So as I’m writing this, I also have five tabs open on my computer planning my vacation to Valdobbiadene, and the vineyards of Veneto, Italy!
Leonie Mack’s enchanting descriptions of the farmlands in the Veneto countryside brought everything to life- I was completely immersed in this book, devouring all of the details of the wine, prosecco, grappa and friendship.
This book also had one of my favorite tropes, city girl meets country boy- the country boy being Tiziano, a swoon-worthy tall Italian guy that is also humble and makes you root for him. The magnetic attraction between him and Jenn builds up throughout the book which makes it impossible to put down since you want to find out what happens in the end! I love when two characters have something more to offer each other than just attraction- and Mack is a master at building that!
On another note- the author went into such detail with the different types of prosecco and their undertones that I almost felt as if I became an amateur wine connoisseur by the end of the book! Just be ready to grab a glass of prosecco, get a comfy chair, and be taken away to the Italian countryside with this book!

This was another wonderful story from Leonie Mack. I adore the way she always creates unsusal characters for either the hero or heroine, or sometimes both! This story was no exception. I loved Tiziano and this story made me want to move to Italy! I'm a big fan of prosecco and loved the way this was woven into the story. Another brilliant 5-star read!

📚blog tour📚
A taste of Italian sunshine
Leonie Mack
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This was such a great, easy, and comforting read, one that made me want to pack my bags and immediately fly to Milan and wait for a bus to take me to Veneto.

I absolutely loved the mistranslations the characters said, and how sometimes the mistranslation was even more fitting than if the character had said the correct word, Nonna was especially cute with hers.

I love how Tiziano was like a familiar song to Jenn, how she couldn't resist him and loosened up around him and the absolute raw magnetism between Jenn and Tiziano just made the story perfect, her formal, prideful persona vs his relaxed, easy going one, you really couldn't get more opposite to each other. But the way they just brought out the best in each other and opened new world's and sides to themselves, they either previously ignored or didn't know was there.

The character growth of Jenn, her quite staunch upbringing, made her who she was, but Tiziano, her polar opposite, showed her what she didn't know she needed in her life.

Leonie's words create such a sensory explosion, with the vivid descriptions of sights, scents, and flavours that take you right into the story. The ending gave me goosebumps, and I really didn't want to leave Tiziano and Jenn. I think this was my favourite book by Leonie.

Leonie Mack is a new-to-me author.

The synopsis sounded very fun. And there were some fun, and even funny parts in the book. Two characters who are completely different from each other. I found Jenn hard to like. I spent most of the book trying to decide if the part of her that didn't like the taste of wine or "bubbles" in drinks was a quirky trait or a silly one, given her job and how glamorousit was made to sound. I was even annoyed by her at times as she seemed childish.

Tiziano was an original character and I thought he really tried to do the best he could for Jenn. He was fun, and hillarious at times and a gentleman at others.

The descriptions of the Italian countryside, food, wine and scenery were amazing and these and Tiziano made the book for me. Nonna was charming and I wanted more scenes with her.

I liked the snippets of infomation about wines in between chapters: they were a unique addition to the plot, and a good way to learn more about wine. I like white wine but only very very occasionally. This as well as the scenery and customs made the book immersive.

I did feel pulled out of the story by Jenn often. But then I was pulled back by Tiziano, Nonna and the scenery and atmosphere.

I wanted to like this so much more, but the writing style was very wordy at times. Despite this, it had quick pacing.

Some of the jokes, like the lady from northern England whose name is Carmen or Carmel, got tired pretty quickly and wasn't funny, at least I didn't find it funny. If someone had spent time in the UK like Jenn had then they would understand it.

I found the repitition of Jenn's backstory chapters into the story unneccesary.

I had hoped to see more character growth in Jenn than I did. I wished throughout the book that she were more grateful and enthusiastic about the opportunity to go to Italy that was given to her, and not so judgemwntal and fussy about everything and everyone.

Maybe someone acting like this would be fun and funny to some people, but it isn't to me, and made Jenny seem even more petulant.

I have to say, this part of her almost put me off wanting to continue the book.

I'm glad I did, though, and I did because of all the things mention in this review that I thought were good about it.

Thanks to Leonie Mack, Boldwod Books and Rachel's Random Resources for an eARC in exchange for an honest and voluntary review.

3 stars

A woman who develops a taste for the country life: appealing world building🍇🍷

4-4.5🌟stars
For the most part, I give this sweet romance high marks. Both main characters were appealing and relatable, but Tiziano, the handsome, seemingly carefree farmer, tooling his Lamborghini tractor on the roads and through the vineyards of the Italian Veneto region, took my sympathies almost immediately. His rolling stone surface hid an easily wounded sensibility and devastating despair that eventually comes to light.

