A collection of stories that takes the reader on an armchair vacation. Each story is either set in Italy or has ties to Italy, along with the venture to other locations and countries. Throughout each story, the reader is introduced to a woman or group of women who go through some personal growth. Some of the stories I didn't want to end because I became invested with the characters and their stories. One of my favorite stories "Heat Wave" took place in Rome and showed how the kindness of others can affect your life. This collection of stories is perfect for reading straight through or to pick up intermittently and read a story or two Thank you to NetGalley and Kate Rock Book Tours for an advanced copy! All thoughts and opinions are my own!

Short story collection with a general theme of women traveling, vacationing or living in Italy. Many of the stories centered around the women not being happy with their current lives. As a whole many of the stories fell short for me.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading all these short stories about women rediscovering and reimagining themselves. Every single one of them had beauty and depth, and I have to admit that I loved the settings in different places that were beautifully described. I liked the characters and the writing style suited me perfectly. Can't wait to read something else from this author.

I didn’t realize how many stories would be in this when I first requested it. I do so love me some shirt stories! Even better when they are located in places I’ve never been to. Most of these stories take place in Italy/Europe at some point in the telling. I think my favorite story was towards the beginning where a married couple is trying to save their marriage. Mainly because the ending was chefs kiss. The phone in the wine! Every story was about a dynamic female character but they were always different. A few stories were very emotional even. After reading the stories, I’m now ready to go travel.

This collection of short stories had me reaching for a box of tissues, a bottle of Prosecco, and my phone for google flights simultaneously.

So many of the stories had sad endings, but I also found them to have many messages about strength and female empowerment.

I love books with short chapters or stories on days when I’m on the go and can have quick and easy stopping points. This was the perfect book for days like today!!

Thank you for the opportunity to review this 🤍

This is a thought-provoking collection of short stories about women and self-discovery—female friendship, women’s dreams and guilt, their careers, and their marriages (an abusive husband, an unfaithful husband, new love, a second chance at love etc.). And about longing and betrayal, with happiness and bitterness. Some are feel-good and some have quite a shocking twist so it is a wide-ranging collection. I also enjoyed taking armchair trips to so many different countries: Italy, Croatia, Bali, Morocco and Ecuador. I especially loved Amica del Cuore. Superstitions gave me a chill at the end. Modern Art was a touching, thought-provoking ode to friendship.

A collection of short stories with a huge cast of women exploring their decisions in life, their inadequacies and longings, and their inherent power. While the women are from diverse backgrounds and situations, there are events that tie many of them together including things like a love of swimming, an interest in finance, and desire to find love.

I would recommend reading this book a few chapters at a time rather than all in one go. While each story was unique, they are similar enough in tone and voice that it can become difficult to parse who you’re dealing with from page to page.

Thank you to Kate Rock Book Tours, NetGalley and the author for my free copy. These opinions are my own.

This was perfect for a time when I didn’t want to/couldn’t concentrate much.
Stories to dip in and out of, some really held my interest and I thoroughly enjoyed, others not so much, but that’s the beauty of short stories!
These were centred around women in all facets of life, mainly in Italy or of Italian women. Not that it makes any difference as this book shows we’re all mostly fundamentally the same.
A little escape, thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy to read.

This was a fun and easy-to-read collection of short stories! I love Italy as a setting and this was a fun read in between the longer novels I usually read. Thank you to Kimberly Sullivan and Netgalley for the ARC! “Drink Wine and Be Beautiful” releases May 26th.

This will be shared to my instagram blog (@books_by_the_bottle) shortly :)

I thoroughly enjoyed this short story collection! I felt like I was on a world tour (mostly in Europe), which is exactly the vibe I look for in summer reading selections. The stories were quick to read enabling me to pick this book up when I had a few free minutes and finish a complete short story. The women featured were complex and dynamic, and many of these stories packed an emotional punch as well.

This is a compilation of short stories following the lives of women through love, loss, grief, betrayal, etc. Most of these stories are set in Italy and throughout Europe. The stories do not follow a set path and they are not equal in length and content. Depending on life experience, I would expect readers to react differently to each story in the collection.

I personally enjoyed most of the stories, especially the first few. My favorites highlighted the strength of various women and how they worked through difficult situations. Others were incredibly sad and lacked resolution. Others still were incredibly short and seemed to be an afterthought of that woman’s life.

Overall, I very much enjoyed this collection of short stories. I would have wished for a little more cohesion or maybe chronology for how they were compiled. Each story is completely stand alone and that also makes it easier for the reader to skip through any that they are not interested in.

This is a collection of short stories that nearly all have some connection to Italy. As with many short story collections, some of these were strong and captivating, others were boring. I enjoyed the glimpses into different parts of Italy and the countries beyond. Once I read the story that incorporates the title, I had a better understanding and sympathy toward many of the women featured in these stories.

A solid set of stories that will likely be enjoyed by those that pick it up. The focus is on women, and the author has a good voice and talent. Recommended.

Thanks very much for the free copy for review!!

I loved this collection of short stories! Each story had a twist of Europe, mostly Italy. After the first two stories, I was hooked and. couldn't put it down, anxious to see where the next story started and ended. I enjoyed the writing style, ease of reading and the description of each city the characters were in. Many locations mentioned in her stories I have personally been to and she was spot on with the culture and flavor of each one. If you are a traveler like me, or just an armchair traveler you will love this collection!

I thoroughly enjoyed Kimberly Sullivan's collection of short stories about women finding their way in the world while experiencing love, despair, loss, anger, anomie. I loved the twists and surpises in Roman Snow, the female friendship in Amica del Cuore, and the poignancy of Heat Wave. The twenty-one stories are set mostly in Europe, but also in Bali, Morocco, and Ecuador. This mix of countries and cities, each with its own personality, was an added bonus - I could read "wherever" I wanted to go - Florence today, the Balkans tomorrow. - which is one of my favorite things about reading.

This collection of short stories really did not do it for me. I liked that they were based around friendship and life in Italy, but there was just nothing exciting for me. No spice and I feel that the stories could have taken place anywhere.

A hit and miss collection of short stories set in European locations. Some stories more engaging than others but overall an worthwhile read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Once again, Kimberly Sullivan does not disappoint. Her impressive range of stories, called forth a range of emotions, equally as powerful.

And I loved the tangle of them; a mix of joy, jealousy and shame in “Amica del Cuore” about leaving behind a cretino, and finding a friend of the heart in Rome.

“Early Morning Jogs” about rekindling marital bliss, by ….well, you’ll have to read it to find out! Pangs of remorse and independence. Defiance, exhilaration and sadness.

Then there was “Roman Snow” about a luggage mix-up that leads to more shaking up. If your luggage has ever been lost, what happened? Did you feel anger? Longing? Helplessness? You'll have a new appreciation for what happened in its life away from you before it found its way back to you again.

For more of Kimberly Sullivan’s great writing check out her book length fiction on her website. https://kimberlysullivanauthor.com/

A collection of short stories all set in European locations. Some of the stories were great-others not so much. The beauty of a short story collection is that you can skip the stories that do not appeal to you.

Such an easy to read book, not too long and as it is short stories I could read a bit, put it down and then pick it up again days later to read another story.

Stories of life in Italy and surround, about friendship, relationships, life in general and all that goes with it. All the stories are different, some more intriguing and interesting than others abut all great reads. It brings the culture of Italy to the fore, making life there real and not so different from any of our countries and any of the lives we lead.

Very interesting and great book for women.