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One Italian Summer
When Lily's long-term relationship ends, she flees her life in New York to travel to her best friend's wedding on the sun-drenched Italian island of Ischia - but could there be more to the secluded island than she ever imagined?
Ten days with nothing but sparkling seas, breath-taking beaches and delicious food sounds like the perfect cure for a broken heart. And Lily can hardly believe she'd never heard of Ischia before now. But Lily's blissful break is short-lived as she discovers not only has she lost her boyfriend, she's also lost her job.
As Lily searches for inspiration, she connects with local Matt, who shows her the magic the beautiful Italian island has to offer, and quickly inspiration strikes: Ischia needs more tourists and Lily knows just how to help.
As Ischia slowly heals Lily's heart, will she in turn inject new life into the island? And will local Matt offer the possibility of a future she'd never dreamed of?
Ten days with nothing but sparkling seas, breath-taking beaches and delicious food sounds like the perfect cure for a broken heart. And Lily can hardly believe she'd never heard of Ischia before now. But Lily's blissful break is short-lived as she discovers not only has she lost her boyfriend, she's also lost her job.
As Lily searches for inspiration, she connects with local Matt, who shows her the magic the beautiful Italian island has to offer, and quickly inspiration strikes: Ischia needs more tourists and Lily knows just how to help.
As Ischia slowly heals Lily's heart, will she in turn inject new life into the island? And will local Matt offer the possibility of a future she'd never dreamed of?
309 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 12, 2022
254 people are currently reading
394 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews
July 4, 2024
RTC.
Sadly, the vacation vibes of this book could not distract from the annoying ass main character. Tragic.
Plot Summary: After breaking up with her boyfriend, Lily is determined to enjoy herself on her Italian vacation (which doubles as her friends’ wedding) Unfortunately, as she attempts to leave her problems at home, she finds out that she's been laid off from her job. Now she has the opportunity to take chances in both her career and her love life.
This might be a rant review. Buckle your seatbelts.
Lily was annoying as hell. There was no backbone to be found. She breaks up with her boyfriend Peter because he's done having children (his kids from his first marriage are adults) and she still wants the choice to have them in the future. Truly, a valid reason for a break-up. If one person wants kids and the other one doesn't, you don't try to change each other's mind. You go your separate ways and find someone who wants the same things that you do. That's not the problem. What irritates me is that Lily knows that Peter is a shitty dad to the CHILDREN THAT HE ALREADY HAS. Why does she want to have kids with this man? He straight up tells her that the only reason he had kids with his ex-wife was because SHE wanted them. He never did! And I guess Lily-the absolute dumbass that she is-thinks that he will be a better father to THEIR kids.
Narrator: "He probably won't be."
Truly, Lily was insufferable for 90 percent-and I'm being generous by lowering the percentage-of this book. Naturally, there's a possible romance while she's on vacation. It's with a man named Matt, an American who lives and works in Italy. The first time that they meet he teaches her how to boil eggs. They're having a friendly-but not necessarily flirty- conversation when he has to answer a phone call. On the phone she hears him refer to someone as "Amore" and automatically assumes that Matt is taken. Now friends, as someone who gives my friends and families pet names, I truly did not understand why she assumed that this man had a significant other just because he called someone "Amore." Amore could've been literally anyone (😂) but she assumes that he has a significant other and acts pissy because he's "led her on."
Narrator: "He did not lead her on. He showed her how to boil eggs and made friendly conversation."
SPOILER ALERT:
"Amore" turns out to be Matt's 4-year-old daughter, Elena. When Lily finds out about her, she is irritated that Matt never told her he had a kid, even though they've only known each for 2 weeks and he has valid reasons for wanting to protect his kid. Lily is the worst.
