Tuesday 12 January 2021

✪ OUR ITALIAN SUMMER ✪ Jennifer Probst ✪

 



• 12 January 2021
• standalone 

★★★★★
4.5 Stars

Three generations of women in the Ferrari family must heal the broken pieces of their lives on a trip of a lifetime through picturesque Italy from New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Probst


Workaholic, career-obsessed Francesca is fiercely independent and successful in all areas of her life except one: family. She struggles to make time for her relationship with her teenage daughter, Allegra, and the two have become practically strangers to each other. When Allegra hangs out with a new crowd and is arrested for drug possession, Francesca gives in to her mother's wish that they take one epic summer vacation to trace their family roots in Italy. She just never expected to face a choice that might change the course of her life. . .


Allegra wants to make her grandmother happy, but she hates the idea of forced time with her mother and vows to fight every step of the ridiculous tour, until a young man on the verge of priesthood begins to show her the power of acceptance, healing, and the heartbreaking complications of love.


Sophia knows her girls are in trouble. A summer filled with the possibility for change is what they all desperately need. Among the ruins of ancient Rome, the small churches of Assisi, and the rolling hills of Tuscany, Sophia hopes to show her girls that the bonds of family are everything, and to remind them that they can always lean on one another, before it's too late.
 



This is the story of three ladies.
Grandma Sophia. Daughter Francesca. And her daughter Allegra.
75, 48 & almost 18 years old.
Francesca is a very busy and successful owner of an ad company. Way too busy to ever make it to any of her daughter's sports events. That's why the girl spends most of her time with grandma.
But now grandma wants all three of them to go to Italy for the summer. It might be Sophia's last summer - she's afraid she's really sick - too afraid to go to a doctor.
But the girls don't want to leave for the whole summer. Francesca is too busy at work and Allegra was planning on going on a road trip with some new friends.
But due to some events in Allegra & Frannie's lives, it's decided that it's high time for a vacation!
Off to Italy we go ... to find ourselves, learn about love and life and forgiveness and so much more ...
  
WHAT WILL HAPPEN WITH OUR THREE GIRLS?
WILL THERE BE A HEA??
READ THE BOOK TO FIND OUT ☺

 ___________________________



I really enjoyed reading this.
I was afraid I wasn't going to like it. It sounded like too much Women's Fiction for my tastes - I'm more of a sexy or funny romance person.
But it was so good!
Sweet, sad, heartbreaking. But also so full of love and hope and family and food and Italy and we even get some romance.
I just adored those three women. All three are not really happy in their lives. They're all a bit lost. Francesca seems to only live for her job. Allegra seems to live to hate her mom. Or rather resent her for never being there and for dismissing all her dreams and wishes for the future. And grandma just wants everybody to be happy and at peace with each other.
And all that resentment and anger and love is happening on this beautiful Italy trip. We hear so much about the places and art and food and also ... a tiny bit too much about religion for my tastes. But still. I loved reading this.
I just adored the tour guide Enzo! And Irish Ian and all the other co-travelers. Such a great cast of people!

I really want to see this on Netflix one day. Like a Love, Eat, Pray meets Jamie Oliver cooking in Italy thing - lol!

OUR ITALIAN SUMMER was such a beautiful & emotional story about three women fighting for their hopes and dreams and family and future on a beautiful trip through Italy with all its amazing food and art. I just adored it - I loved that they took me on that trip with them. Just beautiful! 

SPOILER-ish idea - in white - just highlight the following to read it:
A tiny thing that I was sure would happen in the story. When Francesca was in the hospital and the doc flirted with us and then she said how he threw her a smile that reminded her of something? I can't remember exactly how it was worded. But I was SO sure that we would find out in the end that he was Allegra's dad aka sperm donor!! I would've loved a romance between the doc and Frannie - but of course I'm totally in love with Enzo!




ARC received for an honest review

You know when you pick up a JP book you are going to get a heartfelt, wonderful story that you are going to fall in love with.

And Our Italian Summer is no exception - though I think I fell in love with the scenery as much as the lovelies in our story this time.

It is more women's fiction in feel than other JP books I have read in the past - with a story of self discovery thrown in .  It was Eat, Pray, Love-ish in its vibe (but better than EPL)

I won't lie, there were a few times that I wanted to throw my reader across the room with Frannie and also Allegra.  I could understand their actions/reactions most of the time, but it didn't stop me from hating on them either - especially Frannie.
 
And Nonni reminded me of Sophia from The 
Golden Girls - she was my favourite of the three ladies.

This story has made me want to travel to Europe more than ever.

I did like where their journey ended up taking them, and I look forward to more stories like this from Ms Probst in the future.


 Links to the Book & Author 


Sunshine Sisters Book #1




Book #2



Pre-Order Book #3




STAY SERIES Book #1



Book #2

  


Book #3
  

Book #3.5

  


The Billionaire Builders
Book #1


Book #2


Book #2.5

Book #3





Jennifer Probst wrote her first book at twelve years old. She bound it in a folder, read it to her classmates, and hasn’t stopped writing since. She took a short hiatus to get married, get pregnant, buy a house, get pregnant again, pursue a master’s in English Literature, and rescue two shelter dogs. Now she is writing again.

She is the NYT and USA Today bestselling author of The Marriage Bargain. She is published both erotic and sexy contemporary romance with Entangled, Decadent, Red Sage and TWRP. She has also written a children's book, Buffy and the Carrot, co-written with her twelve year old niece, along with a short story, "A Life Worth Living." Visit her website for more info!