Totally not my usual storyline I love to read, but a great story overall. The topic of cyber bullying is something that is I have personally fallen victim to, so to see it covered so well in a fictional book was great. Our main character, Ruby, has to face some troubling times, all on behalf of someone else’s fault and not her own. These situations make her question herself and her worth, but in the end, she recognizes that it’s not her doing.

I loved the way Ruby handled herself and the situations she was in, plus how she worked through them to come out on the other side happy and accepting of herself. Well done!

Lovely feel good book to read. It was a joy to read. Lovely characters. Great plot. The book was charming. Very well written. I’d definitely recommend this book

Yet another brilliant story from the author. In this one we meet an actress, Ruby, who is trying to escape from paparazzi after a difficult time in her life. She soon finds herself needing the help of a stranger. This in turn leads to her finding herself in a little Scottish town. I love that we get to meet characters from previous books as well as a few new ones.

Many thanks to the author, publisher and Netgalley for providing a copy.

I struggled a little with the beginning of this book. It dragged quite a bit for me, and I found it took a while to recover.

I enjoyed the commentary on social media and how much we big it up in our world. I also loved the Italian setting, and felt the book really picked up for me after Ruby arrived in Italy.

Great book. Loved the story loved the characters. Loved every thing about this book. Very well wrtten

This was a brilliant read and is being featured on my blog for my quick star reviews feature, which I have created on my blog so I can catch up with all the books I have read and therefore review.
See www.chellsandbooks.wordpress.com.

oh my god this book!!! I loved it!!!! So entertaining, a real page-turner! There is mystery all over, there is so much suspense, it's also fun and there is romance and sexy guys in this book! This is such a great book! I absolutely recommend it! You will not regret it!

How lovely was this book!? As I was reading it I was getting cross, then I would swing to a laugh out loud, then a gasp of 'No'! A rollercoaster of emotions took me through this one.
A great story, highly recommended if you're seeking romance, and travel .

This is the perfect novel for summer. Escape to the beautiful island of Sicily with this great read. The author flawlessly whisks the reader from one dream getaway to the next and seamlessly reminds us that you can’t run away from your problems.
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The MC Ruby Locke may be famous, but she is still a really good person, down to earth, and just a well-written character. So I was connected with her the whole story and nervous to see how her story unfolds.
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This was a light-hearted, good summer vibe read, and the descriptions of all the beautiful places were amazing. It makes me want to travel and read more from this author all at the same time!

A really enjoyable book from Lisa Hobman, my first by this author !
There was lots of travel involved , New York, Sicily, and Skye with mouthwatering descriptions of the various places . There was also realistic well rounded characters, whether you loved them or hated them !
Ruby’s so called perfect life implodes overnight when her social media accounts are hacked, hence her travel journey starts producing an interesting story with plenty of twists , turns and intrigue!
Lisa Hibman had an enjoyable writing style and the reader was ingrosed to the end
I would highly recommend this book, light hearted and full of intrigue
Thank you to Netgalley, Boldwood Books and Lisa Hobman for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review

Another book which oozes summer and an idyllic place in the world to visit. The story grabbed my attention and kept me reading as I went on an adventure and immersed myself in the characters' lives. Nicely done.

Who can you trust? For Hollywood actress, Robin Locke, it seems like she can’t trust anyone. A terrible rumor is spread on the internet and Robin’s whole life unravels. Her actor boyfriend, breaks up with her and her agent can’t seem to find out where the rumor started, who started it and how they can clear Ruby’s good name. Ruby goes to Sicily, to get out of the public eye and finds herself in a beautiful Villa, with stunning views and bodyguards. The days are long and Robin has no one to speak with. She becomes lonely and restless and makes a careless mistake.. the man that seems to help her heal doesn’t have Robin’s interest in mind. Robin must be moved again.. The owner of the Sicilian house also owns a house in Skye, Scotland and they head there to hideout, again. While in Skye, Robin meets new friends, real friends. Has a definite feeling of safety and trust. She has feelings for the owner of the house she is in.. She misses her family, her home in NY, she wants to clear her name.. this story is so cute. The story line itself, had me guessing at every corner. The descriptions of Sicily and Skye are so good.. I enjoyed this book so much.. such a great summer read.. This was the first book I have read Lisa Hobman and what a pleasure it was. I gave this 4 stars and I have recommended it to friends & family. I have also shared my thoughts on Instagram & Barnes & Noble. Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did..

A fun, quick read, perfect for a summer beach day. I love that the book included not only romance but has a serious undertone addressing other themes such as cyberbullism and misplaced importance given to social media, compared to real life. I really enjoyed the book and am interested in reading more from the author.

All is not well in Ruby’s life. She escapes to Italy to reset and renew her life. Hoping the isolation will provide insight into who has it out for her , she spends her days liking her neighbor and healing her brand. When even this idyllic is forced to end her move to an even remote Scotland isn’t far enough to elude whoever has it in for her. Ruby clearly needs to seek the source of her trouble and end its hold on her life.

