Bella Cigna

by Wendi Dass

Devastated by personal loss, Sarah Flynn escapes to Rome where she finds a job teaching English. Only the girls’ school is like a nunnery and she’s expected to speak fluent Italian overnight. What has she gotten herself into? While the beautiful sights rekindle her interest in art, not even her brush finding canvas can heal all the wounds she carries. She'll need the help of a meddling nun, a nutty mathematician, and a handsome Italian admirer. Can Sarah overcome the insecurities born of a shattered marriage? Will she again take a chance on love?

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Womens Fiction

372 pages, Paperback

Published September 30, 2020

About the author

Wendi Dass is a math professor and author from Charlottesville, Virginia. Her writing interests include literary short stories, flash fiction, and novel-length women’s fiction and romance. Wendi’s short stories have been published in several small journals, including Black Fox Literary and The Ocotillo Review, among others. When she’s not devising deceptively delicious
problems for her students she can be found drafting her latest story.

Reviews

[Tahera · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first thing that attracted me towards this book was the absolutely gorgeous cover picture! And to my pleasure, the book turned out to be equally good! The storyline is good but the description of the sights and sound of Rome is beautifully done and takes centre stage--while reading the book I felt like I was travelling the city myself! The Italian words and phrases used throughout does not confuse or hinder in the enjoyment of the book.

When Sarah first lands in Rome accepting a job as an English teacher in a school there, she is at her personal low--her husband has ended their 12 years of marriage after constant failures to conceive a child of their own and him admitting to an extra marital affair. But the sights of Rome, the people and new friends she meets and makes, her job as an English teacher and Eduardo, the gorgeous single father of one of her students hold new promises and fulfillment for her which are all within her reach if only she can overcome her insecurities first.

My thanks to NetGalley, the publisher The Wild Rose Press, Inc and the author Wendi Dass for the e-Arc of the book. This book was published on 30th September 2020 and is the first book in the Foreign Endearments series.

[InD'tale Magazine · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Bella Cigna” is a modern love story filled with leaps of faith and second chances.

Read full review in the 2020 Holiday issue of InD'tale Magazine.

[Brinley · Rating 4 out of 5]

As soon as I saw the cover on this, I knew I needed this book. The cover promised beauty and joy, and that is what this book delivered. At times, I got a bit irritated with the characters, but I still found myself coming back. The romance and characters were so sweet and simple, but still super enjoyable to read. I really enjoyed this book.

Bella Cigna follows Sarah, a woman who travels to Rome after a heartbreaking divorce. In Rome, she rediscovers beauty, art, and love. Teaching English at an all-girls school, she makes friends and takes risks. Forced to confront herself and her fear of a broken heart, this book is truly beautiful.

I think one of the things that made this book shine were the friendships it showcased. So many romance novels completely ignore friendship, alienating the main character and focusing only on love. This book however, gave us two loveable friends, each with their own unique personality. I loved Anna because of how outgoing she was, she made this book fun. I get the feeling that Sister Maria will always be a fan favorite, her meddling was impeccable.

The romance in this was a bit weaker, but that's only because I'm very critical of romances. I just felt like there were way too many miscommunications that could have been solved by a single conversation. By the end of the book, I swear Sarah and Eduardo had communicated as badly as possible. I liked them together, I just wished they had talked a bit more, because they both had so many problems that needed to be discussed.

My favorite thing in this book had to be the relationship between Sarah and Lucia. I feel like it did a great job of portraying the special relationships between students and teachers, and it was just super touching. Lucia was such a sweet girl, and I loved how Sarah was always there for her.

I do have one final complaint, and that's the end of the book. I can't say much without spoiling the story, but it just ruined one of the things I loved about this so much. I've never read a book with an infertile main character before, and I loved that this book was shedding light on something that is normally ignored. So, I was super disappointed when this book ended with Sarah pregnant. I understand that it was part of her happy ending, but it felt somewhat like a betrayal of everything we had read so far. I almost with we would've seen them adopting, or something. It's a small complaint, but the ending of a book has to be spectacular, and sadly this one wasn't.

