“Cross How Stella Got Her Groove Back with Under the Tuscan Sun, and you've got Gaining Visibility, a novel that is at times beautiful, at times heartbreaking, and ultimately uplifting.” –Wendy Webb
Julia Berkwith’s daughter has moved to Alaska, her beloved mother-in-law is in a nursing home, and her ex-husband is in Hawaii—with a younger woman. In her late forties, Julia is now used to being invisible. But even if she has to do it alone, she’s determined to celebrate her victory over breast cancer by hiking Italy’s Cinque Terre. And while she’s there, she can scout out treasures for her interior design business back in Kentucky.
Invigorated by the beauty of the Italian countryside, Julia seems unstoppable, until she’s injured by a rock—one that happens to belong to thirty-something stone mason Vitale DeLuca. Reluctantly, Julia accepts Vitale’s insistent offer of lodging while she recovers. But in his home, amid his exquisite sculptures, Julia sees beyond his charm and looks to something a talent she must bring to the world’s attention. And once she does, she plans to step aside to leave him in the spotlight. But Vitale has seen something in Julia too, something she is no longer able to recognize in herself. And he is determined to find a way to show it to her.
Poignant and uplifting, Gaining Visibility is an exhilarating story of one woman’s realization that even the deepest scars have a beauty of their own—and that it’s time to take her place in the sun once more.
I'm an introvert by nature, so how I ended up being a writer whose success is measured in the public arena, I'm not quite sure. Maybe it has something to do with being born and raised in Kentucky, but moving north as an adult where life is a daily struggle of trying to convince my neighbors that grits and cornbread don't need sugar but iced tea does, moonshine can be enjoyed by women without any fear of growing chest hair, and the word smile has only one syllable. Or maybe it's because I have to write the voices down to shut them up, and once they're written down I might as well share them. Or maybe it even has something to do with reaching out to people through my writing because I might be able to touch them in some way. Whatever the reason, I've set my path and I'm loving the journey. Peace, love, and flip-flops, y'all!
Gaining Visibility is about a woman who has faced hard and challenging times, beaten cancer, and a husband who has left her. She embarks on a holiday/work journey to Italy where she starts to find out that she is not so invisible after all. Vitale, a younger Italian takes her under his wing after she is injured and prevented from going on her walking tour. He soon has her staying at his own home.
The story didn't quite work for me as I would have preferred less of an age difference. It would have sat better with me and been more believable if he were more around Julia's own age. They fell for each other and into bed too soon for my taste. And I think I could have taken the age difference if the time that it took for them to form a relationship had been slower.
However if you love the Italian countryside, and a woman who conquers illness and lack of support and has life turn into something pleasurable and life enhancing then this one could be for you, even if it wasn't one that grabbed me and I just didn't connect so well with the way the characters experienced insta love.
Julia has the feeling she's invisible, she's in her late forties and has survived breast cancer. She went through multiple surgeries and doesn't feel as good about herself as she used to anymore. Her daughter has moved to Alaska, her ex-husband has found someone else and is living a frivolous life in Hawaii. Julia loves her mother-in-law, who's like a mother to her, and regularly visits her at the nursing home. Besides having her own business Julia's life has become pretty empty, but she's been through a lot and has come out on top, so it's time to be kind to herself and do something she loves.
Julia travels to Italy where she wants to hike the Cinque Terre. However, she doesn't get very far because of a mild injury. She does meet someone interesting though. Vitale is an artist, who's quite a bit younger than Julia, he's in his early thirties, but there's a connection. Julia recognizes his talent and wants Vitale's name to become well known. She can help him with his passion. Vitale wants to spend time with her, not only for his career, but to get to know her better. He is the first person in a long time who truly sees Julia. Can Julia and Vitale help each other to be happy again?
Gaining Visibility is a beautiful story. Julia is a strong and courageous woman. She went through several surgeries after her cancer diagnosis and this makes her feel differently about herself. She's no longer young and notices she's being looked at in a different way. I loved Pamela Hearon's honest and open way of writing about this topic. It's something that happens to a lot of women and I admired how she elaborately describes the awful feeling of not being seen and turns it into a wonderful story. Julia might have been given the idea that she doesn't matter any longer, but that doesn't make it true and I loved that message very much.
