Synopsis:
Avery Bardot steps off the plane in Rome, looking for a fresh start. She’s left behind a soon-to-be ex-husband in Boston and plans to spend the summer with her best friend Daisy, licking her wounds—and perhaps a gelato or two. But when her American-expat friend throws her a welcome party on her first night, Avery’s thrown for a loop when she sees a man she never thought she’d see again: Italian architect Marcello Bianchi.
Marcello was the man—the one who got away. And now her past is colliding with her present, a present where she should be mourning the loss of her marriage and—hey, that fettuccine is delicious! And so is Marcello…
Slipping easily into the good life of summertime in Rome, Avery spends her days exploring a city that makes art historians swoon, and her nights swooning over her unexpected what was old is new again romance. It’s heady, it’s fevered, it’s wanton, and it’s crazy. But could this really be her new life? Or is it just a temporary reprieve before returning to the land of twin-set cardigans and crustless sandwiches?
A celebration of great friendship, passionate romance, and wonderful food, Roman Crazy is a lighthearted story of second chances and living life to the fullest.
My Review:
“Tell me what happened nine years ago, when you left to go back home and forget all about Barcelona. And me.”
SIGH! A smart, modern, contemporary romance that was pure pleasure from beginning to end! Avery is newly arrived in Rome, reeling from a disastrous marriage where she’s actually felt stifled and trapped for some time. Avery reconnects in Rome with an old friend AND with an old flame. Her boyfriend from a summer abroad in Europe is also in Rome. Marcelo has never forgotten Avery, and and has always wondered why she left Europe that summer so suddenly so many years before.
Avery has always played by others’ rules: she married because it was the right thing to do, led a certain life because it was emptied of her, but here in Rome, with her friend Daisy, she is really free for the first time in her life to be her own woman. And Marcello still finds her beautiful and sexy and talented and they begin a gorgeous romance set against the stunning beauty of Italy.
“For the first time in a very long time, I felt treasured.”
Fans of second-chance romance will devour this love story and revel in the stunning European settings! And who could resist falling in love against the incredibly exciting backdrop of Rome? This book is pure magic. There is just the right amount of drama and I adored the intelligent and supportive secondary characters. Kudos to Nina Bocci for a fabulous debut book! And remember, it is never too late to start something new or make a chance in your life. Just go for it!
(ARC provided by the publisher in return for an honest review.)
Guest Post from Nina Bocci
What do you love most about Italy?
God, where do I start? The food, the people, the art, culture, history, smell, energy. I can go on and on. I’ve been lucky enough to travel there many times in my life. It doesn’t hurt that I’m 100% Italian too LOL
What was your inspiration to set Roman Crazy in Italy?
When we talked about the book, we had toyed with a few different locations but Italy stood out as the best spot for this particular story. I had just returned from a trip to Rome and it was so fresh and vivid that I think I practically salivated over the chance to set a novel there.
What were your top 3 favorite things about doing the research for Roman Crazy?
Revisiting Italy. I mean, we used Google Maps at one point while we were on the phone and I talked Alice through a particular scene because I wanted her to know exactly what path Avery and Marcello were walking. I may have gone a bit overboard but. . . it worked. Alice is now convinced more than ever that #TheCaptainHookers need to head to Rome in 2017. Also, for clarification #TheCaptainHookers are myself, Alice and our fantastically fabulous BFFs Christina Lauren
Who is your inspiration for Avery and Marcello?
We went around and around on this. Avery is very close to Elizabeth Olsen. Gorgeous, blond, smart as a whip and pulls of snarky well. Marcello was a tough one. Why is it always that the guys are so hard? (I set myself up for that one)
We did find a beautifully stunning Italian model named Simone Bredariol who really fits the bill well. It helps that he’s Italian 😉
Thank you, Nina! Make sure to leave a comment below on your favorite place you’ve ever visited, OR what place you’d most live to visit for a chance to win a paperback copy of ROMAN CRAZY! U.S only, giveaway closes Tuesday night September 12, 2016. Good luck!
