Love and Gelato by Jenna Evans Welch

Summary from Goodreads:

“I made the wrong choice.”

Lina is spending the summer in Tuscany, but she isn’t in the mood for Italy’s famous sunshine and fairy-tale landscape. She’s only there because it was her mother’s dying wish that she get to know her father. But what kind of father isn’t around for sixteen years? All Lina wants to do is get back home.

But then she is given a journal that her mom had kept when she lived in Italy. Suddenly Lina’s uncovering a magical world of secret romances, art, and hidden bakeries. A world that inspires Lina, along with the ever-so-charming Ren, to follow in her mother’s footsteps and unearth a secret that has been kept for far too long. It’s a secret that will change everything she knew about her mother, her father—and even herself.

People come to Italy for love and gelato, someone tells her, but sometimes they discover much more.

Review:

I have been in a reading frenzy. I ate this book up. I love books that take place in other countries, especially countries I’ve never been to. I loved watching Lina succumb to the magic that is Italy. It made me want to go there so much more. I want gelato, fairy tale landscapes, beautiful architecture, insane nightclubs, beautiful houses, and gelato. I know I mentioned gelato twice, but my want for it is just so strong.

I also loved the family mystery/drama. It was fun learning about Lina’s mother through the journal she was keeping. I hated how slowly Lina read it though. So many mistakes would not have transpired if she just read it in one sitting. But, still…I loved it any way.

I fell in love with Ren before Lina did. I love that he was there for her as a friend first. I loved watching Lina finally open up to someone. And he played such a great tour guide. Though, I love that Lina (and her mom) could teach Ren something about Italy too. They taught him about secret bakeries. I need to add secret bakeries to my list of reasons I need to go to Italy. Really, I just want to go to Italy and gain 20 pounds. That’s what I want.

I enjoyed the side characters in this book too. I loved Howard’s coworker. I loved Lina’s best friend at home, who always had her back and even worked to convince her parents to have her stay with them. But most of all, I loved Lina. I loved how she grew in this book. She was grieving so hard in the beginning, and was so closed off to everyone. I loved watching her let people in. And I loved watching her get to know Howard.

This book had it all: wonderful setting, interesting family drama, a little mystery, and good characters. It made me want to go to Italy. I can’t wait to get my hands on the author’s next book, set in Ireland. This was a perfect summer read. I give it a 9/10.