With that being said, I really enjoyed this book. If you're a fan of Rome, romance, and traveling, this book is for you!

Thanks to Wendi Dass and Netgalley for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review!

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wendi Dass's Bella Cigna is a luxuriously written escape to Rome. From almost the very first paragraph, I was 100% committed to Sarah's story and wanted the absolute best outcome for this carefully created and intensely drawn character. All the characters in Bella Cigna are rich in detail so much so you are instantly acquainted with them. I loved that she was teaching abroad and enjoyed the sight and sounds of life in Rome. I love her friendship with Anna, her respect for Sister Maria, and the fact her mother travels to be with her in Rome. Bella Cigna is part fairytale and part slow-brewing romance all wrapped up with a pretty bow and the feeling deep down--that one's dreams can come true.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book I have read by this author. The ARC was provided by Hidden Gems in exchange for this review. In the beginning we meet Sarah, a woman in her early thirties whose husband has just left her for another woman. With the lost of her marriage, Sarah begins to question her life plan and comes across a job listing for a teaching position in Rome. Not speaking a word of the language, Sarah sets off on this adventure to the beautiful Italian capital. Once there she realizes what a challenge this might be in a small Catholic girls’ grade school to fit in with the nuns and other teachers who are quite a bit younger than Sarah.
From her arrival there are many trials with this new school and country. For all of the excitement there might be in living in Italy, there are just as many issues adjusting to this foreign environment. Once school started, she gets into a routine and meets the father of one of her students. Sarah renews her love of art and learns more about herself as she explores this new life. There are quite a few challenges with her relationship with Eduardo, but as they grow together, they also grow as people too.

[N.N. Heaven · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reeling from betrayal and the break-up of her marriage, Sarah Flynn escapes to Rome, Italy. She gets a job teaching English at an all-girls school but soon discovers it is more like a nunnery. The nuns expect her to speak fluent Italian... what has she gotten herself into? She feasts on the art, scenery, and Italian lifestyle while trying to heal from her wounds. It's not as easy as she imagined it would be. Can she open her heart to all that life can bring, even a new love or will she let her fears keep her from la bella vita (the good life)?

Bella Cigna is a fantastic story about taking risks, traveling to a foreign country and discovering the good life. Wendi Dass takes the reader on a romantic adventure through intensive descriptive narration. It's like I was right there in Italy, which fed my artistic soul. The characters were so well-drawn, I liked them immensely. My favorite has to be Sister Maria. Ex-pats will love this story as will romance readers. I was shocked, however, by the attempted rape scene. It wasn't necessary to the overall story. If you love traveling and looking for an escape to Italy, pick up Bella Cigna today. Highly recommend!

Disclaimer: I received a copy from the author in the hopes I'd review it.

My Rating: 5 stars

Reviewed by: Mrs. N

This review first appeared: https://www.nnlightsbookheaven.com/po...

[Avie Thacker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wendi Dass' Bella Cigna is a lovely, romantic experience set in Rome. This is not a genre I typically read, but I was engaged and interested for the whole book. Sarah is an outstanding character and her journey is compelling and well-written. I highly recommend this!

[R Huiszoon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wendi Dass, ‘Bella Cigna’.
Foreign Endearments, Book 1.

As a Hidden Gems ARC reader I received a free copy and promised an honest review. Here it is.

Rating: 4 (of 5 stars).

In general: Sweet second chance love in a foreign country.

