The Villa Girls

by Nicky Pellegrino

This is the story of four young women who decide that wherever they are in the world, and whatever they're doing, they'll meet every few years for a holiday together somewhere sunny. Despite life taking them in very different directions, their snatched days in the sun in little hidden villas are crucial to them all. Escape, celebration, recovery—over the years the holidays change their lives. Rosie was always the odd one out—initially only invited as the others felt sorry for her, but it seems that in the end, she might be the one whose life is touched the most by her villa days. For it's there that she meets Enzo. The eldest son of an olive oil dynasty in southern Italy, he is being groomed to one day take over as head of the family. Rosie and Enzo have a holiday romance that seems set to become something more serious until she discovers he is not entirely what he seems. Years later they meet again and this time Rosie must decide how much she is prepared to compromise for the sake of love.

Genres: Romance, Italy, Chick Lit, Fiction, Travel, Summer, Novels

321 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 2011

About the author

I was born and grew up near Liverpool, England. For a while I worked as a magazine journalist in London but then 21 years ago I came on holiday to New Zealand and met my future husband Carne Bidwill at a wedding. Now we live together near a beach in Auckland with our dogs Charlie the standard poodle and Lucy the pointer. I spend my time writing novels, working as a freelance journalist, riding my two horses, growing veges in my garden, cooking, trying to get other people to cook for me, eating and reading. There isn't much time for anything else except a little light housework.
My all-time favourite book is To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee and my book of 2013 was LIfe After LIfe by Kate Atkinson.
I have a website www.nickypellegrino.com

Reviews

[Ana · Rating 4 out of 5]

It could be 5 stars instead of 4 if the ending wasn't rushed.
How to start, the book is very easy to read, the story is very well developed which is something rare to see for this kind of romance and the characters are quite likeable.

What i liked in this book: The two main characters have their own chapters, Rosie talks in the first person and the Enzo chapters are in the third person. You have the opportunity to know each character, their story before they met, their life years before the "present".
Maybe it was because of this, the way the author develops each character through the book that i felt the end was rushed, she closes the book in what? 5 or 10 pages? It wasn't enough. Not well closed,it deserved more pages and more details.

[Dion Ribeiro · Rating 4 out of 5]

Um livro que nos faz sonhar com férias na Itália, comidas saborosas, verão e praia, amizades e amores difíceis. Apesar de não ter sido uma leitura muito surpreendente, foi bastante agradável e envolvente.

Uma vez que estive recentemente em Itália, não deixei de pensar no quanto os italianos são barulhentos, adoram gritar e falar todos ao mesmo tempo, é assim no livro e é assim na realidade! :D

[Carla Geraldes · Rating 2 out of 5]

2,5*

Comecei "mal" o ano.
Sabia quw seria um romance levezinho, mas não pensei que fosse tão sem "sal". E nao foi por falta de falar em comida italiana, porque essa foi uma contaste ao longo de todo o livro.

[Kiwiflora · Rating 4 out of 5]

What more can one ask for over the summer/Christmas holiday period than lying down with a bit of chick-lit. How blissful and escapist! I had forgotten how intensely enjoyable a bit of relaxing, romantic and light reading can be. And you can read extraordinarily quickly which enables you to move onto the next one...

And, to take the bliss one step further, how about a setting of southern Italy, to an olive estate, owned and operated by the one family for some generations - oh the history, the family intrigues, the wine, the food, the olives!!!! The bliss goes on and on.

Rosie is a school girl in London when the story begins. She has recently lost her parents in a horrific road accident and is living unhappily and aimlessly with her aunt and uncle. She still goes to school and quite by accident strikes up a friendship with an Italian girl from school, Addolorata who takes her under her wing slowly introduces her to life. The first step in this process is a holiday at a villa in Spain with two other girls from school. Surprisingly this goes extremely well, and Rosie gradually begins to find her feet, ably assisted by Addolorato and her Italian family who own and run, none other than an Italian restaurant! Quelle surprise!

At the same time as Rosie is coping with the curve balls of life, in Italy Enzo is being groomed to take over the management of the olive estate from his father at some time in the future. Despite the estate being run by the men in the family, it is Enzo's fiery and strong grandmother who really runs the show and is determined that the estate will retain its prestigious international reputation. There is pressure on Enzo to find a young local woman to marry, but he continually resists.

