Cover Image: One Italian Summer

One Italian Summer

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Member Reviews

Loved this story. Envious of the love she gave, received and missed for her mother. This is such a lovely story should be read again and again to remind us all of gift of true love

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Serle knows how to write short books that pack a big, emotional punch. Overall, I enjoyed the magical storyline of the mom-reappearing-in-Italy but sometimes the mother-daughter relationship bordered on sappy and unhealthy. Katy seemed very immature. But the book has a great sense of place— Serle brings Positano to life. Lauren Graham narrates the audiobook and I really enjoyed it. Actors can really bring a different spin than a traditional narrator. Some of my bookclub friends felt Graham’s narration was too flat but I didn’t mind. Overall, a fun listen.

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Having gone through an immense loss myself recently, this was such a whimsical look into the expanse of grief. Lauren Graham does an incredible job narrating such a beautiful look at a planned trip to Italy after the death of Katie's mother. I found this to be light, but heartbreaking as well as uplifting and sad. It weaved itself together very nicely and had me on the brink of tears several times. Sometimes in a great way.

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I usually love short books, but I feel like the length of this one prevented me from settling into the story. Lauren Graham as that narrator was, of course, excellent.

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LAUREN GRAHAM, please narrate every book ever. THANKS.

I feel very strongly that anyone who liked In Five Years will like this one. I feel the exact same about it as I do One Italian Summer. I liked them both overall with some small complaints. Super small. But still not a home run for me. If I had to pick one, I'd actually pick One Italian Summer because of the mother-daughter relationship between Katy and Carol — it was so relatable to me.

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I absolutely loved this book. It hit so many notes with me- it was poignant, a little painful, real, reflective, and a very relatable look at loss, love, and how a woman defines herself first as a daughter. Katy's grief and struggle to see herself and her future without her mother thrusts her onto a path of exploration and a magical trip to the Amalfi Coast where the sun, the food and the people begin to awaken the parts of her that died with her mother. I was so pleasantly surprised with the friendship she makes with Carol and feel lucky that I didn't know too much about the book before sitting down with this, the journey was a magical one. I have been to this part of Italy and Rebecca Serle captured the unmistakable beauty and richness on the page. I was ridiculously hungry and left longing for my own escape to this place of wondrous beauty and dreams. The story was so enjoyable and rewarding and full of surprises. For anyone who has suffered a loss and said goodbye to a parent, this book can be a healing balm on a heart in need of sunshine (and pizza.)

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