The Secret Love Letters of Olivia Moretti by Jennifer Probst is a heartwarming story of three estranged sisters, Priscilla, Devon, and Bailey, who embark on a journey to Italy to uncover their mother’s hidden past. The sisters, all very different, are faced with the decision of whether to sell or keep their mother’s secret house in Italy, while also trying to uncover the identity of the sender of the letters their mother kept in a trunk.

As they search for answers, they discover that their mother, Olivia, had a secret romance with Rafael and kept a magical house wedged into the hillside in Positano. Positano, the setting of the story, becomes almost like another character, evoking a sense of longing in me to visit the place.

The sisters, who had grown apart over the years, found the visit to Positano to be a transformative experience. As they set out to reconcile and renew their bond, they come face to face with long-avoided issues and conflicts, which ultimately change them in unexpected ways.

The novel not only focuses on romantic relationships, but also explores the complexities of family dynamics, and how life’s choices and surprises can throw us off course. “The cute meet” between Dev and Hawke and the background story of each sister kept me turning each page, as the imperfections in their characters were revealed.

Giving the sisters and Olivia their own points of view added depth and nuance to the plot. The author did a great job of interweaving Olivia’s love story throughout the sisters’ stories. I found myself smiling, shaking my head, and teary-eyed while reading some parts.

Overall, The Secret Love Letters of Olivia Moretti is a delightful read that is worth picking up. The cover and synopsis were what initially caught my eye, but the sisters’ search for answers and the unraveling of their mother’s past is what kept me engaged.

This review won’t be complete without quotes I loved from the book. Here are some:

“We were caught up in the possibilities of true love and happy endings and a place where the ugliness of the world could never touch us.” – Olivia

“Every person has something to give, even if it’s a few moments of realizing we’re connected.” – Hawke

“Maybe all women felt like this inside. Always on alert, waiting for someone to judge and point out faults. It was exhausting having so many thoughts and questions and judgments constantly spinning in her mind, taking up all the space.” – Pris

“You can never regret love. It’s the other things that will always make you wonder.” – Livia

“Because it was the jagged edges and sharp corners that created character – the pain from love and loss – the pleasure from giving in to something you wanted more than anything.” – Bailey