Classic Sue Moorcroft!

Get whisked away to Sicily to join Ursula Quinn, who wants to learn to paint ceramics after her life in England implodes. Add in suspicious Alfio Tringali, who returns home to fulfil family duty, helping his sister with her baby and his mother recovering from an operation run the family hotel. Ursula’s parents and family in Ireland are worried about her and her ex-husband is still possessive. There are links and complications between the families that Ursula knows nothing about and these threaten her happiness.

I soon became absorbed in this story with its twists and turns, surprises and revelations. Lovely to have characters from previous novel Under the Italian Sun make an appearance too. A classic Sue Moorcroft read that doesn’t disappoint.

Sue’s books are always a treat. The summer ones transport you to a different sunny location with all the sights, sounds and foods to bring it alive. Add in a storyline that encompasses a real feeling of family and their problems and yet remain uplifting and this really has it all.
,Ursula escapes from a failed marriage to Sicily to learn about ceramics; she is already a talented artist. She works in a family hotel around her course for bed and board but the son seems to resent her, at least at first. But all families have secrets, both hers and the Italian hotel owners and they don’t always stay hidden. I love the depth of the story and the ease with which it flows. I will definitely recommend.

Thanks to Avon Books Uk and NetGalley for an ARC in return for an honest review.

I received a free copy of, An Italian Island Summer, by Sue Moorcraft, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Ursula, which is a name you do not hear everyday, is working in Sicily, importunately not everyone is happy about that. Alfio does not consider Ursula to be wanted or needed. This book started off really good but when Ursula father turned up it went downhill fast.

I feel like I've just come back from holiday spent with lovely old friends! I loved Ursula' s story ,picking up from where we last met. I felt like I was catching up on all the gossip! Meeting up with all the Quinn clan plus Zia and her family whom we met in a previous book, was just the icing on a very delicious cake. Sue' s easy writing style is so fluid and conversational, it draws one right in to the heart of the action. We are quickly absorbed into her characters lives and loves and it's a wrench coming to the last page and having to say arriverderci until the next time-which will be very soon I hope !

This book delivered everything I have come to expect from a Sue Moorcroft novel. An exotic location, and a likeable heroine and hunky hero who don't seem to like each other very much at first meeting, but you just know that is going to change! Set in sunny Sicily, against a background of a ceramics studio, a small family-run hotel,
some distressing events from the past and present-day secrets, we are also taken on trips to Ireland, Brighton, France, the Italian vineyards and Barcelona as Ursula and Alfio part on bad terms, try to work out what they want from life and finally discover what really matters.

Based in beautiful Sicily, we meet Ursula who has escaped from her miserable marriage back in Ireland and fled to Sicily to learn ceramics from the best, whilst also working at the Tringali family hotel in exchange for her board!
The reader is instantly transported to the Sicilian sunshine, wonderful descriptions of the local scenery and produce, mouth-wateringly realistic!
Ursula is welcomed into the Tringali family as she learns her trade, adjusts to her new lifestyle and deals with the myriad of family issues that beset her!
Time, friendship and learning to trust again, helps heal Ursula pain and in doing so allows her to live and live once more m.
A great read full of life’s many and varied issues such as divorce, altered family dynamics, new relationships and second chances.
Thank you netgalley fir this early read.

I always jump at any opportunity to read a Sue Moorcroft book. She never lets me down!

An Italian Island summer is a lovely read. Ursula finds herself in Italy for the summer to help out at a hotel whilst studying pottery.

Absolutely beautiful storytelling, conjuring up in a wonderfully evocative way the Sicilian coast.

New beginnings, family dynamics and lots of love and romance.

Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher. What a lovely feel good read, great characters, great storyline. Would recommend to other readers.

Love Sue Moorcroft books and this is no exception. Ursula moves to Sicily to join a ceramics class. She also takes on a job helping in a hotel. She does this for bed and board and loves the time she has free to do her ceramics until she meets Alfio the son of the hotel owner

A superb sunny treat to Italy and all the fantastic flavours and sights you'd want from a summery escapist read!
I loved the romance in it, the very intricate look at families and how things can be complicated in adulthood. I loved the strong characters and how Ursula especially got to express herself, face her past and chase her dreams creatively.

This new book by Sue Moorcroft is set in Sicily and it is an enjoyable, romantic read with an interesting storyline. It also covers more serious subjects such as drink spiking which is an important subject but obviously not a light-hearted or easy subject to read about. All in all, it is a brilliant summer read.

Another outstanding book by Sue Moorcroft! I absolutely loved it.

Sue Moorcroft is one of my all time favourite authors and I was super excited when this novel arrived in my inbox. This was exactly the pick-me-up I needed in a dull, depressing UK January. I was completely transported to the sun-drenched island of Sicily in Summer and Sue Moorcroft's vivid descriptions have made me desperate to visit Italy!

I loved all the characters and the flawless way that they are brought to life and become like friends. The storyline is brilliant and I was hooked from the first page.

The perfect read for summer!

