Villa Coco

by Andrew Sean Greer

A coming-of-age novel, a love story and a tale of life-enhancing Pulitzer Prize winner Andrew Sean Greer showcases his wit, sophistication and deep knowledge of focaccia in this magical tale set amidst the Tuscan hills.

Broke and directionless, our young man takes a job in the Italian countryside as the all-purpose assistant to Lisabetta, known to her friends as Coco - a strong-willed, wealthy widow of great local renown.

Trained as an archivist, he thinks he's been hired to catalogue the contents of the beautiful, crumbling mansion nestled in the green Tuscan hills... but what are his actual duties? Days are spent ridding the house of a marten - whatever that is - locating the antediluvian septic system, entertaining an endless carousel of guests (from bohemian painters to elderly princesses to unnervingly handsome nephews), attending a funeral in order to make off with the urn, and not inadvertently sabotaging Coco's great and final plan-to locate the lost love of her life and be reunited before it's too late.

As summer turns into autumn and the Italian countryside begins to work its magic on our protagonist, the secrets of Villa Coco and its inhabitants are slowly brought to light - and with them, an unforgettable story of the enduring power of friendship.

Genres: Fiction, Historical Fiction, Italy, Literary Fiction, Contemporary, Summer, Adult Fiction

288 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication June 9, 2026

About the author

Andrew Sean Greer (born 1970) is an American novelist and short story writer.

He is the bestselling author of The Story of a Marriage, which The New York Times has called an “inspired, lyrical novel,” and The Confessions of Max Tivoli, which was named one of the best books of 2004 by the San Francisco Chronicle and received a California Book Award.

The child of two scientists, Greer studied writing with Robert Coover and Edmund White at Brown University, where he was the commencement speaker at his own graduation, where his unrehearsed remarks, critiquing Brown's admissions policies, caused a semi-riot. After years in New York working as a chauffeur, theater tech, television extra and unsuccessful writer, he moved to Missoula, Montana, where he received his Master of Fine Arts from The University of Montana, from where he soon moved to Seattle and two years later to San Francisco where he now lives. He is currently a fellow at the New York Public Library Cullman Center. He is an identical twin.

While in San Francisco, he began to publish in magazines before releasing a collection of his stories, How It Was for Me. His stories have appeared in Esquire, The Paris Review, The New Yorker and other national publications, and have been anthologized most recently in The Book of Other People, and The PEN/ O. Henry Prize Stories 2009. His first novel, The Path of Minor Planets, was published in 2001.

Reviews

[Angela M · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author in a letter to his readers wonders “ whatever happened to the “charm novel” ….a world in which even the worst of circumstances could provide a funny story and a sense of hope.” So he decided to write one and he has indeed written a story with charm. A young American man is hired by a ninety two year old Italian Barroness to catalog her art and artifacts at her villa. “Our young man” as he is referred to doesn’t find the luxurious villa he imagined , nor the structured job he expected . Instead he becomes her assistant, finds a villa in need of repair, and a parade of eccentric characters . In addition to the Barronessa, there’s an aging principessa, a quirky artist, and more . An escapade to say the least, picking olives and grapes, helping with repairs, listening to the Baronessa’s stories before he can get down to the work he was hired to do. Some hilarious moments, some tender moments, some moments of awakening in this gentle, funny and entertaining novel with endearing characters . It’s full of life and love and is reflective on doing what you’re meant to do and meant to be.

I received a copy of this book from Doubleday through NetGalley.

[Nilufer Ozmekik · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some books feel like an escape. Villa Coco feels like being gently carried away on warm Tuscan air, dropped into a place where time bends, rules blur, and every strange little moment somehow adds up to something quietly profound.
Andrew Sean Greer doesn't rush to impress you. He wins you over slowly. At the center of this story is a young man without a clear direction who takes a job in Italy expecting something respectable and orderly—and gets anything but. Instead of neatly cataloging art, he finds himself pulled into the orbit of Lisabetta "Coco," a force of nature dressed in widow's black, whose villa feels less like a workplace and more like a living, breathing thing filled with secrets, memories, chaos, and longing.

