In That’s Amore, author Georgia Byers delivers a love story that starts out with Italian tour guide Marina determined to help protagonist Lily rekindle her creative passion and keep her career as a renowned author alive, and morphs into a (admittedly somewhat predictably – this is a romance, after all) holiday fling.

With a cast full of likable characters and very little angst, That’s Amore manages to offer up a (mostly) lighthearted journey through Rome’s undeniably romantic landscape. But while I enjoy Rome and found myself thinking wistfully more than once of Italian wines and pistachio gelato and narrow cobblestoned streets while reading this book, I struggled to connect with it as the setting for a sapphic romance. Predominately Catholic and heavily homophobic, Italy is not a country friendly to the LGBTQ. Short term visitors are often able to escape notice if they are at least somewhat discreet, but residents and long-term visitors are not so free. If a reader is familiar with Italy and is aware of this, it’s a bit difficult to lose oneself in the story. At least, it was for this reader.

I also was not thrilled with the third act breakup, or the use of miscommunication to facilitate it. While I’m not terribly fond of these tropes they can be an effective means of creating conflict between characters, but when either or both are written in such a way that they appear to go against the nature of the character as the author has defined it, they just feel contrived, as though they were written in only to facilitate getting the characters from point A to point B. When the conflict is never really resolved in a way that would seem to lend itself to a lasting and successful relationship, it only emphasizes this discord.

I was looking forward to this book, having read several previous books by Georgia Beers, and while the writing itself was up to her usual excellent standards it felt like there was something different about this one. And I honestly can’t say if that boils down to plot elements that weren’t fully realized, or me. I don’t think any of us are remaining unscathed right now, and that includes our favorite authors, and some days I myself find it difficult to feel anything but rage, so I can only imagine that it must be difficult at times to write a novel about love and happiness.

That’s Amore, despite its small imperfections, is an escape from the reality we’re all in up to our necks. It’s sweet and tender and funny, and in fact I would encourage you to read the acknowledgments at the beginning of the book before you dive in for a message from Beers herself.

3.8 ⭐️

Disclosure: I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley and am leaving a voluntary review.

Less than 24 hours and I’m done. This book was so easy to read - I became invested in the characters, the chemistry and their story so quickly, and the romance of authentic Rome was great to get lost in.
The will they won’t they, the flirting and the tension building was brilliant, as was the smut (although there could have been more in my opinion 👀), but I just wanted a little bit more of the actual relationship. Lily talked of the best 3 weeks of spending time together, how beautifully domestic it had become, and I just wished I could have read that too!
Thoroughly enjoyable though and would absolutely recommend! Thinking my girlfriend and I should be visiting Rome soon!

Thank you NetGalley for the arc.
This just wasn’t for me. I never really connected with Lily and couldn’t get over how some of her behaviors were so immature for someone that was almost 50 yrs old. Also, I’m not a fan of breaking the 4th wall.

Rome, scooters, wine, pasta and a dog!! What more could you want besides a lovely romance between Lily and Marina.

I loved getting to know Lily and Marina and the twists and turns their journey took.

Georgia Beers did it again with another great book.




Thanks to NetGallery and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This is a story about Lily Chambers who is a romance writer, her publisher sends her to Rome to help her with her writer’s block. Lily is a middle aged woman who has had great writing success in the past but now she is totally stuck. She books the penthouse suite in a boutique hotel. And she brings along her chihuahua, Reggie. One day out walking she meets a windowed American woman, Serena, who lives across the street from the hotel. Serena hosts a lot of parties and introduces Lily to her friend Marina. Marina is a food tour host in Rome. Lily and Marina become friends and then lovers. The angst occurs when Lily returns back to the US.

I liked the first half of the book, Lily‘s thoughts were interesting and familiar to me. I enjoyed the touristy descriptions of Rome, including the food and wine. Marina is 14 years younger and not happy with her parents trying to get her to work at the family business. The book is told from Lily‘s point of view and I don’t feel like I got to know her well. The friendship was believable but the romance was not there for me. The angst was predictable from the beginning, so the ending was just ok. This book had a great start but needed more intensity and longer time to develop the characters.

