Title: Very ValentineAuthor: Adriana Trigiani
ISBN-13: 9780061257063
Hardcover: 367 pages
Publisher: HarperCollins, 2009
Purchase at IndieBound, Amazon
FTC Disclosure: My copy of Very Valentine visited from my local library. I am an IndieBound and Amazon affiliate, and any purchases made by clicking on the cover or the links provided may result in monetary compensation.
drey's thoughts:
Y'know how people always wanted to be Irish (even if it's only on St. Patrick's Day)? Well, I always wanted to be Italian. Why? Well, good food, good dessert (yum!), and boisterous conversations. Just like Chinese families, except I think the Italians are more comfortable with displays of affection. *grin*
Adriana Trigiani's Very Valentine captures what I imagine would be a typical Italian family, family drama notwithstanding. It is also a very lyrical story of a woman--the Valentine of the title--who is trying to hang on to her grandmother's business while her brother is trying to sell it, and whose romance with a chef comes into question when she meets someone while traveling in Italy with her grandmother.
I liked Valentine's character. She is strong, passionate, and does her best to stay true to herself, even in the face of debt and doubt. I also liked her grandmother, who has a long-buried secret that bubbles up and knocks everyone in the family for a loop. Very Valentine is long on romance and great storytelling, and would go great with a cuppa, or a margarita. Brava, Valentine is on my bookshelves, waiting for a play-hooky-from-work day. Or a rainy day. Or ...
drey's rating: Excellent
Challenges: 100+, Support Your Local Library
2 comments:
I absolutely loved this one and can't wait to read the sequel! It totally made me want to be Italian, too. And all the lush shoe descriptions? Yes, please!
I liked this book a lot and thought Brava, Valentine was even better!
Post a Comment
have a thought to share? I love comments!