Three generations of women in the Ferrari family must heal the broken pieces of their lives on a trip of a lifetime through picturesque Italy from New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Probst.
We had the pleasure of chatting to author Jennifer Probst about her new release, Our Italian Summer, book recommendations, and more, plus we also have an excerpt for you to check out at the end of the interview!
Hi, Jennifer! Tell us a bit about yourself!
Thanks for having me here today! I’m a New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street journal bestselling author of over 45 books. I write contemporary romance fiction, women’s fiction, and even have a few children’s books thrown in there! I live in New York, upstate in the beautiful Hudson Valley with a house full of boys and dogs. Oh, and I’m a die-hard, voracious reader of ALL the things.
2020 was an incredibly bizarre year, and it’s rolling on into 2021. Have you set any resolutions for the year?
I think of them more as goals than resolutions now. Somehow, goals sound more permanent and a resolution feels temporary—like my multi-year vow to get healthy and lose weight, lol! This has been a difficult year for everyone, but there was also a lot of good that came from it and that’s what I tried to focus on. I loved the increase in quality family time, and I’m a huge homebody so being stuck in the house was never a tragedy. Most of my goals this year focuses on protecting and growing my creativity with more time in between books, and keeping my body and mind healthy. I’ve also backed away from social media a bit more and practice a meditation routine. All have helped me write better and be happier doing it.
When did you first discover your love for writing?
The moment I read my first book! I always knew I was going to be a writer, I never questioned it. When I was twelve years old, I decided to write a young adult romance. I set up my desk at the end of the dining room table and began the book in longhand. I finished it a year later and started the sequel.
Your new novel, Our Italian Summer, is out now! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
I’m so excited about this book! My five words would be: lush, emotional, funny, heartfelt, and satisfying.
Now tell us a little more! What can readers expect?
Three generations of women go on a tour through Italy and to heal themselves and their fractured relationships. It’s a beautiful story filled with the iconic sites of Italy from Rome to Tuscany, delicious food, a bit of romance, and digging into the complications of women’s relationships within a family.
Here’s the blurb:
Workaholic, career-obsessed Francesca is fiercely independent and successful in all areas of her life except one: family. She struggles to make time for her relationship with her teenage daughter, Allegra, and the two have become practically strangers to each other. When Allegra hangs out with a new crowd and is arrested for drug possession, Francesca gives in to her mother’s wish that they take one epic summer vacation to trace their family roots in Italy. She just never expected to face a choice that might change the course of her life. . .
Allegra wants to make her grandmother happy, but she hates the idea of forced time with her mother and vows to fight every step of the ridiculous tour, until a young man on the verge of priesthood begins to show her the power of acceptance, healing, and the heartbreaking complications of love.
Sophia knows her girls are in trouble. A summer filled with the possibility for change is what they all desperately need. Among the ruins of ancient Rome, the small churches of Assisi, and the rolling hills of Tuscany, Sophia hopes to show her girls that the bonds of family are everything, and to remind them that they can always lean on one another, before it’s too late.
What was the inspiration behind this novel?
This book was inspired by my own trip to Italy with my mother who was turning seventy, my Godmother, and my fifteen year old niece. We embarked on a fifteen day tour that changed all of us and pushed me to outline this story.
Was there a certain scene or character that you enjoyed writing?
Honestly, I love so many scenes in this book! And the characters are so different I can’t compare: there’s Francesca who’s a single mom and a workaholic; the grandmother Sophia who’s turning seventy five, and Allegra, the eighteen year old daughter of Francesca. Exploring so many view points makes for a richer story, but I had a lot of fun writing Sophia’s scenes, being able to step into the feeling of losing so many people around you, and the slow fight to keep your body strong, and the regrets as you look back at your life.
What’s the best and worst writing advice you’ve received or heard?
The best? Believe in yourself and never give up no matter who tells you to.
The worst: People telling writers there’s only one way to do it right. There’s no such thing. However you tell your story is your individual journey and it doesn’t matter. Just get there.
What’s next for you?
So much good stuff! I have a new release in April – Forever in Cape May—and I’m working on finishing up my newest women’s fiction book, The Italian Getaway.
Lastly, what are you currently reading and what 2021 book recommendations do you have for our readers?
Right now, the book currently open is The Girl with the Stars in Her Eyes by Xio Axelrod. So good!
My recommendations for the upcoming 2021 books are: Victoria Schade, Lost, Found, and Forever; Emily Henry’s People We Meet on Vacation, and Susan Elizabeth Phillips, When Stars Collide.
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