To Sicily with Love is book 4 in the Meet Me in Italy series by Jennifer Probst and a great addition. 4.5 stars

When Aurora loses her parents unexpectedly she finds herself going off track from her life. She discovers she has a family in Italy and decides to go and meet her extended family. What happens next is family drama, laughter, tears, second chances, forgiveness, finding love and more…read on to see how it all ends…

I voluntarily read a copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

What a fantastic story!

I loved the descriptive writing, reading about Aurora coming into her own power and learning so much about her family and herself, and Quint 🥵 I’m so sad this book is over, easiest 5 star review I have given in a long time!

Thank you to NetGalley, Berkeley and Jennifer Probst for this ARC

Aurora is a social media influencer and life coach. She enjoys her job and feels that she has her life pretty much together. That is until she loses her best friend and her mom all in one. Grief has struck her hard, then her boyfriend tells her he wants a break.. She loses it during one of her podcast and now has her career in a bit of a standstill. Aurora believes that she is an only child until a DNA test reveals that she had a family that she never knew. With her life not being what she wants to be, she embarks on a journey for a month that will end up with lifetime, lasting memories and impressions.


Jennifer Probst gives us a heartwarming story of dealing with grief, discovery of family you never had and finding a new part within yourself. Her words transform you to a place of beauty and culture. The setting is written, absolutely stunningly to where I could perfectly envision the places she was talking about around me. I love the family aspect. She changed while on her trip. Too many times we forget how to live after someone that we truly love is no longer here. I do believe that our Author did a wonderful job in conveying those feelings. Aurora is able to deal with her grief and find herself again while discovering a new family.
To Sicily with Love was the book that I was easily able to relate to and very much enjoyed.

I really enjoyed this book! It definitely gave me Eat Pray Love vibes, but still very good. I feel like I want to go to Sicily now just to explore and eat! I cried a few times in this book, but I loved the big extended family and the descriptions of Sicily. I got tired of the motivation aspect, but that's just me. What works for 1 person doesn't always work for everyone and I think Aurora figured that out eventually. There's no right way to grieve and no timeline.

A touching story about Aurora rediscovering herself after loss and grief. Set in the beautiful landscape of Sicily, the book explores how Aurora navigates her emotions and healing process while also finding love. The chemistry between the characters was strong, and the family dynamics added depth to the story. While the pacing was slow in parts, the themes of self-discovery and healing made it a meaningful, heartfelt read.

I write haiku reviews on Instagram and on Goodreads but am happy to provide more feedback, if desired.

To Sicily with Love is the fourth book in the Meet me in Italy series. Unfortunately, I didn't realize it was a series until after I finished book three, A Wedding in Lake Como. But I promise you are fine to read them out of order. If you love dreaming of vacations in Italy and reading about beautiful landscapes and delicious food you are going to want to read them all.

Aurora has a very structured life and everything is perfectly in order. She's got a business working as a life coach and she's at the top of her game. Her weight is perfect after a few years of struggling with it and her boyfriend owns a couple gyms which perfectly compliments her life. They also swap clients back and forth which is very convenient.

Aurora's mom doesn't think her boyfriend is right for her. She's not happy that Aurora won't eat the nice meals her mom makes. Unfortunately, her mom suddenly passes away and their last conversation is a fight. Now Aurora is struggling because both her parents are gone and was her mom right about things? If only she could talk to her one more time.

A surprising twist has Aurora flying to Sicily to meet long lost relatives that she didn't know existed. She didn't even know her mom was from Italy! Now she's gone from no family left in the world to a large family of cousins, aunts, uncles and grandparents.

To Sicily With Love is a wonderfully written novel and I intend to go back and read book one and two in the series and looking for other books by Jennifer Probst. Also, I googled it so you don't have to - the author is no relation to Jeff Probst the Survivor host.

Aurora thought she had it all – the career and the boyfriend until unexpectedly loses her mother. She doesn’t know anything about her parent’s past so when she finds out she has relatives in Sicily she’s shocked. After a public breakdown during a work event, she decides to pack for bags and go to Sicily.

This might be my favorite book of the series. I was enamored by the backdrop of Sicily and the culture. I loved Aurora’s journey of self-discovery and bonding with a family that she didn’t know existed. There was a touch of romance with added to the theme of the importance of connections. It was such a heartwarming read about family and personal growth.

