er nog het meest voor zorgde dat ik niet echt in het verhaal zat en met geen van de personages wat had, was het perspectief. Een alwetende verteller kan soms best leuk zijn, maar niet als regelmatig het perspectief bij personage x lijkt te liggen en je weet wat zij denkt. Ze komt personage y tegen en in diezelfde scène weet je ook wat y denkt en voelt. Tevens waren er best wat dingen die je door deze alwetende verteller wist, maar die de andere personage het hele boek door niet wisten. Wat je dan weer vergeten was omdat je in ieders huid gekropen was. Als film was het waarschijnlijk best aardig geweest in een vlotte, rommelige stijl als Love Actually, en had het voor een goede twee uur vermaak gezorgd. Maar als boek deed het hem niet voor mij.
Niet geheel onaardig, maar het leest meer als een vluchtige film dan als een goed boek. Met vrij veel personages, waar niet echt diepgang in zit. Veel van de ontwikkelingen zijn ongeloofwaardig. Maar wat er nog het meest voor zorgde dat ik niet echt in het verhaal zat en met geen van de personages wat had, was het perspectief. Een alwetende verteller kan soms best leuk zijn, maar niet als regelmatig het perspectief bij personage x lijkt te liggen en je weet wat zij denkt. Ze komt personage y tegen en in diezelfde scène weet je ook wat y denkt en voelt. Tevens waren er best wat dingen die je door deze alwetende verteller wist, maar die de andere personage het hele boek door niet wisten. Wat je dan weer vergeten was omdat je in ieders huid gekropen was. Als film was het waarschijnlijk best aardig geweest in een vlotte, rommelige stijl als Love Actually, en had het voor een goede twee uur vermaak gezorgd. Maar als boek deed het hem niet voor mij.
July 30, 2025
I flew through this book. Very whimsical, magical. Some parts don’t make a lot of sense but I suppose that’s part of the charm of this book. I love how all the characters are connected somehow (I won’t spoil ;) and I’m thankful for the vivid description of Rome, a place I have never been before. Maybe one day I’ll end up in Rome and visit the very places the author described like the back of his hand. I love love.
March 28, 2016
I loved this book. It sucked me in as soon as I started reading it. Using the spirit of Rome as the narrator, Mark Lamprell moves with great ease and skill between the book's three main strands, pulling them together and weaving them into an engaging, entertaining and romantic novel.
First, we meet young Alice who believes that in love "one person always loses the other". She comes to Rome to "strike a new course and boldly navigate it" and finds herself challenged well beyond her expectations.
Lizzie and Constance are next, elderly sisters-in-law who come to Rome on a mission to scatter the ashes of Constance's husband Henry—a mission that leads to unexpected revelations about the past.
Then we are introduced to Meg and Alec, a middle-aged couple whose marriage has slid into a mire of sniping and ill-concealed resentment. With their marriage at a crossroads, Alec suspects that his life looks "a whole lot better on the outside than it was on the inside". Their sometimes painful journey is told with a light touch and a wry sense of humour that somehow serves to highlight the seriousness of their situation.
And then there is the spirit of Rome—sharing its history, its wonderful cities and attractions and, most of all, its insight into the strengths and frailties of the human heart.
A warm, funny, beautifully written novel that really delivers.
First, we meet young Alice who believes that in love "one person always loses the other". She comes to Rome to "strike a new course and boldly navigate it" and finds herself challenged well beyond her expectations.
Lizzie and Constance are next, elderly sisters-in-law who come to Rome on a mission to scatter the ashes of Constance's husband Henry—a mission that leads to unexpected revelations about the past.
Then we are introduced to Meg and Alec, a middle-aged couple whose marriage has slid into a mire of sniping and ill-concealed resentment. With their marriage at a crossroads, Alec suspects that his life looks "a whole lot better on the outside than it was on the inside". Their sometimes painful journey is told with a light touch and a wry sense of humour that somehow serves to highlight the seriousness of their situation.
And then there is the spirit of Rome—sharing its history, its wonderful cities and attractions and, most of all, its insight into the strengths and frailties of the human heart.
A warm, funny, beautifully written novel that really delivers.
July 10, 2017
If you can't be in Rome this summer, reading this book is the next best thing. It's a quirky tale of one crazy summer day in Rome, with six people compelled by an unnamed force driving them together, apart, then together once more. Every page is packed with the magic that is Roma, every sight and nook and cranny of wonderfulness that is the Eternal City. It is a book full of charm, of romance, of complex and fascinating characters tied together not by a pretty bow but the breathtaking blue of a simple floor tile. Lamprell's delightful novel left me truly desperate to return to the city that captured my heart so many years ago. If Italy isn't imminent for you, at least tuck this new friend into your beach bag--it's the perfect accompaniment.
October 13, 2022
Finishing this book was a...chore...! 🥲
August 16, 2021
What a delightful read! Especially after my last novel.
The Lovers' Guide To Rome tells us the story of three couples and their adventures with love in the eternal city. Young artist Alice, Middle-aged Meg and Alec, Constance and Lizzie.
