Book Review: The Little Italian Hotel by Phaedra Patrick*

[Ad-gifted] If you are stuck at home back in the rat race and mundane day to day chose and wish you were away in Italy, then you need to get your hands on this new uplifting book titled Escape to Italy with The Little Italian Hotel by bestselling author Phaedra Patrick who is the author of one of my favourite books, The Library of Lost and Found.

Published by HQ Stories, part of Harper Collins, the book is about Ginny Splinter, an acclaimed radio host and relationship expert who 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.

What I thought of the book

I love Phaedra Patrick‘s writing style as her stories are so current and always relatable. This particular one is about a forty-something radio talk show host called Ginny who is a relationship expert. She hosts a radio show where her listeners call her for relationship advice but she soon comes to a shocking discovery that her own marriage is falling apart.

She already planned a special trip to Italy with her husband, Adrian for their 25th Wedding Anniversary but when Adrian asks for a divorce instead, she is heartbroken.  Since her holiday is non-refundable, she impulsively invites four heartbroken strangers through her radio show to Italy for a vacation of healing and self-discovery. They stay in a quaint and picturesque hotel run by Nico and his daughter, Loretta.

I found myself traveling with Ginny and her friends through the hills of Bologna to the streets of Venice and nursing their heartaches and pains together. Each of the characters have been well thought out and they showcase different complex emotions and vulnerability during the trip eventually leading them to open up about their struggles and joys in life.

Edna is eighty-years-old and is feeling lonely since losing her husband and her daughter. Curtis is a property developer in his late thirties who has a heart of gold and a secret which he is hiding from the rest. Heather’s a happy primary school teacher who is struggling with her mum’s health issues while Eric is a shy carpenter mourning the loss of his dog.

Will there be a second chance for these four people? What will happen with Adrian and Ginny, is there hope in reconciliation?

We all can relate to Ginny, as we all know someone in our lives, who is always organised, has the perfect life/marriage and is extremely empathic.  But seeing her marriage crumble and how she navigates through her life crisis is eye opening.  She soon has to not only come to term with her life but to also open up to four strangers .

It is also wonderful to see how each character evolves and how they help each other heal with the help of the Italian sunshine in the beautiful village setting. The book is not just about Ginny but about the rest of her friends, as well as Gino, the hotel owner and his young daughter Loretta on how they each heal from their heartaches.

I would have loved for the story to have a more defined ending as it did leave me wondering what next…perhaps the author has left it open with the possibility of a second book in the future? Well, you will need to read this uplifting and heart warming novel to find out for yourself.

The paperback copy of Escape to Italy with The Little Italian Hotel retails for £8.27 while the Kindle copy can be downloaded for £2.99 from Amazon. Do check the price directly as this might change.

Publisher: HQ Stories
ISBN: 978-0008418489
Dimensions:‎ 12.9 x 2.6 x 19.8 cm
Pages: 352

About the Author

Phaedra Patrick is the author of Rise and Shine, Benedict Stone and The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper, which has been published in over twenty countries around the world. She studied art and marketing and has worked as a stained-glass artist, film festival organizer and communications manager. An award-winning short-story writer, she now writes full-time. She lives in Saddleworth, UK, with her husband and son.

You may also want to read this:

Book Review: Miss Aldridge Regrets by Louise Hare

Book Review of All That’s Left Unsaid by Tracey Lien

Book Review: The Library of Lost and Found by Phaedra Patrick

* We were given a copy of the book in return for a feature. All opinions are our own.