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3.47 AVERAGE
3.47 AVERAGE
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
This is a light romance and heavy female friendship story. Ava, Chelsea and Madison meet in college and become a very tight-knit group of friends.
Ava is kind of toxic though. She came across as a spoiled rich girl that had to count on her friends to feel her worth. Madison had crappy parents who didn't even want her and she basically raised herself so she really clung to these girls and flourished under their attention.... But this also leads to a breakdown in the group. I actually liked Chelsea, she was the most grounded and down to earth one of them. I related to her motherhood challenges.
I did enjoy the setting of Italy and the descriptions of the beauty. I could have done away with half of the fashion talk as I tended to skim those parts.
Ava is kind of toxic though. She came across as a spoiled rich girl that had to count on her friends to feel her worth. Madison had crappy parents who didn't even want her and she basically raised herself so she really clung to these girls and flourished under their attention.... But this also leads to a breakdown in the group. I actually liked Chelsea, she was the most grounded and down to earth one of them. I related to her motherhood challenges.
I did enjoy the setting of Italy and the descriptions of the beauty. I could have done away with half of the fashion talk as I tended to skim those parts.
reflective
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
With NYC and Italy as the backdrop, this friendship fiction focuses on college friends reuniting and healing the past.
Dual timelines, three friends, one romance and two trips to Italy. I thought this one would be romance centric but it focuses more on the friends and their somewhat toxic relationship. Without spoiling anything, this one does get a little heavier than I expected.
There is an air of mystery as I read. The friends are estranged and Madison has herself embroiled in a undescribed scandal.
It is written in an easy to read style that kept me flying through this even though I wasn’t sure I liked the characters. Which is an odd thought in a book like this.
It may have been helped a lot when I switched to the audio version. Carlotta Brennan brought an ease to the toxic friendship theme that made it easier to read.
I think if you go in with the right expectations knowing this is a little heavier than the cover and synopsis indicate, you can sit back and enjoy this friendship fiction.
Dual timelines, three friends, one romance and two trips to Italy. I thought this one would be romance centric but it focuses more on the friends and their somewhat toxic relationship. Without spoiling anything, this one does get a little heavier than I expected.
There is an air of mystery as I read. The friends are estranged and Madison has herself embroiled in a undescribed scandal.
It is written in an easy to read style that kept me flying through this even though I wasn’t sure I liked the characters. Which is an odd thought in a book like this.
It may have been helped a lot when I switched to the audio version. Carlotta Brennan brought an ease to the toxic friendship theme that made it easier to read.
I think if you go in with the right expectations knowing this is a little heavier than the cover and synopsis indicate, you can sit back and enjoy this friendship fiction.
challenging
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This novel is challenging to get through. Not because of the writing, that was done very well.. I say this because of the detestable characters that are extremely hard to like and really I wanted to throw the book at them if I was to ever be in their presence. Not sure if you could have made a group of three friends be more horrendous. Actually it was 2 of the 3.. the third was just boring af. Okay, got that off my chest.. whew. The novel was good. Well written and interesting, it kept my interest, especially since I was wanting to find out what drove the friends apart. Madison's character did have a more hopeful growth arc to it which was nice to see. A masterful exploration of friendship, manipulation, betrayal, and finding oneself. I highly recommend for those that like a dual timeline, engaging story of forgiveness.
I received a copy from netgalley and the publisher to read and review honestly.
I received a copy from netgalley and the publisher to read and review honestly.
DNF @ 25% because the MC is annoying and I do not like a single character. They all feel very superficial. Also the comments about "I can eat anything and not gain a pound, poor me" are gross. And the "I am going to refuse anyone's help at all, because if I bootstrap my way into becoming AN INFLUENCER (bleh) then I am better than anyone else?!" pleaaaaseeeee so entitled.
Also I do NOT recommend this audiobook. The narrator's voice is extra whiny which does not do the characters any favors.
Also I do NOT recommend this audiobook. The narrator's voice is extra whiny which does not do the characters any favors.
Huge thank you to @berkleypub @berittalksbooks @thephdivabooks @dg_reads and @netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
This book will take you on a journey. I mean look at this cover! Three college best friends made a vow to each other. They vowed that no matter where they are in their own life they will be there for each wedding.
.
