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Santa Lucia #1
Santa Lucia
Storybook Italian villages only seem innocent.
Surrounded by glimmering olive groves and embellished with flower-lined alleys, it would be easy to believe that Santa Lucia is as idyllic as it appears. After all, what drama could possibly unfold in such a picturesque village?
As it happens, Santa Lucia is rife with secrets that are swapped over espresso at the local bar.
There is much to discuss. Massimo’s sudden and powerful romance shocks the villagers who doubt his motives. Tragedy upon tragedy have rocked Luciano’s world until he is at risk of losing everything. Young Fatima wrestles with how to balance her devotion to her Moroccan family with her desire to integrate into her new Italian home. Her best friend Elisa’s very existence violates her family’s sense of honor. Chiara’s past threatens to corrupt her budding love affair. Edo ‘s wild streak is as dangerous as it is mystifying. Magda’s shocking history can’t stay hidden forever. And the mayor is too preoccupied to notice that his wife is carrying on an affair with the town handyman. Santa Lucia is the sweeping tale of a town on the brink of change and the villagers that call it home.
By the author of the bestselling Il Bel Centro: A Year in the Beautiful Center, Santa Lucia similarly transports readers to the lush green hills of Italy.
"From the very first paragraph, I found myself intrigued. Michelle Damiani paints a complete portrait of Santa Lucia, her inhabitants and the aura of Umbria itself. The plot is well fleshed out, takes surprising and unexpected turns. It was difficult to lay the story aside. I can hardly wait for her next installment of the story of Santa Lucia. Bravo, Michelle Damiani."
"One of those books that keeps you awake at night reading. Loved the characters and the story."
"This was a fantastic read. I could not put it down. The way it ends leaves me longing for Michelle to write the sequel. Her descriptions of Santa Lucia are like reading poetry. Great Great read. You will love it!"
Surrounded by glimmering olive groves and embellished with flower-lined alleys, it would be easy to believe that Santa Lucia is as idyllic as it appears. After all, what drama could possibly unfold in such a picturesque village?
As it happens, Santa Lucia is rife with secrets that are swapped over espresso at the local bar.
There is much to discuss. Massimo’s sudden and powerful romance shocks the villagers who doubt his motives. Tragedy upon tragedy have rocked Luciano’s world until he is at risk of losing everything. Young Fatima wrestles with how to balance her devotion to her Moroccan family with her desire to integrate into her new Italian home. Her best friend Elisa’s very existence violates her family’s sense of honor. Chiara’s past threatens to corrupt her budding love affair. Edo ‘s wild streak is as dangerous as it is mystifying. Magda’s shocking history can’t stay hidden forever. And the mayor is too preoccupied to notice that his wife is carrying on an affair with the town handyman. Santa Lucia is the sweeping tale of a town on the brink of change and the villagers that call it home.
By the author of the bestselling Il Bel Centro: A Year in the Beautiful Center, Santa Lucia similarly transports readers to the lush green hills of Italy.
"From the very first paragraph, I found myself intrigued. Michelle Damiani paints a complete portrait of Santa Lucia, her inhabitants and the aura of Umbria itself. The plot is well fleshed out, takes surprising and unexpected turns. It was difficult to lay the story aside. I can hardly wait for her next installment of the story of Santa Lucia. Bravo, Michelle Damiani."
"One of those books that keeps you awake at night reading. Loved the characters and the story."
"This was a fantastic read. I could not put it down. The way it ends leaves me longing for Michelle to write the sequel. Her descriptions of Santa Lucia are like reading poetry. Great Great read. You will love it!"
