The Five Year Plan is such a sweet and easy read, and totally relatable.
Life throws a few curveballs, so what is a girl to do? Jump on a plane to visit family in Italy.
There were moments that I personally would have liked a tad more emotion, as Demi goes through so much, but overall it was very enjoyable.
I now need to book into my favourite Italian restaurant. The descriptions of all the food had me drooling.
#thefiveyearplannovel #NetGalley

Definitely a feel-good read. I really related to Demi and her issues. And this book made me homesick for Italy (That is one thing this book got very right about the smaller Italian towns. They immediately feel like home no matter where you're from.). I loved the Romeo & Juliet feel to the story. The one criticism I have for this book is that it feels like the conflicts got resolved unnaturally easily, especially the interfamily fued. That whole scene just felt so cheesy to me. But overall, an enjoyable read.

I requested this book on a whim. I needed something light hearted and fun to read. I am so glad I did. This was such a cute book. I loved the family story line and the love story was just a plus.
Definitely get this book.

When pushed to her breaking point, Demi finally hones into her own wants and needs. She travels to Italy to meet and learn cooking traditions from her extended family. Only, shortly after she arrives, she’s discovered she’s leaped right into generations-old family rivalries and secrets. Demi soon realizes what is important to her. She decides to lean on the family motto for future plan-making, “Che sarà sarà”. 

While reading, the world-building made me feel like I was walking the cobblestone streets or witnessing the Moretti trattoria through Demi’s eyes - very vivid and descriptive. All the different food mentions made me feel hungry at times but seriously disappointed when I realized there weren’t any recipes waiting at the end. 

I loved the characters. From the start, you could see the stubbornness of Demi’s father, the loyalty between Demi and her best friend, Anna, and the skepticism from her cousin Matteo all through Demi’s eyes. I realized how much I saw the story through Demi once she realized why her father and Matteo reacted the way they did.

Easily, I give this read 4 stars, and I would recommend it to anyone who loves an overall charming journey about finding yourself and love along the way.

Favorite Quotes: “The best plans were the ones you didn’t make.”

Author: Jodi Gibson can be found on Goodreads and has one other novel, The Memories We Hide, released in August 2019.


Number of Pages: 393 pages


Genres: Romance, General Fiction (Adult) Women’s Fiction

This was a quick read that I actually enjoyed! I was able to finish it in one sitting which is always a good sign. This book was an easy to read, feel good romance that I think many people would enjoy. Also, highly jealous of Demi's ability to drop everything and just travel to Italy! Something I wish I could do and I loved reading about all the adventures she had there. I think any romance lover would enjoy this one!

This is Demi’s story. She is 33 and is on track with her Five Year Plan which includes having a serious relationship and to own her family’s café once her father retires. After a series of events, that plan is completely overturned. In an effort to learn and adapt and bring more spontaneity to her life, she decides to visit family in Bari, Italy to learn in their Trattoria and mend her broken heart. What she doesn’t anticipate is meeting a handsome Italian man, a generation old family rivalry with a neighboring restaurant and a love triangle that moved her family from Italy to Melbourne before she was born.

This was a fun romance novel with a meet cute and happily ever after we crave from this genre. The characters were interesting and likeable and their relationship was lovely to see develop. The setting in Italy was described so beautifully as was the food and culture. Made me want to go back! The only thing that I would have loved was a recipe section in the back of the wonderful dishes described!

Thank you @NetGalley and @VerbPublishing for the opportunity to read and review this advanced reader copy.

Email: DaniReadsTooMuch@comcast.net
https://www.instagram.com/dani.reads.too.much/
https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/4725184-daniela-arena

This is a perfect beach read! A lovely contemporary novel about Demi who had a plan for her life but wasn't really succeeding in fulfilling it. She makes a decision to travel to Italy and it starts a series of changes. It was a very quick read and it definitely put a smile on my face. I, personally, am obsessed with Italy and Italian food. One of my favorite trips I've ever taken was to the region of Puglia. The descriptions of cities in that region are extremely accurate and reading about all the delicious Italian food is definitely going to make any reader hungry.

