2024 the best in italian review

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(as of Dec 19, 2024 18:21:08 UTC - Details)

INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

In this “magical trip worth taking” (Associated Press), the New York Times bestselling author of In Five Years returns with a powerful novel about the transformational love between mothers and daughters set on the breathtaking Amalfi Coast.

When Katy’s mother dies, she is left reeling. Carol wasn’t just Katy’s mom, but her best friend and first phone call. She had all the answers and now, when Katy needs her the most, she is gone. To make matters worse, their planned mother-daughter trip of a lifetime looms: to Positano, the magical town where Carol spent the summer right before she met Katy’s father. Katy has been waiting years for Carol to take her, and now she is faced with embarking on the adventure alone.

But as soon as she steps foot on the Amalfi Coast, Katy begins to feel her mother’s spirit. Buoyed by the stunning waters, beautiful cliffsides, delightful residents, and, of course, delectable food, Katy feels herself coming back to life.

And then Carol appears—in the flesh, healthy, sun-tanned, and thirty years old. Katy doesn’t understand what is happening, or how—all she can focus on is that she has somehow, impossibly, gotten her mother back. Over the course of one Italian summer, Katy gets to know Carol, not as her mother, but as the young woman before her. She is not exactly who Katy imagined she might be, however, and soon Katy must reconcile the mother who knew everything with the young woman who does not yet have a clue.

“Rebecca Serle is known for her powerful stories that tug at the heartstrings—and her latest is just as unforgettable” (Woman’s World) as it effortlessly shows us how to move on after loss, and how the people we love never truly leave us.

From the Publisher

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Atria; Reprint edition (March 7, 2023)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 288 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1982166800
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1982166809
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.31 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.31 x 0.72 x 8.25 inches
Reviewer: heather l reid
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Great, quick, capturing
Review: This book was such a cute and fun read, there are some twists and turns in the story that you do not see coming! Such a great beach read! If you are going to Italy I highly recommend this book!

Reviewer: Yetunda
Rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars
Title: The Cycle
Review: I enjoyed the story. Having been through grief myself I like the pov from which the book was written. Finding oneself after loooseing a love one can be hard and at times we may make rash decisions as the lead character almost did but navigating the emotions in a healthy way can help us to not loose ourself in the ones we lost. I also like the cycle of life that the author included as she wrote about the emotions of having a child early during a relationship and how the mother also thought she lost herself. Excellent summer read.

Reviewer: Sonia
Rating: 3.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Eric Doesn’t Deserve Katy!! I Want Him Instead!! Give Him To Me!! 😅
Review: Okay, first, I have to say that I didn’t choose this book; it was for my Book Club & it wasn’t my choice of book. I don’t really like magical realism, in general. Okay, that way of the way, I was really excited to get to read this book because I heard of Rebecca Serle before & knew she was supposed to be really good (& also because the audiobook is read by one Lorelai Gilmore herself of the show Gilmore Girls; LOVED that show when I was younger)! HOWEVER, unfortunately, I had a problem with the main character, Katy. I found her to be really unlikeable; she’s very selfish & very whiny! First of all, she leaves her ENTIRE grieving family & goes off to Italy, a trip that she was supposed to take with her mother before she (the mom) died. She doesn’t EVEN consider taking her dad on the extra plane ticket (her mom’s ticket); she actually doesn’t even asked him if he’ll like to go in the first place—let alone also leaving behind her lovingly & supportive husband who is the SWEETEST guy, it seems, (& who also didn’t do ANYTHING wrong, either) just because she’s “bored” of him—or @ least that was just the impression I got. Like she never really loved him; she just married him cause it was the “right answer” to the “Will you marry me?” question. So, then she gets to Italy & she meets her dead mom—but just 30 years younger (not a spoiler; this was in the little “summary” for the book) & a man called Adam … oh, Adam, you really didn’t need to be there … That’s the “romance” part of the book, I guess, if you can call it that …. 😒 Honestly, Adam came off as creepy & a little stalker-y to tell you the truth … I got the impression that he just wanted to sleep with Katy (which Spoiler Alert: he does! Totally not caring that she’s MARRIED & neither does Katy, it seems)!! I didn’t really FEEL the attraction between these two @ ALL!! It was just like “Oh, she’s cute, never mind that she’s married. Oh, he’s handsome, never mind that I’M married … ” , so they sleep together. That’s it … 😒 Where’s all the chemistry that usually comes with a romance?? Where’s that initial first spark?? (Even in the enemies-to-lovers trope, there’s usually that first “spark” … You can probably tell I read A LOT of Romances … 😅) And when they did sleep together, it was kinda … blah … No fireworks 🎆 , if you know what I mean … 😉 Like honestly, Adam didn’t have to be in the story at all … This could have been a lovely story about grief & coming to terms with losing your mother & then coming back to your husband … with NO Adam @ all ANYWHERE!! And that’s another thing: Katy’s relationship with her mother seemed REALLY unhealthy & co-dependent for a 30-year-old woman, even if you ARE really close to your mother. Like seriously, Katy asked her mother if she thinks it’s okay to start having KIDS!! Like, c’mon!! No, woman!! That’s not something you discuss with your MOTHER—even if you are close with her!! I’m siding with poor Eric (her husband) on this one!! (I sorta get “I broke his heart cause he was nice” (I’m a BIG Swiftie) vibe with their whole marriage.) Okay, now, for the BIG * Spoiler Alert * : we find out, towards the end of the book, that WHOLE time Katy sees her 30-year-old mom in Italy is because she’s gone back IN TIME to the 90’s!! Yep, time travel … Now, in general, I don’t like time travel books (unless they involve saving a hippogriff & a man who’s been wrongfully in prisoned for 12 years 😉; sorry, not sorry, I’m a HUGE Potterhead). Think ‘Back to the Future’ or like “Manifest”, the TV show, back in reverse, instead of 5 years in the future, Katy goes BACK 30 years in the PAST & the whole time she doesn’t REALIZE it!! I’m sorry, but HOW can you not realize it’s the 90’s!! Hello!! NO cell phones, big bulky computers, instead of iPads, the fact that EVERYONE has cash, not credit cards … !! 😒 I don’t care that everyone reacts to grief differently, but still … I would DEFINITELY notice if my iPhone wasn’t working … And that’s another thing: What 30-year-old doesn’t check her phone @ least once a day, even if she IS “trying to escape” her life back home (even just to take pictures; she IS in ITALY, after all! C’mon … !! 😒)!! This also means that Adam, the guy she CHEATED on her husband with, would be in his 60’s in the “real world” when Katy sleeps with him!! I’m sorry, WHAT?!?! And Katy doesn’t EVER question ANY of this or freaked out, either!! In fact, we (the reader) don’t ANY explanation for the time travel @ ALL!! Was it all just a crazy dream, alternative reality, a complete mental breakdown as a result of grief, what?! And that’s ANOTHER thing: we (again, the reader) never really FEEL Katy’s grief, either—@ least that’s the impression I got—we are TOLD (by Katy herself) that she was EXTREMELY (again to the point of it being unhealthy) close to her mom. We don’t get to see like a flashback—other than 30-year-old mom in the weird time travel thing—or something to when her mom WAS alive. Maybe if we got flashbacks, I would have FELT Katy’s grief better, instead of just being TOLD it by Katy herself … But, anyway, I gave it 3 stars ⭐️ because, in the end, I DID like the ending. 😊 Also, really liked the descriptions of Italy & Italian food … made me really want to visit Italy & try all the delicious Italian food that was mentioned! 👍🏻

