I was sent a free copy of It Takes a Villa by Kilby Blades by TLC Book Tours. All opinions are my own.
About It Takes a Villa:
For the reasonable price of $1, Natalie Malone just bought herself an abandoned villa on the Amalfi Coast. With a detailed spreadsheet and an ancient key, she’s arrived in Italy ready to renovate—and only six months to do it. Which seemed reasonable until architect Pietro Indelicato began critically watching her every move…
From the sweeping ocean views to the scent of the lemon trees, there’s nothing Pietro loves more than his hometown. And after seeing too many botched jobs and garish design choices, he’s done watching from the sidelines. As far as he’s concerned, Natalie should quit before the project drains her entire bank account and her ridiculously sunny optimism.
With Natalie determined to move forward, the gorgeous architect reluctantly agrees to pitch in, giving her a real chance to succeed. But when the fine print on Natalie’s contract is brought to light, she might have no choice but to leave her dream, and Pietro, behind.
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“I loved that this took place in Italy. It was so wholesome and welcoming and it makes me want to vacation there.” -Court’s Book Nook
“I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was a fun, fairly sweet romance with a decent bit of spice. I loved the Italian setting and was constantly hungry – the food sounded delicious!” -Purl Up and Read
“It Takes a Villa was such a dreamy book. Seriously, just pick me up out of my seat and whisk me away to the coast of Italy, I’m so on board.” -Marsupial Literature
“This slow burn friends (to enemies) to lovers is the perfect read for anyone looking to get away from the cold and never-ending winter in the US.” -Mrs. J Reads Books
“The author’s lush storytelling and vivid descriptions will have you eager to travel to Italy and see the quaint towns for yourself!” -Mystyc Metrik
“I absolutely adored this charming book. It was Eat Pray Love meets Under a Tuscan Sun for black women and it was adorable.” -TM R.
“It’s a lovely story. I love the setting of a beautiful town and a determined woman, set to reach her goal no matter what.” -Diary of a Wannabe Writer
“It Takes a Villa pulled me in from the very first page. I loved the idea of this story and all of the complications that could arise from renovating in a foreign country. I thought the author did a really good job with her description of things and found it very easy to visualize everything.” -Once Upon A Book Blog
“I enjoyed the cast of characters and the beautiful setting. There is a family tradition with lemons that is sweet. The writing style was wonderful.” -What Cas Reads
“This book makes me want to buy my own villa for $1 and have my own adventure. I was totally caught up in this book and I could not put it down to the very end.” -Shastar 1980
“This story sucked me in and did not let me go. The vibe, setting, story, and characters were charming and endearing.” -The Curvy Savante
About the Author:
Kilby Blades is a USA Today bestselling author of contemporary romance. Her debut novel, Snapdragon, was a HOLT Medallion finalist and a Publishers Weekly BookLife Prize semifinalist.
She has been lauded by critics for “writing characters who complement each other like a fine wine does a good meal” (PW). When she’s not writing, Kilby goes to movie matinees alone, where she eats Chocolate Pocky and buttered popcorn and usually smuggles in not a little bit of red wine.
kilbyblades.com
My Opinion:
A lot of people dream of buying a villa (or a chateau) and moving to a foreign country to live out a dream. This novel allows the heroine to do just that although her doing so is tinged with some sadness.
As part of a program to revitalize a small Italian town, Natalie purchases a rather rundown dream. While renovating her villa she is also trying to learn about why someone from the town left her grandmother a rather sizeable bequest.
As she fixes up her crumbling building she has help from the man responsible for the program that brought her to Italy in the first place. His interest is more than teaching her how to apply plaster to her walls….
What follows is a pretty standard romance novel with the advantage of a wonderful location and a very quirky cast of characters. It was a quick and easy read that helped the day fly by. There is no new ground broken here but it was elevated by the location.
Rating:
3.5
