Wish You Were Italian by Kristin Rae

Pippa is in Italy for the summer and, despite her parents’ wishes, she has no intention of just studying the local art! She has a list of things of her own to do: from swimming in the Mediterranean Sea to getting a makeover – and falling for an Italian boy! As Pippa explores the dramatic ruins of Rome and Pompeii, she is swept into her own drama with two guys: an irresistible local she knows is nothing but trouble and a cute American archaeology student . . . Will she find her true love?

Affascinante! This book was totally charming. Maybe it’s because I’ve always wanted to visit Italy, ever since I was very small. I still hope to get there one day, especially after reading this book.

While I think it’s totally insane to send your seventeen-year-old daughter alone to Italy, it did make for a fun plot here. Pippa goes to Italy to study art. Once she arrives she decides to go her own way and explore the country she has always wanted to see and photograph. Pippa was pretty likable, I thought she fit her age well, but still had a good maturity about her. It was fun to watch her explore Italy and also discover herself along the way.

I can’t believe I’m going to say this, but I actually enjoyed the love triangle in this one. Maybe since she meets both guys at the same time and has to spend time with each to really decide who she likes best. Seemed realistic to me. Both guys had their own charm, but there is definitely one I liked more. Bruno was the hottie Italian she was hoping to meet. He is charming and knows all the right things to say. Darren is the cute American who is sweet and kind and a little slower in showing his feelings. I’m never sure how these travel romances are going to work out, so I was glad to see how things wrap up. I loved Pippa’s BFF Morgan and I hope she gets her own book. She is such a good friend, I loved the goal journal she made for Pippa. Such a fun idea.

Overall, a charming read and one I would highly recommend. I’ll definitely be keeping my eyes open for what this author comes up with next!

Content: Clean!