As for things that weren't my cup of tea - I wish we got to know Leo and his family a little bit better.

This was a 3.75 stars book for me and I had a great time reading it!

Thank you to NetGalley for giving me a chance to read and review an ARC of this book.

I find this book such a light read. It tells about family values, resilience it takes while mending a broken heart, and to open your heart to new possibilities for new life as they slowly unfold. There’s romance, drama and a touch of humor that makes the reading experience truly a delight. The story is well-written that feels so inviting to fall in love in this quintessential city of Bari, Italy together with the two main characters: Demi and Leo (her love interest). Italian food and drinks have been mentioned a lot, particularly wine, pasta and pastries. I certainly can imagine the passion and dedication these characters in the book contribute to the amazing Italian dishes they create.

All in all, the author has shared her delight in this book with her readers in a completely captivating way. It will touch the hearts of all those who are finding long-term and meaningful goals in life.

Demi's got her five year plan sorted when everything is thrown off course. So she packs up and moves to Italy! Great story, great characters, great setting! What is there more to want? Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

The story
Demi is 33, working in her Italian father’s cafe in Melbourne. Her life all appears to be going to plan. She is living with her partner Wil, and hopes to take over the cafe from her father when he retires. But suddenly things are definitely not going according to the plan. Her father decides that Demi’s eldest brother Nick should take over the cafe, and things with Wil come to an end. With the plans in disarray, Demi decides to take a break and travel to Italy to her father’s family. They live in the Puglia region in the seaside town of Bari. Demi stays with them and helps out the family’s trattoria. While there she meets Leo. She isn’t looking for a holiday fling, let alone a relationship, but love has a way of happening anyway.

My thoughts
This sweet story has a touch of Romeo and Juliet, a lot of foodie and travel elements and a healthy dose of following your heart rather than some strict five year plan. I loved the parts set in picturesque Bari, descriptions of the food and the sweet love story that enfolds. It wasn’t easy for Demi to reach out to family she had never met, or getting the her and Leo’s family to reach across their generations-old feud. A light and enjoyable read ✈️🇮🇹🍝

Thoroughly enjoyed this book i was hooked from start to finish and mafe me want to re visit Italy. Not sure about the book cover though

Thank you #Netgalley for the advanced copy!

Demi Moretti is in her early thirties, has a serious boyfriend, works at her families cafe and has amazing friends. Her five year plan is on track, what could go wrong?

Demi starts to question her boyfriends secretive actions, learns her father plans to give the cafe to her brother and not her. The plan was getting off track, her boyfriend ended up being arrested and Demi needed to start over. She decided to visit her family in Italy to learn their cooking style to bring back to her cafe in hopes her father would change his mind and give her the cafe.

Italy was just the thing that Demi needed, she loved the atmosphere, got to connect with family and learn more about her parents history. She learns to make homemade pasta with her nonna and the ways of the italian cafe. But one thing arose that was not on the plan, Leo. Leo was a family enemy that Demi had connected with at the airport and then in town. Demi must keep her actins private to not upset her family.

Great read following the journey of Demi and who she should put first, her boyfriend, her family, the family business or her holiday fling?

This was a super cute rom-com with great characters and plot. I got sucked in quickly and read it in two nights. There were some laugh out loud moments, and I was rooting for the main character, Demi, the entire time. Thank you, Verb Publishing, for the advanced copy!

I'd like to thank NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Five Year Plan is about Demi who has recently been told her well-planned out life wasn't actually meant for her and her relationship was over. With nothing left for her in Australia, she decides to go to Italy and get in touch with her roots. On the plane ride there she meets Leo, a charming man who she can't seem to get out of her mind only to find out that their families are life-long rivals.

This was an adorable concept filled with romance, drama, friendship, and family dynamics. I did enjoy the book but just felt it was riddled with cliches. While the relationship was cute, I just couldn't feel the chemistry between the characters, it felt too much like insta-love.

Overall, the five-year plan was a good and quick read. With all its aspects coming together I'd give it a 3.5 out of 5 stars.