Pamela Hearon has a heartwarming writing style that immediately appealed to me. I loved Julia's spirit and determination and she and Vitale have a special bond that greatly impressed me. Gaining Visibility is an original love story with many unexpected twists and turns and plenty of terrific layers. Both Julia and Vitale are gorgeous people inside and out and their story blew me away from the start. I always love it when an author manages to surprise me. I was impressed and amazed by Gaining Visibility and loved it from beginning to end and highly recommend it. It's a fantastic novel filled with tenderness and dedication, questions about life and living and the most stunning true love.
I really liked it because it reminded me of "In the Tuscan Sun" or something like that. It was set in Italy and it was a movie I watched. This book gave me a different side of how an individual feels as a person that has been ignored and not valued. Going through cancer and losing a husband to divorce at the same time is needless to say devastating. I liked Julia's character really down to earth. I would give it five stars only because of the ending. Good treat to read!
I received an electronic copy of this book for free from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review. I loved this book! I don't typically like romance books but this had a lot more than just romance in it. I always love reading books that take place in foreign locations. I love reading about Italy. It was so good!
Gaining Visibility is a beautiful story of recovery after breast cancer, of following dreams, and of falling in love with an Italian hottie. Julia is 48-years old and has just completed reconstructive surgery after a double mastectomy 2 years earlier. Her husband left her because he couldn’t stand to look at her changed body, and her only daughter has moved to Alaska with her boyfriend. Julia has decided to travel to Italy along for a 3 week celebratory adventure. She will hike the first week and then find artwork for her interior decorating business for the later half of the trip. But when a falling rock breaks her toe, her plans are ruined, and she must spend the rest of the trip with Vitale, a 34-year old Italian artist who makes her feel things she didn’t think she could feel.
Pamela Hearon is a romance writer, but this book is her first women’s lit title. She has combined the best of both worlds in this story. Julia is a very sympathetic character. I felt for her right away, and I enjoyed reading about her growth as an individual. She feels invisible because of her age and her illness, but Vitale and Italy change that for her. She struggles with letting herself enjoy life again. Vitale is also dealing with his own issues, and he also grows a lot during this story. Add to that Pamela’s experience with writing lusty sex scenes, and you won’t want to put this book down.
Sadly, I read it on my phone in stolen moments here and there, and I think a little of the magic was lost in the prolonged duration of my reading this book. But I still think it’s a great read for anyone wanting a lighter romance or a feel good overcoming adversity kind of tale. The plot is predictable, but very fun nonetheless.
An unexpected fling while vacationing in Italy creates problems for a middle-aged decorator, or does it? The theme of Pamela Hearon’s novel, Gaining Visibility, is more than just a story of one women’s journey to complete recovery from a devastating illness. It’s the story of recovering from the pitfalls and struggles of life itself, and coming out stronger for it.
The character of Julia is like many women who are reaching or have reached the age of 50, myself included. For years, we define ourselves by our husband’s life, as wife and mother. But what if the kids grow up? What if the husband no longer wants to be your husband? What if you get sick? How do you survive? These questions are answered in a most delightful and very enjoyable way.
The characters are richly drawn and realistic in their appearance and the setting of rural Italy is fantastic. Instead of the tried and true settings of Rome or Venice, Pamela Hearon chooses a lesser known area and showcases it, making the setting an actual character in the story. An extremely welcome change of pace for a novel. The character of Vitale is a drool worthy hero with the foibles and flaws that we never get to see in many novels but that exist in every man. Conflict is surprising and yet not in its design, making for a great experience.
There is something for everyone in Gaining Visiblity, romance, drama and humor. It’s a true to life story that’s well worth your time.
