Review: Meet Me in Italy by Brenda Novak

 

Meet Me in Italy Brenda Novak

Publication Date: April 7th 2026 by MIRA & Harlequin Audio

Pages: 400

Audio Length: 12hrs 11min

Narrator: Stina Nielsen

Source: Publisher 
Rating: ★★★★
Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Libro.fm | Audible | Goodreads

My Thoughts:

As Charlotte stares down the looming deadline for her second novel, with not a single word written when her life implodes. Her marriage to Cliff Jackson, a famous basketball star, ends abruptly when he demands she move out with no explanation. She has no idea what went wrong. Then comes another shock: Charlotte learns she has a twelve‑year‑old half‑sister, Lilly, stranded in Italy after their mother is killed in a tragic accident. As Lilly’s closest relative, Charlotte is suddenly the only person who can step in.

 

Determined to meet her sister, escape the chaos of her divorce, and hopefully find inspiration for her book, Charlotte heads to Italy. Her estranged best friend Sloane and Sloane’s brother Julian join her, offering support she didn’t realize she needed, and sparking an unexpected connection with Julian.

 

Charlotte is carrying so much heartbreak and uncertainty, but Sloane and Julian have their own wounds and reasons for needing a getaway, and I found myself caring deeply for all three of them.

 

Meet Me in Italy was an engrossing, heartwarming story, that swept me away! For Charlotte, Sloane, Julian, and young Lilly, this trip becomes a journey of healing, rediscovery, and quiet transformation with a touch of romance woven in set in against the gorgeous Italian Coast.

 

I alternated between reading and listening to the audiobook, and Stina Nielsen’s narration was wonderful. She gave each character a distinct voice and emotional depth, bringing them vividly to life and enhancing my experience.

4 Stars

Book Description:

A sun-soaked trip to the Amalfi Coast promises a fresh start—and reveals secrets never imagined in New York Times bestselling author Brenda Novak’s tender new novel.

In the wake of her debut novel’s breakout success—and a very painful public divorce—Charlotte Williams-Jackson has something to prove. With her second novel overdue, she’s scrambling to hold it together. But her focus is rocked when she discovers that her childhood wasn't as it seemed—and she has a tween half-sister who's been orphaned in Italy.

Alongside her best friend, Sloane, and Sloane’s charming brother, Julian, Charlotte ventures to the Amalfi Coast to meet her sister. She would never turn her back on family, especially since this girl doesn’t have anyone else, but between her looming deadline and her entire identity being flipped upside down, it’s a lot. Determined to rebuild her life, Charlotte must confront the relationships she’s held dear—and the loss of those she thought she had but didn't—forcing her to question everything she understood about herself and the bonds that shape a family.