Three generations of women in the Ferrari family must heal the broken pieces of their lives on a trip of a lifetime through picturesque Italy from New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Probst Workaholic, career-obsessed Francesca is fiercely independent and successful in all areas of her life except one: family. She struggles to make time for her relationship with her teenage daughter, … her teenage daughter, Allegra, and the two have become practically strangers to each other. When Allegra hangs out with a new crowd and is arrested for drug possession, Francesca gives in to her mother’s wish that they take one epic summer vacation to trace their family roots in Italy. She just never expected to face a choice that might change the course of her life. . .
Allegra wants to make her grandmother happy, but she hates the idea of forced time with her mother and vows to fight every step of the ridiculous tour, until a young man on the verge of priesthood begins to show her the power of acceptance, healing, and the heartbreaking complications of love.
Sophia knows her girls are in trouble. A summer filled with the possibility for change is what they all desperately need. Among the ruins of ancient Rome, the small churches of Assisi, and the rolling hills of Tuscany, Sophia hopes to show her girls that the bonds of family are everything, and to remind them that they can always lean on one another, before it’s too late.
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A wonderful story of the dynamics of mother/daughter relationships. There’s secrets, first love, regrets and growth of characters and relationships.
Our Italian Summer is a poignant tale of 3 generations of women dealing with life’s challenges while enjoying trip of a lifetime. While this is more chick lit than the romance I love from this author it is still a book I enjoyed very much and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys getting lost in a great story. The writing is superior and these characters will find a place in your heart. Be prepared to kick back and enjoy a lovely slow paced journey.
WARNING: This book should not be attempted on an empty stomach. I may have ingested multiple bowls of pasta and several ̶g̶l̶a̶s̶s̶s̶e̶s̶ ̶ bottles of red wine during the reading of this novel.
Our Italian Summer follows the three Ferrari women – workaholic single-mom Francesca, her resentful teenaged daughter Allegra and Francesca’s aging, widowed mother, Sophia – on a family trip to Italy. Sophia has long wanted to see her parents’ homeland but her husband died before they had a chance to go so when Allegra starts acting out and Francesca’s work stress begins causing panic attacks, she insists they get away in the hopes that they can all relax and reconnect before it’s too late to repair their fracturing relationships with each other.
The story is told from each of the women’s POVs and I liked getting their different perspectives on what was happening. You will totally be transported to Italy along with Francesca, Sophia and Allegra – I could almost taste the pasta they ate and see the sights they were visiting. It’s like taking the vacation we all wish we could right now and I dare you not to bust out some prosciutto and a class of Chianti while you’re reading.
Aspects of the plot are a bit predictable but Our Italian Summer is a great escape and I appreciated that the men the women get involved with don’t take over the story – Probst keeps the focus on the Ferraris where it should be.
3.5 stars
A Review of “Our Italian Summer” by Jennifer Probst, Berkley Publishing, January 2021, by Linda Zagon
Jennifer Probst, the author of “Our Italian Summer” has written a delightful, entertaining, and memorable novel. The genres for this novel are family fiction, and romantic fiction. The timeline for the story is set in the present and goes to the past when it pertains to the characters or events.. The author describes her characters as flawed, likable,complex and complicated. Most of the story is set in parts of Italy. I love the way Jennifer Probst vividly describes the food, the scenery and the events in Italy.
This is a novel with three generations of women in the same family. Sophia has a feeling that her daughter and grand daughter need some intervention, and plans a trip to Italy to enjoy the sights, and bond the family. Francesca, her daughter is a workaholic and single mother that often forgets to attend important meetings for her daughter Allegra. Allegra’s feelings have been hurt by her mother, and she starts to hang out with a different crowd.
This special summer trip to Italy is wonderful to read, and I wish I could purchase a ticket and head there now. I enjoyed the family dynamics, and I highly recommend this wonderful book for others.
Experiencing Italy during these days when we are staying home, even if through the eyes of characters in a book, was exactly what I needed! To have the opportunity of a family trip with my mom and daughter is not something I could ever hope for, but living it vicariously in Our Italian Summer was spectacular.
