Name: Flirting in Italian
ISBN: 9780385741354

Lauren Henderson

Spending the summer in the Tuscany region of Italy on a secret mission to solve a family mystery, English teenager Violet is distracted by exciting American roommates and sexy Italian boys on Vespa scooters.

Flirting in Italian

Siobhán

Flirting in Italian is one of those stories that would be a perfect summer read. It's fun and fresh with lovable characters. It follows Violet, an english teenager who travels to Italy in search of answers on who she is after she discovers a very old painting of a girl who looks just like her. Along the way she makes friends and ememies. As well as falling head over heals for Luca, whose family may just hold the answers to Violet's questions.

I completely devoured this wonderful book. At first I thought it was a little slow and I didn't really get into until Violet gets to Italy but once I did I was completely blown away it. Lauren has create something so magical and beautiful that you really feel like you are in the story with the characters. Going through everything they are going through. When I was reading it played like movie. And yes, I feel like this would make an fantastic movie that the females would adore!!

Violet I have to admit I didn't connect with straight away. I thought the idea of her going to Italy on a whime to chase some ancient painting alone was a tad unrealistic. However, as I continued to with the story, I found myself warming up to her and finding her very smart and witty. The relationships she developed with the three other girls she is staying with in Italy brings out different sides of her. She becomes quite protective and bonds with them. I found that really nice. When she meets Luca there is an instant attraction. Now usually this bugs me but Lauren has managed to do this is real way. Especially as its like a love/hate attraction between them both. At time's it is very sweet, hot and sexy. Others its comical and I just wanted to bang their heads together. LOL But yeah, I swooned over Luca so it was easy to see why Violet liked him so much.

Of course this is set in Italy and even though I have never been, Lauren has managed to make it feel like it I was there seeing this beautiful country. She doesn't hold back in the descriptions and really itches it on the readers brains and makes it real and enchanting. The build up to the ending was full of romance, and mystery. As I was closing in the end of the book I kept waiting for the big reveal around the painting and even though there is a few answers it's not fully explained. Why? Because this is only book 1. I thought it was a stand alone and oh lord it leaves you on a perfect cliff hanging ending that just makes you scream for the book. LOL

Thank you Lauren for writing this wonderful book. I am super excited to read more of the authors work. And I highly recommend Flirting in Italian if you like summer romance, and yummy yummy Italian boys ;)

And a quick note to any UK Publisher out there. Please please please, this book needs to published the UK. us UK girls love these kind of stories. lol.

Erin 

** spoiler alert **
           I thought the premise of this book was really neat, and that's why I picked it up as it had the kind of adventure I craved. However the shift of focus from the painting mystery to the love story (which do overlap I get it) was a bit disheartening, especially since I didn't like the love interest at all.