Review: When In Rome...Find Yourself (When In Rome) by Lena Mae Hill

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Book 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.

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Toot's Review by Stacy Sabala

Rory Hartnett is leaving her family for the first time and traveling to Rome.  She wants to start doing things for herself.  She is surprised to meet Ned.  He is there to pick her up from the airport.  She nervously goes with him to Theresa’s house where she will be staying.

Ned offers to show her around.  She lets him show her how to get to school and parts of Rome.  He takes her to places she can get lost in taking pictures.  Her anxiety almost gets the best of her on several occasions.  She also wants to belong with the group of friends that she came with.  She doesn’t know how.  She feels like person hanging on the outside but never invited in.  Then Ned becomes a danger to her peace of mind.  She has sworn off boys until she is out of college, even grad school.  However he is starting to get under her skin.  She fights her feelings for him as she slowly tries to gain her independence.  Her search for herself in Rome is quite the adventure.

I like the idea of Rory going off to study in Rome.  It is definitely a chance of a lifetime.  Her adventure in a new country is a great idea.  However her anxieties and lack of self-confidence drove me crazy.  Her mother was almost worse. No wonder she was anxious.  Rory was such a basket case that I had a hard time reading about it.  I just wanted to shake her.  I almost quit reading the book.  I don’t like weak main characters and Rory needed to grow a back-bone and stand up for herself.  Her fears were getting in the way.

It’s a good thing she started to change the longer she was in Rome.  That trip was the best thing for her.  She had to rely on herself instead of what was safe.  The second part of the book was much better in my opinion for that reason.  The other characters were interesting.  Ned seemed laid back and cool.  Theresa was troubled but sweet.  Thankfully they helped balance Rory.  This book was only so so for me.  I give it a 3 out of 5.

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