You Had Me at Gelato (Book Review)
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While I love to travel, jetting off to an exotic destination at a moments notice is hardly something this working mother and wife can manage.
But I do love how a good book can transport me to far away places, without the need for a boarding pass or luggage.
Guidebooks and non-fiction books about various destination are great ways to learn about places around the globe. However, I find that I can really get lost in a good piece of fiction that involves a great love story or a chilling mystery set in a city I’ve recently visited or always dreamed of exploring.
My all-time favorite author is Richard Paul Evans, whose first book, The Christmas Box was published in 1993. I have read nearly every one of his books, and always love getting his latest novel from my mom each Christmas. (Another time I will review some of his literary treasures.)
A few years ago, when I heard that his daughter, Jenna Evans Welch, had written her first book, I had to check it out.
The fact that the book was set in Italy was icing on the Italian cream cake!
“Love & Gelato”
Jenna Evans Welch’s debut novel was “Love & Gelato.” This Young Adult novel was published in May 2016 by Simon Pulse, an imprint of Simon and Schuster.
Synopsis
Lina is an American teenager who never knew her father, and now her mother has passed away. Her mother’s last wish was for Lina to spend some time in Italy, and finally meet her father. So Lina begrudgingly sets off for a summer in Italy.
This father-daughter relationship starts off as rocky as you might expect. It is made even more awkward given that her father is a caretaker for an American Cemetery just outside of Florence and lives on the cemetery’s property.
Lina receives her mother’s journal from the year she spent studying in Florence, revealing details of her mother’s past.
Through Lina’s long runs in the Tuscan countryside and zipping around the streets of Florence on a scooter, she retraces her mother’s footsteps. Along the way, she finds love, friendship, and a growing sense of connection to her father and all the charms of Italy. Including gelato.
Traveling Tanya’s Take
I adored this book! Jenna Evans Welch has a very different writing style than her father and definitely caters to a younger audience. Even though I can hardly be considered a young adult anymore, I have found that YA novels are some of my favorite reads.
Given my affinity for Richard Paul Evans and my love affair with Italy, I had high hopes for this book, and I was not disappointed.
The book moved at a swift pace and had plenty of Italian references and landmarks to make me feel like I was back in Florence. In fact, “Love & Gelato” made me want to go back to Italy so I could check out the cemetery and try Lina’s favorite flavor of gelato. One of these days I will!
“Love & Luck”
Welch’s second novel “Love & Luck” was published in May 2018. While this book is not a sequel to “Love & Gelato” you could call it a spin-off. The main character, Addie, is the best friend of Lina, and Lina does play a supporting role in this book as well.
Synopsis
Addie is visiting Ireland with her family for her Aunt’s wedding and then has plans to meet up with Lina in Italy. But Addie is suffering from a broken heart and is keeping tight-lipped about the incident that led to her recent breakup, putting her at odds with her brother, Ian.
Ian has plans of his own that involve staying in Ireland to follow the path of his favorite band, ending at the band’s epic farewell concert. One catastrophe after another, including an unreliable mode of transportation, mean Addie’s trip to Italy won’t materialize. She is stuck on this journey with Ian and his charmingly Irish new friend.
In an effort to make the best of her revised travel plans, Lina picks up a guidebook, “Ireland for the Heartbroken” and slowly starts to nurse her wounded heart. The trio navigates through the Cliffs of Moher, kiss the Blarney Stone, and visit the Secret Fairy Ring. Along the way, secrets are revealed, family dynamics are explored, and new hopes and dreams materialize.
Traveling Tanya’s Take
I enjoyed this novel, although not as much as Love & Gelato. Having never traveled to Ireland, I was not very familiar with the many landmarks referenced, but it did pique my interest in this lush and historic country.
Anyone of Irish descent or a strong desire to visit Ireland will likely adore this book for the detailed descriptions of several Irish towns and iconic attractions alone.
At times I found Addie and her brother’s relationship frustrating and childish, yet I couldn’t stop turning the pages to find out the mystery behind Addie’s recent breakup. While I wasn’t completely satisfied with how that issue wrapped up, I could appreciate the dysfunctional yet loving relationship between siblings who had different aspirations in life.
If you want to lose yourself in a book and explore the charms of Italy or the landscape of Ireland, Jenna Evans Welch has you covered. Either of these books would also make a great gift for teens or young adult women (or those who are still young at heart!). Just click on the Amazon links to order your books today!
And don’t forget to pick up a copy of “The Christmas Box.” I’m excited to give a copy to someone special on my holiday shopping list this year!
What book have you read recently that inspired you to travel to a new location or return to a favorite destination? I would love to add more travel-themed fiction to my growing reading list!
Wherever the road takes you, make it a joyous journey,
Traveling Tanya
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