I DNFed this book about 10% in. I just couldn’t get into the characters or storyline. I was really looking forward to a romance with Venice as the setting. From other reviews it sounds like it was a cute read.

The Blurb :
When Norah arrives in Venice for a ten-week internship she is surprised to discover that her guide for her work trips around the lagoon is the undeniably gorgeous and kind Gianluca. She can’t help thinking he might be too good to be true, with his endless fascinating local stories, and his infectious laugh.
Norah is still bitter after an accident left her with a serious injury and also meant the end of her long-term relationship. And besides, she's serious about her career and that means leaving Venice at the end of the summer.
Gianluca has had a summer fling before that led to heartache for him and he won't do it again. He enjoys the long hours out on the lagoon with Norah, but after a storm strands them on a picture-perfect island for a night, they agree they should just be good friends for the summer.
But life doesn't always go to plan, and when it's time for Norah to go, they have to decide whether what they have between them is really just a friendship, and not something more…

My Thoughts :
The beautiful cover first drew me to this book and after reading the Blurb, I knew it was a book I wanted to read.
We meet 25 year old Norah York, having suffered a serious injury leaving her using a cane and pins in her back and the fact her relationship with Andrej has just broken down, Norah decides its time to get her life back on track and excepts a work trip to Venice, she works as a MicroBiologist and takes on a 10 week internship researching the algae growing in the lagoons there.
On arrival she meets her boss Manu, her first stop is being taken along to a wedding of the sea, which isnt quiet what Norah expects. There she meets the gorgous Gianluca, he has just been assigned to transport her in and around the waters in his boat Dafne to collect samples of the Algae.
Gianluca is also a Venetian oar maker and makes it clear from the start he is intrigued by Norah. Having had his heart broken also, Gianluca isnt looking for anything other than to do his job.
I really enjoyed Norah and Gianluca’s journey, as they learnt more about each other as the story went on but will there be any romance for the couple or do they think it is better to stay friends!?.
I really liked the way the Author brought Venice to life with the description of the Lagoon and the surrounding buildings, I felt transported to the heart of it.
Although a little slow to start, it soon picked up.
A great read from Leonie Mack.

When I started reading this book I realized it followed on from A Match Made in Venice, but this time the main character was Didi’s sister Norah. I didn’t love Didi and therefore I didn’t love her story so I was curious how I would feel about Norah and her story. Worrying was definitely not needed! I loved Norah right from the start!

Highlights from this book:
- lots of beautiful Venice
- a just friends pact gone wrong
- lots of friendly banter and joking around
- difficult relationships with mother leading to insecurity and troubled feelings as adults
- a feisty grandmother without a filter that you can’t wait to meet
- seeing how Didi has changed since we last met her
- romance

When I started this book, I expected it to be your typical rom-com. In Venice. So I was a little thrown when it turned out t be a little deeper than that.

The premise;Norah, a biological scientist, was working on her Ph.D when a boat accident resulted in a break of her spine. She’s spent the last year recovering at home. But she is presented with the opportunity to go work for ten weeks in Venice researching algae growing in the lagoon. Her Venetian boss Manu arranges for her estranged son Gianluca to take Norah out on his boat at the weekends to collect samples. Of course, they become more than friends but with only 10 short weeks in Venice can it happen?

this is a romance novel so watching the journey is half the fun. There was also the issue of overcoming trauma and that is what took it out of the "rom-com" category for me.

It took me a while to read, but I did like how it ended

Thank you t NetGalley for the Arc. All opinions are my own.

Anything Venice related has a tendency to immediately catch my eye and this book was no exception. I hadn’t realised there was a prequel, but it didn’t affect my understanding or enjoyment of this instalment which can easily be read as a standalone.

There are so many things to love about this book! Highly likeable main characters, entertaining exchanges between them showing the author’s humour, the spectacular Venetian setting and a heavy dollop of ‘will they, won’t they?’ romance!

I especially liked the inclusion of the local dialect which was spattered throughout and added a unique touch as well as seeing Norah’s strength of character develop as the story progressed.

I’ll be searching out the prequel, ‘A Match Made in Venice’ now and highly recommend this one as a perfect summer read!

With thanks to the author, Rachel at Random Resources and Boldwood Books for the opportunity to participate in the tour.

The author clearly writes with a passion for creating the best characters possible.
They are exciting and come alive on the pages.
Great storytelling, the vivid descriptions make Venice come alive. You'll feel as though you are there but don't forget to bring your sunscreen.
So uplifting that I'm thinking about this book even when I'm not reading it!
Brilliantly written, now I have to see what else the author has out.
I recommend this to you!

