Rome truly comes alive in this story as the author depicts such vivid imagery of the streets, buildings and people, along with a generous helping of references to authentic cuisine and drinks.

This is written as a dual timeline, and one in which the characters from each era become inextricably linked, primarily through art. In fact, art and the art of history of Rome play a crucial part in the plot and has clearly been thoroughly researched, although you don’t have to be an aficionado to appreciate the book.

While Kate’s naivety surrounding her blossoming romance with James can be frustrating at times, it is sweet to see how their initial friendship develops and allows her to heal from her previous relationship.

A thoroughly enjoyable summer romance read!

With thanks to the author and Rachel at Random Resources for the opportunity to participate in the tour.

I’m on a roll with the travel romance novels at the moment, and I was particularly looking forward to reading this one, as Rome is one of my favourite cities in the world and I couldn’t wait to be whisked off there again – if only vicariously – to explore in the company of broken-hearted Kate and handsome artist, Jamie.

The premise behind this book is fun, and I thoroughly enjoyed the blending of light romance with the historical thread. You more often see historical themes explored in a more serious way, so this was a refreshing change and I think it really worked. The historical aspects complemented the contemporary story without dragging it down. I felt the contrast between Kate’s travels to Rome in the 21st century and the same story being experienced by Charlotte in the 19th worked brilliantly to highlight how much harder it was for women back then; you will leave the story feeling glad that you weren’t a female in the 1800s!

If you enjoy immersing yourself in foreign locations via literature, you will love this book, because the author really captures the spirit and beauty of Rome in this novel. Having been a couple of times, it is a place I am familiar with and love very much, and this story gave me all the warm fuzzy feelings I get whenever I think about that beautiful city, its sights, sounds, smells and flavours and the vibrant, welcoming people. It has made me want to return as soon as possible (which much be an overdue event, as threw my last coin in the Trevi Fountain more than five years ago) and, if you’ve never been, you’ll be searching for flights to the Eternal City as soon as you’ve turned the last page.

All this aside, the essential ingredient of any romance novel is, of course, the romance, and the central relationship in this book does not disappoint. Kate is a warm, likeable and sympathetic character and you will be firmly on her side from the beginning. Jamie is a suitably swoon-worthy foil for her, and watching their relationship grow is a pleasure and a privilege. All the ingredients are present for a happy ending, and the tension between them, whilst a slow boil rather than a roaring inferno, feels all the more genuine and with better prospects because of it.

All in all, another fantastic summer read to add to the growing pile for packing in your summer suitcase. Better make sure there is plenty of room on your Kindle, as there are some marvellous romance novels being published just in time for the holidays.

I would firstly just like to say a big thank you to Rachel’s Random Resources who very kindly forwarded me a copy of this book, for my Kindle, in return for my honest review.

I really enjoyed the dual timeline of this story and enjoyed finding out about the woman in the painting - one Charlotte Browne…
The setting in Rome was wonderful and very descriptive and was perfect for a little bit of armchair travel and I really loved it.
This book had a slow-burn romance trope and was written really well, Kate and Jamie were just wonderful together.
Jamie was the perfect, swoonworthy hero and proved to be a really good friend to Kate.
Overall this was a wonderful, escapist romance and I really enjoyed it.

The writing of Rome and its sights was really well done and very enjoyable to read about.

I was surprised that the author took a few chapters to build up to Kate's ex, Gabe, finding and taking the painting and selling for a profit. Gabe was really stupid and I was honestly so amazed at how he felt he did nothing wrong.

Kate and Jamie's relationship was sweet and it is a nice story on Kate finding the history of Charlotte and loved Charlotte's ending.

Personally the writing and flow was not for me but I think it could be an enjoyable book for those who like the style.

I loved, loved, loved this story!! I quite honestly couldn’t put it down, and ended up staying awake long after I should have gone to sleep just to finish it in the same day. Our two main characters are really lovely, and I enjoyed the diary entries from the 1800s as it really helped tie the two time periods together. This is a really sweet, clean romance, with plenty of love. I’d highly recommend

I'd firstly like to thank Netgalley, the author and publisher for the opportunity to read this e - arc of this wonderful book.
I could not put this book down! The author has worked hard on this, giving it suspense, fun, laughter and tears the whole way through.
The storyline flowed perfectly, the characters are likeable (except one - but I feel you have to have that).
I loved the suspense all the way through the book, where the feelings are blatantly obvious, but each are completely oblivious, or are trying hard to ignore the feelings as they are only there for a short period of time. I love the two time periods that we flitted between all the way through the book, and the surprise towards the end.
I really enjoyed Kate trying to track down and find out what happened to the historic Charlotte Browne.
I'd read this book over again.
Happy reading!

