After Katy's mother dies, she's left grieving and unsure of what life holds without her. Her mother was not only her best friend, but did everything for her. Katy decides to go on the trip that they'd planned together to Positano, hoping to learn more about where her mom came from and the amazing summer she had right before Katy was born. When she gets to the beautiful Italian coastal town, she is immediately in love with the atmosphere and feels her mom with her. Then, her mom shows up, 30 years old and full of life, and Katy has the chance to get to know her.

What a beautiful story of a mother-daughter relationship. My mom and I are very close, so reading about the grief surrounding Katy after her mom's passing was heartbreaking. The writing, the food descriptions, and the emotion in this story were what made it for me. Katy explored whether she wanted to stay married and what she wanted her life to look like, and I loved that perspective. Her reflection was so genuine and seeing both the grief impacting her decision making and the other side of a story that's often told about a marriage breaking up was new.

I went into In Five Years with the wrong mindset, so I think it's important to note that this book is contemporary fiction and not a romance, though it has romantic storylines.

Would definitely recommend Rebecca Serle's latest!

I was both intrigued and slightly terrified to read One Italian Summer. Knowing the story was about a woman who loses her mother - who’s also her best friend and the love of her life - made me nervous because that’s the kind of relationship I have with my own mum. I was certain it would be painful to read, but something about it drew me in (likely my obsession with Italy), and I’m so glad I read it.

This book is definitely heavy on the grief, but it was beautifully and realistically done. I felt Katy’s pain, emptiness, uncertainty, and anger. She was lost without her mother and didn’t know who she was without her, or where to go moving forward. I also really felt for her as she learned some difficult, painful life lessons.

I absolutely loved getting to vicariously see Positano and the Amalfi Coast. I’ve only been to Rome, but I fell head over heels in love with it, and can’t wait to return to Italy; reading this book made me feel like I was right there with Katy. I loved the descriptions of the food and the scenery.

If you’re looking for a quick women’s fiction read with all the feels and a sprinkling of magic, be sure to add One Italian Summer to your TBR.


[Spoiler]
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This book likely would have been closer to a 5-star read for me had it not been for the cheating. I have a really hard time looking past that. Even having Katy hang out with and flirt with Adam felt a bit icky to me. She was still very much married, even if she was uncertain of their future, and Eric seemed like a really good guy from everything she said about him. I know people tend to do out-of-character things when they’re grieving, but it just didn’t sit right with me and felt unnecessary.

Thanks to NetGalley, Simon & Schuster Canada and Rebecca Serle. I do not know how to rate this book. I want to say..should the author write another fantastical realism book like this or is it because I really enjoyed In Five years even more. It was a good book. I get it and there is a message that is written into this book that is deeper than seen by the naked eye. I am going to give the book 5 stars because it is a book that makes you think. We take life for granted many times and this shows you what you do when all things go wrong and we hope for another opportunity to fix it.

'One Italian Summer' was the first of Rebecca Serle's books that I have read. It is a gentle and light-hearted read set in the descriptively gorgeous Positano, Italy. Once Katy arrived in Italy I was swept up in the beauty of the Amalfi Coast and felt the connections she made there were as warm and welcoming as the experiences she indulged in. I appreciated that the heart-felt somberness of Katy's grief was balanced with such colorful encounters. The subtle magic of Katy's mother appearing in her 30 year old form was quite pleasant and, more than once, stunning revelations and incidents took place that had me flipping pages in anticipation and entertained. Serle's description of the lush surroundings certainly held my attention as I did not connect with Katy's character and found her attachment to her mother and seemingly dependent thoughts a bit perplexing on more than one occasion. Many readers will engage with the mother-daughter bond during the extraordinary occasions Katy and Carol spend together - I certainly uncovered a theme stronger, perhaps, than the shared bond between this daughter and her mother and hope other readers experience the same. With that in mind and the internal conflict Katy displays throughout the story regarding her own life, I was stumped with her decisions nearing the end of the book as they felt suddenly misleading considering the revelations I thought she experienced. Overall, I enjoyed being wrapped up in the escapism of 'One Italian Summer'. Serle created a feel-good story with a beautiful backdrop.

I appreciate both the publisher, Simon & Schuster Canada, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this electronic Advanced Reader Copy in exchange for my honest review.

