Valentine Roncalli is a shoemaker working and living in Greenwich Village in New York. She lives with her grandmother, Grams who’s 80 years old and still going strong. But the family business, is under threat when Valentine finds out their financial situation is not as rosy as she expected.
Suddenly Valentine must face up to being financially ruined and homeless! Along the way, Valentine finds love and discovers more about herself and her grandmother on a trip to Italy which leads her to change her perspective on lots of important things.
I love Adriana Trigiani books, you all know how I feel about the Big Stone Gap series. This book is set in modern day New York, and it even has a cheeky reference to Lucia, Lucia one of Trigiani’s other books which is being made into a movie.
This book didn’t have that same magic for me. Yes it had the warmth of her earlier efforts, but I couldn’t identify with Valentine. She was a flake to me and buried her head in the sand. But I did love Grams who makes this such a fun book to read. And also loved Valentine’s family who are crazy and funny and who provide a good backdrop to the story.
Overall, not too impressed with this book.
3 out of 5 stars.