Back to my rant. As I said before, Lily is on vacation but it's also to celebrate her friends' wedding. A group of them are arriving first to have a vacation before the actual wedding. I don't understand why these women are friends. Lily's personality is having low self-esteem and being indecisive. Ellen's personality is having 5 kids, being married to an incompetent manchild and being tired (I'm not kidding, this is all she talks about). Kitty's personality is flirting with everyone. Dee and Morgan are the brides to be and they're cool, but they're not really fleshed out either. If I'm reading a book about a group of friends on vacay, I need to understand why they're friends. I need to feel a connection with at least one of the characters, but I felt NOTHING. Also, at some point in the book, these women became interchangeable. This might've been a "me thing" because I've been exhausted all week.
What I liked about the book: The vacation vibes, the description of food and that it ended, but there was not one valid reason for this book to be over 300 pages. NONE. It should've been 200 pages TOPS.
Sadly, the vacation vibes of this book could not distract from the annoying ass main character. Tragic.
Plot Summary: After breaking up with her boyfriend, Lily is determined to enjoy herself on her Italian vacation (which doubles as her friends’ wedding) Unfortunately, as she attempts to leave her problems at home, she finds out that she's been laid off from her job. Now she has the opportunity to take chances in both her career and her love life.
This might be a rant review. Buckle your seatbelts.
Lily was annoying as hell. There was no backbone to be found. She breaks up with her boyfriend Peter because he's done having children (his kids from his first marriage are adults) and she still wants the choice to have them in the future. Truly, a valid reason for a break-up. If one person wants kids and the other one doesn't, you don't try to change each other's mind. You go your separate ways and find someone who wants the same things that you do. That's not the problem. What irritates me is that Lily knows that Peter is a shitty dad to the CHILDREN THAT HE ALREADY HAS. Why does she want to have kids with this man? He straight up tells her that the only reason he had kids with his ex-wife was because SHE wanted them. He never did! And I guess Lily-the absolute dumbass that she is-thinks that he will be a better father to THEIR kids.
Narrator: "He probably won't be."
Truly, Lily was insufferable for 90 percent-and I'm being generous by lowering the percentage-of this book. Naturally, there's a possible romance while she's on vacation. It's with a man named Matt, an American who lives and works in Italy. The first time that they meet he teaches her how to boil eggs. They're having a friendly-but not necessarily flirty- conversation when he has to answer a phone call. On the phone she hears him refer to someone as "Amore" and automatically assumes that Matt is taken. Now friends, as someone who gives my friends and families pet names, I truly did not understand why she assumed that this man had a significant other just because he called someone "Amore." Amore could've been literally anyone (😂) but she assumes that he has a significant other and acts pissy because he's "led her on."
Narrator: "He did not lead her on. He showed her how to boil eggs and made friendly conversation."
SPOILER ALERT:
"Amore" turns out to be Matt's 4-year-old daughter, Elena. When Lily finds out about her, she is irritated that Matt never told her he had a kid, even though they've only known each for 2 weeks and he has valid reasons for wanting to protect his kid. Lily is the worst.
Back to my rant. As I said before, Lily is on vacation but it's also to celebrate her friends' wedding. A group of them are arriving first to have a vacation before the actual wedding. I don't understand why these women are friends. Lily's personality is having low self-esteem and being indecisive. Ellen's personality is having 5 kids, being married to an incompetent manchild and being tired (I'm not kidding, this is all she talks about). Kitty's personality is flirting with everyone. Dee and Morgan are the brides to be and they're cool, but they're not really fleshed out either. If I'm reading a book about a group of friends on vacay, I need to understand why they're friends. I need to feel a connection with at least one of the characters, but I felt NOTHING. Also, at some point in the book, these women became interchangeable. This might've been a "me thing" because I've been exhausted all week.
What I liked about the book: The vacation vibes, the description of food and that it ended, but there was not one valid reason for this book to be over 300 pages. NONE. It should've been 200 pages TOPS.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 17, 2025
3.8 ⭐️ Overall, I really liked the book. BUT there were a few things that drove me crazy which is why I couldn’t give it a better rating. Here is what I didn’t like:
1) I did not like how the author is writes Lilly’s thinking at the beginning of the novel.
2) Some of the dialog was quite cringy.
3) Morgan, as a bride to be, was incredibly negative about everything. I found myself rolling my eyes at her while reading.