Inevitably of course, as in all good chick lit, Rosie and Enzo are destined to meet, and this is on a second villa holiday that the girls decide to take two years after the first. And as in all good romances there are complications and difficulties until, naturally the inevitable happens and the two are reunited.

Oh yes it is all so predictable, and delicious and gorgeous, but who cares! The writing is delightful - the gloom and oppression of London vs the sunshine and brilliance of the Italian country side. And the food - Mamma Mia! I don't know if the writer has a background in food, but she writes about Italian food with love, joy and passion. Although from Liverpool and now living in New Zealand, her father is Italian and surely this must have something to do with it!

So to take you away from your ordinary life, a little bit of Italy and romance and food combined could be the perfect recipe.

[Laura Meireles · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.7⭐

[callan una · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really really enoyed this book. It was a quick read, with a nice pace. The book characters drew me in quickly from the first chapter & made me want to know how the story progressed and how the lives of the characters would pan out.
I suppose some might disparagingly describe this as "Chick Lit", however the story & writing are much better than that, and certainly the first 3/4 of the book really moves along at a cracking pace. The characters are well written and the main character is intriguing. I enjoyed it. I will definitely look for more by this author!

[Jacqui Mccann · Rating 3 out of 5]

after reading Delicious and The Italian Wedding I found the Villa Girls disappointing and didnt feel the essence of italy was captured as well. Slow to start the story only kicks in halfway through the book whilst the ending feels rushed. Not the authors best book at all I was left with the feeling it wasnt as well thought out and was a rushed by product of the Italian Wedding that didnt really seem to fit.

[Thyrze · Rating 3 out of 5]

Het is een leuk verhaal voor tussendoor, maar het kwam maar langzaam op gang. Ik was al over de helft toen de gebeurtenissen uit de samenvatting pas gebeurden..

[Sue Shep · Rating 4 out of 5]

A light and lovely story that captures the value of friendship and the love of good Italian food
Great for a weekend or holiday read. Love Nicky's books.

[Redfox5 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Back in May, I got dumped. This was not ideal, and I was pretty upset. I thought I could sit about and cry in my room, or because I'm a childless women of 37, with a deposable income, I could run away to Japan for 2 weeks. I chose the latter option....however still did a fair bit of the former! The trip was amazing, I'd been to Japan before but this time I joined a tour group. It did not cure my heart ache but it did remind me that I fucking love travelling! Since I've been back I've booked a trip to Poland for September, and am eyeing up Egypt for March. I had been considering Italy as another trip for next year and this book has sealed the deal!

Nicky Pellegrino must moonlight as a travel agent because she got me hook, line and sinker. She seduced me with the descriptions of the food, the area surrounding the villa. I just want to walk along the coast eating cheese and olives!

I liked Rosie and her friends. Took me a while to warm up to Toni but even she won me over in the end. For a while I actually thought Rosie and Enzo's stories were set in different times, it was only when they merged that I realised they were both taking place in the same timeframe. I couldn't figure out what time this was set in. I was getting 90s vibes.

The whole story moved along at a good pace and I never got distracted while reading. This is a perfect holiday read, or even a pre trip planning read for some inspiration! Loved it!

[Maluquinha dos livros · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5 ⭐️
Um livro simples, de leitura agradável, que nos leva até Itália, às suas paisagens, às suas gentes e à sua gastronomia, através das vivências de 4 amigas.
Temas como a perda, a superação, a amizade, a família e os amores de verão são tratados neste livro, ainda que de forma muito superficial. Já tinha lido outro livro da autora e gostei. No entanto, fiquei com a sensação que os seus livros são todos muito semelhantes, o que acabou por me desiludir. Ainda assim, apesar de não ter sido uma leitura muito surpreendente, foi bastante agradável e envolvente.
O que gostei menos- a divisão do livro, que se faz alternadamente entre a história de Rosie e a história de Enzo, além de umas referências ao diário da amiga Addolarata.

[Nélia Rosa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Foi engraçado e abriu sem dúvida o apetite de tanto falar dos pratos italianos!

[Meg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating Clarification: 4.5

[Ruvena Afonso · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this book. It's hard to put it down. Probably not a one to be read if you are feeling hungry. There is lots of Italian food discussed in its pages, all of which sounds so delicious!

[Catarina Magalhães · Rating 2 out of 5]

Foi o segundo livro que li da autora, mas não superou o primeiro, Caffè Amore.

Uma vez mais, todas as referências a Itália e à comida italiana dão vontade de regressar (e de comer melhor lá!), porque não há como não imaginar de forma imensamente vívida tudo o que é descrito com tanta destreza.

