A few years ago, I spent four unforgettable days in Sardinia, Italy with one of my oldest friends. She and I spent our days exploring the beaches, food, plazas, and views. Even though I grew up on a different island across the ocean that is also packed with breathtaking beaches and sights, there’s something about the Mediterranean coast that makes me feel like I’ve stepped inside a painting or a different time. It’s exotic and magical.

When I read One Italian Summer, Rebecca Serle’s latest novel, set in Positano on Italy’s Amalfi Coast, I felt all that again. And, it’s not just because this book takes place in an Italian beach town; through Serle’s words, I felt the same amazement I’ve experienced when visiting the Mediterranean. During these times of limited foreign travel, this was a beautiful gift. But, this story gifted me so much more than wanderlust.

“Colorful hotels and houses sit chiseled into the rocks as if they were painted there. The entire town is built around the cove of the sea. It looks like an amphitheater, enjoying the performance of the ocean.”

One Italian Summer opens as Katy, our main character, is reeling from the loss of her mother. And her pain is so intense that she’s questioning some of her most important life choices, including her marriage. To reconnect with her mother and hoping to find some direction, she decides to proceed with the trip they were meant to take together to Positano, the town where Katy’s mom, Carol, had spent a transformative summer. While there, she finds and befriends her dead mother. Or, actually, the 30-year-old version of her mom.

“I want to see what she saw, what she loved before she loved me. I want to see where it was she always wanted to return, this magical place that showed up so strongly in her memories.”
When I read Serle’s previous book, In Five Years, I thought I was picking up a cute rom-com, and I ended up reading a deep and meaningful story. This story felt familiar, but it was also completely different. In One Italian Summer, Serle committed to the magical realism that inspired her previous book. Through it, she delivered an inspiring and spiritual portrait of loss, grief, and healing.

“My mother, you see, is the great love of my life. She is the great love of my life, and I have lost her.”
One Italian Summer is another uplifting and memorable celebration of love, but, once more, not the romantic kind. Rebecca Serle, this time, is tackling the oldest and most meaningful connection a woman has in her lifetime. Katy and Carol’s story spotlights the unconditional yet complicated love that fuels a tight mother-daughter bond.


I love how Rebecca Serle’s stories make me feel. Her memorable prose and imaginative storylines stay with me. One Italian Summer is a vivid, picturesque, and unforgettable story of life after loss. Katy and Carol’s journey will pull your heartstrings and simultaneously fill your heart with joy.

I’ve spent ten days in Italy back in the summer of 1997. I threw coins in the Trevi Fountain, so hopefully its legend is true, and I’ll go back someday. In the meantime, I must settle for books that take place in the country of my ancestors.

Author Serle sets her novel along the Amalfi Coast in the town of Positano. Her descriptions of the colorful houses and shops, the beauty of the clear ocean, the steep stairs that rival San Francisco’s hills, the bright sun and the cool breezes lacing through your hair made this reader feel as if she were there.

In the novel, Katy and her mother, Carol, had planned a trip to Positano for Carol’s sixtieth birthday. Unfortunately, Carol dies. Katy is devasted by the loss of the mother and best friend. After much persuading from her family and friends, Katy decides to go...alone. Upon her arrival, Katy is sure she has done the right thing; she can feel her mother’s spirit tagging along.

The hotel is gorgeous, the views are heavenly (no pun intended) and the service is remarkable. Katy has a plan; to do all the things she and Carol had planned to do: visit Capri, shop, eat, drink, sunbath. It was to be the perfect getaway.

In the hotel’s lobby, Katy meets a woman who looks exactly like her mother. No, it can’t be. She dresses, sounds and acts like Carol. Through some quirk of time travel, the woman is indeed her mother. Only she is thirty years old.

Over the course of the novel, the two women bond. Katy learns to let go of her grief and realize that her mother’s spirit will always be with her. Learning to let go involves a romance... or two...as well as getting to know Carol in various other ways.

