Lake Como

Lake Como by Anita Hughes

ISBN: 978-1-250-01773-4

Pages: 274

Appearance:

Summary:

Hallie Elliot has a perfect life. She is an up-and-coming interior designer in one of San Francisco’s most sought after firms, and has just recently become engaged to Peter, a brilliant young journalist. But when she stumbles upon Peter and her boss in what seems to be a compromising position, her trust in her perfect life is shaken.

So Hallie escapes to Lake Como, Italy to spend time with her half-sister, Portia Tesoro, an Italian blueblood dealing with the scandal of a public estrangement from her cheating husband. While staying in the Tesoro villa, Hallie falls in love with the splendor and beauty of Lake Como, and finds work designing the lakeside estate of a reclusive American tech mogul. The caretaker of this beautiful estate is a handsome man named Angus, and Hallie finds herself drawn to his charm and kindness, despite hints of a dark secret in his past.
But just as Hallie is beginning to find her footing on Italian soil, she uncovers a family secret that upends all the truths she’s believed about herself, and calls into question the new life she’s built in Lake Como.

Hello all! Okay, so Lake Como was one of the first books I finished in my sophomore year!! Woot woot! Just for random fun, if I were to give it a prize/ribbon, I would probably dub it as the cutest romance novel of the month because the story plot line is just so cute and interesting.

One of the things I loved about the book was the personality. Does that sound weird? I'm talking about the perspective of the main character, aka Hallie. The story was written is such a great view that the whole book kind of became Hallie. I instantly became drawn into her character and whatever she felt, it was like I was experiencing it too. For example, when she sees Peter and her boss having a heated make out session, it wasn't just "Oh character's boyfriend cheated on her" it was like full blown pain stabbing in the heart type of feeling. Or maybe it's because I'm really sensitive? I dunno....

Second, after reading this book, I really want to visit Lake Como. It sounds like such a beautiful place and who knows, love anyone? I loved how Hallie took the vacation in her "dream world" and literally got pulled or sucked into the little perfect world of Lake Como. Now obviously it isn't completely perfect cause her sister Portia has some marriage issues, but like all fairytales, she had a happy ever after in the end. Just to clarify I don't want to make this sound like a littler fairytale like Disney. In some sense it is, but it's also a unique story that's completely unlike a fairytale. Does that make any sense? (Picture of Lake Como)

Looks so pretty!!

Third, so a little recap, book's personality and location, what are we missing? Characters!! Hallie again is our main character and when she escapes to Lake Como she gets pulled into "a whole new world," excuse that Disney pun. Portia is this wild passionate girl who has been living in fear of motherhood after being "abandoned" by her own mother, but in the end decides to stand up against her fears and be who she wants to be. Angus is hiding from a dark past and a guilt of something he wasn't responsible for, but started and learns in the end that if he want Hallie and if he wants love, he has to learn to forgive himself. 

Sophia is the Tesoro queen so to speak. And let me just be very clear, she annoys the heck out of me. I know all about upholding the family name, I'm Taiwanese, I get it. We're all like family name is important! But seriously? Do you have to be so controlling over everything to the point where you're basically hurting your own family's feelings all for the sake of what society thinks? That just completely blows my mind. Like... 

Then Peter. Hallie's ex as of page 158. I kind of felt bad at the way they broke up but they just weren't right together. That is all I can say. Finally, Pliny and Francesca. You can kind of call them Romeo and Juliet (fitting that we're in Italy) other than the fact that nobody dies. They fell in love but Queen Sophia pretty much drove Fran away with her control freak actions. Let's be honest here, who tells a mother you can't nurse your own kid cause that's they way it has been for years? Hello lady, this is like 21st Century. We don't have nursemaids anymore. But, I'm glad that things worked out in the end.

Love, Sisterhood, and La Dolce Vita...

A journalist's job is to keep moving, chasing the next story. When I met you, I discovered what being home meant. you are everything to me, and none of it is worth anything without you.

4 out of 5 stars

So that's it for this review, sorry for that big chunk on characters. I don't think separating it into two paragraphs made it any easier to read. But I hope you liked it! If you happen to have read the book or are planning to, leave a comment down below and let me know what you thought!!

Foreverly Obsessed,

Riv