4) For a bit in the middle, the book really focused on Kitty and how big crazy she was. I felt like that was overplayed.
5) I read this while in Sorrento… and wow, the characters are truly the worst kind of American tourists 😹
1) I did not like how the author is writes Lilly’s thinking at the beginning of the novel.
2) Some of the dialog was quite cringy.
3) Morgan, as a bride to be, was incredibly negative about everything. I found myself rolling my eyes at her while reading.
4) For a bit in the middle, the book really focused on Kitty and how big crazy she was. I felt like that was overplayed.
5) I read this while in Sorrento… and wow, the characters are truly the worst kind of American tourists 😹
July 16, 2025
First of all they drank so much wine and aperol over the course of this book that I actually felt a bit drunk reading it ahaha. Exactly what you want and expect from a fun holiday romance novel to be read on the beach ! I will say the romance felt quite minor and the plot’s main focus was on our main character having a fun time drinking and chatting with her girlfriends abroad, which I’m not mad about !
The author perfectly captured the vibe of being a tourist in Italy, and I loved the little bits of Italian added in there (even if they were wrong sometimes !). It got a bit silly towards the end especially with the career change sun plot but I’m happy to let it slide
The author perfectly captured the vibe of being a tourist in Italy, and I loved the little bits of Italian added in there (even if they were wrong sometimes !). It got a bit silly towards the end especially with the career change sun plot but I’m happy to let it slide
June 3, 2022
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for this ARC.
This is such a beautifully written book which I enjoyed. I thought it started off quite slowly although it started to pick up more when everyone arrived on the island of Ischia. The island setting and scenes were so wonderfully descriptive I could picture everything in my mind. The main character Lily was quite likeable, as were the other characters who are all on the island to attend a wedding. Add in some drama, a possible romance, an unexpected visit from someone and you’ve got the perfect holiday read and a few hours of escapism. The best part of the story for me was its setting and what made it a good read. If you’re going on holiday and like to read I think this would be the perfect book to take.
This is such a beautifully written book which I enjoyed. I thought it started off quite slowly although it started to pick up more when everyone arrived on the island of Ischia. The island setting and scenes were so wonderfully descriptive I could picture everything in my mind. The main character Lily was quite likeable, as were the other characters who are all on the island to attend a wedding. Add in some drama, a possible romance, an unexpected visit from someone and you’ve got the perfect holiday read and a few hours of escapism. The best part of the story for me was its setting and what made it a good read. If you’re going on holiday and like to read I think this would be the perfect book to take.
January 11, 2024
This book is worth reading. As I was in Italy for the Christmas holiday, I enjoyed reading every bit of it. The book is about Lily and her four best friends who came to Ischia Island for a wedding. Unfortunately for Lily, she broke up with her boyfriend and ended up paying for the entire trip after her wealthy boyfriend cancelled the flight. I don't want to be a spoiler, but the book is based on this beautiful island that no one knows about. Even Lily and her friends have never heard about Ischia before travelling to the island. I love how the story ends, but I was hoping to see more about Lily coming back to live on the island and the relationship between her and Matt.
July 13, 2023
I dream of going to Italy, so I enjoyed all the descriptions of the turquoise waters, blooming bougainvillea, and the food- the food! I liked being on the journey with Lily as she hit rock bottom and then began to see a hope and a future. I loved when Elena came into the picture. I enjoyed the dynamics of the group of friends who were all at very different places in their life. I personally loved and related to her struggle with possibly being a mother someday and was touched when her heart opened up to an unexpected possibility.
August 25, 2024
a summer journey amongst a group of friends and a lighthearted journey of self discovery from the main character. Felt like a good summery read but I found myself skimming through certain chapters and having a hard time focusing as I couldn’t really connect with the MC. I did however loved the description of its charming island and Italian culture which is what I was drawn to most of all. A 3.5 star read ⭐️⭐️⭐️
July 7, 2024
Italy Calls
Characters not as endearing as in Mangan’s other Italian escapist books but the real star, Italy, shines throughout. Can’t wait to get there!
