Title- The Star-Crossed Sisters of Tuscany
Book of the Month Selection
Rating– 4/5
Genre- Contemporary
POV- First person, present tense
Trope- Family love
Similar Books/Comps– One Italian Summer, Sweet Forgiveness
My emotions- Almost a tear jerker at the end, satisfied
Characters–
Emilia- the happily-single baker at her grandfather’s Brooklyn deli
Lucy- sexy, desperate-for-love cousin of Emilia
Great-Aunt Poppy
Plot/Blurb-
Since the day Filomena Fontana cast a curse upon her sister more than two hundred years ago, not one second-born Fontana daughter has found lasting love. Some, like second-born Emilia claim it’s an odd coincidence. Others, like Lucy insist it’s a true hex. But both are bewildered when their great-aunt calls with an astounding proposition: If they accompany her to her homeland of Italy, Aunt Poppy vows she’ll meet the love of her life on the steps of the Ravello Cathedral on her eightieth birthday, and break the Fontana Second-Daughter Curse once and for all.
Against the backdrop of wandering Venetian canals, rolling Tuscan fields, and enchanting Amalfi Coast villages, romance blooms, destinies are found, and family secrets are unearthed—secrets that could threaten the family far more than a centuries-old curse.
Best part-
I lived in Italy in 2008, so this novel brought back the feelings/vibes of touring the area. Lori Spielman created great descriptive imagery. The setting was almost another character in the story.
What I’d change-
The plot was a predictable read and didn’t challenge me too much. I wish there was a bit more tension added in some scenes.
Quote-
“To me, love is more like a lending library. To keep it, we must continually renew it. Otherwise we pay a hefty fine.”
“Being lost is where the beauty lies. Lost in a book. Lost in someone’s eyes. Lost in a symphony so sweet it brings you to tears.”
Pacing- Average- not too fast or slow. Just right. (Yes, Goldilocks)
Cassie Swindon 