Pub Date 28 Apr 2022
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All expressions expressed are my own.

Another cute romance story, set against the backdrop of the magical city of Venice. I loved the easy banter between Norah and Gianluca. Once their initial facades were broken down, I enjoyed reading about the connection that these two characters had. Fun and light-hearted at times, yet vulnerable and deep at others. A beautiful couple and I felt the fireworks between these two.

Of course, just as with the last novel, the wonderful descriptions of the city made me feel like a tourist going through Venice. Some characters popped back in and it was nice to see a continuation of their stories. Nora’s mum added plenty of drama! Perhaps Norah’s disability and the effect it had on her daily life could have been further explored. Overall, another romantic story full of warmth and charm, I loved delving into Norah and Gianluca’s story. 4.5 stars. rounded to 5. With thanks for my free copy, I received with no obligation to review.

Thank you #Netgalley and #Boldwoodbooks for letting me read this beautiful ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is a sweet romance set up with a time limit, the weary and shy Norah who is a Marine Biologist researching the Unique Ecosystem of the Venice Lagoon, based there for 10 weeks. Gianluca aka Lulu :) is her driver and a very talented carver too. Over time they grow closer through their random adventures whilst she gathers her samples in the Lagoon. The book has many venetian dialect references. Manu, her host has a very fraught relationship with Gianluca which is apparent from the get go, nothing is quite what it seems though.
Love is a complex emotion that many of us don't feel deserving of. Will Gianluca and Norah work it out? Will they find a way to make love last beyond the time restriction? Sometimes love can help us overcome all kinds of trauma, I love that Gianluca is so clever with his hands and creativity.
I really enjoyed the highs and lows of this romance, the mental blocks we put in place to keep love at arms length take a strong person with enough love for two.
We also meet Saffron and Neal, Didi and a fair few others, locals too,
Leonie Mac really did a wonderful job, I laughed, smiled and gasped my way through the story. I also love that Karen Cass narrated the Audio version of this book, as I have many audible collections read by her. Small gripe, she to me sounded more Latin American than Italian, however still awesome.

I loved this book! We meet Norah at a very difficult time in her life – she is recovering from an accident, which left her with a very serious injury. Because of this, Norah has lost a lot in her life – one of those being the end of her long-term relationship. After spending so long relying on other people, Norah is determined to do things on her own now. Deciding that getting away for a while is what she needs, Norah accepts a 10-week work placement studying algae in Venice.

When Norah arrives, she discovers that Gianluca has been hired as her guide – he’s kind and gorgeous and just what Norah needs right now. They spend a lot of time together, and the more time they spend together, it is very clear to see the undeniable chemistry between them both. They both decide the best thing is for them to just be friends. Can Norah and Gianluca really just remain friends or will they miss out on the chance of love?

We’ll Always Have Venice is a beautifully written love story, full of fun, friendship, and love. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone.

This was a real escapist read with all the romance you would expect from a novel set in Venice. Having followed Didi and Piero's story in A Match Made in Venice, I was delighted to realise that now we were going to follow her sister, Norah, as she visited the city herself. Norah is recovering from a traumatic accident but she has tried to set her sights on her future and to re-group her science career. Driven by the will to succeed in her career, she is loath to get involved again as she fears being let down. Enter, Gianluca, who is also wary of relationships and who has a complicated family background which he is still coming to terms with. However, you soon discover that the chemistry between them is undeniable.

The glorious setting dominates the story and offers a level of escapism. With some lively characters and plot. you are willing Norah and Gianluca to find their way through their reservations. Forgiveness and moving on are important themes behind the story and there are some interesting family dynamics to be worked through. What a shame there doesn't seem to be a third sister for a sequel- or maybe a cousin?

In short: Can Norah have it all?
#BlogTour

This is my first time reading something by Ms. Mack and I can tell you it definitely won't be my last. It was a fun read, but a story that also gave me all the feels. The characters are well-developed and endearing and so relatable you can't help but fall in love with them. After an accident that left her with a long term injury and dependent on a cane, Norah is determined to get her life and career as a marine biologist back on track. She accepts an internship opportunity in Venice hoping it will help her do just that. She wasn't looking for love, and never expected to find the right guy, but life can surprise you and deliver blessings when you least expect them. Gianluca has tried the summer fling thing before, and it ended in heartache and has no desire to go through that again. After her internship finishes, Norah will be leaving, so he thinks it's best just to remain friends. But neither can deny the strong feelings they have for each other and there may be a lot more to this friendship if both are willing to give it a chance. It was so heartwarming to experience their relationship as it developed and grew. These two were so wonderful together and just had the sweetest most amazing chemistry. This was a really entertaining and enjoyable story and am glad I had the opportunity to read it. I will definitely be looking for more by this author!

