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Reviewed by Stephen Christopher for Readers' Favorite
Anna Monti is the lead producer on the reality TV series Bride-to-Be. After an earthquake hits Turkey, forcing them to change the current series finale dream destination, Anna’s assistant, Cheryl, suggests a little island off the coast of Italy called Ischia. Flashback to 1984, when Anna took her only trip there to visit her ailing aunt. One impactful summer on the island has formed the person she is today. With trepidation, she agrees to return to Ischia. With the ghosts of the past haunting her, Anna must deal with an anxious bride, a handsy groom, and a fellow producer with ulterior motives. Can Anna deal with her past while concentrating on her present? You’ll need to read Butterfly Summer by Toni De Palma to find out. Please do, you’ll thank me later.
I loved every moment of Butterfly Summer. As a teenager in the 1980s myself, I adored the descriptions of Ischia at the time. Speaking of descriptions, this is where Toni De Palma stands out. They’re so evocative that they draw the reader in. For example, “The smell of garlic is so strong that it overpowers the fragrant honeysuckle growing along the fence.” Tell me right now that you can’t smell garlic. I especially enjoyed some of the insights into what goes on when making a reality series. I laughed when Anna freaked out about whether the groom-to-be’s feet would be attractive enough for a beach wedding. It turned out that was the least of her issues. Butterfly Summer has many layers; there are LGBTQ references, unrequited love, mental illness, and suicide. The author handled everything so sensitively, and I appreciated the Author’s Note and beautiful photographs at the end of the book. Butterfly Summer is for everyone who has loved and lost, and anyone who wants to read more about stunning Ischia.
