One Italian Summer
A Novel
-
-
4.0 • 73 Ratings
-
-
- $12.99
Publisher Description
INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
In this “magical trip worth taking” (Associated Press), the New York Times bestselling author of In Five Years returns with a powerful novel about the transformational love between mothers and daughters 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 is known for her powerful stories that tug at the heartstrings—and her latest is just as unforgettable” (Woman’s World) as it effortlessly shows us how to move on after loss, and how the people we love never truly leave us.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Serle (In Five Years) sets up another time-warp conceit with a touching story about a woman grieving her mother. Katy Silver, 30, was planning a trip with her mother, Carol, to Positano, Italy, before Carol died from cancer. Katy decides to go alone, and while she's abroad she reconsiders her unsatisfying marriage. She also somehow meets her 30-year-old mother, along with the beguiling Adam Westbrooke, a single man in the hotel acquisition business, who offers a bit more adventure than her predictable husband. As Katy explores the Amalfi coast and eats fabulous local food, she comes to understand different aspects of her mother, a woman who, as an art gallery assistant, dreamed of her own design business and came to Italy to rejuvenate her sense of self. As Katy and Carol's friendship deepens, they have a pivotal dispute that threatens their relationship. Serle's fans may be forgiving regarding the trick she deploys to make it possible for Katy and Carol to meet across time, though for most it will strain credulity. Still, the mother-daughter bond is made palpable through Katy's grief and desire for connection. Once again, Serle gets the job done just fine.
Customer Reviews
Great Summer read!
Looking for a getaway that is super cheap no better than this book! I was inspired by my sister’s recent Summer trip to Italy. This book is about a woman called Katy Silver who recently lost her mother. She was really close to her and lost part of herself with trahis death. She had plans to take a trip to Positano in Italy with her mom before her passing. She decides to go and lo and behold meets by cosmic chance her mother as a young woman in Italy. This book is interesting as it makes you think about your parents as people. Imagine if you met your mom as a young woman, would you be friends? Would you have anything in common, would you recognize her in her youth with less confidence, hesitation and fear? I like this book because as a new mom, woman are often loss in their identity as Mothers or Wives. This book celebrates womanhood within itself with no labels required to define it. I love that it celebrates freedom in love and shows the imperfections of love. Great summer read! I was transported back to my own trip in Italy 14 years ago with my Mom. I Hope to see one day glances of my mom as a young woman, before my dad and us her kids. I’d love to meet that woman for sure because of this book.