“You know, people come to Italy for all sorts of reasons, but when they stay, it’s for the same two things.”
“What?”
“Love and gelato.”
-------PLOT WITH NO SPOILERS-------
LOVE AND GELATO did the perfect job of fulfilling my wanderlust needs after being stuck at home for so long! The setting of this book was definitely something that really set it apart from other books. I love how Welch describes locations in Italy--I really want to go there now! It had a really good travel vibe, almost like a road trip book even though there was no road trip.
The story follows Lina as she moves to Italy from the States for the summer. A trip to Florence through the eyes of Lina, her mother's journal and the boy who lives in a gingerbread house named Ren
What can you expect when out of nowhere, you're sent to a foreign country where you don't speak the language to live with the father you never knew you had?
A character that's pretty like-able. She's not dim-witted (though at times she was rather unobservant). Her confusion throughout her short journey is relatable. She's grieving her mother - a woman with secrets and facets unbeknownst to her daughter. While she loves her mother, she sometimes feels as though she never knew her.
Lina’s inner monologue was a literal window to her soul, and I was constantly either crushingly sad or snort-laughing. She experiences grief so honestly, while still managing to hold onto her personality and sense of humor. It’s sometimes a struggle to find three-dimensional characters in YA novels, but Lina came across as a funny and genuine person coping with a horrible situation.
I really loved Lina as a character. Her thoughts and actions felt really realistic, and I could really place myself in her position. One of the coolest aspects of this story was being able to Google the locations and sights described in the story and experience it simultaneously with Lina :D
Love & Gelato is full of mystery, adventure, and beauty. This is one of the cutest books I've ever read! It was such a quick, easy read, but still left me feeling completely satisfied. I really loved how easy it was to sit down read this book, and then suddenly be finished. It flies by, and you smile the entire time!:)
If you're looking for something light to read, then this book is the right one for you!