“One Italian Summer” was a delightful read and a perfect getaway for those of us who won’t be traveling again this year. This book receives 5 out of 5 stars in Julie’s world.

I'm just not sure about this one. We have seen it everywhere, good job publicity, but I'm not certain it's for me.

Much like "In Five Years," there is a fantastical element added that is just so off for me.

I really enjoyed the mother/daughter bond.

The love story felt awkward.

It was just meh....

These are my own opinions. I recieved a review copy of this book from the publishers for this opinion. Don't tear me a new one! 😉

What happens when you lose the love of your life? What if the love of your life is your mother? While I wasn't a fan of the main premise of this book, or the main character, I did enjoy the descriptions of Italy and the amazing views and food.

The reason this book got an extra star from me was the exploration of the concept of our parents' lives before us. It really made me stop and think, and I appreciate what Serle discussed in relation to Katy's relationship with Carol.

My Review: ⭐️⭐️⭐.5/ 5 stars

This is a love story - but not of a romantic love, it is about the unconditional love between a daughter and her mother. Katy loses her mother, Carol, to illness and she is utterly heartbroken, depressed, and questioning everything in her life, including her marriage to Eric. She and her mom were supposed to go to Positano (a favorite place of Carol’s) before her death, and on a whim, Katy decides to go anyway alone - to experience what her mother did all those years ago. Upon arrival, she immediately feels her mother’s spirit. And as if by magic, a younger version of her mother shows up and is 30 years old. Katy realizes that this is her chance to get to know her mother when she was young - and figure out what her mother really was like and what her hopes and dreams were before getting married to Katy's father.

A beautifully written ode to the Amalfi coast, I was transformed to Italy on almost every page. Katy’s love for her mother is obvious - and I have a very close relationship with my own mom, so I couldn’t even imagine losing her. However, when it started to delve into aspects of her own life including infidelity and attachment issues - it was more alarming than charming.

Thanks to Atria Books and NetGalley for the e-copy in exchange for my honest review.

“My mother, you see, is the great love of my life.”⁣
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Even though this concept is completely foreign to me, it did not impede me from enjoying the book. ⁣
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I have seen a ton of mixed reviews and I get it, if you aren't willing to suspend reality, this book isn't going to work for you. I read the full summary (something I don't usually do) so I knew ahead of time what to expect and I was able to just go with it. The descriptions of Positano were just heavenly and I really do hope to visit one day. ⁣
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Do you enjoy mother/daughter stories?

3/5 stars

I've read and really enjoyed Serle's previous books so I thought I'd give this one a try. I went into this book a bit skeptical after seeing so many mixed reviews. Now to read the Dinner List to see where it stacks up.

What I liked:
-the mother/daughter relationship
-the setting (it made me want to book a trip to Italy)
-the short and concise ending

What I didn't like:
-the very apparent infidelity
-unlikeable characters
-lots of jumping around.

Although I didn't love this book and it was just okay to me, I'm still glad I read it. and it made me grateful for my mom, our relationship and to savor time together.

There was a lot of hype surrounding this book which is the main reason I chose to read it. The highlight of this story was the Amalfi Coast's descriptions - the scenery, the food, and the people. However, the main character, Katy, treated those around her poorly, especially her husband. Even dealing with the horrendous depths of grief at losing her mother does not give Katy the right to dismiss everyone else that cares for her. I was unprepared for the odd twist that occurs not long after Katy arrives in Italy, and I found it bizarre. Unfortunately, I was disappointed with One Italian Summer.

It definitely took me a while to get into this one. It opened with the death of our main character's mother. This is where her journey begins, so it might seem like a good place to start, but it was so dark that I had to force myself to keep reading. And then we quickly learn that this is not your typical mother-daughter relationship. Katy and her mother have a fairly co-dependent relationship. Katy says she is in love with her mother. She wants to end her marriage after losing the real love of her life. Okay....

