Wish You Were Italian

Gr 7 Up—In this predictable romance, 17-year-old Pippa travels to Italy and must choose between two intriguing boys, one Italian and one American. Sent off to an art program in Florence by parents eager to be rid of her for the summer, Pippa instead decides to travel on her own. She has plenty of cash, and quickly meets Chiara, an Italian girl whose family immediately takes Pippa in and gives her a job in their seaside restaurant. Pippa soon meets Darren, an 18-year-old from Texas who is in Italy to learn about archaeology. Though she's drawn to him, she has had dreams of falling for an Italian boy—and Chiara's gorgeous cousin Bruno seems to fit the bill. Too conveniently, Darren soon shows up in the same town, and Pippa finds herself torn between the two beaus. It's all too clear which one is the better choice, despite several clichéd situations that throw her together with one boy or the other. There are few barriers to true love in this novel, and Pippa's family problems come across as a distracting attempt to flesh out her character and add weight to the story. Some readers may enjoy the international setting and details about Italian culture and travel in this innocent romance. Overall, however, the quality of the writing and the forgettable characters make this a poor choice, except for the most die-hard romance readers.—Miranda Doyle, Lake Oswego School District, OR