Characters not as endearing as in Mangan’s other Italian escapist books but the real star, Italy, shines throughout. Can’t wait to get there!
June 14, 2022
This was a lovely book to read. I would love to go back to Italy one day.
October 31, 2022
The only excellent parts of this story are the descriptions of Italy. The plot was ridiculously predictable as were the characters. And some scenes (such as the first serious argument between the main character & her boyfriend) were unnecessarily long and unbelievable. Even for a casual “beach read”, I struggled to stay interested in this novel.
August 31, 2024
Such a fun book!! Makes me want to visit Ischia and drink all the wine, eat all the food & enjoy the people & scenery
July 26, 2023
My Rating ~ 3.5*
'The façade of the hotel was a series of arches, each of which was covered with purple and red bougainvillea in full bloom’
One Italian Summer by Catherine Mangan was published in the summer of 2022 with Sphere and is described as ‘a glorious and uplifting escapist novel set against the stunning backdrop of the Italian coast. The perfect holiday read for fans of Rosanna Ley, Jo Thomas and Karen Swan.’
I am a huge fan of anything and everything Italian so over the weekend I picked this up expecting a light and summery read, and that is exactly what I got. Bursting with beautiful descriptions and beautiful people, One Italian Summer is the perfect frothy and escapist read for when you need respite from the chaos of the modern world.
Catherine Mangan is Irish so, although this novel is primarily set in Ischia, an island off the coast of Naples, and New York, the main character Lily is an Irish girl. Lily seems to have it all, the job, the friends, the New York ‘Sex in The City’ type of lifestyle and of course, the wealthy boyfriend. Her best friend, Dee, is getting married in, what will be, a dream Italian wedding and Lily is very excited.
Her boyfriend Peter is booked to go with her but, an unexpected and life-changing discussion results in Lily travelling to Ischia solo. Distraught, confused, frustrated and angry, Lily decides to total her Amex card and enjoy the week in Italy with or without Peter. When Lily arrives in Naples, she is hot and bothered but that soon changes after a short boat trip to Ischia, and a private transfer to her accommodation. The wedding party is staying at a luxury hotel set up on a hillside, commanding incredible views, with staff who go above and beyond to welcome their guests.
Lily is the first to arrive and, within 24 hours, all her friends have gathered for a fabulous week of fun and laughter. But Lilly’s sparkle is further dimmed when she receives shocking news that has a huge impact on her already fragile state.
Can Ischia’s magic help heal Lily? Will her dream Italian trip be a disaster or can she rise above the turmoil and find new paths to venture down?
I have been very lucky to have visited Ischia on holidays years ago so it was delightful to relive parts of my trip through the eyes of Lily and her friends, albeit on a slightly more luxurious level! Catherine Mangan has a passion for Italy which is obvious in her writing. The glistening sea off the coast of Naples, with its particular blue, the scent of lemons and the colourful displays of bougainvillea are all authentically depicted bringing the reader on a glorious adventure. Lily and her friends live a plush and expensive lifestyle, way beyond my means and that of many of us I’m guessing, so it was fun to spend a week in their company, vicariously living through them.
One Italian Summer is a lush and light-hearted novel, the perfect pool-side read with a cocktail of choice in hand. Mine’s a Limoncello Spritz thank you!!
'The façade of the hotel was a series of arches, each of which was covered with purple and red bougainvillea in full bloom’
One Italian Summer by Catherine Mangan was published in the summer of 2022 with Sphere and is described as ‘a glorious and uplifting escapist novel set against the stunning backdrop of the Italian coast. The perfect holiday read for fans of Rosanna Ley, Jo Thomas and Karen Swan.’
I am a huge fan of anything and everything Italian so over the weekend I picked this up expecting a light and summery read, and that is exactly what I got. Bursting with beautiful descriptions and beautiful people, One Italian Summer is the perfect frothy and escapist read for when you need respite from the chaos of the modern world.