I received a complimentary copy from Netgalley and am voluntarily leaving my review.

I was well into chapter 3 when I realized that "Wait! I know this family!" It was so great to meet again the characters of A Match Made in Venice, and to get to know the other York girl.

This romance book is as charming as the previous one, and even though they are standalone novels, reading this second book brought back so many nice memories from the first one. Norah's sarcastic remarks and witty puns combined with her algae obsession and vulnerability make her such a lovable person. The book is full of funny punchlines and delicious meals, so I was laughing out loud and opening the fridge alternately. I loved every page!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for this Advance Review Copy.

I so enjoyed the chemistry between Norah and Gianluca the writer does a wonderful job letting you feel it that new love feeling. You will find yourself excited for them their joking and flirting makes for a great summer read and who doesn’t want to travel to Venice if you’ve been you will be able to close your eyes and know where this is taking place

What a gem of a book. I loved all aspects- the description of Venice and the characters however imperfect but lovable. A new fan of Leonie Mack

One thing I always love about Leonie Mack’s books is the special chemistry she creates between her characters. Norah’s definitely not looking for romance – she’s recently recovered from a particularly serious injury, a long-term relationship has just ended rather painfully, and her stay in Venice is a work trip, an internship to further her career as a marine biologist. Her boss (and landlady) Manu arranges for oarmaker Gianluca to ferry her around the lakes and lagoons collecting her samples of algae – although he’s quiet and a bit sullen at first, there’s a clear attraction between them, and their exchanges start to sparkle and fizz. They both have their reasons for not allowing anything more to develop – although they’re severely tested when stranded out on the lagoon in a thunderstorm – and agree that they’ll never be more than the best of friends. But as Norah’s stay in the city of lovers draws to a close, as they always knew it would, there might just be rather more than close friendship between them… but might it be too late?

I loved the characters in this book. Gianluca (Lulu to his friends… goodness, he’s gorgeous!) has a nicely complex family-related back story, and a previous relationship sets up another thread of light conflict and misunderstanding. And Norah has family complications too – if you read A Match Made in Venice (and it’s really not essential) you’ll remember her mother Saffron, and she’s still making demands and creating havoc. And it was a delight to have a cameo appearance from Didi and Piero too, still every bit as loved up, along with some of the larger than life family members I’d met before – a particular treat for me, but nothing to worry about if this is the first time you’ve been to Venice with the author. But the newly introduced characters are excellent too, with great characterisation – Manu with her secrets, and you’re going to just love Gianluca’s feisty grandmother.

And as well as the romance and all the family complications, there’s the wonderfully drawn setting. Is there any better backdrop for a developing romance than Venice? The author’s descriptions are just wonderful, bringing it vividly to life, making you feel you’ve been on an extended visit – the most perfect armchair travel experience – and that’s equally applicable to the book’s other rather unexpected (but quite perfectly chosen) primary location.

But the romance – I really loved every moment, as the two main characters I’d really taken to my heart fought that magnetic pull between them when you really, really wanted them to have their happy ending. The writing is just excellent – I loved the exchanges between them, the playfulness and jokey banter, but with so much emotion simmering just under the surface. It was a relationship I really believed in, and far more than the holiday romance you might just be expecting.

This was one of those perfect summer reads, but with a depth and emotion that was particularly satisfying – most definitely one I’d recommend to others.

We start this book at the end of the previous book which meant that the two tied together almost seamlessly, with Neil proposing to Saffron (Norah and Didi’s mum) on Christmas Day, and Norah and Didi as shocked as each other. The news that her mother is going to get married before her drives Norah to get away from London and get her career back on track after taking time out to recover from her accident.

Again, Leonie manages to make Venice sound amazing, even with all the quirky doorknobs and creepy statues everywhere, but it’s the people that really stood out for me in this book. Norah is such a good character who is in Venice for 10 weeks to study the algae in the surrounding lagoons, sounds boring but trust me it has its moments! Although she walks with a cane after her injury and is still trying to piece herself together after Andrej (her ex) left her at one of her most vulnerable moments, she is far from weak. Mack presents us with a character who is strong both internally and externally, her banter with Gianluca was so charming to see and I loved their pet names for each other, you can tell that everything they’ve got is built on a firm friendship base.