Ava, Madison and Chelsea thought they would always be the best of friends but then something tore them apart. Now Ava is getting married and the pact stands. The three reunite in Italy and maybe old wounds can be healed once and for all.
.
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
Three women meet in college and become fast friends. Ava-a wealthy beauty, Madison-an aspiring fashion designer, and Chelsea-a financial wizard. Each of them navigate college life and relationships, while making a pact to be there for each other when they get married.
It is time for Ava's wedding in Lake Como, where the 3 friends had traveled in college and made their pact. But, an event 5 years earlier shattered the friendship when one of them betrayed the other's trust. Can the wedding heal the relationships? Chelsea is now married, with children, but feels unfulfilled due to putting her career on hold. Madison's career is threatened by scandal, and she still hasn't recovered from heartache. Ava needs to come clean and admit the wrongs of her life.
A tale of female friendship and forgiveness.
It is time for Ava's wedding in Lake Como, where the 3 friends had traveled in college and made their pact. But, an event 5 years earlier shattered the friendship when one of them betrayed the other's trust. Can the wedding heal the relationships? Chelsea is now married, with children, but feels unfulfilled due to putting her career on hold. Madison's career is threatened by scandal, and she still hasn't recovered from heartache. Ava needs to come clean and admit the wrongs of her life.
A tale of female friendship and forgiveness.
emotional
reflective
tense
slow-paced
A Wedding in Lake Como by Jennifer Probst
Maddie is tall, freckled, redheaded, and has no idea of how attractive she is as a freshman in college. She's always been on the outside looking in, never part of a group, feeling as abandoned by her classmates as she feels abandoned by her parents. Imagine her surprise when popular, wealthy, beautiful Ava pulls Maddie into her world, along with Ava's friend Chelsea. Now Maddie is a member of a popular trio, part of all that is fun and exciting. Even better, Ava and Chelsea push Maddie into leaping for her dream of being a famous fashion influencer.
Maddie also falls in love with fellow student, Riggs. Maddie is so busy with school, work, and her goals that she hardly has time to acknowledge that Ava is always trying to pull Maddie and Riggs apart. Riggs notices though and Ava is sore subject between Maddie and Riggs. And then there is poor Chelsea, mostly forgotten by maybe everyone but me. She was my favorite of the trio, more down to earth, so sure of her goals, only to have things go lopsided without anyone noticing how she felt about things.
It was so hard for me to stand Ava but this story isn't about me so I had to just enjoy the story as it plays out. I sure would not have handled the past and the present in the same way that Maddie handles things but I respect her decisions and it's very obvious all the characters grow and change throughout the story. Even though the story is listed as "Meet Me in Italy #3" I can find no sign that the stories are connected in any way other than taking place (at least in part) in Italy. So no worries about missing anything by reading this story as a standalone because it is just that, a standalone. This was a good buddy read with DeAnn, there was a lot to talk about with this one!
Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for this ARC.
Maddie is tall, freckled, redheaded, and has no idea of how attractive she is as a freshman in college. She's always been on the outside looking in, never part of a group, feeling as abandoned by her classmates as she feels abandoned by her parents. Imagine her surprise when popular, wealthy, beautiful Ava pulls Maddie into her world, along with Ava's friend Chelsea. Now Maddie is a member of a popular trio, part of all that is fun and exciting. Even better, Ava and Chelsea push Maddie into leaping for her dream of being a famous fashion influencer.
Maddie also falls in love with fellow student, Riggs. Maddie is so busy with school, work, and her goals that she hardly has time to acknowledge that Ava is always trying to pull Maddie and Riggs apart. Riggs notices though and Ava is sore subject between Maddie and Riggs. And then there is poor Chelsea, mostly forgotten by maybe everyone but me. She was my favorite of the trio, more down to earth, so sure of her goals, only to have things go lopsided without anyone noticing how she felt about things.
It was so hard for me to stand Ava but this story isn't about me so I had to just enjoy the story as it plays out. I sure would not have handled the past and the present in the same way that Maddie handles things but I respect her decisions and it's very obvious all the characters grow and change throughout the story. Even though the story is listed as "Meet Me in Italy #3" I can find no sign that the stories are connected in any way other than taking place (at least in part) in Italy. So no worries about missing anything by reading this story as a standalone because it is just that, a standalone. This was a good buddy read with DeAnn, there was a lot to talk about with this one!
Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for this ARC.