If you are looking for a nice beach/coffee/train read, look no further. If you are looking for a story that will confirm your belief that people will never fail to disappoint you, look no further. If you are looking for picturesque locales, yummy food, tasty wine, love story to fill your dreams,,, yes, look no further. And if you are looking to restore your faith in human race... please read Under A Sicilian Sky.

This book has everything your heart desires: setting, colours, smells, beautiful places and ugly people, betrayal and new love, trust building and career breakdown... Every reader will find something to their taste. Plus, the voice, the dynamic, the mood of the book is so light, comfy and appealing. It reads quickly but leaves a wonderful dreamy aftertaste for a long time.

Ruby Locke is a movie star, reluctant movie star. One day she finds her world crumbling down because of social media hacker attack. However, what Ruby truly finds is her glitzy glamours shell breaking and a real Ruby emerging.

But that will take time, places, people, more disappointment and betrayal, learning Italian, befriending a terrier and... finding home and community in the most unlikely place.

Warm, exciting, hope-instilling, love-dreaming read. Enjoy

Super cute book. Loved the story from start to finish. It was easy to read and really well done. You get lost in the story and just let it play out for you.

As a lover of all things Italian, I was immediately attracted to this title and the cover certainly pulled me in too.

In Under a Sicilian Sky, author Lisa Hobman has created a gem of a summer read. There’s humour aplenty, stunning descriptions of landscapes and cuisine, a serious exploration of the negative effects of social media and a little bit of romance thrown in for good measure!

It’s impossible not to like central character Ruby, who is forced into hiding not only in Palermo, but also on the remote island of Glentorrin after her social media account is hacked causing a public outpouring of rage and vitriol.

The experience allows Ruby an opportunity to reflect on her life and what is really important to her and having handsome Mitch at her side is an added bonus, although there are a few hilarious glitches in their early friendship to contend with!

The community of Glentorrin welcomes Ruby with open arms and allows her to feel herself again before the identity of her hacker is revealed. The night of the village hall opening leaves the reader with a truly warm feeling.

This is a delightful, easy read and I’m already looking forward to reading more from this author!

I had to sympathise with Ruby Locke, ostracised by the media and then the public, through no fault of her own. I really felt for the character – she was so likeable and obviously innocent. As for her ex fiancé Tyler – what a douchebag – condemning her rather than sticking up for her. I wouldn’t be surprised if he turned out to be behind Ruby’s social media hacking in the first place, such were the bad vibes I got from him. Philippe and his family were godsends and I loved the descriptions of the family time Ruby spent at their abode, while she was hiding out with them. They came across as so genuinely caring, one couldn’t help but like them.

Once in Sicily, Ruby talks about soaking up the local sights, sounds and smells and I felt as though the author also afforded me that luxury vicariously, through her descriptions. There was also humour in the book, for example when Ruby mistakes the Scottish owner fo the villa for an Italian builder. This made me laugh out loud and I didn’t see it coming!

My curiously was aroused by Ruby’s Sicilian neighbour, Clark. He seemed a nice chap, if not a little too good to be true, but Nero the dog always growled at him – and this made me suspicious of him, in that animals are often a better judge of people than anyone. I really hoped that I was wrong about him! Mitch on the other hand, the owner of Ruby’s hideout, continued to grow on me and seemed like a thoroughly decent if not occasionally grumpy gentleman. I held out great hopes for the two of them!

The turn of events takes Ruby and Mitch to The island of Skye, the descriptions of which rivalled Sicily, for sure. I started to feel unsure of Ruby’s agent, Valerie and just hoped that she wouldn’t be implicated in the hacking. It did seem a bit odd though, that she had sent Shelby, her assistant, to stay with Ruby. Meanwhile, the more the story continued, the more Mitch grew on me. He seemed such a ‘nice’ chap and someone I thought I would trust myself. I loved the author’s portrayal of him.

The villagers on Mitch’s home island were all amazing and I especially loved the portrayal of young Evin. They made me want to up sticks and live there.

I enjoyed this book thoroughly but thought it served as a stark reminder to us all about the dangers of social media and cyber bullying and not believing everything you read online. Indeed, are we, as a society, fuelling press bad behaviour, through the simple act of reading the tabloid stories that constantly seem to be pushing the boundaries of acceptability?

To summarise – an absolutely fabulous book, set in amazing locations – practically guaranteed to have you enthralled.

With another glorious cover, Hobman once again has written and engaging and immersive narrative. Likeable characters, a bit of romance and mystery, combined with a couple of wonderful settings, this book has all the ingredients you need for a bit of escapism.

Whilst the book is linked to the previous novel set on the Isle of Skye, this should not deter you. You certainly don’t need to have a background knowledge to understand this book but, like so many series that aren’t exactly linked, it does give you more of an appreciation of the supporting characters. Therefore, if this book does appeal, definitely dive in!