Talking of Gianluca, he is pictured as a strapping, tall, dark and handsome kinda guy with bulging arm muscles courtesy of all the time he spends rowing a boat. Of course its a boat that sees their first introduction, with Norah almost falling straight into the guys arms when she steps onto a boat he is rowing to a Venetian wedding. This is when Norah finds out that Gianluca is going to be her personal rower for the next ten weeks, rowing her out for all of her sampling trips in his little boat Dafne.

I think we all know how romance novels will end but the ten weeks that Norah and Gianluca spend together is so special and you really do sense that radiating off the pages as you’re reading. The way they fall into sync with each other, despite both insisting friends is all they can be (Norah is leaving after all) felt so honest and allowed them both to open up a bit and let the other in. I think the banter element made this feel all so realistic, it wasn’t all nice, romantic moments but more natural progression, especially when Pino and Chiara are involved as well – I mean how good did that festival sound!!!

Mack has done it again and written a fantastic book that will whisk you off to the streets and lagoons of Venice (something I didn’t know about before but now will be adding to my travel list), with amazing characters that leave you wanting to return. I loved seeing the updates from Piero and Didi as well as this really bought both of the books so nicely together and will now patiently wait for Mack’s next trip!

After serious injuries, physio and heartbreak,
Norah has some tough decisions to make.
Meanwhile she's off to Venice on an internship where
She's researching the algae growing in the lagoon there.

The last thing she's expecting there to meet
Is a handsome Venetian, who makes her heart beat.
She's only there for the summer and doesn't want to chance
On this opportunity for a possible romance.

There are family secrets and dramas galore
A beautiful setting and great twists and more.
I learned so much about algae and oars
As part of this enthralling read, of course!

A lovely story and setting to escape into
With great characters and surprises, it's true.
A heartwarming, fun story about choices and chances
As well as a few delightful romances!

For my complementary copy, I say thank you,
It's a gentle, engaging read and this is my honest review.

A summery burst of pure joy set against the gorgeous backdrop of the beautiful Venetian scenery. It has all the feel good elements needed for an irresistible romance you can’t help but root for, even though you know the odds aren’t in their favour!

I loved the dual point of view and getting to know the utterly charming Norah and Gianluca. Norah’s reeling from a serious accident which hurt her physically and damaged her sense of self-worth. Gianluca has been hurt in love and it’s left him unwilling to try again.

After feeling so helpless, and with her PhD on hold, Norah has a fierce determination to do things for herself. A 10 week work placement studying algae in Venice is just what she needs! Gianluca is hired as her guide – he’s kind, a tonic for Norah, with deep Venetian roots. I was instantly drawn into their vivid, entertaining world and felt an emotional pull to both characters.

They spend a lot of time together having teasing chats, amusing times on the boat, and find it hard to fight their building attraction. They are both in need of a good friend and agree to leave it at that. As they confide in each other, we see they help the other stop living in the past and their connection grows.

I adored the meeting with Nòna, she has a welcoming, generous character and wants the best for Gianluca – their bond is clear and special to see.

There’s a surprising twist and complicated family dynamics. We get swept up in their inevitable romance which we know must come to an end – there’s no way to seamlessly thread their two lives together. What do you do when love isn’t enough?

Mack lifts our spirits with this delightful story where we meet such sparking characters who dazzle on the page. It’s a tale of love, career, and family. When your head and heart are pulling you in different directions which do you listen to? It’s the perfect escape leaving you with a warm glow.

With thanks to @rararesources, @LeonieMAuthor, and @boldwoodbooks for a place on the tour and the opportunity to read and review this book

Gianluca and Norah are two of my newest favorite characters!

Norah goes on a 10 week work trip to Venice as a scientist studying algae. She has had a rough last year after getting in an accident, suffering a bad breakup, and losing many of her friends. Gianluca is a skilled Venetian oarmaker and rower. He has had bad luck falling too hard for girls in the past. When Norah’s boss hires Gianluca to be her chauffeur to gather algae samples, they become fast friends that decide to stay that - just friends - for the duration of Norah’s time in Venice.

It is a book full of humor, well written characters, and stories that intertwine throughout the book. Is it a slightly predictable romance novel? Sort of. Was that annoying? Definitely not! These sweet characters will give you an amazing, lighthearted read when you need it most.

Thank you to NG and the publisher for this ARC experience.

A summer in Venice.
A summer fling in Venice.
Two things that go together perfectly even with some bumps along the way. I lived vicariously through Norah as this is the closest to travelling I've done in a while and it's killing me. Gianluca didn't hurt as the perfect diversion for us both. I loved that she had some issues but that didn't make up her entire existence. With her writing will definitely check out her other books.
I received an advanced copy of this book from Netgalley for my honest opinion.