Main character:
- Sarah Flynn (maiden name Sarah Miller).
After a mariage of more than 5 years her husband cheated on her, partly because Sarah couldn’t get pregnant. Moreover she hated her job at a D.C. federal office; so she escaped her country to teach English grammar at a school for girls, managed by nuns, in Rome, Italy.
She loves teaching but her new job is difficult due to not speaking the Italian language. With the help of an American colleague and some incentives of the strict school director she overcomes her communication problems with kids and parents who don’t speak English.
The author, Wendi Dass, then describes how Sarah meets Eduardo Rossini, the dad of one of her pupils. They like each other and he introduces her into the life style of the people in Rome, the city she admires so much for it’s rich culture.
Gradually Sarah and Eduardo fall in love. But building a permanent relationship is complicated: Eduardo also had a bad divorce and now a suspicious ex wife; Sarah cannot immediately trust a man again and living in foreign country - missing her family - isn’t always easy for her. Nevertheless they find their HEA. Perhaps the sweet events in the end were a bit overdone but all in all for me it was a pleasure to read this page turner: Interesting characters, nice dialogues, sweet scenes and all that mixed with the charm of Rome.

R. Huiszoon.

[Emily Slack · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has been provided to me by NetGalley and the Publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Just from the simple synopsis this story held promise. In the middle of a divorce and fresh on what she thought was the loss of her dreams of a family, Sarah moves to Italy for a year to teach English. Without speaking a lick of Italian. In Italy Sarah befriends a coworker, Anna, and meets Eduardo, the handsome father of a favorite pupil, Lucia. It is in Italy that Sarah discovers who she is as an independent person and just what matters in her life.

I must say that this book was very heartwarming. There were times that my eyes watered from sympathy and sorrow and others from joy. Sarah's journey is beautiful and now I want to move to Italy and find a handsome man to love me as much as Eduardo loves Sarah. Overall this was a great book with great characters.

[BettyJoyce Nash · Rating 5 out of 5]

Though Sarah Flynn can’t speak Italian, heartache hurls her to a new job at a Catholic girls’ school in Rome after her childless marriage crumbles. Though a wild colleague, Anna, tries to interest Sarah in Roman nightlife, she only partially succeeds. Sarah pulls herself together enough to paint the sets for the school play. This throws her together with a hot, divorced father of a reluctant thespian and whets her appetite for art, for painting, as she struggles to understand the ineffable quality that transforms artistic effort into true art. The plot unfolds with surprising, even ugly, twists that test Sarah’s mettle and show her who she really is. Readers sink deep into character through action-driven scenes in which Sarah questions what she wants. The glories of Rome and Florence shimmer, as author Wendi Dass details St. Peter’s Square and Basilica at sunset, the Pantheon, Piazza Navona, and Michelangelo’s “David”—to deepen the mystery of self-discovery, grief, and, of course, love.

[Linda P. Christian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent read!

Bella Cigna, the story of a "lost and hurt" American woman, Sarah, trying to rediscover her identity while establishing herself in Italy. What a wonderful escape for both Sarah and the reader as they experience all the sights, sounds and smells of Italy - and the hopes of a new life!

[Jessilyn Troyer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sarah Flynn is stuck in a dead end job, dealing with fertility issues and then is betrayed by her husband which ends in a divorce. She takes a leap of faith and takes a job teaching in Italy in hopes of a new start and a second chance in life. I loved that we are taken to Italy. Such a beautiful country, if I was to start over I would go there as well. Sarah also finds love in Italy, but is hesitant and worried about being betrayed again. Overall I enjoyed the adventure in Italy and the love story parts of the book. A well written story.

[Kat · Rating 4 out of 5]

After being unceremoniously dumped by her husband after failing to conceive, Sarah turns back to her teaching roots to teach English in Italy, hoping for a new start to her life, and maybe find love again.

There are two countries I adore reading about: France and Italy. Don’t ask me why. Even though romance isn’t really my thing, I knew I needed to read it simply because it was set in Italy. It also sounded like a lovely story with a woman trying to find herself, and maybe a new romance, after her husband abruptly decides to leave her. Just because of that I knew the heroine was going to be a bit older, closer to my age, which I really look for these days, reading about a character I can identify with.

The Plot: A Sweet Story About Loving Again
Sarah Flynn receives the news she’s been dying to hear: her last chance fertility clinic has an opening. She rushes home to tell her husband, only to find him in the process of leaving her. Devastated, she has only her best friend and her mother to turn to for support.

