A story of America and Italy. Lil is a writer stuck writing her4 new book. She decides to go to Rome, Italy for inspiration. The plot is about an unexpected romance while Lil is writing her book. There is some drama when Lil leaves Marina to go back home. This a wonderful romance with spice and drama. I recommend this book for romance readers.

A lot of romances have some external force keeping them apart. Sometimes just enemies to lovers, but often a big chain coming to a small town, Hollywood fame vs a quiet life, a toxic partner, social pressure, lots of things. This one is different. Both women are adults who are mostly happy with their life, then they are confronted with the possibility of something more, but at a cost to their settled life.

The cost turns out to be fairly small, because this is a romance after all, and frankly, Lily should have figured it out instead of freaking out, but hindsight is 20-20.

There are a few side characters (a neighbor, her niece, her dog), but the focus is almost all on Lily and Marina, also nice change. There is no set of friends who are all going to have their own romance novels, no, this is 100% about these two women.

Now to get picky.

I don't think an Italian would ever serve tap water to a guest, it would be mineral water. And doesn't it sound better for Lily (in bed) to hear Marina open a bottle of cold mineral water instead of hearing the tap running? Second, Lily is in Rome for two months and the only Italian she learns is "grazie"? That has Ugly American written all over it, especially when your girlfriend is Italian. Where is the "What is this called?" scene as they explore each others' bodies in bed?

Smaller things... So. Much. Wine. Have some sparkling mineral water on a hot day please. Have an Aperol spritz. And while you are walking Reggie in the morning? Stop and have a stand-up espresso at the corner, the man behind the bar will love to talk to your dog. Finally, there is food beyond charcuterie. Try some bruschetta or some panzanella. I just wanted more Rome and Italy in this book.

Georgia Beers delivers another engaging romance with That’s Amore. I don’t always gravitate toward age gap stories or single POV, but Lily’s voice carried this one for me. She’s witty, flawed, and believable, which made the short-lived third-act breakup feel true to her perspective rather than manufactured drama.

The Rome setting is wonderfully atmospheric, and I enjoyed the meta element of following a romance author struggling with inspiration while stumbling into her own story. While I would have liked more insight into Marina beyond Lily’s viewpoint, the chemistry was clear and the pacing kept me invested.

Thank you to Bold Strokes Books and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I missed reading and have had this book longer than I should, but what a way to dive back into reading. Taking in two foster boys has taken a toll, but reading Beer's latest work took me straight to Rome where I felt like I was really there.

Romance writer, Lily Chambers, may write happily ever after, but she has yet to find her own. Dealing with writer's block, she decides to take a trip to Rome to help. What better place to do it, then one of the most romantic cities in the world where she meets tour guide Marina.

Marina is everything she wished for and they develop a connection, but Lily doesn't believe it could ever work, not with the living in different countries and the age gap. The chemistry was great, the story took me on a tour of Rome like I was really living it up beside Lily. The pacing was perfect and the build up was great, but I wished we could have gotten Marina's POV. I think it would have added the extra depth the story needed.

Overall, a fantastic story to escape the real world and enjoy a love story. I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

What a breath of fresh air. You took me away from a world of bad news and made me smile. This book was so enjoyable and you made me laugh. It also had a cute dog, which is never a bad thing. The storyline had great build up to the romance. The chemistry was hot.
Thank you Georgia Beers. This book came at a great time.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. That’s Amore was a perfectly fine sapphic romance, but it didn’t really stand out for me. The story follows Lily, a romance writer struggling with writer’s block who travels to Rome for inspiration, where she meets and falls for Marina, a charming food tour guide. It wasn’t particularly bad, but it also wasn’t especially memorable, just an average read in the genre. The writing is smooth and easy to get through, and the romance has its sweet moments, but I found myself wanting a little more spark or uniqueness to keep me fully engaged. If you’re looking for a light, straightforward sapphic romance set against a lovely Italian backdrop, this one may suit you. For me, it ended up being a middle-of-the-road experience.

✍🏽 Bookish Thoughts
Georgia Beers is an auto buy author for me and has been for years! This book would be the perfect beach read. I also loved that both FMCs were not in their 20s. Can we please get more romances with older FMCs!

Lily is a writer experiencing major writers block and ends up in Rome to reset. And she brings her adorable pup, Reggie, with her! She meets the very charismatic Marina on a tour with new friends. Marina is the tour guide. Marina offers to show Lily the city, and they slip into a casual relationship while Lily is there. I did love their chemistry and how the romance played out! 🥰

The only thing keeping this book from a 5 star is the third act breakup and how it was resolved. I am a certified third act breakup hater, and I especially did not love how easily Lily forgave. I was fuming. That said, this was still such a cute and adorable romance for the first 80 percent of the book. Solid 4.5 stars from me.

