What do you think?
Rate this book
Ciao Bella!: Six Take Italy
Kate Langbroek’s deliciously funny and inspiring memoir about moving to Italy with her family to seek la dolce vita. ‘A wonderful story, beautifully written, filled with heart and humour’ Liane Moriarty (reviewing Ciao Bella! on 3pm Pick Up, KIIS 1065)I wasn’t looking to fall in love. It just happened. There were moments, encounters as fleeting as feelings. Sometimes – tellingly – they emerged from chaos. When Kate Langbroek first dreamed of moving to Italy, she imagined a magnificent sun-drenched pastiche of long lunches and wandering through cobbled laneways clutching a loaf of crusty bread and a bottle of wine, Sophia Loren-style, while handsome men called out ‘Ciao Bella!’ In the stark light of day the dream Kate shared with her husband Peter after an idyllic holiday in Italy seemed like madness. They didn’t speak Italian. They knew no one in Italy. They had four children. Kate also had the best job in the world on a top-rating radio show with her longtime friend, Dave Hughes. But the siren song of Italy was irresistible. This would be the adventure of a lifetime, a precious opportunity to spend more time with their children – Lewis, Sunday, Artie and Jannie – and it came from a deep well inside to seize life after they almost lost Lewis to leukaemia. Ciao Bella! is about having a dream and living it as Kate shares the sublime joys and utter chaos of adapting to a new life in Bologna, what you discover about yourself when you are a stranger in a strange land, and how she fell in love. With a country. Deliciously funny, insightful and often deeply moving, Ciao Bella! is Kate’s love letter to Italy and her family. It is also a glorious reminder of what Italians can teach us about living life to the full – and what really matters when the world goes to hell in a handbasket.
367 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 4, 2021
235 people are currently reading
731 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 221 reviews
January 12, 2022
For anyone who’s harboured a dream to shake things up, transplant their family to Italy, revel in the beauty of the culture, people and of course the food then this book is for you. I really loved reading this honest, funny and moving account of Kate and her family’s time in Bologna, Italy. Her personality really shone through in the writing and testament to what a lovely outgoing person she must be is all the wonderful friendships she made while there. She does seem like one of those magnetic types that draw in people from every thread of their lives, be it basketball parents, shopkeepers, relatives of the landlord or visiting friends Tinder dates, they all become adored buddies and fellow accomplices in living la dolce vita. I’ve never heard her radio shows and barely seen her on tv but gee I love her now too.
December 2, 2021
Golly gosh I love this book so much. It was exactly what my heart and head needed after such a crappy 20/21. I love the way I can hear Kate's voice (and her jingly jangly bracelets) as I read along. What beautiful relationships she has with her family- and anyone that comes into her orbit. I bought this on kindle and just loved it. I will be buying the book for my mum for Christmas. She's from Northern Italy and will get a real giggle out of many stories and mannerisms of the Italians.
What joy. And what a perfect read for right now.
What joy. And what a perfect read for right now.
November 4, 2021
CIAO BELLA- Six Take Italy
Kate Langbroek
Simon & Schuster
If you have ever seen any Harry Potter movies, you may recall what happens when a memory must be relived for answers to be discovered. A brave young Harry plunges his face into Dumbledores' gothic fountain and suddenly he is living his, or someone else's memory as clearly as though he was there! This is exactly what Kate Langbroek's book "Ciao Bella - Six Take Italy" is like.
From the simple joy of a sun-kissed plump apricot to a table groaning with meats and pastries whose names we have never heard of, to a Plague Doctor ghost and homesick children - it is a visual and verbal feast. Our author has a true Bohemian spirit and this spirit is as rare as a hen's teeth. Right now, due to Covid, nothing feels better than travelling through her Italian relocation adventures. Motherly love is the spinal cord of this book- the journey of Kate's dear son Lewis from a child cancer ward to water bombing his family in a villa pool under the golden Bologna sun is magical, heartwrenching and fantastic. What a treat it would be if everyone addressed everyone they met- Ciao Bella- Hello Beautiful!
