My Fake Italian Marriage by Romy Sommer

Release: November 3, 2023
Format: Ebook
Publisher: ‎ One More Chapter
Source: Rachel’s Random Resources
Find it at: Amazon , B & N , Kobo

Cleo Arendse: You know how almost every movie set in Italy seems to be about a woman who travels to Tuscany and is swept off her feet by a charming, gorgeous but arrogant aristocrat? Well, that’s not this story.

Luca Fioravanti:
Challenge accepted.

British Banker Cleo Arendse is nothing like the women lawyer Luca Fioravanti is used to. Both because she’s only in Tuscany to oversee his family vineyard’s business and because she’s impervious to the charm that has never failed him before now.

But Luca has never shied from a challenge. And when circumstances arise that allow him to step in as Cleo’s knight in shining armour, he leaps…right into a fake marriage! The romance may be a ruse but the passion burning between Luca and Cleo is very, very real, and as the ‘honeymoon’ glow envelops the pair, all bets are off…

About the Author :

South African author Romy Sommer is the author of seven contemporary romance novels with Publisher HarperCollins London. And she has also indie-published a further eight books, under her own name and a pseudonym. Her Hollywood romance, Not a Fairy Tale, was a 2016 finalist for the Romance Writers of America® RITA Award. Also her Tuscany-set romance, Last of the Summer Vines, won the ROSA 2019 Imbali Award for best Romance novel by a South African author.

Romy’s passion for encouraging and growing aspiring writers led her to found ROSA (Romance writers Organisation of South Africa). Through ROSA, she began mentoring and teaching. Since 2017 she has worked full-time as a writing coach and editor, following two decades in film production, first in movies and then in television advertising.

She lives in Johannesburg, South Africa, with two precocious teens, four cats and one bearded dragon.

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My Fake Italian Marriage Review:

Firstly, I enjoyed how the author portrayed Luca and Cleo’s relationship. The author delves into themes of unexpected attraction, the blurry boundary between personal and professional relationships, and the repercussions of impulsive choices. This sets the stage for the complications that will undoubtedly arise from the mistaken belief that Luca and Cleo are romantically involved.

As individuals, Luca and Cleo also won me over. Luca, in particular, stood out for his intricate emotions and deep affection for the vineyard. He’s wrongly perceived as a playboy, but his feelings run deeper. His complex relationship with his father, who doesn’t take him seriously, adds depth to his character, and Cleo’s unwavering belief in him is heartwarming. Some of my favorite moments involved Luca finding a renewed sense of hope and confidence that their charade could benefit his father’s health and the future of the vineyard despite the potential complications and misunderstandings it might create.

Similarly, Cleo experiences a rejuvenation and a rekindled sense of possibility. She rediscovers her youthful optimism and begins to dream again, all while savoring the magic of Tuscany, and Cleo sees a different side of Luca.

Even the supporting cast, like Moira, Gio, and Sarah, contribute significantly to the storyline with their own subplots. I appreciated how Luca and Cleo learn from their interactions and how these side stories impact their decisions. Gio and Stefania, in particular, added a charming element to the narrative, and I wished for more of their presence.

All in all, “My Fake Italian Marriage” is a delightful romantic comedy that’s definitely worth a read. I’m eagerly looking forward to the possibility of a sequel that revisits characters like Gio and Stefania.