Travel Muse Magazine

I’ve only been to the northern Italy – the lakes district and Milan. But I dream of going back to visit the rest of this gorgeous (and delicious) country and finally getting to Florence, Rome, the Amalfi Coast, Naples, Capri, Pompeii, Venice, Pisa, Cinque Terra, Genoa… yep, everything else! While I wait, my mind’s been going on some lovely Italian trips thanks to the below books (all of which make great beach reads) and TV shows.

mysteries

The Sicilian Inheritance by Jo Piazza – Came across this one wondering around Barnes & Noble and it looked great. It’s billed as part mystery, part romance. This book, however, is not what it seems. It’s better! If you told me it was part historical fiction, I’d have thought, eh, maybe. I’m not always into those, as they tend to get bogged down in war stories. But this book is actually so good! When I finished it I ordered my mom a copy to read too. I didn’t want to part with mine. There’s something about the characters that captivate. It’s a different sort of mystery and a different sort of love story. It’s part feminist-adjacent but also part a reality check about how far things have/have not come for women around the world. I learned more about Sicily than I ever thought I wanted to know. I was super excited when I (finally) watched White Lotus season two which is set in Sicily, as I felt connected to the place by some sort of transference and investment I gained by reading this book. Highly rec, a 5 star read!!

Saltwater: A Novel by Katy Hays – I heard about this book in a summer mystery beach reads to be excited about earlier this year, so dove right in. Set on the island of Capri, I was excited to spend my time mentally here. It has a double timeline, the 90s and now, both featuring strong women characters. And there was a twist I didn’t see, which is hard to come by for me. Bonus!

The Amalfi Curse by Sarah Penner – Part mystery part romance, this one falls into historical fiction with its dual timelines. I’m not one who typically dips a toe in fantasy, but this one has some very light magical elements, enough that people who like magic will enjoy but not so much as to turn you off, if you’re like me. I saw this book’s gorgeous cover in the bookstore and had to pick it up (the page edges are even made to look like waves).

Inferno by Dan Brown – Part of the Robert Langdon series, but you don’t need to read those to enjoy this one. (This one is set after the The Da Vinci Code mega-hit novel and film, if you’re wondering tho.) This book made me obsessed with Florence aka Firenze (the city’s Italian name). I learned so much about the art world here and Dante’s inferno. I did a deep dive of this one, as I used it as an example of adaptation for a class I taught on the topic. The book is better than the Tom Hanks movie, but I’d still watch it too, as you also get the views!

Every Time I Go on Vacation, Someone Dies by Catherine Mack – I’d categorize this one as a cosy mystery. It’s super soft beach reading that lets you travel around Italy with the writerly characters, on their book tour of the country.

A Sea of Troubles by Donna Leon – This is part of a long-running mystery series set in Venice. It’s book 10 but I only read this one (at least so far). This one is a bit dated, but also reads ahead of its time (ie, Leon could be writing about many of today’s political issues, though this book dates back to 2001).

The Villa by Rachel Hawkins – This one is set in Orvieto in Umbria, Italy. While it is less of a traveler’s tale and more of a pure mystery-thriller type, I’m including it here because it’s really good. So goo that I went and read all her other books after this, but sadly none of the rest are set in Italy!

Romance

Problematic Summer Romance by Ali Hazelwood – I enjoyed a whole new area of Italy in this book. Set in Taormina, Sicily, the main character takes us along as she explores the “beautiful Ionian coast, between ancient ruins, delicious foods, and natural caves” as the author’s website puts it. I have enjoyed many of Hazelwood’s books but I almost gave up on this one. However, I’m glad I kept with it because by the end, I was in love and ready to head down to this southern Italian gem myself.

Love & Gelato by Jenna Evans Welch – I devoured all three of the books in this YA series. It’s definitely not only for teens, though it’s totally fine even for pre-teens to read if you have one in love with Italy. This one is the best in the series, as originals often are. The other two aren’t really linked (set in Greece and Ireland) and I rec those too, and in any order.

One Italian Summer by Rebecca Serle – We head to the Amalfi Coast in this one. It’s a love story of a different type – that of mother and daughter and probably falls more into “chick lit” than romance. But I enjoyed it and wanted to get on a plane. (Do you see a trend here?!)

Ciao For Now by Kate Bromley – A YA-ish Roman holiday of sorts, this novel is a rom-com starring an aspiring fashion designer enjoying all the splendors of Rome. She’s a late bloomer and almost thirty, but she’s doing an internship here. I loved it and wish there this was a series.

The Guncle Abroad by Steven Rowley – While this one has a bit of a jaunt across Europe, it’s mostly set in northern Italy. It’s quite a charming read. Very “fills the heart with joy” sort of story 😉

The Pairing by Casey McQuiston – This book is a foodie adventure. The characters are literally eating their way through Europe. Before we get to Italy, they travel through France and Spain, so if you’re planning a southern Euro vaca, this one may just be for you. I’m reading this right now as an audiobook. I loved the first half’s narrator, but not so much the last half. So I’d probably rec to read the text version, that way you get the map too. It’s a spicy read, so if that’s not your thing, you’ll want to skip through to the excellent food and location parts of the story.

Nonfiction

In Other Words: A Memoir by Jhumpa Lahiri – I recommended this book to a friend of mine who moved to France and has been trying to become fully bilingual. This book is about Lahiri’s seemingly innocent start of her obsession with learning Italian after her first visit, then changing her entire life to dedicate to her passion for the language. A native English speaker from the U.S., she actually wrote this entire book in Italian and then had someone else translate it. I read this one as an audio book, which she narrates herself and highly recommend consuming it that way. The book comes in both Italian and English in the same volume.

Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy – This is a foodie-meets history type of show. You’re not just getting good restaurant recs (which, yes, I immediately put into my phone’s map app to remember)… you’re also getting great history of the various regions, with each episode taking on a different area. And you don’t only get the shiny stuff. Tucci includes hard topics such as Jewish ghettos, crime in Naples, mafia troubles, and more. And yet, I’m ready to fly to visit each and every region! I love how this show feels like an insider’s guide of not only places I know I want to go, but places I’ve never heard of too. Watch on HBO Max and Disney+.

Ciao House – I have learned so many Italian cooking hot tips from this show. I love the hosts, the competition and all the good food. Warning, you’ll be making your own fresh pastas late at night after watching! Binge on HBO Max.

On My Italy TBR List

The Lion’s Den by Katherine St. John – This one was recommended to me on Reddit when I was looking for more books to feed my travel hunger as I anxiously awaited traveling to Portugal this summer. It’s set on a yacht in the Italian Riviera. The author’s website describes it as a “pulse-pounding beach read and perfect book club pick about glamour, friendship, romance, and betrayal.” Sounds good to me.

I’m happy to give you other book recs set in these places but have setting as a less-prominent plot feature or tell you more about these books. (Yes, I read a LOT!!) Just ask in the comments below.

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If you’ve got a rec for me to read (and maybe include here), let us know by leaving a comment below! You can also read my thoughts on these books and others on Goodreads.