What follows is part comedy, part emotional unraveling, part surreal adventure. Each day brings a new task that sounds slightly absurd but somehow matters: navigating eccentric visitors, running strange errands, becoming the accidental guardian of Coco's unfinished love story. What starts as a paycheck quietly becomes something far more intimate—a crash course in devotion, vulnerability, and what it means to let other people's lives change your own.

Greer's writing glides between playful and deeply sincere. The humor is warm rather than showy, and the emotional moments sneak up on you when you're not bracing for them. Beneath the antics and lively personalities is a tender meditation on youth brushing against mortality, on love that lingers long after time should have erased it, and on how even the most aimless seasons of life can quietly reshape who we become.

The Italian setting adds its own kind of magic. The villa, the hills, the meals, the drifting conversations—all of it creates a dreamy, sunlit haze where past and present overlap, where small choices start to feel significant. This isn't a story driven by high drama or plot twists. It's driven by atmosphere, connection, and the slow realization that sometimes the most important journeys don't look heroic at all.

Villa Coco left me smiling, slightly wistful, and unexpectedly moved. It's the kind of book that reminds you how strange and beautiful people can be, how love doesn't fade on schedule, and how growth often arrives disguised as chaos.

A heartfelt thank you to NetGalley and Doubleday Books for the digital review copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.

Follow me on medium.com to read my articles about books, movies, streaming series, astrology:


medium.com
instagram
facebook
twitter

[Ann]

This novel tells the story of a young American man, who is a recent college graduate (an archivist) with no clear direction in life. He takes a job making a list of art objects in a villa in Italy. The villa is owned by an imperious but very elusive baroness. The story begins as the young man shows up at the villa (Villa Coco) and, instead of beginning his listing of art pieces, he is given numerous menial tasks because “the rooms aren’t ready”. Clearly some big issue is being hidden.
The novel is full of lovely, tangible descriptions of Italy, from food to landscape to buildings. I enjoyed these descriptions a great deal, and I felt as if I had taken a little trip to Italy. The novel is also full of eccentric characters with whom I just did not fully connect. I found the baroness to be rather unlikeable and her many friends did not touch my heart. Further, and likely because I am old, I just could not get into the life issues of a 22 year old young man. Sadly, the big art secret reveal did not work well for me either. I know I am in the minority on my views, and I think I was just not the right reader for this book at this moment.

[Kim Alkemade · Rating 5 out of 5]

This beautiful novel immersed me in the richly-drawn world of Baronessa Coco and her eclectic Italian villa stuffed with art and artifacts which a young American archivist has come to catalog. Thwarted by Coco's capricious whims and secret agendas, our archivist struggles to accomplish his task, never realizing his true vocation is less about making lists and more about embracing adventure. Mesmerizing descriptions, fully-realized characters, and hypnotically gorgeous prose drew me in and held me fast until the final lovely scene. Fabulous and affecting, I loved this novel!

[Robin · Rating 5 out of 5]

A coming of age story for the ages. Our hero accepts a job as archivist and 'adjutant' to Lisabetta, or Coco, a widow living in an eccentric and art-filled villa in Tuscany. Arriving as a somewhat directionless recent graduate, the young man finds himself as he opens himself to people, tasks and experiences he certainly did not anticipate. Greer's wit and light touch, along with his big-hearted love for his characters, make this tale delightful reading.

[SusanTalksBooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

*** 2/17/26 ***: Thank you NetGalley for a prerelease ARC to read and review!

I've read all of Andrew Sean Greer's books and enjoyed them all. Three things jump out at me about Greer's writing: 1) He has a love of travel and strong ability to build rich and detailed descriptions of disparate geographies, using places as an attractive character in his books. 2) His protagonists are gay men, and he remains true to that model, which makes his body of work feel cohesive and comfortable for the reader. 3) He has the most incredible vocabulary of any writer I've ever read.

It is this last point, his choice of unusual/esoteric/impressively diverse language and words, literally on nearly every page of the book, that are most stunning to me. I've read probably thousands of books in my life, and consider myself to have a strong vocabulary, yet I found myself highlighting unknown words very frequently in this Kindle ARC. In this novel in particular, his use of vocabulary was extended, or complicated, depending on your POV, by the fact that it is based in Italy, and uses a lot of Italian names and words. While I love the extensive vocab, I found it a bit tiresome to read so much Italian, and even a little confusing at times, derailing me from the plot.

