Book picks similar to
Sunrise in Florence by Kathleen Reid
chick-lit
italy
tbr-fiction
fun
The Lost Madonna
Kelly Jones - 2007
Thirty years after leaving Florence with a broken heart, Suzanne Cunningham is back, determined to solve the mystery of what happened to a priceless painting from her past-and to the man who forever changed the course of her life.
To Tuscany With Love
Gail Mencini - 2013
Shipped off to Tuscany by her mother, Bella is suddenly thrust into living with seven strangers during one life-altering summer. Meet Hope, the sturdy and practical girl, steadfast in her loyalty to her boyfriend; Meghan and Karen, identical twins with an eye for fashion and beauty to match; Stillman, haunted by his hard past, and Phillip, an athlete, both fueled by competition; Lee, by family mandate in pre-med; and Rune, the Hollywood-bound wild child. All add sizzling chemistry and rebellious humor to the mix. In one whirlwind summer, while uncovering the charms of Italy, they discover both friendship and love.After their summer together, life – and loss – happens. Returning to Tuscany 30 years later, their dreams, anger, secrets and disappointments create an emotional kaleidoscope. Their reunion sends them on a startling collision course that none of them could have predicted.Set against the allure of Tuscany, with an irresistible fusion of heartbreak and humor, this debut novel, “To Tuscany with Love,” explores the fear of letting the past determine the future and the power of friendship.
To Italy, With Love
Nicky Pellegrino - 2021
She might run her little trattoria in the most romantic mountain town in Italy, but love just seems to have passed her by.Sarah-Jane is finished with love. She's buying an old convertible and driving around Italy this summer - it's the perfect way to forget all about her hot celebrity ex-boyfriend!But when Sarah-Jane's car breaks down in Montenello, she has to stay longer than she intended! And the trouble is, love is everywhere...
One Summer in Positano
Georgie Capron - 2020
She decides to have one last summer of fun before buckling down, so heads off to beautiful Positano in Italy. There, despite all her good intentions, she can't help but fall a little in love with the very handsome, but rather naughty, Luca and, as the summer draws to a close, Libby has some big decisions to make. Should she head back home and face up to her responsibilities? Is Luca really the right man to start a family with, or has the perfect man been right in front of her eyes all this time? And, when it comes to affairs of the heart, is it really better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all?
Meet Me in London (The St. Claire Sisters Book 1)
Jennifer Youngblood - 2019
He might just be the one thing she’s always wanted … Audrey St. Claire has been video-chatting with the man of her dreams—William Evans, a well-spoken Brit who’s so cultured and sophisticated that he could give Mr. Darcy a run for his money. Longing to meet William in person, Audrey uses her savings to book a tour of England. The plan is for William to meet her there. Things spiral downward when William is a no-show. Then, there’s the strange guy who shares her cab and seems way too interested in Audrey and her life. Not to mention Zane Woods, her ruggedly handsome fellow tour member who gets great delight in annoying the heck out of her. Audrey’s skin prickles with the feeling of being watched and there’s still no sign of William! As Zane starts to work his way into Audrey’s affections, she begins to question her feelings for William. A near-tragic experience throws more uncertainty into the mix, leaving Audrey questioning if she should choose the dream she always wanted or the unexpected reality that took her by surprise?
The Secrets We Keep
Colette Caddle - 2000
The Gatehouse attracts a strange clutch of guests who, once ensconced, never want to leave. There's Hazel, a shy artist, and her sweet, silent daughter Gracie. Sandra, a brash American, wants to know everything about everyone. Then there's wise old easy-going PJ, who's seemingly part of the furniture. But Erin's fragile happiness is thrown off-balance by the arrival of A-list Hollywood actor Sebastian Grey. Erin finds herself drawn to this handsome enigmatic man, who used to walk with a swagger but now prowls the country lanes with haunted eyes. What trauma could have brought about this devastating change? Sebastian isn't the only one in the Gatehouse with a secret. Why is Hazel cast so adrift? Where does PJ go each week without fail, and what really brought Sandra to Dunbarra? As Erin finds herself embroiled in her guests' secrets she starts to ask herself: will she be ready to reveal her own?