Contudo, a história podia ter sido melhor explorada, melhor aproveitada. O que senti enquanto lia foi que muito se repetia, passagens, frases, acontecimentos…por mais que uma vez dei por mim a pensar que uma melhor edição no texto fez falta.

Não que não seja uma história interessante. Gostei de acompanhar o crescimento de Rosie, Addolorata, Lou e Toni. Pouco se desenvolve sobre Lou e Toni, duas das Raparigas da Villa. Já sobre Addolorata (embora este livro seja realmente sobre Rosie) descobrimos muito mais, uma vez que ela e a sua família acolhem Rosie quando esta perde os pais, e a ajudam a decidir o que fazer com a sua vida. Uma amizade que parecia improvável nasce entre as duas raparigas, mas eu, enquanto leitora, não consegui sentir que tivesse verdadeira profundidade.

Talvez esse tenha sido exactamente o meu problema com este livro, tudo parece muito superficial, pouco explorado. As quatro amigas não tinham nada em comum, mas por comodismo foram ficando juntas e viajando juntas. Os seus problemas (tirando a perda inicial da Rosie e o problema da Lou) não são realmente de grande drama.

Gostei da Addolorata, e irei ler o livro sobre ela, porque acho que é sem dúvida a personagem mais rica, talvez por ser a única com “sangue italiano” nas veias. Quanto a Rosie, embora quisesse que alcançasse o seu final feliz, na realidade, não me suscitou reais emoções. E, sendo ela a personagem principal desta história, isso não é um bom sinal.

No que respeita a Enzo, o outro protagonista desta história, a mudança foi demasiado súbita, ainda que causada por força de maior. Pareceu que Enzo cresceu sem primeiro se revoltar, e mais uma vez, acomodou-se por completo à sua nova vida. Se Rosie não tivesse reaparecido, teria seguido com a sua vida tal como estava planeado, mesmo que fosse infeliz para sempre. Que amor é esse?

Quanto a Rosie, mudou também de forma tão repentina quanto repentino foi o final deste livro. Depois de tanto tempo em descrições e repetições de “dias”, a autora não perdeu tempo a terminar a história, de forma apressada e pouco elaborada, o que me incomodou muito. Ninguém que seja “bicho-do-mato” como Rosie, que goste tanto do seu cantinho e desconfie do mundo como ela desconfia muda assim repentinamente, abraça a aventura com tamanha vontade, encara a mudança com leviandade.

É uma história que podia ter sido muito melhor, e podia ter deixado uma marca…assim, deixou apenas a curiosidade de saber mais sobre Addolorata e a sua família.

Contudo, recomendo a autora, porque não deixa de ser uma história leve com descrições que nos fazem viajar sem sair do lugar :)

[Mekerei · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nicky Pellegrino has once again written a good read. The story line isn't as lite as her others, its about four girls as they mature through their teens and twenties.

It's an excellent chic lit of friendships, careers, life and food.

I love the way that Nicky Pellegrino manages to weave bits of her books into each other.

Four & half stars

[Mariazita · Rating 4 out of 5]

Depois de algumas leituras mais pesada mas muito boas, que tenho lido,um livrinho de Nicky Pellegrino é sempre bem vindo.
E entramos de férias novamente , pelas terras quentes, paisagens magnificas e receitas deliciosas da Itália.
Um livro destes, em que degustamos receitas cheias de sabor, um romance terno, escrito de uma maneira simples e directa , é sempre bom.E tenho mais livros da autora para ler no intervalo das próximas leitura.
Aconselho a ler.

[Ayelet · Rating 2 out of 5]

Based on the cover and description I expected this to be fluffy chick lit. Instead it covers depression and eating disorders and people who just cannot get their lives together. There was a whole lot about olive trees and a list of everything everyone ate. Not my cup of tea.

[Pia · Rating 2 out of 5]

An easy read. Good choice for a quite weekend or for holiday as it's light & fluffy but still enjoyable.

[Sue · Rating 1 out of 5]

I like Pellegrino's novels, but I just couldn't get into this one at all. I gave up after about 50 pages.

[Madalena Pereiro · Rating 3 out of 5]

Too much description

[Katherine · Rating 3 out of 5]

OK read...I agreewithh others the endig was rushed and unsatisfying.

[Tara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable but a little slow to start, and the main character's attitude occasionally started to annoy me.

