Thank you to NetGalley and to Boldwood Books for this e-arc in exchange for my honest review!

I really tried this one - and I know that it's a me thing, but for some reason I really just couldn't get into this book - I found myself not wanting to read and that's not normal for me. I kind of got stuck at 20% in this one and just had no desire to continue reading, and again - it is for sure a me issue! I love Maddie Please's books; I love her writing style, I absolutely love how the books feature older characters - it's a great way to prove that life isn't only good in your 20's and early 30's! I also love her incredible and heartwarming take on how a second chance is possible; life doesn't just "end" with a husband leaving you, or you realizing you deserve so much better - that is something that is possible and these books showcase that.

Joanna (Jo) Dawson is approaching her 65th birthday and is looking for a new adventure. She is recently divorced from Greg, who left her for a TBT (thin, blonde, trollop, obviously). Her daughters have their own families, but her son has recently returned to live in the granny flat in her home. Susie, her best friend has an offer for Jo. Their friend Ellen passed away a few years ago, and her husband is offering an all-expense paid trip to Italy to honour her and celebrate his mother's birthday. Jo isn't sure she wants to go as they had a relationship in the past, but she agrees to go for Susie's sake. Susie has just recently kicked out the man she was living with. Off they go, for what they hope will be a great holiday. Capri is even better than they imagined and staying at the hotel that Paulo and Ellen ran is amazing. They begin to enjoy themselves, with Susie finding a gentleman that she has fun with. Jo finds that she is still attracted to Paulo, her first love, but not sure what to do about that. With some funny family moments, situations that Jo finds herself in that makes me laugh, and Paulo's mother and aunts adding humour to the story, I wasn't sure whether Jo and Paulo might try again, but I enjoyed finding out.

I really enjoy Susie and Jo together. They are BFFs that have one another's back, get themselves in some funny situations and enjoy life. There are some hilarious moments at the beginning when they are spending a weekend somewhere else and I almost had an accident laughing so hard. Once they arrive in Capri, Paulo's mother and aunts take over the humor. Paulo's grandson is a mixed bag. He is only 5 but is spoiled rotten by his rich, indulgent mother. She overrules Paulo's son when it comes to discipline until someone gets hurt. This little boy is so confused, but he loves Jo for some reason and I enjoyed their relationship. She is the only one that gets him to mind. This is not a romance like others I have read, it is a slow, second chance relationship that two older, mature characters would like to rekindle. The problem is where they live as well as Jo's meddling family. I wanted to slap her son who had moved back home and taken total advantage of the situation. I definitely recommend this fun read to those who enjoy second chance romance in later life, stories of friendship, new beginnings and figuring out what you want out of life.

I didn't really gel with this book as much as I would have liked to. The main character just seemed a little boring to me and their long lost relationship seemed that way too. The location sounded idyllic but I just couldn't get on with any of the characters unfortunately.

3.5 stars

I really enjoyed this book. I loved the characters and the fact that just because they weren’t young and hip didn’t mean they were done with life’s experiences. It just goes to show you that you can find happiness at any age and you aren’t stuck where you are.

This is the first Maddie Please book I've read and it certainly won't be the last!

This was such a joy to read as it featured older characters, whom I found to be relatable, as I'm getting nearer that age.

Jo and Susie come across as 2 strong, independent women and their relationship as long standing friends was quite something. As their life is a bit stagnant, they accept an invitation to Capri to honour their late friend Ellen.

I thought the diverse range of characters was great (from the age of 5 to 85+), with some brilliant wit and humour from Susie and Cici. Little Eric and his parents added another dimension.

This is such a heartwarming, uplifting and humorous read about second chances later in life and is definitely worth a read.