Finally, we get to Italy. Things lighten up a bit and we see a few rays of sunshine. I never really connected Katy. She isn't a particularly pleasant protagonist. She's grieving, but she's unfair to the people attempting to support her. I did, however, enjoy her travels. I even enjoyed some of her self-exploration and will admit to breathing a sigh of relief that some personal growth occurred. But mostly, I enjoyed following her around Positano and the Amalfi Coast -- trying new things, exploring new places, and eating alll the food.

So this one was kind of mixed bag for me. Overall, it was worth the read.

*Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the advanced readers copy.

One Italian Summer is a quick read,full of emotion. The mother/daughter dynamic was well written and the story in itself with well done. I loved, loved, loved this book! I highly recommend all mothers and daughters read this.

After losing her mother to cancer, Katy feels devastated. Her mother was her best friend, the one with all the answers. Losing her makes Katy doubt everything in her life. She is not sure she wants to remain married to her husband, Eric. She is lost in despair and grief.

Needing a change and a place to clear her head, she decides to take the trip to Italy she and her mother, Carol had planned. The Amalfi Coast was a place quite dear to her mother. Carol had spent time there before she was married.

When she arrives in Positano she makes a connection with a young man, Adam, and then she sees her mother, alive and well and young too. Katy doesn't understand it but she doesn't want to blink and realize it was all a dream.

Carol and Katy become fast friends and Katy will do anything to continue hanging out with this carefree version of her mother. She is getting to know a part of her she never saw but for how long can this be?

I won't lie, I was a little disappointed in One Italian Summer. I felt like Katy took all but never reciprocated. She was mean and disrespectful to her husband, Eric who seem like a nice friendly guy. She was also trying to force Carol into making the decision she wanted. It was all Me, Me, Me with her.

What I did like was seeing Positano again through the author's eyes. The Amalfi Coast is one of my favorite places. A few years ago, I spent two magnificent weeks there. I had the best time with family and the best food too. I miss it and I can't wait to go back and have another cheese tour, visit a lemon farm and do a limoncello and meloncello tasting, take the boat to Capri, and enjoyed quite memorable dishes and desserts.

Cliffhanger: No

3/5 Fangs

A complimentary copy was provided by Atria Books via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

At the start of the book we find Katy lost in her grief of losing her mom, her best friend, the greatest love of her life. She explains their relationship beautifully and also explains the devastating loss she now feels without her.

As Katy runs away to Italy, to the place she planned to go with her mom, Positano itself becomes a major presence in the book and I loved being transported there. I’ve been to Italy but not the Amalfi Coast so it was fun being able to explore it through this book. I felt like I’d just gone on an Italian summer and could practically feel the sun on my face.

I don’t want to give too much away but similar to In Five Years, Rebecca Serle bends and plays with the concept of time and the here & now in a truly interesting way.

While it was a good read, the relationship between Katy and her husband wasn’t explored enough and there were parts of her mom’s backstory I didn’t love.

If you have recently or at any time lost your mom this may be a tough read.

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 / 5
Takeaway: a love story between a mother and a daughter that is explored in unexpected ways on the Amalfi Coast.

Thank you Atria Books for providing me an arc.
This story was absolutely beautiful. Rebecca Serle has a way with her words and truly created an image of Italy and what Katy experienced. I personally have never had a connection for my mother and it was truly amazing to read about such a close relationship. I can not wait to see what Rebecca has next.

Reeling from loss, a woman takes the trip of a lifetime in One Italian Summer by bestselling author Rebecca Serle (In Five Years).

Thirty-year-old Katy Silver used to have it all: an adoring husband, a comfortable home near her family in Los Angeles and a rock-solid friendship with her mother, Carol. But her mother’s death turned everything upside down. Suddenly nothing makes sense or feels right for Katy, not even her marriage. After the funeral, she wonders, “If your mother is the love of your life, what does that make your husband?” Katy doesn’t have an answer, but she knows she needs change.

So Katy leaves all her commitments behind and travels to Positano, Italy—a place her mother spent the summer 30 years ago, and where Carol and Katy had dreamed of visiting together. There, Katy stays at the gorgeous (and very real) Hotel Poseidon, and she immerses herself in the Amalfi Coast.

