Guest post Five Fun Facts about Love at the Italian Lake + REVIEW

GUEST POST - FIVE FUN FACTS ABOUT LOVE AT THE ITALIAN LAKE

1.     My husband and I went out to Lake Garda in 2010 to see if it would be a suitable location for our 2011 wedding. We fell in love with Malcesine and actually reserved a date for the following summer, but ended up getting married that Christmas in the snow.

2.     The speedboat scene from the novel actually happened. The day before, we’d visited the castle museum, just as Sophia does in the novel, then we took a speedboat out onto the lake. It was beautiful but also… eventful.

3.     The one day we drove into Verona and visited Juliet’s house and the amphitheatre. When we were in the middle of Verona, we got caught in a storm and were completely unprepared, just like Sophia and Joe.

4.     Sophia’s family secret only emerged as I was writing the story. I didn’t know it existed until one of the characters revealed it to me.

5.     One of the characters is named after a very special blogger. I named the character for her as a birthday present. You could be next…

REVIEW 

Original Cover

My own copy

The blurb:

On the shores of Lake Garda, a beautiful romance unfolds. But is it only for summer? Don’t miss this gorgeous, heart-warming novel from Darcie Boleyn, bestselling author of 2017 smash-hit Summer at Conwenna Cove.

Sophia Bertoni discovers her boyfriend in bed with another woman, and realizes her life is going nowhere. Leaving her high-pressure job, she travels to Italy to stay with her grandmother while she figures out her next move.

When Sophia – quite literally – bumps into devastatingly handsome Joe Lancaster her plans are turned upside down. As the two realize they’re both spending the summer in the same town, a love affair seems on the cards.

But Sophia and Joe are both burdened by family secrets. Despite their attraction, will the sun set on Sophia and Joe’s romance – or will they find love at the Italian lake?

My Opinion:

*Book provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review*

The book starts with Sophia Bertoni discovering that her boyfriend is cheating on her. She decides to leave everything behind and visit her nonna at lake Garda. At the airport she bumps into Joe Lancaster and it turns out they will see each other again, because he is helping at his uncle’s hotel in the same village.

Their attraction grows stronger every time they see each other, but it’s just a summer fling for both of them. Both of them are also dealing with some family secrets, which add some intense drama to the story.

I adored the setting in this book and the connection to Italian families. I’m Italian myself, so it’s very interesting. I found that it could have been more “Italian” though, it’s hard to explain, but the spark didn’t really get through.

This is a beautiful and heart-warming book, a great summer read and full of romance. The characters learn a lot, grow and I really enjoyed reading about Sophia and Joe together. It includes family, love and friendship as well, a lovely book!

Rating:

About the Author

Darcie Boleyn has a huge heart and is a real softy. She never fails to cry at books and movies, whether the ending is happy or not. Darcie is in possession of an overactive imagination that often keeps her awake at night. Darcie fell in love in New York, got married in the snow, rescues uncoordinated greyhounds and can usually be found reading or typing away on her laptop. 







Darcie Boleyn on Twitter: @DarcieBoleyn
Website: https://darcieboleyn.wordpress.com
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