This book gives women in their sixties hope for the future. It shows that it is possible to live a full life and even find romance. Jo and Susie go to Capri for a memorial service for their friend Ellen who passed away five years ago. Ellen wanted the service to be awhile after her death. She didn't want tears, just laughter and a celebration of her life. It just so happens that Ellen was married to Paolo, who Jo had a huge crush on since they were in college. Jo is worried that Paolo doesn't remember her or their special connection. Meanwhile, Susie is done with men after several bad choices in her past. However, she may have found the one also. It is soon time for the women to return to England and prepare themselves to move forward. Jo has to deal with her three children who take her for granted and Susie has to rid herself of the final remnants of the last man her her life. I could not put this book down and read it in one sitting. I am now looking forward to reading more books written by Maddie Please. I love her style and her stories.

a fun easy read to lose yourself in, i devoured this in a day it was just enjoyable.
i loved the characters and it was a story of first love, friendships and finding the perfect ending .
perfect for a sunny day or losing yourself in

This was such a great story. I love when you can read such a wholesome story. The characters in this book are all learning to continue living no matter your age. I think that is a perfect reminder that no matter the age you should always do the things you want as you never know when the end will come. These two women are in their 60s and they are traveling and starting new relationships and putting themselves first finally. Overall, a great book that I highly recommend, it's a good story, funny, reminders to live, and gives hope.

A brilliant read with older protagonists who
Look on their retirement as time to start anew.
They're not planning on gracefully growing old
Instead they're daring to be adventurous and bold!

When a celebration of the life of a friend who has passed
Involves staying in Capri - and potentially having a blast
They take up the challenge and take a chance
Not assuming for one this will provide a second chance romance.

A fun read fill with laughter and antics, too,
Showing age is not hinderance on starting anew.
With inspirational folks and memories to recall
Maybe this will be a new opportunity for them all?

A precocious child, accidents and more,
Celebrations, new places and choices to explore.
This shows life is for living whatever your age, too,
No wonder I highly recommend this fab book to you!

For my copy of this book I say a huge thank you
As I share with you this, my honest review.

I love Maddie's books and 'The Dolce Vita Divas' was no exception. It's a fun, fast paced, rom com with some of the most likeable characters I've ever had the pleasure of meeting in a book!

Susie and Jo were great friends and their friendship and the fun they have together really shone throughout the book.

Paulo definitely appealed; if only I was 30 years older. It was a bit of a strange premise with Jo being so hooked on someone who was married to one of her closest friends, but Maddie's writing ensured that their commection and growth felt authentic.

Capri was the ideal setting for this book and definitely somewhere I'd love to visit after reading this book!

🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟

I really wanted to like this. I am going to Italy later this year and was looking forward to a sneak peek but it fell flat for me. I love a fresh start story, so why didn't this land? I think it was the personality of the protagonist. The worrying about kids, among other things. I just couldn't cheer for her.

How much did I love this book? I read it entirely in one day, turned the final page with a huge smile and happy sigh, and wanted nothing more than to go back to page one and read it all over again. This was my first Maddie Please novel. It will not be my last!

Please's realistic and oh, so relatable characters took me on a humorous and heart-tugging journey of friendship, adventure, and romance, proving that we're never too old for new chapters or second chances. The main characters are realistically layered and beautifully developed. I loved watching Jo blossom as she began to reconnect with her own self-worth while also reconnecting with the man who first captured her heart as a young woman. My heart broke over Jo and Paulo's ill-fated college romance but soared for their reunion so many years later. To everything there is a season.

Friendship plays an important role in this book. We should all be blessed with the enduring friendship Susie and Jo share. I love how they challenge and support one another through the many stages of their lives; the laughter, fun, encouragement, and acceptance they share.
Family dynamics are also key with multi-generational characters bringing a richness and texture to the overall story, from Paulo's strong-willed and perceptive mother to Jo's flabbergasted children (who, quite candidly, think Mum has gone round the bend), to Paulo's young grandson. All are used to perfection.

And, finally, Please brings to life the beauty and vibrant spirit of the Isle of Capri. Her descriptions are so vividly depicted, I could close my eyes and smell the lemons, feel the gentle sea breeze on my face, and long for the unique charm of one of my favorite places.

If you're looking for a warm hug of a book that makes you laugh, possibly shed a few tears, cheer loudly for these wonderful characters, and immediately search out the author's entire back list, look no further than The Dolce Vita Divas. It has my enthusiastic recommendation.
ARC received from publisher via NetGalley
Tour Review: Rachel's Random Resources
Fair and unbiased opinion

Joanna and her best friend Susie decide to head to Italy to celebrate their friend Ellen's life. She's turning 65, her kids and her husband have left her, and she's left wondering if this is it for her. They are spending time in Capri with Ellen's husband and Joanna's first love.

