Wish You Were Italian - Kristin Rae

Summary from Goodreads:

Pippa has always wanted to go to Italy…but not by herself. And certainly not to sit in art school the entire summer learning about dead guys’ paintings. When she steps off the plane in Rome, she realizes that traveling solo gives her the freedom to do whatever she wants. So it’s arrivederci, boring art program and ciao, hot Italian guys!

Charming, daring, and romantic, Bruno is just the Italian Pippa’s looking for—except she keeps running into cute American archeology student Darren everywhere she goes. Pippa may be determined to fall in love with an Italian guy…but the electricity she feels with Darren says her heart might have other plans. Can Pippa figure out her feelings before her parents discover she left the program and—even worse—she loses her chance at love?

Wish You Were Italian was adorable! And oh my gosh - ITALY. I WANT TO GO SO BAD!! I imagine I will have the same reaction that Pippa had to the Colosseum when I travel there one day. I also really want gelato now, too which technically I can try here in Portland, but I refuse to try it until I am actually in Italy. I do wish Pippa traveled more around Italy instead of just Rome and the Cinque Terre area but I liked the friend and family element she found and needed. At first I definitely couldn't decide between Darren or Bruno but then it became very clear and I was very happy with the ending! I even tweeted Kristin Rae after practically squealing because I was so giddy over the final line that a certain someone says :) Darrren was so frustrating though! Like he really needed to grow a pair and make some BIG MOVES. There was a particular family moment that seemed slightly out of place and pretty sudden and sad but it needed to happen in a way so that Pippa could grow. Wish You Were Italian was definitely a fun, cute read that will have you wanting to go to Italy IMMEDIATELY.

Rating: 8.5/10

Categories: book review, teen fiction, ya, young adult