*Special Guest Post by Teen Volunteer, Emily*
Love & Gelato is a mixture of an adventure, romance and coming-of-age novel set in Florence, Italy. The book opens with the main character Lina, who was in the process of losing her mother to pancreatic cancer. Her mother expressed to Lina that her dying wish was for her to spend the summer in Italy with a long-time friend by the name of Howard. When her mother had passed, it was Lina’s grandmother who informed her that Howard was actually her father. When Lina finally arrives in Italy, she spends her time refusing to talk to Howard about him and his mother’s relationship, and instead understands the story through an old journal of her mother’s. Within the first few days she meets a boy named Ren, and they instantly click. Within his company, she dives into her mother’s journal, discovering the adventurous stories of her mother’s time in Italy and why Howard hadn’t been around for all these years. The story unfolds with an unlikely romance, drama, and developing a sense of self.
I absolutely love Love and Gelato! It is the perfect book to read on the beach, in your bed, on a plane, and simply anywhere at any time! From the opening lines, it is packed with emotion. Lina is faced with the death of her mother as an early teen which is unexplainably difficult to go through. Her grief can be felt as the reader and it creates a strong sense of family that truly makes you cherish your loved ones. However, the story is definitely not a sad one. When Lina travels to Italy, it is the adventure that she has that keeps you on your feet and engaged at every point in the novel. Meeting new friends, exploring the city, and understanding her parents’ past is simply an exciting journey to be taken through. If you love a romance story, this is for you. I won’t say too much about it, but it is to pine over!