I thoroughly enjoyed this story. The characters were fun, I especially loved Susie and their friendship, Paolo's mother Ceci, her sisters, and his grandson Eric were delightful. I enjoyed my trip to Capri. The author did a wonderful job with engaging , funny characters, stunning scenery, fresh starts, and second-chance romance. This is the third book I've read by the author, and I've loved them all.

Thanks to @boldwoodbooks, @rachelsrandomresources, @netgalley and the author for this arc.

Fun Read!! I love how Maddie Please writes about older characters. She makes them full of life & spunkiness! Main character Joanne, is 65 and figuring out the aging process. Recently retired, her and her longtime friend head to Italy for a celebration of a former college roommate’s death. I know that may sound morbid but this well written story, takes you to the beautiful Italian coast. I loved the dialogue of the characters. As well as the second chances theme. This is a perfect read to start the summer season. Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for this advance read. Head to your local bookstore now to grab your copy!

EXCERPT: When I was a child, birthdays always seemed to take forever to come round. But as the years passed, time appeared to gain pace. Then one year, about five minutes after my last birthday, another one was hovering into view and this time it was a really big one. Sixty-five.
I knew people usually talked about the big 5-0 or 6-0 as being significant, but at my age every milestone had begun to count. Being sixty-four had enjoyed some slightly comical connotations thanks to the Beatles. Will You Still Need Me? Well, at sixty-five it felt like no-one actually did. And it didn't really feel funny at all.

ABOUT 'THE DOLCE VITA DIVAS': At the ripe (and fabulous) age of 64, Joanna Dawson finds herself seeking a new adventure. Her husband, Greg, has run off with a TBT (thin, blonde, trollop, obviously), her kids have flown the nest, and her social calendar is emptier than her wine rack.

As Jo's 65th birthday looms, she's left wondering: Is this it?

Enter Susie, her best friend, with an offer Jo can’t quite refuse: an all-expenses-paid trip to Italy to honour their late friend Ellen. Jo's not sure she wants to go all the way to Italy, but with nothing else to do and if only to make Susie happy, she agrees. A holiday is a holiday after all.

Capri is even more gorgeous than Jo imagined and soon she and Susie are having the time of their life, especially as Jo is reunited with her dashing first love, Paulo. The one who, most definitely, got away…

Things might have fizzled with Paulo decades ago, but in the land of sun, pasta, and far too much wine, Jo begins to wonder: Could this be her second chance at life…and amore?

MY THOUGHTS: As always, Maddie Please hits exactly the right note with her latest novel featuring 'women of a certain age' - it is lighthearted, poignant and funny. She addresses all our fears, insecurities and concerns. She makes us feel better about ourselves (should we need it) and makes us laugh. I always want to live in her novels. Her characters are people I would like to be friends with (or even BE) and who doesn't want to go to Capri to visit a tall, dark and handsome ex-boyfriend with liquid chocolate eyes! I wish I had one of those . . .

A beautiful hotel in Capri, sun, friends - it all sounds quite idyllic. And the food - pastries and coffee for breakfast, and all that beautiful pasta! I can smell the garlic and the basil, the sun-warmed, vine-ripened tomatoes.

I loved the characters in this book. Jo, divorced and often put upon by her adult children, and Suzy, single and recently been through a relationship break-up, are not only the best of friends, but the perfect foil for one another. Jo is quieter, more unassuming and likes to fade into the background. Suzy likes to be centre-front, have full-on fun and is always on the lookout for the next great adventure. They balance one another beautifully.

Paulo's mother is another great character - Ellen's memorial coincides with the Contessa's 90th birthday and she is determined to make the absolute most of it. Paulo's little grandson Eric is another delightful character and he and Jo forge quite a special relationship.

This is a book about friends, family and second chances, set in a beautiful part of the world.

If you are looking for an uplifting, fun read, you really can't do better than Maddie Please. Just knowing there is a new book by this author on the horizon is enough to bring a big smile to my face.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

#TheDolceVitaDivas #NetGalley

MEET THE AUTHOR: Maddie Please was born in Dorset, brought up in Worcestershire and went to University in Cardiff.

