A WEDDING IN LAKE COMO by Jennifer Probst, both women's fiction and a contemporary romance, comes out May 14. It's the third installment in Probst's Meet Me in Italy series. Each book in the series is a standalone story. The other two books are OUR ITALIAN SUMMER and THE SECRET LOVE LETTERS OF OLIVIA MORETTI.

Set-Up
Three young women from very different backgrounds become best friends in college. Maddie, Ava, and Chelsea are experiencing self-discovery through the freedom of their college years while dreaming of the endless possibilities ahead of them. It's a book about female friendships, young love, mistakes made along the way, personal growth, and forgiveness. This novel takes us from college in NYC, to the fashion and acting scene in LA, to an Italian mega villa in Lake Como.

The Characters
Growing up, Maddie's parents only took care of her basic needs, making it clear to her that she was an unplanned pregnancy. Once she turned eighteen, they washed their hands of her. Now, Maddie is putting herself through college. She finds the confidence she's been missing through the emotional support of her college friends.
Ava was raised by her wealthy, widowed Italian father. She has charisma that commands attention in any room she enters, but she carries baggage from her mother's death. It has made her manipulative and controlling, but she conceals it as concern and loving help for her friends.
Maddie was so desperate to be loved, she didn't see how toxic her friendship with Ava was becoming. On the other hand, Maddie tried to take as little as possible from Ava. Maddie wanted to make it on her own.
Chelsea rounds out this group of besties. She had the most idyllically "normal" upbringing. Although she's part of the group, Maddie and Ava are the primary characters.

Summary
Through their college years, the girls come to terms with their families and upbringings, build lasting friendships through supporting each other, plan their careers, and explore the dating scene. Sparks fly for Maddie and Riggs, and they build a deep romantic relationship. Riggs is studying law while Maddie builds her social media following to become a fashion influencer.
Ava takes her college girlfriends on an Italian vacation to her home on Lake Como. Here, the girls make a pact to attend each other's weddings, no matter where life leads them.
After Chelsea's wedding reception, Ava makes a huge mistake that destroys the group. Five years later, Ava is getting married to the man of her dreams in her hometown by Lake Como. Even with her past mistake and loss of friendship still haunting her, she puts out the invitation to her college friends.
Maddie, still single, is frustrated with her superficial reality and lack of meaningful relationships. She lashes out on social media, causing a public scandal that could ruin her career. Chelsea is married and has children, but she feels the tug between motherhood and unfulfilled professional goals.
Since Ava has smoothed things over with Chelsea, she'll be at the wedding. But Maddie is the X factor. Will Maddie face the pain of the past and hear Ava out? Will seeing another wedding guest from the past be too much? Will Ava's other secret push Maddie over the edge? Will Maddie hold on to her anger over the wrong done to her, or will she finally find healing?

My Thoughts
There's a lot to love about this book. The characters and their friendship dynamics kept me interested. I wanted to keep reading to see how the girls would grow through their college years and beyond. Riggs was perfect as Maddie's love interest. I wanted to see Maddie become successful, but my heart ached for her as their love is tested as they build their individual careers.
A few things bothered me about the characters, but it didn't keep me from enjoying the story. I had a hard time buying into Maddie's loveless family dynamics. Could anyone live with a child for eighteen years and ONLY feel responsible to feed and clothe her? How could they be so cold-hearted? Possible, but extreme. As Maddie works toward her dream of being a fashion influencer, deep down she hopes that if she's successful enough, she will earn her parents' love. I understand Maddie's misguided thinking, but the extreme brokenness in her family felt unrealistic.
The story takes readers to beautiful Lake Como in Italy twice. What a privilege Ava has to live in a luxurious Italian villa on the lake! She comes from so much wealth! Her background made me question why she would choose to go to college in the states when she could have chosen anywhere in the world. It's a minor point. Maybe I'm just jealous I didn't have a rich friend in college to invite me on extravagant vacations and pay for it all!

Wrap-up
A WEDDING IN LAKE COMO will attract a younger audience, say women in their 20's and 30's. I'm in an older group, ok, much older group, but I still enjoyed this book. The dynamics of three friends and a rocky romance kept my interest. The storyline of a social media influencer keeps the novel relevant today, and yet it brought the good times of my past college years to mind.
I give A WEDDING IN LAKE COMO by Jennifer Probst a strong 4 stars. If it sounds interesting to you, it's worth a read! If you like the sound of this book, you should check out my review of THE GOOD PART by Sophie Cousens.
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for the ARC of this book. The opinions are my own. Feel free to leave a comment! I love talking with my readers!