Catherine Mangan is Irish so, although this novel is primarily set in Ischia, an island off the coast of Naples, and New York, the main character Lily is an Irish girl. Lily seems to have it all, the job, the friends, the New York ‘Sex in The City’ type of lifestyle and of course, the wealthy boyfriend. Her best friend, Dee, is getting married in, what will be, a dream Italian wedding and Lily is very excited.
Her boyfriend Peter is booked to go with her but, an unexpected and life-changing discussion results in Lily travelling to Ischia solo. Distraught, confused, frustrated and angry, Lily decides to total her Amex card and enjoy the week in Italy with or without Peter. When Lily arrives in Naples, she is hot and bothered but that soon changes after a short boat trip to Ischia, and a private transfer to her accommodation. The wedding party is staying at a luxury hotel set up on a hillside, commanding incredible views, with staff who go above and beyond to welcome their guests.
Lily is the first to arrive and, within 24 hours, all her friends have gathered for a fabulous week of fun and laughter. But Lilly’s sparkle is further dimmed when she receives shocking news that has a huge impact on her already fragile state.
Can Ischia’s magic help heal Lily? Will her dream Italian trip be a disaster or can she rise above the turmoil and find new paths to venture down?
I have been very lucky to have visited Ischia on holidays years ago so it was delightful to relive parts of my trip through the eyes of Lily and her friends, albeit on a slightly more luxurious level! Catherine Mangan has a passion for Italy which is obvious in her writing. The glistening sea off the coast of Naples, with its particular blue, the scent of lemons and the colourful displays of bougainvillea are all authentically depicted bringing the reader on a glorious adventure. Lily and her friends live a plush and expensive lifestyle, way beyond my means and that of many of us I’m guessing, so it was fun to spend a week in their company, vicariously living through them.
One Italian Summer is a lush and light-hearted novel, the perfect pool-side read with a cocktail of choice in hand. Mine’s a Limoncello Spritz thank you!!
April 29, 2023
Lily breaks up with her boyfriend because she wants children and he does not. So Lily flies off to Italy to a friends wedding on the island of Ischia in the Bay of Naples. While she is there she also loses her job. So now she has to find a new job, maybe a new man and the rent check on her NYC apartment bounce. Lily really has no reason to return to NYC. She even falls in love with a young man named Matthew (or Matteo in Italian) who is recovering from a divorce and raising his 4 years old daughter. He has family on the islands but he also lives in NYC. Lily's ex-boyfriend also shows up the day before the wedding to try and win Lily back but the issue of children is still a deal breaker and he has to finally accept that they just will not work.
In the meantime the rest of the book is really an advertisement for travel and tourism to the islands of Ischia and Procida. These islands are off the beaten track and they are absolute gems with low levels of tourism. Even the photos I have seen are gorgeous.
Capri on the other hand is over crowded during the summer because everyone goes there. Lily is a copy writer by trade and so for her new job she decides she wants to combine travel and writing and create a website about Ischia and Procida to encourage more visitors. The businesses on those islands will pay to be featured, while Lily tells stories saying why tourists should visit these islands.
I grew up with an obsession about France. Now I am obsessed with Italy!! I read anything I can about Italy - even if it is a romance set in Italy. This story was beautifully written!!! I give it 5 stars!!!
In the meantime the rest of the book is really an advertisement for travel and tourism to the islands of Ischia and Procida. These islands are off the beaten track and they are absolute gems with low levels of tourism. Even the photos I have seen are gorgeous.
Capri on the other hand is over crowded during the summer because everyone goes there. Lily is a copy writer by trade and so for her new job she decides she wants to combine travel and writing and create a website about Ischia and Procida to encourage more visitors. The businesses on those islands will pay to be featured, while Lily tells stories saying why tourists should visit these islands.
I grew up with an obsession about France. Now I am obsessed with Italy!! I read anything I can about Italy - even if it is a romance set in Italy. This story was beautifully written!!! I give it 5 stars!!!
August 8, 2024
I had so much hopes for this book as my holiday read but sadly I was left disappointed. What the author achieved in 300 pages couldn’t easily been done in 50 pages and instead created more depth to the story.
