23 Romance books set in Italy you’ll swoon over

Problematic Summer Romance by Ali Hazelwood

What is wrong meets what feels right in this romance set in Italy by the New York Times bestselling author of Deep End.

Maya Killgore is twenty-three and still in the process of figuring out her life.

Conor Harkness is thirty-eight, and Maya cannot stop thinking about him.

It’s such a cliché, it almost makes her heart implode: older man and younger woman; successful biotech guy and struggling grad student; brother’s best friend and the girl he never even knew existed. As Conor loves to remind her, the power dynamic is too imbalanced. Any relationship between them would be problematic in too many ways to count, and Maya should just get over him. After all, he has made it clear that he wants her gone from his life.

But not everything is as it seems—and clichés sometimes become plot twists.

When Maya’s brother decides to get married in Taormina, she and Conor end up stuck together in a romantic Sicilian villa for over a week. There, on the beautiful Ionian coast, between ancient ruins, delicious foods, and natural caves, Maya realizes that Conor might be hiding something from her. And as the destination wedding begins to erupt out of control, she decides that a summer fling might be just what she needs—even if it’s a problematic one.

The Slow Burn by Ali Rosen

Between a breakup and a burned-down restaurant, there’s nothing left in New York for Kit Roth except the ashes of her success.

Needing distance and distraction, she agrees to work for her best friend’s pasta-making nonna in the Italian countryside. But instead of providing a quiet sabbatical to eat up time while her kitchen is rebuilt, the small town of Manciano keeps pulling Kit into its rituals and rhythms. And before long, it shows her everything she’s been missing. Simpler cooking, community…and Nico Ruspoli, an olive oil producer with his own scorched past. But with Kit determined to leave after three months, and Nico rooted to his grove, their growing chemistry is at odds with what they both want for their future.

Yet with each passing week, Kit finds herself measuring less and tasting more. And when it’s time to go back to her life in New York, she doesn’t know what―or who―she’s willing to leave behind.

Ciao For Now by Kate Bromley

When an American interning at a fashion house in Rome butts heads with her professor’s surly son, sparks fly!

With her thirties rapidly approaching and a mountain of student debt looming over her, Violet Luciano’s dream of finishing design school and working in fashion has cost her everything. So when she lands an internship at an up-and-coming fashion brand in Rome, she brings her A game to Italy. With nothing left to lose, Violet plans to win the competition among the interns for the ultimate prize—a job at a New York label.

But when a coffee run goes wrong and Violet accidentally destroys a stranger’s laptop, all of the apology Americanos in the world won’t help her. Because it turns out that the man from the café is Matteo, her professor’s eternally grumpy son, who thinks she’s a clumsy American…and maybe a stalker. Their animosity (and undeniable chemistry) grows as together they’re forced to face a summer of chic parties, adventures through Rome and sharing a home…with the person they can’t stand the most.

The more time she spends with him, the more distracted she finds herself. With her chance to win the competition slipping out of her grasp, Violet has to decide whether to say ciao to Matteo—or ciao to her dreams.

Remy vs. Rome by Bonnie Callahan

In the heart of the Eternal City, ancient secrets aren’t the only thing getting uncovered.

Heartbroken, Remy flies to Rome—the site of her first kiss—to get over her ex and rediscover herself. On her first night in the city, she jumps into her new life by agreeing to a date with a smooth-talking Italian stranger who, as fate would have it, turns out to be a jerk…and a most wanted international criminal to boot.

Implicated in the theft of an ancient amulet, Remy finds herself under house arrest and in the protection of Lorenzo Rossi, the infuriatingly handsome Sicilian detective in charge of the investigation. The case is a make-or-break situation for both of them, and together, they must solve a series of clues to track down the amulet and the bad guys—all while struggling to keep their finger grazes to a minimum and their partnership appropriate.

Their investigation takes them on an intimate, two millennia treasure hunt through Rome, where Remy digs up more than she bargained for.

All Roads Lead to Rome by Sabrina Fedel

When the daughter of a diplomat fake dates a Scottish celebrity in Italy, she soon finds herself living her own Roman Holiday until the feelings get real and the paparazzi’s knives come out.

Introverted, slightly anxious Astoria “Story” Herriot knows everything about Rome—her mom’s an attorney here and the two of them are living la dolce vita… at least until Story’s off to college in the fall.