An absolutely delightful and heartwarming summer read! The author perfectly captures Rome and its rich history through the art world, bringing it to life with immersive description as Kate discovers all that Rome has to offer! Having never been to Rome before I was completely transported and I felt like I was there with Kate, working in The English House, discovering art, visiting well loved tourists landmarks and enjoying a summer in Rome off the beaten path.

The dual timeline made it feel realistic and intriguing, with the mystery of journal entries from 200 years ago, while the current summer plays out just enough fun, self discovery, slow burning summer romance and escapism in historical artist flare. I loved how this ended too!!

A perfect summer read with very evident research which gave the places, art and characters great depth! I’m really excited to read more from Lynne Shelby! An easy ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This is so much more than I anticipated and I loved it!

Kate Harper seizes the opportunity to spend the summer in Rome working at the English House. It’s somewhere to escape to after she parted ways from her boyfriend, Gabe. It’s also a place she hopes to find out more about the woman in a painting she loved… the one which was recently sold by her family. Once settled, she meets the artist in residence, Jamie. Together, they research the painting, which leads them to unexpected discoveries… and love.

The duel timeline is an unexpected but delightful surprise as Kate and Jamie find out about Charlotte Browne, the woman in the painting. As the pair investigate, they become closer, but with neither of them not wanting to be involved in a relationship, friendship is all they share. Therefore, there’s lots of sexual tension bubbling under the surface, as they try to deny their feelings for each other.

I’m always happy to read a slow-burn romance, and this novel is perfectly balanced with the historical aspects and the contemporary setting. The secondary characters add depth to the story both in connection to the painting and as a side plot. Thanks to the skill of the writing, it all comes together, creating a captivating page-turner.

I’ve visited Rome previously and enjoyed revisiting it through the eyes of the author. I’m not a fan of art; however, the narrative offers so much enticing detail. I’d like to revisit the Italian city again, to see it through different eyes.

If you like reading novels set in faraway lands, this is perfect for anyone looking to escape for a few hours, in your favourite cosy spot.

***arc generously received courtesy of Headline Accent via NetGalley***

Loved loved loved this book, a bright summery summer in Rome! Loved the descriptive scenery and the storyline was brilliant, loved the detail of the art and the plot to find out more about the elusive Charlotte Browne.
Couldn't put this book down, highly recommend

A clever, sweeping, dual-timeline romance that will absolutely keep you guessing!

I loved this trip down memory lane to the wonderful city of Rome. If you've been before you'll adore the descriptions of familiar places. If you haven't been, you're in for a treat! You get to explore from the comfort of your armchair.

The author perfectly captured my own feelings about Rome - that it's like walking through layers history. This idea is woven in through the art theme and also the dual timeline, where we explore another fascinating story.

The mystery and intrigue will certainly keep you turning the pages, and the slow burn romance will keep you wondering...

I thoroughly enjoyed my fictional summer in Rome and can't wait for more from this talented author.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.

What a Fabulous, heartwarming book.

Reading this, it felt like the author walked the streets just like Kate, and seen all the places, which were described beautifully.

It also felt like I was there, exploring with Kate, who had never been to Rome and wanting to find out what happened to the Italian girl, a long time ago, the portrait of who was hanging in her home for her whole life.

This was a story of friendship, new starts and love.

Kate’s trust was broken by someone who she thought was trustworthy.,

It was nice to see how Kate started on the path to her new life, was happy and surprised reading how Charlotte’s lived and how her life ended.

I highly recommend this book.

If you enjoy your romance with an art historical twist, this lovely story set mainly in Rome provides the perfect escape. Kate decides to take a summer job in Rome when her boyfriend proves untrustworthy. Working at a historical house previously home to nineteenth-century English artists and writers is an excellent way to heal and try to solve a mystery.

I enjoyed the gentle romance between Kate and Jamie and the incredible sense of place this story has. The historical mystery revealed through journal entries adds authenticity and interest to the contemporary novel. The author brings Rome in the summer to vibrant life, and the art history and historical detail make this an engaging read.

I loved the romantic conclusion too.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

I have to admire the sheer amount of research that Lynne Shelby must have put into the writing of this novel, at least I am assuming that not too much artistic licence has been used, with the amount of art and history in this book.

