Reviews with content warning for Dementia - Aconteceu em Roma

It’s summer! There’s something about the warmer weather that draws me into romcoms though it’s not my go-to genre. When in Rome has been catching my eye for a couple of months now. Admittedly, I was very disappointed the book wasn’t actually set in Rome, Italy, but it grew on me.

Hardcore Audrey Hepburn fan Amelia ‘Rae’ Rose needs a break from her life in the limelight. Taking a lesson from Princess Ann in Roman Holiday, she sneaks away for a trip to Rome… Sort of. The next best (and drivable) destination is Rome, Kentucky. During this trip she meets Noah, a small-town baker running his grandmother’s pie shop.

Being a fan of Audrey Hepburn myself, I quite enjoyed the references to her and her films. Of course, Roman Holiday is the focus (it’s nice to see this one get a little more credit!). Personally, I would not call this a modern take on the film. Loosely inspired at best. And while yes, I did enjoy the Audrey Hepburn discussions at first, they wore thin by the end. In the age of fandom culture, I didn’t buy Amelia’s fangirling as being any sort of wow factor to anyone. Then again, this is coming from someone who’s been unapologetically a geeky classics fan her entire life.

The book was cute, but definitely not a writing style I seek out. I have another one of Sarah Adam’s books so I still plan on reading more despite it not being my preference. I was looking for a lighthearted and fluffy read and this fit the bill. Ultimately and preferences aside, this was what I was looking to read.

Content Warnings

theinstabookworm's review against another edition

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emotional funny lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Now that's how you do a closed-door romance! It's no surprise I like my smut in romances, so knowing this was closed-door, I wasn't expecting to like it as much as I did! The banter between Amelia and Noah was what made this book so great. You didn't need smut because their banter was so fantastic. Noah's sisters and Mabel were also amazing. I ordered PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT when I was about halfway through this and I can't wait to be back in Rome, Kentucky!

Favourite quote: "Sometimes a woman is just worn out and needs a break, you know?" The lines on her forehead deepen. "That doesn't prove that you're weak or neglectful, it proves to all the women standing by and watching you pave the road to success that it's okay to say no. It's okay to shut your door every now and then and put up a sign that says Busy taking care of me today. Piss off."

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brookewhelen's review against another edition

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lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No

4.5

Content Warnings

akswhy's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful lighthearted slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Solid little romance book, keyword little. I wanted a little more from each perspective character’s inner life, but I like how the plot played out.

Content Warnings

beckyremillard's review against another edition

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funny hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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marmellowreads's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

Content Warnings

kfmcf's review against another edition

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slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

I really liked the premise of this book but wish it had had a bit more substance to it. There was a lot of focus given to the sisters (most likely because they're being set up for the sequels) and I think that distracted from Noah's time on the page. He felt very flat. Amelia was fine, she had a bit more to her, but I was still left wanting a bit more.

My main wish with this book is that we were able to get to know the town itself as a character. This series is about finding romance there and I didn't feel like it really mattered? I'm hoping the sequel will expand on that (though tbh I'm not excited for it to be Annie because she was annoying in this book. The swearing thing? Why.)

All in all this book was fine. There was some nice moments but it was a bit repetitive and felt predictable beyond the comfort of contemporary predictability

Content Warnings

ell_n's review against another edition

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emotional funny lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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