Thea's husband Marco has suddenly passed away and, after losing everything, she takes her children to find the house he'd bought in Italy in the hopes of selling it to enable them to restart their life in the U K.

Whilst in the little Tuscan town, Thea and her children find themselves drawn into La Tavola, the community kitchen and as they rebuild their house, other things change too.

I really like Jo Thomas's writing but really didn't like the starting point of this story, it's a personal thing rather than an issue with the story, but the characters having had such a brutal loss made this less of an escapist read. Once the story got going, it became more enjoyable to me but I found that initial bit such a destroying event.

As One would expect from this author, the book is well written, entertaining and an enjoyable read. There was an interesting premise which was very well executed and I really did enjoy the growing love story between the Thea and Giovanni’s.

It was somewhat predictable and I found myself underwhelmed by the stereotypical Italian Nonnas.

I thought the side character were very well drawn and I particularly liked the children.. I was hoping for a bit more from the romance and I’m really puzzled as to why so many books recently insist on introducing an unnecessary triangle at late stages in the book.

This was an enjoyable read with a lovely Italian setting. 3 stars

What an absolute delight! As is anything by Jo Thomas. The lovely descriptions of the sad little Italian village where Anna and her children arrive are so meaningful. The house her late husband bought turns out to be a bit of a wreck, but with help from the gorgeous Giovanni it is soon made right. In six weeks, no less!
Anna's profound grief and loss are gently treated. The Tuscan food is as ever, robustly treated and hungry making. It's just a delightful story, and the Nonnas make it perfect!
Thank you for the chance to read and review this book, which I totally recommend.

This latest book by Jo Thomas certainly didn’t disappoint. The setting is wonderful and having visited Tuscany I could imagine this wonderful village. An uplifting story with a happy ending what more to wish for.

Set in the stunning countryside of Italy, with mouth-watering food, and the possibility of a fresh start.

Anna and her children leave Cardiff for the summer holidays, her late husband Marco died two years previously from a heart attack, no money, the restaurant they owned gone and so is her house. Just before he dies, Marco returns home from a trip to Italy where he buys a dilapidated house - the condition which he failed to tell Anna was that it needs to be made habitable within two years. As the family embraces a new way of life which Anna is certain will last for just 6 weeks when she will sell the property and return home. The book is as usual all about unexpected challenges and a potential love interest—she discovers more about herself than she ever imagined.

Anna is a relatable heroine, and her journey of self-discovery is both touching and inspiring. The romance is slow-burning yet satisfying, making it a perfect feel-good read for fans of uplifting fiction.

Thanks to Penguin and Netgalley for a ERC.

This was a lovely book full of summer sun, family, food and fun!

My favourite bit had to be the goats, whose owner was responsIble for Thea meeting Giovanni at La Tavola in the first place. The place of reconciliation.

The nonnas are at war, and want to welcome a new family to their town. They become a key part of reviving their town, as they reconcile after the Lasagne War. It is an interesting concept, but also not unexpected when writing about Italy, and the families in the country and firey tempers,

The 1 Euro house concept to revive a town is an interesting one. This book shows how things can change and become much more valuable than you can ever imagine. And the memories attached to your life are even more important to do this, to revive a life and have new beginnings that you can never imagine.

This is a lovely book! Full of hope, and love, and delicious food, did I mention lasagne... in Tuscany? A place where dreams are made of... and found again!

I love when a Jo Thomas book can whisk you away to another country. It is making me want to go to Italy and experience the life out there. I could feel the sun's warmth on my face whilst reading this book. Thea has come to Italy to sort out her late husbands holiday home. With her children to think of too, she does not realise how much she will have to do. Also the mayor has given her a time line. Thea starts to meet the locals and they need her just as much as she needs them in her time of need. Such a beautiful setting and the descriptions of food sounded wonderfully sumptuous. I love how the community brought everyone together. A wonderful read to escape with. I love how Jo writes about food it always makes me hungry whilst reading one of her books. I cannot wait to see what Jo writes about next.