366 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 1, 2020
1671 people are currently reading
625 people want to read
About the author
Michelle Damiani
20 books40 followersMichelle Damiani is a freelance writer, clinical psychologist, and food lover currently living in Charlottesville, VA. Her heart, however, is in Spello, Italy, where she and her family spent a year growing accustomed to being fish out of water, grappling with the hardships of parenting on foreign soil, and ultimately cleaving into the soul of Italian village life. Before that year abroad, Michelle wrote short fiction--one of her stories was recently awarded first place in the Hook Short Fiction contest, juried by author John Grisham. While in Italy, she used the time that her children were in Italian public schools to write a blog about their experiences. The blog, Il Bel Centro, was awarded the bronze award for best Italian blog by Expatsblog. Once back in Charlottesville, she transformed the blog into a book, Il Bel Centro: a Year in the Beautiful Center, now available in print and e-book. Missing her village, she began writing a 4 part novel series set in italy. Three of the books, "Santa Lucia", "The Silent Madonna", and "The Stillness of Swallows" have been published. In addition, Michelle accumulated the collective wisdom of traveling families into a comprehensive guide called, "The Road Taken: How to Dream, Plan, and Live Your Family Adventure Abroad." When not planning her upcoming trip around the world, you can find her at www.michelledamiani.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 66 reviews
June 7, 2020
Charming story of quirky characters in a small town in Italy. If I can’t travel to Italy during the pandemic, reading this lovely book was a nice way to experience the rhythm of country life.
December 3, 2017
I live in Umbria in a small town not too far from where the town of Santa Lucia is situated. This book paints a truly believable picture of everyday life in a small Italian town with its shopkeepers, bariste, busybodies and small town life. It’s about a small Umbrian hill town where everyone knows everyone and they all grew up together, went to school together and grow old together with all the joys and tensions that this can bring. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The characters are beautifully drawn, each with his or her own demons, hopes, joys, fears. They mesh together and you become completely caught up in their individual stories so you have difficulty putting the book down. The story is set in the present and touches on contemporary issues. It delves into the difficulties that outsiders and immigrants can have in integrating into the town or not as the case may be. It has elements of loneliness, loves found and lost, fear, profound grief and hope. If you love reading about Italy and love a good story you need to read Santa Lucia.
December 31, 2017
I received an ARC from this author in exchange for my honest review.
I absolutely love this author and her writing. I fell in love with her while reading her book about her family's adventures with living in Italy for a year. I am so glad she decided to branch out to fiction because she has an incredible gift. There were a lot of characters and I admit it took a bit to get them straight, but once I did and once I got the connections, I became incredibly engrossed in them and their stories. Damiani's descriptions of Italy and the people and the food are vivid and beautiful in every way. The stories were rich and interesting and I really hope there is a sequel! I highly recommend this one.
I absolutely love this author and her writing. I fell in love with her while reading her book about her family's adventures with living in Italy for a year. I am so glad she decided to branch out to fiction because she has an incredible gift. There were a lot of characters and I admit it took a bit to get them straight, but once I did and once I got the connections, I became incredibly engrossed in them and their stories. Damiani's descriptions of Italy and the people and the food are vivid and beautiful in every way. The stories were rich and interesting and I really hope there is a sequel! I highly recommend this one.
September 28, 2020
A lovely story with complex, interesting characters and a wonderful story line. The narrative style is reminiscent of a chat with a village elder in front of the fireplace - flitting and flying, but complete, and with the requisite asides and promises.
Most often, if I get to the end of a book and learn there's a sequel, I don't feel interested enough to read it. In this case, I intend to read the sequel, because the characters are interesting enough to follow.
Most often, if I get to the end of a book and learn there's a sequel, I don't feel interested enough to read it. In this case, I intend to read the sequel, because the characters are interesting enough to follow.
October 3, 2020
Half-Stars for an Excellent Half-a-Book
This book is well paced, feels very realistic, and is delightfully easy to read, BUT, it is only half of a novel. It leaves the reader unfulfilled in terms of the outcomes for many characters. It too rapidly ties up some stories for characters off screen or in other unfulfilling ways.
This book is well paced, feels very realistic, and is delightfully easy to read, BUT, it is only half of a novel. It leaves the reader unfulfilled in terms of the outcomes for many characters. It too rapidly ties up some stories for characters off screen or in other unfulfilling ways.
