Guiseppina Capodimonte Barrata's view from Lake Como was not the one set in Italy, but rather the one in New Jersey near Hoboken. Jess, as everyone besides her mother called her, dreamed of going to Italy but it was not in the cards for her...until it was. Growing up in a large Italian-American family that encompassed the whole neighborhood around the lake, she cooked pasta and pastries with her beloved grandmas till they passed away. She saved her money for years to study art at Rutgers, but just as she was to start, her parents told her that they invested and lost it. Her marriage with neighborhood hunk Bobby didn't work out for her, so here she was, a thirty-three year old divorcee who was slated to be the family perpetual helper and caretaker-with a horrible smelly cellar as her residence.
The only bright spot in her life was her job working for her Uncle Louie, at Cap Marble and Stone, where she was draftsman and consultant for customers desiring the finest in Carrara marble. One day, Louie told her that he was leaving the business-to her! And to begin the transfer, he was taking her to Italy to learn the trade...she was beyond excited.
Unfortunately he died right after and her situation once again seemed hopeless, especially since his business dealings were a trifle shady and the FBI got interested.
She started questioning her family on their money situation and a big bad secret was revealed. Disappointed and devastated, she went over to Uncle Louie's house to help her aunt clear out his belongings and found her ticket to Italy-and she hopped on a plane.
Trigiani treats her heroine's story with warmth, compassion and plenty of the trademark humor of her previous novels. A new start, miles away from family is not an easy transition, and the reader follows Jess's journey to her new life with hope for her future, while never letting the past go. Book Clubs will eat it up with espresso and cornettos.
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