Love & Gelato by Jenna Evans Welch

Narrated by Rebekkah Ross

Synopsis (via Goodreads): “I made the wrong choice.”

Lina is spending the summer in Tuscany, but she isn’t in the mood for Italy’s famous sunshine and fairy-tale landscape. She’s only there because it was her mother’s dying wish that she get to know her father. But what kind of father isn’t around for sixteen years? All Lina wants to do is get back home.

But then she is given a journal that her mom had kept when she lived in Italy. Suddenly Lina’s uncovering a magical world of secret romances, art, and hidden bakeries. A world that inspires Lina, along with the ever-so-charming Ren, to follow in her mother’s footsteps and unearth a secret that has been kept for far too long. It’s a secret that will change everything she knew about her mother, her father—and even herself.

People come to Italy for love and gelato, someone tells her, but sometimes they discover much more.

“Turns out there's a reason they call it falling in love, because when it happens - really happens - that's exactly how it feels. There's no doing or trying, you just let go and hope that someone's going to be there to catch you.” 

This was the perfect summer read! Lina's story really resonated with me, and I could definitely see myself doing the things that she did. I wanted to both speed through this one and savor the experience, so it's a good thing I listened to the audiobook with a set pace. I think I might have devoured it too quickly on my own and it would have been over too soon. (Also, the narrator was phenomenal!)

Lina lost her mother and was tossed into an unfamiliar world with a father she didn't know, a country she had never been to, and a culture she was unprepared for. I enjoyed watching Lina navigate her new life, and the journal she inherited from her mother was just icing on the cake. Lina's mother was a prominent character, and we mostly only see her through journal entries. Despite that, the author makes Hadley (her mother) stand out and claim part of this story as her own. I loved listening to those entries and trying to solve the mystery along with Lina and Ren.

Ren was the sweetest guy and was eager to help Lina find her footing in Italy. They ran into each other on accident, but their relationship made me believe in fate. They were meant for each other, and I liked watching their relationship grow despite some obvious problems. I'm happy Lina decided to share her mother's journal with him, because adventures with Ren were infinitely better than sulking solo.

I also adored Howard (her father). He didn't know Lina existed until shortly before she came to live with him. He did everything he possibly could to make sure she felt welcome and was comfortable. He didn't try to force her into conversations she wasn't ready for, or try to be an overbearing parent, but simply let her live and gave her room to breathe. Howard knew she was hurting and needed time to adjust before they tried to move forward.

Lina keeps in touch with her best friend by making random phone calls and video chatting. Again, the author brilliantly portrays a secondary character with very little information. It was like we'd all been friends forever.

It was such a wonderful reading experience on so many levels. I've never had a strong desire to visit Italy, but now I have an itch. Jenna Evans Welch has successfully made me want to traverse Italy and see every site mentioned in this book. Love & Gelato is my own version of Lina's mom's journal. It will be my map to secret bakeries, interesting sculptures, and the best gelato in the world. I cannot recommend this one enough!

“So... Italian gelato. Take the deliciousness of a regular ice-cream cone, times it by a million, then sprinkle it with crushed-up unicorn horns.” 

“A life without love is like a year without summer.”