The only thing that could’ve saved this boring story would’ve been spice. I was hopeful between Lily and Matt and even more hopeful when things got steamy between her and Peter but there was absolutely nothing.
My key criticisms are below:
- The blurb says Lily flees to Italy after the break-up of her long-term relationship…turns out they were only together 6 months, hardly long-term and Lily acting like it was in the book did grate me.
- Lily gets a character arc turning her from spineless and heartbroken whiney girl into someone with drive in setting up her own business and love interest. However the author spreads this across 300 pages and abruptly ends the book just as he arc was starting. The story ends at the end of the wedding. I was expecting an epilogue at least afterwards.
- There was no explanation as to how this group of friends are friends. They all seem to have conflicting personalities or lack of one and different interests. I didn’t feel any closeness or chemistry between them
- Mangan did an excellent job of writing 300 pages with the slowest paced sort I have ever read and filled instead with endless discriptions of the island. I get it that the Island is beautiful, you’ve told me 100 times!! And then Lilys arc of trying to promote the island is jsjt left high and dry at the end so made no sense to me why the author put a huge focus on it when it wasn’t focused on at the end
Overall, this has the makings of a good story but the character’s arcs deserved much more focus and much less descriptions.
The only thing that could’ve saved this boring story would’ve been spice. I was hopeful between Lily and Matt and even more hopeful when things got steamy between her and Peter but there was absolutely nothing.
My key criticisms are below:
- The blurb says Lily flees to Italy after the break-up of her long-term relationship…turns out they were only together 6 months, hardly long-term and Lily acting like it was in the book did grate me.
- Lily gets a character arc turning her from spineless and heartbroken whiney girl into someone with drive in setting up her own business and love interest. However the author spreads this across 300 pages and abruptly ends the book just as he arc was starting. The story ends at the end of the wedding. I was expecting an epilogue at least afterwards.
- There was no explanation as to how this group of friends are friends. They all seem to have conflicting personalities or lack of one and different interests. I didn’t feel any closeness or chemistry between them
- Mangan did an excellent job of writing 300 pages with the slowest paced sort I have ever read and filled instead with endless discriptions of the island. I get it that the Island is beautiful, you’ve told me 100 times!! And then Lilys arc of trying to promote the island is jsjt left high and dry at the end so made no sense to me why the author put a huge focus on it when it wasn’t focused on at the end
Overall, this has the makings of a good story but the character’s arcs deserved much more focus and much less descriptions.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 8, 2023
In this book you will be swept away to the beautiful island of Italy. You can smell the gorgeous food, and feel the sun on your face, while walking down the beautiful cobbled streets.
In this book we meet Lily who thought that she had everytjjng that she wanted in life. That is until her long term relationship breaks down. All of a sudden Lily needs to escape, to get away and have a break from everything. So the distraction of her beat friends wedding on the gorgeous Italian island of Ischia is exactly what she needs.
Ten days of sun, sand, sea, gorgeous Italian food, cobbled streets and copious cocktails exactly what she needs to make everything better. However it is here that lily discovers that she has lost her job.
Lily is feeling at a loose end and so when she meets Matt a Ischia local she takes him up on his offer to soak in all the magic that Ischia has to offer. It is on this trip that not only does Lily fall in love with Ischia but she also discovers that they need help to draw tourists to the island and Lily is suddenly filled with a purpose, filled with plans and a spark for life.
This is a really nice book, with lovely descriptions and a smattering of romance.
In this book we meet Lily who thought that she had everytjjng that she wanted in life. That is until her long term relationship breaks down. All of a sudden Lily needs to escape, to get away and have a break from everything. So the distraction of her beat friends wedding on the gorgeous Italian island of Ischia is exactly what she needs.
Ten days of sun, sand, sea, gorgeous Italian food, cobbled streets and copious cocktails exactly what she needs to make everything better. However it is here that lily discovers that she has lost her job.
Lily is feeling at a loose end and so when she meets Matt a Ischia local she takes him up on his offer to soak in all the magic that Ischia has to offer. It is on this trip that not only does Lily fall in love with Ischia but she also discovers that they need help to draw tourists to the island and Lily is suddenly filled with a purpose, filled with plans and a spark for life.
