Peruse Review April 2022
Well hello! It’s been a while. I’ve been dying to share some news but super stressed out too. In the past month we’ve bought a house and sold ours and move in just a couple of weeks. It’s been a lot. But all to the good! Our new house is less than five kilometres away and much more spacious. And just one door down from two of our closest friends. 😃 The kids will finally have their own rooms plus a bathroom to share and plenty of space to entertain their pals. Obviously we have a lot of work to do between now and then but this week I’m going to take a pause and try to catch up on the spring boxes I haven’t yet shared. First, April’s delivery from Peruse. The monthly book box delivers one new release (literary fiction or mystery/suspense — whichever stream you choose) and three to four items to complement your reading experience, plus recipes and discussion questions. *
* They kindly sent us this box for review.
Peruse offers four subscription options (all prices in USD):
- month to month — $47.99/box
- 3 months prepaid — $134.97
- 6 months prepaid — $264.96
- 12 months prepaid — $499.92
Shipping is additional and varies by destination. Peruse is based in the US and ships worldwide.
Each Peruse box comes with a product guide. Inside you’ll find a list of the month’s contents, two recipes inspired by the book and discussion questions.
I like the pamphlet format — it’s well designed and easy to read. It’s also new since my first box last November. I do wish there was a bit of information about the products but maybe that’s just me. 🤷♀️
Peruse sent me April’s literary fiction box and I am thrilled (thrilled!) with their book for this one. It’s the newest book from Rebecca Serle, One Italian Summer. In Five Years was the one before that and it one of my favourite books of 2020. One Italian Summer has been on my wish list for months. It’s going to be one of the first books I pick up when things have settled down a bit. Here’s the description from the publisher:
“When Katy’s mother dies, she is left reeling. Carol wasn’t just Katy’s mom, but her best friend and first phone call. She had all the answers and now, when Katy needs her the most, she is gone. To make matters worse, their planned mother-daughter trip of a lifetime looms: to Positano, the magical town where Carol spent the summer right before she met Katy’s father. Katy has been waiting years for Carol to take her, and now she is faced with embarking on the adventure alone.
But as soon as she steps foot on the Amalfi Coast, Katy begins to feel her mother’s spirit. Buoyed by the stunning waters, beautiful cliffsides, delightful residents, and, of course, delectable food, Katy feels herself coming back to life.
And then Carol appears—in the flesh, healthy, sun-tanned, and thirty years old. Katy doesn’t understand what is happening, or how—all she can focus on is that she has somehow, impossibly, gotten her mother back. Over the course of one Italian summer, Katy gets to know Carol, not as her mother, but as the young woman before her. She is not exactly who Katy imagined she might be, however, and soon Katy must reconcile the mother who knew everything with the young woman who does not yet have a clue.
Rebecca Serle’s next great love story is here, and this time it’s between a mother and a daughter. With her signature “heartbreaking, redemptive, and authentic” (Jamie Ford, New York Times bestselling author) prose, Serle has crafted a transcendent novel about how we move on after loss, and how the people we love never truly leave us.”
If it’s anything like In Five Years, One Italian Summer is going to wreck me in the best bookish way. Have you read it? What did you think?
Sunglasses: Next in the box, a pair of vintage sunglasses perfect for a summer holiday on the Amalfi Coast. I feel so glamorous in this pair and they perfectly. And I’m so glad Peruse included a case.
Artisan Soaps: Speaking of the Amalfi Coast, how perfect are these luxury artisanal soaps from Casa Amalfi? I’m saving them for the new house so I haven’t opened them yet but they smell wonderful. Lemon and lime flower for Buongiorno Positano; white fig and summer peach for Take Me to Capri and pomegranate and mint for Aperitivo in Amalfi, which is actually a scrub. (Splendido!)
Apron: And last, a lovely lemon print apron by Mahogany. The colours are so cheery and summery and the lemon print perfect for a story set in Italy. This one is lightweight and has an adjustable neck strap. I love it!
Book boxes are my favourite and April’s literary fiction box from Peruse is so, so good. I love the book choice (a hardcover too!) and I’m just as thrilled with the cleverly curated items tucked alongside. I’m ready for one Italian summer with Peruse!
What do you think of this one? Have you tried Peruse? (Psst! If you’d like to see June’s book picks, Peruse has them here. The June box is available to order until June 30.)
Try Small Things – https://trysmallthings.com