Ciao for Now

Ciao for Now by Kate Bromley first caught my attention due to its setting in Rome. Italy is one of my favorite countries that I’ve visited, and reading a romance set there sounded like the perfect escape until my next vacation to Europe. 

Special thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for providing me with an ARC of this book!

Summary

Violet is one of three American fashion students in Rome for a month-long internship. She, Marco, and Holly will be getting hands-on experience in the fashion industry, but they’re also competing for a coveted position after the internship. The three of them are staying at their professor’s home, along with the professor’s adult son, Matteo. Violet and Matteo get off to a bad start, but the instant chemistry between them is obvious to everyone. Even so, they’re only in Rome for a few weeks; is a vacation fling worth it? Or could it turn into something more permanent? 

Review

I love Italy, and with Ciao for Now, I was excited to be whisked away to Rome for a few days. That Violet is a fashion student added to my enjoyment; I studied abroad in Europe too (though not in Italy), and loved getting to experience that magical exhilaration all over again. 

This is an enemies-to-lovers romance, my favorite of the romance tropes. Violet and Matteo butt heads at first, but despite their own professions of mutual hatred, their interactions often read more as flirty banter than actual hostility. (And their banter is truly hilarious! I loved reading every single conversation they had!) Their enemy hijinks are rather immature, but their chemistry shines through, and soon enough they start acting their age again. The romance becomes stronger once they start to open up to one another. They’re cute together, even if it takes a bit to get there!

The romance is a central part of the plot, but so are Violet’s other relationships: with her American classmates, with her Italian co-workers, with her mentors, and with her older sister. Ciao for Now features a rich cast of characters, and I loved them all. Marco and Holly are such fun in their own unique ways. I enjoyed seeing Violet get to know some of the women in Rome, from her new friend at work to the woman who owns a fabric store nearby. In some books, side characters can feel one-dimensional and distracting, but not so here! All the side characters here enrich the book and are a delight to see in each scene. 

And of course, with the Italian setting, this book wouldn’t be complete without some scenic descriptions. It’s fun to see Violet and her classmates explore the major touristic spots of Rome, and her trip to Capri with Matt is also a particular treat. I would have liked to see a bit more Italian sprinkled in, but even so, I enjoyed getting to see Italy as a tourist here. 

I also loved how devoted Violet is to her fashion career. She’s ambitious and hard-working, even if she’s doing her college degree a bit later than most (she’s 29). Much of Ciao for Now focuses on her fashion designs, her work as an intern, and the competition. She battles some self-doubt and impostor syndrome, but eventually she pulls through and finds her way forward in her career goals.

Ciao for Now is ultimately a winning combination of romance, friendship, career ambitions, funny banter, and a fair amount of emotional depth. The picturesque setting in Italy is just the cherry on top.

Final Thoughts

I loved Ciao for Now from start to finish, even if I didn’t believe in the “enemies” aspect of Violet and Matt’s relationship. It features some of my favorite themes and was a joy to read. I’ll have to read Kate Bromley’s previous books and whatever she releases next.

Get the Book

You can buy Ciao for Now here – it’s available as a paperback, ebook, and audiobook.

Ciao for Now by Kate Bromley
Audience	Adult
Genre	Romance
Setting	Rome & Capri, Italy; New York
Number of Pages	304
Format I Read	ebook (NetGalley)
Original Publication Date	June 6, 2023

Official Summary

When an American interning at a fashion house in Rome butts heads with her professor’s surly son, sparks fly!

With her thirties rapidly approaching and a mountain of student debt looming over her, Violet Luciano’s dream of finishing design school and working in fashion has cost her everything. So when she lands an internship at an up-and-coming fashion brand in Rome, she brings her A game to Italy. With nothing left to lose, Violet plans to win the competition among the interns for the ultimate prize—a job at a New York label.

But when a coffee run goes wrong and Violet accidentally destroys a stranger’s laptop, all of the apology Americanos in the world won’t help her. Because it turns out that the man from the café is Matteo, her professor’s eternally grumpy son, who thinks she’s a clumsy American…and maybe a stalker. Their animosity (and undeniable chemistry) grows as together they’re forced to face a summer of chic parties, adventures through Rome and sharing a home…with the person they can’t stand the most.

The more time she spends with him, the more distracted she finds herself. With her chance to win the competition slipping out of her grasp, Violet has to decide whether to say ciao to Matteo—or ciao to her dreams.