This is a really nice book, with lovely descriptions and a smattering of romance.
December 30, 2022
I was completely and utterly transported to the Italian island of Ischia in this slow burn romantic novel.
Like Lily I wasn't overly aware of Ischia's existence, but I am now definitely keen to visit. The author has done a wonderful job of promoting the island and I felt as though I was there alongside the characters.
Lily is just one of the wedding party spending 9 days on the island, and I really enjoyed getting to know all of her friends, while also hoping that the time away will help her get over the most recent break up.
I loved all the friends, especially the brides and their rather different approaches to a wedding.
It was the travel aspects that appealed to me most and they were all incredibly well done. I thoroughly enjoyed spending time on the island from my sunbed in Mexico, and found myself considering Ischia for my next holiday.
Thank you to Sphere and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
Like Lily I wasn't overly aware of Ischia's existence, but I am now definitely keen to visit. The author has done a wonderful job of promoting the island and I felt as though I was there alongside the characters.
Lily is just one of the wedding party spending 9 days on the island, and I really enjoyed getting to know all of her friends, while also hoping that the time away will help her get over the most recent break up.
I loved all the friends, especially the brides and their rather different approaches to a wedding.
It was the travel aspects that appealed to me most and they were all incredibly well done. I thoroughly enjoyed spending time on the island from my sunbed in Mexico, and found myself considering Ischia for my next holiday.
Thank you to Sphere and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
July 23, 2022
Thank you to NetGallery and the Publisher for a copy of this book.
This book is a great summer read which really makes you want to head to the island of Ischia, Italy.
It's a light-hearted story about a group of 5 30-something friends, two of whom are getting married to each other on the idyllic island, who turn it into a week-long holiday to spend some well-needed time together.
The book mainly focuses on Lily and is written in the third person. Just before Lily heads out on the holiday she ends her long-term relationship and her time on the island turns into her trying to discover what she wants to do with her life.
The book paints a wonderful picture of the Italian island and all the great things about Italy, including the people, food, and wine. It's an easy read with relatable characters. This book will have you googling trips to Italy by the end of it!
This book is a great summer read which really makes you want to head to the island of Ischia, Italy.
It's a light-hearted story about a group of 5 30-something friends, two of whom are getting married to each other on the idyllic island, who turn it into a week-long holiday to spend some well-needed time together.
The book mainly focuses on Lily and is written in the third person. Just before Lily heads out on the holiday she ends her long-term relationship and her time on the island turns into her trying to discover what she wants to do with her life.
The book paints a wonderful picture of the Italian island and all the great things about Italy, including the people, food, and wine. It's an easy read with relatable characters. This book will have you googling trips to Italy by the end of it!
June 7, 2022
This lighthearted journey between 5 friends and an amazing Italian summer wedding was beautiful to read. The vivid imagery written by the author made it easy to place oneself into the Ischia island.
Lily's series of unfortunate events lead her to finding herself in Italy and although the hints of romance were great, I found it to be a story of self rediscovery and starting on a new path as a previously established woman.
This is a really lighthearted summer read perfect for a a variety of people. I personally gave this 3.5 ⭐️ as I found there was something missing for me, and I found in a few parts I found myself skimming.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!
Lily's series of unfortunate events lead her to finding herself in Italy and although the hints of romance were great, I found it to be a story of self rediscovery and starting on a new path as a previously established woman.
This is a really lighthearted summer read perfect for a a variety of people. I personally gave this 3.5 ⭐️ as I found there was something missing for me, and I found in a few parts I found myself skimming.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!
August 22, 2024
This book was super cute! I accidentally picked it up instead of the other, more popular One Italian Summer but im really happy i git this one instead. Elena is SOO CUTE AHHH!! I love how Matt called her Elenita that’s was so cute. He’s seems like such an amazing dad to her!! I liked how this book didnt have lots of romance between them going on and it was just vibes. All the other characters were so fun and bubbly! Rhis was a really good book!!
