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.

This was a sweet story about Lily, a romance writer, who goes to Rome in the hopes of getting over her writers block. She meets Marina, her guide on a food tour, and a romance kindles. There was a lot I liked about this book: an older main character (late 40s), an adorable chihuahua sidekick, mouthwatering descriptions of food, and good chemistry between Lily and Marina.

Overall, however, the writing and plot fell a bit flat for me. The narration style reads a bit childish, so much so that I imagined the main character to be in her early twenties until her age was revealed several chapters in. It's a bit of a disappointment because I feel like there was so much that the author could have explored with a middle aged lesbian main character. I also wish the side characters, like Lily's friends, would have been fleshed out more. They mainly just made quick appearances to listen to Lily.

While I ultimately don't think this book was for me, I did enjoy many aspects of it, and I think it's great for someone looking for an easy, comforting summer read.

the cover. the title. the plot. to perfection. i cant tell you how hungry this book made me though. i mean romantic pasta making, are you kidding. not fair! this book was told in the usual style ive come to love from Georgia Beers. there a knowing in her words, her characters and plots. like she knows her plot but also us as readers. so at any give time within the book you just know you will connect to it and it to you. her words flow through you like gorgeous hugs and little kisses. in this book we have soft. we have emotions. we have wit and flirty banter. and we have Rome. Woman who love. and oh yeh we have FOOD.
this book was perfect for what i wished it to be after being drawn in to the cover and blurb. that little picture on the front gave me all the feels and that continued onwards into the book. Georgia has a way of writing both vulnerable moments and ones of sass and fun in equal brilliant measure and this is not always the case for most writers of the genre.
Lily and Marina made me care about them and their story. i followed with a smile and then towards those inevitable "what if, what next, how do we...?" moments that come in the book i genuinely was getting anxious of how this could work out without breaking my heart.
read this book and be swept away to Rome, with love.