Rebecca Serle is very quickly becoming an auto buy author for me. I have loved her last two books and really enjoyed this one as well. There is something about her writing that makes her books so readable and I finish them quickly. This one was no different.

I am not usually a huge fan of magic realism, but Rebecca Serle does it so well. I like that with her books you have to suspend what you believe to be real and just enjoy the book and the message it sends.

You follow Katy’s grief journey. And although, she makes some questionable choices, I feel like you can’t blame her. Everyone grieves differently.

The setting of this book is amazing. The descriptions of Italy, the food, the lifestyle had me wanting to book my next vacation to Italy.

I didn’t quite love this one as much as I loved In Five Years. But I highly recommend fans of that book pick up this one.

Thanks to Simon & Schuster Canada and Netgalley for my e-ARC in exchange for a review

This was a very beautiful story on how to deal with grief and getting closure after the passing of a loved one. I usually go into books blind so I was a bit taken aback by the magical realism aspect of it; which to be honest didn't really do it for me. It is purely a preference here rather than something that wasn't done right. I just have a hard time with magic in the real world if that makes sense.
However, the way Rebecca portrays Italy and the Amalfi Coast was INCREDIBLE. Having been there mutiple times, it reminded me of my trips and made me want to go back so badly.
Overall, it was a quick and enjoyable read!

After her be loved mother dead, Katy take a trip to Italy which supposed to be a mother and daughter trip. At the beach town hotel, Katy met her dead mother, but in her 30th.
I’m was so excited to receive a arc copy. I love travel. Never been to Italy. I expecting a lot, love life beautiful beach, amazing food, romance, …do I get them? Yes and no.

What I have just read? I don’t get the book, or I should say I don’t understand what the author trying to deliver.
Kate is naive, selfish, girly, girl. I don’t like the way she treat her husband. I don’t understand the mother daughter relationship. Ok I get the love between them, but a 27 year old women don’t know how to live after her mother passed away? Don’t even want her own marriage?
In Italy, it’s all about what she eat what she wear, a day trip, drinking and get drunk. Then of cause—having a fare. No history, no culture, and. “ it Italy, shits happened “ what does this mean?

I am sorry. 2 generous ⭐️ (Maybe 1.5 )

I love Rebecca Serle's writing and this book definitely cemented it for me. Her style is really unique and her description of the places, people and things she writes about come alive off the page. I can see how the story could veer into confusing territory and where it could feel a bit disjointed, but overall a really good read I would highly recommend!!

Thank you Simon and Schuster CA for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This was my first book by Rebecca Serle and I thought it was fun! One thing that really stood out to me about this book was its setting. I felt like I could picture everything in my mind that Katy was describing while she was in Positano. I could smell the food and see the sights as if I was there myself (definitely need to win the lottery and go to Italy soon). I found Katy a difficult character to relate to and as much as I wanted to root for her, I found myself judging her decisions throughout the story. I would still recommend giving this book a go because I think it would appeal to other people more than it did for me.

I was so excited for this book from the moment I heard about it. It did not disappoint! Rebecca Serle has a special way of writing, a way that sucks you into her books and your heart is consumed by it. I read this book in one sitting, it was so great. Of course I cried because this book got me from the very beginning.

Rebecca Serle knows how to deliver a nice light read. She has a way of adding magical realism that makes you want to keep reading to know more, and it's not cheesy or out of place. I found it was a really nice way for the character (Katy) to rediscover herself and manage through her grief.

I really enjoyed her relationship with her mom, and thought her mom was very dynamic. That was probably the best part of the story, was learning more about her mom. I thought some of the other relationships, like Katy's with Alex a bit fast and forced, as well as her relationship with her husband. It was there and needed in the story to get Katy through her journey, but wasn't always believable.

If you love travel (like I do) the Italian backdrop and the food descriptions will have you itching to get to Positano. I've already looked it up on a map and want to go there! It was a really nice "getaway" read.

I liked the story about the closeness of mothers and daughters, about loving yourself, and about discovering new places. It's also a pretty short read with short chapters too, and I love that!

Is this book for you? If you liked In Five Years, want to go on vacation, are close with your mom, like magical realism, enjoyed Eat, Pray, Love...then give this book a go.