Other than that, I consider the book to be a coming of age story wrapped in a travel/light mystery. I found the plot a little meandering and unclear as our protagonist learns many life lessons while curating a house of art and collectables for "Coco," aka the Baronessa. He meets various people Coco knows, but the reader doesn't have the benefit of insight on what roles they all really play in the story. I enjoyed the ending of the book the most, as we began to see the puzzle come together. I love a lot about this author and will continue to read his books. 4-stars.

[Marianne Fuller Lamb · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was not like any other book I have read. It is filled with many characters with colorful personalities. It is focused on one character's journey to Italy and how his choices in life seem to grow into the person he always was. I did not enjoy it because there really was no actual plot. And everything is smashed together, mixed up as one meal. I hope that someone else will relate to this tale. I just could not.

Thank you to Andrew Greer and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. I am a positive person. I am also an honest person. I wish Andrew Greer much success!

[Karyn Silverman · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an odd little jewel box of a book, reminiscent somehow of Auntie Mame and, weirdly, A Room with a View, a love song to Italy and whimsy and the ephemeral nature of now.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Choosing a new book to read is an act of faith. A crap shoot of either reward or disappointment.

Villa Coco by Andrew Sean Greer at first appeared a disappointment –- a light, gay rom/com following a 22-year-old freshly graduated American archivist through his first job. Employed by a “baronessa” to catalogue everything in her sprawling home in Tuscany, Giovedi tells of working for an eccentric 92-year-old woman and her gaggle of friends and employees, just as odd as she.

Do not give up, as I first did or the disappointment will be of your own making. The novel blooms into one of valuable insight and storytelling. It “shows”, not “tells” how Giovedi grows from a navel-gazing youth into a purposeful adult.

The book is filled with humor, quirky happenings and very charming characters. The physical descriptions of the places in Italy he visits in the course of his work and the weather illustrate a beauty the author has captured on the page. Easy to picture the “fluttering ticker tape snow” in the north and the constricted alleyways and streets of Venice.

It is a novel of life-awareness and surprise. To actually quote a paragraph from the novel (which I’m not supposed to in a review of an uncorrected proof, but I “feel” this part will remain):

"The story of Ville Coco; I understood I had it all wrong. I thought it was of a young man coming to Italy and having a fling that, during an olive harvest, turned into something more until suddenly he was offered a life in Milan. I thought I was the story. As we do when we are young."

Exactly just one of the “lessons” I learned in reading this delightful novel, which I will reread as soon as I buy a copy. To find all the "clues" I missed, to be "re-enchanted".
Reviewed for NetGalley.

[Elena · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really wanted to love this one. I am a major lover of Less — a full five-star read for me — so I came into Villa Coco with high hopes and genuine excitement. The premise is charming, a broke, directionless young man takes a mysterious job as an adjutant to a larger-than-life Italian Baronessa at her crumbling Tuscan villa, and Greer absolutely delivers on funny hot takes and charm throughout. The writing is deeply descriptive, and he clearly has a gift for painting a full, vivid picture of every chaotic adventure and eccentric character that passes through Villa Coco.

But there is no actual plot in the typical sense. It feels more like we were set down and set to live life with these characters for five months. Everything just exists together and all at once.

I also really did not love that there were no chapters. I think I would have enjoyed this more if there had been, because it would have given me natural moments to pause, step away, and come back without feeling like I needed to read this and only this straight through to the end.

There is genuine emotional depth and charm here for sure, and the lessons are real and worth sitting with — take advantage of opportunities, to live and to love, that choices are ours to make, even the wrong ones. But it is all delivered as a kind of hot take. Read these pages and then - hot take lesson.

Regardless, it is a good one, and congratulations to the author on his charm novel.

[Joyce Cacioppo stein · Rating 3 out of 5]

Villa Coco by Andrew Sean Greer takes place in Tuscany Italy at the villa of an eccentric old baroness named Lisabetta. Our narrator Geoffrey is an American right out of school who has trained as an archivist. He has accepted a position to catalogue all items in the villa. He arrives and is met with a variety of characters, including the Baronessa who insists on calling him Giovedi.

