Robin’s Reviews 2024 

A WEDDING IN LAKE COMO by Jennifer Probst, both women’s fiction and a contemporary romance, comes out May 14.  It’s the third installment in Probst’s Meet Me in Italy series. Each book in the series is a standalone story. The other two books are OUR ITALIAN SUMMER and THE SECRET LOVE LETTERS OF OLIVIA MORETTI.

Set-Up

Three young women from very different backgrounds become best friends in college. Maddie, Ava, and Chelsea are experiencing self-discovery through the freedom of their college years while dreaming of the endless possibilities ahead of them. It’s a book about female friendships, young love, mistakes made along the way, personal growth, and forgiveness. This novel takes us from college in NYC, to the fashion and acting scene in LA, to an Italian mega villa in Lake Como.

The Characters

Growing up, Maddie’s parents only took care of her basic needs, making it clear to her that she was an unplanned pregnancy. Once she turned eighteen, they washed their hands of her. Now, Maddie is putting herself through college. She finds the confidence she’s been missing through the emotional support of her college friends.

Ava was raised by her wealthy, widowed Italian father. She has charisma that commands attention in any room she enters, but she carries baggage from her mother’s death. It has made her manipulative and controlling, but she conceals it as concern and loving help for her friends.

Maddie is so desperate to be loved and accepted, she doesn’t see how toxic her friendship with Ava is becoming. On the other hand, even though Ava has money and connections, Maddie takes as little as possible from Ava. Maddie wants to make it on her own. 

Chelsea rounds out this group of besties. She had the most idyllically “normal” upbringing. Although she’s part of the group, Maddie and Ava are the primary characters.

Summary

Through their college years, the girls come to terms with their families and upbringings, build lasting friendships through supporting each other, plan their careers, and explore the dating scene. Sparks fly for Maddie and Riggs, and they build a deep romantic relationship. Riggs is studying law while Maddie builds her social media following to become a fashion influencer.

Ava takes her college girlfriends on an Italian vacation to her home on Lake Como. Here, the girls make a pact to attend each other’s weddings, no matter where life leads them.

After Chelsea’s wedding reception, Ava makes a huge mistake that destroys the group. Five years later, Ava is getting married to the man of her dreams in her hometown by Lake Como. Even with her past mistake and loss of friendship still haunting her, she sends the invitations to her college friends.

Maddie, still single, is frustrated with her superficial reality and lack of meaningful relationships. She lashes out on social media, causing a public scandal that could ruin her career. Chelsea is married and has children, but she feels the tug between motherhood and unfulfilled professional goals.

Chelsea will be at the wedding, but Maddie is the X factor. Will Maddie face the pain of the past and hear Ava out? Will seeing another wedding guest from the past be too much? Will Ava’s other secret push Maddie over the edge? Will Maddie hold on to her anger over the wrong done to her, or will she finally find healing?

My Thoughts

There’s a lot to love about this book. The characters and their friendship dynamics kept me interested. I wanted to keep reading to see how the girls would grow through their college years and beyond. Riggs was perfect as Maddie’s love interest. I wanted to see Maddie become successful, but my heart ached for her as their love is tested building their individual careers.

A few things bothered me about the characters, but it didn’t keep me from enjoying the story. I had a hard time buying into Maddie’s loveless family dynamics. Could anyone live with a child for eighteen years and ONLY feel responsible to feed and clothe her? How could they be so cold-hearted? Possible, but extreme. As Maddie works toward her dream of being a fashion influencer, deep down she hopes that if she’s successful enough, she will earn her parents’ love.  I understand Maddie’s misguided thinking, but the extreme brokenness in her family felt unrealistic.

The story takes readers to beautiful Lake Como in Italy twice. What a privilege Ava has to live in a luxurious Italian villa on the lake! She comes from so much wealth! Her background makes me question why she would choose to go to college in the states when she could have chosen anywhere in the world. It’s a minor point. Maybe I’m just jealous I didn’t have a rich friend in college to invite me on extravagant vacations and pay for it all!

Wrap-up

A WEDDING IN LAKE COMO will attract a younger audience, say women in their 20’s and 30’s.  I’m in an older group, ok, much older group, but I still enjoyed this book. The dynamics of three friends and a rocky romance kept my interest. The storyline of a social media influencer keeps the novel relevant today, and yet it brought the good times of my past college years to mind.

I give A WEDDING IN LAKE COMO by Jennifer Probst a strong 4 stars. If it sounds interesting to you, it’s worth a read! If you like the sound of this book, you should check out my review of THE GOOD PART by Sophie Cousens.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for the ARC of this book. The opinions are my own. Feel free to leave a comment! I love talking with my readers!

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