Author: Jennifer Probst
Series: Meet Me In Italy
Publisher: Berkley
Genre: Women’s Fiction; Romance
Format: Audiobook
No. of Pages: 384
Date of Publication: January 12, 2021
My Rating: 5 Stars
DESCRIPTION:
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.
MY THOUGHTS:
Three generations of Ferrari women are traveling to Italy. Sophia is the matriarch and is hoping that this trip will bring her and her daughter Francesca and her granddaughter Allegra closer together. There has definitely been a disconnect and Sophia hopes to change that.
The scenery is certain to be idyllic and hopefully some of the problems they have will be able to be ironed out. The trip is going to be going to be hard on each of them for different reasons. For Francesca, she is tethered to her phone, as her career has taken first place in her life. With regard to Allegra, a recent drug possession charge has both Francesca and Sophie quite concerned. Will this trip be the last line of defense for Sophia, making this a desperate final attempt to bond the three of them?
Allegra’s grandmother Sophie feels that her granddaughter has just got mixed up with the wrong crowd and hopes that Francesca will really see Allegra, will reconnect with her daughter. The trip proves bright for Allegra as she meets a young man planning on going into the priesthood. The two spend a lot of time together and this becomes a healing bond to Allegra. Francesca struggles to put her phone down and continues to handle meetings and crisis after crisis despite being thousands of miles away. Especially problematic is how this affects her relationship with Allegra. Really concerned for Francesca and Allegra while Sophia has a secret is difficult to manage. She is in the middle of dealing with a serious health scare and does not want to run out of time bringing her daughter and granddaughter back together.
Oh my, what an emotional and compelling read. It was easy to feel for and to even connect with all three of the Ferrari women. As a daughter, mother and grandmother myself, I could see myself in each of their shoes. This story was not just an emotional read filled with sadness. No, it was an uplifting read. One filled with hope and promise and the ride along the way was well worth the trip.
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Author: Jennifer Probst
Series: Meet Me in Italy #2
Publisher: Berkley
Genre: Women’s Fiction; Romance
Format: Audiobook
No. of Pages: 384
Date of Publication: February 22, 2022
My Rating: 5 Stars
DESCRIPTION:
A secret romance sends three estranged sisters to the Amalfi Coast to follow clues about their mother's past, and challenges them to a whole new future, in this emotional novel from New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Probst.
Priscilla, Devon, and Bailey haven't been close in years, but when the sisters are forced to come together to settle their mother's estate, they discover a secret. In an old trunk, they happen upon ownership papers for a house on the Amalfi Coast, along with a love letter to their mother from an anonymous man, promising to meet her in Italy during the summer of her sixty-fifth birthday.
Now they're questioning everything they knew about her history. In order to get answers about the woman they thought they knew, they'll have to go back to where it all started. The sisters embark on a trip to the stunning cliffside village of Positano, Italy, to track down the mysterious ex-lover, and figure out who their mother really was.
As Priscilla, Devon, and Bailey unearth the truth, they also experience the magic of Italy, the power of sisterly love, a little unexpected romance, and newfound hope for the future.
Priscilla, Devon, and Bailey haven't been close in years, but when the sisters are forced to come together to settle their mother's estate, they discover a secret. In an old trunk, they happen upon ownership papers for a house on the Amalfi Coast, along with a love letter to their mother from an anonymous man, promising to meet her in Italy during the summer of her sixty-fifth birthday.
Now they're questioning everything they knew about her history. In order to get answers about the woman they thought they knew, they'll have to go back to where it all started. The sisters embark on a trip to the stunning cliffside village of Positano, Italy, to track down the mysterious ex-lover, and figure out who their mother really was.
As Priscilla, Devon, and Bailey unearth the truth, they also experience the magic of Italy, the power of sisterly love, a little unexpected romance, and newfound hope for the future.