After a career as a dentist Maddie now lives in Devon with her exceptionally handsome and supportive husband. They have 4 adult-ish children all of whom have left home and are probably rather surprised by all this. She did warn them.

Maddie is a voracious reader, and would enjoy hoovering, defrosting the fridge and cleaning the windows but unfortunately she doesn't really have time. She is very disciplined and sensible about her writing and she likes to write every day because it gets her out of doing the ironing.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Boldwood Books via NetGalley for providing an e-ARC of The Dolce Vita Divas by Maddie Please for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

First love, lost and found.
This cute international romance brings you on a journey to the Italian countryside.
Your first love is single once more and the emotional struggle to find what you want in your older years and taking it.

Joanna often wondered what might have been if she had been with Paulo. We all have those moments about a blown chance or regret.
I had thought, after reading the summary, Joanna’s lost chance with Paulo meant she hadn’t seen him for years or known his whereabouts, but that’s not how it turned out.
I liked how Joanna shook off her doldrums and decided she was going to begin living for her and told her children exactly how things were going to be.
My favorite characters were Ceci and Susie.
It’s not too late to begin living your life the way you want.

4.5*

Your husband has left you for a younger model, the kids are all grown up and have lives of their own though one of them has moved back home into the granny flat. What do you do when you’re offered the chance to visit Capri?! You take it of course… well I would, I’d love to go to Capri!!

Jo is heading à l’Italia with bestie Susie for some sun to celebrate the life of one of her oldest friends. Admittedly the fact that her late friend’s widower is the guy she fell for at uni but the stars were not aligned for them. Maybe the zing can happen second time round?!

This is only my second read from Maddie Please but I adored my trip to Capri. The friendship between Jo and Susie was just brilliant. The characters Please created to support this duo in their trip were lifelike. They made me chuckle and well up with emotion. The trio of Ceci, Lucia and Sylvia are hilarious, they’re like girls in a playground.

The Dolce Vita Divas is a gorgeous heartwarming read. Please has created a wonderful story of living life to its fullest and taking second chances when life has been delivering lemons. If you haven’t read any of Maddie Please’s books and love feel good fiction, get these books on your reading list!!!

Joanna, facing a milestone birthday and currently living alone, wonders if there’s more to life. When her friend Susie suggests a trip to Italy in honor of a mutual friend who has passed away, Joanna is hesitant but agrees to go. When they meet the men in the rental unit next to theirs, Joanna is shocked to realize that one of those men is “the one who got away” decades ago. Could this be her second chance?

This author has become one of my favorite non-mystery writers. I love that her primary characters are all older women and their friends as they navigate whatever life throws at them. At first, I was annoyed with Joanna for letting herself be such a bathmat when it came to her (grown) kids, but as the book progressed, she learned to stand up to them and I almost wanted to cheer. The friends who accompanied her on this trip were a great support network, even though they were dealing with issues of their own. I wasn’t surprised that the group of men they met included her friend from long ago, but I was surprised that they recognized each other after all that time. From there, the book was more or less predictable, with a few surprises thrown in for good measure, but I enjoyed watching the different relationships grow as the story continued.

I look forward to reading more of this author’s books, whether it be another stand alone or the next book in a series.

I absolutely adored this book! It’s rare to find feel-good fiction centered around older characters, and this story celebrates that stage of life with humor, heart, and hope. Joanne is freshly retired, newly divorced, and turning 65—trying to rediscover herself while also sharing her home with her grown son, who’s hit his own rough patch. When an invitation arrives for a celebration of life on the island of Capri, her best friend Susie whisks her away for a much-needed escape and an unexpected reunion with her first love, Paulo.

From the stunning Italian setting to the delicious meals, delightful side characters (hello, Contessa!), and heartwarming journey of self-discovery, everything about this book sparkled. I laughed, teared up, and cheered for Joanne as she reclaimed her sense of adventure and opened herself to new beginnings. This story is a beautiful reminder that it’s never too late to reinvent your life—and that joy, love, and purpose aren’t bound by age.