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–Synopsis–

Lina is spending the summer in Tuscany, but she isn’t in the mood for Italy’s famous sunshine and fairy-tale landscape. She’s only there because it was her mother’s dying wish that she get to know her father. But what kind of father isn’t around for sixteen years? All Lina wants to do is get back home.

But then Lina is given a journal that her mom had kept when she lived in Italy. Suddenly Lina’s uncovering a magical world of secret romances, art, and hidden bakeries. A world that inspires Lina, along with the ever-so-charming Ren, to follow in her mother’s footsteps and unearth a secret that has been kept for far too long. It’s a secret that will change everything Lina knew about her mother, her father—and even herself.

People come to Italy for love and gelato, someone tells her, but sometimes they discover much more.

–Review–

*TRIGGER WARNINGS: there is death of a loved one from cancer, and a scene in which a character is touched without their permission, but it does not go further than that. *

Honestly, I was a bit apprehensive to begin this series due to the main characters being teenagers, but I was pleasantly surprised, and it is now currently my favorite book I read this month.

This book follows the perspective of Lina as she is the main character in a coming-of-age story of self-discovery. The journal is obviously through the perspective of a younger version of her deceased mother, and the parallels between the different timelines was enjoyable and quite magical at times.

An aspect that I really enjoyed was how Lina’s mom’s passion was photography. Being someone who appreciates that artform myself, I thoroughly enjoyed how her personality showed through her hobby turned career. Looking at the pictures others take, allows you to literally see the world through their own perspectives. Lina is fortunate to have those pieces of her mother’s life to cherish even after her death.

Being someone who has never been out of America, I am always excited to be transported to a whole new country within the pages of a book. This story being set in Italy, felt like my own little vacation. Obviously, I have seen pictures of the Italian countryside and the winding streets of the city, but it felt like I was actually there with how the author described the landscapes. I was in awe, along with Lina as she was out exploring the cultural hub around her. The cemetery in which she lives is such a unique environment to explore. The giant houses with the lavish parties and the night life culture of the club they go to, were equal parts nerve wracking and exhilarating. While the majority of the story takes place near Florence, there is a period that takes place in Rome, so the book reminds me of a grand tour of Italy.

Lina, short for Carolina (pronounced Lee-nuh) is a 16-year-old American teenager who is reeling from the death of her mother. She makes a promise to said mother that she would travel to Italy for the summer and spend time with a man she believes is her father. I was expecting her to start off as quite whiny and insufferable but honestly, her attitude was very understandable due to her circumstances. True, she was not making too much of an effort at first to get to know Harold, but I probably would not either. After all, she believes he chose not to have anything to do with her or her mom. She seems to take everything in stride including living in an actual cemetery halfway across the globe, where people speak a whole new language. As the story of her mom’s past comes to life through the journal, she begins to realize who her true family is and where she came from. Her inner thoughts made me crack up loads of times throughout the story. She definitely has a lot of spunk, and I enjoyed her very much as the main character.

Harold is the name of the father figure who welcomes Lina into his home on the grounds of a WWII cemetery situated in the Italian countryside. He was hands down my favorite character in the book. His willingness to take in a virtual stranger into his house during her period of great loss, was commendable. Right away, he stepped up into his newly accepted role as Lina’s dad, making sure she was as comfortable as possible. He takes the time to show her around the city and answers all of her questions regarding her mother and their past together. His goofiness was entertaining to read. A very typical southern American dad who takes his daughter’s safety seriously, while giving her the freedom to be a teenager. As the bombshells of the story come to light, he remains calm and steadfast as he faces the realities together with Lina. He repeatedly makes it clear that she is welcome there with him as long as that is what Lina wishes.

Lorenzo or Ren for short, is the Italian American teenager whom Lina meets while on a run one morning. He is a very laid-back and welcoming individual who pretty much drags Lina around in the beginning, introducing her to his inner circle of friends. He is in a bit of a rocky relationship with another girl, but he is always willing to take time for Lina. He becomes instrumental in the journal plot due to Lina entrusting him with reading access. It was Ren that was showing Lina all the places in the city that her mother mentions in her journal, allowing her to see the world through another lens. He opens himself up to be a shoulder to cry on for Lina repeatedly throughout the story. He is taking her mission of uncovering the truth of her mother’s past very seriously and respectfully. He is a very good friend to Lina from their first meeting, and their relationship continues from there.

I will say, I am not a fan of the act of cheating in any media. That being said, there is a point where a kiss is exchanged between Ren and Lina as Ren is in a separate relationship. The cheating is not glorified; in fact, it leads to a bit of a tense moment between the two. The romance does progress from there in a more respectable manner, so it redeemed itself. There is also a bit of a love triangle trope, but I feel like that was handled pretty respectfully as well.

One thing I struggled with a bit was how slowly Lina was getting through her mom’s journal. While I understand her apprehension to read the words of her mom since her death is still fresh on her heart, I could not help but see how much shorter the story would have been if she would have read the whole thing right away. She also would have avoided some tense and awkward moments if she had not jumped the gun and made the assumptions she did. That being said, I enjoyed the adventures she has while on her mother’s trail. It felt like a big scavenger hunt of uncovering the past.

All in all, I was very much impressed with this book that I read it quicker than I was expecting. I did not feel as though the story dragged at any point, so I was shocked with how quickly it came to an end. This is the first in a trilogy of different stories taking place in different parts of the world, so I am excited to read the next ones 🙂

-About the Author-

Jenna Evans Welch was the kind of voracious child reader who had no choice but to grow up to become a writer. She is the New York Times Bestselling author of LOVE & GELATO, LOVE & LUCK, and LOVE & OLIVES. When she isn’t writing girl abroad stories, Jenna can be found chasing her children or making elaborate messes in the kitchen. She lives in Salt Lake City, Utah.