The three generations of Ferrari women need to reconnect with one another.  Francesca is career obsessed, building her advertising company and refusing to give up any control, but she’s out of touch with her eighteen year old daughter.  Allegra is nearing the summer before her senior year of high school and wants to travel with a group of undermotivated musician friends.  Grandmother Sophia knows she is ill, but wants to take a last trip to Italy where her parents met and fell in love.
This is the book my wanderlusting soul needed right now.  Not only did I enjoy the story of these three women and their relationships with one another, but the tour through Italy, the sights and smells and smidge of romance absolutely won me over.  It was a vivid virtual tour, but also a healing, uplifting, beautiful novel about missed opportunities, second chances, relationships and forgiving.
•
•
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Meet Francesca, Sophie, and Allegra. Three generations of the Ferrari women each with their own strained relationships. We follow the three women as they take a trip across Italy trying to renew bonds, build trust, and learn how to feel and let go. 

I really loved how this was told in the different point of views so we get a chance to hear from all three women and their sides. There was plenty of moments for love and laughter as well as finding true family love. I really appreciated how the author made a way to showcase each woman individually and their ties together. I really enjoyed the writing style, allowing each woman to shine and deal with their own troubles. I am giving this four stars because it had a solid writing style, but I wasn’t sold on Allegra’s story ending. It didn’t really seem to fit the flow of the rest of the story. Other than that, I loved it.

This is a lovely journey through Italy with three women who learn how to connect with each other. I enjoyed the descriptions of the beautiful Italian countryside as much as the budding romances and importance of family.

This is my first Jennifer Probst book and it was fantastic.  

This is a beautiful story of three women who are on their own personal journeys...they just happen to be related.

Sophia (mom/grandma) knows something is not right with her body and is watching her daughter and granddaughter grow apart.  Her mission is to bring the three of them together on a once in a lifetime trip.

Francesca (mom/daughter) is a workaholic, not giving her daughter the attention she needs/wants and a bit jealous of the relationship her mother and daughter have.  But she’s not willing to sacrifice work to make them a priority.

Allegra (daughter/grand-daughter) is a junior in high school who is trying to get her moms attention, willing to take chances to get her attention and trying to get the courage to stand up for what she wants her future to look like.

As events unfold the three of them head out on a three week trip to Italy.  Along the way they discover the hurt, miscommunication, regrets, dream and desires the three of them have experienced. It’s a journey of not only healing old wounds but self discovery, live and forgiveness.

I received an arc in exchange for an honest review.

Jennifer Probst has given us a book for the ages. Her descriptions of Italy, the food, wine, churches, art and countryside carry you there and bring a calm to your soul. The story of 3 generations of woman looking for something tangible to bring their family together will touch your heart and soul.

The dynamics between Sophia, Francesca and Allegra are complicated. All family connections have their challenging aspects and Ms. Probst brings all the feelings, good and bad, into this story. As we travel with them and learn more about them, you will come to understand that each has their motivations and intentions for going on the trip. The women’s interactions with each other and other characters lead us on an incredible journey.

This book is a MUST READ for anyone who has ever dreamed of Italy and those that haven't.

Thank you to Net Galley for an advanced copy of this book. I have never read a Jennifer Probst before and I thoroughly enjoyed it! I travelled a couple of years ago to Italy and loved reading about all the places the Ferrari women visited. It brought back such wonderful memories. If you have never been to Italy you will definitely want to go once you have read this book!!! I loved the strong women characters in this book who each had their own internal struggles but managed through their trip to re-bond and find a strength in each other and being together. If you are looking for a good woman's read about family relationships, then this is the book for you. And if you are looking at getting away during this pandemic while you are stuck at home, read this book and you will feel like you have travelled to Italy!

Francesca is a workaholic, self-made business woman who is beginning to spiral. Her daughter, Allegra, is has also begun to stray - she has begun to lose her path as she navigates adolescence without a father and a mother who is always working. And Sophia, Francesca's mother, is not sure if she can bridge the growing divide between her daughter and granddaughter and hopes that a summer trip to Italy for the three of them could be just what each of them needs.

Will Franny find a balance to work and family? Can Allegra figure out who she is and what she wants for her future? Will Sophia succeed in making her family whole again?

