This was such a great read. A contemporary with a magical realism twist, One Italian Summer is lighthearted with some good emotional content. A beautiful commentary on relationships between mothers and daughters. The story is at once sad and lovely. Though it is written in a way that doesn't hit overly hard, the emotional side can be a bit intense. There is a lot of love and loss in the relationship between Katy and Carol.

Katy's overwhelming grief and the resulting trauma to her own self-worth are painted so well. While not all readers can identify with Katy or understand her decisions, she made sense to me. She wasn't always kind or thoughtful towards others and she didn't always make the best choices, but that's what happens when you are swallowed by grief. You can become a bit more cocooned in yourself and the rest of the world ceases to matter. You don't necessarily make the best or most sensible decisions because your entire world is a blur. Katy manifested all of this and though I didn't necessarily like her at all points, I felt like I understood her.

I love Rebecca Serle's writing. She just has a way with words, creating a story that is interesting and comforting. The narrative is highly atmospheric and I loved being transported in such a great way. The magical element to the story was a fun twist and I enjoyed the exploration. I also highly recommend the audiobook narrated by Lauren Graham. She does a marvelous job and the parallels between the story and the mother/daughter relationship in Gilmore Girls made her an even more perfect choice for narrator.

* Disclaimer: I received a copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. *