Ok, Rebecca Serle is entering Jodi Picoult territory with the emotional punches she’s pulled in her last two books. Like In Five Years, One Italian Summer focuses on recovering from grief and finding your happiness. Katy has just lost her mother, her absolute soul mate in life. It has impacted every aspect of her life. She can’t imagine going back to her old self and that has her questioning everything, including her marriage. Before her death, Katy and her mother had planned a trip to Positano to visit one of her mother’s favorite places. Katy decides to go alone to find herself and recapture the joy her mother brought to her life. The book synopsis gives away what happens, so this is not a spoiler, she somehow (please suspend reality) encounters her mother there in the past. She is able to not only capture a few more moments with her but to understand that maybe her mother wasn’t always the polished, put together person she knew.
This book is a cute read but holds a nice message. It’s not forced upon you but it is certainly one that makes you think about the people in your life and what you may not know about them. I found Katy a little annoying and self absorbed from the start but I think she got there in the end. Her mother is lovely and charming and fun to read. The setting of Positano is lovely to experience through the pages of this book, it is almost as beautiful as in real life. ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Thanks to Netgalley for advanced access to this novel. All opinions above are my own.
What place is at the top of your travel bucket list?
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