♥️ What to Expect
• Age gap romance
• Writer FMC
• Italian tour guide FMC
• Reggie 🐾
____

📅 Pub Date: August 12, 2025
Thank you to Bold Strokes Books and NetGalley for the advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.

Lily Chambers is a successful author and screenplay writer but she is in a slump. Her friend and agent suggests a change of scenery in a romantic setting may inspire her creativity. So she sets off for a long trip to Rome with her beloved companion chihuahua Reggie. She meets and becomes friends with an American who lives next door to her boutique hotel. The new friend introduces her to Mariana Troiani who leads food tasting tours in the city. Mariana is Italian and beautiful. She loves her city and offers to show Lily around.

Lily is hesitant to become involved because there is a 14 year age gap, 35 to 49, and she will only temporarily be in Rome. I’ve been to Rome and although not a foodie, I enjoyed the neighborhood and food descriptions. I don’t drink so the wine talk was lost on me. I am a big fan of Georgia Beers and have read most of her books. She is an author I reread often for comfort reads when I want something familiar. I liked the story but I honestly didn’t feel I got to know Mariana very well. The entire story is told from Lily’s POV, which is fine, but it didn’t convey why Mariana was so attracted to Lily. The conflict is inevitable but again I felt I got a surface level of Mariana’s emotions before everything was resolved. Reggie gets a lot of mentions as part of the story. The cover is cute and fits the story. I did read this all in one sitting on an international flight and maybe that impacted my enjoyment a little. I still recommend the book and the author. (3.5 Stars)

Thank you to the publisher for the free ARC of the book.

That's Amore was a delightful no fuss relaxing vacation romance. It's a light and low angst read, a perfect palette cleanser. It's an age gap romance but as Marina is 35 and Lily's 49, it's a mature age gap story although both main character and love interest act a bit immaturely when it's conflict time. The book has miscommunication micro trope which is always a bit annoying but fits to beach/summer read type of romance like That's Amore.

I'm not usually a fan of 1st person & single POV romances but for That's Amore it fits perfectly. (Georgia Beers's books that I've previously read are written from 3rd person POV.) That's Amore is written so that it feels like Lily is either writing a long format journal or speaking to the reader. There are, for example, fun little snippets commenting her own thoughts or actions or choices.

I'm sure That's Amore is not based on true story nor is autobiographical but it's written so that it feels like it was author's own story. The main character in the book is a successful romance author who is searching for inspiration by traveling to Rome. She ends up writing a romance that sounds a lot like Georgia Beers's previous book, Whisk Me Away.

Really good book. This is an age gap romance. The characters are written well, and the main characters have great chemistry. There's a bit of angst and drama, but it didn't bog the story down. The romance between the two main characters was sweet and a bit spicy. This was a very cute book, that made me laugh out loud, and made me shake my head at some of the dramatic points. I would definitely recommend this book, and I look forward to what's next in this series.

Lily has a big honking writer's block. She goes to Italy to try and get inspired. That is where she meets Marina. They fall in love, but, their communication isn't exactly great. And there are some big bumps. Can they overcome them?

While I liked the two main characters, my favorite character of the human sort was the friend Lily meets in Italy, Serena. I'd love to read a story about her for sure. And then there was the dog Reggie. He totally and utterly stole the book in the best way. Awesome

This novel is fact about Amoré. I will preface this review by saying I'm a mood reader and I haven't been in the mood to read a very light, cozy romance story. This book has some angst as it kind of needs it but it mostly makes you smile as you read the initial 60%. It's a writer, Lily, with writers block, on an adventure with a hot Italian woman, Marina, who takes her all over Rome to feed and romance Lily. It's very feel good and makes you want to visit Rome more than normal.
The third break up is...trying. As its basically down to fear of communication and heartbreak, which infuriates me in novels but is always quite human. Hard sell in my opinion.
Serena as a side character is a bright spot in the story.

A theme of definitely having to reach out and explore, never know who or what you'll find! It might just change you life.

I've never read Georgia Beers before and it was interesting enough for me to give her other novels a try.

This story was given as ARC read by Net Galley for review.

That’s Amore by Georgia Beers is a sweet, funny, and heartfelt story about hitting rock bottom and finding love when you least expect it. Lily Chambers is at the top of her game as a romance writer—until the words suddenly stop coming and she starts to feel like a fraud. Hoping for a reset, she heads to Rome, where the food, history, and beauty of the city are supposed to inspire her. Instead, it’s Marina, her smart, charming tour guide, who sparks something Lily thought she’d lost for good.

