By: Rebecca Serle
ISBN: 978-1982166793
Publisher: Atria
Publication Date: 03/01/2022
Format: Hardcover
My Rating: 4 Stars (ARC)
The New York Times bestselling author of the “heartwarming, heartbreaking, and hard to put down” (Laurie Frankel, New York Times bestselling author) modern classic In Five Years returns with 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.
Thank you 🙏 @atriabooks for this gifted stunning finished hardcover copy of ONE ITALIAN SUMMER by Rebecca Serle (out today) and the bonus two-sided post card with the famous Dolce Vita drink recipe served exclusively at Franco's Bar at Le Sirenuse Hotel featured in One Italian Summer. Also the cool airline ticket from LAX to NAP! I am loving the book and cannot wait to return to Positano!
Praise
“Rebecca Serle is a maestro of love in all its forms.”
-- GABRIELLE ZEVIN, New York Times bestselling author of The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry
“An unconventional love story that embraces people’s flaws and selfishness as part of what makes them human.”
—Kirkus
“Poignant and ultimately uplifting. The mouthwatering descriptions of Katy’s food and the lush Italian coast bring a strong, atmospheric sense of place. Recommend to fans of Helen Fisher’s Faye, Faraway (2021) and those who enjoy being transported to other countries through fiction.” —Booklist
“A touching story…the mother-daughter bond is made palpable through Katy’s grief and desire for connection.”
—Publishers Weekly
"Going down as easy as a limoncello on a hot summer’s day, this daydream of a story affirms what it means to love and be loved. An enchanting book for the last cold days of winter, but also suggest it to readers come summer.”
—Library Journal
About the Author
Rebecca Serle is an author and television writer who lives in New York and Los Angeles. Serle codeveloped the hit TV adaptation of her YA series Famous in Love, and is also the author of The Dinner List, and YA novels The Edge of Falling and When You Were Mine. She received her MFA from the New School in NYC.
