Wish you could take one last trip to finish out your summer vacation? Pick up Roman Crazy by Alice Clayton and Nina Bocci and be transported to Rome for an epic romantic adventure.

There is so much to love about Roman Crazy. It will whisk your spirit and your mind to places that seem a world away. First, get a glimpse of exactly what this book is about, then check out our thoughts on why Roman Crazy is the perfect way to wrap up your summer reading adventures. Fall is creeping ever closer, but there’s always time for one last hurrah.

About ‘Roman Crazy’

Avery Bardot steps off the plane in Rome, looking for a fresh start. She’s left behind a soon-to-be ex-husband in Boston and plans to spend the summer with her best friend Daisy, licking her wounds — and perhaps a gelato or two. But when her American-expat friend throws her a welcome party on her first night, Avery’s thrown for a loop when she sees a man she never thought she’d see again: Italian architect Marcello Bianchi.

Marcello was the man — the one who got away. And now her past is colliding with her present, a present where she should be mourning the loss of her marriage and — hey, that fettuccine is delicious! And so is Marcello…

Slipping easily into the good life of summertime in Rome, Avery spends her days exploring a city that makes art historians swoon, and her nights swooning over her unexpected what was old is new again romance. It’s heady, it’s fevered, it’s wanton, and it’s crazy. But could this really be her new life? Or is it just a temporary reprieve before returning to the land of twin-set cardigans and crustless sandwiches?

‘Roman Crazy’ book review

There’s no better way to end the summer reading season than with a book that absolutely sweeps you off your feet with whimsical romance and Italian charm. I’ve been excited to get my hands on Roman Crazy since I first heard about it oh so many months ago. I don’t read a lot of stories that take place in foreign lands, but every time I do, I fall a little more in love with the dream of taking a vacation and falling headfirst in love with a new country and a new life.

Marcello and Avery’s story pushed me one step closer to booking my ticket. When everything goes wrong in her life, and all she wants is to start over, Avery flees Boston, Massachusetts and unknowingly flies directly into the arms of the man she let get away. Roman Crazy is the unflinchingly honest story of the adventure of Avery’s lifetime.

Perhaps the biggest asset to Roman Crazy is that Marcello does not save Avery from her hum-drum life. Quite the contrary, actually: Avery saves herself. She takes a risk and heads off on an Italian adventure with her best friend Daisy and reinvigorates her spirit with the delights of Rome. The people and the food, the ambiance and the scenery all share equal credit for helping Avery to find her way back to the lively, energetic human she used to be. Marcello is just one more way for Avery to reclaim what was once hers.

The history between Marcello and Avery is what makes this book so intense and compelling. You read all these stories about their first tryst in Spain and imagine all the fun and sexy times that bonded these two spirits forever. Despite having been separated by years and continents, they never again found what they had with each other. It isn’t until they’re reunited in Rome that the two see just how much they’ve missed out on over the years, and how much better life can be for them together.

This book is chock full of the snark and endearing charm that I have come to expect from an Alice Clayton novel, and has a little something extra that must come from Nina Bocci. Avery and Daisy’s friendship jumps off the page and makes the characters feel real and alive in refreshing and entertaining ways. That tangible, realistic sense of friendship is a testament to the ladies behind the words.

If you are looking for a fabulous way to finish off a summer of adventurous reading before diving into fall’s mysteries and spooky stories, Roman Crazy is definitely the way to go. There is a lot to like and even more to love about this story, and it’s bound to have you starting a vacation fund of your own.

Roman Crazy is available now. Get your copy today from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or find an indie bookstore near you.