The following version of the novel was used to create this study guide: Welch, Jenna Evans. Love & Gelato. Simon Pulse, May 2, 2017. Kindle.

In Love & Gelato by Jenna Evans Welch, Carolina "Lina" Emerson must face the death of her mother, Hadley Emerson, from pancreatic cancer and fulfill her mother's final wish for Lina to meet Howard Mercer in Florence, Italy. Before her mother's final request, Lina had never heard the name Howard Mercer.

Lina identified the day she learned that her mother had incurable, inoperable pancreatic cancer as the worst day of her life. It was on that same day that Hadley began telling Lina about Howard. The mother's dying wish was that Lina would go and live with Howard. It was Lina’s grandmother who told her that Howard was her father.

Lina was conflicted when she arrived in Italy. She was still suffering with grief. At the same time, she was angry because Howard had never been part of her life. After Lina was given the journal that her mother had kept during her time in Florence as a young woman, Lina refused to talk to Howard about their relationship. She decided to read the journal and learn from her mother’s point of view first why Howard had not been included in Lina’s life.

Shortly after Lina arrived in Florence, she met Lorenzo “Ren” Ferrara. Ren acknowledged Lina's grief, and she felt comfortable with him. However, he was dating a very pretty girl named Mimi. The friendship between Lina and Ren deepened as they read Hadley’s journal together. Lina also met Thomas Heath, an extremely attractive boy who attended the school where Lina would go if she were to stay in Florence. Thomas showed an interest in Lina.

As Ren and Lina read Hadley’s journal, they learned that she had her own love triangle. Hadley confessed in the journal her love for a mysterious man she referred to as X. Lina assumed at first that Howard was X. It was only after Hadley mentioned Howard by name in another entry that Lina began to suspect that X was a man different from Howard. Ren and Lina tracked down X, who turned out to be Matteo Rossi, a teacher at the Fine Arts Academy of Florence. When Lina saw a picture of Matteo, she knew that she was his biological daughter. Lina met Matteo in person but learned that he denied she was his child. He accused Hadley of being delusional and immature for believing that he was in love with her.

After Lina was so disappointed by her terrible biological father, Lina kissed Ren. She realized she loved him because he had been so supportive of her. After the kiss, Ren began to act strange. Lina believed it was because he was dating Mimi but learned later that Ren had broken up with Mimi in the hopes that he could have a relationship with Lina. Lina confronted Ren at a party a few days later. He told her that she had offended him when she stressed to him after the kiss that she had never considered him anything but a friend.

Later that night, Ren woke Lina by throwing coins through her window to apologize and tell her that he loved her. Lina told him that she had decided to stay in Florence. She had let Howard read her mother’s journal because she thought he believed that he was her biological father. In turned out that Howard knew all along that he and Lina were not related by DNA. He told her that he did consider himself a father-figure because he wanted to help raise her and be a part of her life. For the first time since her mother’s death, Lina found herself looking forward to what the next day would bring.