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3811023671

I received an ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I never read a book by Jennifer Probst but certainly read my share of this type of book. The author writes with a winning formula—a family of women of different generations, conflict, stress and love.- a romantic setting-you have a winner but not a winner for me. Nonni is too nice. Allegra is a brat and Francesca rigid. What I loved about the book is the setting. I visited Italy on an escorted tour 20 years ago. We visited many of the cities an attractions. I loved that part. My peeve is that the characters always commented of the smells of fellow characters. They must’ve been sniffing through the entire book. If this is your type of genre, this book is for you.

Our Italian Summer was my first Jennifer Probst novel, though I've had her on my radar for a very long time now and this book didn't disappoint. In our current world where traveling is completely unsafe, this fictional trip to Italy was exactly what I needed. Her writing is beautiful and flows. I loved her style of storytelling and I just love these women's journey! I can't wait to explore her backlist and will definitely be keeping an eye out for her backlist!

ARC for honest review with no compensation received from NetGalley 4.5 stars

Our Italian Summer by Jennifer Probst is about three generations of women, mother, daughter and granddaughter taking a trip to Italy where they rediscover what has been missing in their relationships, connecting as a family, healing those relationships and finding what has been missing ... love!

This was a lovely novel about 3 generations of woman and the relationship between them. 

They've decided to take a trip to Italy for the summer, all for different reasons. 

Francesca has a very successful business and is a workaholic. She puts her job first,  instead of her daughter, Allegra. She's missed so much of Allegras teen years,  that Allegra has become resentful.

She doesn't have much of a relationship with her mother but she adores her relationship with her grandmother, Sophia, as she has pretty much raised Allegra while Francesca established her business.
Allegra gets in trouble with the law,  and the trip to Italy that Sophia  has been pestering Francesca about for a few months, finally becomes a reality.

What I really liked was that the story is told from the 3 different viewpoints of each generation and their struggles, triumphs  and what they each were going through and learning and growing. 

This was my first book by Jennifer Probst and it will definitely not be my last. She has a beautiful way of weaving each story together yet keeping them separated.
Beautiful read,  I definitely recommend it!

I'd like to thank the author #authorjenniferprobst
And #netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was a very good read! It was definitely a little different than many of the other Jennifer Probst books. This story followed 3 generations of one family. Francessca, her Mother Sophia, and her daughter Allegra. It followed these ladies in a summer as they travel in the summer to Italy. I thought this was so well written and I loved each chapter was from their point of view. You have the agnst of a teenager really wanted attention from her Mother. A Mother who wants to successful in her career and a Grandmother who wants everyone to get along. They each find a little romance along the way but it wasn't the main focus. Finding themselves to build better relationships was the main focus and I loved it! I loved the flow of the story and the details of their trip. It felt like I was right there with me. It was a beautiful story, and I really enjoyed it.

FULL AUTHOR INTERVIEW ON FRESHFICTION.COM

1--What is the title of your latest release? 

OUR ITALIAN SUMMER

2--What is it about? 

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.

3--What do you love about the setting of your book? 

The book literally takes you through a tour of Italy, from Rome all the way to Tuscany. It’s full of amazing food, wine, and experiences that Italy is beloved for.

4--How did your heroine(s) surprise you? 

There are actually three heroines in this book. Francesca is 49, Allegra is 18, and Sophia is 75! I love diving into the various points of view for each age. I think what surprised me the most about all of them is the inner strength each of them have to keep them pushing through challenges.

5--Why will readers love your hero(es)? 

There are two main heroes in this book! Enzo is the Italian tour guide, and Ian is one of the tour members from Ireland. Enzo falls for Francesca, and Ian falls for Allegra. These love stories are both very different but extremely emotional and poignant. I know these two men will make my readers swoon!

Thank you NetGalley and Berkley for my #gifted copy in exchange for an honest review. 

Due to potential spoilers, content warnings are at the bottom of this post. 

Our Italian Summer takes us on the journey through 3 generations of women of the same family and how they vacation in Italy after each one has issues in their lives they want to escape from. 

I loved being in the head of these three ladies that thought and felt completely differently from each other while at the same time I wanted to shake them and make them realize how they were screwing up and continuing their fights. There were several times that they they would acknowledge what would be the better option to do so that there wasn’t a fight or tension and they would do the opposite out of spite. 

