Starred review from September 14, 2020
A spellbinding romance comes to a crashing halt in the sparkling latest from Kinsella (Confessions of a Shopaholic). Ava, an aspiring author and hopeless romantic, arrives in Italy for a weeklong writer’s retreat where, to facilitate productivity and limit small talk, everyone is required to remain anonymous. From the moment she meets “Dutch,” a gorgeous stranger staying at the same monastery, she feels her “life fallen stunningly into place.” They embark on a whirlwind romance and, on their last day in Italy, vow to make their relationship work back home in the U.K. no matter what reality brings. But as soon as they return to London, their magical bubble is burst. Dutch is not the carefree carpenter Ava imagined him to be, but Matt Warwick, COO of a successful dollhouse company. While chaotic Ava enjoys “rescuing” abandoned furniture and books, measured Matt can’t abide clutter. For her part, Ava can’t stand Matt’s horrific art collection and shivers all night in his freezing bedroom. Worst of all, Matt is not a fan of Ava’s beloved but badly behaved beagle, Harold. In the face of these unexpected differences, can they really find a way to keep their promise? Kinsella’s clever romance about the nature of compromise alternates laugh-out-loud humor with moments that will tug at readers’ heartstrings. This rollicking rom-com is a hit. Agent: Kim Witherspoon, InkWell Management.
