Published July 20th, 2023 by HQ
Contemporary Romance, Humorous Fiction, Holiday Fiction, Domestic Fiction, Coming-of-Age Story, Adventure Fiction
Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for this uplifting escapist read. Thank you to HQ for the invitation to take part and the gifted copy of the book.
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SYNOPSIS:
Escape to Italy this summer with The Little Italian Hotel, the uplifting new book from Phaedra Patrick, the bestselling author of The Library of Lost and Found.
‘The perfect book to read when you want to give your heart a holiday’ Sally Page, bestselling author of The Keeper of Stories
Ginny Splinter, acclaimed radio host and relationship expert, prides herself on knowing what’s best for others. So, she’s sure her husband, Adrian, will love the special trip to Italy she’s planned for their twenty-fifth wedding anniversary. But when Ginny presents the gift, he surprises her with his own very different plan: a divorce.
Beside herself with heartache, Ginny impulsively goes live on air to invite four heartbroken listeners to join her instead. From hiking the hills of Bologna to sharing a gondola in Venice and dancing until dawn, Ginny and her guests embark on a holiday of full of fun, hope and healing.
Sunny, tender and brimming with charm, The Little Italian Hotel explores love, the importance of friendship, and reclaiming the present moment – even if it means leaving the past behind.
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MY REVIEW:
The Little Italian Hotel is a charming story about love, friendship, and healing broken hearts. We are transported to the sunny climes of Italy as radio relationship expert Ginny Splinter travels to Hotel Splendido with four other heartbroken strangers to try and heal her heart after the sudden demise of her twenty-five year marriage. As the group spend the next few weeks hiking in the hills, exploring the beauty of the surrounding scenery, and dance the night away, they forge unlikely friendships and embark on a journey of self-discovery and healing.
Full of heart, hope, and laughter, this uplifting story ticks all the boxes for the ideal summer read. Phaedra Patrick transported me to Italy so vividly that I could feel the sun on my skin and taste the olive oil. But it is the characters who are its essence. Each of them are multilayered and compelling, with even the hotel owner and his daughter needing secret heartaches healed. I wanted to know more about them all and enjoyed slowly peeling away the layers of each character to discover the secrets hiding underneath. I had a particular soft spot for Edna, the curmudgeonly old lady with a heart-rending backstory and oodles of character that leapt from the pages. They really were an eclectic bunch, but it was great to watch as their differences melted away, friendships grew. and they began to open up to one another, allowing them to start rediscovering the joy that life still has to offer.
Sunny, lighthearted, moving and hopeful, this is the perfect escapist book to read in your back garden or by the pool this summer.
Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰
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MEET THE AUTHOR:
I’ve always wanted to write books but came to it the long way around. I originally studied art and marketing and then worked as a stained glass artist, film festival organiser and communications manager. I won several awards for my short stories and have now written six novels, four of which became USA Today bestsellers. I live with my family in Saddleworth, UK, where I write full time.
My debut novel, The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper, was translated into twenty five languages worldwide and was optioned by a major Hollywood film studio.
My second novel, Rise and Shine, Benedict Stone (named Wishes Under the Willow Tree in the UK), was made into a Hallmark movie in 2021.
My third novel, inspired by my love of stories, is The Library of Lost and Found. It was selected as ’The Great North West Read,’ to be read across 300 libraries in the UK in 2019.
My fourth is titled The Secrets of Love Story Bridge (The Secrets of Sunshine in the UK) and my fifth, The Messy Lives of Book People (titled The Book Share in the UK) was the Barnes & Noble fiction pick for June 2022 in the USA.
I hope you enjoy my sixth novel, The Little Italian Hotel, a warm, uplifting escape about the power of love, friendship and following your dreams.
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BUY THE BOOK:
Waterstones* | Amazon* | Bookshop.org*
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Thanks for reading Bibliophiles xxx
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