Italy, the fifth most visited country in the world, is filled with beautiful sights and attractions. It is a country many desire to visit. Set in Italy, Love and Gelato shows the difference between love and passion, as well as self-discovery.
This New York Times bestseller written by Jenna Evans Welch, Love and Gelato follows Lina, the main protagonist’s, story after losing her mother to cancer. Her mother’s last wish was for Lina to go to Italy and spend time with a college friend and her dad. Lina has never met her dad before, bringing a whole new experience to the table.
In the beginning of the story, Lina is introduced to the graveyard where her father, Howard, lives. Although Lina doesn’t feel at home, Howard still greets her warmly. Lina also meets Ren, an Italian American during one of her runs. She was immediately attracted to both Rens’ looks and his kind heart. However, Ren is already in a relationship with a girl named Mimi, whom Lina met at a party Ren had invited her to, as well as other Italians.
After the party, Lina goes and reads her mother’s journal. She had discovered many different experiences her mother had in Florence, including an affair she had with a teacher identified as X. X is assumed to be Howard, but later on in a journal entry, Howard’s name is mentioned. This led to Lina being confused, wondering who could be this mysterious X.
A friend of her mother’s provided Lina with more information, leading her to the name of Matteo Rossi. Lina utilized her mother’s journal entries in order to figure out that her mom’s affair had led her to become pregnant with her. In reality, Howard is not her biological father. She meets up with Rossi but he denies that he’s her father.
In the end of the book, Lina and Ren end up getting together, and Lina decides to spend her last school year in Italy with him.
Love and Gelato also has a Netflix movie that was released in 2022, which includes many of the characters and information that was in the book. In the end of the movie, Ren and Lina spend a year apart and run back into each other.
Overall, I give Love and Gelato an 8/10. The story and the plot are something that I do enjoy, but this book does have a certain audience that would enjoy it more than others.
