Review: My Roman Summer

 

Livia is excited to be spending the summer in Rome, but she's sorry that it took her grandmother's fall to make it happen. Her grandmother isn't excited to see her. Instead, there's a boy who is delivering food to her grandmother. She's happy to see him. Livia doesn't remember Giulio, but he lives next door to her grandmother. She's an honorary grandmother to him. Every time she turns around, he's there. He even works at the family cafe. 

He's set up Italian lessons for Livia as her language is rusty. She's annoyed at the way he makes her feel inadequate. He seems to know something about the cafe; something he's not sharing. The cafe is in trouble and she's not sure she can help save it. Livia is also not sure about her feelings for Giulio.  

As an Italian in Scotland, she's never really fit in. But as a person who lives in Scotland, she feels like an outsider in Rome too. Can she ever feel like she belongs?

My Thoughts: I loved this book. I loved the summer in Rome - from the places to the food to the people. I felt badly to Livia. she felt so out of place in the world, in between two cultures. I really enjoyed the moments in the cafe; it felt like a character in the book. I love how the relationship developed and changed over the book. I wish there was a little more in the relationship between Livia and her grandmother. I love how the Italian lessons turned out and the friendships that were created during that time. This is an adorable summer romance with banter, sweet moments, and an amazing countryside. 

This book did have me googling places the book mentions in Rome. Now I want to go back. 

Cover Thoughts: Adorable.

It's supposed to be a scratch and sniff cover (lemons) but mine didn't work.

Source: Book sent for review

Library Recommendation: A great summer romance for your school and public library collections: highly recommended.