Wish You Were Italian by Kristin Rae Pages: 352
Published by Bloomsbury Publishing USA on May 6, 2014
Series: If Only #2
Genres: contemporary, Friendship, Love & Romance, Young Adult
Source: eARC from Publisher
The summer before senior year of high school. It’s supposed to be one of the biggest summers of her life, but Pippa is headed to an art program she has no interest in. The one saving grace is it’s in Italy. And when the opportunity strikes, she decides to ditch the program and travel Italy accomplishing her own list of goals. Things like swimming in the Mediterranean Sea, eating a whole pizza in one sitting…and falling in love with an Italian boy!
As she explores the famous cities of Rome and Pompeii, Pippa finds herself falling for two boys: a local guy she knows is nothing but trouble and a cute American archaeology student who keeps disappearing and reappearing at the strangest moments. Will Pippa find her true love before her parents find out the truth about her summer program?
The perfect reckless romance to enjoy whether you are home or abroad.
Such a cute story. Wish you were Italian is the second book in the If Only series. But each book in the series is a standalone romance story written by a different author. If the other two books in the series are as adorable as this one, I need to read them too. Wish You Were Italian takes you on a fun adventure through some beautiful Italian cities.
Pippa is a fun loving girl, just looking for some freedom. Her mom is an art Gallery owner and she wants Pippa to follow in her footsteps. So she sends to her ITALY (!) to take a class on art. How freakin’ awesome is that? But Pippa just wants to explore the country and take pictures. She doesn’t want to work in an art gallery. She wants to be a photographer. So once she gets over to Italy, she makes the very impulsive decision to write to the art school and say she will not be attending and take these 3 months to herself. Her freedom summer. Which sounds awesome, but it is pretty dangerous for a 17 year old girl to be doing on her own. She does tell her friend and grandma at home where she will be staying, so she wasn’t totally off the grid, but still. It made me a little nervous. Once you can get past that aspect, the story is crazy cute. It will make you smile.
Pippa makes friends really quickly in Italy. She even gets invited to stay with her new friend, Chiara’s family. With her hot cousin, Bruno. But Bruno isn’t the only guys she meets. At her first gelato stop, she meets Darren, a really cute and nice american boy. One of my favorite parts of the book was Pippa’s friend back home’s journal that she sent with Pippa. Each day she had different “tasks” for Pippa to complete. They were so much fun. I looked forward to see what new task Morgan would have in store for us that next day. It was a really cute way to kind of shape the story.
Wish You Were Italian is a really cute book for when you are looking for a feel good young adult contemporary romance. It was a little predictable, but sometimes that is just what I want. I want to pick up a book and know that it will make me smile. That is what you get with Wish you Were Italian. It left me craving an italian vacation, some pizza and some gelato.
While you are here, have you entered my blogoversary giveaway yet?
kindlemom1
Yay! I am so glad you read this, I loved it too and yes, the second book, Fool Me Twice is just as sweet! I saw the third on Netgalley (I think it was) and want to grab it as well.
Christy
I would’ve love to go to Italy alone when I was 17. This sounds fun and cute. I just went to look at the first book in the series – they all look like fun reads. I may have to get them.
Nikki
AH! I MET THE AUTHOR AT TEEN BOOK CON! I loveeee the synopsis of this! I can’t wait to read this one, especially since it was so cute! 😀
Michelle @ Book Briefs
You did?! That is awesome Nikki!! It is so cute, I can’t wait to see what you think of it. Let me know when you read it so we can talk about the adorable-ness 🙂
Giselle
Oh this is cool – a series with books written by diff author. I do love these kind of romantic reads that you can just escape to once in a while. Like Jennifer E. Smith books. They’re a bit fluffy and adventurous and even fairy-tale-like but I just love the sweet entertainment they give, you know. It actually reminds me of Royally Lost which I JUST finished it was the same with her not telling her dad she was staying in Europe – she was 18 in this one but still I’m 30 and I would be freaked to stay in a foreign country without everyone knowing exactly where I was lol. Maybe this is why I only travel vicariously through fictional characters >.< Anyways I'm rambling but this sounds like a very cute story! 🙂
Michelle @ Book Briefs
I would be freaked out too Giselle! haha and I’m 26 and I still think my parents would be pissed at me if I did that.I am reading Royally Lost next week so I am excited to carry the european theme I have going on.
It is super cute. I hope you get a chance to read it 🙂
Andrea @ The Bookish Babe
Ahh…this looks like a story I would really enjoy! And my parents would lose their minds if I pulled that stunt (not like it would stop me). I’m dying to know which boy Pippa ended up with, if either! And I do love the journal idea too. Thanks for the review, Michelle!
Michelle @ Book Briefs
It was so cute Andrea. I hope you get a chance to read it. I just wish I had tracked down some Gelato to eat while I was reading it. I wanted some so bad by the time I was done.