But when Story is in the wrong gelato shop at the right time, she’s swept up in a fake dating scheme with Scottish heartthrob, Luca Kinnaird, to protect his relationship with a pop princess. There’s something in it for her, too—Luca promises to help fund a scholarship in her dad’s memory. Soon she’s showing Luca the best cafés, sightseeing at the Mouth of Truth, and picnicking at the ruins of the Abbey of Santa Maria del Piano. Story’s travel guide skills are 10/10, but what she knows about being a celebrity—or having feelings for one? Zero.

Pretending to be Luca’s guide—then his girlfriend—gets the paparazzi’s attention . . . and what’s true and what’s fake gets blurry as their different worlds crash together. Sophisticated, hot, rich, and with the most charming accent ever, Luca is full of surprises. And maybe, too, is Story’s perfectly planned future.

It’s a fairy-tale romance in the Eternal City…will it have a fairy tale ending?

The Summer You Were Mine by Jill Francis

A beachy, second-chance romance set on the stunning Italian coast, where messy emotions and life challenges collide in this poignant and enthralling novel.

Ellie Beltrami and Cristiano Conte have known each other their entire lives. Both families hail from Chiavari, a small city on the Italian Riviera. Their grandparents are friends. Their parents are friends. They were friends. And for one brief moment fourteen summers ago, they were almost more than that.

After years apart, Ellie and Cris are headed back to Chiavari as generations of Beltramis and Contes gather for the unlikely second marriage between her grandmother and his grandfather. But while everyone’s celebrating, Ellie is reeling from the very public implosion of her career as the host of a sports talk show, plus overthinking her past and perceived flaws in light of the recent discovery that she is neurodivergent. Cris, a newly retired elite swimmer, also arrives adrift after being accused of using a banned substance.

Reunited in a place where summer dreams come true, Cris and Ellie make a deal: an exclusive interview with Cris to fix her career, and an appearance on Ellie’s show to clear his name. Soon they’re picking up where their teen romance left off―but if this second chance can last, they’ll need to finally confront what drove them apart all those summers ago.

Can your greatest regret become your deepest love?

Just One Taste by Lizzy Dent

Olive Stone is about to spend four weeks in Italy with the most beautiful man she’s ever hated.

When Olive Stone and her Italian pseudo-celebrity chef father fell out fourteen years ago, annoyingly handsome Leo Ricci slipped right in as his surrogate son and sous-chef. No one is more surprised than Olive when her father wills her his beloved (and now failing) restaurant. Or that his dying wish was for Olive and Leo to complete his cookbook…together.

She’s determined to sell the restaurant. Leo is determined to convince her not to. As they embark on four weeks in Italy, traveling from Sicily to Tuscany to Liguria, they’ll test each other as often as they test recipes. But the more time Olive and Leo spend together, the more undeniable their attraction grows. Olive finds herself wondering whether selling the restaurant might be running away, and what it might be like to try Just One Taste of Leo Ricci. Because he isn’t who she expected, and this trip might reveal more about who Olive is than she’s ready for.

My Fake Italian Marriage by Romy Sommer

Cleo Arendse: You know how almost every movie set in Italy seems to be about a woman who travels to Tuscany and is swept off her feet by a charming, gorgeous but arrogant aristocrat? Well, that’s not this story.
Luca Fioravanti: Challenge accepted.

British Banker Cleo Arendse is nothing like the women lawyer Luca Fioravanti is used to – both because she’s only in Tuscany to oversee his family vineyard’s business and because she’s impervious to the charm that has never failed him before now. But Luca has never shied from a challenge, and when circumstances arise that allow him to step in as Cleo’s knight in shining armour, he leaps…right into a fake marriage! The romance may be a ruse but the passion burning between Luca and Cleo is very, very real, and as the ‘honeymoon’ glow envelops the pair, all bets are off…

The Wedding Date Disaster by Kate R. Mathieson

Gemma thought she had The One until she met her Plus One…” Gemma Evans goes from being on the brink of everything she’s ever dreamed of, to the brink of a nervous breakdown when she’s passed over for a promotion and forced to watch her work nemesis, Ben McDonald, become the new Chief Editor at Peacock Press.To add insult to injury, she’s got to attend a family wedding in Italy and her date can’t make it. No way is Gemma showing up alone so she asks a friend to help her secure a ‘date’. But Gemma’s blind date turns out to be her worst nightmare…

THE ITALIAN JOB by Kathryn Freeman

Dream job. Dream house. Fake fiancé.