Thanks to Net Galley and BSB for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

I flew through this fantastic story in such a short time because it was impossible to put down! The setting in Rome was just perfect for Lily and Marina to fall in love. I really loved how special Marina made Lily feel as they got to know each other well. Each place they visited to find "inspiration" was so unique and cute! I did not want this one to end. Can we please get a second part? Thank you for writing such beautiful love scenes. I definitely recommend this one to all romance story lovers. Keep up the great work Miss Georgia! I am excited for your next release. Thanks for letting me read this one!

This is a 10/10 knockout story! Just wow, I feel like I was in Rome throughout the whole novel. I adored the chemistry between Lily and Marina. The pacing was perfect, and I was giggling the entire time I was reading this. I only wish the story were longer. I really want to go visit Italy now and drink the most delicious wines. The way Georgia Beers describes scenes is always so delicious. I cannot get enough of her fantastic word choices, and I really love the way each story she writes is so unique and special. I always adore when there's a dog involved in the story, and I would give anything to find my perfect Italian wife! Thank you for another outsanding story, I highly recommend this one!

I liked the idea of the book more than I liked the book. The characters just didn’t connect with me and there were points I felt like I had to force myself to keep reading.

I know there are people who love her books but after trying a few while the ideas and plot are interesting I always find myself not enjoying the characters.

If you are a fan of Georgia Beers I feel like this will be a great book for you.

Thanks to NetGallery and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

That’s Amore is a wonderful, relatively low angst story about Lily Chambers, a very successful author and screen writer who is at the peak of her career but suddenly finds herself experiencing a serious case of writer’s block. When she is convinced by her best friends to try a change of scenery and move to Rome for a period of time in the hope it will help her find her writing spark again, she has no idea just how much that decision will change her life.

Making new friends and meeting Marina is only the start of her journey to find herself. Between the Roman architecture, history and food she starts to find her flow and this is only boosted when she develops a strong connection with Marina and her gorgeous Italian accent. However, with 14 years between them in age, not to mention the fact that Lily is only in Rome for a relatively short period of time there are significant hurdles that must be overcome if the two women are to find their happy ever after. The question is whether falling in love can be enough to get them across the line.

I really enjoyed this swoon-worthy romance and loved watching the two MCs fall in love…..even if they couldn’t admit it to themselves or each other. Their connection was incredibly sweet and beautiful to watch, however, with the inability to admit their true feelings the 3rd act break up was inevitable. The question was how they could overcome the distance between them, not to mention the hurt and anger that inevitably arose from the break-up. This is the perfect book for anyone looking for a lovely light-hearted romance with a solid dose of Italian culture.

I am grateful to Georgia Beers, Bold Strokes Books and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC copy of That's Amore and am leaving this review voluntarily.

Georgia Beers takes us on a delightful gastronomic tour of Rome through the eyes and taste buds of Lily, successful writer who is having an extended writing block, so escapes to Italy for inspiration. Meeting a fellow American Serena she meets local food tour guide Marina and is drawn in by her beauty and knowledge of food. Marina is tasked with helping Lily find the passion for life that of late has been eluding her.

This story made me so hungry haha, I could almost taste the food. There is a lovely chemistry between between the older American Lily and the the vibrant younger Italian Marina, you can feel the sparks in the air. Naturally there is a cute dog, that brings all the “feelz” too. For the most part I enjoyed this story, my only complaint would be that the ending felt rushed. I don’t wish to give any spoilers…….there was something that needed to be resolved, which was and then we had an epilogue of sorts. I felt that perhaps more was needed before that leap. Perhaps because the story was all from Lily’s point of view, so we didn’t get to hear all of Marinas views.

Enjoyable and an easy read. I loved the references to past books too.

Lily Chambers writes successful romance books, screenplays, and series for streaming subscription services. She has houses in upstate New York and an apartment in New York City. But Lily has lost her inspiration to write and has a horrible case of writer's block. Lily's friend suggests that she take a trip to Rome, Italy, to try to recapture her lost inspiration and enjoy some wonderful food, historic sites, and the romance of the city. So Lily departs for an extended trip to Rome with her little dog, Reggie.