The tour of Italy was wonderful! It’s one of my dream places to travel to and then to have all the insights and thorough descriptions of what they were exploring and seeing made me feel like I could picture it and sometimes felt like I was there. 

The food content was perfection too. I related a lot to Allegra (the teenager) and how she dreams of a career involving food. Her fascination with the food they ate and what made it so good is something I tend to do too.


Recommended if you like:
-Italy 🇮🇹
- Travel ✈️
- With The Fire On High 📖


CW: anxiety, grief, discussion of sexual assault and victim blaming, panic attacks, discussion of miscarriage, cancer

A good story about family and how important it is to foster those connections set in a beautiful location!

Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for providing me with an arc for an honest review.

Our Italian Summer gave me the travel bug! The way this story was written really made me feel like I was traveling to Italy. When I was 16 I went on a two and a half week tour of Italy and this book brought me back to that amazing trip. The dynamic between Allegra, Francesca and Sophia was transformed throughout the novel. I loved that it wasn’t just about their relationship with one another, but also about themselves as individuals. Ian and Enzo were such great additions to the story and I loved reading about each character. The scenery was so well written and I cannot wait to get back to Italy, eat some delicious food and see everything Italy has to offer. This book was an A+.

I love Jennifer Probst's writing and this was no exception. I thoroughly enjoyed this Women's Fiction novel. My only "complaint" is that is was not really a romance to me!

Another great read for these cold, wintry days is Jennifer Probst’s Our Italian Summer. Pre-Covid, my family and I visited Italy nearly every summer so I’ve really been missing our travels. While we don’t have any plans to visit this year, it was wonderful to take a virtual trip via this book!

Probst weaves a lovely and emotional tale about three generations of women seeking to reclaim happiness in their lives. Sophia Ferrari is struggling with an illness and no longer feels close to her daughter Francesca; Francesca is a workaholic who barely has any time to spend with her own daughter Allegra; and, Allegra is getting into all sorts of trouble as a result. The Ferrari women are all in need of reconnecting with each other, and Italy is the perfect place for this to happen. The interactions feel real and not forced, and Probst does an excellent job of depicting the often fraught relationship between mothers and daughters. And, I loved how all of the women reconnected while exploring Italy. Filled with gorgeous descriptions of the Italian countryside and some heartfelt romances along the way, Our Italian Summer was the perfect escapist read during this rough winter!

Thank you to Netgalley and Berkley Books for my digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

OUR ITALIAN SUMMER is a wonderful read that takes us to Italy. The scenes come alive, they’re so descriptive. This is a multi-generational story where Allegra, an eighteen-year-old, travels to Italy for an Italian tour with her mom and grandmother. Allegra and her mother have a strained relationship, as does her mother and grandmother. Allegra and her grandmother, however, have a special bond, and it shows. They show their love through food, cooking together then sharing their meals.

The story has a nice flow, especially set in Italy. The women bond but still have moments of estrangement. The other characters on the tour round out the story nicely, especially Enzo, their tour guide, and Ian, a college graduate who comes on the tour with his parents before he takes the next steps in his life’s journey. 

OUR ITALIAN SUMMER is more women’s fiction than it is a contemporary romance, although there are elements of romance and love throughout. The cover is colorful and beautifully portrayed and fits the book nicely. The Note to Reader, which describes how the book came about, as well as the Reader’s Guide Discussion Questions makes the reader reflect on the story. Having traveled to Rome, Florence and Venice, I reflected on my own family’s travels while reading this book.

Ms. Probst is an author whose books I enjoy and haven’t read enough of.  I have quite a few on my TBR list and can’t wait to get to them.

A RECOMMENDED READ!

I enjoyed this contemporary chick-lit book about a family of 3 generations of women (grandmother, mother, and daughter), whose relationships are fraught with misunderstandings and hurt. The grandmother, Sophia, has always wanted to visit the birthplace of her parents in Italy, but never could. Once she starts having some troubling health issues, she feels compelled that now is the time, and once her granddaughter starts being rebellious to get her work-aholic mother's attention, Sophia feels that to go there is imperative as a way for all 3 of them to reconnect before it is too late. It was good for them to work everything out, and there was some romance thrown in too for good measure.
I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review-- thank you.