A year in a gorgeous Italian castle…

When Anna Roberts’ life implodes, an online search leads her to an ad for the ultimate dream job – management of a gorgeous castle on the shores of Lake Como, accommodation included. The only catch? Anna can’t do it alone…

…With the last man on earth she’d choose!

The castle owners will only accept a couple as caretakers, which means Anna needs a man on her arm at the interview. Enter her neighbour, Jake Tucker. Though Anna and Jake have never seen eye-to-eye, Jake’s had a rough few years and an escape to Italy sounds ideal. Yet, when they get the job and jet off, Anna and Jake face an unexpected challenge. Pretending to be a couple is difficult … but pretending the tension simmering between them doesn’t exist is quickly proving impossible!

Italy Ever After by Leonie Mack

TV journalist Lou feels battered and bruised after her divorce from Phil, the father of her daughter Edie. Her confidence and sense of fun have steadily been drained away, and she isn’t sure who she is any more.

When the opportunity arises to accompany Edie on a music camp in Italy for a month in the summer, Lou jumps at the chance for new adventures, new horizons and new friends. The hazy warmth of the summer sun, shining brightly over the stunning Lake Garda, slowly brings Lou back to life.

Nick Romano, Edie’s music teacher, loves being home in Italy, but coaching his students for their concert in Milan, is bringing back difficult memories. His blossoming friendship with Lou is the perfect distraction, although a summer fling would be easier to conduct without the scrutiny of his mother Greta, not to mention the interference of his extended Italian family.

As the summer passes, full of sunshine and breath-taking scenery, gelato and delicious feasts, Lou and Nick get ever closer. But as the time for farewell creeps up on them, will they be able to say goodbye and leave their memories behind in the Italian sun, or can a summer romance last a lifetime?

Tilly’s Tuscan Teashop by Daisy James

When photographer Natalie Nicholson’s beach hut studio – and everything she’s spent the last two years working on – is destroyed in a fire, she doesn’t think things can get any worse. Until she sees her boyfriend Josh Clarke on Instagram frolicking on a palm-fringed Balinese beach with a fellow cabin crew member.

Devastated and heartbroken, she heads to Italy to help out at her sister’s English teashop in the heart of the Tuscan countryside, where she encounters sun-dappled hilltop villages with attractive terracotta bell towers, cobbled piazzas housing world-famous art and architecture, and a national fixation with getting from A to B as quickly as possible whether in a glamourous Ferrari, a scarlet Vespa, or a snail-like ape.

With handsome local filmmaker-cum-waiter Matteo Ferretti on hand to guide her, can Tilly learn to ditch her workaholic ways and embrace the Italian pursuit of la dolce vita? Or will she miss out on her chance at a happy-ever-after?

Under the Italian Sun by Sue Moorcroft

A sun-baked terrace. The rustle of vines. And the clink of wine glasses as the first cork of the evening is popped…

Welcome to Italy. A place that holds the answer to Zia-Lucia Costa Chalmers’ many questions. Not least, how she ended up with such a mouthful of a name.

When revelations close to home turn Zia’s world upside down,she realises the time has come to search out the Italian family she’s never known.

But as she looks for answers, she can’t help but notice Piero, the vineyard owner next door – a distraction who may prove difficult to ignore…

This summer, join Zia as she sets out to uncover her past. But can she find the future she’s always dreamed of along the way?

Love & Rome by Jenna Lo Bianco

Moving from Melbourne to Rome was meant to fix Stella Chiaro’s life – and it did, for a while. But destiny has other plans.

With a one-way ticket home, artist Stella is running out of time and money. She is desperate to find stable work in the art world to keep afloat, or she will have to leave her beloved Eternal City behind. The last thing she needs right now is distractions . . .

The arrival of the full moon brings both the sweet owner of the new local bar and a handsome new flatmate. The promise of a new job and new love suddenly beckon Stella, but she quickly finds herself repeating patterns she once vowed not to.

In a journey stretching to enchanting Florence and across the ancient cobblestones of Rome, Stella must free herself from the mess she’s in. But is it too late? Will it be arrivederci to ‘Rome Sweet Home’?

The Italian Marriage by Jenna Lo Bianco

The heir to the D’Adamo Family Trust must be the youngest, legal-aged, married male. —15th century inheritance clause

The time has come. In order to secure the future of his family estate and fix his broken relationship with his father, workaholic lawyer Matthew D’Adamo needs a wife.