What a fun book to read! It has romance, it has travel, it has mystery, it has amazingly described food!

Just when she thinks her five year plan is headed in the right direction, Demi is thrown a big curve! Her boyfriend, Wil, has been keeping secrets and she's worried about their relationship. She thinks her father is finally ready to retire and hand over the reins to the family cafe to her...only to find out he's following family tradition and gives her brother the opportunity instead. When things are crashing down around her, Demi packs up and leaves Melbourne to head to Bari, Italy to learn more about her dad's family and history. And boy does she learn a lot while working in her uncle's cafe! Family secrets and a not-so-friendly rivalry with a neighboring family, not to mention finding Leo, a new romantic interest. So much will keep you interested in this story!

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for a temporary, digital ARC in return for my review.

Demi Moretti is 33, and her Five-Year Plan crumbles. Her bf Will begins acting oddly, and her father blindsides her by handing the cafe to her older brother. Demi hightails it to Italy to learn all about her family heritage, culture, and food by working in her Uncle's cafe, and upon her return convince her father to change his mind.
But a surprising new friend Leo makes Demi begin to question everything. Especially, her Five-Year Plan.

Lots of food, travel Italy and romance....Leo and Demi are interesting characters and work well together... the romance is light and sweet.... AND that's all you really need in a good rom-com. I enjoyed the book a lot.

Thanks to the publisher for providing an ARC.

I had not read any romcoms for a while and this was such a good book to start with again!
As the title suggests, the main character, Dem had a five year plan and she planned to go by it. I just loved how strong the Dem was from the beginning. ( badass female lead check) About Will, the main lead's ex he always seemed fishy uk👀 but it was not for the reason I thought it would be and it was a great twist! I even ended up not hating him at the end. Then came Leo, and I was literally swooning over him. Dem and Leo were literally so damn cute together!! This book had both the romance and drama aspects and I really liked it haha. I recommend this to everyone who enjoys romance :) thank you for the arc!

Thank you Verb Publishing for this fun new ebook!

The Five Year Plan was so much fun to read. I knew this was going to be amazing and it damn well was!
Both of the main characters are so real and genuine.
So beautifully crafted and wonderfully written. It’s tender, it’s uplifting, it’s heartfelt.
This is why I love a good romance novel. Because its one of the few genres that can get me out of a reading slump!.

Demi Moretti is 33, and her Five-Year Plan is on track. She's moved in with her boyfriend Wil, and her father is on the verge of retirement and ready to hand down the family cafe to Demi. But, when Wil begins acting oddly, and her father blindsides her by handing the cafe to her older brother, Demi's plans crumble like crostoli.

In an effort to mend her broken heart and show her father he's made a mistake, Demi hightails it to the other side of the world - Bari, Italy. Her new plan is to learn all about her family heritage, culture, and food by working in her Uncle's cafe, and upon her return convince her father to change his mind.

But, an age-old rivalry, a love triangle from the past, and a surprising new friend in Leo, all make Demi begin to question everything. Especially, her Five-Year Plan.

Will Demi keep her plans on track? Or will she realize, that sometimes the best plans are the ones you don't make?

Recommend this book as 4 star. It's well worth your time if you appreciate great storytellers.

<i>*Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review *</i>

<b>3.75 stars</b>

In the Five Year Plan, Demi, our protagonist, is feeling dissatisfied with her life as she's failed to meet her goals within the specified time-frame, such as to take over her family's trattoria in Melbourne, and is feeling dissatisfied with her relationship.

Sort of Eat, Pray, Love meets Under the Tuscan Sun, she embarks on an adventure to learn more about her family history and food in Italy. I did enjoy her character development, although she did sometimes annoy me.

Overall, this was a cute, quick rom-com, with a focus on self-discovery.

I did feel like some of the characters were a bit overdramatic, but then again they're Italians, so it's probably not too far off the truth - not to offend any Italians here but there is a general flair for the dramatic, and you can't deny that!

Warning: The food descriptions in this book may induce severe hunger.