Following Ruby on the run, we quickly discover that she has fallen from grace after her social media accounts published horrific comments that instantly cause her acting career to halt. Hobman never details what these comments are but, as readers, I’m sure we can imagine the sort of posts that could cause such public outcry. Furthermore, this story is not about online behaviour, but more the fall-out for poor Ruby, who protests her innocence from the beginning. Following advice from her agent, Ruby flees America and goes to Sicily where she can hide away from the public whilst her name and reputation are cleared. Ruby is adamant that her accounts have been hacked and, even when she attempts to hold an interview to defend herself, even this works against her. She becomes isolated from the very public that adored her.

One of the (many!) qualities that I enjoy about Hobman’s writing is her ability to vividly capture the setting and this book is no exception. Although Ruby has to keep her movements limited to avoid being recognised, I truly got a feel for the remote Sicilian countryside that Ruby has around her. It may not be the nicest of weathers, but the tranquillity radiating from the pages was effervescent! Whilst in Sicily, Ruby not only encounters the builders of the villa she is staying at, but also develops a friendship with the neighbour who seems to be a sympathetic ear, even though Ruby maintains the secret of her true identity.

However, as you would expect, things do not settle in Sicily. Ruby is discovered by the Italian public and soon faces more derogatory placards outside the villa. She has no option but to escape again. This is where readers are taken back to the Isle of Skye. I felt this made the novel a book of two parts: Sicily and Skye. Whilst the plot continues, I thought the contrasting settings showed a change in Ruby’s character as she grows to accept her new circumstances.

Returning to Skye was wonderful. I loved coming back to the close-knit community and felt like I was revisiting old friends! Enlisting some local IT help, Ruby’s friends are determined to help clear her name once and for all, especially as her American agent has little success. From this moment, the novel is filled with even more optimism and I liked watching Ruby become more involved in the community. She is welcomed by all and I appreciated the lack of sinister tones in the plot.

I liked how different this book was to Hobman’s previous Skye novel. The two settings definitely help to make it more of a unique story and I enjoyed watching Ruby’s character evolve. Yes, she has her faults but I still think she is pretty grounded for someone who has achieved so much fame and admiration. Whilst I could foresee how some of the plot would develop, Hobman still adds some surprises to the narrative and this added to my enjoyment of the story even more. Furthermore, I did like the mystery of who was behind the nasty comments because it added more to the plot of an outsider trying to fit in to a new community.

This is a writer who I discovered this year and I am fast becoming a true fan! I really hope there are more Skye adventures to come and I would love to revisit and see how all of these characters’ lives have evolved over time. This is the start of something great and I think there is plenty of opportunity to add to this island community.

With thanks to Boldwood Books, NetGalley and Rachel’s Random Resources for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 Stars

Lisa Hobman’s Under a Sicilian Sky is a charming, uplifting and poignant summer tale about life’s unexpected surprises, trusting your instincts and being in charge of your own destiny guaranteed to brighten up your day!

Yorkshire lass Ruby Locke is certainly a long way from home. Engaged to movie heartthrob Tyler Harrison, the power couple are not only box office gold, but Hollywood royalty. Admired and envied in equal measure, nothing and nobody could possibly break them apart – until Ruby’s life implodes when her social media accounts are hacked and her name becomes mud. Now an international pariah, Ruby hopes that the man she was going to be spending the rest of her life with would be by her side sticking with her during this awful time. But unfortunately for her, Tyler breaks off his engagement and puts as much distance between the two of them as possible. Having lost everything, Ruby realises that Hollywood is no longer the place for her, so keen to avoid the glaring and unforgiving paparazzi lens, she escapes to Sicily with only her Yorkshire terrier for company.

For the first time in ages, Ruby feels at peace with herself. No longer besieged by press intrusion and tight schedules packed within an inch of their life, Ruby realises that she hasn’t felt this free in a very long time. Still recovering from Tyler’s decision to break off their engagement, the one thing Ruby isn’t looking for is romance. But could her handsome neighbour end up changing her mind? Ruby isn’t sure she can trust anyone anymore, but should she let go of the past and embrace this unexpected chance at happiness?

When her island hideaway is compromised, Ruby finds herself having to leave Sicily for the Isle of Skye. With only her dog for company, Ruby certainly has got plenty of time to ponder. Just who wants to destroy her career? Being an actor was all she has ever wanted, but is the celebrity lifestyle losing its lustre? Will Ruby ever feel fulfilled ever again? Or should she resign herself to a lifetime of disappointment?

Under A Sicilian Sky is a wonderfully heart-warming novel that is as refreshing as a glass of Limoncello and as uplifting as sunshine after a rainy day. Lisa Hobman writes beautifully about community and relationships and Under A Sicilian Sky is a captivating tale about starting over, new beginnings and letting go of the past that made me giggle as well as shed a tear or two.

Ruby is an absolutely delightful heroine whom I adored and her quest for fulfillment and happiness had me cheering her on and keeping everything crossed for her.

Warm, witty and simply terrific, Lisa Hobman’s Under a Sicilian Sky is feel-good summer reading at its best!