[Cora Koehorst · Rating 4 out of 5]

Heerlijk boek om te lezen. Leuk verhaal. het gezin van Pepe komt ook voor in een van de andere boeken van de schrijfster. Zo krijg je weer een hele andere inkijk.

[Louise · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great read I couldn't put it down. Love the idea of villa girls!

[Mileto · Rating 2 out of 5]

Пълна чик лит бозичка с развитието, предсказуемо от самото начало. Описанията на природа, храни и места не е достатъчна причина, за да бъде подхваната.

[Maria Ana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mais um livro de Nicky Pellegrino, que me apaixona!!

Dei por mim a pesquisar, quantos mais livros dela me faltam, para que possa completar a minha colecção.

Este livro mergulhou-me num embalo tão doce, que era impossível parar.

Após ler "Ingredientes de Amor", da mesma autora, senti muita curiosidade em visitar a cidade de Triento ( Maratea será o seu nome não ficcionado), pois os locais, as villas, piazzas chamavam por mim. Por isso, mais alegre fiquei, quando percebi, que ia regressar a Triento juntamente com as "Raparigas da Villa" e revisitar personagens!

Rosie, após perder os pais, sente que não ocupa lugar no mundo, mesmo com uma pequena fortuna, deixada pelos pais, carece de orientação e coragem para a aventura. É com um grupo de amigas, que começa a viajar e a conhecer-se a si mesma. Aprende o amor pela fotografia e comida.

A família italiana de Addolorata acolhe Rosie, e esta sente um vislumbre do que é voltar a fazer parte de algo maior, o amor. No entanto, é apenas quando as Raparigas da Villa decidem visitar Itália, mais propriamente a villa de Triento, que Rosie conhece o amor, um rapaz chamado Enzo.

A autora divide o livro em capítulos dedicados à vida de Rosie e outros à de Enzo. Este faz parte de uma poderosa família produtora de azeite na região. Conhece todos os privilégios, mas sente-se preso pela forma tradicional e hierarquizada como a família se organiza. Quando conhece Rosie, toda a sua forma de avaliar a vida altera-se, procurando agradá-la, no entanto incidentes com a Máfia causam a sua separação, mesmo antes de se declararem.

Tanto em Enzo, como em Rosie percebemos como crescer é importante, cultivar-nos a nós próprios, perseguirmos as coisas que amamos, e repudiar as quais não podemos suportar.

Sinto-me tranquila, quando penso na villa de Triento, e imagino o cruzar das várias personagens, cada uma com a sua própria história, escondida no armário, ou, debaixo de um balcão de fazer pasta.

Recomendo a quem se perder de amores por comida italiana, sol e praia, calor e amor, sabores e odores do mar, e acima de tudo a que gostar de fotografia e oliveiras.

[Sonia Bellhouse · Rating 3 out of 5]

Three and a half stars from me. Hiring a villa is an escape from reality, everyday worries and problems. The tradition started when the girls were leaving school. Addolorata impulsively asks Rosie – whose parents were killed in a car crash to join them and so the tradition of the four villa girls is born. The first trip was to Majorca, the next to Italy and that set up a tradition. Through tough times and life upheavals they still have the villa to look forward to. In Italy charming and somewhat spoiled Enzo basks in the adoration of his family and enjoys the privilege as the heir to a wealthy olive estate. Meeting the villa girls will change his life and theirs.

[Carol · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm sort of binging these this summer, and that means reading out of order. Of the three I've read so far, I found this the least well written. The story lines were of interest, though in the early part of the book I was more attracted to Rosie's story rather than Enzo's but the rest of the book got that sorted. I think Enzo's first chapters had much less action and dialogue, rather a lot of telling, so they felt more distant and slightly flat. But a jolly good read. And oh how I love the Italian food and descriptions of how it is being made in an Italian kitchen, and the fact that there is enough detail to recreate it ( a paler imitation I'm certain). A truly delicious read.

[Helen Stafseth · Rating 3 out of 5]

A book that was supposed to tackle loss, grief, and the trauma that follows, and at the same time offer a cosy summer read, it ended up feeling like it did not quite manage to fulfil its purpose. Was hoping for a story of a close-knit group of friends, but The Villa Girls turned out to not be friends after all. Instead I got a lot of girl hate, judgement and counted calories. I much more enjoyed Enzo’s life in the olive groves of Italy, and as a light read on a hot summer’s day, it ended up being fairly enjoyable all the same.