A place in the sun is yet another culinary delight from Jo Thomas, I adore how she has the unique ability to instantly transport you to the books setting, in this case Tuscany, the vivid descriptions of the landscape,community and the most delectable tantalising local fare so wonderfully described you can almost taste the food!
Thea and her children head to Casa Luna a rundown little house in Tuscany that her deceased husband had bought several years ago,they intend to do up the property, sell it and head back home to Cardiff, however they are welcomed into the community by the locals they become absorbed into the culture and ethos of the village and flourish and heal.
Surprises,cooking, new ventures, and romance make for a great read that epitomises the wonder fullness of friendship, community, live and second chances.
Thank you net galley for this early read

I’ve only read 1 x other book by Jo Thomas so far, which was Chasing the Italian Dream and was a Five Star Read.

After her husband, Marco unexpectedly passes away, Thea has to close the family restaurant and their home is repossessed so she relocates to Tuscany for the summer with her two children, Aimee and Luca to try and sell their holiday home (Casa Luna) so they can make a fresh start back in Wales.

Casa Luna is in a struggling community, which is slowly becoming abandoned and doesn’t attract many tourists. At its heart is La Tavola, a community kitchen which provides food and a safe haven for those in need.

Thea is reticent to get involved at first because her late husband was a chef and after losing both him and their restaurant, she’s fearful of going back in the kitchen. However Casa Luna needs a lot of work doing before it can be put up for sale and so she strikes a deal with Giovanni, who runs La Tavola that she’ll help with the kitchen if he’ll take care of the repairs.

I really liked how Thea and the children became part of the community, rediscovering their love of food and began to have doubts about whether they wanted to return to Wales after the renovations were finished at Casa Luna.

After all, where else can you borrow a neighbour’s herd of goats to take care of your overgrown garden?

A Place in the Sun is a lovely, feel-good read with plenty of comic relief from three feuding nonnas and their abundant lasagnes. The descriptions will definitely make you hungry and/or want to book a trip to Tuscany asap. The romance felt a little rushed though, which is why I’m giving it 4 x Stars.

This was another warm uplifting read from Jo Thomas, this time set in a remote Tuscan village. Thea’s husband Marco bought a cheap house here nearly 2 years ago then died almost straight after, after a difficult 2 years where she lost her business and her home Thea has come to Tuscany to do the house up to sell so she can start rebuilding her life back in Cardiff.

I loved the village here with the community cafe and especially the Nonnas, there’s a real mix of characters some of whom have lived there forever and others who have discovered a safe haven and they work together really well creating a gorgeous close knit community. Thea herself evolved well as she found a way to be useful which was what she didn’t realise she needed and her children found somewhere they felt they could relax again. I’m probably in tje minority here but I didn’t really feel a genuine attraction to Giovanni and would actually have liked her to settle without a romantic interest but he’s a great character and a good influence on her. I would love to read more about the Nonnas I really loved the dynamics between the three of them, they were definitely my favourites in this and added a lot of fun and dramatics to the story.

Three and a half stars.

Thea's husband Marco died suddenly of a heart attack in their Cardiff restaurant. Although she tried to keep the business going after his death, Theas isn't a chef and the combination of Covid, rising costs, and mounting debts forced her to sell the restaurant and give up the family home. Now all that she and her two children have left is the cottage in Tuscany Marco bought on a whim for a song. Thea's plan is to spend the Summer in Tuscany, do up the cottage and sell it to hopefully make enough money to buy somewhere in Cardiff. After the restaurant took over their lives, and probably cost Marco his, Thea wants nothing more to do with the hospitality trade, she certainly doesn't want to work in a restaurant ever again.

When they finally arrive in the small village Thea is disheartened to see that it is practically a ghost-town filled with old people, including three argumentative Nonnas, no cafes, no restaurants and only one small shop. Then the mayor arrives and informs her that the cottage must be made habitable and either sold or occupied by Thea by the end of August, otherwise there is a balloon payment due - its a scheme to bring in investment in the village, empty houses are sold for a song but the buyer must improve them or they have to pay the full market price.

At the centre of the village is La Tavola, a community kitchen which utilises leftover perishables from the local shop to make hearty meals for the elderly residents of the village once a week which are hand delivered by volunteers and then on a Sunday there is a communal meal where all are welcome.