The story takes us through a bizarre group of events, characters, and duties that he is to perform. There are plenty of scenes that are hysterical but also a lot of emotional growth that takes place. The writing is very descriptive, giving us a full picture of all the events and adventures but extremely hard to follow, more so in the beginning.

There are a lot of lessons that I found can be taken away from the story: things are not always as they seem, take advantage of all opportunities as you man never have the chance again, we get to make choices even if they are not the correct ones, and take life as it comes as we will never get the chance to relive those years. I would like to thank Net Galley for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC.

[Natalie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Villa Coco
By Andrew Sean Greer

This is a quirky little tale where nothing and no one is what they seem.
A young gay American just out of college is hired by an Italian Baronessa to create an archive of all the treasures she has accumulated over her 92 years. His employment is temporary, lasting only until Christmas.

From the moment he arrives at her home, the Villa Coco, he is lost in a world of lies and secrets. Even his real name is replaced by his employer with Giovedi. He is ill prepared since he doesn't speak Italian. But he will learn – and his physical and moral horizons will broaden.

The story here is a little hard to follow at times, but this seems to be intentional as it reflects Giovedi's confusion. The characters are not always what they seem, and yet they will all find their way into your heart. And there are several little nuggets of wisdom expressed along the way, "…The trick to life is knowing what you want" perhaps sums up this story.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC.

[Randall Nelson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Andrew Sean Greer, who charmed us with the romantic misadventures of Arthur Less, is back with a new, delightful cast of characters in Villa Coco, scheduled to be released in June 2026. It is the tale of a recent graduate with a degree in Archives and Record Management who is hired for a position in Italy by an elderly, ostensibly wealthy “Baronessa” to catalogue her extensive collection of books, objects and art. The job, as it turns out, is so much more. The many colorful people he meet in this saga have much to teach “our young man” about life and himself. Green tells the story as always with captivating prose “There was the garden to visit, which we did even in the deepest chill, supervising the rows of dormant plants like teachers walking between test-taking students.” Green says he wanted to write the kind of novel where “you want to remain in its pages forever; a book to reread yearly as a balm to the soul.” He has absolutely accomplished that.

[Candy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A broke and directionless young man takes a job assisting Coco, a strong-willed and wealthy widow, at her crumbling Tuscan villa. Expecting work aligned with his archivist background, he instead handles eccentric chores, colorful guests, and becomes wrapped up in Coco’s final goal to reunite with her lost love. As seasons change, the villa’s secrets come to light, transforming him and revealing a heartfelt story about friendship and connection.

The writing in this book was immersive, in that I felt I was also in this Tuscan villa among the eclectic cast of characters. In these pages is humor and genuine emotion, all intermingled together to create such a perfect balance. This will pull you in immediatly and readers will want to linger.

Thank you to NetGalley and Doubleday Books for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[jude goldstein · Rating 4 out of 5]

thank you to netgalley and doubleday books for this advanced reader copy of villa coco. the title and the cover alone were charming. the setting in tuscany italy was charming too. and the characters? yup, all charming. i felt like i was in the olive groves, on the winding rutted roads, inside the rooms of the home and also inside of their hearts. i wish this book was 5 stars for me, but it wasn't. why do i always feel badly giving just 4 stars? the book rambled a bit too much for me and my addled brain couldn't keep track of the baronessa's stories and time line. of course, that's the whole point. it's almost like a mystery book in that way. it certainly took me away from my own little troubles and the troubles in my country. although the very ending was predictable, it was also delicious. read this and you will see what i mean. a good full circle story.

[Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to Andrew Sean Greer. Doubleday Books, and NetGalley for access to the Advanced Reader Copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A young American man is offered a position as an archivist in Italy to an older and eccentric woman. The details of his position are not quite clear and as he seeks to perform his duties, new and unexpected adventures arise throughout the household. As the end of his employment nears, he learns a great deal about those around him – and of himself.

This is an old school novel filled with comic situations and people you’d like to meet yourself. In addition, the story takes place in numerous small and large cities in central Italy which adds to the whole environment. Recommended.