For this really is a book that lovers of Art and to an extent history will absolutely love. Unfortunately neither of those are areas that I have any great interest in, so while I can admire the authors clear love of them and the skill of writing fabulous descriptions of paintings and frescos, as well as an account of a story that happened 200 years previous - it wasn't for me as engaging as it could have been.

That being said all the present day story, the search for the truth about Charlotte, the friendship between Kate and Jamie and the whole summer in Rome, I truly adored.

I loved Kate who transported herself to Rome to work as a guide at The English House (a former residence for English artists), and wants to start drawing again, recover from the deceitful man she had been dating, and just discovering and exploring Rome.

It is a real slow burn romance, in fact there is a secondary romantic storyline that felt at times more prominent and that I enjoyed reading about too.

I feel as though I have definitely been transported to Rome, and was able to from my armchair visit many of the iconic tourist attractions, in addition to those off the beaten track. It was clear that the author really loves and knows Rome well, from the writing.

A really lovely story, and one that any history of art lover especially will enjoy!

Thank you to Accent and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

This is the perfect summer read, and what a guide to Rome! I have visited Rome and seen many of the tourist spots that Kate visited with Jamie, and can see them so well in my mind, the author describes everything so well.

I loved the story of the Italian Girl, there’s a lot of research gone on throughout this book as the descriptions of the paintings, sculptures etc including their history is astonishing.

In places the story is a bit predictable, I did guess most of what happened, but it didn’t take away any of my enjoyment of the book. I devoured it over a couple of sittings and it bought back some amazing happy memories of my time in Rome with friends too.

When Kate’s art-seller boyfriend cheats her family out of thousands of pounds, there is only one thing to do: move to Rome for the summer! Kate never wanted her family to sell the ‘Italian Girl’ painting in the first place, but at least in Rome she might have a chance to learn more about the girl in it; especially when she is working as a tour guide in the very house where the Italian Girl lived. As a bonus the English House’s artist in residence, Jamie, is happy to show her the sites and Kate is more than happy to let him. If only the summer was longer…

This book was the perfect feel-good escapist read. The sites of Rome were described in such emotive detail that I really felt like I was there. Even the historical scenes were immersive, with enough detail given to make them realistic but not enough to detract from the main narrative.

As for the romance plot, it had the perfect slow burn. The outcome was obvious from the first few pages which left me satisfying frustrated with each missed opportunity. Similarly, the ending was predictable in a satisfying way that left me feeling fully fulfilled when I put down the book.

The art focus of the book gave great depth to the characters and allowed them to interact in realistic and engaging ways. It also created a continuous thread which could be followed throughout the narrative. A similar thread was found in the intrigue of the Italian Girl. This also added depth to the story and kept me engaged on an even greater level than the main romance. Once more, Shelby managed to create a satisfying ending for this mystery. I found it a refreshing change to read a book where all the loose ends were tied up so neatly.

This book was such a pleasure to read, such a beautifully written, atmospheric book , everything about this book is just so perfect and beautiful, the writing, the characters, the world building and the story. I was so ecstatic at how good a read this was and it completely blew me away. Thoroughly, highly and wholeheartedly recommend this to everyone and can’t wait for more.

This has to be one of the best books I’ve read this year. I felt i had visited all the beautiful areas of Rome from the fountains to the Colosseum breathing in the tastes and smells that make Rome so unique. It’s a beautiful story as Kate tries to find out what happened to her Italian Girl of two hundred years ago. There are characters I loved and one particular one I did not but their back stories made for a beautifully written book that I enjoyed so much and would recommend. I would give it ten stars if I could

What a lovely, uplifting read! I read the novel on holiday; it was the perfect book to relax and unwind with. Kate was a likeable heroine, her family were wonderful, and her newfound life and love interest in Rome was perfect. For a novel filled with artistic fervour, Jamie was the ideal hero; his passion for both the art exhibited in Rome and that created by his hand was evident throughout. The insights into the past worked well, and I enjoyed discovering more about Kate’s Italian girl (depicted in a painting). Overall it is a lovely escapist read that will whisk you off to Rome for the Summer, fill you with warmth and leave you with a big satisfied smile.

I loved this book, I also thought that this book was unique and I loved the little ways it was so different from a typical romance story. The characters were great and the setting was just wonderful. Loved it.

I really liked this book. At first I wasn’t sure about the story involving the painting but it came together really well, and I didn’t want to put it down in the end.