Madison grew up a lonely child, feeling unloved and ignored by her parents. So when she met Chelsea and Ava in college, the three became best friends and form the family she has always wanted and needed. With the addition of her boyfriend Riggs and a blossoming career as a social media fashion influencer, Maddie has everything she has ever dreamed of. As senior year approaches, the girls begin discussing the future, making a pact that no matter where their lives and careers take them, they will all be at each others' weddings. Fast-forward five years, and Maddie is forced to decide whether or not she will honor that pact by attending Ava's wedding in Lake Como, Italy, after one of the friends made a life-changing mistake tearing them apart. Maddie, a now-famous model, actress, and influencer, is at a crossroads in her life - will she hold on to the past and continue in a career that has left her unfulfilled, or will she fly to Italy and seek answers and forgiveness from the two people who she once loved the most in her world? Probst does a great job capturing the difficulty of growing up and all of the mistakes and consequences that come with it, as well as the beauty of forgiveness and importance of family.

A Wedding in Lake Como by Jennifer Probst

Maddie is tall, freckled, redheaded, and has no idea of how attractive she is as a freshman in college. She's always been on the outside looking in, never part of a group, feeling as abandoned by her classmates as she feels abandoned by her parents. Imagine her surprise when popular, wealthy, beautiful Ava pulls Maddie into her world, along with Ava's friend Chelsea. Now Maddie is a member of a popular trio, part of all that is fun and exciting. Even better, Ava and Chelsea push Maddie into leaping for her dream of being a famous fashion influencer.

Maddie also falls in love with fellow student, Riggs. Maddie is so busy with school, work, and her goals that she hardly has time to acknowledge that Ava is always trying to pull Maddie and Riggs apart. Riggs notices though and Ava is sore subject between Maddie and Riggs. And then there is poor Chelsea, mostly forgotten by maybe everyone but me. She was my favorite of the trio, more down to earth, so sure of her goals, only to have things go lopsided without anyone noticing how she felt about things.

It was so hard for me to stand Ava but this story isn't about me so I had to just enjoy the story as it plays out. I sure would not have handled the past and the present in the same way that Maddie handles things but I respect her decisions and it's very obvious all the characters grow and change throughout the story. Even though the story is listed as "Meet Me in Italy #3" I can find no sign that the stories are connected in any way other than taking place (at least in part) in Italy. So no worries about missing anything by reading this story as a standalone because it is just that, a standalone. This was a good buddy read with DeAnn, there was a lot to talk about with this one!

Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for this ARC.

Another great book by Jennifer Probst. The story of three friends who become estranged yet still want so badly to reconnect is a great read. You are taken away to the shores of Lake Como in Italy and you feel like you are there as you read this book. The characters while all a little quirky with baggage seem to belong together. This book has all of the emotions you are looking for, love, hate, forgiveness, empathy and compassion. It is a great read..

I often talk about how I read to escape and visiting Italy has always been at the top of my wish list. I’m not sure that dream will ever come true but that is fine because Jennifer Probst, an author I have followed for a long time, has given me a personal tour of Italy in her “Meet Me in Italy” series. Her latest sparkling gem “A Wedding in Lake Como” is
visually enticing, emotionally personal and filled with breathtaking scenery that showcases the magic of the area.

Who wouldn’t have wanted to be best friends with Madison, Chelsea and Ava during their formative college years? The three young women were into fashion, music, their studies and dreaming of traveling the world. Ava was a chic, fashionista from Italy whose friendship was sought after from all the young coeds on the campus of their small, private school. Ava and Chelsea were already friends when they welcomed Madison into their little group. Chelsea was a financial wizard, Madison was a budding social media influencer, and Ava was a free spirit who made her own decisions and enjoyed planning weekends away with her best friends. I found her a bit controlling, especially with Madison, who seemed to always want to please her. Madison was my favorite character because I loved her energy, her seriousness when it came to her studies and how naturally she fit into the world of social media. I was certain that she would be a star! I wish I could have known more about Chelsea because I loved her bubbly personality, her desire to be successful and the way she acted as a buffer between Ava and Madison. Chelsea was the reasonable friend, Ava, the spur of the moment party girl and Madison was the quiet friend whose true personality was just waiting to come alive. Naturally, romantic entanglements followed all of the women with Ava being the hardest one to tie down. All of this sounds like they had the perfect lives and they did for a while until one night, when everything changed, and none of them would ever be the same again.

Which brings us to Ava’s invitation to her magical and extravagant wedding in Lake Como. Madison hadn’t spoken to her in five years and wasn’t sure she could ever forgive her. Chelsea desperately wanted to attend the wedding because the life of a busy mom never came with delicious Italian food and serene boat rides at night. Will their reunion at Lake Como be as perfect as the crystal blue water or will the women find it impossible to regain the friendship they once had?