Enter Sarah Browne, a free-spirited event manager, who is looking for an escape from the emotional and physical toll of her endometriosis, and the incessant buzzer of her biological clock. With an ironclad prenuptial agreement, Matthew and his ‘wife’, Sarah, are moving to Florence to fulfil the D’Adamo inheritance clause.

There are just two problems. they’ve never met. there’s another claimant on the D’Adamo estate.

Matthew and the other potential heir will have to compete for the inheritance. ‘Faking it’ from their first meeting at Sydney airport, Matthew and Sarah’s resolve will be tested at every turn. Will they have what it takes? And who said anything about love?

You, Me and Italy by Sue Roberts

Three best friends, Italian sunshine and a handsome stranger can fix just about anything… can’t they?

Maisie Knight had it all. A gorgeous husband. A successful business. A beautiful home. Until one day, after walking into the storeroom of their shop, she loses it all at once – catching her husband cheating on her with the girl from Checkout 3. So when she wins a holiday to Italy, a week under the Tuscan sun couldn’t come soon enough.

Treating best friends Cheryl and Emma to a girls’ trip, the terracotta-roofed Villa Marisa on a rustic farm awaits them. The fields of golden sunflowers could be the perfect cure for Maisie’s broken heart – and local farmer, suspiciously perfect Gianni, with his thick black hair and twinkling brown eyes is a welcome distraction from her broken heart.

Mornings waking up to freshly brewed coffee and views of the rolling hills, moped rides with cheeky Italians, and feasts of prosecco and pasta help Maisie forget her troubles. After all her heartache, she’s surprised when she starts opening up to Gianni – she’s even more surprised when the temperature rises and it’s not just the rays of the Italian sunshine…

Maisie could get used to the good life. But just as she’s getting her spark back, disaster strikes. The next thing she knows, her past is catching up with her, reopening old wounds and Maisie has a life-changing decision to make. Should she say ciao to her summer of love and limoncello?

Italian Rendezvous by June Patrick

Isla’s life is in shambles after her fiancé dumps her and she loses her beloved grandmother, and she knows she needs an escape from it all. Her grandmother’s tales of her childhood on the Italian Riviera beckon Isla to the small coastal town of Mare Sereno on the glittering Ligurian Sea.

Leaving behind her job as a history professor in San Francisco, she books a one-way ticket to the Riviera with the intention of drowning in pesto and limoncello all summer.

Enter Enzo, a charming Vespa-riding local with a zest for life that threatens to turn tightly-wound-Isla’s world upside down.

After a chance encounter involving broken pottery and spilled coffee, Enzo offers to be her guide, leading her on an adventure through picturesque landscapes, hidden beaches, and quaint villages that are straight out of a postcard. On the surface, he couldn’t be more wrong for Isla. With his carefree attitude and witty charm, he’s one walking Italian cliche to Isla. But she has to admit–something about his dolce far niente awakens something within her.

As their chemistry intensifies, Isla is faced with a difficult decision–return to the familiarity of her past or embrace the unpredictability of a future with Enzo. With an ocean separating her old life from her new one, Isla must navigate conflicting emotions and overcome her own reservations.

The Spanish Love Deception by Elena Armas

Catalina Martín desperately needs a date to her sister’s wedding. Especially since her little white lie about her American boyfriend has spiralled out of control. Now everyone she knows—including her ex and his fiancée—will be there and eager to meet him.

She only has four weeks to find someone willing to cross the Atlantic and aid in her deception. New York to Spain is no short flight and her raucous family won’t be easy to fool.

Enter Aaron Blackford—her tall, handsome, condescending colleague—who surprisingly offers to step in. She’d rather refuse; never has there been a more aggravating, blood-boiling, and insufferable man.

But Catalina is desperate, and as the wedding draws nearer, Aaron looks like her best option. And she begins to realize he might not be as terrible in the real world as he is at the office.

No Place To Be Single by Felicia Kingsley

In the lush Italian wine region of Chianti is the small town of Belvedere where nothing ever happens. Especially for single women.

So when financial investor Michael D’Arcy returns after sixteen years to claim his late grandfather’s estate, the handsome and eligible bachelor is in the crosshairs of every swooning mother, daughter, and sister in town. Save for vintner Elisa Benetti. Once Elisa’s cherished childhood friend, Michael has morphed into an arrogant, dismissive, money-mad businessman who only wants to settle his inheritance and hightail it back to London.