April 8, 2023
3.5 stars
I started reading this book on my E reader, thinking it was a different book by the same name. I was about a third of the way into it before I realized I had the wrong book, but I was enjoying the storyline, so kept going.
I didn’t care for some of the writing style, but loved the description of the island and the Italian residence. It makes me want to visit Ischia!
I started reading this book on my E reader, thinking it was a different book by the same name. I was about a third of the way into it before I realized I had the wrong book, but I was enjoying the storyline, so kept going.
I didn’t care for some of the writing style, but loved the description of the island and the Italian residence. It makes me want to visit Ischia!
July 22, 2024
It was fine, not great, I just wasn’t in the right headspace, was busy and sick and felt like it took forever to finish, I also expected a different story idk. And was annoyed by some comments from the characters that kept coming back. Anyway, glad it’s over, content with the ending, onto a fresh new one ☺️
June 16, 2025
WORST BOOK I HAVE EVER READ?
How is it possible this woman was crazy about being with Peter and all of a sudden they start fighting like monsters and she curses and she acts like a woman from the streets... Also some of the things written about Italy are not correct I live here and I know what I'm saying I will never choose a book by this author again.
How is it possible this woman was crazy about being with Peter and all of a sudden they start fighting like monsters and she curses and she acts like a woman from the streets... Also some of the things written about Italy are not correct I live here and I know what I'm saying I will never choose a book by this author again.
June 25, 2025
I can't put into words how I feel about this book. It was shockingly bad. I can't attach a photo here but here is an excerpt.
Banging her forehead on the table again and groaning. "I think she's in shock" she's not swearing. She's just doing a kind of Rain Man move on the table there.
This was the first book I tried to read by this author and I'll never attempt another
Banging her forehead on the table again and groaning. "I think she's in shock" she's not swearing. She's just doing a kind of Rain Man move on the table there.
This was the first book I tried to read by this author and I'll never attempt another
December 16, 2025
charming
Really enjoyed this fun filled adventure of a mixture of lady friends going to their friend’s wedding in a small, but gorgeous Italian island and their escapades. The descriptions of the sights are beautifully written as is the friendships among them all. Light, charming read with love all around them.
Really enjoyed this fun filled adventure of a mixture of lady friends going to their friend’s wedding in a small, but gorgeous Italian island and their escapades. The descriptions of the sights are beautifully written as is the friendships among them all. Light, charming read with love all around them.
May 26, 2023
Look, I knew what I was getting myself into when I bought this book. But I was hoping for a bit more than fairly endless and repetitive descriptions of the various foods and drinks one can enjoy in Ischia.
August 9, 2023
outstanding
I couldn’t put this book down. The descriptions of Ischia were beautiful that I felt I as there. My family originated in Ischia and I want to visit there. This book just made m fall in love with this island. Thank you.
I couldn’t put this book down. The descriptions of Ischia were beautiful that I felt I as there. My family originated in Ischia and I want to visit there. This book just made m fall in love with this island. Thank you.
May 14, 2024
Cheesy, pretty pointless stuff - to say the least. Loved all the descriptions about Italy though, the food, the islands etc... Makes me want to go! So enjoyed the book from that respect. But the rest is predictable and cringe!!!
May 27, 2024
Amazon called this a love story…that’s stretching the truth really. There was not much of a love interest at all. The majority of the book was spent with descriptions of the food and the wine and the views of the island. The story itself was cheesy and just not very interesting.
July 1, 2024
I absolutely loved this book! The story line was great, well written & flowed. I just couldn't put it down. The amazing descriptions of the islands of Ischia and Procida of the people, food, history was so that you wanted to book a flight and go now! I'm half Italian and never heard of these islands. My Italian 2nd cousin said it is her "happy place". A must read! Ready for the next book!
October 19, 2024
Leuk verhaal met potentieel. De romantiek kon echt beter: zeer slow burn, zonder dat er ook maar een kus gebeurde. De eerste helft van het boek was veelbelovend, de tweede helft van het boek voelde langdradig aan, het einde was teleurstellend 😅
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