“You know, people come to Italy for all sorts of reasons, but when they stay, it’s for the same two things.”

“What?”

“Love and gelato.”

Like the other book I reviewed, Love and Olives is so similar to Love and Gelato for the atmosphere and detail-wise but at a different place.

This contemporary romance, set in Italy, talks about Lina who lost her mother to cancer and that she doesn’t know who her real father is.

Her mother’s dying wish was for Lina to go to Italy and stay with her friend, Howard, the caretaker of a WWII cemetery. Lina reads a journal from her mother and reads with excitement about her mother’s studies in Italy when she was around Lina’s age. The journal reveals a bunch about her mother’s past which she never knew about. During her stay in Italy, she falls in love, makes new friends and discovers the beauty within the city. 

This book was such a fast-paced read with a great representation of the cultures and landscapes in Italy. The romance at the end was literally the sweetest thing ever. It made me cry so much. 

I absolutely recommend this book to anyone who loves Love & Olives or Love & Luck. If you like this book, you should check out the other books she wrote or the book Anna and the French Kiss.