This book was set in sizzling Sicily and, amongst other things, was about running a family-owned hotel and ceramics! It was fascinating to find out more of all of these through the perspective of a career-changing protagonist. There were many different stories running through the book, with some interesting information and a beautiful setting. I particularly appreciated the pace, writing style and well-developed range of characters. This would make a wonderful beach read!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for a free advance copy of An Italian Island summer in exchange for an honest review.

Sue Moorcroft writes so skilfully that she transports you into the story and the characters and setting jump off the page. The relationship between Alfio and Ursula positively sizzles, and both their backstories and families make for an interesting and heart-warming read. As always, Sue doesn’t shy away from bringing the darker side of relationships into her stories, although the overall theme is always an uplifting one. Sue’s books are too good to rush. I always like to take my time reading them, taking in the scenery, getting to know the characters, enjoying the story unfold towards its delicious, satisfactory ending. A really enjoyable read.

I'm a big fan of Sue Moorcroft's novels and this one didn't disappoint.

Predominately set on the Island of Sicily, the location is the ideal backdrop for a summer read. I loved the descriptions of the area and I particularly enjoyed the detail given of the food they ate! This has really got me excited for Summer and prompted me to visit Sicily.

The characters, as always, are well developed and really jump out of the pages. I love how the author discusses darker and serious themes (the spiking of drinks, lack of trust in relationships & failed marriage) but with an approach that keeps the overall book light and easy.

A must-read this Summer.

Another slice of summer sunshine from Sue Moorcroft! This book is the perfect antidote to the dark, dismal days of winter, showering love, light, and long, hot summery days and nights all around. I haven’t been to Sicily, but after reading the fabulously vivid descriptions in this book, I feel as though I have! The characters are so beautifully drawn, and so engaging. I was totally engrossed in their stories, and completely caught up in their lives. The heat between Alfio and Ursula is intense and literally permeates the pages! It was very refreshing to read Agata and Stanley’s story - older people have romances too! The writing flows effortlessly, as ever, and the story is gorgeous. I love how Sue Moorcroft writes such uplifting fiction, but also weaves darker threads into her stories. She is not afraid to mix a darker undercurrent into her work, and I like that. I thoroughly enjoyed An Italian Island Summer, and highly recommend it.,

Very excited to read this beautiful new Sue Moorcroft! Her novels never disappoint and could definitely use an escape from the harsh winter weather to escape to Sicily. I love a good romance especially one that is unexpected at first and I definitely think that is what readers are in for. This would make a great movie and the cover is absolutely stunning! Will share a full review upon completion. Just wanted to share my initial excitement and encourage readers to pick this one up!

There was so much of this that I loved and would have rated it a 5 star read. But sadly there were a few things I didn’t like which brought my rating down.

Firstly I loved the hero and heroine - Ursula and Alfie were well drawn, engaging and I wanted them to get their happy ending from the first time they met.

I loved the Sicilian setting - I felt like I was on holiday. Myself and I am keen now to visit Ortiegia.

I did not like the sacrificial behaviour of Ursula’s father in going back to his wife -‘“for the sake of his family.” . What? The children were all grown up and leading their own lives. That was bad enough but it meant he abandoned Agata. When they finally decided the marriage was over, Stanley’s behaviour was so utterly unbelievable - snogging Agata even though he knew of the risk of Ursula walking in. I mean - who does that? However,, it’s also a tribute to the author’s writing that I was so drawn in to the drama and wanted to shout at the characters.

But the reason I knocked off a star was the first chapter which showed Alfie still in. A relationship with Hetty after a year of being together. Going from that tomSicily and him meeting Ursula, made me uncomfortable. I would have been happy if that chapter had been deleted. We could have started in Sicily and learn that alfio’s relationship ended a while ago.

I did enjoy this book apart from that first chapter - so it’s 4 stars instead of 5..

I always adore this authors books and this one was just as fabulous as her others and ticked all my boxes. I love how this author always transports the author to sunnier climes in her summer reads and with her descriptive writing making you feel you have travelled to the location of the book in this case I felt like I had been transported to the beautiful setting of Sicily.

I loved that this book included characters we had met in the authors other book under the Italian sun and particularly focused on developing the life of Ursula who goes to Italy to further her love of ceramics and for a fresh start. The story also includes lots of relatable topics such as love, divorce and friendships brought to life by relatable characters.

I hope the author includes more books in this series as would love to here more about how Zia and Ursula and the other characters lives develop.

Sit back and get ready to dip your toes in the luscious waters of sun drenched Sicily!

Sue is like our very own Mary Poppins, she pulls the magic out the bag everytime and it's just marvellous.

Close your eyes and you'll be transported to Brighton, Ireland and Sicily, the descriptions make you want to crawl into the book, be that chips by the Sea in Brighton or sat in a cafe watching the boats in Sicily.

With the ups and downs of personal and family relationships, friendships old and new to running a hotel, tattoos, ceramics, roofying, illness, emotional abuse and a rotten old ex, it's an emotional roller coaster that will leave you wanting more!