One Italian Summer by Rebecca Serle

I see people reading this book all over town. If people haven't read it, they want to read it, and if they have read it they are loaning it to a friend. I love a book like that - one that spreads like wildfire. "One Italian Summer" by Rebecca Serle, is by the same author who wrote the best seller "In Five Years," which was published last spring. Without giving away too much of the plot, I will say both books share a certain theme of time travel which feels quite magical, rather than contrived. I don't really care much for fantasy books, but in the creative hands of author Serle, the plots come completely alive in the best way. "One Italian Summer" centers around Katy, whose mother, Carol, has unexpectedly died from cancer. Untethered from losing her mother and best friend, Katy sets off on a two-week trip to Positano, Italy. The trip is one she and her mother had hoped to share before she passed away, but time ran out.  Positano was the last place Carol visited before marrying Katy's father, and the city left a lasting impression on her. Traveling back to her mother's happy place forces Katy to take stock of her own marriage, career aspirations and desire to start a family. I went on a girls’ hiking trip to Positano in the fall of 2018, and I found that this book really captured the sound, smell and feel of the charming town along the Amalfi Coast. As Katy hikes along the Path of the Gods trail, I was taken back to what a very special part of the world it is. The novel's theme of travel being rejuvenating and restorative really impressed and resonated with me. My copy is now safely back at the library, waiting for the next special reader to choose it. To buy this book on Amazon click here.