I loved this book ! I'm not even sure I can put my review into words. I've had this book for a couple of months. Because of so many friends I have right now going through cancer I just could not make myself pick this book up to read it. Boy did I make a mistake. If you or anyone you know has ever went through breast cancer or any type of cancer then you should and they should read this book ! And when your finished PLEASE read in the back The Story Behind The Story. This author Pamela Hearon has experienced the horrible sickness herself and is here to write a great book about a woman that has also experienced it. The woman Gained her Visibility back after feeling that she was lost and invisible to the entire world. I have laughed and cried during reading this book. I too had a scare 2 years ago but Thankfully I checked out fine. This book has made me sit back and look at my life and makes me want to only make it better. Thank You Pamela Hearon for being such a great author ❤
LOVE this book! Acceptance, respect, appreciation and love are what this book is all about. It's a beautifully written, easy to read novel that makes your heart warm. Ever read a book that you didn't want to end? Well, this is one of those books. I loved the characters, the story and what it teaches us about how we live our lives and the possibilities that are open to us if we open our eyes and hearts. Accept your situation, Respect and require respect for those who are close to you. Happiness for yourself is very important. When you are happy and accept who you are and what you can do, you will be happy. You deserve to be happy. It's the only life you have. Live it! Love it! Be loved for who you are.
Towards the end of Gaining Visibility by Pamela Hearon one of the characters observes that it isn’t so much that we became invisible, rather we stopped seeing the world around us. As women, this is so often true. We become so focused on being Superwoman – whatever that means in our world – that we forget that we need to focus on us occasionally and stop to see the world around us. As a message it is rather poignant and appropriate; it is also not over the top, it is subtly woven into the story and completely appropriate for the subject-matter. This book is a reminder that we need to stop and look around once in a while, otherwise we might miss something.
Copy received from the author in exchange for an honest review.
I'd like to give this 3.5/5! It was very enjoyable. I feel like I need to go to Italy now (jk that'll never happen)! I wasn't surprised to find out that this author used to write romance novels, as his one was definitely borderline. It was a touch more serious than I expected from just the cover (found it in a random shelf at the library). Overall I enjoyed her voice and Julia's growth throughout. All the women love Vitale, and I'm no exception! I weirdly thought the way she wrote his broken English seemed extremely accurate (at least of what I know of French-speakers' broken English) and really helped me fall into the story. Overall, I really liked the book a lot and recommend t for those looking for a lighter, romantic, destination-style read!
Ending my year of reviews with an uplifting read, Gaining Visibility by Pamela Hearon.
Julia Berkwith is at a crossroads. Her daughter, Melissa, has moved to Alaska to be with her boyfriend. Her ex-husband, Frank, has moved to Hawaii to be with a much younger woman. Everyone has moved on except Julia. She deserves a life of her own. She has a lot to celebrate. She's a breast cancer survivor. But in a twisted way, surviving cancer also led to the end of her marriage. Frank couldn't or wouldn't play the part of the supportive husband. In a way, Julia became invisible to Frank. He no longer saw the woman he married. All he could see were the scars of cancer.
This is a story of love, sadness ,chances and fate.
Julia has had her breast reconstruction completed and her husband has walked away. Nobody seems to really see her, for her. How does she change this? A beautiful journey to Italy with all plans to hike and prove to herself she is truly healed. However, in a moment everything can change! Life has a way of doing this.
A wonderful quote from this novel- sums up some thing we all need to follow. "Change YOUR vision of the world. You can't see what's around the corner until you make the turn." Definitely a good read! Thank you to netgalley for allowing me to read this and review it honestly.
This was such a wonderful read. Maybe because I'm at a point in my life, like Julia, where I have been invisible for so long, I'm not sure what to do anymore.
This book was so well written, it was so easy to read. It really was hard to put down
To go through life, thinking that there isn't much left and then to finally realize that you still have a part to play, a course to take. Bravo to Julia for taking the plunge and doing what is hardest for all of us - take the first step
Gaining Visibility is a beautiful and inspiring book that is hard to put down. Pamela Hearon's writing captivates you from the very beginning and takes you on a heart-warming, (and sometimes heart-breaking!) journey. What I love about this author's writings is that not only do you get a fabulous story - you also get a geography lesson. I'm now ready for a vacation to Italy! An ARC was provided for an honest review, and I can honestly say that I highly recommend this book!
Julia's husband has left her after a bout with breast cancer. Her daughter has moved to Alaska. But Julia has become fit and is going to Italy for a new beginning where she will not be invisible.
