I received this book from Netgalley/Orion Dash in exchange of an honest review. Though the copy I read was my own.


Haha, how to start confusing. I got an ARC for this one from Orion Dash (so hyped to be part of their club), but that one just wasn’t working for me in the way of format, so I pre-ordered the book and read that instead. XD

Now to the book. The book starts off fantastic, but sadly… things go south and that was mostly due to Lila. I don’t mind insecurity. I don’t mind someone with social anxiety. I want to make that clear, because I know how the internet is these days. However. Lila’s constant thoughts about EVERYTHING and EVERYONE just got very depressing, tiring, and really pulled me away from the book. Lila was CONSTANTLY thinking/worrying/making up scenarios/acting all out of it. At points she would be MID-conversation, gets asked a question and it takes her 4 pages (Kindle) of thoughts before she answers, by which time I am out and already forgot the question… having to go back again. That is just too much. I mean, just a few sentences, sure. But 4 freaking pages of worries, anxiety, OMG will I be still loved, OMG people, OMG fill whatever, it was too much. And that is how the whole book goes. And that is why I am rating this book way lower. Because I just dreaded Lila’s POV. I just dreaded that whole clusterfuck of thoughts that would inevitably come. I mean, seriously? Why didn’t she go and find help? Why did she just walk around with this? This was so unhealthy. She is constantly second-guessing everyone and rolls in a whirlpool of bad thoughts all day.

Rowan was also not all that, especially later he just got a tad weird, hard to explain, but I much more prefer the Rowan we met in that closet. XD But still, Rowan’s POV was one that was a breath of fresh air.

The romance? Sure.. there was some flirting, but really? SPOILER ALERT. It takes up to 60% before they freaking kiss. And then things go much faster. But 60% until someone kisses? NO. I don’t mind if it takes a bit of time, but this was just too late for me. Plus, given how it took them, it was, for me, weird how fast they had sex and the whole shebang. Like, oh, we kissed, now OK, that is a hurdle done, let’s go sex!

The story was also very slow paced and at times I just wanted the story to go just a bit further, a bit faster. A bit more.

We also have something happening between a movie star and a make-up artist and I was happy to see how that was handled and what Rowan did there. I was pretty proud of him.

Mehsi, was there something you did like? Sure, Rowan x Lila was, despite all the issues, still a couple with tons of chemistry. The beginning part with the closet was the best part of the whole book, I loved those pages. I loved reading about Sicily (still want to visit one day). The cover is just absolutely freaking YAS and I would love to frame it. I love reading about the movie from two POV (even if one is a girl who constantly drowns in thoughts). See how it goes with make-up but also with the movie stars. I loved Rowan’s family and Lila’s brother was the best.

I think if Lila’s thought had been cut down (on Goodreads I even mentioned that this book could easily be 50-100 pages less then), the pacing was a bit better, this could have been a dream of a book. Now.. not so much and I sadly have to rate it:

The cover of this book leads you to believe that is going to be a certain kind of holiday romance that you have seen many times before, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. I absolutely love holiday romance stories, I read them by the stack in the summer and have several waiting for my attention as we speak that I can’t wait to sink back into my deckchair and devour in place of actually going on an overseas trip this summer. However, this book doesn’t fall quite comfortably into that niche, it is something a bit different, but no the less fabulous for it.

When you read the blurb, you’d be forgiven for thinking that it is going to develop along the standard lines, and it does contain all the bits of those holiday romances you love. A trip to the sun-drenched shores of Sicily, a glamorous film set location, hunky leading man sets shy, ingenue makeup artist’s heart a-fluttering. However, the book goes beyond this superficial love story to delve deeply into the motivations and personality traits of the leading characters in a way that is painfully observant and so realistic that, if you have any of these traits yourself, it will make your heart hurt in empathy. Or that is certainly what happened to me when I read it.

Whether she meant to or not, it is clear to the reader that the author has left a big part of herself on the pages of this novel. Noone can truly write such an authentic character as Lila if they haven’t had some personal experience of what she is suffering, whether themselves or through a loved one. The portrayal in this book of what it is like to live with social anxiety is the closest thing to reality that I have ever read. Although this is something that I experience to a much lesser extent than Lila, her thought processes are something I recognised all too readily, which meant I felt complete sympathy for her throughout the novel, really living the highs and lows with her, feeling the pain and pleasure. Being so immersed in a character’s story is a rare and precious experience and only happens when the author has felt the same thing as they write. I could feel the author living this book as she created it.