A Wedding in Lake Como was a different story from what I expected it to be. I expected most of the story to take place in Italy, but most of it is set in NYC in the past, not in Lake Como, and not in the present. Only about the last third of the book is set in the present. It made the balance between the flashbacks to the past and the present uneven.

The main theme is toxic female friendship, which is not my favorite. If I knew it was the case I probably would not have picked the book up. I liked the writing style, so I was interested enough to continue reading, but because the story didn't match my expectations, I didn't love it. I also think that the blurb and the cover are a little misleading I believe many readers will enjoy A Wedding in Lake Como, but it was not the right book for me.

Three young women meet in college and become bosom friends. They exchanged pinky promises and made blood pacts that their friendship would last forever, and no one would ever come between them.  Can they navigate the curved balls that life throws at them and still come out as friends?
While this may be billed at as romantic suspense it's really a women's fiction taking the reader through the solid friendship shared between three young women as they navigate college, careers and determine who they want to grow up to be. 
Chelsea has always been clear about who she is and what she wants out of life and yet she is the first one to meet the man of her dreams and succumb to the lure of marriage and children. On the surface she has it all and yet she might be the most unsatisfied of them all. 
Madison works her way into a career of fashion and hashtags to become a premier influencer. She has met the man of her dreams and is prepared to sacrifice all to become a housewife.  She of course has the most to lose and loses it all including her two best friends even as she climbs to the summit of her career only to see it all crash and burn around her.  
Ava is the most successful, spoiled daughter of a rich father determined to hang on to her father and her friendships no matter what she has to sacrifice.  Another one who finds it all burnt to a waste around her as she learns that humans can only be manipulated so far.  Now she's getting married and as a last chance invites her friends to her wedding in Lake Como where they first exchanged pinky promises and made a blood pact.  Can their friendship recover any semblance of what it once was? 
This is a slow burn story that plays out some difficult scenarios.  Madison on the surface had lost the most. Can she forgive and forget and rebuild? Ava has also learned from her mistakes, grown and found the most amazing man to love her, can she restore what she once destroyed? Chelsea has gained so much but lost the essence of what she once wanted, does she also have a second chance at her career?
 Life isn't perfect but when chance throws you a life jacket do you hold on for all you're worth and ride to safety? Somewhat thought provoking, somewhat disturbing but definitely worth the read.

4/5 stars

Thank you Berkley Publishing for the advanced reading copy!

NOTE: While this is the third in the series, you don't have to have read the first two to read this one! I haven't, and I didn't feel like I missed anything at all. I'm fairly certain these are meant to be standalone, because the synopses of the first two don't seem to overlap with this one at all!

SYNOPSIS-- Ava, Madison and Chelsea were inseparable for years, until one of them made a terrible choice that tore the group apart. Now, years later, Ava is about to marry the love of her life. Returning to a pact they made in their youth to reunite for each other's weddings, Maddie and Chelsea are forced to confront the past they share with Ava, and decide if they are willing to move forward. When all of their goals and careers come into question, there's only one way to figure all of this out: together. Will Lake Como be enough to repair past mistakes? Or is that part of their lives lost forever?

This was such a solid book, and would make a GREAT beach read!! So many themes in this one that I loved; Friendship/found family, female friendships, young love, coming of age and forgiveness truly made for a beautiful story. While some of the themes in this book were hard to read, this story had a calming effect that somehow turned this into a comfort read. The Italian setting really set the scene, and the parts of the story in other places (like New York and LA) shone just as bright. Plus, if you're at all into fashion or influencers, this would be a great book for you. Overall, this story took me to so many emotional places. It was a beautiful story of the complexity of female friendships and growing up with close friends, all while growing apart. The characters had such great development and the dialogue healed parts of me that have been festering for a long time. Things came full circle in this story and wrapped up so nicely. I learned a lot about forgiveness from this story and I really enjoyed the ride through this one.

SEMI SPOILER:
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CW: Cheating. This is what brought down my rating a little bit. HOWEVER, I think the author handled this fantastically and actually did a great job of addressing the complexities of infidelity and forgiveness across relationships.

This book was a tale of three friends that just didn’t do it for me. I went into the story thinking it was more of a romance but it’s really a women’s fiction. My biggest problem was I just didn’t connect with the characters. While Maddie had the most growth I just couldn’t get past the toxic friendship she had.

Thank you for Netgalley for the ARC for exhange of my opinion.

I am a fan of Jennifer Probst writing and was happy to receive a chance to review it. The first part of the story flowed well, the introductions to the characters were mainly done in scenes from the past. I liked the characters as they were portrayed in the past, not so much on present. The story about women's friendships turns somewhat predictable when a cheating action occurs and I was disappointed with all the characters. Still not sure about the ending.