2.7 stars

The book is about Kathy, who's struggling with how to live her life after her mother's death, best friend, mentor, favourite person, and so much more. She now questions her marriage, her primary purpose in life and her place on earth. Her trip to Positano, Italy, with her mother is cancelled because of her death which is why she opts to take the vacation alone.

She leaves her mourning father and her compassionate and supportive husband for a vacation to find herself. While I realize that she is lost, her harsh and disrespectful attitude toward her husband irritates me because he did his utmost to support her and be with her through a tough time. She chooses to go on her trip, informing her husband that they will discuss their marital problems later and refuses to let him see her off. I realize that everyone grieves differently, but what she did was inexcusable and disrespectful.

SPOILER!!

Upon her arrival, she immediately spends time with a man named Adam and a woman whom she believes is her dead mother. WHAT THEN CAUSES ME TO DNF THIS BOOK IS THE FACT THAT SHE CHEATED ON HER LOVING AND SUPPORTIVE HUSBAND WITH A MAN SHE HAD JUST MET... if you know me, you know that cheating is unacceptable to me, and I definitely disapprove of it.

After the cheating, I skimmed through the book and from the very beginning, I realized that Kathy was a very selfish woman and did not resonate with this book, which I hoped I did. On the other hand, the writing was adequate, which raised my rating a notch.


Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. This book will be published on March 1, 2022.

This book was a little slow to start for me but once Katy makes it to Positano oooh it truly does get magical!! By far my favorite Rebecca Serle book. This is a perfect summer read to have you dreaming of the Amalfi coast and delicious Italian food. Highly recommended!! The mother daughter relationship at the center of this book is beautiful and complicated and oh so relatable. Katy's grief is palpable and I loved how the author allows us to see how our mothers are more than we are ever really able to see. They have dreams and lives before we come along. My favorite line from the book is: "I hope you'll understand someday that just because you become a mother doesn't mean you stop being a woman." Much thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books/Simon Schuster Canada for an advance review copy! You are going to want this beautiful book on your shelves!!

. . . ⭑ ⭑ ⭑ ⋆ ⭒
I was pretty dang excited when this title popped up on NetGalley, and was even more pumped when we secured a copy.

Knowing that this book would likely have a similar premise to In Five Years with its magical realism base, I was more than ready to dive in, but it was a bit more shallow than I had expected in both the literal and figurative sense.

I wanted more depth from the story both in character and in content - I didn’t quite connect with Katy; I felt like in attempting to convey her as numb from grief, it resulted in her just lacking any character strength or personality. To be fair, she was also straightforwardly presented as being coddled to a certain degree, with so much of her personality and identity ingrained in her mother, but even after trying to find herself in this journey, she still lacked a lot of oomph for me.

With that being said, there was also a decent amount that I liked about this book - the magical realism, the descriptive scenery and food, the discussions on motherhood in relation to loss of identity, and there were some great one-liners/food for thought statements that hit home that I appreciated.

Ultimately, while this wasn’t a home run, it was still a enjoyable read with a great setting. ‘One Italian Summer’ hits shelves tomorrow, March 1st!

Thank you to NetGalley & Atria Books for a digital advanced readers copy.

~👩🏻‍🦰

This is the first book that I‘ve read by this author and I would like to thank the publisher for an eARC copy to read.

The story begins with the main character, Katy, grieving the loss of her mom who passes away from cancer. Katy had a very strong relationship with her mom and so is having a difficult time with her grief. I struggled at times because she was almost obsessive in her grieving and she didn’t seem empathetic to those grieving her mother’s loss as well. The pair had planned a trip to Italy and so Katy decided to travel to Italy on the trip planned. She did this to honour her mom's history with the area.

Then there was a time travel aspect to this book that did throw me for a little bit but then I considered what a gift that would be!

I felt that the story line and characters ended up tying together for a decent ending. The descriptions of Italy and the food and the Italian experience were beautiful and so vivid. The book was worth reading just for that! ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Thank you to Simon & Schuster Canada for providing me with an e-book copy of this book via Netgalley!

I finished this book in one day.
I was completely immersed in Positano with Katy as she mourned her mother, got to know her all over again and learned how to live her own life. The descriptions of grief are so real and raw and nuanced. The descriptions of Positano’s landscape left me eager to talk about the location with my family and friends. And, don’t get me started on the food; readers will be hungry while reading this book, so I shall advise them to pack a snack. This book read like a dream and anyone looking for a way to feel something and also dream about someplace beautiful should read this!
Overall, I loved the way Serle told this story from her setting and character building to the richness of her vocabulary.
I will be buying a hard copy of this book for the winter days when I wish to be in Italy.
5 stars from me!

