As Long as It Takes by Jill Francis is a heartfelt, emotionally driven novel that explores perseverance, love, and the strength it takes to keep moving forward. Francis creates a story that feels both intimate and relatable, drawing you into the characters’ journeys with warmth and sincerity.

The relationships are at the core of the novel, and they’re portrayed with authenticity and care. There’s a nice balance between tender moments and more challenging, emotional scenes, which adds depth and keeps the story engaging.

A touching, character-driven read for those who enjoy stories about resilience, love, and the power of not giving up.

This needs to be a movie ASAP (netflix??), a summer delight! European small town charm, a FMC with a career and a quest.

Lora needs European citizenship to pursue the post-doc opportunity of her dreams. The father she never knew was Italian so she flies to his small hometown hoping to claim citizenship. Lora doesn't know quite what to expect but it certainly isn't a handsome mayor, lots of red tape, and lovable townspeople eager to make Lora feel at home.

This was lovely. I felt transported to a small and gorgeous Italian town and I was just as charmed by the bureaucratic processes and pitfalls as I was by Lora's and Andrea's slow burn romance.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read a copy.

A charming romance about finding love abroad and when you least expect it. Lora arrives in a small Italian town to file for Italian citizenship for work and is assisted by the town’s mayor, Andrea. What begins as a purely practical arrangement soon turns into an undeniable attraction.

The town itself feels like a third character in the story. As Lora learns more about the culture and reconnects with her heritage, she is immediately embraced by the town's tight-knit residents and a community that knows everyone’s business. As a reader, the town becomes an escape of its own, drawing you fully into its warmth and charm and making you ache to be in Italy.

Andrea is the ultimate book boyfriend: generous, thoughtful, and always putting everyone else’s needs before his own. As mayor, he also wears multiple hats and does repairs/helps his constituents with anything they need. Lora’s unexpected presence disrupts his routine and pushes him to finally consider what he wants. Fresh out of a traumatic relationship, Lora comes to Italy hoping to outrun her past, and Andrea helps ground her, offering her a sense of belonging she didn’t realize she was searching for.

The ending was perfect and showed how much both characters had grown

A perfect beach or travel read, especially for anyone longing to be transported to Italy.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the ARC!