Our Italian Summer by Jennifer Probst | Review
I came across this novel while searching for a special book to review for a blog collaboration with several reviewers from around the world. It seemed to resonate with me. I hope you enjoy it too.
Book Details
Our Italian Summer by Jennifer Probst Published by Berkley Books on 01/12/2021
Genres: Fiction, Family Life, Holiday Fiction, Literary Fiction, Women's Literature, Multi-Generational, Travel
Format: Audiobook, eBook, Paperback
Pages: 384
From New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Probst comes a new women's fiction novel featuring three generations of Ferrari women who need to heal the broken pieces of their lives...and one trip of a lifetime through Italy.
Workaholic, career-obsessed Francesca is fiercely independent and successful in all areas of life except one: family. She struggles to make time for her relationship with her teenage daughter, Allegra, and the two have become practically strangers to each other. When Allegra hangs out with a new crowd and is arrested for drug possession, Francesca gives in to her mother's wish that they take one epic summer vacation to trace their family roots in Italy. What she never expected was to be faced with the choice of a lifetime. . . .
Allegra wants to make her grandmother happy, but she hates the idea of forced time with her mother and vows to fight every step of the ridiculous tour until a young man on the verge of priesthood begins to show her the power of acceptance, healing, and the heartbreaking complications of love.
Sophia knows her girls are in trouble. A summer filled with the possibility for change is what they all desperately need. Among the ruins of ancient Rome, the small churches of Assisi, and the rolling hills of Tuscany, Sophia hopes to show her girls that the bonds of family are everything and to remind them that they can always lean on one another before it's too late.
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Source: Amazon Purchase
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Purchase Links for Our Italian Summer
Waterstones The Book Depository Chapters/Indigo
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My thoughts on Our Italian Summer
Three generations of strong-willed, independent women traveling to Italy for the trip of a lifetime and to reconnect as a family. What a wonderful storyline!
Of course, much of the story deals with why they are disconnected. Sophia, the matriarch, is dismayed to see her daughter and granddaughter struggling with their relationship. Francesca, the mother, is a workaholic who has let her business become the most important thing in her life. And lastly, Allegra is entering her senior year of high school feeling adrift. She doesn’t fit with her shallow classmates yet finds running with the bad crowd isn’t for her either.
Can they find the peace and strength they need to survive the turmoil? There can be no better place to do this than touring picturesque Italy together.
I found I could identify with all three of the characters. As a grandmother myself, I completely understand Sophia’s desire to heal her family. As you reach a certain age, life feels rushed, like time may be running out to fix all the past mistakes you have made and ensure the happiness of your family after you are gone.
As a mother, I know how parenting mistakes can haunt a person. There is also a special bond between a mother and daughter. It can be a total joy but is very tenuous as the child grows and stretches their wings. Many times, rebelling against Mom is their first attempt at becoming their own person. A mother’s love is unconditional, so this is a safe place to start becoming more independent.
I even identified with Allegra. As a daughter who had a rocky relationship with my mother, I understood her helplessness and hurt. Luckily life allowed me the chance to come to terms with my mother. What a joy for the Ferrari ladies to have the opportunity to bond on their dream trip to lovely Italy.
As for the technical aspects, I found the characters completely believable and fully fleshed out. The story is told from 3 points of view, mother, daughter, and granddaughter. Each provides insight into the relationships while also entertaining the reader. The settings are lushly described and put you right in the scenes. The pacing is superb, leading you from beginning to end fluidly.
I highly recommend this book to all readers. It entertains as well as causes you to reflect on your own life and relationships. There are a multitude of opportunities to play “what if” while reading this fabulous story.
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Favorite Quotes from Our Italian Summer
Grief was funny that way. The moment you thought you’d beaten it, or at least made peace, it bashed you on the head during a warm sunny afternoon in your garden when you weren’t expecting it, then watched you bleed.
Motherhood was a complicated maze of disappointments and failures, peppered with the occasional wave of pure love that made it all worth it.
“Our parents make us feel valid. They are the ones who saw everything of who we really are and loved us anyway. Losing them is like losing a limb, no?”
I think belief in something better is necessary to lead a life worth living.
Florence reminded me of an Italian queen. The city was regal and shimmering with a sophistication that made its neighboring cities and sights fade from memory.
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About Jennifer Probst
Jennifer Probst wrote her first book at twelve years old. She bound it in a folder, read it to her classmates, and hasn't stopped writing since. She holds a masters in English Literature and lives in the beautiful Hudson Valley in upstate New York. Her family keeps her active, stressed, joyous, and sad her house will never be truly clean. Her passions include horse racing, Scrabble, rescue dogs, Italian food, and wine--not necessarily in that order.
She is the New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of sexy and erotic contemporary romance. She was thrilled her book, The Marriage Bargain, spent 26 weeks on the New York Times. Her work has been translated in over a dozen countries, sold over a million copies, and was dubbed a "romance phenom" by Kirkus Reviews. She is also a proud three-time RITA finalist.
She loves hearing from readers. Visit her website for updates on new releases and her street team at www.jenniferprobst.com.
Sign up for her newsletter at www.jenniferprobst.com/newsletter for a chance to win a gift card each month and receive exclusive material and giveaways.
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Purchase Our Italian Summer online from a local bookstore!
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Our Italian Summer (Meet Me...Shop on AmazonPaperback 
Our Italian SummerShop on AmazonAudiobook
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Wonderful review Gina. I really like the sound of this one. I love reading about family, especially the women in it. Themes of family, reconciliation, grief and an armchair trip to Italy are right up my alley.