While in Italy Julia meets a sculptor, Vitale, 14 years younger who makes her feel happy, but she is concerned about age difference. When her mother-in-law dies Julia returns to the states and decides to give up Vitale, but that is difficult.
A happy novel which involves age and life changes.
I loved this story about a woman's journey to find herself after a divorce and her victory over breast cancer by traveling to Italy to take a hike at Cinque Terre. While there she injures herself by having a rock fall on her foot, and it's the start of learning to no longer feel invisible and opening her eyes to what's out there and possibly learning that she may have made herself invisible. It is a story of awakening and finding love with someone who loves her unconditionally.
Should have read the fine print more closely. This is a romance novel. Not my style. Too bad because the other themes are relevant, cancer survivor, mid life invisibility, divorce aftermath, loss of a parent. Then it gets ruined by the ridiculously described sex scenarios. Please, insulting to our intelligence.
This was one of the best books I have read, it was very hard to put down. This shows that age does not have to matter in alot of ways. Pamela is such an excelent writer and knows how to keep interest in anything she writes. I have told many friends they need to read this.
I loved this book. The struggles Julia faces are heartbreaking but the way she has faced them is amazing. Seeing the way she grew and changed through the book made me love this book even more. This is a wonderful book that I highly recommend to everyone!
An inspiring book that is hard to put down. When you have faced challenging circumstances in your life and you're still standing, I call that courage. When you believe that eventually things fall into place, I call that faith.
This was just a fantastic book. It was a really involved one and always had you waiting for what was going to happen next. It was a out of the park grand slam for Pamela!
This was such a great story of an older heroine picking up the pieces after her divorce and finding unexpected love in the least likely of all places!
Julia is an amazing heroine, who has successfully built her own design business, recovered from breast cancer and a subsequent divorce in which her husband found her less beautiful, and cares for her feisty but bedridden mother-in-law. A combination work trip and dream adventure takes her to Italy, where as a result of an injury or fate, she meets a contemporary Adonis known as Vitale and surprisingly and almost unwillingly begins a romance.
The characters of Julia and Vitale at first might seem somewhat one dimensional, but this is far from the case. Each one has surprises that reveal strengths of character, charm, and character traits that connect them to one another despite differences in age, language, and culture. Both must defy conventional wisdom to create the life that they love. Seeing them progress through those challenges and the confrontations of family members of both to this unconventional romance make for an entertaining and uplifting read.
Ms. Heron's writing style draws you in to the characters and has you reacting to the characters as though they are right there with you. Gaining Visibility is a reminder that sometimes we must see ourselves as others see us and be willing to be visible.
I really enjoyed this book. Julia Berkwith is a survivor. Breast cancer, divorce and her only child moving to Alaska. She is a strong woman but doesn't see yourself that way. She feels invisible. From the story you feel Julia only has 2 important people in her life. Her business party Camille and Hettie her ex-mother-in-law. What a feisty character was Hettie. To reward herself for surviving Julia has gotten in good physical shape. She goes to Italy with plans to hike and then do some collecting for her decorating business. There in Italy the story blossoms. The passion of Italy comes alive in the artist Vitale and for the first time in a long time Julia begins to see herself again. There are a few snags and hiccups but the beauty of the story is the conclusion. Ti amo
This is the first book I've read by Pamela Hearon and I look forward to reading more of her work. This book touched me in so many levels. Julia struggles like many woman do with identify, health, relationships and loss. It takes a trip to Italy to reopen her mind to the possibilities of life. I am not fond of younger men older woman romances but this one was beautifully crafted. Vitale is an exceptional man and he recognizes the exceptional parts of Julia. Their love allows them both to heal and grow. Julia and Vitale's interaction with family and friends add extra dimensions to the story. I believe Vitale's "Julietta" is a woman we would all like to become. I was fortunate to win this book in a contest.
This was an entertaining book. I liked the themes of self-discovery and surviving cancer and divorce. The setting in Italy was delightful and held my interest as I am Italian. The narrator did a good job with the voice of Vitali and his broken English. Ultimately, it was a romance novel with some in-depth look at a woman learning to survive hardships and finding new direction in her life. Sometimes a little too cliche but still entertaining.