[Ana W · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novel is written as the memoir of a young American man who, after graduating college travels to Italy to work as an archivist for a Baroness. I enjoyed this book for the lush details of the Italian countryside and quirky characters. Since the MC doesn't speak Italian and his employer/host and her friends have secrets, I wasn't always sure what was going. Like the MC, I kept asking, 'What's happening?' The MC was clearly in over his head, but as the novel progresses, he grows into himself and becomes an integral part of his new community. I love ASG's writing and there were moments that were really funny. Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy.

[Melinda · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a delightful book!
I really enjoyed this book about a young man who takes a job assessing and cataloging someone’s collection of art and miscellaneous works. He travels to Italy and takes residence at the home of his employer, the Baronessa. His job ends up involving many things, more than he ever imagined! The story is filled with many quirky characters, in fact all of them are! I heartily recommend this book! I know I will be reading this book again.

[Josh Escandon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to Doubleday and NetGalley for an eARC of Villa Coco by Andrew Sean Greer. I loved reading this easygoing excursion to the Italian countryside. I love the narrator as he details his experiences on this journey and love his internal impressions of the eccentric baroness and her entourage. The immersive characters and the wild scenarios the narrator finds himself in made the novel compulsively readable. I definitely recommend Villa Coco to people who want a laid-back and brisk read.

[Vec62 · Rating 5 out of 5]

5* Read

I loved this book. I was a little hesitant as I was worried this would be too- “an author takes a European tour and writes a long hotel ad” for me. I could not have been more wrong. The author’s introduction talks about writing a “charm novel” and he succeeded in doing so. The book was pure escapism in the best possible way, not sacrificing its soul for entertainment. My favorite quote from the novel:
“There is a heavy price we have to pay for seeing things as they are. The price is of our youth.”

Thank you NetGalley and Doubleday for an ARC of this novel.

[Kasa Cotugno · Rating 5 out of 5]

Andrew Sean Greer is a treasure, and his books are what is needed in today's world. While not as hilarious as his two previous books featuringArthur Less, Villa Coco just makes you forget the world and enter Tuscany with a cast of quirky characters. But you had me at "enter Tuscany." Is there a better place to be, with the food and the landscape and, oh well you know. Keep on writing Mr. Greer. We need you.

[Janet · Rating 3 out of 5]

Villa Coco. What can I say about Villa Coco? A ninety plus year old “Baronessa” has hired an American to come to her Italian cottage to catalog all of her belongings. But is she a baronessa? Are they really her belongings? It was at times an interesting read and at times a little far out there for me. I’m not sure what else I can say about this book. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an advance copy.

[J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a charming story, a wonderful escape read for anxious times. A young American archivist, fresh out of university, needs a job. A baronessa in Italy needs someone to catalog the contents of her villa, an amazing assortment of items. Our young archivist becomes her man "Thursday" and sets to work. But he is not just doing a job he is being transformed. A wonderful story.
Thanks to NetGalley for an eGalley of this title.

[Carrie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Many thanks to NetGalley for the chance to read this one...

3.5 *'s
Coco is a LOT but she has the wisdom of the "why not" and a delightfully skewed point of view, moving through life adopting stray people and generally tempting everyone to bend just a bit...

I especially appreciated her approach to the painful parts of life- wait a moment, take it out, turn it over, and find the bits that make it better

[Stroop · Rating 3 out of 5]

In Villa Coco, our narrator accepts a job with vague duties. His work for an eccentric widow in Italy is full of twists and turns, and it might just turn out to be the adventure of a lifetime. Recommended for readers in the mood for a zany and zippy novel.

Thank you to Doubleday and NetGalley for the opportunity to read a copy.

[Cayce Osborne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is high on charm, but warning: you will want to run away to Italy the moment you turn the last page. It's the epitome of the saying "they don't make 'em like this anymore." But they should. The characters are all wonderfully quirky, but with enough heart for balance. The descriptions of scenery and food are mouth-watering. What a wonderful new take on the young man abroad novel!

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

In his author letter, Greer promises a “charm novel,” and I do think he delivers on his promise. This was a zany cast of characters and events, in a quiet way.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Timothy Deer · Rating 5 out of 5]

A triumph, I’m sure.

[Sam (world’s gassiest) · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little slow in parts but I was quite tickled.

[Katie Rodgers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review to come