4 stars
M.Young
Kate Langbroek
Simon & Schuster
If you have ever seen any Harry Potter movies, you may recall what happens when a memory must be relived for answers to be discovered. A brave young Harry plunges his face into Dumbledores' gothic fountain and suddenly he is living his, or someone else's memory as clearly as though he was there! This is exactly what Kate Langbroek's book "Ciao Bella - Six Take Italy" is like.
From the simple joy of a sun-kissed plump apricot to a table groaning with meats and pastries whose names we have never heard of, to a Plague Doctor ghost and homesick children - it is a visual and verbal feast. Our author has a true Bohemian spirit and this spirit is as rare as a hen's teeth. Right now, due to Covid, nothing feels better than travelling through her Italian relocation adventures. Motherly love is the spinal cord of this book- the journey of Kate's dear son Lewis from a child cancer ward to water bombing his family in a villa pool under the golden Bologna sun is magical, heartwrenching and fantastic. What a treat it would be if everyone addressed everyone they met- Ciao Bella- Hello Beautiful!
4 stars
M.Young
June 19, 2022
3.5… partly fascinating, interesting, colourful, insightful, but then partly like a letter some people feel the need to write annually and send to everyone with the underlying message that they experience the ultimate minutiae of interest and others don’t. I enjoyed mostly but found the endless references to people and food left me punch drunk. I still would recommend because of the story of their overall experience of living in Italy, the family, the impact of covid etc but with a stern warning that speed reading through some bits might be required.
January 10, 2022
Have you ever had to endure the nostalgia of someone's overseas adventure, with mind numbing detail, waiting for the moment you can escape to somewhere where you no longer have to be tortured by their stories? This is that book. The book details every waking, breath, feeling, taste, thought that she ever had on her travels. I was waiting for the guts of the book, something to really get into, but nothing. Just descriptions of food and the scenery with the odd anecdote.
Real fizzer.
Real fizzer.
November 18, 2021
God I love the eloquence, class and wit of Kate Langbroek. This book took me to Italy so beautifully and I fell in love with her adventures and family. What a dream! It was very long but I enjoyed it all.
July 30, 2022
If you are after any insights into Italy, find another book. If you want an account of a wealthy Australian family located in a “palazzo” in Bologna, swanning around Italy from luxury villa to luxury villa and expensive meal to expensive meal, this is the book for you.
June 12, 2022
Thoroughly enjoyed this memoir of Kate and her family’s time living in Italy.
January 3, 2022
This book is a wonderful diary of how Kate and her family spent a good portion of the Coronavirus pandemic in Bologna, Italy and discovered the joys of family life together. Having left Australia for a life overseas Kate maintained her radio job with her friend Dave Hughes for the first half year in Bologna, by broadcasting from an improvised studio near her new home. She and her husband Pete Lewis ( Petie) then decided to take the following year off as they had all settled well into the Italian life they had established, and this subsequent year, 2020, forced them to adjust to Coronavirus in Italy.
Kate writes in a diary format, and the reader is with her as she recounts the motivation for their move, the successful recovery from leukaemia of their oldest son, Lewis, and the steps in making it happen. It's a very joyful story in the re telling; there are details of family and decisions made, and the life of this particular family is a social and rollicking yarn anyway so it has a happy vibe. It is also a story of a couple who value friends and family and being together. They took their family away for an experience while the children were able to enjoy it together with them, and have given us a delightful picture of the country they grew to adore.
The move of a family of 6 is complex and always interesting, whether about the apartment they rent, the school selection process or the friends the parents and children make, and, being Italy, the food figures highly. Both Kate and Petie love a party and have famous friends ( at least to readers in Australia,) so the trips they take to Venice for Carnevale and Positano for a wedding, for example, are fun-filled and gloriously described.
I enjoyed seeing the relationship between parents and children evolve during their time away, as it must if you have teenagers in the house whatever the venue: they all adjusted and adapted while having different social experiences. Kate and Petie had several trips of their own, where they visited different parts of Italy and this allowed us to learn about places, and to feel we were there with them.
This is a joyful book, easy to dip into and fun to read, perfect for those who love Italy already or those who are ready to fall in love with Italy and her people.