Jenn, the female lead, has plenty of problems too, but they seemed manageable and easily dealt with compared to Tiziano's. She's a striver for career success and starts out full of prejudices against the country life. She's more transformed in the story, but Tiziano's changes had more emotional impact for me.

There's a bit of education about prosecco sparkling wine and grappa, a powerful, warming Italian liqueur, both produced in the Veneto region. The wines are key in the plot, but they come across as an experience, best shared by at least two, rather than just a drink. The author actually built a world on the banks of the Piave and in the Veneto hills that made it easy to understand why Jenn fell in live with the places and people so quickly.

Two things that brought my rating down:
1) the tasting climax scene was over the top and unrealistic. Can't envision this audience having any interest in Jenn's new philosophy on life and wine making, let alone her romance; and
2) the wine tasting reviews sprinkled into the story went WAY over my head! I tried to read and take in the first few then ended up skipping them altogether.

Thanks to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for sharing a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest opinion.

A really charming end of summer read. This book had me dreaming of great food, new friends and trying new sips.

This book has a cozy feeling of experiencing new friendships and challenges in a small community in Italy. With the perfect balance of drama, spice and comedy too. Some serious topics are touched on in this book in a supportive way.

Overall I loved this book, and it left me with a warm heart melting feeling of friends and family.

Thank you yo NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the free ARC for my opinion.

I love books set in Italy.
This one certainly did not disappoint me. This is the author's first book and certainly not my last. I enjoyed the characters, the setting, the search for the wine and the humour. Are you looking for a wonderful summer novel? Then this is a must read!

Thank you Netgalley for this book in exchange for an honest review!

From 10 degrees cold Berlin to a late summer harvest in Veneto? Yes, please! And I loved this book not only because it was a bliss to get away from my current, quite chilly location to always sunny Italy. You simply cannot choose wrong if you go for a Leonie Mack book. I love her plots, the colourful characters and the funny banter they have. While reading, I couldn't wipe the smile off my face most of the time. Even if the book deals with a few tough issues (trigger warning: loss of a child), this is a laughing while crying and crying while laughing type of read.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for an Advance Review Copy.

This was a fantastic read! That’s quite something coming from someone who has a difficult time appreciating rom-coms and men with body-piercing! Leonie Mack writes to have even the most reluctant of romance readers ‘eating out of her hand’.

I think what pulls me into her stories is the location. What’s not to love about Italy?! Right? Mack brings the gorgeous landscape of Veneto alive, invites readers into the vineyards, and pours a chilled prosecco for them to enjoy as she tantalizes them with her humorous prose, intriguing plot, and well-crafted characters. I loved her authentic representation of Veneto and the slow-paced life experienced here as much as I loved her ability to tap into readers’ emotions.

Mack’s characters were unique! Let’s talk about the swoon-worthy male main character. Once I got past the ick of his piercings, I really liked Tiziano…from his funny jokes (call me ‘Tits’) to his tough exterior created by his past. Readers will crush on this big-hearted farm boy who hides secrets in an attempt to maintain his image.

The female main character, Jenn, is also hiding secrets. Although I didn’t connect with her as much as Tiziano, I appreciated her work ethic and her struggle to fit in and ask for help. She’s a unique character, too, both in her person and in her abilities. I loved having a front-row seat to their growth.

I appreciated the message about remaining true to yourself and waiting for the right person to come along. This is paralleled in business dealings as well as romance.

My fourth read, each a five-star, by this author, this is one you’ll want to add to your TBR list…ASAP.

I was gifted this copy by Boldwood Books and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

This book transported me to Italy and I loved every minute of it. Jenn is a relatable fish out of water in the Prosecco Hills, and Tiziano is a lovable rascal on a tractor, and seeing what happens when Leonie Mack puts the two of them together is such a treat. It’s a fun story, but it has a lot of depth too, and I cried more than once. Cheers to this great read!

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆
Wine buyer Jenn grew up in big cities, the daughter of a Korean single mom workaholic and spent lots of time over holidays with her Seoul-based grandmother. But it’s only when she is sent by her work to the Prosecco Hills in Italy that she really experiences the meaning of family. She’s just lost her driver’s licence and is forced into using public transport and getting lifts with the grandson of the Nonna who owns the agriturismo she is staying at, Tiziano. He’s a bit of an enigma. He looks like a county farmer but his true story is so much more. And Jenn can’t help herself but be curious about him!

𝗠𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀
I just loved reading the acknowledgements in this story where Leonie describes dragging her three young kids around this region in Italy, on public transport, from winery to winery, to research writing this book. I loved how the concept of family, what constitutes success and taking time to savour life and get to know the community, permeates this lovely story. On the surface, the city girl Jenn arrives in the backwaters of Italy and gets stumped at every turn until she starts to fit in, a bit like a Hallmark movie, but her own background and that of Tiziano, also so complicated, gives this story depth and heart. Another good one from Leonie Mack ❤️

A couple of problematic or uncomfortable things here but overall a good read. Not much romance mostly arguing, being petulant, and then some sex. Enjoyed the agriturismo parts the best. Nonna should have had more scenes.

As a wine lover the about drew me in for this read but Jenn and Tiziano sealed the deal.

I love a romance read that offers more than just romance, and with the character development that both of these two went through, this one gave just that. Jenn lives a fast paced life in a fast paced city and Tiziano is as care free and go with the flow as they come. These two shouldn't have worked so well together but they did.

After this one I will definitely be checking out more of Leonie Mack's books.

This book was well written and the setting was gorgeous. A predictable read with no surprises but an enjoyable, comfortable read

A Taste of Italian Sunshine

By Leonie Mack

REVIEW:

If I ever wanted my life to be based on a romance, this would definitely be a top contender. The scenery In this book Is beautiful, the chemistry between the two is there, and I couldn’t be more happy with the ending, 4 stars for sure! If adventure romance is your cup of tea then keep sipping!

Leonie Mack has the wonderful ability as an author to create such interesting, multidimensional, downright quirky lead characters that you think would never really work together, but end up complimenting each other to perfection. A Taste of Italian Sunshine has the ingredients of the best type of summer read...interesting characters, great romance, just the right amount of conflict, and a setting that could be a character in its own right. Come to the Italian countryside and stay a while...you won't regret it!
A big thank you to #NetGalley and #Boldwood Books for the ARC.

I was swept away by this gorgeously romantic story, set among the vineyards of Italy, and felt like I’ve just been on the most wonderful wine tasting journey! Beautifully written with likeable, flawed and believable characters. This book is the perfect tonic for rainy days - escapism in book form! Pour a glass of Prosecco and enjoy. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Being Italian myself, I love a romance novel based in Italy, hence why this title caught my eye. I'll be going through the pros and cons of this book, with little-to-no spoilers. Thank you NetGalley for supplying me with this book in exchange for an honest review.
Pros of A Taste Of Italian Sunshine by Leonie Mack


Italy

Like I said, maybe I'm biased because I'm Italian, but I loved that this book was focused on Italy. The author captured the essence of the Italian countryside perfectly without stereotyping and that alone is a great accomplishment. There's nothing I hate more than when Italians are portrayed as a mafia boss, womanizer, or anything of the sort. Aside from Tiziano (we'll get to him later) I loved how the Italian characters were portrayed, such as Nonna Filomena, (she reminded me a lot of my own grandmother, always feeding her family and growing her own vegetables and such) Valentina, Matteo, even Filippo. It gave me wanderlust, and now I'm looking into - yet again - plane tickets to Italy. La dolce vita was described properly and it really gave an insight into the Italian countryside, even the Veneto dialect was depicted in an accurate manner.


The Cover

The cover of the book is just stunning; so cute, cartoon, yet classy and country all at the same time! This is one of those covers that you would want to display on a bookshelf, especially in the summer. Props to the artist, because it really is an adorable cover.


Cons of A Taste Of Italian Sunshine by Leonie Mack


Tiziano and Jenn

I'm all for a goofy guy and a strong woman, but this was just too much. Tiziano was so unlikeable for the majority of the book, making you wonder why an established woman such as Jenn would be interested in a bumbling fool. He was described as dirty, tattooed, pierced, drinking a copious amount of alcohol and occasionally smoking, as well as being a scrawny, pale man-child practically. My question is, after getting the setting of the book so right, how come the author didn't make the male lead as attractive as the backdrop? I can understand maybe he was tall, scrawny and pale, sure but why was his personality so greasy, for lack of a better word? And Jenn, her extreme lack of alcohol control didn't make her quirky or relatable, but rather made me go, "really?". She was standoffish, cold, and kind of rude and she cracked it up to being socially anxious, but this goes on for a very long time that you're kind of just ready for her to go back to London. The issue that Tiziano had in the past that is revealed to Jenn halfway through the book just caught me as stereotypical and kind of like I felt like I already knew at the very beginning. It could have done without. I didn't feel the connection between these two, nor did I like them separately. But, then again, the book talked enough about Italy itself for me to be interested.


Have you read A Taste Of Italian Sunshine by Leonie Mack? Do you want to? Let me know, let's have. a conversation.


A presto,

Melissa

Why is Leonie Mack so great at writing these Italian based stories? She's become an autobuy author for me. Living in Italy and getting to see an author finally get some of the Italian experience correct and coupling it with beautiful romance is always going to be five stars for me. Highly recommended!

I loved this book and it made me want to visit Italy again. It was such a nice and fun read, I fell in love with the Prosecco Hills and with the amazing characters.