I really love this series. A WEDDING IN LAKE COMO revolves around three friends, with one getting married in Lake Como. The book has elements of a romance but it's really about friendship and the bond between the three women. The three women face past failures to become friends again. Loved the underlying theme of lifelong friendships, second chances, and forgiveness.

Thanks so much, Berkley Pub, for the gifted copy in exchange for my honest review!

A Wedding in Lake Como by Jennifer Probst is a heartwarming tale that beautifully captures the essence of love and romance. Set against the stunning backdrop of Lake Como in Italy, this story not only explores the intricacies of relationships but also showcases the delectable cuisine and exquisite fashion of the region. Readers will be enchanted by the captivating narrative and transported to the picturesque landscapes of Italy. Get ready to be swept away by this delightful novel. It left me wanting more!

This is the third in the Meet Me in Italy series, but the first one I have read. I had no idea it was part of a series. It felt like a stand alone to me. This is considered in the romance genre - there was definitely romance in the book, but the three female friendships were more of the center of the story.

The friendships start when they are all young, they are toxic relationships. As they grow, the relationships hit hard times. It felt good to see them mature, become independent and figure out what is really important for each one of them.

Three women face past failures to become friends once again as one is marrying in Lake Como. The third in the Meet Me in Italy series, A Wedding in Lake Cumo, shares glimpses of a toxic friendship from college and how its affected adulthood.

Probst's series continues to well written, and the scenery comes to life in NYC, LA and Italy. The growth of the three friends takes years with forgiveness waiting in Italy, along with past loves.

Thank you, Berkley Publishing Group

A Wedding in Lake Como will transport you to Italy in this women's fiction by Jennifer Probst. This book didn't seem like a usual one from Jennifer Probst and I was disappointed.

A destination wedding in Italy’s Lake Como brings three best friends back together to face the secrets of the past. As Ava, Chelsea and Madison return to Italy’s gorgeous coast, the three women revisit their life-changing first trip to Lake Como during college and revisit what tore term apart five years ago.

While there is romance, I feel like this is more of a women's fiction since this book is centered around friendship and forgiveness. I loved the Lake Como setting and it reminded me of my trip to the Italian Lakes last summer. I found the characters mostly unlikeable and Ava and Madion's friendship was SO toxic.

A Wedding in Lake Como comes out May 14th. Thanks to Berkley for my copy.

A Wedding in Lake Como surprised me in such a good way! I expected a romance but it's heavy focus on female friendship was just what I needed this past weekend. I loved the nuance to it and the ride-or-die feels the trio had for each other. At times toxic but equally a place to call home for bosom friends, Madison, Ava, and Chelsea. The theme of forgiveness was certainly strong and I can't help but put myself in their shoes.

Read for:
🧳 Second chances in love and friendship
🧳 Dual timeline
🧳 Traveling adventures
🧳 Coming of Age
🧳 Friendship pacts

Thank you to Berkley Besties and Netgalley for the advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.

With the most gorgeous of backdrops, the reader gets swept away to Lake Como where three friends find themselves together again despite leading very different lives.

Ava (my least fav of the characters) invites her estranged friends Chelsea and Madison to her wedding in Italy. The women may have found new paths in life but somehow that bond (frayed but there) convinces them to come.

I don’t want to give any spoilers for readers checking this review out because the reason they broke apart is one that has the wounds that would break a lot of friendships. Actually, it’s just toxic and definitely a group I would have stayed far away from. Or rather ava, I would have stayed far away from.

One critical thing I had is that it felt like it was a bit too long. And I guess the other thing I would have liked was a deeper dive into Chelsea. It felt like it was the Ava and Madison friendship….

But can we talk about Italy? Ugh… my wanderlust always gets me with books like this. My first by the author and I see she has a big backlist so I’m going to have to check it out and see if she can “take me somewhere else” 😉

Thank you to the publisher for the gifted copy in return for an honest review!

This one was just okay for me. I hate books about cheating especially when a best friend stabs another in the back! And then the twist with the kid was a lot. But the setting was great!

This is an author that kind of goes in spurts, and I haven't seen anything new that caught my attention in a while until this. Definately more of a women's fiction vs a romance. Great beach/summer read. Nothing screams that this is the best book of the year but for sure an enjoyable book- somewhat predictable in areas and storyline but overall I enjoyed it. Good for when you need a middle of the line type of book- just an easy read that has good writing.

When one of the three best friends gets married it is the time to mend fences and figure out if the friendships that had gotten through college are worth continuing, especially after a horrible encounter. Jennifer Probst takes her readers on an emotional and sometimes heartbreaking tale of love, hurt and acceptance. The story volley back and forth between past and present and locks the reader in from the very first chapter. Some things are very hard to overcome but in the end it is the strength and determination that wil get them through the difficult times.