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Silvia

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At the heart of Maya Caruso's sharp, tender, insightful and wickedly ironic novel is Silvia a 42-year-old Italo-Australian workaholic who's nailed career success but flunked personal fulfilment. Romance? She ghosted it sometime after her divorce.

Enter her mother, Silvia a widowed Italian matriarch with opinions laced with old-school patriarchy and a Rolodex of gossip-hungry nonnas. She's made it her full-time job to remind Junior that she's alone, unmarried and probably infertile. Their relationship is equal parts love, loathing and mutual dependency - a tangle of guilt, meatballs and inherited trauma.

When an old friend resurfaces, Junior's carefully collapsed world starts to expand. There's flirting, there's dancing, there's actual joy. Shockingly, Senior gets swept up in the action too, dipping a cautious toe into the world of dating.

But as both women step out of their comfort zones, life pushes back. Chaos ensues, feelings get messy, and not even a solid plate of lasagne can fix everything. Silvia is a funny, heartbreaking look at what happens when women - especially ones raised to hold it all together - turn their backs on expectations and go in search of themselves.

304 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 28, 2026

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Maya Caruso

2 books

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5 stars
11 (15%)
4 stars
34 (47%)
3 stars
21 (29%)
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5 (6%)
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1 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
Profile Image for Rebecca.
610 reviews903 followers
May 22, 2026
‘There was nothing Italians loved more than the dead.’ ‘They loved talking about death. Who had recently died. Who was going to die. Who looked like they were dying.’

Silvia by Maya Caruso is the kind of book that feels like sitting at a dinner table where everyone is talking over each other, emotions are high, and somehow you’re laughing while quietly having an existential crisis.

Silvia is messy, in the way that feels deeply human rather than chaotic for the sake of it. She’s navigating love, identity, family expectations, and her own tendency to self sabotage, all while orbiting around food, culture, and the weight of who she’s “supposed” to be.

The writing has this warm, conversational feeling to it, but don’t be fooled, it sneaks in some pretty sharp observations about relationships and the stories we tell ourselves. One minute you’re smiling at a perfectly timed line, the next you’re sitting there like… oh. That hit close.

It’s indulgent in the best way, like comfort food with a slightly bitter aftertaste. You get the romance, the humour, the family drama, but also that quiet undercurrent of “am I actually living the life I want?”

Reading this felt like spending time with my grandmother, she was Italian too, all warmth and food and feeling and there were moments in these pages that brought her back to me in the sweetest, most unexpected way.

If you like your stories a little chaotic, a little heartfelt, and very self aware, this one absolutely delivers.

I Highly Recommend.

Thank you Echo Publishing for my advanced readers copy.

Available Now!
Profile Image for Suz.
1,633 reviews906 followers
July 26, 2026
Look at me, being brief for once, this is my first step in review catch up.

𝕀𝕟𝕤𝕥𝕒𝕟𝕥 𝕚𝕞𝕡𝕣𝕖𝕤𝕤𝕚𝕠𝕟: I loved the familiarity of time and place, Sydney is my town, jumping on the train, pushing the limits of frustration with her OTT Italian mother who’s unable fathom the choice of single life and the fact her daughter had firm choices differing to her own. Firmly a five star read. Does this read like a debut? Not at all.

𝕎𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕨𝕠𝕣𝕜𝕖𝕕: The charm of the strong female protag. Sivlia’s independence, doing life on her terms and recognising the need to be single over an ill-fitting marriage for the sake of it. Personal growth, finding herself and loving where she lands.

𝕎𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕕𝕚𝕕𝕟’𝕥 𝕢𝕦𝕚𝕥𝕖 𝕨𝕠𝕣𝕜: Nothing, apart from the tension built from icky and annoying mothers, while their daughters must bite their tongue to appease. This is good though, it worked to build tension, to want more.

ℝ𝕖𝕔𝕠𝕞𝕞𝕖𝕟𝕕𝕖𝕕 𝕗𝕠𝕣: Lit fic and rom com readers. It’s got all of it, unexpectedly delivering more than a contemporary feel good piece.

Thanks to Echo Publishing and the author for generously providing this advance copy. It’s much appreciated!
Profile Image for Gloria (Ms. G's Bookshelf).
981 reviews195 followers
June 12, 2026
⭐️3.5 Stars⭐️
Silvia is a delightfully witty debut novel that follows workaholic Silvia a forty-two year old Italian-Australian divorcee that is not living up to her traditional Italian mother’s expectations. The characters in the story are flawed, messy and warm and I found the family dramas entertaining.

Opinionated and widowed Silvia Senior wants her daughter Silvia to find a husband but things take a turn and life changes when both women step out of their comfort zones.

A story of personal growth, family, romance, culture, self worth and confidence. I enjoyed the way the author captured the mother-daughter dynamics and the heartfelt emotional moments felt grounded and real.

Publication Date 28 April 2026
Publisher Echo Publishing

Thank you so much Echo Publishing for an early copy of the book.
Profile Image for Anabela.
344 reviews16 followers
May 13, 2026
Thank you so much to @echo_publishing for putting this book in my world, because Silvia by Maya Caruso is the book I didn’t know I needed.