MY THOUGHTS:
Priscilla, Devon, and Bailey—three sisters estranged and vastly different—are about to settle their mother’s estate. Amidst their belongings, they stumble upon unexpected ownership papers for a house on the Amalfi Coast. Compelled by this discovery, they embark on a journey to Italy, where they must confront their past, sell the house, and reclaim their separate lives.
Pris feels disconnected from her husband. This trip with her sisters should be a good time for her to reset and to see where her future lies. Devon is the serious sister, on the spectrum, and just wants this business over. Bailey is the creative one of the trio, and feels that she couldn’t be more different from her sisters.
I loved the delivery of this novel. We get to know each sister, as well as their conflicts in both their personal lives and with each other. But we also meet and learn much about a young Olivia, their mother, and what her life was like in Greece. Olivia’s story is intriguing. She was young and in love with the mysterious “R”. The sisters hope that their trip will uncover secrets that have been hidden for decades.
As each of their sisters have shares in the house, it doesn’t take them long to disagree about settling. The Amalfi Coast trip emerges as a potential balm for their fractured relationship, offering an opportunity to heal and discover their future paths.
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Author: Jennifer Probst
Series: Meet Me in Italy #3
Publisher: Berkley
Genre: Women’s Fiction; Romance
Format: Kindle ARC
No. of Pages: 400
Date of Publication: May 14, 2024
My Rating: 5 Stars
DESCRIPTION:
A destination wedding in Italy’s Lake Como brings three best friends back together to face the secrets of the past in this romantic novel from New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Probst.
Best friends Ava, Madison, and Chelsea made a pact to reunite for each other’s weddings when their careers sent them in different directions. But after one of them makes a choice that tears the group apart, an upcoming wedding might be their last chance to heal old wounds.
Ava is about to marry the man she loves in a lavish ceremony on the shores of Lake Como, but she’s haunted by the mistakes she’s made.
Madison’s made a name for herself as an influencer in the fashion world but is threatened by a scandal impacting everything she holds dear.
And Chelsea has the perfect family she always craved, but her professional dreams have fallen by the wayside.
As they return to Italy’s gorgeous coast, the three women revisit their life-changing first trip to Lake Como during college. When Madison comes face-to-face with the college sweetheart who was at the heart of one of the most pivotal times of her life, can they forge a new way forward?
Best friends Ava, Madison, and Chelsea made a pact to reunite for each other’s weddings when their careers sent them in different directions. But after one of them makes a choice that tears the group apart, an upcoming wedding might be their last chance to heal old wounds.
Ava is about to marry the man she loves in a lavish ceremony on the shores of Lake Como, but she’s haunted by the mistakes she’s made.
Madison’s made a name for herself as an influencer in the fashion world but is threatened by a scandal impacting everything she holds dear.
And Chelsea has the perfect family she always craved, but her professional dreams have fallen by the wayside.
As they return to Italy’s gorgeous coast, the three women revisit their life-changing first trip to Lake Como during college. When Madison comes face-to-face with the college sweetheart who was at the heart of one of the most pivotal times of her life, can they forge a new way forward?
MY THOUGHTS:
Best friends Ava, Madison, and Chelsea are going back to Italy where they went when they were sophomores in college. Hopefully, they will soon be attending one another’s weddings. As this touching story unfolds, we have an after and we have a before, mostly told from Maddie’s perspective. We learn a lot about each of their women. Ava is the bright light everyone wants to be around. Chelsea is described as a straight shooter. Maddie wanted to be a model, something she would be perfect for.
Their friendship has been frozen in time, especially after Ava’s actions shattered Chelsea’s life. Amidst this turmoil, Ava and Maddie share a secret that Chelsea remained unaware of. Ava offers Maddie something seemingly unattainable—a glimpse into a life of safety and fulfillment. Maddie is determined to protect her friend and would do anything for her. However, this bond is unhealthy, blurring the lines between friendship and something more.