The connection between Lily and Marina is easy and natural, full of banter, tenderness, and those butterflies that come with new attraction. Of course, nothing’s simple—there’s an age gap, not to mention an ocean between their worlds—but that makes the romance all the more satisfying. Beers delivers all the swoon and longing you’d want from a love story while also giving us a deeper look at what it means to start over. That’s Amore is warm, romantic, and a total comfort read that leaves you believing in second chances.

Writer Lily Chambers is blocked. And not just a little... all she's written for her latest book is 'chapter one.' Her BFF suggests getting away for a bit, specifically going to Rome, Italy.

Marina Troiani takes Lily on a tour with friends, and the two hit it off. But Marina is only 35, and Lily is 49.

(I like that Lily is writing another Georgia Beers book, too, Whisk Me Away.)

Its also interesting as it's entirely Lily's POV. Its not that often you see a single POV romance.

Chloe, Lily's niece, is adorable.

Third act breakup.

Wrap up... I do feel Lily forgives a bit too fast. Still, good wrap up.
4 out of 5 stars.

I found That’s Amore to be a delightful read. From the opening pages, Georgia Beers whisks the reader off to Rome in vivid, loving detail. The city becomes more than just a backdrop; it’s a living, breathing entity that sparkles through the prose, from ancient ruins to cobbled streets, drenched in the golden glow of limestone and possibility . This evocative portrayal of Rome truly captured my imagination and made me want to drop everything and wander those same alleys with a gelato in hand.

But it wasn’t just the stunning setting that drew me in—the relationship at the heart of the story is equally enchanting. Watching Lily Chambers, a romance novelist stuck in a creative and emotional rut, rediscover her spark through her connection with Marina Troiani, the witty and unassumingly beautiful tour guide, is a joy from the first meeting to their tender, vulnerable moments. What’s particularly refreshing is the way their same-sex relationship is treated. It isn’t cloaked in tropes or heavy drama; instead, it’s portrayed with the same sweet, sincere tenderness and day-to-day wonder that any love story deserves—nothing more, nothing less. The chemistry between them feels authentic and warm, grounded in delightful dialogue, meaningful looks, and small, heart-stirring gestures.

Emotionally, the book excels. Beers has a way of detailing feelings so richly that I felt Lily’s writer’s block, her longing, and the gentle revival of her heart as if they were my own. The narrative doesn’t shy away from Lily’s vulnerabilities—the frustration of creative stagnation, the fear of fading relevance, the sudden flutter of something new—yet neither does it linger in melancholy unnecessarily. The blend of introspection and romantic development creates a satisfying emotional arc that felt grounded, heartfelt, and true.

That said, the “conflict” toward the end did feel a touch undercooked. The obstacles preventing Lily and Marina from being together—chiefly distance, miscommunication and timing—were relatable enough, but the hurdle felt easily surmountable. In a novel that elsewhere revels in emotional detail and vivid setting, this simplicity stood out, leaving the climax with a kind of anticlimactic calm. Rather than a whirlwind of tension or strife, the conflict resolves gently—a little too effortlessly for my taste. Still, it’s not a deal breaker, just a nuance that made the story feel a little shorter on tension than I might’ve hoped.

Ultimately, That’s Amore is a lovely, heartwarming romance that excels in atmosphere and emotion. The city of Rome glows with romantic allure, the central couple’s connection feels genuine and refreshing, and the emotional pulse of the story is tender and true. A modest quibble with the ease of the final conflict aside, this was a satisfying and immersive read—one I’d recommend to anyone craving a charming, feel-good love story infused with Italian romance.

Thanks to the publisher Bold Strokes Books and NetGalley for a copy of this eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

A cute sapphic age gap romcom! Another good read from Georgia. This is well paced, the MC's have great chemistry and the slow burn from friends to lovers. I'm someone who can't stand miscommunication/ third act breakups. But even so I still enjoyed this.

Look, I like it, it was cute as hell, but I’m Italian and I lived in Rome and nope XD It’s not how it works. However the book is really cute and funny, I like it.

I thought this worked well in this type of book, it uses the element perfectly to tell the story and that the characters were so well written. I enjoyed this as a romance writer and was engaged with Lily's story. Georgia Beers was able to weave a strong concept and was engaged with the package. It was everything that I was looking for and thought the band and romance element worked well and was glad I read this.

A cute rom-com set in my favourite city, Rome. It was fun to live vicariously through the characters and stroll the streets of Rome again!

4.5

Thank you for NetGalley and Boldwood Books for this ARC in exchange for a fair review

This gave me similar vibes to Emily in Paris but make it italian but make it sapphic and OMG I ate this up like literally i read 51% of this in like 1 and half hours. This was so addictive and just such a great written book with characters that immediately draw you in the story