I easily related to Francesca as a workaholic who doesn’t quire have her priorities straight. The relationship between a mom and daughter can easily become frayed if not nourished properly. Feeling like you are responsible for everyone and everything can bring out frustrations and stress relationships. A trip to Italy could solve a lot if everyone opens up to the experience of a lifetime and absorbs the beauty in it.
I was enthralled by the Ferrari women, likely because I saw myself in them, and the story kept me captivated from the very beginning. The blurb intrigued me, which is why I decided to read it, and it gave me a feeling of warmth and completeness. It tugged at my heartstrings and I cherished every moment. If there is a country I’d ever want to visit, it is Italy, and when authors set their stories in Italy, you can always count on me to gobble it up.
Our Italian Summer is my first book by author Jennifer Probst and I am so pleased that I picked this up. It isn’t exactly the genre I would normally read and I was pleasantly surprised. It was a good change of pace for me. I will definitely be searching her backlist and watching for future releases.
Our Italian Summer is a love letter to Italy wrapped around a three generations family drama. It is a story about expectations often crushed by unexpressed longings; deep desires vs. reality; emotions felt vs. actually communicated. Grandmother Sophia takes her daughter, Francesca and granddaughter, Allegra to her home country in an attempt to heal the rift between them. What they all discover will change their relationships and their expectations. The book also is a wonderful travelogue full of sites, smells, and food that is sure to make you want to hop on the next flight. The characters are well defined as each finally opens up about their individual needs and truths. I urge all lovers of outstanding fiction to read this book. I voluntarily reviewed an advance copy of this book from NetGalley. Most highly recommend.
Emotional multi-generational story about life and love and family. Connecting and reconnecting. Getting back to where you need to be as a mom, a daughter…and realizing what’s truly important. My emotions were all over the place, at times laughing and happy and then sad and teary-eyed (and sometimes happy tears). Solid, well-written story. Highly recommend.
I won a giveaway copy of this book from the publisher. It was fulfilled via NetGalley. My thoughts and opinions are my own and without bias or favor or expectation.
Jennifer Probst has given us a book for the ages. Her descriptions of Italy, the food, wine, churches, art and countryside carry you there and bring a calm to your soul. The story of 3 generations of woman looking for something tangible to bring their family together will touch your heart and soul.
The dynamics between Sophia, Francesca and Allegra are complicated. All family connections have their challenging aspects and Ms. Probst brings all the feelings, good and bad, into this story. As we travel with them and learn more about them, you will come to understand that each has their motivations and intentions for going on the trip. The women’s interactions with each other and other characters lead us on an incredible journey.
This book is a MUST READ for anyone who has ever dreamed of Italy.
j’avoue, je suis tombée amoureuse de cette couverture et j’étais donc curieuse de découvrir l’histoire de ces trois générations. Je n’ai pas été déçue de mon voyage en Italie en leur compagnie, j’ai adoré découvrir ou redécouvrir certains lieux et ça m’a donné envie d’y aller. Francesca fait un énorme travail sur elle-même pendant que sa mère et sa fille essayent de lui faire revoir ses priorités et ce qu’elle attend de la vie. C’est avant tout leur histoire, leur évolution, leur prise de conscience et ce qu’elles veulent changer dans leurs vies. Une jolie leçon et un voyage très bien décrit par les mots de l’autrice !
Let me say that this is not a traditional Jennifer Probst book, however the book is an amazing story. The book focuses on the relationship of 3 generations of women, traveling through the Italy. Sophia wants to show her daughter, Francesca and granddaughter, Allegra, that there is more to relationships than what you see on the surface. The book is a little slow to get started but once it does, I found it very profound and so many lessons learned throughout the story. I honestly was able to pull so much from the evolution of these women, that correlates to my life as a woman, daughter, wife snd mother myself. Jennifer did an amassing job making the characters relatable without making the book too heavy for a fictional novel. I absolutely recommend this book!