The Legacy of Us
Kristin Contino - 2015
But when Ella passes away and Liz finds a cameo locket with a marriage proposal engraved inside (from a man who was not her grandfather), she realizes that sometimes a person's secrets are discovered only after they're gone. On top of losing Ella, Liz's career as a jewelry designer is stagnant and her love life lacks sparkle, too. When she reconnects with the one who got away, Liz thinks maybe things are finally starting to look up. But after a few drinks and a trip down a flight of stairs, Liz wakes up to realize the cameo is gone. Her ex offers to look for it, but so does Justin, the intriguing new guy in her apartment building. While dealing with her feelings for two very different men and generally trying to reinvent her mess of a life, Liz finds answers and solace in Ella's diary. The story of the cameo, and the relationship between her grandmother and great-grandmother, an outspoken socialite from Italy, inspires Liz to grow up and accept responsibility for her missteps. Eventually she must choose between the life she thought she wanted and the promise of something better.
Not in a Tuscan Villa: During a Year in Italy, a New Jersey Couple Discovers the True Dolce Vita When They Trade Rose-colored Glasses for 3Ds
John Petralia - 2013
Within days their dream becomes a nightmare. After residing in two Italian cities, negotiating the roads and healthcare, discovering art, friends, food, and customs, the Petralias learn more than they anticipate--about Italy, themselves, what it means to be American, and what's important in life. Part memoir, part commentary, quirky and sincere, Not in a Tuscan Villa is about having the courage to step out of your comfort zone and do something challenging in later life. The adventure recaptures the Petralia's youth, rekindles their romance--and changes their lives forever.
Maranatha Road
Heather Bell Adams - 2017
The last person she wants to see is Tinley Greene, who shows up claiming she’s pregnant with Mark’s baby.Sadie knows Tinley must be lying because Mark was engaged and never would have betrayed his fiancée. So she refuses to help, and she doesn’t breathe a word about it to anybody. But in a small, southern town like Garnet, nothing stays secret for long.Once Sadie starts piecing together what happened to Mark, she discovers she was wrong about Tinley. And when her husband is rushed to the hospital, Sadie must hurry to undo her mistake before he runs out of time to meet their grandchild.
The Billionaire Is Conned
Kyra Radcliff - 2021
A beautiful and brilliant entrepreneur, she’s no stranger to tragedy. But instead of letting grief consume her, she’s dedicated her life to helping others. Now, in addition to running an exclusive health resort, she has a successful career as a life coach, with a reputation for working miracles...And it will take a miracle to get through the gruff, surly shell of her latest client. To all outward appearances, Lyle Cunningham seems to have it all. He’s rich, handsome, and runs one of the biggest consumer businesses in the world. But behind his brooding good looks, this brash billionaire still carries the rage and betrayal of a broken heart, simmering just beneath the surface.When Lyle accepts a challenge to let Fifi streamline his fortune 500 company, the sparks begin to fly. Fifi is determined to prove that Lyle’s inability to trust is hurting his business. And Lyle is convinced that Fifi’s reputation is a sham designed to hustle unsuspecting victims like his mother. As he begins unravelling the mystery that’s Phoenix Jones, each discovery is another adrenalin-pumping twist on his rollercoaster ride. As their work takes them on a breath-taking tour of one of Europe’s most stunning cities, the guarded billionaire finds himself irresistibly drawn to Fifi’s beauty and free spirit...And they both know the dangers of giving in to the inevitable conflagration that’s threatening to consume them. But Fifi is keeping a rather large secret, one that can push Lyle over the edge. The question is … will he survive the fall? Or will it serve to convince him that he was right after all … never to trust?