Kate writes in a diary format, and the reader is with her as she recounts the motivation for their move, the successful recovery from leukaemia of their oldest son, Lewis, and the steps in making it happen. It's a very joyful story in the re telling; there are details of family and decisions made, and the life of this particular family is a social and rollicking yarn anyway so it has a happy vibe. It is also a story of a couple who value friends and family and being together. They took their family away for an experience while the children were able to enjoy it together with them, and have given us a delightful picture of the country they grew to adore.
The move of a family of 6 is complex and always interesting, whether about the apartment they rent, the school selection process or the friends the parents and children make, and, being Italy, the food figures highly. Both Kate and Petie love a party and have famous friends ( at least to readers in Australia,) so the trips they take to Venice for Carnevale and Positano for a wedding, for example, are fun-filled and gloriously described.
I enjoyed seeing the relationship between parents and children evolve during their time away, as it must if you have teenagers in the house whatever the venue: they all adjusted and adapted while having different social experiences. Kate and Petie had several trips of their own, where they visited different parts of Italy and this allowed us to learn about places, and to feel we were there with them.
This is a joyful book, easy to dip into and fun to read, perfect for those who love Italy already or those who are ready to fall in love with Italy and her people.
January 10, 2023
A book with so much heart. Andrew and I loved listening to this audiobook, read by Kate herself. It reminded us of some of the many joys and frustrations of moving to a new country and learning a new language. It made me positively ache for Italy. I found the covid lockdown section a bit triggering as I clearly still haven’t processed what we went through here in Melbourne. But it made the joys of this book all the sweeter. Moving to Switzerland for four years was the hardest and best decision I have ever made and I suspect the same is true for Kate and her family and their time in Italy. It was delightful hearing Kate’s voice for so many hours and reminded me that it was her voice that would gently wake me up with kind words after I inevitably fell asleep on the couch (gross) at triple r accompanying my sister doing a graveyard shift; a memory I had completely forgotten. Ciao bella veramente.
February 5, 2023
This book contains: 50% food and drink, 25% accommodation and holidays and another 25% how wonderful everyone in Italy is. Kate Langbroek is a very good writer; descriptive, funny and effusive. However, I found lifestyles of the rich and famous and food porn only moderately interesting. This is most likely my own issue, rather than a problem with her book.
A celebrity memoir, a book about a family, a book that features two languages.
A celebrity memoir, a book about a family, a book that features two languages.
December 10, 2021
Definitely a love letter to Italy. What a great adventure they had and then find yourself caught up in a Pandemic in one of the first Countries to experience it's deadly impact.
There is so much to love about reading this book from the culture to the food through to the Country of Italy itself and how life really is an adventure best shared by those you love the most, your family.
There is so much to love about reading this book from the culture to the food through to the Country of Italy itself and how life really is an adventure best shared by those you love the most, your family.
May 22, 2022
Yep confirming I just want to pack up and run away to Italy for a year 🥰
December 4, 2021
Loved this book. Made me tear up multiple times. Joyful memoir about the adventure of a family living and eating their way around Italy - pandemic or not!
May 12, 2025
“Ciao Bella” is like a passport to the cobblestone streets of Bologna—equal parts funny, heartwarming, and honest. Kate Langbroek’s writing has that rare magic of making you feel like you’re right there beside her, sipping espresso and navigating la dolce vita with kids in tow.
I loved the way she shared not just the beauty of Italy, but also the chaos, the growth, and the challenges that came with uprooting her life. Her point of view felt so personal and grounded—like a long letter from a friend who took a brave leap and is now telling you all about it.
This isn’t just a travel memoir—it’s a story about family, slowing down, culture shock, and finding joy in the mess.
I loved the way she shared not just the beauty of Italy, but also the chaos, the growth, and the challenges that came with uprooting her life. Her point of view felt so personal and grounded—like a long letter from a friend who took a brave leap and is now telling you all about it.
This isn’t just a travel memoir—it’s a story about family, slowing down, culture shock, and finding joy in the mess.
February 23, 2023
Full disclosure: I only got halfway through this book before deciding it wasn’t for me.