I really enjoyed this one. It is definitely more women’s fiction than romance, but that’s okay. I loved the relationship between the three women. Jennifer wrote it beautifully, as always. Thanks to Jennifer and Valentine PR for the ARC!
Author Jennifer Probst pens a heartwarming story about three generations of women with her latest book, Our Italian Summer. The Ferrari women; Sophia, Francesca and Allegra, need some time to find themselves and reestablish their tattered relationships with each other. As a result, Sophia arranges a summer trip to Italy, and after some pushback from her daughter Francesca and her granddaughter Allegra, she is able to visit the country of her ancestors with the two people she loves most in the world.
I enjoyed this emotional adventure and how the relationships of the characters evolved. Due to the wonderful descriptions, I felt like I was in Italy taking in the sights and sounds of the culture. Ms. Probst is one of my goto authors and I never pass up a chance to read her latest book offering.
Complimentary copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley.
In Our Italian Summer we see three women take the vacation for different reason. Nonni knows that something is wrong with her and wants to have this time with her daughter and granddaughter with hopes that it will help to heal their relationship. Sophia takes the vacation to keep Allegra away from some friends that seem to be taking her down the wrong path. Allegra, the granddaughter, is forced to go by her mother.
Jennifer Probst brought Italy to life for me. I could picture the places they visited, taste the foods they ate, hear the conversations they had, and hear the sounds they heard. The descriptions of the land, the places they stayed, and the food had me picturing the world they were traveling as if I was right beside them on this once in a lifetime trip. I especially loved the dinners with the dancing, laughing, and having fun.
The relationship between Sophia and Allegra was tough. Sophia is a workaholic who just wants a better life for her daughter while her daughter just wants her mother’s attention. Their relationship is one that needs work and Nonni is the one to make it happen. While Nonni wants nothing more than for that to happen, she chooses her words careful and only uses them at the right time. She is not pushy or overbearing and is wise in her years to realize that she cannot fix them, they must fix themselves. I enjoyed that there were tense moments. There were times of arguing, fighting, and yelling but there were also tender, friendly moments that showed their relationship held hope of becoming one of trust, respect, and love.
Everything about Our Italian Summer is wonderful. Reading to story took me away to place I have never been with characters I would love to travel with. The story has a very real message about family dynamics and respecting each other and their choices.
Our Italian Summer is new direction for Jennifer Probst and as of now I will follow her anywhere!
The Ferrari women are all at a cross roads and the last thing that Francesca and Allegra want to do is spend time with each other and away from their lives but Sophia insists. What unfolds is a beautiful story of finding yourself, your place, and gaining understanding of the complications and gifts of the mother-daughter relationship.
The backdrop of Italy made the journey all the more engaging and poignant.
I can’t wait for more of this new Jennifer Probst brand.
I received a complimentary review copy of this book but all opinions are my own.
5 A Moving Life Changing Experience Stars!!
I absolutely adored this newest book by Ms. Probst. I connected on different levels with each generation with each of these women. Each of these women, while family, are very disjointed right now because they’re each being pulled in different directions, especially Francesca and Allegra, our mother and daughter in this story and then there’s Sophia who’s the matriarch of this family and she can see how her daughter and granddaughter are struggling with their lives right now as they’re being pulled in a lot of different directions, some of them leading to consequences that no one is going to be happy about.
I absolutely fell in love with how these three women reconnected while exploring Italy. There are some very heartwarming discussions but also angry words as Francesca comes to the realization that her baby, isn’t a baby anymore and recognizing that Allegra can make her own decisions, however consequential some of them are, is something she struggles with, sometimes questioning some of her actions over the years. But Sophia is a woman that is astute and wise and sometimes lets the chips fall where they may and other times inserts herself into the discussion on a more forceful basis… just like my own beloved Nonna used to do… oh the stories I have LOL…
Their trip to Italy and the cities, museums and countryside they visit is written with so much grace and love, it’s apparent Ms. Probst has a true love for this country, as she does disclose at the end of this amazing book. There were times I could picture myself standing there looking at David or on one of the Venetian canals absorbing all the beauty of this country.
