However, there is one she left out that I would have loved to try. It's really an inspiring story as well, but only for those who are open to being inspired.Īt the end of the book, Kristin includes a few recipes that were used in the story. It made me want to go to Italy, see 'Roman Holiday,' and further explore something for which I've been told I have a talent.

I found myself cheering for Cat and even getting emotional. However, 'Italian.' stands on its own as a well told and interesting story that keeps you guessing until the very end, and has lots of fun surprises along the way. I was expecting this to pale in comparison to 'The Opposite.' because I had set a bar for my summer reading based on that book.

And both learned a lot about themselves and their families. Both women made decisions and took risks that fell outside the patterns of the lives they were used to leading. Both were focused on their work and had beautiful red-headed sisters who are luckier in love. Having come off the heels from reading 'The Opposite of Me,' I was able to make some comparisons between Cat and Lindsey (from the previous novel). How easy is that for beach reading material?!? However, there's so much more to this book. Kristin Harmel gives us a cute and romantic story that takes place in Italy. It will take an unexpected friendship with a fiery Italian waitress, a whirlwind Vespa tour of the Eternal City with a handsome stranger, and a surprise encounter with an old acquaintance to show Cat that life doesn't always work out the way you expect, but sometimes you have to have fall in order to fly.I started 'Italian for Beginners' with the expectation that it would be a light beach read.

Now, she must see if she has the courage to live outside the lines for the first time-and to face a past she never understood. But her reunion with the slick and gorgeous Francesco is short-lived, and she finds herself suddenly alone in Rome. To shake herself free from her old life, she decides to accept an invitation to spend a month with an old flame in Italy. But after her little sister gets married, Cat wonders if she has condemned herself to a life of boredom by playing by the rules. Thirty-four-year-old Manhattan accountant Cat Connelly has always lived life on the safe side. In this romantic whirlwind of a novel, follow Cat as she flies to Italy to rediscover who she is, and takes the chance of a lifetime.

Italian for Beginners by Kristin Harmel