And to have a posting for a teaching position in Italy pushed at her. Sarah misses her teaching days and desperately wants to leave her life and ex-husband behind. She takes the job, dreaming of days sketching and touring all of the artwork Rome has to offer.

The only thing is, the position is at a Catholic girls’ school under the watchful eye of Sister Maria. Fellow American teacher, Anna, though, does everything in her power to make sure Sarah has a good time, though Sister Maria hopes Sarah will have a grounding influence on the partying Anna.

Sarah is grateful for Anna’s help and friendship, but she’s still reeling from her divorce. Her growing attraction to divorced father Eduardo complicates her life, but it might also give her an avenue to moving forward.

Bella Cigna is such a sweet story. It felt equal parts women’s fiction, with Sarah rediscovering herself, and romance, with the growing attraction between Sarah and Eduardo. The beginning felt a little slow and I felt a little mired in Sarah’s devastation, but then it picked up and her relationships moved at a realistic pace that had me believing I was there alongside her.

I really enjoyed this story. It had it’s fun parts with Anna, but it was also serious as Sarah, and Anna, needed to figure out where to go with their lives. I did feel a lot of the problems stemmed from miscommunication and lack of communication, which was frustrating as it seemed to be at every downward turn in the story. But I really adored the scheming that went on behind the scenes to push Sarah and Eduardo together. They were a lovely couple that clearly belonged together from the time they meet. I appreciated the starts and stops they encountered throughout the story as they felt realistic. Overall, this story just flowed and I never felt anything was out of character, so reading it made me feel like I was just going along with the flow and instead of having to stop and ruminate with a frown.

The Characters: Amazing and Distinct Characters Blending Perfectly
Each character was distinct and they blended together really well. There was the stern, yet caring Sister Maria; the fun-loving, midnight-escaping Anna; the sweet, yet shy student Lucia; and Lucia’s incredibly irresistible father Eduardo. They each added something to Sarah’s life in Italy, each giving her a piece to her puzzle as she healed her heart through art and love.

I loved that Sarah was a bit older. She’d been married and tried to become a mother. Creating and maintaining a romantic relationship isn’t new to her. But she’s also a bit uncertain about herself, exacerbated by her husband leaving her. I liked that, even though she’s not in her twenties, she’s still a bit hesitant, still trying to figure things out, still doesn’t have it all together. Being about the same age as her, she really struck a chord in me.

The relationship between Sarah and Eduardo, while sweet, wasn’t easy. I loved when they were together because I, as the reader, couldn’t help but feel the spark between them. It pained me when something tore them apart. Yet I felt it was largely due to a lack of communication. Sarah didn’t always feel clear with him, didn’t always try hard enough to communicate. Eduardo felt like he was quick to jump to conclusions and shut down way too fast. But, considering both are divorced, it’s easy to explain away as scars from their failed relationships. But, seriously, when Eduardo wasn’t acting the dense manly man, he was really quite sweet and fun, and even a bit dreamy.

The Setting: The Art of Rome
Bella Cigna is set mostly in Italy. It’s romantic and beautiful and the perfect setting for this story. I did struggle a bit with actually visualizing Italy, but I loved that it was seen through the eyes of an artist. The focus of the setting was on the art Rome has to offer, which was so fitting considering Sarah is an artist who practically lives and breathes art. It gave me a different sense of the city, one that made it feel real and vibrant to me through her. Instead of describing how the buildings looked and how the roads were laid out and so forth, it really brought the art of Rome to life, tying in perfectly with the characters and the story. The world building in Bella Cigna could not have been more perfect.

I was a little disappointed at first when it seemed that Sarah wouldn’t have any time to explore Rome since she had to start setting up for the start of school right away. But the girls’ school was equally interesting. Sister Maria runs the school with a firm, yet understanding hand. She, too, has experienced life, and it comes through in how she does everything. The school did feel a little austere, which was to be expected. But I felt like I was walking the halls with Sarah. Most of all, I loved the attention to detail Sarah put into her classroom and, as I read this during distance learning with my own elementary school aged-child, it made my heart ache a little, and made me appreciate all the time and love teachers put into their students. As austere as the school felt, it was also full of care and a love for the students.

