Under the Italian Sun by Sue Moorcroft

The #1 bestseller is back with an uplifting, escapist read that will brighten the gloomiest day!

A warm, sun-baked terrace.

The rustle of verdant green vines.

The sun slowly dipping behind the Umbrian mountains.

And the chink of wine glasses as the first cork of the evening is popped…

Welcome to Italy. A place that holds the answer to Zia-Lucia Costa Chalmers’ many questions. Not least, how she ended up with such a mouthful of a name.

When Zia discovers that her mother wasn’t who she thought she was, she realises the time has come to search out the Italian family she’s never known.

However, as she delves into the secrets of her past, she doesn’t bargain on having to think about her future too. But with local vineyard owner, Piero, living next door, Zia knows she has a serious distraction who may prove difficult to ignore…

This summer, join Zia as she sets out to uncover her past. But can she find the future she’s always dreamed of along the way?

My Thoughts

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I love a good romance, and being able to escape to a beautiful location within the pages of a book just makes it all the more endearing.

Zia is stunned to learn that everything she thought she knew about her family was in fact a lie. After being raised by her grandparents following the death of her mother, and knowing nothing of her father other than the fact he is Italian, Zia knows little about what family she may have. There is no denying her links with Italy, as she certainly looks Italian, and has kept the language over the years, After being made redundant from work, and the breakdown of her latest relationship, Zia is certainly wanting to get away from it all.

She has dreamed of living and working in Italy, but that is something that is certainly not easy in these rather uncertain times following Brexit, the only way she can make this work is by proving she has family connections out there. When Zia retrieves a suitcase that is packed full of letters in the attic, this raises more questions than they provide answers, and worse than that, as she finds something relating to her father, Zia is left questioning everything she believed to be true about herself.

Desperately needing answers, Zia enlists the help of her best friend Ursula – who is in desperate need of escaping her own marital problems for a little while. They set off to Umbria, hoping they can shed some light on Zia’s rather uncertain family ties.

Whilst in Umbria, we see another side to this story. There is a family that is at odds with one another as their Patriarch decides that now is the right time for them to retire. Not only do they plan on retiring, they are also selling the vineyard that the family have owned for years, this is something that will have long lasting implications on several peoples lives.

These two stories begin to intertwine, as Zia learns of a family history she never could have anticipated, and the struggle she faces whilst uncovering this truth leaves her feeling the full weight of the impact this could have on those around her. During her time in Umbria, Zia has found herself growing ever closer to Piero, a man who’s winemaking family home and livelihood is being threatened by the impending sale of the vineyard.

This book is certainly overflowing with drama and romance!. I loved following the contrasting storylines between Zia’s life in the UK, and the life of her family over in Italy. Zia is one of those characters you feel a deep connection with from the beginning. She has certainly faced more than her fair share of hardships in life, but she is still a strong, determined woman who knows what she wants from life and pushes herself to do what is right. We embark on this journey with Zia as she learns the truth about her family, and what the future holds for her now she has gained those much needed answers.

And then of course there is the romance!. Zia and Piero’s love story is a beautiful, slow burner that certainly has that ‘will they, won’t they?’ vibe going on, but from the very beginning there is no denying the strong attraction that is bouncing between them. I won’t give too much more away about this, but this is certainly a story you will want to be a part of!.

A gorgeous story that takes you through a rollercoaster of emotions as you follow Zia’s journey. Full of drama, romance and not to forget the absolutely stunning setting, this is a summer read I will be recommending to everyone.

You can purchase a copy of this book by following the links below

Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Under-Italian-Sun-Sue-Moorcroft-ebook/dp/B08L5RPD2W

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/under-the-italian-sun

Apple: https://books.apple.com/gb/book/under-the-italian-sun/id1545319265

W H Smith: https://www.whsmith.co.uk/products/under-the-italian-sun/sue-moorcroft/paperback/9780008393021.html

Bookshop.org: https://uk.bookshop.org/books/under-the-italian-sun/9780008393021

About the Author