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3.47 AVERAGE
3.47 AVERAGE
I haven’t finished the book yet. But, I thought I’d share some thoughts. It seems like a fun read, but I’m having a really hard time getting through it. A line I can’t get past is, “An air of stillness hung in the air.”. That line just grates my brain and leaves a chalky, dead feeling in my mouth. It feels like reading middle school creative writing papers about their family vacations. I want to continue reading the book, and may end up changing my rating. I’m mainly continuing reading because the book reminds me of the tv show Jessie starring Debby Ryan.
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book was fairly mid for me, except one part about 3/4 of the way through which made my jaw drop. The author did a good job with the pacing most of the time, but was definitely a bit slow occasionally. I really liked the first book she wrote in Italy A LOT more than this one.
Jennifer Probst has written some incredible books, and this is no different. I loved A Wedding in Lake Como! Themes present throughout this novel include coming of age, female friendship, second chances, and found family. This one certainly has emotional undertones and forgiveness is a huge factor in the characters’ lives but ultimately, it’s a relatable book and will leave readers feeling satisfied. If you’re a fan of the author’s previous novels in the series (you don’t have to have read them to enjoy this one) then you won’t want to miss this one. It’s a great beach read and one that you can read in a few hours. I recommend it!
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
fast-paced
Loveable characters:
Complicated
I listened to the audiobook in one day because I really wanted to know what broke the friend group apart. I was really upset that Maddie’s friend had slept with her bf and to make it worst that she got pregnant and had the baby! It just made no sense since she didn’t even like him and Maddie was her best friend!! And Maddie forgave her. Ugh idk. It was rough
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
i picked this book for bookclub because it lined up with a wedding we had in italy. i expected it to be cheesy and cringey, which it was, but i wasn’t expecting it to be quite as boring as it was. it wasn’t complete torture for me, i read the last 150 pages in one sitting, but i can’t say i enjoyed the book. it read like fanfiction to me - surface-level, immature, annoying descriptions of every single outfit worn by the main and supporting characters. it was an easy read, though. that’s about all i have positive to say about it. i didn’t like any of the characters and i don’t know WHY maddie forgave literally everyone for everything.
challenging
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I’m torn between giving this 3 or 4 stars because of how complex the characters are in this book. I need to marinate on my final rating but for now, I’ll leave it at 3.
This story is of 3 friends, told from the POV of Maddie. She’s been wanting validation from her parents, who never wanted her and told her so. She eventually finds a found family with Ava and Chelsea but she ends up constantly seeking approval from Ava. She also becomes caught up in a social media career and essentially losing herself more in seeking validation.
Through switching of timelines, we learn of what has broken up this friend group and let me tell ya, I don’t think I could ever keep up a pact after what happened but that’s what makes this story so human and complex in emotions. We see the fight to not forgive but then learning how to heal to maybe be able to forgive in the end. I found Ava to be extremely toxic and annoying. Maddie didn’t help either with the healing and work she needed to do as well. However, that definitely was the point of this story.
I again enjoyed the beautiful way Jennifer Probst writes in so much detail the beauty of Italy and the foods of the country. It makes me want to take a trip so badly!
Overall, I really enjoyed the story even when I was frustrated with Ava and Maddie. I can’t wait to read the next one!
This story is of 3 friends, told from the POV of Maddie. She’s been wanting validation from her parents, who never wanted her and told her so. She eventually finds a found family with Ava and Chelsea but she ends up constantly seeking approval from Ava. She also becomes caught up in a social media career and essentially losing herself more in seeking validation.
Through switching of timelines, we learn of what has broken up this friend group and let me tell ya, I don’t think I could ever keep up a pact after what happened but that’s what makes this story so human and complex in emotions. We see the fight to not forgive but then learning how to heal to maybe be able to forgive in the end. I found Ava to be extremely toxic and annoying. Maddie didn’t help either with the healing and work she needed to do as well. However, that definitely was the point of this story.
I again enjoyed the beautiful way Jennifer Probst writes in so much detail the beauty of Italy and the foods of the country. It makes me want to take a trip so badly!
Overall, I really enjoyed the story even when I was frustrated with Ava and Maddie. I can’t wait to read the next one!