This funny, heartfelt story follows a 40-year-old Italian-Australian divorcee trying to navigate life while also carrying the weight of her traditional 80-year-old mother’s expectations. According to her mother, Silvia should be focusing less on her career and more on finding a man — and the family commentary doesn’t stop there.

The dialogue in this book was absolutely brilliant. Every conversation felt alive, chaotic and painfully real in the best possible way. The aunties are completely unfiltered, endlessly nosy, and always ready with an opinion nobody asked for. The portrayal of the traditional Italian men had me laughing out loud more than once.

But underneath all the humour is something deeply relatable — the struggle of balancing modern life with old-school family expectations, especially when your family is deeply rooted in tradition. Maya Caruso captured that push and pull so well through rich character development and authentic family dynamics.

If you grew up in a loud, opinionated family, this will hit close to home. And even if you didn’t, it’s still such a light, funny and quick read filled with warmth, heart and laugh-out-loud moments.
Profile Image for Emma Moon.
91 reviews2 followers
May 18, 2026
Silvia by Maya Caruso was an entertaining read.
Silvia is 42, divorced, single, a workaholic and doomed according to her traditional Italian Mum.
When an old friend makes there way back into Silvia's life, her world is turned upside down and suddenly expanded.
As Silvia starts to live again, things also start to get messy.
I loved the growth of Silvia, she starts to live again and enjoy life, but then things get messy and she has to either make a stand and finally do what she wants or keep letting everyone tell her what they want her to do.
I liked how all the characters were formed, they were written very well and you liked and disliked them where you were supposed to, and they all helped bring the story together to make it a great read. Light hearted in spots but definitely some deep soul searching throughout.
Thank you Beauty and Lace and Echo publishing for the copy to read and review.
Profile Image for Ash.
459 reviews40 followers
May 17, 2026
5 STARS ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Vibe check: Charming, Heartbreaking and Heartfelt

full review ⬇️

This book was such a surprise package for me.

Silvia starts off feeling like a contemporary rom-com but quickly becomes something much more interesting and meaningful.

There’s romance, humour and plenty of entertaining moments but at its core, this story isn’t about falling in love, it’s really about learning to love yourself and I absolutely loved that.

It takes familiar rom-com energy and twists it into something softer, more reflective and genuinely uplifting. The emotional growth felt just as important as the romantic elements, which made the whole story feel refreshing rather than predictable.

The characters are warm, messy and relatable and the balance of humour and heart was done so well.

I was left smiling while also quietly reminded about self worth, confidence and figuring out who we can all be outside of other people’s expectations.

If you love stories about personal growth alongside romance, this is such a lovely read and one that completely won me over.

A big thank you to Echo Publishing for putting this brilliant cover and story on my radar.
Profile Image for Emily (the_bookdragons_den).
363 reviews20 followers
May 23, 2026
Silvia is the debut novel by Maya Caruso and it’s such a great read. Told with heart and humour, it’s a fun, witty and uplifting exploration of family, their expectations and leaving the comfort zone to find yourself.

🍝 This was such a refreshing novel and one that is an easy and relatively quick to read. I enjoyed the evolution of Silvia’s relationship with her mother throughout this book. There were moments of tension and angst between them, but then there was also some beautifully tender moments.

Infused with warmth and humour, Caruso has crafted a relatable, honest and engaging novel that I thoroughly enjoyed.

Thank you to Echo Publishing for a copy to review.
Profile Image for Amanda.
145 reviews1 follower
June 10, 2026
As a second generation European woman this felt so culturally relatable! The Miranda Fair, Sutherland Shire and inner Sydney setting all too familiar!! Issues involving being an only child, the patriarchy and expectations in European families elevated this to 5 🌟! Loved this so much!
Profile Image for Melissa Trevelion.
180 reviews3 followers
July 2, 2026
Silvia by Australian author Maya Caruso is her debut fiction novel that blends humour with heartfelt insight into family, identity, and the weight of cultural expectations.

Silvia Junior, a 42 year old Italo Australian woman is rebuilding her life after a painful divorce. Though smart, self aware, and professionally successful, she is convinced that romance is behind her and to top it off she is drained by the scrutiny and expectations of being single placed upon her by her mother.

Silvia Senior is a widowed Italian matriarch whose worldview is steeped in tradition and old school patriarchy. She is convinced her daughter’s single status is a crisis, and she never misses a chance to remind her. Their dynamic is a mix of affection, frustration, inherited trauma, and emotional landmines.

When an old friend resurfaces, Silvia Junior's carefully collapsed world starts to expand. There's flirting, dates and she begins to find joy. As the relationship deepens, she becomes increasingly anxious fearing her mother’s judgment. Silvia Senior, meanwhile, hides her own new relationship from her daughter, terrified of being seen as disloyal to her late husband.

