One Italian Summer by Rebecca Serle takes its reader in a magical adventure of rediscovering oneself, loss, mother-daughter bond, and family all the way to Italy.
A moving and unforgettable exploration of the powerful bond between mother and daughter set on the breathtaking Amalfi Coast.
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: to Positano, the magical town where 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.
Rebecca Serle’s next great love story is here, and this time it’s between a mother and a daughter. With her signature “heartbreaking, redemptive, and authentic” (Jamie Ford, New York Times bestselling author) prose, Serle has crafted a transcendent novel about how we move on after loss, and how the people we love never truly leave us.
I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
I was her one, just like she was mine.
In One Italian Summer by Rebecca Serle, Katy goes through a heart-wrenching loss when her best friend—her mom—passes away after a long fight with an illness. Because her mom was her everything—the person she went to for questions, answers, ideas, advice—she’s suddenly confused and wondering what to do next. They had already planned on going to Italy as a mother-daughter trip. While Katy is unsure about going by herself, her husband pushes her in the right direction.
Positano, Italy is the place where Carol had thrived in right before meeting Katy’s dad. Naturally, Katy wants to see what had her mother falling in love with the place. And she totally gets it! Italy is beautiful with its culture, the people, the food! She’s realizing why her mother loved this place so much. What she doesn’t expect is to encounter her mother, who’s dead, right in the hotel she’s staying at.
I honestly had no idea what to expect with this story. On one hand, I was absolutely enamored with the setting! The author used such brilliant imagery that it had me feeling as if I were right alongside Katy experiencing every magical moment she was living. When it came to her mom seemingly not being dead, it threw me for a loop! What was reality?
“It would be a shame if you kept doing something only because you’ve done it before.”
Katy ends up embarking on a journey and getting to know her mom all over again; this time, in a new light. Their connection still felt so profound and beautiful and never-changing. I can’t say more without spoiling, because you truly have to go in completely blind to get the full experience. But this story made me appreciate the moments I have with my own mom and to never take them for granted.
I do not belong to anyone. Not in that way, not any longer. I am my own, just as she was hers.
Even days later, I’m still processing and contemplating this story. One Italian Summer by Rebecca Serle left a major impact in my life. The writing mixed with the magical setting is timeless and unforgettable. I found this story to be wonderful, remarkable, heartwarming, unique, profound, emotional, surprising, and extraordinary.
History, memory is by definition fiction. Once an event is no longer present, but remembered, it is narrative. And we can choose the narratives we tell—about our own lives, our own stories, our own relationships. We can choose the chapters we give meaning.
I will end this review with a quote I found in the acknowledgements that I just have to share with you. It just goes to show how breathtaking of an author is Rebecca Serle:
One of life’s most important challenges is determining what to hold on to and what to let go of. Do not be fooled into believing that you do not know which is which. Follow the feeling, follow it all the way home.
Rating: ★★★★
Purchase: Amazon | Bookshop | Book Depository | Target | Chapters Indigo
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Have you read any books by this author? How about a book with Magical Realism?
Let me know in the comments!
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Caroline says
I definitely want to read this book! It sounds so good, already on my TBR. Hopefully I’ll find a copy at the library soon x
whisperingchapters says
It’s really good! It’s coming out on Tuesday, so hopefully your library gets a copy!
Rachel @Waves of Fiction says
I love the sound of this setting! It’s a place I’d like to visit someday. The story sounds emotional and original. Glad to hear you enjoyed it, Genesis!
mia says
This sounds like such a moving book! I have to admit, I wasn’t too sure after reading the synopsis, but I’m definitely adding this to my TBR pile x
mia // https://miasdiyprojects.com/
Sam@WLABB says
I am looking forward to reading this one, so it’s great to hear it was as emotional as I hoped it would be