The Look of Love

Love in Italy, Book 3

By: Leslie Pike

Narrated by: Connor Crais, Ava Lucas

In Sag Harbor, two neighbors have mastered the art of being content.

Or so they tell themselves.

At 38, Aldo is a successful realtor with effortless charm and a past rooted in Rome, where family loyalty runs deep. He came to New York for a fresh start, not complications, and definitely not feelings he didn’t plan on.

Charli, 52, is a family therapist and single mother raising two teenage boys with grit, humor, and hard-won wisdom. Her life is full, her boundaries firm, and romance firmly off her radar.

Theirs is a friendship built on trust, not expectations. Easy. Safe. Exactly enough.

Until one dance blurs the lines they never thought would be crossed.

What does love look like when it arrives later in life, unexpected, undeniable, and impossible to walk away from?

©2025 Leslie Pike (P)2026 Leslie Pike

Heartwarming story!

This was such a sweet, heartwarming story about second chances. I really enjoy Leslie’s writing.

Ava Lucas and Connor Crais do a fantastic job of bringing these characters to life. Connor even brings in a bit of an Italian accent.

Great Addition to this Series!

This was a great age gap and friends to lovers addition to this Series. I loved every book in this series! We finally see Aldo find his love with Charli. All the characters in this story are great! Connor and Ava narrating this story really make it worth the listen! They did a fantastic job. This is a must listen!

cozy friends to more

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ .5
“Dedicated to the victims and survivors”
This psychological thriller was a wild experience. I was enthralled from start to finish and all I could think about was this needs to be a movie.
Imagine waking up at work only to realize something isn't right. It's an exact replica of your work station. You have only one customer which you must serve everyday, at the same time, who orders the same thing everytime. You don't want to know what happens if you don't comply…cooperate…condition yourself to your new life. Serving the one man who took you captive until your last breath.
This book has dark themes and may be triggering for some people.
Raven Wildewood & Michael Gallagher did an amazing job narrating this fantastic book.

Genuine romance and great banter!

I listened to the audiobook version of this story and I devoured it. Aldo and Charli and perfect for each other. I will admit, the story started off a bit slow but once they figured out there was something between them, it took off and it just got better and better. I love that these characters were older and the challenges their ages presented were so well portrayed. Then we got characters like Aldo's dad and Charli's mom and their story melted my heart. Between the banter, the romance, the funny moments, and how real the story felt, I had a hard time putting it down. The narration by Ava Lucas and Connor Crais was excellent, they did a fantastic job with these characters. Honestly, this is one of the most relatable, genuine romances I've read in a while.

wholesome, heartwarming, and mature

There is something so wholesome, heartwarming, and mature about Leslie’s writing with sweet small-town vibes, and every single time I listen to one of her audiobooks, I fall more in love.

The Look of Love is a genuine reverse age-gap romance, a friends-to-lovers story about a mother, her two boys, and a neighbor whose lives have intertwined for various reasons, leaving a lasting impact while exploring friendships and love. The story highlights genuine care for each other and their families, the serious day-to-day ins and outs of raising kids, and the sweetness of their bond.

Connor Crais and Ava Lucas beautifully captured the maturity of Charli and Aldo, highlighting their love, kindness, and sweet flirting. They also beautifully portrayed the friendships that develop between Aldo and Charli’s boys.

Thank you, BNA and Lara.