The Patron Saint of Lost Dogs
Nick Trout - 2013
Cyrus Mills returns to rural Vermont to inherit the Bedside Manor for Sick Animals, the failing veterinary practice of his recently deceased and long-estranged father. Cyrus, a veterinary pathologist far more comfortable with cold clinical facts than living, breathing animals (not to mention their quirky, demanding owners), intends to sell the practice and get out of town as fast as he can.Then his first patient—a down-on-her-luck golden retriever named Frieda Fuzzypaws—wags her way through the door, and suddenly life gets complicated. With the help of a black Labrador gifted in the art of swallowing underwear, a Persian cat determined to expose her owner’s lover as a gold digger, and the allure of a feisty, pretty waitress from the local diner, Cyrus gets caught up in a new community and its endearing residents, both human and animal. Sensing he may have misjudged the past, he begins to realize it’s not just his patients that need healing.The Patron Saint of Lost Dogs is a winsome tale of new beginnings, forgiveness, and the joy of finding your way home.
Sand Castles
Antoinette Stockenberg - 2002
But even that whim lies within reach when she and her devoted husband Jim win the lottery and launch a renovation of the cozy, antique New England home that has been in the family for generations. Wendy is certain life can't get any better than this, until a surprise comes her way--surprise that will change her world forever.At first, winning the lottery jackpot seems to be the answer to the Hodenes' unspoken prayers. Now they can secure their son's college education, pay off debts--perhaps even splurge a little. But the sudden windfall will drastically alter the most reliable reassuring aspects of Wendy's life, as well as the people who master most in it. Now everything hangs in the balance: her home, her child, her marriage. It isn't long before Wendy realizes that the mans he thought she knew best has become a virtual stranger, and that a mans he hardly knows at all holds the key to her husband's startling past--and her family's precarious future...
The Apple Tree
Kayla Rose - 2019
Drew Caldwell’s life plan begins to spiral when her best friend, River Mahlon, tells her he won’t be attending college in the fall. The last time her world was shaken up like this was back in fourth grade, when River moved from Hawaii to her sleepy town of Rockwood, Washington. On the evening of Drew’s eighteenth birthday, River reveals that his spontaneous plan will take him away from her, and for the first time in nearly a decade, she will be left on her own. Before they part, they devise a plan: No matter what, they will meet again in twelve years in the meadow they discovered together, where they will reclaim special objects they have hidden in a rustic barn and wild apple tree. In college, Drew learns that her dreams about adulthood were not exactly prophetic—boys, school, and friends are nothing like she had imagined. As the years go by, River becomes more and more of a distant, mysterious phantom—until the unexpected happens. Drew Caldwell thought she knew exactly how her life would play out, but the more that time went on, the more she found that life had a way of taking her by surprise. A story revolving around growth and meaning, The Apple Tree is an emotional, fulfilling journey with the uplifting message to keep moving forward and upward, no matter what unexpected twists and turns alter your course.
Georgia's Kitchen
Jenny Nelson - 2010
The table is set for the ambitious bride-to-be until a scathing restaurant review destroys her reputation. To add salt to her wounds, Glenn suddenly calls off the wedding. Brokenhearted, Georgia escapes to the Italian countryside, where she sharpens her skills at a trattoria run by a world-class chef who seems to have it all—a devoted lover, a magnificent villa, and most important, a kitchen of her own. Georgia quells her longings with Italy’s delectable offerings: fine wine, luscious cheeses, cerulean blue skies, and irresistible Gianni—an expert in the vineyard and the bedroom. So when Gianni tempts Georgia to stay in Italy with an offer no sane top chef could refuse, why can’t she say yes? An appetite for something more looms large in Georgia’s heart – the desire to run her own restaurant in the city she loves. But having left New York with her career in flames, she’ll need to stir up more than just courage if she’s to realize her dreams and find her way home.
What Looks Like Crazy
Charlotte Hughes - 2008
She's divorcing her gorgeous firefighter husband, she has an eccentric secretary, her mother and aunt have erected a vaguely sexual sculpture in her front yard, and her psychiatrist ex-boyfriend won't stop calling to find out what color panties she's wearing. Now, Kate's being bombarded with mysterious threats, and the only person who can help her is the one man who always makes her lose her mind-and heart.