It's a sweet read. If you're an Audrey Hepburn fan, you may like the book. I had a few issues with the repetitiveness of the personal pronouns. ( )

4.5 stars

Rome in Love by Anita Hughes is an incredibly sweet and charming romance loosely based on the movie Roman Holiday. Although a mostly light-hearted read, the storyline touches on a couple of issues that are sure to resonant with anyone whose desires and dreams are in direct conflict with family expectations and/or obligations.

Amelia Tate is absolutely thrilled to be starring in the remake of Roman Holiday. Although filming on location in Rome is a dream come true, the separation is a point of contention with her long time boyfriend. Their long distance relationship is already tenuous and Amelia is stunned by his suggestion that she give up her acting career to move to San Francisco with him. Already stressed upon her arrival on location and suffering from jetlag, Amelia is quickly overwhelmed by her first public appearance. Eager to escape the press's watchful eye, she dons a maid's uniform so she can enjoy a little sightseeing on the downlow. After sharing an innocent evening with fellow American Philip Hamilton, she makes an impetuous decision to keep her true identity hidden from him. Their paths continue to cross and after a surprise visit from her boyfriend takes an unhappy turn, Amelia unexpectedly begins to fall for Philip. She knows she needs to come clean with him about her true identity, but fearing this revelation will end their burgeoning romance, Amelia continues her ruse.

Unbeknownst to Amelia, Philip is keeping a few secrets of his own. He is thoroughly enchanted by Amelia and in the beginning, he has no idea who she really is. He quickly learns of her deception and after he is paid a visit by his father, who demands he honor an agreement made between them years earlier, he agrees to write an exposé of her exploits. The more he gets to know Amelia, the worse he feels about his assignment, but Philip is desperate to avoid joining the family business. He eventually finds himself in the middle of a moral dilemma where he must chose between betraying Amelia or giving up his career to fulfill his family's expectations.

Amelia also befriends Sophie, another young woman who is going to great lengths to keep out of the spotlight. Sophie only has a limited amount of time on her own and she is enthralled with her newfound freedom. She embraces everything Rome has to offer (sightseeing and shopping) but it is her new friendship with a handsome doctor that has the biggest effect on her life. Sophie is soon torn between duty and following her heart, and she is surprised by the outcome when she is finally reunited with her loved ones.

Love in Rome takes a bit of a whimsical turn when Amelia makes a startling discovery: a series of unmailed letters written by Audrey Hepburn when she was filming the original Roman Holiday. These letters are quite interesting and provide fascinating glimpses into the lives of Ms. Hepburn, her fellow co-star Gregory Peck and Paris news reporter, Veronique Passani. This innovative addition of historical details to the story is quite fascinating and it is a lovely tribute to the stars of the original movie.

Rome in Love by Anita Hughes has a wonderful cast of characters, a unique plot and a luxurious setting. Fast paced and engaging, this entertaining love story has a fun storyline that fans of contemporary romances are sure to love. ( )

I'm a sucker for old movies. Especially if they're starring Audrey Hepburn. I think I fell in love with her after watching Breakfast at Tiffany's. But since then I have seen all her movies multiple times. So the premise of this book really took hold of me. Amelia Tate has been cast to play Audrey Hepburn's role in the remake of Roman Holiday. Little does Amelia know that her life will mirror Audrey's in so many ways. They were/are both relatively new to the acting profession; they both have romance troubles; they both stayed in the same hotel suite while shooting Roman Holiday.

Amelia Tate eager to take on the role made famous by Audrey Hepburn, yearns to escape the glitz and glamour of the Hollywood lifestyle for a minute. Doing so she meets her new bff, a princess in hiding wanting to have a last hurrah before submitting to an arranged marriage. The two women, Amelia and Sophie hit it off right from the start. They travel around Rome eating fabulous food and doing touristy things. Amelia meets Philip when she's had a little too much to drink and falls asleep on him, and Sophie meets Theo, a doctor who dreams of saving the world. But both women have to lie about who they really are so that their secret identities can remain intact to protect their privacy. But the harder they fall, the more the lies weigh on them. In addition to it all, Amelia finds letters from Audrey Hepburn hidden behind a drawer in her hotel suite. The very same room that Audrey occupied when she was filming Roman Holiday. Through these letters, Amelia is able to find herself.

Part of this novel is written in epistles from Audrey and part written from Amelia's perspective. And I really liked both points of view. I only wish the letters were real. Hughes takes us back in time to the 1950's when Gregory Peck and Audrey Hepburn shot the movie. The choices Audrey had to make, and the budding of a legendary career. Amelia is a fantastic character that readers will fall in love with. I have mixed feelings about Phillip, the love interest. While he was charming, I'm not sure he deserves Amelia. And then there's Rome. All the food, fashion, and history is a character on its own. Reading this book made me want a scone--real bad!

This is a fantastic read that I think lovers of Audrey Hepburn, sweet romances, and well, scones, will love. Trust me, you'll have this book read in one weekend!
Read more at http://www.toreadornottoread.net/2015/08/review-rome-in-love.html#g2AUBvDFk0fmAv... ( )

Fans of Hepburn's Roman Holiday will love the sweet and sensory modern variation on the tale of journalist meeting celluloid princess. My intellectual self recognized the somewhat artificial decisions that set up the plot even as my emotional self believed in them anyway. Recommended. Review copy received from the publisher via NetGalley.com. (139) ( )