During her early days in Rome, Lily meets Italian tour guide, Marina Troiani, via a mutual friend. Marina is beautiful, charming, and knows the best spots in the city for food and drink. At thirty-five, she is also fourteen years younger than Lily. Following the initial tour that Lily takes with Marina, they go out for a casual drink and some food. This is followed by some casual texting as Lily reveals her loss of writing inspiration to Marina. Marina offers to show Lily some inspirational spots in Rome in hopes of helping her overcome her issue. Over the course of these little trips the two women slowly grow closer despite their age difference as well as the miles between their homes.

I thought this was a fantastic book with authentic main characters, strong supporting characters like Lily's friend in Italy, Serena, and Lily's niece, Chloe, a romantic setting in Rome, and a cute dog, Reggie. The age difference didn't seem to be much of a challenge, however, the lack of honest feelings and communication seemed to be more of the obstacle that the women needed to overcome. I wish the reader could have learned about the success of the book that Lily was blocked to write that seemed to flow onto the page after she began to spend time with Marina. 4.5 stars

I received an ARC from Bold Strokes Books and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is a truly delightful story that captured my attention from the very beginning and held it right through to the final page. I was completely drawn into the world the author created, and particularly the first three quarters of the book felt exceptionally strong — easily deserving five stars. The pacing, the emotional build-up, and the character development during this part were all beautifully done.

I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know Lily and Marina. Their relationship is portrayed in such a gentle, natural way — starting off tentatively and gradually evolving into something deeper and more meaningful. Their growing connection felt authentic and emotionally resonant, making it easy to invest in their journey.

One of the highlights for me was the setting: the vibrant city of Rome. It’s clear the author has a genuine familiarity with the city — the descriptions are vivid and accurate, painting a realistic picture that brought back my own memories of Rome. The atmosphere, the street scenes, the food, the energy — it all felt alive on the page.

I also appreciated the roles of the niece and the neighbor. While they’re not central characters, their presence enriches the story in a subtle but impactful way. They provide emotional depth and insight into the main characters, and help move the story forward in thoughtful ways.

The break-up between the main characters is handled with sensitivity — the emotional pain is palpable, and I appreciated that it wasn’t overly dramatic but rather felt real and raw. That said, I did feel a little more emotional clarity or explanation could have deepened this part of the story. I found myself wishing for more empathy from Lily’s side and more proactive communication from Marina. Their actions made sense to some degree, but the underlying motivations could have been explored more explicitly, especially since they reconnect later on. As a result, the final portion of the book felt slightly less satisfying to me.

The ending, while heartfelt, also felt a bit rushed — especially after such a rich and immersive buildup. It’s somewhat ironic to say this about a book that offers so many pages of enjoyment, but I truly would not have minded if the resolution had been drawn out a bit more.

And of course, I can’t finish without mentioning Reggie — the loyal and grounding presence throughout the story, who brings a sense of continuity and connection to everyone around him.

I have been a fan of Georgia Beers since her first book. That's Amore did not disappoint! I LOVE THIS BOOK! I loved it so much I read it in practically one sitting. I had to know what happened to the main characters, who I loved as well.
I won't bore you about the details, because it is in the description. All you need to know is you must read this book. It is so descriptive, I felt like I was in Italy. The characters were so real.
I highly recommend this book and know you will love it as much as I do!
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

4⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read the arc.


I love that the author used her own book as the plot for Lily’s book that she is working on in Italy.

I enjoyed the plot and it was interesting to see how it played out. However, I do feel like the problem was resolved too quickly. I feel like more conversation needed to be had.

Overall, the chemistry between the two MCs was hot and I didn’t for one second feel like it was casual. Of course it took Lily a little bit to realize that. Lily is 49 and Marina is 35. The age gap didn’t bother me but I did feel like they sometimes didn’t act their age.

