One Italian Summer

When I saw that One Italian Summer was set in Positano, Italy (where I spent my 10th wedding anniversary many years ago), my attention was piqued. I prepared for a story about the mother/daughter bond that would give me all the feels that was also a love letter to the beauty of Positano.

My favourite part of the book were the descriptions of the area, culture, and food! But there is more to this book than quaint streets, delicious meals, and trips to Capri. As with her previous book In Five Years, Serle adds a magical realism element to this story which follows Katy, a 30-year-old woman who takes a trip to Positano after her mother who was supposed to take the trip with her dies.

The story has some romance, but it is more a story about loss and the bond between mother and daughter. I felt compassionate towards Katy and her grief, but I also struggled to connect with her. She came off as immature, impulsive and her grief didn't impact me the way I expected - nary a tear was shed (which surprised me). I think this stems from her relationship with her mom, Carol. I adore my mom. I love her to bits! But the way Katy's bond with her mom was described as the two of them being each other's 'soul mates' was uncomfortable, codependent and simply over the top. I ended up feeling bad for Katy's husband who didn't stand a chance competing against his own mother-in-law for his wife's affection. It was just too much.

The magical realism aspect and the BIG twist were interesting and give the story a different perspective, but they are not explained enough to the reader (or even Katy who never seemed to question it). In the end, I was left with the descriptions of the location and food far outshining the story about family, loss and finding oneself.

For me, this story made me fall in love with Italy all over again and I desperately want to go back! This would be a good pick if you want to be transported to Positano and Capri with vivid descriptions of the people, food, and culture as a beautiful backdrop for a story about grief, moving on with a magical realism element.

Disclaimer: My sincere thanks to Atria Books for my complimentary digital copy provided in exchange for my honest review.

My Rating: 3 stars

Author: Rebecca Serle

Genre: Contemporary Fiction, Magical Realism

Type and Source: eBook from publisher via NetGalley

Publisher: Atria Books

First Published: March 1, 2022

Opening Line: I've never smoked, but it's the 

last day of my mother's Shiva, so here we are.

Book Description from GoodReads: When Katy’s mother dies, she is left reeling. Carol wasn’t just Katy’s mom, but her best friend and first phone call. She had all the answers and now, when Katy needs her the most, she is gone. To make matters worse, their planned mother-daughter trip of a lifetime looms: two weeks in Positano, the magical town Carol spent the summer right before she met Katy’s father. Katy has been waiting years for Carol to take her, and now she is faced with embarking on the adventure alone.

But as soon as she steps foot on the Amalfi Coast, Katy begins to feel her mother’s spirit. Buoyed by the stunning waters, beautiful cliffsides, delightful residents, and, of course, delectable food, Katy feels herself coming back to life.

And then Carol appears—in the flesh, healthy, sun-tanned, and thirty years old. Katy doesn’t understand what is happening, or how—all she can focus on is that she has somehow, impossibly, gotten her mother back. Over the course of one Italian summer, Katy gets to know Carol, not as her mother, but as the young woman before her. She is not exactly who Katy imagined she might be, however, and soon Katy must reconcile the mother who knew everything with the young woman who does not yet have a clue.