Book Review: When in Rome... Find Yourself by Lena Mae Hill

BLURB

Rory Hartnett has sworn off love, so boys will not be a distraction on her six-week study abroad trip to Rome. She has her plate full dealing with her anxiety in a foreign country, making new friends to explore the city with, taking classes, and applying for an internship at a travel e-zine. But when she meets the cute artist sharing her eccentric host mother’s lodging, all bets are off. Fall in love with the first in a brand new series about four girls finding themselves—and maybe love—in the city of fountains. If you loved Anna and the French Kiss or Love & Gelato, you won’t want to miss this sweet New Adult series from new romance author Lena Mae Hill.

REVIEW

*I received an ARC from the author in exchange of an honest review.*

Okay. I know it said ARC so I was supposed to post my review a bit earlier but unfortunately, school happens and it ate up most of my time. So here I am, putting my review just now with the background music of Malang from the movie Dhoom: 3. (I’m not advertising the movie but I definitely recommend this. It’s a Bollywood but it’s a great movie.)

First off, the book is a good read. It has the perfect pace in a realistic romance story. I mean, there are a lot of romance books right now that are mostly fast paced and it’s good to read something that’s in a normal pace and not looked like a whirlwind romance. Though I admit in the first place that I was impatient because I was so curios who would be Rory’s pair or leading man. I was so impatient that I didn’t realize that it was already revealed, it was Ned.

Before I start talking about their love story, let me first talk about Rory. For the past books I reviewed, there are times that I would say that I could somehow relate to the heroine because some things and stuff. But with this book, I could say that I was exactly was Rory was –two years ago that is. That feeling that even asking direction was so hard to do. And always feeling so hard to fit in in a new environment. Seriously, I didn’t know that I already have the level of anxiety that need medication. Just like Rory, I depend on my family so much. Whatever my parent’s decision was, it’s also my decision. I’ve never decided on my own before. And if given the chance, I would never leave our house to live separately from them. That’s why I don’t know things outside the four corners of our home. Sure I have knowledge about other things but about being independent? I suck. I couldn’t even get trusted in withdrawing money before. But when I lived with my aunt to study college, that’s where everything changed. Sure I was still super shy but my aunt trained me so much I changed.

Now that I don’t have the same level of anxiety as before anymore, while I was reading Rory’s story, I realized just how annoying and irritating I was before. Though I totally understand Rory as to why she’s so anxious at things, I still find it annoying. But like I said, I understand it and I know how it felt. I just realized that to other people who don’t know how hard it is to deal with anxiety almost every second of everyday, they would find it annoying and irritating.

Let’s go to Ned. When Ned appear in the airport, he didn’t made enough impression to me that it made me think that it was Ned that was the hero in the story. His first appearance was introduced like he’s not one of the major characters. Maybe that’s why I didn’t knew he was the hero until a little in the middle. (Peace!) And I was shocked when he revealed his age. (Nope, I’m not gonna reveal it here.) Though shock was my second reaction. First was cringe. Haha! Forgive me, yes I cringe but that doesn’t mean that’s gross or something, I just cringe easily. xD

The story has a great title. At first, my thoughts was like, the title said find yourself but it was more like Rory dealing with her anxiety and not falling in love while trying so hard to have a group of friends to fit in. But as I think about the story more, the title is actually accurate to the story. Rory is trying to find herself in Rome. Her kind of self who doesn’t depend too much on her parents. Her kind of self who doesn’t avoid falling in love and just enjoys it instead. Her kind of self who can have friends and enjoy hanging out with them.

I like the story because I can relate to it. Not the romance part but to Rory herself. I like the story because it wasn’t fast paced and it took its own pace instead. I like the story because it’s realistic. I totally like the story over all.

The ending made me want to read the next book about Rory and Ned. It was not a complete cliffhanger but it was a cliffhanger nonetheless.

If you want to read something very close to a realistic romance story, I recommend this book to you. Read it first before you judge. Better yet, don’t judge it. Enjoy it!

P.S

Just a little something I want to share. If Ms. Lena is reading this right now, we have the same middle name, Mae. xP Just sharin’!