One Italian Summer by Rebecca Serle

rating: 3.5 ⭐
format: digital + physical arc
length: 272 pages
pub day: march 1

Thank you to @netgalley and @simonschusterca for these advanced copies !

Katy's mom was her best friend. When her mom passes away, she feels lost and nothing in her life feels right. Katy and her mom had talked about going to Positano together, a place her mom loved when she was younger and wanted to take her. When Katy decides to take this trip on her own, it turns into an experience she will never forget.

This book was not what I expected at all, but I think if I read the synopsis rather than going in blind I would have had different expectations. I havent read In Five Years yet, but have heard nothing but amazing things and about how emotional it was, so I expected this to be an emotional read. I felt this was a beautiful story about a daughter getting the closure she needed after her mother's passing. She gets the chance to see her mom in a way she never had before and get to know her as a friend. The way the author makes you feel like you are in Positano was so well done. I want to hop on a plane and explore all the places mentioned, eat all the food and drink all the wine !

The magical realism took me by surprise and I think that made it more difficult for me to connect with the book because it wasn't realistic. I still enjoyed it, but I am someone who loves a book that makes me feel like these things could really happen in real life. I think I would have connected more even if this was all a dream she had rather than the alternate timeline. The secondary romance in this book was minimal and felt a little out of place.

Overall, I would still recommend this book for a quick read and to feel like you're exploring the Amalfi Coast.

"History is an asset, not a detriment. It's nice to be with someone who knows you, who knows your history. It will get even more important the longer you live. Learning how to find your way back can be harder than starting over. But, damn, if you can, it's worth it."

I cannot remember the last time I read a book that had such a strong sense of place. I could picture everything in my mind and kept googling all the restaurants mentioned throughout. The food descriptions were next level!

I have read all of Rebecca Serles' novels now, and something she writes so well is grief. In One Italian Summer, she shines a light on how messy grief can be. It can be selfish and confusing and frustrating. I think many readers will relate to Katy and others won't understand her. I think we all deal with grief in such different ways, and I loved how real Katy felt.

You always have to suspend your disbelief with Rebecca Serles' books, so I definitely just went with the flow on this one. Of all of her novels, this is the one I would most like to see adapted!

The ending made me so emotional!

when i read ‘in five years’ by rebecca serle shortly after the pandemic hit (how has it been almost two whole years?!), i knew her books were something special. it was a fun yet emotional ride that played with time in a fun way i hadn’t seen for a while. when her newest book ‘one italian summer’ was announced, i knew that it wouldn’t disappoint me.

‘one italian summer’ follows katy, a woman living in la who has just lost her mother to cancer. her mother was her best friend, her everything, and she’s having trouble seeing the point of staying married to her husband, eric, now that her mother is gone. in an attempt to get away, she decides to take the trip she had planned to take with her mother to positano, italy, a town where her mother lived for a summer before katy was born.

as katy settles into the hotel poseidon in positano, she immediately sees her mother living here as a young woman. the town is beautiful, with a charm she knows her mother would have loved. until one morning at the hotel desk, she actually sees her mother, as a 30-year-old, mailing a package. unable to believe her eyes, is this the world trying to give katy one last chance to spend time with her mum?

what i loved most about this book was the description. it has such a lyrical nature to it, and the way serle described positano and its different buildings and views, i felt like i was right there with katy. i could see what she saw, and taste what she tasted. the way that time was blurred in this book was also something special, both with the appearance of katy’s mother and also how the setting felt so timeless.

this was a lovely read, though full of grief and soul-searching. i enjoyed how quickly i flew through it. if you enjoyed ‘in five years’ like i did, i think you’ll also enjoy this one.

After the death of her mother, Katy takes a trip to Positano, Italy to try to heal and understand why her mother loved this place as much as she did. It’s a good story about loss, love, relationships and healing. The descriptions of Italy were my favorite part and the twists and turns did keep me reading. Some parts did fall a little flat for me but it’s a good book if you’re looking for an escape.