Against her better judgement, Thea makes a deal with Giovanni, local odd-job man and the brains behind La Tavola, he will do up her cottage if she takes over running La Tavola for him. Thea's children are thriving in Italy, finally shrugging off the grief which has overshadowed their lives, making friends with local children and gaining some independence, then a young woman arrives at the cottage looking for Marco, saying she's a 'friend' - what does this mean?

When Giovanni lets slip that La Tavola may need to close because he can't afford the rent any longer, the village pulls together and hatches an audacious plan, but it brings a surprise to the village which leads Thea to reconsider all her choices.

This was a gentle small-town, fell-good romance, what I didn't feel the need for (and it felt a bit wedged in at the last minute) was the 'surprise' and her reaction to it - I felt that could have been finessed far better, goodness knows we had enough repetition of why the restaurant in Cardiff failed, we could have handled a bit more reasoning behind what seemed like a weird decision. Being deliberately vague.

Anyway, as long as you don't mind multiple references to lasagne and red wine (I have to admit even I was feeling a bit queasy by the end) this had all the Jo Thomas hallmarks.

Perfect holiday reading.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley.

Book Review: A Place in the Sun by Jo Thomas

Jo Thomas’s A Place in the Sun is a heartwarming and delightful story that sweeps readers away to the picturesque hills of Tuscany, blending romance, personal growth, and a sense of community in a beautifully immersive narrative. This novel is a perfect escape for anyone who has ever dreamed of starting over in an idyllic setting.

The story follows Thea, a woman grieving the recent loss of her husband, Marco. After relocating to Italy for the summer with her children, she is tasked with fixing up their holiday house, Casa Luna, which turns out to need much more work than she anticipated. The clock is ticking as she aims to fix the house and sell it in six weeks, but she soon realizes that the tight-knit Italian community is more than willing to lend a hand. In exchange for their help, Thea and her children become involved in the local community kitchen, where they work alongside Giovanni, a charming chef, and a trio of competitive nonnas.

What makes A Place in the Sun such a captivating read is the way Thomas weaves together themes of healing and belonging. Thea's journey of rediscovering herself and forming new connections in a foreign town is a beautifully emotional and uplifting experience. The dynamics between the characters, particularly her interactions with Giovanni and the nonnas, provide both humor and depth, while also showcasing the richness of Italian culture and the warmth of its people.

The setting is another standout element. Tuscany’s rolling hills, quaint towns, and vibrant local traditions come alive on every page. Jo Thomas’s vivid descriptions transport readers to the heart of Italy, making it easy to imagine the sun-kissed vineyards, the smell of homemade pasta, and the lively conversations around the community kitchen table. It’s a setting that feels like a character in itself, adding charm and atmosphere to the story.

The romance that develops between Thea and Giovanni is both tender and slow-burn, perfectly complementing the book’s themes of personal renewal. The author does a fantastic job of creating a love story that feels earned rather than rushed, capturing the way love can blossom when we open ourselves up to new possibilities.

While the plot is heartwarming, it’s not without its moments of tension, particularly with a surprise visitor who shakes things up just as Thea is beginning to feel at home. This unexpected twist adds a layer of intrigue and drama to the story, keeping readers on their toes until the very end.

*Thea’s journey of self-discovery, community, and love in A Place in the Sun is a testament to the power of starting over and finding your place in the world, no matter your age or circumstances. With its lush setting, lovable characters, and emotional depth, this novel will resonate with anyone who enjoys stories about second chances and the beauty of life’s unexpected turns.

If you're looking for a feel-good, uplifting read set in an enchanting location, A Place in the Sun is the perfect choice. It’s an emotional escape wrapped in the warmth of Italian sunshine—truly a book that will make you believe in the magic of new beginnings. Highly recommended for fans of romantic fiction and women’s fiction alike.

Absolutely brilliant. Could not stop reading. The main characters world falls apart and she escapes to Tuscany to a house her husband brought with her two children and wow.. You have amazing food, Italian Nanas , falling in love , fantastic children, secrets and a perfect ending. The lasagne part makes you laugh . A real Jo Thomas read with all the lovely food descriptions . You just escape. It is sad at times but a must read.