Reeda Summer is running from a troubled marriage and a truth she can’t face.When the Summer sisters discover their grandmother’s journals after her death, they unlock a mystery that shakes their family to the core. Who is Charlie Jackson? Is he their grandfather? And if so, what happened to him?Reeda leaves the Waratah Inn and returns to Sydney, her husband, and her thriving interior design … thriving interior design business, only to find her marriage in tatters. She’s lost sight of what she wants in life and can’t recognise the person she’s become.
Instead of facing her problems, Reeda embarks on a journey to discover more about the grandfather she never knew, leaving her troubles behind her.
Her search takes her to Italy, where a trail of clues leads her across the country with few answers to satisfy her burning curiosity about the past. And instead of helping her to forget, her pilgrimage reminds her of everything she loves and what she’s left behind.
Under the Italian sky, Reeda discovers that the joy she was searching for was hidden inside her all along. And instead of running from her problems, she embraces the healing she needs to face them.
Readers who enjoy Inglath Cooper, Rhys Bowen, Lisa Wingate, Debbie Macomber, and Lauren K. Denton will love taking this healing journey through delightful Italy.
more
Reeda Summer is suffering from discontent, especially in her marriage. After helping her two sisters renovate their Grandmother’s Inn, she returns to Sydney. Her husband, Duncan, seems to be more and more distant with each day. Their unsuccessful attempts to have a child have driven them apart and Reeda isn’t sure if they can salvage their marriage.
Upon the death of the sisters’ Grandmother, they find out that the man they thought was their grandfather really wasn’t their grandfather. Instead, their father was conceived right before WWII and their real grandfather, Charlie Jackson, was (supposedly) killed when his plane was shot down over Italy.
Reeda decides to travel to Italy, both to try to find out the truth of Charlie’s demise and to figure out what to do about her life. The book follows Reeda’s discoveries in Italy and also tells the story of Nan and Charlie’s lives through letters and journal entries. There was quite a bit of WWII history and I was intrigued by the tales of Charlie’s life during this time.
The author does a good job in describing the journeys of the characters and even though the story jumps around a lot, the times and places are well marked throughout the book. My only complaint about the book is that it ends without resolution for any of the storylines. I hope that the subsequent books will resolve the cliffhangers that this one had.
The narrator does a good job and keeps the story moving at a pleasant pace. I was given the chance to listen to the audiobook version of this book by the author/narrator/publisher and chose to review i
Reeda is back home in Sidney after a few months of helping her sisters renovate their family’s inn. She is trying to deal with feelings of discontent…her marriage seems to be failing and she’s been dealing with infertility for years. Maybe this is the perfect time to search for her biological grandfather! After reading her deceased grandmother’s diary, Reeda sets off. This journey leads her to find more than she intended…her true self. Love the HEA!!
The teaser for Bindie’s story leaves you itching for the next book!
I voluntarily accepted a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This is the second book in The Waratah Inn Series, a women’s fiction. Reeda’s story is beautifully written. She is a wonderful character. Her quest is intriguing and captivating. Brigid Lohrey did a great job with the narration. I love this heartfelt series. Looking forward to listen to the next book in the Series, The Summer Sisters.
One Summer in Italy
The Waratah Inn, Book 2
By: Lilly Mirren
Narrated by: Brigid Lohrey
One Summer in Italy takes us away with the oldest of the Summer Sisters. Reeda is married and wants to have a baby. But things don’t always come as planned, and the strain on her marriage has caused some stress. To refresh and think things through, she embarks on a trip to Italy to try and find her biological grandfather. The imagery in this story is so beautiful, it’s like we are there with her, learning and enjoying the fruits of the country. The book is masterfully written in two timelines, from the diary of the Summer sisters grandmother during World War II and the current time of Reeda coming to terms with her own life. We do get back to The Waratah Inn which is like coming home. I am enjoying this series. The idea of learning your family history through the words of a family member is enticing and I love the way the girls are embracing their heritage. I can’t wait for book 3!
Brigid Lohrey gives a wonderful performance, giving us all the acccents! From Aussie to Italian, she brings all the characters to life and lets us see the story in our minds., It’s a great beach summer escape to listen to.
https://adbl.co/2DQ5rPV
Continuation of three sisters learning about the history of their grandmother. This book focuses on Reeda and how her life changes over the summer as she travels to Italy from Australia to learn more of the first love of her grandmother. The sights and food that is written about are rich in their descriptions and you can travel to and enjoy all the little towns of Italy through the author’s writing. A very enjoyable book.
A well written women’s fiction series, this the second book and story of Reeda and Duncan, trying to resolve their marital issues, also the continuation of Charlie’s life/death(?). The characters are well developed, the continuity is good and is beautifully written in the scenery of Italy. I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend it.
I am loving The Waratah Inn novels, and they are total escapism for me.
A multi timeline set in coastal New South Wales and Italy, this is a story of discovering past secrets and facing present day difficulties.
Well written and entertaining from beginning to end, with wonderful characters I cannot recommend the series highly enough.
Great read.
This book is just as good if not better than the first book in the series. It is very well written and holds your attention. The way the author writes makes you feel like you are there. I can’t wait to read book three of this series. I received a complimentary copy of this book and was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are my own.
One Summer in Italy ( The Waratah Inn Book 2 )
By: Lilly Mirren
One Summer in Italy is book two in The Waratah Inn Series. This series is wonderful. You will need to read the first book in order to know what is going on with the three Summer sisters. I was grabbed at the start and did not want to put it down. The sister discover their grandmother’s journal and learn some things they did not know. Who is Charlie Jackson ? Reeda’s marriage is not what it should be. She wants questions about Charlie. Would a trip to Italy give her answers? Love this series and it keeps getting better . I was on the edge of my seat trying to read faster to see what was going to happen next.
I was given a complimentary copy of this book, but was not told that I had to give a positive review. All opinions are my own.
Reeda is the oldest she has lots of guilt over her parents death and her marriage is not doing well and after she learns her grandmother secret she wonders who she is and who was her grandfather. But after returning to Sydney she finds things haven’t gotten any better her marriage is almost over and even her business doesn’t need her. So she decides to see if she can find anything out about Charlie Jackson but she will have to go to Italy to find out anything. What will she find and what dose her future hold. I was allowed to read and advance copy of this book and this is my honest review.
I loved this book just as much as the first. The author has written a very wonderful story that makes you care deeply about the heroine and her journey and brings you into this story fully with very vivid descriptions. I can’t wait to read book three! I highly recommend this series if you enjoy contemporary fiction.
One Summer in Italy is the second book in The Waratah Inn series.
I voluntarily received and reviewed an advanced copy of this book.
Final Rating: 5 Stars
One Summer in Italy stands on its own but it is the second book in the saga of these women’s lives. I am a bit behind with my chores as I could not stop reading once I started! This book is Reeda’s journey to self awareness as she travels to Italy looking for clues in her grandfather’s life after he was declared MIA in WWII. I am looking forward to the next book. This is compelling women’s fiction.
Love in Different Eras
This is book 2 in a wonderful series of Women’s Fiction. While this book could stand alone, it is so much better read in order. This story is written so well that I feel I know these people. So much of what these characters are going through can match my own life. I have found that I have become emotionally involved in these books. The author’s descriptions makes it easy for the reader to be in the book with the characters and live and feel right along with them. Awesome writing! This is a great story that touches me deeply. The author gave me an ARC of this book for free and this is my honest review.