Emily comes to Atlanta to do repairs on a home damaged by fire. Her company rents space from Joseph for her. He takes her to his aunt and uncle's restaurant where she meets Ben, his brother. They are enamored with each other. When Ben is to return home to Italy, he marries Emily and takes her home. Will she find a place in his family? Will she be able to make her art?

I enjoyed this. This is a character study of Emily. She affects everyone she meets. She has an affect on Ben. He is as besotted with her as she is with him. Time seems to stand still as they sit up and talk all night. Her sister stands on her own two feet as Emily is not there to help her out of her difficulties. When she gets to Italy, she affects everyone from Francesca to her father-in-law and mother-in-law. She even finally affects Joseph who has not been home in 18 years. She is finally able to get to family secret out of them.

I liked Emily. She sees what most do not, and she tries so hard to fix things for people. I liked Ben and his acceptance of Emily as she is. They have their rough patches, but he will go to any lengths to make Emily happy. Emily is vibrant, curious, and intelligent. I liked her father-in-law's way of communicating. He never gave direst answers but always seemed to know what your question was and provided the answer.

I was glad I read this book. I will be finding more by this author. ( )

While I enjoyed Reay's previous works, I was a bit disappointed with this one. It's beautifully written but I just wasn't a fan of the story itself. Namely, the romance. I wish it had taken them a bit longer to fall in love and get married. I did enjoy the Italian cuisine and setting though!

*ARC provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. ( )

An underlying theme in this book deals with the bitterness of a major character, who because of something that happened decades prior, now vents all that pent up frustration on everyone around her. She, for all practical purposes, could have been the villain in this story, with her negative influence.
On a positive note, I loved how Emily handled the situation with the guilt-ridden teenager, offering a listening ear. Ben fell flat to me, though; his character didn't feel genuine. ( )

An underlying theme in this book deals with the bitterness of a major character, who because of something that happened decades prior, now vents all that pent up frustration on everyone around her. She, for all practical purposes, could have been the villain in this story, with her negative influence.
On a positive note, I loved how Emily handled the situation with the guilt-ridden teenager, offering a listening ear. Ben fell flat to me, though; his character didn't feel genuine. ( )

I was expecting something better, since I had read and really liked Reay's Lizzy & Jane. Sadly, this book promised more than it delivered. The good points: great descriptions of Italy, where much of the story takes place. Topics include classic books, art, food, and family. A whirlwind romance resulting in marriage. I liked the theme of fixing things which is embodied in protagonist Emily's profession as an art restorer who has the urge to fix and repair everything. The disappointing points: no real crisis for the characters to learn from and grow, yet main character Emily is suddenly wiser and has developed into a talented painter who is given a gallery show by the end of the novel. As I read each chapter I felt like I was missing something - people who were confused or angry or very opinionated suddenly changed their minds or their attitudes i.e. the rift between Emily and her mother-in-law disappears; Emily and her sister Amy are now friends and equals, not competitors; sister-in-law Francesca is no longer offended by Emily's meddling - but how/why did things and attitudes change? Also, since Reay markets herself as a Christian writer, I thought the author missed the opportunity to bring a discussion of faith into the novel, especially when the novel's plot includes murals of biblical stories painted on church walls, the priest advises Emily to pray, and her husband and his family are devout Catholics. So sadly, I really can't recommend this book. ( )