REVIEW: Dante's Girl by Courtney Cole

 

Author: Courtney Cole

Series: The Paradise Diaries

Pages: 356

Genre: Young Adult - Contemporary

Publisher: Lakehouse Press

Amazon: Dante’s Girl

Synopsis. (Goodreads)

I have spent every summer since I was ten years old with my father in London. Every summer, since I was ten years old, has been uneventful and boring.
Until this year.

And this year, after a freak volcanic eruption strands me far from home, I have learned these things:

1. I can make do with one outfit for three days before I buy new clothes.
2. If I hear the phrase, “You’re not in Kansas anymore, Toto,” even one more time, I might become a homicidal maniac.
3. I am horribly and embarrassingly allergic to jellyfish.
4. I am in love with Dante Giliberti, who just happens to be the beautiful, sophisticated son of the Prime Minister of a Mediterranean paradise.
5. See number four above. Because it brings with it a whole slew of problems and I’ve learned something from every one of them.

Let’s start with the fact that Dante’s world is five light-years away from mine. He goes to black-tie functions and knows the Prime Minister of England on a first name basis. I was born and raised on a farm in Kansas and wear cut-off jeans paired with cowboy boots. See the difference?

But hearts don’t care about differences. Hearts want what they want. And mine just wants to be Dante’s girl.

My heart just might be crazy.

Review: 4 ½ out of 5 stars

Dante’s Girl is the first book in The Paradise Diaries series by Courtney Cole was kindly provided to me by Netgalley for Lakehouse Press and was just what I needed - a light-hearted, romantic and fun read that kept me wanting more.

Reese is a seventeen-year-old farm girl from Kansas on her way to London to spend the summer with her father when she literally runs into Dante Giliberti at the airport, the sophisticated son of the Prime Minister of Caberra.

When volcanic ash causes flight disruptions, evacuations and havoc; Reese is literally swept away by Dante and his security team which is the start of a whirlwind adventure of fun and romance with accidents and a bit of conspiracy thrown in for that added bit of excitement.

I connected with Reese immediately, she was real with her emotions; her inner turmoil had me giggling on numerous occasions, she was flawed but believable which I really liked and where on earth do I find myself a Dante! He was an absolute sweetheart; caring, charming and absolutely gorgeous but also indecisive and too eager to please which at times was a bit frustrating but his life was complicated due to his father’s position – it causes a few miscommunications in their budding relationship and I was actually worried how their differences and the distance which separated them would allow their romance to work but in the end Ms. Cole worked it out perfectly.

Dante’s Girl was a delightful read and one I devoured in no time at all, it flowed effortlessly and Courtney Cole’s writing was enjoyable and engaging.

The fictional setting of Caberra was divine! A small island off Greece, it sounded so picturesque and you can just visualize the amazing scenery and beautiful landscape surrounding you – imagine olive groves, amazing architecture and living in a palace, it was wonderfully described.

Overall, if you are after a quick and easy read with a really sweet romance and loveable characters with that little bit of mystery thrown in for good measure than Dante’s Girl is perfect for you!

Book two will be secondary characters, Mia and Quinn's story.