One Summer In Italy by Sue Moorcroft Review

Hey ForeverBookers, 

I’ve just finished a great contemporary novel called “One Summer In Italy” by Sue Moorcroft. It releases 17th May 2018.

4.5 Stars!

“One Summer In Italy” is a contemporary story that revolves around our main character, Sofia who’s lost her father in the prologue of the book. The main story takes place a year later when Sofia is in Montelibertà, a small town in Italy to find her father’s brother. Sofia has a job in an Italian hotel, where she stays for the majority of the novel, as a waitress. She has friends who she sticks up for throughout the story, as well as one of the sweetest romances I’ve read. What Sofia has to work out in the novel is what’s the best choice for her in a lot of things. 

I originally requested “One Summer In Italy” because I have a fascination with Italy, and although I haven’t been (yet), this novel certainly didn’t put me off wanting to go. The Italian places are described beautifully, and there’s some Italian text, which I could translate, too! I therefore read “One Summer In Italy” for the “A book set in a country that fascinates you” for the Popsugar Challenge 2018.

NOTE: I would say “One Summer In Italy” is an adult romance just because our lead characters are in their 30’s. There isn’t anything explicit. 

Spoilers Below...

“Aldo had a beautiful, mischievious smile, spoiled now by the odd colour of his lips as his heart failed”

This is revealed on the first page so it’s not a spoiler that Sophia’s dad is dying but this starts the story so I feel is necessary to put here. What Aldo wants Sofia to do is to complete a checklist of things that she hasn’t been able to do because she was looking after him. These things include: visiting Montelibertà, drinking Orvieto Classico the way it’s meant to be drunk, laying flowers on her Grandparent’s graves, if she meets her uncle Gianni to apologise to him for her dad and to be happy. Sofia promises to do these things, and that’s where “One Summer In Italy” begins...

Sofia is in Italy working at a hotel called Casa Felice at the beginning of “One Italian Summer”. In the first chapter, a character called Davide picks on one of Sofia’s friends, Amy.

“Davide’s being a creep”

“He certainly is. I’m just checking you’re aware he’s Benadetta’s son–”

“Don’t care. I’m not putting up with him rubbing his yucky “bits” on my bum”

This shows how Amy, Sofia’s closest friend at Casa Felice, is being bullied by the head of the hotel’s son. When Levi, a biker and our lead male character comes into the story, he stands up for Amy. I thought this was slightly strange to begin with, an older stranger standing up for a 20 year old girl but Levi is Amy’s father, it gets revealed later on in the book. After this is revealed, it’s easy to understand why Levi has Amy’s back.  

Amy grew up in Germany with her mother and who she thought was her father. Her mother had a one night stand with Levi, on a friend’s hen night. Amy’s mum isn’t at all a main character, she’s just in the background of the novel. 

“They later had two more children, both boys, and moved to Germany with Stephen’s job in a lab in Munich”

This happens about a third of the way through “One Summer In Italy” when Levi is explaining to Sofia about him being Amy’s father and making her understand why he doesn’t want to tell Amy the truth just yet. He doesn’t want Amy to hate him as well as her mother. 

“And now that I know Amy...how could I feel sorry for myself that I helped make her”

is what Levi says to Sofia after he’s told her his biggest secret. Levi is a sweet and caring character who only wants what’s best for the people he cares about. This is demonstrated also when he gently asks Sofia to go to another hotel with him for a night before he leaves Italy, to return home to England. He doesn’t want to get Sofia into trouble with her boss for sleeping with a guest, even though it’s clear to us, the reader, that Sofia and Levi are clearly more than just employee and guest by this point, near the end of “One Summer In Italy”  . 

Levi has a tech company that he owns with a friend, Wes. This was honestly the only thing that I didn’t like about “One Summer In Italy”. Wes annoyed me by how sulky he got when Levi was just checking in on the business by phone as Wes was in England and Levi was in Italy. Also, I think there’s a weird romance between Wes and a girl that Levi met before this novel starts. It’s almost as if Wes is jealous of Levi, which doesn’t really make sense because he’s with Sofia for the majority of the book...

Does Sofia find her family? Do she and Levi make a go if it? Does Amy find out about her parentage? You’ll need to read to find out. 

What did I like about “One Summer In Italy”?

I LOVED the romance element this novel had! It carried on as a main theme throughout too, which was nice to see. 

I loved our main characters. I could see a lot of myself in Sofia, and I loved how caring Levi was to everyone. He’s the sort of male character that I love to read about.

I liked how the settings were described. The author made Italy sound so tranquil. 

I liked the funny parts to “One Summer In Italy”. I found myself laughing at quite a few points in the book. 

I liked that friendship was a major part of “One Summer In Italy”, along with the romance. In some books we only get one of these elements or if we do get both, they’re not both done to the same extent. In “One Summer In Italy”, I felt they were both done well.   

What didn’t I like about “One Summer In Italy”?

I didn’t love the parts that were to do with Levi’s tech company. I didn’t understand everything, there. Every time that the name Wes was mentioned, I zoned out. It wasn’t too many times, but enough to note. 

Overall, there were sooo many parts to this book that I loved. I honestly think the only part that let the story down was the part about Levi’s technology company. I also would like to see a book 2, following the characters on from “One Summer In Italy” but I think the author only writes standalones. That’s why I’m giving “One Summer In Italy” 4.5 Stars! If you want a feel good summer romance, then I think you’ll like this!! 

Stand by for my next review coming soon...