Peter PezzelliCritiques
Auteur de Home To Italy
Critiques
What appealed to me about this book was the fact the woman had raised her Italian family in RI-where I live and now that all the kids have grown and moved away.
She keeps busy by learning new things from books at the library. She's got her act together-she travels to visit all the kids two times a year and they visit her. Some days it's still not enough-too much silence.
The story is depicted in January and it's described exactly how it feels in RI at that time of the year when the big snow storm hits. Love memories myself of the 78 blizzard-the weekend of our marriage, marooned for a whole week with no travel on roads possible.
Story also follows Loretta Simmons, the mother of children who want her to actually get out of bed to take them to school....
Francesca needs to find something new to do-to feel useful again. She loves cooking and searches through the local ads for a job. A babysitting job just a few hours til the mother returns from her work at the lawyer's firm for her 2 kids...
Loretta dates and Francesca babysits more hours for them. She's got them eating real food and picking up after themselves which makes Loretta feel like she's not a good mother....
Fran's kids have no idea she's been working as she talks to each of the girls weekly with the same stories of shopping at the local grocery and going to get books from the library...when Loretta becomes sick for a week Francesca takes over and even meets one of Loretta's bosses.
They get to chat while doing house chores and having tea and Loretta takes an interest in cooking as they clear the skeletons from their closets.
They become better friends as time goes on til the kids have a week off and Francesca isn't needed....or is she? Like the religious interventions along the way-really fits in with the whole story.
Author Q&A and recipes at the end. Will be looking for more from this author. Like how he describes things, makes you feel like you are there experiencing it for yourself.
I received this book from The Kennsington Books in exchange for my honest review
He tells no one he's coming, (and doesn't correspond with his US relatives for almost a year) but goes about adjusting slowly to the changes that have come about in the 50 years he was gone. His love of family, his love of biking, and the presence of his best friend from childhood help him transplant his life. A sweet and easy to read fairy tale.
This is the kind of book that I like- a book about people going about their every day lives and trying to do the best they can. It is also a book about people needing to feel useful and use their skills. It is also a book about not being able to be Superwoman and needing help in life. I also liked this book, because it dealt, if a tiny bit superficially, with how people fell when trying to deal with how they feel about not feeling useful or feeling overwelmed.
I liked the element of discipline that Francesca brought to her adopted family and I think that Pezzelli accurately described the reaction of the children.
I was a little surprised at how the book ended, but the author did open the door for a sequel.
The ending of this book is the best, because it shows how people act when the chips are down. The beginning is a little slow, but the characters act like real people and not characters being manipulated in a book.
I also like the description of how emotions affect other parts of the characters' lives.
I adored this book. I want a Francesca, even without the hot son. Total escape novel, fantasy for single moms, an easy read, but written with such love. Not one bad character, the story moves gracefully, a book that should come with every house that has a fireplace. I wish real life were this nice.
Reminiscent of Mrs. Doubtfire, if Mrs. Doubtfire were an Italian granny and not a creepy ex-husband.
Home is Providence, RI, where Jason’s father owns a declining bed-and-breakfast. Jason’s brother and sister, who help their father run the business, are not happy with their father’s decision to welcome Jason back home and offer him a position at the inn. Jason isn’t all that thrilled with the idea at first, either, but with no other options available to him, he decides to give it a try and gradually regains his faith in himself and his abilities. But something continues to haunt his thoughts, and it takes a life-threatening experience in Providence and a return trip to California for him to really come to terms with his disastrous past and make the necessary decisions to move forward with his life.
This was a heartwarming story of family, love, and redemption. I really enjoyed watching Jason’s character evolve and the byplay between Jason and his family was both entertaining and endearing. The insight Mr. Pezelli gives the reader into the Mirabella’s boisterous Italian family, neighborhood, and lifestyle is a pleasure to experience. This is definitely a book I would recommend to others as a captivating read with an uplifting, happy ending. I give Villa Mirabella 4 stars.
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As their nanny, Francesca watches Penny and Will after school. Observing their flippant behavior and the messy state of the house forces Francesca to take action. She slowly changes the Simmons' family's dynamics, their habits, and their attitudes making everyone much happier. She insists the children take on more responsibility for their rooms, clothing, homework assignments rewarding them by cooking delicious dinners and desserts. The Simmons learn to cook and appreciate good food and each other.
Before long, Francesca learns that no good deed goes unrewarded and her life is changed for the good.
Pleasant and smart read.