That may sound capricious, but to Katy these choices are necessary, even if she can’t quite explain why. What Katy doesn’t count on is running into a woman who looks and sounds exactly like Carol would have at 30—and even shares both her mother’s name and profession. Without understanding how it’s possible, Katy gets to know a different side of her mother as a young woman, and One Italian Summer becomes a sumptuous and sensuous feast of a book.
Full review at BookPage.com

My feedback is much like some I read from others but hoped I could get over...this book is atmospheric about a lovely part of the world but it's just so difficult to get past this girl's unhealthily codependent attachment to her mother. Not her best friend, the LOVE OF HER LIFE? And she completely casts aside her husband and her dad, because she and her mom are soulmates - too bad, guys?? I mean, she's a full grown woman but that's all she talks about, especially in the introductory chapters. It colors her as such a stunted individual the rest of the book.

I love a book set in the idyllic and romantic location of Italy and this one was no different. The author uses such colorful and vibrant descriptions, I could picture just what she was describing even if I have only ever dreamt of visiting. Like other Serle novels, there was magical realism woven through the pages, which I didn't love, but also didn't hate. This story follows Katy on her journey of grieving the loss of identity through the death of her mother, an unfulfilling job, and a marriage that she is frustrated by when she travels to Italy on a trip she thought would look a lot different. I felt the subplot of her marriage was not fleshed out and was a bit rushed but overall enjoyed the perspective of how everyone grieves differently even if the mother/daughter relationship felt very codependent to me in a way that was hard to relate to.

I really enjoyed One Italian Summer, I’m a big fan of @rebecca_serle and this one didn’t disappoint

What I loved 🥰
🌅 the setting!! Take me to Italy please
🪄 I love a little magical realism
🍝🍕 the FOOD descriptions!!
💭 the overall messaging of the story
📖 I loved knowing that the places described in this book are really places! You can go to this hotel, and the cafes/restaurants mentioned in this book!

The only thing that didn’t work for me was Katy’s relationship with her mom, I just didn’t connect with it. Yes, it’s obviously the entirety of this story, but I think you can still enjoy this book without it.

I enjoyed the magical realism of characters meeting in time - the twist got me, but I'm not sure I enjoyed it as much as The Dinner List.

📖 Katy's mom dies & Katy can't cope with the loss. Carol wasn’t only her mom but also Katy's best friend & with her gone life has lost its meaning.

She decides to plan a visit to an Italian town her mother had once gone to as a summer escape from her mourning.

Imagine Katy’s surprise when she encounters Carol—alive & well & not the mother she remembers her as but as the young women she was BEFORE she met Katy’s dad & got pregnant. Katy now has the whole summer to get reacquainted with her mom in ways she never knew possible…

⭐️⭐️⭐️

📝 So… I cried. Bawled really. My mother had me at a very young age so her & I, in a way, kind of “grew up” together. She is my best friend in the whole world so I can relate to Katy when she says “My mother, you see, is the great love of my life. She is the great love of my life, and I have lost her.” I felt the pain of Katy’s loss to the my very core!

I loved that the loving relationship behind this novel wasn’t a romantic one but one of a mother & daughter which is infinitely more intimate in my humble opinion. I felt like the author did a phenomenal job with portraying grief & I also loved the description of the sun-soaked, beautiful Italian coast & the cuisine. (It brought me back to me & my hubby’s honeymoon that we took in Italy)

My only complaint is that I felt that the magical realism/time travel aspect of the novel was not explained as well as it could be. And I hated how Katy treated her husband. I also think there was some serious co-dependency issues she needed to figure out. But All in all though, I really enjoyed this book & would recommend to anyone who is obsessed with their mama like I am! 🥰

katy and her mother had a wonderful relationship as mother and daughter. carol silvers has died before they take their long awaited trip to see italy—a place where carile had spent a magical summer. katy leaves everything behind to make that trip alone. what she finds will change her forever.