All three couples are at different stages of their lives and different stages of love. Alice, a university student who has traveled to Rome to do something “voosh” on vacation. She has planned to meet her soon-to-be fiancé in Florence, only to be struck with a chance of real love with a charming young student. Meg and Alec are a middle-aged couple contemplating divorce - who have come to Rome on a secret and somewhat unorthodox mission. Constance and Lizzie are sisters-in-law who have come to Rome on their husband/brother's request to scatter his ashes, with a possible ulterior motive.
I adored all characters (well maybe not Meg), they were multi-layered, flawed, and real. The plot was super entertaining, emotional, humorous, passionate, and suspenseful. The dialogue was snappy, quick, and filled with witty banter and thoughtful moments when dealing with grief, panic, and horrible situations.
This book had me on the edge of my seat, it had plenty of action - a car accident, a mugging, a daring visit to a gypsy camp, a crazy motorbike police chase, trespassing into a cemetery, just to name a few. Much more action than I was expecting from a romance novel!
I liked all three stories, they were all enjoyable. But Alice's story takes the cherry on top of the cake! I found her story the most interesting, maybe due to my age and my desire to travel! But all three were extremely interesting, I didn’t find myself wanting to skip through chapters to continue reading the story of another character - which can often happen with multi-layered stories.
What a lovely read!
The Lovers' Guide To Rome tells us the story of three couples and their adventures with love in the eternal city. Young artist Alice, Middle-aged Meg and Alec, Constance and Lizzie.
All three couples are at different stages of their lives and different stages of love. Alice, a university student who has traveled to Rome to do something “voosh” on vacation. She has planned to meet her soon-to-be fiancé in Florence, only to be struck with a chance of real love with a charming young student. Meg and Alec are a middle-aged couple contemplating divorce - who have come to Rome on a secret and somewhat unorthodox mission. Constance and Lizzie are sisters-in-law who have come to Rome on their husband/brother's request to scatter his ashes, with a possible ulterior motive.
I adored all characters (well maybe not Meg), they were multi-layered, flawed, and real. The plot was super entertaining, emotional, humorous, passionate, and suspenseful. The dialogue was snappy, quick, and filled with witty banter and thoughtful moments when dealing with grief, panic, and horrible situations.
This book had me on the edge of my seat, it had plenty of action - a car accident, a mugging, a daring visit to a gypsy camp, a crazy motorbike police chase, trespassing into a cemetery, just to name a few. Much more action than I was expecting from a romance novel!
I liked all three stories, they were all enjoyable. But Alice's story takes the cherry on top of the cake! I found her story the most interesting, maybe due to my age and my desire to travel! But all three were extremely interesting, I didn’t find myself wanting to skip through chapters to continue reading the story of another character - which can often happen with multi-layered stories.
What a lovely read!
July 23, 2019
Three "couples" in Rome for one day with 3 different objectives. I loved how the author tied these 3 separate stories together in a very interesting way.
"Alice, an art student in New York City, has come to Rome in search of adventure and inspiration before settling down with her steady, safe fiancé. Meg and Alec, busy parents and successful business people from LA, are on a mission to find the holy grail, a certain blue tile that will make their home renovation complete—but soon it becomes clear that their marriage needs a makeover as well. Connie and Lizzie are women of a certain age—“Sometimes I look at my laughter lines and wonder what on earth could have been that funny”—who come from London to scatter the ashes of their beloved husband and brother. Both women are seemingly done with romance, but Rome has other ideas."
"Alice, an art student in New York City, has come to Rome in search of adventure and inspiration before settling down with her steady, safe fiancé. Meg and Alec, busy parents and successful business people from LA, are on a mission to find the holy grail, a certain blue tile that will make their home renovation complete—but soon it becomes clear that their marriage needs a makeover as well. Connie and Lizzie are women of a certain age—“Sometimes I look at my laughter lines and wonder what on earth could have been that funny”—who come from London to scatter the ashes of their beloved husband and brother. Both women are seemingly done with romance, but Rome has other ideas."
June 7, 2018
This book is like quite different than the usual novel. I picked it up from a sale on Audible, plus I am traveling to Rome this year. It is narrated by some sort of "spirit of love" in Rome. It's an omniscient narrator, so the head-jumping can be disorienting at times, but the author pulls it off. I love the quotes at the beginning of each chapter. Great character development of Meg, Alec, and Alice. I never felt in touch with the character of August, and I could never feel the connection between him and Alice. I liked how the author featured the older women characters of Constance and Lizzie. I liked the supporting character of Bronco, and the funny Italian culture anecdote of the colpo d’aria. I do enjoy themes of intersecting lives between characters, à la Love Actually. Some of the scenes dragged a bit, especially in the beginning. 3 1/2 stars because the ending was a nice surprise.
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June 27, 2019The summary of this books sounds so good - but I was quite surprised the narrator for the audiobook had an English accent. It just did not work for me! Also should have noted the 3.47 avg rating ~ DNF after 20 minutes!
February 28, 2025
An enjoyable rom-com. You can certainly judge this book by its cover! Somewhat unusual in that it is written by a bloke - but don't let that put you off. The characters are very well structured and developed; the storyline is a lovely blend of predictable romance with a few quirks and twists. The writing style is appropriately light and wry. Very entertaining.
August 30, 2017
Very cute! Took me back to the streets of Rome.
September 21, 2017
definitiv ein Jahreshighlight! Mehr dazu unter https://marrysbooks.wordpress.com/201...
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