Love and Gelato

Love and Gelato
by Jenna Evans Welch
Review by Elena

Jenna Evans Welch draws young teens into a reading fantasy in “Love and Gelato”. The author spent high school in Florence, Italy, so the details really come to life.

Sixteen year-old athlete, Lina, is spending a summer in Italy with her father, whom she’s never met. Her mother just died recently, so the last thing Lina wants to do is spend three months in a sunny, tourist-crowded place. While she is staying at her father’s residence in a cemetery, Sonia, the assistant superintendent of the cemetery, gives Lina her mother’s journal.

Lina reads it over the course of the time, while she meets Ren, short for Lorenzo, and becomes good friends with him. He shows her around Florence and she meets all of his friends. She also meets Thomas, a tall boy with a British accent who she has a huge crush on at first. When Lina and Ren discover a secret in her mother’s notebook, they rush to find out who Lina’s real father is. Turns out he was not what she thought he was, so they go home confused. Lina and Ren feel awkward because they both can’t figure each other on romance and relationship feelings.

Lina’s life is full of romance, relationship, and choice struggles. Lina thought Italy was just full of love and gelato, but she got much more than she bargained for. “Love and Gelato” is a great pick for ages 12 and up, and has a great plot. Read the book to discover the secret of the mysterious life of Lina’s mother and how it affected Lina’s life!