Overall: Failures to Communicate, But Still Sweet
Bella Cigna, as I mentioned, is a sweet story. It has it’s bumpiness as all stories do, but the road was always winding towards it’s inevitable conclusion. I loved reading about a woman in her thirties who’s back to having to figure things out, and adored reading about her growing love for Italy while also trying desperately to have as many options as possible. This was a lovely, easy read. My only issue was the mass amount of poor communication, which felt a bit at odds with a teacher whose job it is to communicate, but it was otherwise a beautiful novel full of love, friendship, and hope. Listed as the first in the Foreign Endearments series, I’m hoping for a second novel, especially if it’s as sweet as this one.

Thank you to author Wendi Dass and publicist Penny Sansevieri for a review copy. All opinions expressed are my own.

[Vicky · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thoughts: I liked the premise of this book. The main character, Sarah, is 33, in the midst of a divorce, and depressed. So what does she do? Heads for Rome, Italy and a girl’s school. She doesn’t speak Italian, knows nothing about the place she’s going, but goes anyway. Questions I had that confused me: she applies for the job under her maiden name, but wouldn’t all her documents (visa, passport, etc.) still be in her married name since she’s not yet divorced? When she gets there, her luggage is lost, but we never learn if it eventually caught up with her. And why doesn’t she just say something to Eduardo about possibly not being able to have a child? She had the guts to fly half-way around the world to a place where she doesn’t speak the language, but she’s too much of a coward to say: my husband dumped me because I can’t get pregnant. Just didn’t work for me.

What I liked: I loved the head nun. Sister Maria is an amazing character, and when she teams up with Sarah’s mother – perfect! Anna was interesting as well. And the ending of the story was perfect.

What I didn’t like: the “almost” rape scene – totally unnecessary. And a trigger for some readers. Also, noting that this is a pre-pub ARC, there were some minor editorial issues (misspellings) that I hope are taken care of in the final.

Recommendation: Even with the issues I had, I did enjoy this book. It had good characters and a satisfying ending. So… I do recommend it for a sweet romance with a HEA ending.

Disclaimer: I received this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and are not influenced by anyone.

[Sublime Book Review · Rating 5 out of 5]

Overall Rating = 4.75

Storyline & Concept = 4.25
Writing & Delivery = 5.0
Editorial = 5.0

In Bella Cigna, Sarah takes a teaching job at an all-girls school in Rome to escape a broken marriage and a painful truth. She hopes the trip will be an adventure to change her mind and help her find happiness, but obstacles and challenges hamper her path.
This novel transported me back to my own visit to Rome and I appreciated the chance to reminisce. However, it wasn’t the description of the scenery that kept me reading. Although the ending was easy to foresee, the journey to get there was engaging. The author opened a window into the heartache, doubts, and passions of the protagonist, while supporting her with a varied and interesting cast of characters. The quality of the writing is excellent, and the author has a talent for drawing rich and intriguing personalities.
Sublime Line: “Let yourself be swept away to Italy in a romantic, engaging adventure that covers a wide spectrum of emotions and will have you cheering for the heroine.”

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very well written & engaging. It kept my interest so much so I couldn't put it down. The accurate descriptions throughout the book made me feel as if I was in Italy myself. I highly recommend this book.

[Barbara Tobey · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet romance after a failed marriage. Off to Rome to forget her troubles and have a new adventure, our lovely protagonist gets even more than desired. Several interesting characters. Thanks to the publisher for providing a copy via NetGalley.

[Judy & Marianne from Long and Short Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a character driven, drama-infused novel of a very flawed woman trying to find her way back from the betrayal of her husband, someone she trusted implicitly. His leaving Sarah like she was nothing to him was traumatic and sent the heroine into an emotional quagmire.