I picked this up looking for some nice escapism and possible inspiration, but was left fairly disappointed. It sounds like they had an amazing family adventure, but I found much of the descriptions of Italy quite surface level and told through the lens of the rich expat bubble (Wow pasta! Italian is so hard! Boo bureaucracy!). Italy felt like merely set dressing for seemly endless dinners with random visiting Australian friends, with the Italians themselves relegated to one dimensional stereotypes. I got the distinct impression of that the book deal was signed before the trip so the author was forced to include some fairly mundane stories to pad the book.
I’m glad the author had a nice time in Italy with her family, and if the book had been more about every day life there with her kids I might have enjoyed it more.
If you’re an avid commercial radio listener you’ll probably have a great time, but I think it’s back to SBS Italian for me.
I picked this up looking for some nice escapism and possible inspiration, but was left fairly disappointed. It sounds like they had an amazing family adventure, but I found much of the descriptions of Italy quite surface level and told through the lens of the rich expat bubble (Wow pasta! Italian is so hard! Boo bureaucracy!). Italy felt like merely set dressing for seemly endless dinners with random visiting Australian friends, with the Italians themselves relegated to one dimensional stereotypes. I got the distinct impression of that the book deal was signed before the trip so the author was forced to include some fairly mundane stories to pad the book.
I’m glad the author had a nice time in Italy with her family, and if the book had been more about every day life there with her kids I might have enjoyed it more.
If you’re an avid commercial radio listener you’ll probably have a great time, but I think it’s back to SBS Italian for me.
January 3, 2023
I thoroughly enjoyed this one. Narrated by Kate Langbroek with warmth, humour and occasionally tears. She let her emotions shine through which added to the depth and vicarious experience of life in Italy.
June 24, 2022
BRB just moving to Italy with my whole family like Kate.
January 16, 2023
Would give this 6 stars if I could! One of the best audio books I've ever listened to. A really heartfelt family story fabulously read by the author.
April 9, 2022
I felt I was taking the Italian adventure with Kate and her family. I have visited Italy several times but never made it to Bologna. It was wonderful to enjoy Italy again through her experiences. Now I want to make travel plans!
August 20, 2022
Kate’s story of her families time living in Italy was a fun, emotive, easy and an engaging read. Provides a great sense of her large family, Italian culture and food as well as early pandemic life. Perfect timing to get a sense of life in Bologna just before we visit there next month.
January 2, 2025
I loved this book, it’s clear that Kate studied writing as every sentence in the book is considered and is an absolute delight. Told so beautifully you felt like you were in the Italian countryside with the family and I loved how they navigated their adventures
February 28, 2022
Read it for the description of food alone - this book made me so hungry!
November 13, 2023
Loved this! I listened to the audiobook, which was narrated by Kate and as a huge Kate Langbroek fan I absolutely loved it, her voice and personality, she laughed and cried through her telling of her story, as did I. Highly recommend
March 6, 2025
Light, easy and enjoyable. A bit long.
Makes me want to go back and see more.
Makes me want to go back and see more.
February 1, 2022
Enjoyed reading it made me want to visit italy again
October 7, 2022
I’ve been listening to Kate’s book as an audiobook. It’s great to dip in and out of and hearing Kate read feels like you’re in a room having a conversation. It’s nice to escape for awhile through Kate’s eyes and live the Italian life for a time - the good and the bad. Although, after awhile the food descriptions are an act of cruelty! I feel this book should be accompanied by a recipe book. Very enjoyable ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
January 21, 2024
An aspirational read to start the year. As a family of six I so related to this family. I loved reading about their two years in Italy. The food had my mouth watering & loved the chapter on sticking with your family through the bad so you can enjoy the good. Also loved the story on asking for help. Loved the beautiful village of friends this family built around them.
July 28, 2023
Had not heard of Kate until I came across her episode on the imperfects podcast a few ago. Friggen loved this book and now love Kate and her family.such a beautiful journey they have been on❤️ the descriptions of people and food and places was so escapist and perfect during Australian winter.
April 26, 2025
Such a wonderful joyful book and what a wonderful family!!
Loved reading about their experiences and how they lived in Italy for 2 years…Kate’s writing is very descriptive and easy
Loved reading about their experiences and how they lived in Italy for 2 years…Kate’s writing is very descriptive and easy
Displaying 1 - 30 of 221 reviews