Livia in Rome

Due to her grandmother -Nina- having an accident, sixteen-year-old Livia is delighted to be spending the summer in Rome, working in the family bar. Being Scottish-Italian, she hopes she will find the place she really belongs in Italy. However, it seems that local boy, Giulio, has stolen her place in Nina’s affections and working at the bar and he quickly becomes Livia’s nemesis. But as time passes and Livia makes new friends and discovers family secrets, she comes to realise that maybe Giulio is not the enemy she thought he was…

Bursting with the flavours of Rome, teen romance, family and friendship, ‘Livia in Rome’ is the perfect summer read- for anyone! It is beautifully written, completely engaging and is guaranteed to make you want to visit Rome.

Livia is such a brilliant character. Told from her perspective, the book is rich in her humorous observations as she navigates being both Scottish and Italian and tries to work out where she fits, encouraging empathy with her situation, one which many children are familiar with. The simmering tension between her and Giulio is so well captured as she tries to remain immune to his charms and discover what he is up to whilst the reader is cheering them on every step of the way until the very satisfying conclusion is reached!

Evocative descriptions bring Rome to life- not just the ‘touristy’ Rome, but the real Rome and its people- in a way which is sure to encourage readers to want to discover more and explore this fascinating city for themselves.

The book is absolutely perfect for younger teens as well as older ones. It is quite simply an excellent read, showing the joys of friendship, developing relationships , working as a community and finding your place in the world. It should be at the top of everyone’s TBR piles - a perfect summer read!

Livia in Rome

Bruna De Luca

Chicken House ISBN: 978-1917171113