Where, behind that cold heart and those chiseled features, is the joyful boy Elisa used to know? Okay, true, she’s not quite the girl with wistful dreams that Michael remembers either. Funny how things change. Who knows? Maybe it’s not too late to fulfill old promises and get to know each other all over again. It could be an adventure in second chances that Elisa and Michael didn’t even realize they were looking for.

La Dolce Veto by Caitlin Alice Gilbert

Rising star US Congresswoman Isabella Rhodes was supposed to be making history—not headlines.

But when a devastating betrayal shatters her career overnight, she flees to La Musa, a sleepy village in the heart of Umbria where the days are slow, the pasta is handmade, and no one knows her name.

At Villa Farentino, Izzy hopes to start fresh, far from the relentless eyes of the world. But her plans unravel when she learns she’ll be sharing the villa with Benito Farentino, the brooding, newly elected mayor who is just as determined to save his crumbling hometown as he is unwilling to trust outsiders.

As tensions grow over a controversial hotel development, Izzy is pulled into the fight for La Musa’s future… and further into Benito’s world. And soon, what began as a quiet escape becomes a chance to rebuild, to believe again, and maybe even to fall in love.

Izzy now has a choice. Will she risk her second chance at happiness for the life she left behind, or stay and fight for the one she’s only just begun to imagine?

The Marriage Bet by Olivia Hayle

Rafe Montclair is the ruthless billionaire about to destroy my company. The only way to stop it? Become his wife and pretend to love the man I hate.

He’s tall, charming, and speaks three languages. But where I value craftsmanship, he shuts down century-old workshops for profit. I can’t let him do the same to my fashion house.

So I’ll wear his giant ring and spend the summer in his Lake Como villa, but I plan to drive him insane. I drink too much champagne, swim in his fountain, and steal shirts from his closet.

The problem? Rafe never backs down. He ups the stakes instead. Soon, we’re sharing a bed for appearances and kissing in public.

I tease him in tiny outfits just to see him crack. Until he does… and I learn the only thing more dangerous than Rafe Montclair in control is when he goes after what he wants.

He holds me when I have panic attacks and fights my battles like they’re his own. And when he wakes up from nightmares, he won’t explain… I realize he’s waging a war of his own.

Rafe bet he could control this marriage. But I’m the one thing he never planned on wanting this badly.

Wish You Weren’t Here by Christy Schillig

Ava Graham’s ducks are in a row as she heads off to Italy to complete her final law school credits and fulfill a promise she made to her late mother five years ago. Ava expects her long-term boyfriend to propose before her trip, but instead of giving her a ring, he suggests they use her time abroad as a “break” before settling down.

When James Massini arrives–late–to the airport to pick up Ava as a favor to his aunt and uncle, he’s surprised to find that she’s not a young co-ed, but a fascinating woman approaching thirty with a serious superiority complex and a habit of underestimating him. When she’s assigned to his class as a TA, he becomes determined to prove to her that there is more to life than plans and lists, no matter how hard she fights with him–or how annoyingly charming he finds their banter.

Despite the sudden disaster of her life, type A Ava might actually enjoy Italy—if only annoyingly carefree James wasn’t there, too. As Ava reluctantly lets James try to show her a different way of life in Italy, she begins to find beauty in the chaos. Of course, it’s when things begin to make sense again that her past comes storming back.

The Roman Holiday Rule by Andra Loy

You can’t fall in love with someone who lives somewhere else and expect a happily-ever-after.

Lexi Walker has finally committed to the Italian adventure that she and her late mother dreamed of for years–complete with a meticulously crafted itinerary, four sealed letters to open at Rome’s most iconic sites, and her mother’s final painting to present at the art festival Lexi is helping organize. She’s ready for the perfect Roman getaway. What she doesn’t expect is for her mother’s artwork to start manifesting in real life, turning her carefully planned trip into something unpredictable.

Italian-American architect Mark Russo has sworn off American tourists after having his heart broken, and he’s certainly not about to let another one distract him from winning the restoration bid that could reunite his estranged father with his grandfather. But when the captivating woman next to him on the flight to Rome proposes a photography challenge–whoever captures the heart of Italy in seven days wins–Mark can’t resist the bet or her charm.

As Lexi follows the letters from her mother around the city, she encounters Mark everywhere she goes. Their competitive banter turns to undeniable chemistry, but they both know the cardinal rule of holiday romances. Will a little magic–and a lot of mishaps–break the Roman Holiday Rule?