The emotional climax comes when the two Silvias have a massive argument. Silvia Junior accuses her mother of controlling her life and making her feel like she’s never enough. Silvia Senior fires back, accusing her daughter of abandoning tradition and disrespecting the sacrifices she made.

The characters have been incredibly well-developed, and spring from the page with their energy, lots of fun, dollops of anguish, frustrations, and setbacks that life throws at them. They are women that many of us can relate to with life’s difficulties, and twists and turns.
Silvia Junior’s arc is one of the most satisfying parts of the novel, what makes her compelling is how real she feels. She is a woman who is genuinely trying to figure out what she wants after years of doing what she was supposed to want. Her humour is sharp, her vulnerability is understated, and her growth feels earned. Silvia Senior is a force of nature. She’s the classic Italian matriarch opinionated, and dramatic. As much as she is frustrating, she is also hilarious and unexpectedly touching.

The supporting characters, especially the romantic interests and add texture without overshadowing the Silvias. They serve as mirrors, challengers, and helping reveal new layers of the protagonists. The extended family adds humour and chaos but also highlights the generational divide that both Silvias are trying to navigate.
What I loved most is how funny the book is. Caruso has a gift for capturing the absurdity of everyday life especially the way families can drive you up the wall while also being the people you’d do anything for, as a reader you will see so much of your family dynamics in this read. The writing is warm and witty, and the emotional moments land because they’re grounded in real, lived in detail.

Silvia is a standout debut, you think you’re settling in for a light, funny story about a woman trying to get her life together, and suddenly you’re knee deep in a heartfelt exploration of mothers, daughters, and the strange, hopeful chaos of starting over in your forties.

Readers who enjoy contemporary fiction with strong character work especially stories about family, culture, and personal rediscovery will find much to love here. I highly recommend.

Thank you, Beauty & Lace and Echo Publishing, for the opportunity to read and review.

Profile Image for DustyBookSniffers -  Nicole .
428 reviews60 followers
May 8, 2026
Thank you to Echo Publishing and NetGalley for gifting me an ARC of this wonderful book in exchange for my honest review.

I had such a lovely time with Silvia by Maya Caruso. From the very beginning, this felt like one of those books that quietly sneaks up on you. It is witty, warm, and full of those very real family dynamics that can make you laugh one minute and feel emotionally exhausted the next. Beneath it all, there is a genuinely heartfelt story about identity, expectations, and learning that happiness does not always look the way other people think it should.

We follow Silvia’s Story, who seems to have her life together from the outside. She’s successful, independent, has a good career… but underneath all of that, she’s carrying around so much pressure from family expectations and cultural expectations about what a woman’s life is supposed to look like.

For me, though, the real heart of this book was the relationship between Silvia and her mother. It felt so real. Messy, frustrating, loving, exhausting… all at the same time. You can feel the guilt and obligation sitting underneath so many of their interactions, but there’s also this undeniable love there as well. I also appreciated that underneath all the humour, the book has a lot to say about happiness and learning that it’s okay to want something different for yourself.

There were many moments when I caught myself smiling or nodding yes!!! It felt relatable. The humour works because it feels grounded in truth, and the emotional moments land because they never feel forced.

Overall, Silvia turned out to be a funny, uplifting and very relatable read for me. It’s about family, expectations, identity, and realising that your life doesn't have to look the way everybody else thinks it should to be meaningful. By the end, I just felt really glad I’d spent time with these characters.
Profile Image for narnareads.
4 reviews
July 6, 2026
After being in a reading rut for a while, this was exactly the book I needed. Silvia was the perfect mix of lighthearted, realistic and eye-opening.

I genuinely struggled to put it down, always wanting to know what would happen next with Silvia's relationships with her mum, Graz and Dara, as well as her growing connection to Italy.

Personally, I loved the ending. It honestly felt like the author had read my mind. I was so invested in Silvia's journey, and the ending was exactly what I'd been hoping for.

If you're looking for a heartfelt, feel-good read that keeps you invested from start to finish, I'd absolutely recommend picking this one up.
Profile Image for Jordan Dale.
102 reviews1 follower
June 5, 2026
Such a good late-coming of age and self-discovery story!! Her sentence structure and chosen language feel almost poetic? I loved reading this one, really made me take a step into Italian-Aussie culture!
Profile Image for Kate.
72 reviews3 followers
May 20, 2026
This story had me laughing out loud and I truly enjoyed the way Maya describes feelings, life, places and the way things are for Italian Australians! Hilarious and so relatable.
343 reviews
June 12, 2026
An easy enjoyable read. Relatable European migrant story and the battle to be a successful women in your own right without caving to community expectations for a woman a certain age.
Profile Image for Alisha M.
19 reviews
July 2, 2026
I really enjoyed this book. A strong woman trying to work out where she fits in tradition. The italian culture is always a hoot. Loved all the characters in this book.
Profile Image for Tianne Shaw.
366 reviews15 followers
July 20, 2026
Now I just struggled with this one it felt too ordinary but maybe it was just not for me at this time. I plugged on through it but many others may connect more with the story than I did.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews