March Read: Expiration Dates by Rebecca Serle

 

This is my second Rebecca Serle novel. I thoroughly enjoyed One Italian Summer and saw the premise of this novel and thought it would be an interesting twist on modern dating, so I grabbed a copy at my library and quickly read it. 

Daphne lives in Los Angeles and is an assistant to a producer. She's in her early thirties, and has a weird quirk: since she was a young girl, she gets pieces of paper that tell her the name of her next boyfriend, and how long the relationship will last. One month, a few years, a night--it takes her a few years to figure out what's going on, and she never shares her quirk with anyone until Hugo, her best friend/ex-boyfriend. You'll get tastes of some of her previous relationships as the story bounces between her past and the now. 

Now she's received a note with a name, but no end date. Is Jake the one?And if he is the one, is she ready for it? 

This plot had some steam and kept me interested for the first half, but a few surprise revelations come to light and they change the tone of the novel quite  bit. I certainly didn't see them coming. Daphne is so sure Jake must be the one, she basks in the simplicity of their life together-he's calm, cool, charming, warm--a golden retriever, if you will. But I felt the chemistry was definitely lacking between the two. It's pretty obvious who she should be with, but Daphne is stuck on those names always having an end date, and there's no revisiting past relationships. Jake must be the one who will be her happily ever after. 

I can't say I liked Daphne a whole lot. She's not a terrible person; she's a good person--but her decisions and actions just didn't vibe with me. 

What I do enjoy about Rebecca Serle's novels are the introduction of magic that is not explained; the characters don't try to figure it out or question it much--it just is, and that's refreshing. 

Rating: 3/6 for an interesting concept, but a lack of chemistry between Daphne and her main squeeze just didn't work for me. It's a quick read, and has some interesting twists, so if you're looking for a semi-romantic contemporary novel with a dab of magical realism, go for it! 

Available in hardcover, ebook, and audio. 

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March Read: Expiration Dates by Rebecca Serle

June Read: The Seamstress of Sardinia by Bianca Pitzorno

 

I came across this novel at B&N about three months ago and immediately added it to my TBR. My reason for my interest in this novel mostly lies in the fact that I have a family member who spends a lot of time on the island of Sardinia and someday I hope to visit. Photos show a stunning island that looks like something out of a fairy tale. 

Bianca Pitzorno is an Italian novelist and this is her first novel translated into English. I absolutely enjoyed this novel that was more like a "dramedy" than historical fiction. 

The novel is written in first person narrative, and looking through it, I realized the narrator's name is never mentioned! She's known as a sartina, who is a seamstress who either works at home or travels to client's homes to sew for them. They sew sheets, undergarments, trousseaus; anything that's required in a home. It is hard work and doesn't make much money, but this sartina manages to remain independent and have a small apartment. 

Let me backtrack! The story starts with this sartina as a small child, living with her grandmother, who is a well-respected sartina on the island of Sardinia. The time is somewhere around the early 20th century; there is never an exact date or year. Both are the last surviving members of a large family which was wiped out during an epidemic. They struggle to survive, but the grandmother teaches her granddaughter how to sew, so that she may lead an independent life and not be forced to become a maid. 

The novel is more of a collection of stories about important events in the sartina's life: her early years with her grandmother; her friendship with the very important (and wealthy) Signorina Ester; her friendship with La Miss, and all the little ways the sartina's life evolved. Her ongoing relationship with Guido, a handsome student, slowly unfolds throughout the last half of the novel. I never lost interest in the story and all of the characters were most definitely good and helpful or bad and vengeful. This was a life where everything was definitely black and white, with very little grey. 

There is love, friendship, tragedy, and a sense of community all throughout this novel. The sartina is not perfect and does make a few bad choices, but overall she is  wise and careful to keep her independence and not give up on her dreams. 

This was an enjoyable novel about one woman's quiet, unique life. It's not about the riches you make, but about the life you make and the people you love. 

Rating: 4/6 for a novel about a woman who learns to take care of herself and along the way is witness to some unique people and events. There are definite themes of poverty and wealth, the disparity between classes, and societal pressures to remain in your lane. 

Available in trade paperback, audio, and ebook. 

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June Read: The Seamstress of Sardinia by Bianca Pitzorno

January Read: The Villa by Rachel Hawkins

 

I don't know why this cover sucked me in, but it may be because of my love of lemons. 

However, once I started the book, I quickly left the lemons behind and dove into this tale of two best friends, two different eras, and a villa that holds a few dark secrets.

Villa Aestas in Orvieto, Italy is a beautiful, isolated place where the sun shines and nothing could possibly go wrong. Emily and Chess are two friends who grew up together. Both are authors; Emily writes cozy mysteries, and Chess is a self-help superstar. Careers and time have kept them apart over the years, until a quick get together in their hometown over coffee. Next thing Emily knows, Chess is inviting her to a six-week vacation at Villa Aestas to give Emily time to finish her latest mystery (already past deadline). Hard to say no to that, so Emily travels to Italy and soon falls under the spell of the Villa and the rekindling of her friendship with Chess. 

The Villa is infamous for what happened there in the summer of 1974, when a group of people stayed, and one person ended up murdered. Out of that summer at the Villa, a classic horror novel was produced, and one of the top bestselling albums of all time was written. Stepsisters and best friends Lara and Mari have traveled to the Villa with Mari's boyfriend Pierce at the invite of famous rockstar Noel Gordon. Mari is hopeful this will be the breakthrough Pierce has been waiting for, and their money problems will be over. Lara hopes to be more than just a fling for Noel. Johnny is there, too, providing Noel with whatever drugs he needs. It's the seventies; sex and drugs and living day to day were a way of life for this group. 

But over the course of the summer, things start to change. Mari begins writing a story she can't get out of her head. It's pretty dark. Dynamics change; tensions rise, and one stormy night a murder takes place that leaves a wake of destruction for years to come. 

Present day; Chess and Emily relax, drink wine, and soak in the sun. Emily finds a copy of Lilith Rising, Mari's one novel that became a gigantic hit. As she reads it, she begins to become inspired to look into that summer of 1974, and the murder. Emily's passion for writing is reinvigorated, and she's writing again, but not her cozy mystery. And Chess wants in on the potential of this new book. Should Emily trust Chess?

There are twists and turns all throughout the novel, but the one big twist is at the end. It took me a hot minute to realize what I had just read, then to unravel it all in my mind. Pretty darn clever. 

I read the author was inspired by the summer Percy and Mary Shelley spent with Lord Byron that birthed her famous novel Frankenstein. It's quite a mix of music, literature, love, entangled relationships, and terrible choices. 

I thoroughly enjoyed this suspenseful novel. Read this first, then go back and read about Mary and Percy Shelley. Talk about a soap opera of a relationship! But you can definitely see where Rachel Hawkins was inspired to write this novel. 

Rating: 4/6 for a suspenseful novel that has two compelling stories-although the 1974 story of Mari, Lara, Noel, and Pierce is the better of the two. I did like the connections made between the two time periods at the Villa, and the twists, all the way up to the end. 

Available in hardcover, ebook, and audiobook. 

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January Read: The Villa by Rachel Hawkins

Two Reviews for Two Very Different Novels: One Italian Summer by Rebecca Serle and The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley

 I've read two novels back to back that couldn't have been more different in mood, plot, and character. And that's a good thing for me. I can fall into reading the same style books over and over sometimes and it gets pretty comfortable. This was a great way to shake up my reading this month. 

I didn't read Rebecca Serle's first novel, In Five Years, but I know it had huge buzz and I may go back and read it. Author Gabrielle Zevin has a quote on the cover of this novel, and she wrote one of my favorite novels: Elsewhere (if you want an emotional punch to the gut and an ugly cry, read it). So I knew I would enjoy this novel and potentially bawl my eyes out, too. 

I didn't cry (phew!) but it certainly had an interesting concept to explore. Katy Silver's mother Carol has just died of cancer, and Katy is beyond devastated by this loss. Her husband Eric doesn't know how to reach her; her father is in a world of his own grieving. Katy's relationship with her mother was so close Katy relied on her for everything.

Katy and Carol had planned a trip to Italy, to the town of Positano to revisit a magical summer Carol spent there before she married and had Katy. Now Katy decides to go anyway, to grieve her mother and decide if she wants to stay with Eric. When I say Katy was grieving, I can't overstate her grief at losing her mother. 

Katy arrives at Positano, which is stunning and a balm for her soul. While she's there, exploring, holy buckets she comes across a woman named Carol. And yes, it's her mother, thirty years younger, enjoying Positano and vibrantly alive. Of course Carol has no idea Katy is her daughter; she thinks Katy is just another tourist. Together they explore Positano and the surrounding area, talking about life and choices women make. Katy can't figure out how this is possible, but she readily accepts this quirk in the universe and the chance to be with her mother one last time. 

I won't say more, because you just have to read it and take that leap of faith that something like this could happen, and who wouldn't want the chance to spend time with a loved one who is gone? Katy gets to see her mother as she never saw her before; a young woman with her life ahead of her, laughing, drinking, dancing, and making life choices that would, down the road, impact Katy. It also gives Katy a chance to think about her relationship with her mother, and how that lead Katy to where she is now-is she happy with Eric and their life? Could she have done more?

I enjoyed the setting (take me to Positano NOW), the exploration of grief and, of course, the chance to reconnect with someone dearly loved. That little bit of universal magic/cosmic wonder that brought Katy and Carol together in Positano is something you just have to embrace and go with or you'll lost the whole point of the novel. 

Okay-onto The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley. 

I've read The Guest List, and I really liked it. I read it at the beginning of the Pandemic in 2020. I thought I'd devour this in one big gulp. I did not. You may have seen my TikTok review of this, but if not here's my take on The Paris Apartment.

I didn't care for any of the characters, and I think that was the point. I always say sometimes the best reads are where none of the characters are likable. However, I didn't like this nearly as much as I did The Guest List. 

The plot: Jess calls her brother Ben, who lives in Paris, and says "hey I'm coming to visit". Ben reluctantly agrees, and says he'll be waiting for her in his apartment. Jess arrives late at night, and can't get into the building. It's a ritzy looking place, and clearly money resides there. Not at all a place her brother would normally be, but heck, maybe he got lucky. 

Jess gets in the building, and into his apartment, only to find it empty. No Ben. He won't answer the phone and has left nothing to indicate where he might be. Broke and not speaking French, Jess is at a loss as to what to do. She runs into a few of the other apartment dwellers, and they're all a bit strange, even Ben's friend Nick, who got Ben the apartment. He promises to help Jess find Ben. 

Jess, through the tiniest bits of clues and information, starts to piece together that something isn't quite right in the building. Everyone from the rich woman in the penthouse (Sophie), to the odd duck Mimi, and the really odd duck known as the Concierge know something and Jess is either getting warnings to leave or running into danger in her search for Ben. What started out as "Geez, my brother is rude" unravels into "Something is really, really wrong". Jess isn't a world class detective, and she stumbles around uncovering the trail that leads to Ben's disappearance. 

It's a really weird plot. I was compelled to keep reading, though, because I had no idea where it would lead to; the hook is definitely there. However, uncovering everything just left me with an ick feeling. So read it if you want a quick thriller, but I'm on the fence with this one. 

Ratings: 

5/6 for One Italian Summer. Available in hardcover, ebook, and audio.

3/6 for The Paris Apartment. Available in hardcover, ebook, and audio. 

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Two Reviews for Two Very Different Novels: One Italian Summer by Rebecca Serle and The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley

My Lemon Grove Summer by Jo Thomas

 

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This was a fun, quick read. Jo Thomas is an English author who reminds me of Katie Fforde novels--contemporary women's fiction with a dash of romance and usually featuring a woman in her 30's-40's.

This novel takes place in Sicily, Italy and involves lemons--which I adore so much. I love everything lemon. Lennie and Zelda are friends who have come to the conclusion that life in England is not going to get better. Neither of them are happy with their humdrum lives. Lennie tells Zelda about an opportunity to move to Italy and live in a small town where they will pay for you to stay and help grow the community. Sounds like a win-win, right? And that pesky part about not finding love? 

Lennie and Zelda made a pact years ago that if they reached age forty without finding true love, they would get married. What could possibly go wrong with marrying your best friend?

Off they go to Italy, and meet a few other people who have also taken the leap and moved in the hope of starting fresh. Only problem is the town folks don't want outsiders moving in, and the houses they were promised are falling down disasters. Someone in the village of Citta d'Ora is pulling all the strings to push Lennie, Zelda, and their new friends out. 

There's also the local legend that says if a marriage doesn't happen in the village every ten years, Etna (volcano!) will show it's displeasure. And wouldn't you know, but that volcano is doing some rumbling...will Lennie and Zelda say "I do", even though it's quite clear they are firmly in the friend zone? Especially when Zelda sees Luca and feels the zip of instant connection...what's a woman to do?

This was a fun, quick read that took me away to Italy. Lemons abound in this novel, and I couldn't help but smell them the whole time I was reading this novel. There are even recipes in the back of the book for lemon-flavored treats. My only annoyance was with Zelda continually talking herself into keeping her promise to Lennie even when it was so very obvious they were not attracted to each other. 

I'll be reading more of Jo Thomas--she's an entertaining writer; romance is part of the story, but it's pretty clean--lots of longing looks and maybe a kiss or two.This novel was all about being true to yourself, taking chances, and using your talents to carve out a new life. 

Rating: 3/6 for a lovely novel set in Sicily, full of lemon groves and a sad, dying town that just needs some loving care to come back to life. Characters are enjoyable and just enough side stories to keep it all interesting and moving towards a satisfying conclusion. 

Available in ebook and paperback. 

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My Lemon Grove Summer by Jo Thomas

A Valentine's Day Post: Juliet's Answer by Glenn Dixon

I thought it was appropriate to review this book the night before Valentine's Day.  It's a sweet memoir about heartbreak, and the search for love--with a bit of Shakespeare thrown in to help illustrate the twisty road of love.

Glenn Dixon is a high school English teacher from Canada who travels to Verona one summer to become one of the small group of people who answer letters written to Juliet Capulet of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. People all around the world write thousands of letters to Juliet, asking for advice for their weary hearts. There is a staff of people who spend their days handwriting responses back to people and mailing them off.  They are known as the "secretaries of Juliet".  

Glenn teaches Romeo and Juliet to his high school students every year, so it's easy to see why he wants to travel to Verona to stay in the city where the epic play of dueling families, forbidden love, and tragedy took place centuries ago.  Or did it?  There are some clues that hint Romeo and Juliet may have actually existed hundreds of years ago; not enough to definitively say, but enough to deepen the intrigue and mystery of it all.  Glenn is hoping by writing letters to the lovelorn, he can figure out his own broken heart.  Glenn has been in love with Claire for years--since college, but she firmly sees him in the friend department, and he's at a loss to understand how he can either move on from her, or get her to see him as more than just a good friend.  She says she loves him, but just isn't "in love" with him.  Ouch. 

Glenn's story broadens a bit as he spends the summer in Verona, wandering the streets, writing letters, and figuring out what to do when he returns to Canada in the fall to teach.  He makes a major decision once he gets back home after a sudden and final discussion with Claire that leaves him shattered.  Can he find happily ever after with the help of Juliet?  

This was a quick read, and a thoughtful look at the many guises of love.  It can make us miserable, and make us weep for joy.  Glenn asks the question:  do we make choices in our life, or is it all up to fate?  How do we know who we're meant to be with and love?  Is it all a game of chance in which we have no control ?

I thought it was interesting to read about a man who was at a crossroads in his life, and trying to decide what to do to move on from a painful relationship.  I'm used to reading about women experiencing this, so it was an eye-opener to see heartbreak from a man's point of view.  Glenn is a nice guy--he's got a good job, is smart, well spoken, and a traveler. Never married, no kids.  Why is it so hard for him to find true love?  You'll find yourself nodding in agreement with Glenn as he ponders his situation and goes through the ups and downs of love. He gets it. 

A big thank you to Simon and Schuster/Gallery Books for a review copy of this memoir.  Fans of Shakespeare, travel memoirs, and those intrigued by love will enjoy this tale of one man's quest to heal his heart. 

Rating:  4/6 for a sweet look at the phenomenon of Juliet's letters, the bitterness of a broken heart, and the promise of new love.   

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A Valentine's Day Post: Juliet's Answer by Glenn Dixon

Pasta Wars by Elisa Lorello

Katie Cravens is a successful CEO of Pasta Pronto, her very own diet frozen food company; she's a size 2, and happily engaged to a lawyer.  Everything sounds great, right?  

Except Katie comes home one day and finds her finance in bed with another woman.  And there are candy wrappers all over the floor!  Her finance's last zinger, as he moves out, is that his lover doesn't worry about what she eats, and that's what makes her more attractive than Katie.  Ouch.  That hurts.  

Katie's blows continue, as her company struggles to survive a recall notice on one of her meals after it makes people sick.  Hoping to save her company, she agrees to partner with the Caramelli family in Italy, famous for their restaurants and quality Italian cuisine. Luci Caramelli invites Katie to Italy to go over paperwork and meet each other.  Luci's twin brother Luca is the moody, extremely sexy chef who doesn't want to partner with Katie and considers her food fake and, well, crap.  But they need a shot in the arm in order to keep their restaurants open, and Katie's partnership just may help them do that.  

As you can imagine, Katie and Luca don't hit it off; the calorie-conscious workaholic and the Italian chef who values fresh, handmade pasta dishes over "plastic" food.  Luca introduces Katie to fresh pasta, biscotti, and the delights of antipasto.  Katie's trip to Italy gives her a chance to look at her life and heal her wounded heart.  Attracted to, yet completely infuriated by Luca, she's torn between raging lust and knowing she's got to go back to New York and take care of her company.  There's just no room in her life for Luca. 

I won't tell you anymore, because there is a little twist in the last bit of the story involving Katie, Luca, and a televised competition.  I liked this novel, but it is definitely on the lighter side and certainly a fun tale to read leading up to Valentine's Day.  I have to say the food descriptions made me want to try my hand at homemade pasta.  Katie's journey from a hard working woman who is so focused on being perfect and in control, to a woman who learns to relax, enjoy life, and enjoy food is one that is certainly believable.  Sometimes we get so focused on walking that straight line we forget to look up, take a breath, and slow down.  In a world where we're all so rushed and it's too easy to eat garbage, this book was a reminder to me to pay attention; most especially that eating the good stuff is worth the time and effort it takes to make it.  

Rating: 6/10 for a light romantic read full of delicious food, the Italian countryside, and a heroine who isn't perfect (and is actually kind of klutzy).  

Available in paperback and e-book. 

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Pasta Wars by Elisa Lorello

Eat Pray Love Made Me Do It: Life Journeys Inspired by the Bestselling Memoir

I may be one of the few women in America that haven't read Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert.  I think I started it, but never finished it.  I actually watched the movie and formed a horrible crush on Javier Bardem.  Most of my reluctance to read the book stems from that old bookstore danger:  getting so sick of everyone asking for the same book, over and over, for months at a time.  I end up loathing any mention of the book and never wanting to read it.  I think that's what happened with Eat, Pray, Love. So years passed, and I never read it.

I knew the basic story, and at any other time I would have read the book right away.  And I did really enjoy the movie.  Cut to years later, and I see this book somewhere in my bookish wanderings.  I immediately checked it out of the library, and proceeded to dive in and be amazed at some of the stories people have shared.  

This non-fiction book is a collection of essays by various men and women (mostly women) who read Eat, Pray, Love  sometime in the past 10 years and had such a visceral reaction to it they changed their lives.  For some, like Elizabeth, it was a wake up call to leave an unhappy marriage or relationship; for others it was a reminder that life can and should be joyful and creative.  If we find ourselves stuck, we need to get moving.  For other women, it was about coping with motherhood and finding balance.  

One woman says "From Liz, I learned that it is never too late to start again.  I forgave myself my indiscretions and granted myself the permission to create the life I now understood I deserved."  Liz's story resonated with so many women that I was a bit floored by how her journey became the spark women needed to change their lives into more meaningful, peaceful, and vibrant quests.  

There wasn't one essay in this compilation that wasn't touching and amazing to me.  I can't imagine how Liz Gilbert feels knowing she's influenced so many people simply by telling her story.  It is a prime example that we never know who we will touch just by being open with the good and the bad in our lives.  

I think this would make an obvious choice for anyone who loved Eat, Pray, Love.  But you don't have to read that to feel the impact of these essays.  It will probably drive you to read Liz's memoir after you've turned the last page.  Powerful stuff.

Rating:  7/10 for so many touching essays about the power of one woman's journey of discovery to give courage, grace, and peace to those who struggle through life.  

Available in paperback, audio, and e-book.

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Eat Pray Love Made Me Do It: Life Journeys Inspired by the Bestselling Memoir

Margherita's Notebook: A Novel of Temptation by Elisabetta Flumeri & Gabriella Giacometti

This was a fun novel to read.  First published in Italy, it's due to be published in the United States this summer.  I was able to read a preview copy, and it set me up to read more of what I call "lighthearted" romantic foodie novels for the summer.  I can't help it.  I have such a soft spot for this type of genre.  They are my go to when I need a mental break and some space between heavier reads.  

Margherita's Notebook is about, you guessed it--Margherita.  She's a young woman who is living in a dismal apartment in Rome with her husband Francesco and her menagerie of pets.  Married for five years, she has moved away from her hometown of Roccafitta  to Rome in hopes of her husband finding his dream job.  Instead, he struggles to find a job and Margherita isn't doing what she loves most:  cooking.  

Margherita finds out her husband has been unfaithful, and packs up her pets and moves back to Roccafitta, her hometown.  She moves back into her father Armando's home, and is so happy to be back in the town she loves.  Cooking is Margherita's way of working through problems, and right now she has to find a job.  A chance encounter between an octopus and a very handsome man send her world into a tailspin.  Nicola is quite the hottie; a ruthless businessman, with eyes like chocolate that send a zing through Margherita.  He's also annoying, and eats frozen food.  Needing a job, Margherita agrees to make suppers for Nicola while he woos local landowners into selling their properties for a huge wine making production.  

This is a novel of crisp visualizations, flowery expressions, and lust.  It is very much an Italian novel, and I loved the unapologetic burst of passion, life, and love it sends to the reader.  My only issue was Margherita's marriage.  It was never discussed with Nicola, and while her husband does make a brief appearance to try and win her back, it seemed that maybe she should have just had a relationship that didn't work out instead of a marriage.  

The cast of characters are lively and fun, and of course there is the woman who wants Nicola--his assistant, Carla.  She's all business, except when she's fantasizing about Nicola.  And she doesn't like Margherita.  

I certainly enjoyed my trip to Italy, the fabulous food, and the peek into small town Italian life.  A perfect summer read.  

Rating;  7/10 for pure escapism, and a novel that makes you itch to get in the kitchen.  

Available in paperback and e-book at the end of July, 2016.

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Margherita's Notebook: A Novel of Temptation by Elisabetta Flumeri & Gabriella Giacometti

Lake Como By Anita Hughes

December is about pure escapism for me, drinking eggnog, and wrapping presents with a total lack of talent and lots of tape.  My sweetie wraps presents with a ruler and incredible precision; I'm lucky to cut the paper in a straight line.  

Lake Como is absolute pure fantasy.  Hallie Elliot lives a pretty sweet life in San Francisco:  she's an interior designer in a high-profile firm, her grandmother is one of the elite society members, and she's in love with Peter, a journalist who worships the ground she walks on and is perfect for her.  Only thing is, she's waiting for a ring.  

One night, Hallie sees Peter in a compromising position with her boss, and her world crumbles.  What was a certainty now seems unclear.  Peter insists nothing happened, and when he proposes, Hallie turns him down.  She just can't get past the mistrust.  Opportunity to escape arrives from her family in Italy.  Her half-sister Portia has left her cheating husband, and Portia's father and grandmother have asked Hallie to come to Lake Como and the family villa to help Portia get back together with her husband.  The Tesoro name is old, moneyed, and well-respected.  Portia can't cause a scandal.  

Hallie arrives in Lake Como, ready for a break from Peter and her life in San Francisco.  She soon finds herself hired to design an art space for the very rich and reclusive owner of a beautiful villa on Lake Como.  She meets Angus, the caretaker of the estate, and sparks fly (reluctantly on Hallie's part).  Will she stay in Italy for good?  What about Peter?  Just how many designer dresses can she wear in one season?  

Oh, there's more to the story, of course.  It's pretty easy to figure out the plot, and there are no surprises.  This novel is full of the high life, beautiful people, glamorous villas, and impeccable fashion.  It's a life that is very far from Iowa in December.  But that is what makes it fun--and I've discovered another author who will be perfect for summer vacations, long weekends during the chill of winter, and a great go-to for anyone who likes contemporary women's fiction with a dash of sophistication and romance. I will read more of Anita Hughes' books and will definitely pass them onto my friends.

Rating:  6/10 for a novel that provided a dose of escapism with a light plot, enjoyable characters, and a happy ending for all. 

Available in paperback and e-book.
 

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Lake Como By Anita Hughes

The Making of Nebraska Brown by Louise Caiola

What happens when you find yourself waking up in another country, with a different name, and a different boyfriend?  

That's the story of Ann Leigh, who wakes up in Italy and finds herself struggling to understand how she knows the language, feels at home, and has Tommy, an attractive Italian boyfriend (who's also her boss).  Why does she keep having flashes of another life in small town Nebraska; engaged to Shane Kirkland, someone she may or may not love?

Ann Leigh's confusion is multiplied by the passport she carries that says she's Ana Lisa.  Having flashes of another life leads her to begin searching for answers in California on a business trip with Tommy.  

What Ann Leigh discovers will cause her heartbreak and force her to question her whole life--what she knows and what she wants.  What role does Tommy play in all the secrets surrounding her life in Italy?  

This is a story about a young woman who must face her past in order to know herself and grow up.  It's painful, messy, and heartbreaking.  Can she trust anyone but herself?  

This would be a great novel for teens and college-age women to read.  Starting out at eighteen, life is big, and there are many choices.  Sometimes the choices we make can leave us wandering,  looking for someplace and someone to call home.  

Thanks to Rebecca Hamilton for sending me a copy of this book to review. 

Rating:  6/10 for a unique plot that keeps you guessing as Ann Leigh works to uncover what's missing in her memory.  

Available in paperback and e-book.  

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The Making of Nebraska Brown by Louise Caiola

My Berlin Kitchen by Luisa Weiss

I love to read "food writing" books.  While I am no expert in the kitchen, I do love to cook.  Sometimes I have a winner, sometimes things don't work out quite the way they should have--undercooked chicken, a sauce that I over-seasoned, and just plain "please don't make that again" from my boyfriend.

This memoir is chock full of recipes, so if you get the itch, you can try a few.  But before you do that, sit down to an enjoyable tale of a young woman who finds her way home through cooking.

Luisa was born in West Berlin to an American father and an Italian mother.  Their marriage doesn't last, and Luisa moves to Boston with her father very early in life.  Every summer, she flies to Berlin to spend time with her mother; sometimes they head to Italy to stay at her grandfather's home, eat fantastic meals prepared by her family, and playing with her cousins.  Sounds like a dream life, right?

But Luisa is torn between what she calls her "European self" and her "American self".  And as she grows older, she yearns for Berlin and ends up moving back to live with her mother and graduate from high school in what is now a unified Germany.

Luisa stays connected to her far-flung family and friends by cooking recipes that evoke memories of holidays, special moments, and home.  But where is home?   As life takes her to Paris (and a possible true love) and New York, she is always quietly searching for her home.  As someone who never really had one stable home, it is difficult for her to feel truly comfortable in any one place--she's always yearning for that one place that will make her happy.  To cope,  she keeps cooking through heartbreak, job changes, and travel.  

Does she find happiness and home?  You'll just have to read this and find out.  If you don't usually read non-fiction, this is a perfect start:  a sweet memoir that takes you traveling through Europe and New York, has a funny yet thoughtful narrator, and maybe, just maybe, a happy ending.  

Rating: 7/10 for a swift read, yet more in depth that you would think.

Available in hardcover, paperback, and ebook.

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My Berlin Kitchen by Luisa Weiss

Inferno by Dan Brown

Inferno by Dan Brown is the hottest adult fiction book of the summer.  It's been years since Dan Brown published his last novel, The Lost Symbol and now he's returned with a thriller set in Italy.

This novel returns with our hero, the Harvard professor of symbology Robert Langdon.  And it starts off with a bang.  Robert wakes up in a hospital, and he doesn't remember where he is or what's happened to him.  He thinks he's in Massachusetts, but quickly discovers he's in Italy--Florence, to be exact.  It appears someone tried to kill him, and he's got the stitches from a near miss with a bullet in the back of his head.  

Ok.  As a reader, you have absolutely no clue what is going on--you know as much as Robert does, which isn't much.  

And then all hell breaks loose.  This novel is one long chase through Florence, Venice, and eventually another country (I won't tell you!).  And it all takes place over a few days.  It's an exhausting journey that Robert begins, aided by Dr. Sienna Brooks--a young English doctor who was working at the hospital the night Robert was brought in unconscious.  Robert is desperately trying to remember why he's in Florence, and who the heck is trying to kill him.  All he remembers is a woman with silvery hair begging him to "Seek and ye shall find", surrounded by dead bodies.  What the  kind of hallucination/bad dream is this?  And he's also seeing images of this is his mind:

This creepy mask is called a plague mask.  Doctors wore it in Venice when the Black Death was killing thousands of people a day in the 1300's.  They thought the long beak would keep them from being exposed to the plague.  

All this connects to Dante's Inferno.  And Robert Langdon is under a time crunch to put all the pieces together.  And he's being chased by a heck of a lot of people.  Who is the enemy, and who is trying to help him?

I enjoyed this novel.  You get a tour of Florence and Venice and all the important buildings, art, and symbols around both cities.  It can be a bit dizzying and distracting, and it makes you want to stop reading and look up photos on the internet.  I think for me, the only answer is to actually go to Florence and Venice.  You don't have to read Dante's Divine Comedy to understand this novel; it is all explained as you move through the story.  The incredible beauty man has created is overshadowed by the incredible evil man has also created; it's up to Robert to stop it before it's unleashed.  Can he do it?

Oh, the ending was not what I was expecting.  I thought it was pretty darn clever, and left me saying "holy crap!".  The ideas Dan Brown brings forth in this novel are certainly relevant in today's world and will have you thinking about population growth and the earth's ability to sustain it. Major themes are nature, science, and evolution--do we ethically use science to progress humanity?  And what is the evolution of humanity, anyway?  It will be interesting to see if Dan Brown continues his next novel on this theme.  I will certainly be reading it!

Rating:  8/10 for a good old thriller based on Dante's Inferno.  The descriptions of places and art around Florence and Venice can be a bit dizzying sometimes, but certainly immerses you in the world of this novel.  A perfect read for a summer vacation.

Available in hardcover, e-book, and audio.

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Inferno by Dan Brown

Juliet by Anne Fortier: A Top Favorite Read of the Year

A Must Read--You'll Love It!

If you haven't heard of Juliet by Anne Fortier, listen up!  This is one of my favorite reads of the year.  Are you looking for adventure, romance, history, and just a great read?  Well, here it is.  Julie Jacobs has always loved the play Romeo and Juliet by Will Shakespeare.  She's got it memorized.  Her twin sister, Janice, has been a pain in her behind most of her life--always the doer, always making trouble for Julie.  Their Aunt Rose dies, leaving Janice all her money and home, and a letter to Julie, with a passport that has her real name:  Giulietta Tolomei.  

Julie finds herself on the way to Siena, Italy, to discover the secrets behind her mother's obsession with the Tolomei-Salembini curse, which has it's origins in the original story of Romeo and Giulietta, who is Julie's ancestress.  The story takes place in 1340 Siena, and in present Siena, where Julie is in a race against unknown enemies to unravel her family history and uncover the secrets that her mother died trying to solve.  Can she finally remove the family curse that has ruled both families for centuries?  Is there really a curse, or is it just a way to explain unhappy endings?

I loved this book!  It is very well written; Julie/Giulietta is a great character.  She's been afraid to live her whole life, and is forced to jump into the unknown to find out who she really is.  Alessandro is the handsome man who clashes with her immediately, yet he's part of the puzzle. Who are her enemies, and who is there to help her?  Who keeps following her, and who breaks into her hotel room?  Can she piece together the puzzle and solve the mystery?

The story of Romeo and Giulietta is fascinating, and heartbreaking at the same time.  Medieval Italy was a cruel place, where women were pawns for power and had little choice in marriage.  The town of Siena is another character in the story; it sounds like a beautiful place--a mixture of medieval buildings and modern conveniences.  I had a hard time putting this book down, and raced to the end--it's exciting right up until the last few pages.  You'll be happy with the ending!

If you are a fan of Dan Brown, or Kate Mosse's Labyrinth, or any books that have historical mysteries and stories retold from the familiar, try this one.  Really, a great read, and oh so romantic, but not cheesy at all.

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Juliet by Anne Fortier: A Top Favorite Read of the Year

The Blind Contessa's New Machine by Carey Wallace

Another book that captured my attention by the cover and size.  It's a small hardcover--just perfectly fits in your hands, and easily tucked into your purse.

The Blind Contessa's New Machine by Carey Wallace is a enchanting story about Carolina, a young woman in 19th century Italy.  She lives with her parents in a small town, and spends most of her time in a small cottage by the lake her father constructed for her mother.  She's a fanciful girl, and her imagination is endless.

Nearby lives Turri, a young man who is known for being eccentric.  He is always tinkering with inventions, and is obsessed with making wings so he can fly.  The two meet at the lake, and form a friendship that lasts years, from Carolina's childhood to adulthood.  From this friendship, loves blooms.

The only problem is that Carolina is engaged to Pietro, the town "catch", and Turri is married with a young son.  Carolina is also going blind.  She tells her parents and Pietro before they are married, but no one believes her.  Soon after her marriage, she completely loses her sight.  She mourns the loss of freedom and struggles to make her way to the lake, where she finds comfort in the sounds and her cottage.  While she can no longer see, in her dreams she sees everything again, and flies.  Turri is there, too.  He invents a typewriter for Carolina, so she  can communicate with him via letters.  Will they find happiness together?  And who is following Carolina around the house at night?

This is a very lovely tale.  It's fanciful, beautifully written, and very easy to fall into.  It is magical--if you're a fan of Garden Spells, or Alice Hoffman, you will enjoy this  book.

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The Blind Contessa's New Machine by Carey Wallace