Jennifer Probst’s books always have me feeling I’m right back in Italy. (Missing Italy, pick up this book)
So many layers in this beautiful story, you’re fully invested in Aurora and where her journey is taking her.

If Jennifer Probst is writing about Italy, I’m reading it. (And falling in love with the characters)

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for this advanced copy

This book was the dreamy, wanderlust romance I hoped it would be! My first by Probst and definitely not my last.

I appreciated the deeper, more emotional layers with themes involving loss of a loved one, discovering more about your identity and heritage, and coming to terms with what you deserve in both love and life.

Aurora was relatable and endearing! I was rooting for her from the first page to the last. I enjoyed going on this journey with her as she took a leap of faith and followed her roots all the way to Sicily in hopes of connecting with family and finding out more about her mother. Her big Italian family was heartwarming. I loved them all! The romance in this was delightful. And one of my favorite parts-the FOOD! All of the detailed descriptions of the food was delectable and the setting absolutely picturesque! What a refreshing read this was!

Thank you so much to Berkley and NetGalley for my early copy!

A young, lonely woman travels to Sicily to Eat, Pray and Love

Sicily is a magical island afloat in the Mediterranean Sea and filled with ancient ruins, welcoming people, and delicious local cuisine. In bestselling author Jennifer Probst’s new novel, “To Sicily with Love” (Berkley Books), Probst shares the story of Aurora York, an ambitious New York millennial driven to tackle the world of self-help. Aurora is a rising social media star, life coach, and author who has established her goals, and will let nothing hamper her success. Even her hunky boyfriend, Jason, a gym owner and health enthusiast, pushes her to be her best self. Aurora has it all!
Until one day, her loving mother unexpectedly dies. Having previously lost her father; Aurora feels alone in the world. She attempts to summon her strength to work, but when she publicly melts down, everything she has worked for is on the line. An only child and with no relatives, she feels adrift, and out of desperation she takes a DNA test.
The results are shocking. Aurora discovers her mother was Sicilian, and there is a match in Sicily. She is stymied as she believed her mother was an only child, too, and her grandparents had died long ago. But this does not seem to be the case. Faced with this irrefutable scientific evidence, Aurora wonders whether her whole life has been a lie, why her mother hid the truth from her. And who are these people in Sicily?
Aurora’s podcast, book contract, and career are all in danger, but she finds the courage to make a bold move. With nothing to lose, boards a plane to Sicily in search of her mother’s past, her own identity, a way to heal her grief, and to meet the big Italian family awaiting her on the other side of the ocean.
Her emotional and physical journey takes her to Sciacca, a small village in the south of Sicily. Will the trip serve as an emotional awakening for her, or will it be a disaster? Will her religious, traditional family explain her mother’s backstory, or will they reject Aurora and remain silent about the haunting past?
Read the full review at booktrib.com/2025/02/14/to-sicily-with-love-jennifer-probst/:
"“To Sicily, with Love,” is like a granita al lemone, an icy lemon Sicilian treat, which melts on your tongue with delight."

Aurora was such a great character to follow. She thinks she has her entire life together, until her mom suddenly passes and she’s left to pick up the pieces. In turn, she finds she has an entire family in Sicily she knows nothing about.

Grief is such a hard topic to depict in a book, and I think Jennifer Probst handled the delivery incredibly well while discussing some difficult topics with grace. This story was a tear-jerker and I found myself crying on several occasions.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC!

After losing her parents tragically, Aurora is left all alone. Aurora had it all it seemed; to crashing down all at once. Her career is in question after her public meltdown. She just lost her parents and has no relatives that she knows of. After taking a DNA test, Aurora is stunned when she hears from her blood relative in Sicily who eagrly invites her to meet there.
Aurora jumps on the opportunity. In Sicily she meets a handsome Italian man, a charismatic family of her own and a grandfather who is less than pleased of her arrival. As things unfold Aurora finds herself healing from grief.
When her trip is over she is left questioning her life and who she wants in it. She knows she wasn't fully healed and Sicily and still has to continue doing the work. What choices will she make?
This is an enjoyable read that drags in some spots but overall a great family/life story.