Sarah’s friend, Meredith, is crucial in not only supporting the heroine, but giving her advice and a shoulder to cry on when needed. She also acts as a sounding board on and off throughout the novel. Another person that interacts with Sarah is her mother. The relationship is very similar to real life – a relationship that bounces between love, annoyance, impatience, gratefulness, supportiveness and every other quirk that can exist between a mother and a daughter. There are quite a number of interpersonal relationships sprinkled throughout the book – not all of them are benign. Then there’s Anna. I liked her. She is a young, quirky and energetic young woman who ends up taking the older Sarah under her wing. It’s up to the reader to decide if that is a good or bad thing. I think Anna was a good-hearted young lady who was still maturing during the course of the novel. Sister Maria is another secondary character that I felt was crucial to the romance’s success.

When I said that Sarah was flawed; that’s an understatement. Lying by omission comes back to haunt her. Going against her better judgement and drinking to excess in a foreign country also comes into play as a plot conflict. Her lack of self-esteem, her lack of confidence in herself as a woman, courtesy of her ex-husband, messes with her decision-making skills and she makes some bad ones. Repeatedly. Then she comes up against a sexual predator, so that may be a trigger for some readers. Sarah goes through so many ups and downs, it made me dizzy. Eventually things even out and a reader can finally breathe a sigh of relief as the hints of an HEA become realized.

This is ultimately a romance story, and Eduardo and his daughter are the bright spots that made this novel enjoyable. I really adored every interaction between Sarah and Lucia, Eduardo’s daughter. I felt they were the most beautiful exchanges in the whole book. Eduardo is a very nice guy, handsome and rich, but he can be very emotional and easily hurt. But he is also very forgiving, and that part of his nature is key in the success of the romance.

The happy ever after is hard won but satisfying in the end. Actually, it’s a very happy HEA and I was thrilled for Sarah. After everything she went through, she deserved to be happy. Bella Cigna is not an easy read but it’s a good story with a nice romance between two people that sound like someone you could meet in real life.

[Kim Ligon · Rating 5 out of 5]

A second chance in a foreign land

When Sarah's husband leaves her unexpectedly after years of trying to conceive she is beyond devastated. She leaves her beloved teaching job for one teach elementary school English in Rome, Italy even though she doesn't speak a word of Italian. Another, much younger, teacher takes her under her wing and introduces her to Rome's nightlife much to Sister Maria's dismay. She is drawn to a lovely little girl, Lucia, and even more to Lucia's father, Eduardo. As Sarah explores Romes, her own wants and needs she develops a relationship with the handsome, kind Eduardo. I loved sightseeing in Rome through Sarah's eyes and the secondary characters add depth and life to story. The sex is behind closed doors but you know what happened. A terrific story. I highly recommend.

[Marty Tool · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable read of a woman who feels she has nothing left, her job, husband, endless tries to get pregnant are becoming failures. She needs something new and takes a teaching job in Italy for a year, thus her adventure in life starts. I guess my problem with the main character is she never stands up for herself, someone else has to be right there or she'd let everyone else take over. Also the depiction of Italian men isn't particularly flattering.

[Marti · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting premise, but too many missteps and obstacles. I did enjoy Sarah's delight in the wonders of Rome and Florence, the spirited banter and adventures of Anna, Sarah's relationship with Lucia, and the stern-demeanor-hiding-a-warm-heart of Sister Maria. Good depiction of Sarah's help to Lucia in overcoming stage fright.

[Dee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great YA book.

[Tea_Reading_and_Oz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It kinda reminded me of Under the Tuscan Sun if any of you have seen that movie.

Sarah struggles to have a child and her husband leaves her for another woman after going through treatment for years. To keep her from wallowing in pain, Sarah's friend tells her on a whim to take a teaching job in Rome.

This is a divorcee/ single dad romance. Eduardo was just to die for and his little girl was the sweetest. Sarah saw herself as broken but I was so glad that she was able to eventually look past that to allow herself to find new happiness. Really looking forward to more in this series