Book review: Only You

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By Kate Eberlen
Published by Pan Macmillan 

 Synopsis: Letty and Alf are the only English speakers at an Italian class in Rome, where they discover the language that really connects them is dance: Letty’s first love was ballet, while Alf was a junior ballroom champion. They come from different worlds, until the moment they waltz around the Piazza Navona, and everything changes.

 But one moment can’t change the past, and it’s clear that Alf and Letty still have their secrets. What caused them to leave their lives behind in England? And who, or what, are they running from? As their relationship deepens, it becomes harder and harder to tell the truth…

 When the unthinkable happens, Letty returns to London and Alf to Blackpool. Will they spend their lives apart, or discover a future together?

 How did this book end up in my hands? I read a serialisation of this novel via The Pigeonhole app.

 Was it a page-turner? Every day of the serialisation began with me not being able to wait. This novel is extremely addictive so, yes, I’d say this is a definite page-turner!

 Did the book meet my expectations? To tell the truth, I almost didn’t read this book as romance is not my go-to genre. At the last minute, however, I changed my mind. Best decision ever! I loved everything about this book. The way it’s structured the characters - so real that they popped out of the page and they now feel like friends - and, last but not least, the amazing sense of place. Of course, I was particularly drawn to the part of the novel set in my home country, Italy, but every place the Letty and Alf visited came alive in my living room. Any expectations I might have had were sublimely exceeded.

 Three words to describe it. Dazzling. Authentic. Romantic.

 Do I like the cover? It’s very modern and fresh. Yes, I like it.

 Have I read any other books by the same author? No. A big… no, a huge mistake! I’ll need to see to that.

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