To Sicily, With Love, indeed!
I enjoyed reading this book quite a bit. The main character, Aurora, suddenly finds herself on her own in life when her last living relative passes away and her boyfriend wants some space.
After completing a DNA test and finding that she has many relatives and in Italy, she goes on a physical and emotional journey through her past, flying to Sicily and learning about her parents’ secrets.
The food descriptions in this book were heavenly! I think the food was my favorite part of the book. I love that in Italy it is a cultural experience, eating. Every time we sat down with our characters and experienced each course, I was ready to devour the next few paragraphs.
I would have liked to see more personality in our love interest. I like the romance aspect but I felt like we didn’t really find out a lot about the guy before they fl in love. Oh well! He was definitely cute!
As an American with ties to Italy, I felt more connected to this book, putting myself in Aurora’s shoes. Anyone with ties like mine would have fun with this one. It’s also an awesome idea for a book club.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for the early read in exchange for my honest review.

The book follows Aurora York, a life coach who believes her career is all she needs for happiness. However, her life is turned upside down after her mother's death. This loss forces her to confront that she doesn't have everything she needs to truly feel fulfilled. Amid her grief, Aurora takes a DNA test and discovers a long-lost family in Sicily, which leads her to embark on a journey to meet them.

As she travels to Sicily, Aurora learns that life is about more than career success. We witness her transformation as she confronts her grief and begins to understand the importance of family and connection. This story beautifully illustrates that life continues and that starting over can lead to true happiness.

Even though this is the fourth book in the series, I easily read it as a standalone. If you're looking for uplifting women's fiction with a romantic element, you will truly love Aurora's journey of healing and self-discovery.

and lastly, these two quotes I LOVED:
"If we never stop to question ourselves or our happiness, how will we ever know we lost our way?"
"What is work? Tasks? Money? All is important, yes. But those things do not contain the meaning we really search for. The joy that stays even when the work is complete or the tasks are done."

This is an emotional book about Aurora and her life journey. It is filled with drama, family, love, and forgiveness. Jennifer Probst has an amazing ability to draw you in and weave a heartfelt tale. I highly recommend this entire series.

Rating: 4 ⭐️
How I Read It:📱

Synopsis

Aurora York had it all loving parents, a steady relationship, and a promising career. But after she loses her mother unexpectedly, she can’t keep it together and feels like she’s losing control of her life. Her boyfriend is no help, and she feels lonely and lost. She decides to take a DNA test and finds relatives in Sicily. Grandparents, aunts, and cousins. But her mother was an only child? How is that possible? Aurora decides to go to Sicily after her family pleads with her to go. She arrives in Italy to find unexpected family and a very handsome Italian man named. Aurora is faced with some difficult life choices when her summer comes to an end. What will she choose?

My Thoughts
This was a really cute read! Jennifer Probst did such an amazing job describing the small town in Italy, and I felt like I was right back in the town in Italy where I visited. That was really the type of book I was looking for when I decided to pick this book up. It had all the cozy Italian family vibes of the charming small village life. It was perfection! If you’re looking for a heartwarming read this summer with a sweet love story and the picturesque backdrop of Italy, then this is the book for you!

Themes
Family Death
Summer Romance

Ratings
Characters: 4 ⭐️
Pace: 4 ⭐️
Enjoyability: 4 ⭐️

Thank you Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book!

Huge thank you to @berkleypub
and @netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I simply love the Meet Me in Italy books and this was the perfect addition! These books are heartwarming, tender, so emotional and all in the most gorgeous setting. Also, warning do not read this book hungry! The food scenes are so descriptive and utterly mouth watering! If you want to take a vacation without ever leaving your home this is the perfect book for you!

After losing both parents unexpectedly, Aurora sets out on a journey of self-discovery as she travels to Sicily to meet the long lost family she never knew she had. Aurora thought she had life all figured out and had specific plans and goals that she was striving for but life throws us curve balls and the unexpected which may just turn out to be what we needed after all. It took me a good minute to get into the book. I felt the story didn’t catch my attention very much but I still enjoyed the premise.

Whew…this book had me feeling every emotion out there. Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for the copy of this book.

What a journey Aurora takes. After losing her parents, Aurora is lost, she feels so alone. Until one test brings her back to her mother’s roots. Sicily. After drowning in grief, she decides to take a trip to see what happened to her mother and family. What she didn’t realize was how much she could heal being close to her family. This book is very descriptive. You actually feel like you are on this trip with her. Aurora takes sometime to self reflect and what a beautiful story we get. I really loved the last 50% of the book. That’s when the most feelings are felt and I cried right along with her. So many quotes are highlighted. I’ll share more closer to release day.

Perfect story for any fiction readers.