That’s Amore is a solid romance novel that gives you an insight into Italy. And who doesn’t love Italian accents?

Giving this 4 stars. It's an enjoyable and easy read (I got through more than 50% in one sitting) that will definitely satisfy you if you're looking for a lighthearted and comfortably predictable sapphic romance.

Bonus points for having older protagonists and a non-problematic age gap. Love to see an MC in her late-forties.

(Additional bonus points for the brief featuring of an aunt-niece relationship. As a new aunt, I ate this right up.)

There's some miscommunication trope near the end - seriously, I actually had to yell out loud at the MC for being a dumbass - and the ending maybe wraps up a little too quickly, but honestly that's to be expected from this genre. Gotta have that HEA.

Overall, I had a good time reading this one. It's nothing world-shattering, but I'm a sucker for sapphic romances, happy endings, and hot Italian ladies. If you are too, this may be for you.

Sadly this book was not for me. I liked the premise of going to Rome for romantic inspiration and felt the scene setting for Rome gave a gorgeous ambiance of Rome. It was not bogged down with long winded descriptions of each place but enough to give you a feel for the city.
I never connected with the main character (Lily), but I felt even more disconnect in the few times the fourth wall was broken and character started talking to the reader as though they were friends; it just felt forced because of its lack of inconsistency.
I was also irritated by the times when the main character who was supposed to be an author said anything along the lines of ‘I have no words to describe it’, don’t get me wrong I imagine that this does happen to writers of an kind, just as people think comics should also be funny, I feel like I maybe making the same sort of gesture here; but it just felt like a cop out.
Lily has many childish characteristics but turns out to be 49, she keeps calling her dog a traitor when he cozy up to Serena and follows Marina for a walk. The author explicitly tells the reader that Lily doesn’t mean it when she does it about the dog and her niece but anyone else and this poor dogs get villainised, even though the dog is probably reading how relaxed and trusting its owner is of these people too! Lily also comes across as a younger person from the amount of times she is surprised by her feelings towards various things, or has she just lived a sheltered life? (We are not given the impression she is sheltered in away)
This book might be a great read for someone who interested in the writing process and loves a chihuahua mix sidekick, sadly, that just wasn’t me.
Thank you to NetGallery and Bold Strokes Books for allowing me the opportunity to read this book.

Before I jump into this, I am going to say that the smile that I was smiling while reading 85% (those third act break ups just gut me always) of this book has lingered well into the night! I loved Lily and Marina. I loved them individually, I loved them together, the only thing that could have made dreams dreamier would have been Marina POVs as well.

I have been on the sidelines eyeing a few different books by this author and for whatever reason as any reader knows, I just have not gotten there yet. Well, I am nothing if not a believer in *signs* and *destiny* so I do believe I was just waiting to read this one as my first.

I love an age-gap and this one is particularly good for me. I do not always love both of the MCs about equal amounts but in this one I really did. I would absolutely die in the heat that is emphasized quite a bit in this book, but as soon as I become a semi/maybe/not/definitely famous writer I am off to Rome to find my Marina.

This book felt like pure and true romance to me, not that I am an expert by any means by I mean…I read a lot of romance and this book totally encompassed exactly what I imagine and feel when I think of romance. Getting to follow Marina wine, dine and inspire Lily was a beautiful experience IMO. Sensual, intimate, romantic, understanding. All the goods that I wanted with this book, were right there for me on my tour!

For me the moral of this story was all the ways true love is inspirational.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Bold Strokes Books & author Georgia Beers for this wonderful ARC for my honest review.

That’s Amore was molto fantastico! It was a wonderful and supremely entertaining wlw by Georgia Beers. Actually, this is my first book by this author but she’s a highly acclaimed and prolific sapphic writer, so I was extremely excited. I really enjoyed this book and feel like Georgia Beers delivered a feel good, sweet and uplifting wlw romance! I will certainly look for more from her.