Needless to say, all their lives change as this trip winds down and they have to return to their home, but it’s with different mindsets and I can see the greatness of what their family is becoming and will sustain going forward. This book is absolutely one of my very favorite by Ms. Probst and is one I’ll definitely read again and again as well getting the audiobook so I can truly bring this story to life.
Our Italian Summer heart-warming story of family, second chances, and learning to forgive.
Our Italian Summer follows the story of three generations of Ferrari women. Francesca is the quintessential workaholic that has let her work consume her and leaves little room for much else. She struggles desperately for a relationship with her daughter but isn’t ready to make the necessary changes. Allegra struggles to be the person her mother wants her to be. She’s frustrated with her mom and her current state of life. Her struggles lead her to hanging out with the wrong crowd and making risky decisions. Sophia’s life is in its own state of chaos. She sees her daughter and granddaughter struggling and wants nothing more to make things right. However, Sophia is keeping a secret of her own. But before she reveals her truth, she tries to convince her family that a trip to Italy is exactly what they all need. Follow these three women on their journey as they face what life throws them and takes them on an adventure of a lifetime…
Our Italian Summer captivated me from the very first page. I was intrigued by the Ferrari women and found each of their stories relatable. In a way, this book isn’t just a story about their journeys, but also a love letter to Italy. The beauty and history of the city are immersed in the pages and brings the culture to life. You learn more about these women and the choices they are faced with. You learn what is important in life and the changes that must be made, no matter how hard it may seem. I for one couldn’t wait to see which direction their stories would take them.
Our Italian Summer is a story of hope and forgiveness. It’s a story of pain and difficult choices. It’s a story of second chances and first love. Most importantly, it’s a story of family and the bonds that we make. This story was rich, beautiful, and will certainly tug at the reader’s heartstrings. It was unexpected in the best way possible and I couldn’t help but devour it. I enjoyed every moment of this story from beginning to end and hope that I too, one day, will be able to take a trip to Italy…
This is more than just a romance or women’s fiction; it’s a story about stopping to breathe and think about what ‘s really important. I’ll be honest and this had me balling like a baby at times and smiling and laughing at others. My heart is happy.
What a wonderful way to start 2021, with this Incredible Read. Our Italian Summer was an absolutely moving story of three generations of woman coming into a reflection point in their lives.
Francesca Ferrari is a woman who has to many balls in the air trying to juggle them all and failing, she see everything around her falling and she needs a way to fix it. When it comes to her relationship with her daughter it’s strained at best and with her mother she always felt she didn’t understand, when the idea of going on a vacation of a lifetime it seems that just maybe it is what they all need to hopefully find the common ground and the connection once again that they all need.
With each page of their story I felt that I was on that vacation with these women and seeing the sights and all that they do makes you want to find the time in your own life to have that same experience and knowing that sometimes we all need a little restart to find our HEA.
This story was so beautifully written how could I not give it five stars.
This multi layered story plays out through stunning details and complicated emotions. Three generations of women all looking to find each other again. Jennifer has outdone herself with breathtaking detail, relatable family issues, and a small taste of love for each of these amazing women. This is the perfect read to just getaway from it all. A must read for 2021.
This is my first Jennifer Probst book and it was fantastic.
This is a beautiful story of three women who are on their own personal journeys…they just happen to be related.
Sophia (mom/grandma) knows something is not right with her body and is watching her daughter and granddaughter grow apart. Her mission is to bring the three of them together on a once in a lifetime trip.
Francesca (mom/daughter) is a workaholic, not giving her daughter the attention she needs/wants and a bit jealous of the relationship her mother and daughter have. But she’s not willing to sacrifice work to make them a priority.
Allegra (daughter/grand-daughter) is a junior in high school who is trying to get her moms attention, willing to take chances to get her attention and trying to get the courage to stand up for what she wants her future to look like.
As events unfold the three of them head out on a three week trip to Italy. Along the way they discover the hurt, miscommunication, regrets, dream and desires the three of them have experienced. It’s a journey of not only healing old wounds but self discovery, live and forgiveness.
I received an arc in exchange for an honest review.