About the Book:
Three years since they last saw each other. Two months to untangle their complicated past. One unforgettable Italian summer.
Childhood best friends Cammie Lovett and West Jacobs haven’t spoken since their first kiss ended in disaster. Now, after getting rejected from her dream field school, Cammie is joining her renowned archaeologist mom in Italy for the summer—while secretly planning to find her biological father. Meanwhile, West is avoiding a major life decision by—what else?—crashing his dad’s work trip abroad.
When the two find themselves at the same Italian villa, their plan to avoid each other crumbles like a Roman ruin. Armed with her mom’s old journal, Cammie is determined to stay focused—until West discovers her mission and insists on tagging along. As their second-chance adventure takes them down the Southern Italian coast and through the messy details of their past, Cammie and West begin to realize that maybe—just maybe—their own history isn’t quite as ancient as they thought.
*Review Contributed by Kim Baccellia, Staff Reviewer*
What worked: Mamma Mia meets YA set in Naples, where a girl searches for her biological father while struggling with emotions of being around the boy who broke her heart three years ago. Lush images of Naples, Italy add to the charm.
Cammie is devastated when she’s not accepted into the archaeology field program. Her mother has the perfect plan. Come to Italy on the anniversary of a dig where she’s lovingly known as bambino di Villa di Bronzo. But once there, she runs into the boy who broke her heart. Coincidence?
Told in dual points of view, Cammie’s dialogue is hilarious and snappy. The relationship between West and her is at first strained but slowly builds. I admit, I liked Cammie’s point of view more. She’s impulsive, smart, and driven to find her biological father against great odds.
West comes across as the shy, nerdy teen. Kudos for showing his struggles with anxiety and panic attacks. I really like how realistic the author shows how debilitating anxiety can, in fact, be.
Fast-paced, snappy dialogue keeps readers turning to pages! There’s also family secrets that a persistent Cammie is determined to resolve.
There’s so much to love in this story. Italy. Enemies to friends. And did I mention Italy?
Their journey to find Cammie’s biological father has a Mamma Mia feel going through it. Only in this case, the big reveal has a twist I didn’t see coming!
Perfect beach summer read!
*Find More Info & Buy It Here!*