This is the story of Lilly & Marina and is filled with joyful moments & happy times, along with some real life obstacles to overcome. Lilly is a romance writer who can’t find love and at the moment can’t seem to find inspiration to write about it either. She wishes to find what we all do, real & lasting romantic love. It’s something she makes a living writing about but has been beyond her grasp. As she deals with a monster case of writer's block, she is encouraged to go to Rome, Italy…one of the world's most romantic cities! She figures that the beauty of Rome with its rich history, iconic architecture, charming streets & lively atmosphere, she’ll find her muse once again. And she does but in the form of a gorgeous young Italian woman, Marina!

Lilly meets Marina and is captivated by her. Marina becomes her personal tour guide, taking her to some of the most beautiful sites Italy has to offer. It is clear that the two have a great chemistry that only builds stronger the more time they spend together. Upon each new tourist attraction and iconic destination, Lilly is more and more enthralled by Italy and especially by Marina. She feels her gusto for writing and for life returning to her! It’s lovely to see the sweet connection and building attraction with each page.

The gradual build up of feelings and emotions is lovely and done so at a believable pace. Of course the age gap poses itself as an obstacle but the real issue is the distance. Lilly just can’t see a future whereby they can overcome these challenges and find everlasting happiness together. Enter the inevitable 3rd act break up. But it’s how they overcome that highlights how special their relationship is and how incredible it can be in the future!

Beers does a wonderful job of capturing some of the unique qualities and beauty of Rome. I felt immersed in Italian culture and cuisine. I truly enjoyed watching two courageous and beautiful women who come from different cultures and countries be brave enough to chose love. They chose each other when it wasn’t the easy choice. I definitely recommend this wonderful, light hearted and romantic wlw story with a HEA we all wish for.

Lily has lost her inspiration to write so goes to Rome with her dog Reggie to see if that can help. She continues to struggle but meets Marina on a food tour. Meeting Marina for sure helps with the creativity and romantic inspiration and when she offers to show Lily around in Rome, she is soon a goner after an amazing kiss. Lily is a bit hesitant at first die to age gap and that she is only in Rome temporarily. However, casual should work right or is there more between them.

Unfortunately, I never felt that the characters in the book became real, three-dimensional, realistic, and likable as Lily struggled with in her own writing process. Then with the standard stupid 3rd act break-up without any mature communication between two adult women I was not too happy.

It is as always, a light, fast and rather enjoyable read as with all books written by the author but I had hoped for so much more.

3.5 ⭐️

Romance writer, Lily Chambers, has written many happily ever afters over the years but hasn’t had any luck in finding her own. At the moment, she’s suffering from a major case of writer's block and hasn’t even been able to start her next book. Frustrated and just about ready to call it quits, she decides to take that trip to Rome that her best friend suggested. If she can’t find inspiration for her next romance in one of the most romantic cities, where will she?


In Rome, Lily makes some friends, eats the savory food, drinks the delicious wine, and she meets Marina, a beautiful tour guide. Marina offers to show Lily around the city, and honestly, how can Lily turn that down? In between eating gelato and exploring the beautiful city, the women grow closer. Yes, Marina is a beautiful, charming woman, and they have a connection, but Lily believes it wouldn’t work out. Besides the age gap, there’s also the whole thing of living on different continents that gives Lily pause. Will she ever get the happily ever after she writes so much about?


The chemistry Lily and Marina had was great, and I was glad that they got to know one another better. It wasn't just straight to the spice and that helped with the pace. The book was told from Lily's perspective, and although I did learn things about Marina, I would’ve liked to have had Marina’s perspective as well. That's just a personal preference of mine, but it would’ve helped me understand her better. There were parts of the book that I thought were aimed at getting a laugh from the reader, but it just fell flat for me. Beers detailed the setting and people in Rome that Lily encountered, and it felt like I tagged along. By the end of it, I craved Italian food, a glass of wine, and let’s be honest, who doesn’t love a good charcuterie board? Overall, it was an okay read and, although it wasn’t one of my favorites, I’m sure others will enjoy this slice of Italy.


💋Age gap
💋Sapphic Romance
💋First-Person Single POV

I’d like to thank NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for the arc. This is my honest and voluntary review.