This is a fantastic book that takes the sun lounger novel to a different place. I’m not sure if I felt this just because I could relate so closely to the main character, but it has all the elements I look for in a summer read, as well as a profoundly relatable character in Lila. It left me feeling moved and seen in a way that in unusual in a genre many people deem superficial and fluffy, which just goes to prove that the people who look down on romance, probably don’t read many. True gems are out there if you look hard enough, and this is one.

If you are looking for something both entertaining and insightful to add to your holiday reading, here it is.

This book reminded me so much of Giovanna Fletcher’s Billy & Me but with the added fun of being in Italy! Thank you to Orion Dash and NetGalley for this advanced copy.

Lila took a big risk temporarily moving to London to pursue her new dream of being a makeup artist. She has no real plan, but has managed to secure herself a trial with a movie production team about to head off to Sicily to film for 6 months. She’s not really sure how well her trial is going and her social anxiety is preventing her from asking for feedback. Whilst trying to avoid her manager in the final hour of her trial, she heads down to the store room to do some tidying.

Rowan never really intended to be an actor, his only goal in life is to look after his sister and Mum. He had a lucky break getting a role in a big superhero franchise, however, the franchise is over and it’s time for him to move on with his career. His publicist is determined to him to clean up his reputation and put on a display to secure a new franchise role. Part of his PR plan is to fake a relationship with a supermodel than Rowan has no interest in at all. However, it seems like a reasonable plan until he manages to lock himself in the store room with Lila and he starts to question everything about himself and his career.

This was such an easy read. It’s not very often the female lead in a story has a vulnerability such as social anxiety so that was quite refreshing. I think there was definitely a lot of opportunities for development in storylines but I really enjoyed it overall. Great summer read. Definitely makes me wonder how I didn’t end up accidentally meeting and falling in love a with a movie star though!

The story starts with Lila. She's started a trial as a makeup artist on the set of a movie. She's shy, has bad anxiety and feels well out of her depth when meeting new people so at the end of her first working day she hides in the storeroom.

Then we meet Rowan. The self confessed ladies man.He's the total opposite and on the verge of making it in Hollywood. If only he could keep his mouth shut and stop the revolving door on his bedroom. Needing a place to find some peace after a dressing down from his agent he steps inside the storeroom and accidentally locks them both in.

I found the time they were locked in the storeroom quite poeetic. Her thinking he had locked them in on purpose and him trying to convince her he wasn't there to hurt her. There is the background message of the #metoo. You begin to see her confidence grow and her anxiety fade as they worked out how to get out. Spoiler alert, they do get out.

I really enjoyed this book. I loved the chemistry between Lila and Rowan. It is the perfect holiday read because its such an easy book to get lost in the feel good moment. I could relate with Lila and her social anxiety and trying to push herself to fit in and I enjoyed the journey she went on to overcome it and finding love.

There reaches a point in the summer, where I just need to indulge in lovely gentle books with plenty of romance and a bit of sunshine. With a title like 'Sleepless in Sicily' this one just cried out to be read!

I really liked the premise of the movie star falling in love with the shy 'regular' girl, it may be a bit of a cliche, but I think most people will have fantasised about that at one point or another. The romance was pretty adorable, and definitely fitted the bill of a gentle summery read. I loved the trip to the island and was definitely wishing I was also in Sicily whilst reading.

It was nice that there was a very slight edge to the read as well, it wasn't just lovely, lovely, sunshine and happiness the whole time. A few important topics pop up, not least of all the Me Too movement and the how sexual harassment has become rife in the movie industry. Anxiety was another huge one, as well as addiction.

I did find Rowan a little bland as a character, which was a shame as it took the edge off the slightly steamier scenes. Overall though it was a lovely read, and it's always fun to get to visit a movie set in Italy!

Sleepless in Sicily had me engrossed from the first sentence. It follows Lila, goes out to Sicily on her first job as a makeup assistant, while grappling with Social anxiety on a film set, as well as Rowan as he grapples with his acting career and image.

Sparks fly, there's lots of drama and intrigue as well as teaching me more about how hard life can be if you have social anxiety. This aspect has been well researched.

The characters are all believable and in most cases likeable too.

Overall, a good read.

A great starting scene that triggers events in the rest of the book. Some other great topical issues that were interesting. Whilst I found some chapters really good, the book overall lacked pace for me a bit sadly. A good read.

I received an advance copy of, Sleepless in Sicily, by Emma Jackson. Lila is a shy person and she get locked in a room with an actor named Rowan.....