One Italian Summer by Rebecca Serle: Katy fundamentally believes that her mother Carol was the love of 
her life, and thus following her death, she experiences the type of all-consuming numbness that invariably challenges her handle on her world, questioning everything from her career, to her marriage with first love Eric. Without giving it too much thought, she escapes to Italy for the planned holiday she and her mother had organized for Carol’s 60th birthday.
For Katy, this is an opportunity to walk in her mother’s shoes and understand and experience what captured Carol’s heart 30 years prior whilst giving her the space she needs to figure out how she can continue being married to Eric when her heart is so utterly broken. As we enter into a world of Magical Realism that is bookended by the stunning food and scenery of Italy, Katy climbs some steep steps into self-discovery and as her own world collides with her mother’s past, her very foundations are rocked.
Despite the absolute beauty and carefree vibe of the Almalfi coast, it was a struggle to look beyond Eric’s abandonment – he was painted as an incredibly loyal man who adored Katy and her family to bits. Whilst I thoroughly enjoyed the romance that ensued with property developer Adam in a time zone not belonging to her, it was tricky to move past the fact that Eric was the real victim in Katy’s love affair with her mother.
With that being said, the adventure, the magical setting and the inherent desire to figure out who she was and what her next life step will entail was a journey worth traveling and a wonderful opportunity to live in paradise for a time.
Furthermore, her friendship with past reality Carol captured the type of fervour and abandon that seems to just happen when people connect whilst abroad – and this was certainly one of the highlights despite the realism in the magic being pushed to the limits.
For many, Katy’s grief and loss will be incredibly relatable and her deep desire to feel alive again will bring comfort to those who have experienced similar. Summarily, One Italian Summer is a juicy mixed bag that will bring comfort and curiosity, and challenge most readers in precisely the right way
Book Info:
Publication: 1st March 2022 | Atria Books |
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.