Like the previous books in this series, this one is packed with depth and intrigue. While reading the series in order isn’t strictly necessary, especially considering the changing characters and locations in Italy, each book offers memorable reads that resonate with readers. We connect with the characters, their stories, and the hope they hold dear. Interestingly, while conflicts arise between the trio, I thoroughly enjoyed witnessing the evolution of these conflicts through Jennifer Probst’s writing. It offered a chance to find goodness in each character.
Many thanks to Berkley and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
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Author: Jennifer Probst
Series: Meet Me In Italy
Publisher: Berkley
Genre: Women’s Fiction; Romance
Format: Kindle ARac
No. of Pages: 384
Date of Publication:
My Rating: 5 Stars
DESCRIPTION:
When she learns she has a big Italian family she never knew about, a lonely woman travels to Sicily for a life-changing summer in the new romance from New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Probst.
Aurora York had it all loving parents, a steady relationship, and a promising career. But after she loses both parents unexpectedly, she can’t seem to stay on track any longer. Lonely and lost after a public meltdown that threatens her professional credibility, she’s shocked when DNA test results show a blood relative in Sicily. When her cousin reaches out online and begs her to come to Italy to meet everyone in person, Aurora makes the leap.
Aurora arrives in Sicily for a month, and there she meets a colorful, dynamic family steeped in tradition. The younger generation is fascinated by her social media fame in America, and even though her grandparents have more traditional viewpoints, Aurora begins to heal from her grief…and enjoys the attention of a kind and handsome Italian man.
But when the summer ends, a new opportunity calls her back to the States and her old habits threaten to reemerge. Will Aurora leave everything in Sicily she loves behind, or take the chance on a whole new future?
Aurora York had it all loving parents, a steady relationship, and a promising career. But after she loses both parents unexpectedly, she can’t seem to stay on track any longer. Lonely and lost after a public meltdown that threatens her professional credibility, she’s shocked when DNA test results show a blood relative in Sicily. When her cousin reaches out online and begs her to come to Italy to meet everyone in person, Aurora makes the leap.
Aurora arrives in Sicily for a month, and there she meets a colorful, dynamic family steeped in tradition. The younger generation is fascinated by her social media fame in America, and even though her grandparents have more traditional viewpoints, Aurora begins to heal from her grief…and enjoys the attention of a kind and handsome Italian man.
But when the summer ends, a new opportunity calls her back to the States and her old habits threaten to reemerge. Will Aurora leave everything in Sicily she loves behind, or take the chance on a whole new future?
Link to purchase the book
MY THOUGHTS:
Aurora, still reeling from the sudden death of her parents, is unhappy that her boyfriend Jason tells her he wants a break. As a social media influencer with a massive following, she breaks down during a podcast, causing her book contract to be delayed. Amidst her relationship issues, contractual problems, and public embarrassment, an unexpected DNA result sends her on an unexpected trip to Sicily. Unbeknownst to her, she has numerous relatives in Italy, closely related to her family tree.
Aurora plans a month-long stay in Italy, hoping to reset her life and get back on track. Discovering her Italian relatives leaves her curious about their history and why her mother kept that side of her family a secret. Learning the truth might just be the healing balm she needs, all while reveling in the attention of an attentive Italian man.
This heartwarming story feels like a coming-of-age tale. Aurora once had it all, having surpassed her personal goals. However, her losses were adding up, and this trip to Italy provided the perfect reset she needed. Faced with new choices and the newfound connection to her family, it creates a compelling story for readers who enjoy connecting with the characters. Aurora’s protagonist makes choices that ultimately lead to her happiness.
The family aspect of the story is heartwarming, especially as most of them welcome her with open arms. Aurora needs this bond with them, and it’s wonderful to witness their connection as the story unfolds.
Many thanks to Berkley and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
She is the NYT, 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 NY 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 loves hearing from readers. Visit her website for updates on new releases at www.jenniferprobst.com. Sign up of her newsletter at www.jenniferprobst.com/newsletter for a free book.
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