reecaspieces

Overview 

From Adriana Trigiani, the beloved New York Times-bestselling author of The Shoemaker’s Wife, comes an exhilarating epic novel of love, loyalty, and creativity—the story of an Italian-American family on the cusp of change.

It’s 1949 and South Philadelphia bursts with opportunity during the post-war boom. The Palazzini Cab Company & Western Union Telegraph Office, owned and operated by Dominic Palazzini and his three sons, is flourishing: business is good, they’re surrounded by sympathetic wives and daughters-in-law, with grandchildren on the way. But a decades-long feud that split Dominic and his brother Mike and their once-close families sets the stage for a re-match. 

Amidst the hoopla, the arrival of an urgent telegram from Italy upends the life of Nicky Castone (Dominic and his wife’s orphaned nephew) who lives and works with his Uncle Dom and his family. Nicky decides, at 30, that he wants more—more than just a job driving Car #4 and more than his longtime fiancée Peachy DePino, a bookkeeper, can offer. When he admits to his fiancée that he’s been secretly moonlighting at the local Shakespeare theater company, Nicky finds himself drawn to the stage, its colorful players and to the determined Calla Borelli, who inherited the enterprise from her father, Nicky must choose between the conventional life his family expects of him or chart a new course and risk losing everything he cherishes.

From the dreamy mountaintop village of Roseto Valfortore in Italy, to the vibrant streets of South Philly, to the close-knit enclave of Roseto, Pennsylvania, to New York City during the birth of the golden age of television, Kiss Carlo is a powerful, inter-generational story that celebrates the ties that bind, while staying true to oneself when all hope seems lost.

Told against the backdrop of some of Shakespeare’s greatest comedies, this novel brims with romance as long buried secrets are revealed, mistaken identities are unmasked, scores are settled, broken hearts are mended and true love reigns. Trigiani’s consummate storytelling skill and her trademark wit, along with a dazzling cast of characters will enthrall readers. Once again, the author has returned to her own family garden to create an unforgettable feast. Kiss Carlo is a jubilee, resplendent with hope, love, and the abiding power of la famiglia.

Review

Isn’t the cover just FABULOUS!! You can’t tell from the picture but the paper is all bright and shiny! #coverlove!

This book is a little slow starting but it kicks in and you just fall in love with everyone!! Especially Nicky. Even when he makes a decision you want him to make…but yet you don’t want him to make …Capisce??? You must read the book to find out what I am talking about!! 

This book starts in Italy, moves to Pennsylvania where everything takes place. Nicky is a taxi driver and is part of a large Italian family. And I mean LARGE. Nothing like a big Italian family in the midst of a love story!  There are lots of characters to keep up with but each are different and this adds so much to the story. I especially love the dispatcher/telegram operator, Hortense. She is an excellent minor character which keeps everyone in line! She has such a great sense of humor.  She keeps everything rocking and rolling. 

I am not going to give anything away…and I soooooo want to. There is a lot of Italian, Shakespeare, love, food and impersonations. Yes…impersonations. 

I just love, love, love this book!! She told me I would and I did!! She, I mean Adriana Trigiani herself. And she is super amazing!! 

I met Adriana Trigiani for the first time this year at BEA. She was absolutely my favorite author. We talked Nabs and Jackson, MS. (Read Big Stone Gap to find out about nabs…if you are a Yankee…southerners know all about them. They are a staple!) This lady stayed over an hour past her signing time to sign everyone a book who was in line! She loves her readers! 

Also…my bag came from Kindred Spirit.  I had tons of people at the expo who wanted it! Check out their styles. 

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Overview 

From the author who brought you Dear Thing, Julie Cohen, comes After the Fall — a poignant, beautifully heartbreaking novel about what it means to be family, the ties that bind us, and the secrets that threaten to tear us apart.

When an unfortunate accident forces Honor back into the lives of her widowed daughter-in-law, Jo, and her only granddaughter, Lydia, she cannot wait to be well enough to get back to her own home. However, the longer she stays with Jo and Lydia, the more they start to feel like a real family. But each of the three women is keeping secrets from the others that threaten to destroy the lives they’ve come to know.

Honor’s secret threatens to rob her of the independence she’s guarded ferociously for eighty years.

Jo’s secret could destroy the “normal” family life she’s fought so hard to build and maintain.

Lydia’s secret could bring her love―or the loss of everything that matters most to her.

One summer’s day, grandmother, mother and daughter’s secrets will be forced out in the open in a single dramatic moment that leaves them all asking: is there such a thing as second chances?

Review 

This book was an unexpected pleasure for me. I don’t know what I actually thought this book was about…but I was bowled over with the characters, the story and the myriad of emotions. This is some amazing writing. I was so wrapped up in EACH character. It was like I was right there with them experiencing the same feelings.  

Honor is a cranky old woman who takes a pretty bad spill.  She moves in with Jo and her family.  Honor is irritable and hard to get along with for many reasons. Basically, she is hurt on many levels. Not only does she hurt because she is getting old and cannot do what she once did, but the hurt over her son’s death….stays with her forever and affects the way she relates to everyone around her. 

Jo is a special woman. Not only is she raising three children by herself, she takes in her mother-in-law after the fall. She is one of the most giving characters and has the patience of a saint…Many times I wanted to YELL for her because she wouldn’t lose her temper and temper-losing was so warranted. There is a part in this book where Jo just has a doozy of a day! As a mother,  I remembered what it was like. I almost got as stressed as Jo did. But don’t worry, she handled it like a trooper. I would’ve lost it on the first episode of poop!! Very well written and her feelings came right off the page to me!

Lydia is Jo’s daughter and Honor’s only granddaughter. She is pulled in many different directions. I am not about to give her story away. Just know, she is much tougher than she appears. 

This story was an absolute treasure for me in many ways! Highly recommend if you need a book to get totally absorbed! 

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review 
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Overview

Kate, Aubrey, and Jenny. They first met as college roommates and soon became inseparable, even though they are as different as three women can be. Twenty years later, one of them is standing at the edge of a bridge . . and someone else is urging her to jump. 
How did things come to this?
As the novel cuts back and forth between their college years and their adult years, you see the exact reasons why these women love and hate each other—but can feelings that strong lead to murder? Or will everyone assume, as is often the case, that it’s always the husband?

Review

This novel follows three girls, college roommates and best friends for life.   Each one is very different from the other and each one comes from a different background. Kate is a magnet for all things bad….drugs, alcohol, and men! Jenny is the mother hen. She tries to fix everything that goes wrong. And Aubrey, well, she is from the wrong side of the tracks and follows Kate wherever she leads. One of them ends up dead! 

This is a slow read. Well, maybe I should say, it is laying the ground work for the finale, which is a WOW moment. It does pick up about half way through the book and then moves pretty rapidly. I did figure out the murderer.  The author drops several hints and if you are paying attention….YOU GOT IT! 

It is overly dramatic in places but, that could be because you are dealing with young adults through most of this read. It rotates between time periods, the girls college years and around their 40 year old selves. I did not enjoy any of the characters and I do think that was intentional by the author.  I believe this is why the first part of this novel to moved slowly.  I probably would have enjoyed it more if I related to one of the girls. 

This is an interesting mystery that CAN leave you guessing till the end. 
I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: 

A graduate of Harvard University and Stanford Law School, MICHELE CAMPBELL worked at a prestigious Manhattan law firm before spending eight years fighting crime as a federal prosecutor in New York City. 

ITS ALWAYS THE HUSBAND is a triumph. I urge you to consider for feature attention, summer reading coverage, and/or review this Summer 2017. Michele Campbell is available for interview.
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