Reviewer: Diane L. B.
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Great Book
Review: I really enjoyed this book. In fact I could hardly put it down. I plan to read more of Rebecca Serle. I think she is an excellent writer.

Reviewer: BeckyW01
Rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Good non-sci fi book with a sci-fi element
Review: Books that involve some kind of time traveling element that make a character examine their lives in a new way are probably my favorite kind of books. This one had the added fun of the magical setting of Positano, which I have now added to my travel wish list. I enjoyed the setting, the whimsy, and the main character's interaction with another version of her mother as the main character process her own grief. I saw one twist coming but not all of them. All good stuff.The ending and one of the twists I did not see coming are what prevent me from giving this book 5-stars. I felt that the main character's self-evaluation wrapped up a little too conveniently. I can't say much more without spoilers, which I will detail below....SEMI-SPOILERSAfter all of her pondering about how she just drifted through life, let things happen rather than making things happen, including her own relationship, I was disappointed that she then....went back to her same relationship. It was a little too convenient that oh hai this was good after all. was it, though? Or was she just vulnerable and looking for something familiar?Also - the plotline of a woman leaving her underage children in pursuit of self-fulfillment is one that pops up periodically in fiction. The unstated (or sometimes stated) point is that hey, men having been doing this for years and everyone's fine with it, why is it not ok when women do with it? People: it's not okay for ANYONE of any gender to peace out on their underage children in pursuit of self-fulfillment. Yes, it's hard and it sucks, but it sucks ever so much worse for your confused underage child(ren) for whom you are the entire world. If my husband had peaced out to find himself when I had a six month old at home, I don't think I would have been waiting for him when he came back.So, a good read, and clearly made me think even if I disagreed with the conclusions.

Reviewer: Angela Marie
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: a must read
Review: I loveee Positano and my mom also passed away almost ten years ago, now. And this story just warms my heart. Prepare to cry! It’s a wonderful story.

Reviewer: Késia
Rating: 3.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: ... mas poderia ser melhor

Reviewer: JT
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: The way she transports you to Positano, the streets, the restaurants, the views! I loved this book. 100% recommend

Reviewer: Kiara
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: Love this author! Her writing style is easy to follow yet so descriptive and engaging I love how the author put the plot twist at the end. Read this after reading In five years by the same author and was so obsessed I had to read more from her, and this one did not disappoint!

Reviewer: Inko
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: One of my favourite books, absolutely amazing. It makes you feel things on a deeper level, I still think about it here and there. I don't remember the last time a book made me do that. I couldn't recommend it more.

Reviewer: Becky
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: Heartfelt. Summery. Amazing book.