Lucy is on the trip of a lifetime, backpacking through Europe.  Plus, her parents are paying for it but everything has a price.  Sacrificing her future for a vacation is the least of her worries when she meets Jesse and falls for him hard.  However, all vacation flings must come to end, but it seems too soon to say goodbye.  Love, Lucy refuses to believe summer flings only last for the season.

I am a sucker for contemporary romances that include traveling, cute boys, and a Vespa.  Love, Lucy has all of the above.  This is definitely a beach read: predictable and fast.  The setting, half in Italy and then in Philadelphia, is gorgeous and makes me want to book plane tickets right now.  April Lindner had readers falling in love with Italy as much as she had them falling for Jesse.

And, of course, I’m sure readers were meant to fall for Shane too.  After all, he is nicknamed the Dream Boy right away with his handsome looks and knockout manners.  He was nice until I started seeing right through him. For a time, Lucy starts liking him a lot.  It is understandable, considering that—in theory—he was written to be the perfect boyfriend.  But then he started getting pushy and manipulative.  I don’t think Lindner meant for her readers to see his character this way but Shane pushes this NYC trip on Lucy even after she said it was too soon.  All I can think of is that one scene from Enchanted (scene begins at 1:02).

If you want to talk about things being too soon, then the relationship between Lucy and Jesse is basically the epitome of the phrase.  She’s known the guy for three days and things start immediately heating up.  Also, Jesse is confusing at first and not in the generic hot boy snubs girl kind of way.  His character introduction is strange and passes without him saying much of anything.  His teasing sneer is written off later on as “well, he turned out to be nice” which was odd when Lucy fell for him. 

Despite Lucy going way too fast in both of her relationships, it was a good book.  Love, Lucy is exactly what it is supposed to be: cute, predictable, and romantic.  It made me happy; it is definitely a book for the summer.  Love, Lucy will have readers falling for the beautiful setting and the even more beautiful boys.

Love, Jeanna

P.S. I will be reading much more April Lindner books in the future.