Rebecca Serle can surely writes stories that features unusual love stories but also characters who are going to change their life.
I don't know if it's correct to define her books as "magic realism" as there's always a paranormal event that plays a relevant role as in this book.
One Italian Summer is an interesting book, a book about a mother-daughter relationship and the impact of the mother's death, a daughter who must face the loss but also the changes in her life.
I didn't like Katy: i found her a woman who is facing an adult crisis, like the death of a parent, and act like a child. The travel, the discoveries made her more "adulting" and I think there's hope at the end of the travel.
Young Carol is a well rounded and fascinating character. She's alive and lively, a woman who's not afraid of the future.
The author did a good job in developing the characters and her storytelling is as good as it was in "In Five Years".
The descriptions of Positano are well done and realistic.La Costiera Amalfitana is a sort of character, the setting for changes and discoveries.
It's an compelling and moving read, recommended.
Many thanks to Quercus and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine