This was an entertaining, well-written book. It was fun, cute and picturesque. It kept me reading and I didn't want to put it down. I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more books by this author.

Robin is excited for a work trip to Italy, hoping to impress her crush, James, and escape her rival, Liz. She’s also looking forward to reconnecting with her childhood pen-pal, Andrea. However, the trip takes an unexpected turn when Andrea isn’t who Robin expected, creating complications for her romantic plans.

Loved this fun and romantic audiobook, as well as the narration by Karen Cass. Robin is smart and professional, but a little naive when it comes to love. She comes to understand what matters and pursue what she really wants.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

Whenever I pick up a book by Portia MacIntosh, I know I’m in for a funny book with a cute storyline and a host of interesting characters. I loved getting to know Robin and Andrea as they reconnected after years apart and the added bonus of being penpals when they were in school was a special treat. There are so many humorous moments and other than a few not-s0-nice coworkers, all the characters are fun and lovable. Can’t wait to read more by this author!

Portia Macintosh is hands-down one of my favourite authors – I have loved every single book written by Portia that I have read so far. So I really hoped I would love It’s All Sun and Games just as much – and I am so happy that this book has now been added to my favourites list too.

This story follows main character, Robin – we are introduced to her just as she finds out she’s going on a work trip to Italy. Robin is really excited about the break from routine and most of all she can’t wait to impress her work crush, James, away from the office. Robin soon realises that the location of the trip is the hometown of her old childhood penpal – Andrea, which makes Robin even more excited at the prospect of reconnecting with Andrea.

Things take a bit of a funny turn when Robin finds out that Andrea isn’t exactly the person she thought! But then find herself in the middle of a love triangle – work crush guy and brand new Italian hunk guy – what should a girl do?

It’s All Sun and Games is another laugh-out-loud fun romantic read from the Queen of Rom-Com – Portia MacIntosh. Brilliantly funny characters, and a fab unexpected twist makes It’s All Sun and Games a must-read book this summer 🌞

A really fun beachy read where the main character has a hilarious sense of humor. The only part I didn’t love was Robin’s workplace crush. James seemed dull and uninteresting in the extreme. Andrea on the other hand was a fun diversion from all the work drama. A great read, especially after all the heavy historical books I often read.

It's All Sun and Games is a light, fun summer read and you can practically feel the warmth and vibrance of Italian culture throughout. It had characters you're meant to hate, an Italian fiance that's impossible not to love, and plenty of entertaining banter to carry you to the end. I think Andrea's family was the highlight for me; they were warm, inviting and the life of the party.

I loved the pen pal mix up reveal and thought it made for a great twist in an otherwise obvious plotline but I didn't connect with Robin's (the MFC) workplace crush or workplace dynamics. It sounds like a miserable way to spend your working days, so it was great to see her reach for something outside of her comfort zone.

If you're looking for an easy beach read this is a great afternoon read!

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for this ARC to review.

It’s All Sun and Games was such a sweet, fun read! Robin was a likable FMC, and the romance with Andrea was cute. I hated the love triangle, but that’s simply because James was so obviously the worst! It honestly made me think a little less of Robin that she was so into someone who so obviously just liked the chase. Andrea was dreamy and swoon-inducing, as all love interests should be, and the setting of Italy was lovely!

The real stars of the show for me were the food descriptions though! Oh my goodness, if I hadn’t been reading during my lunch hours, I would’ve been starving for the vast majority of this one. I desperately wish I could be in Italy eating the dishes that were talked about. They sounded divine!

I also really loved Andrea’s family. They were charming and warm, and I loved how easily they welcomed Robin into their lives.

Overall, I would recommend this if you want a simple, sweet romance! It didn’t really bring anything new to the market, but I don’t have any regrets about spending a few hours reading it.

A fun romantic read which had me laughing many times.
Robin works for a PR firm in Manchester and her and the team she works with are sent to Italy to meet with clients and to attend her bosses wedding which takes place in Italy when they are there . Before she goes she decides to contact Andrea her childhood penpal from school who lived in the place they are visiting .
Brilliant storyline, the reader feels they are in Italy with Robin and the gang, interesting characters, a great writing style .
Loved it , a great summer read
Highly recommended
Thank you to Netgalley, Boldwood Books and Portia Macintosh for letting me read this book in exchange for an honest review

☀️ It’s all Sun and Games ☀️
Out: TODAY!
4⭐️

Thank you for my copy, BoldwoodBooks!

It took me a little bit to get into this one but once I figured out what was happening, this book picked up quick!

I wanted to keep reading even though I knew I needed to go to sleep 😝

It was really cool to get to watch Robin’s work trip unfold. Especially since she was in for a big surprise 🤭

Basic info:
- Contemporary romcom.
- Single POV, 1st person, single timeline.
- Standalone.

Tropes/Hooks
- Takes place mostly in Italy.
- School pen pals.
- Fake dating.
- Love triangle.
- Mistaken identity.

Synopsis:
Robin (British) and Andrea (Italian) were pen pals in school and if you think wow those are some gender neutral names, you already can guess where the plot is going. Anyhow Robin's company is headed to Italy to meet with their international client. Robin decides it would be nice to meet with Andrea in person after so many years of being pen pals. She also thinks it's a great opportunity to get closer to a coworker she fancies and we basically go from there.

My opinion:
Is it a simple, straight forward, easy to read, fun book? Yes, but as a consequence it's a little too one dimensional and plain.
Is it set in Italy and gives all the summer Italian vibes? Yes, but it could have explored it even more.
Is there a romance and an Italian boyfriend material worthy MMC? Yes, but the romance goes from 0 to 100 in basically a week. Yes, technically they know each form school, but they have never actually meet and I don't believe they got to know each other sufficiently.
What about the love triangle you ask? Well, it's your typical triangle where we all know who the wrong party is, so no mystery or real feelings/character development there.
Generally speaking it's a little bit of a middle of the road read, but it can still be a good beach/pool read or a palet cleanser you can read in one sitting, if you like romcoms.
Finally special mention to Andrea's family. They were awesome.

Thank you @netgalley @boldwoodbooksnl @portiamacintoshauthor for the advance copy of this fun book! ☀️🍉👙

Robin finds out she is heading to Italy for work, and she is more than excited for a week in the sun away from the day to day. She has a client pitch to do, but all the things she is ready to do in Italy. She gets to spend more time with the crush from work James. And show how much different she is from Liz, the rival from work. The town that she will be in is where her pen pal from childhood, Andrea is from. It’s the perfect week! Except when Andrea isn’t what she thought she was….things get a little complicated.

I laughed out loud so many times with this one! I absolutely loved the main character and her sticky love situation. And the setting of Italy made it that much better. Loved it! A fun romance! 🫶🏻

this was the perfect beach read. it is like an adult summer i turned pretty and i enjoyed every second of it. workplace romance done correctly

This is a nice and easy summer read that is perfect by the beach, the pool or even just curled up on the couch. You know exactly what you’re getting yourself into when you start it.

I thought the characters were all portrayed and you could visualise yourself being in Italy and enjoying the meals and scenery with Robin.

I thought the ending was a little too happily ever after. You know it’s coming but it could have maybe been a little more realistic (they decide to be long distance for a while or something).

But overall, a good light read for the summer months.

It's All Sun and Games by Portia MacIntosh

I received an advance review copy for free thanks to Rachel's Random Resources and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Blurb

When Robin finds out she's going on a work trip to Italy she can't wait for a week away in the sunshine, away from the daily grind. So what if there's a client pitch to do while they're there? The thing Robin is most excited about is the chance to show her work crush, James, what she's really like outside of work, and divert his attention from Liz, her work rival.

To make things even better, Robin realises that the town they're going to in Italy is the same place that her childhood penpal, Andrea is from. So it's the perfect time to re-connect and finally meet her old friend over some delicious Italian food and wine (between work obviously...) But when Andrea doesn't turn out to be the person Robin thought, things get a little complicated...

So it's set to be a week of all sun and games... Until someone falls in love of course!

My Opinion

Portia MacIntosh has written some great books in the past and It's All Sun and Games is no exception. It's All Sun and Games has a very predictable plot, but I thought that it was still told in a lovely way. For me this was a heart-warming read that was just so easy to get lost in. A case of mistaken identity could actually be the best thing to happen to Robin. Having finished the book I would love to be able to come back and spend some more time with Andrea's family - they just seemed so welcoming.

Rating 4/5

Book Review: It's All Sun and Games by Portia MacIntosh
This is my second arc by Portia MacIntosh. She definitely has a writing style... and I love it.

Robin works in marketing/PR and is going on a week long trip to Italy to pitch to a new client. She realizes her childhood friend Andrea is from the same area and re-connects to see if they can meet up. There is a great cast of characters including an over the top boss Rick, a cute (but obnoxious) co worker James, and Robin's work nemesis Liz.

The main female characters in both this book and the other that I've read (The Suite Life) are very similar. Funny situations, lots of great banter, some shady side characters. A lot of tropes: fake relationships, one bed, forced proximity, holiday romance, and some pen pals and work adversaries mixed in.
PSA: romance is fade to black for those who like to know ahead of time.
This was a quick fun read and really enjoyable. It's giving me old school Sophia Kinsella vibes- and I love it.
I think I like The Suite Life just a tiny bit more, as the side characters were more solid in that one... but would recommend it for sure.
4 stars from me!
Thanks to Boldwood Books for the advanced reader copy. This titles releases July 11th!

Another fun, charming, rompy romcom from Portia MacIntosh filled with hilarious dialogue and funny, memorable moments!

Robin works for a Manchester based PR firm. She’s part of the team who works under their boss Rick, along with single, flirty, hunky James, her best friend Priya, and her work nemesis Liz.

In light of Robin’s boss telling her she needs to up her game, and being sick of Liz always trying to one-up her, Robin tries to impress the team (especially James) when she states she studied Italian culture which may prove helpful as they travel to Italy in hopes of landing a new client.

When Robin goes home and tells her parents of the upcoming Italy trip, and her subsequent stretching the truth of her Italian cultural studies, her mom helps dive into Robin’s old school files to see if anything might help her. While digging through things, her mom comes across letters from Robin’s school pen pal, Andrea, who lived in Italy. And small world, Andrea lived in the same area Robin will be traveling to. Robin decides to email Andrea and see if she still lives there. And guess what - she does!

When Robin gets to Italy, both her and Andrea are in for a huge shock! Andrea is actually a man and a gorgeous one at that! Andrea thought he had been writing to another male student, named Robin. And Robin is mortified when she reflects back on all the girlie filled letters she sent to Andrea as a teenager believing Andrea was a female student!

After getting over their shock, they realize they could actually help one another out. With his sister’s upcoming wedding, Andrea’s big Italian family is anxious and excited to meet Andrea’s (nonexistent) fiancée. Robin agrees to step in and play the part assuming Andrea will help her impress her team with all her (fairly nonexistent) knowledge about Italian culture which will wow the Italian based company they’re trying to land a deal with. He is happy to help!

A work trip to Italy, a handsome man to spend the days with to impress her colleagues, and hunky James suddenly flirting opening with Robin now that she’s “engaged” - nothing can go wrong! Right?!

Portia MacIntosh has quickly become one of my favorite romcom authors! I know I’m always in for a good time with great characters, hilarious banter, and the awkward, yet humorous, thoughts, feelings, and actions some women always seem to have. She will always be an absolute must-read for me!

Thank you NetGalley, Boldwood, and Portia MacIntosh for providing an advanced copy of the book in exchange for a candid review. It’s always a pleasure!

Such a fun story with many moments that made me laugh out loud. Over looked at work and in romance Robin is determined to change to get her boss’ attention and James’ love. Great summer read that will make you smile throughout.

In "It's All Sun and Games," Robin's advertising agency is tasked with revitalizing an Italian food company's image, leading her to Italy. Seizing the opportunity, Robin plans to reconnect with her pen pal Andrea. However, upon arrival, she discovers Andrea is male, not female, sparking a series of misunderstandings. Amidst the picturesque Italian backdrop, Robin grapples with this unexpected twist while also trying to make her attractive colleague, James, jealous. The novel blends humor and romance as Robin navigates these entangled relationships. Thanks to Boldwood Books and Netgalley for an ARC of this novel.

Standard storyline written in first person. Co worker ignored despite trying to flirt, pretend relationship make him want her now. Pretty basic but there is so much to love about this book! Robin works in the UK for an advertising company with some very annoying and just not nice co workers. They are going to Baci, Italy to give a pitch to a client. Robin decided to try to contact her old pen pal from childhood who lives there. She successfully connects and the story develops. While I really didn’t like the story line of James, just yucky overall, it didn’t detract from my love of this book. Funny laugh out loud moments: A random quote from her father when someone is bugging you “just push them into the sea”. (Made me think of Gilmore girls when Luke pushed Jess into the pond!) I always love a story that has a Nonna (Italian Grandmother) and an Italian wedding! Finally it’s just a great story about taking chances! Don’t miss this one! July 10, 2024 is publishing date! Thank you NetGalley and Boldwood books for the advance copy of this book. It was a great read!

Macintosh really knows how to write a rocking good read.
Here’s my take: a fake romance with an incredible Italian man who also cooks. Yes please, I’d be Andrea’s fake anything anytime.
James was a total skank and I thought Robin had sauce for her brain that she even thought about him, ewwwww.
I was hoping Liz would get some rotten thing done to her but alas…..
It’s a really good book and Robin knows how to put her foot in her mouth or her sundress down her front.