September 26, 2020
This was a surprisingly good book. If you live great character development while feeling like you’re in a small Italian Village, this is a perfect book!
April 26, 2024
I only picked this up because I thought it was a murder mystery. 😅 Turns out the tags on Audible are wrong. I don’t usually read chick lit, so this is a new genre for me. The story is set in a small town in Italy and depicts the lives of several characters. There’s the new girl in town whom nobody seems to like, the charming playboy, and a young girl from Morocco. The plot deals with quite a few sensitive topics, but I still enjoyed the read. If you’re an Italy fan and love character-driven books, this one may be for you.
December 2, 2017
While it took me a bit to get all the characters straight, they eventually fell into place and sucked me into the plot. It was easy to visualize the town, the shops, the piazzas and the olive groves, having seen towns just like the one described all over Italy. There are a few surprises and since several plot lines are left open, I'm sure a sequel will be in the works, and I'll read it, too!
May 17, 2020
This novel was a reading experience worth savouring. I got it on a whim and the author, who is a-new -to-me, author, did not disappoint. The plot, characters and setting were well woven to ensure the reader thoroughly enjoyed the visit to this story world.
September 4, 2025
Thoroughly enjoyed this book, filled with interesting characters who I feel like I now know! Looking forward to reading the 2nd book in the series.
September 26, 2020
I thoroughly enjoyed Santa Lucia and all its interesting characters as they go about their daily lives, noses deeply inbedded in each other's business. The scenery is different but it brought back my time in Orio Litta in Lombardia. The author caught the pulse of the town and laid it before us. She made it very easy to step out of our homes and into the book, sharing a caffe with one or gelato with another as we traveled through their lives and saw the town through their eyes. I look forward to the next installment in the lives of the people of Santa Lucia.
January 1, 2019
I loved how the author had us enter the book gradually. The first section was a (wonderful) description of Santa Lucia from the point of view of visitors, coming to visit the village for the first time. Gradually, we meet the (many) characters but, at first, as if we were very observant (and Italian-speaking) visitors. Then the narrator comes to take us deeper into the village as we discover through her, and as she tells us in the first descriptive session. "..life here is like life anywhere, and the town's idyllic facade masks love, betrayal, scandal, innuendo, mystery, romance and heartbreak."
We spend a bit less than 2 months in Santa Lucia but they are momentous months for us and the villagers and the density of our developing knowledge (aided by some asides from our narrator/author) makes it seem like we have lived in Santa Lucia for a much longer time, that our lives and the villagers' lives have become intertwined -- just as we discover how intertwined the villagers' lives are and learn some of their secrets -- some secrets that everyone but the reader knows at first, some that only a few people know but don't tell and others that are a surprise to almost everybody.
I want to go back, to hang out on the terrace of the Bar Birbo and look at the waterfall, or drink my caffé at the counter where I can share the gossip and get to know everybody better (well almost everybody as there are a few -- one person in particular -- that I know as much as I want to know, or more.
A sequal has been planned. I hope it comes soon.
We spend a bit less than 2 months in Santa Lucia but they are momentous months for us and the villagers and the density of our developing knowledge (aided by some asides from our narrator/author) makes it seem like we have lived in Santa Lucia for a much longer time, that our lives and the villagers' lives have become intertwined -- just as we discover how intertwined the villagers' lives are and learn some of their secrets -- some secrets that everyone but the reader knows at first, some that only a few people know but don't tell and others that are a surprise to almost everybody.
I want to go back, to hang out on the terrace of the Bar Birbo and look at the waterfall, or drink my caffé at the counter where I can share the gossip and get to know everybody better (well almost everybody as there are a few -- one person in particular -- that I know as much as I want to know, or more.
A sequal has been planned. I hope it comes soon.
December 10, 2017
I really liked this novel. There are multiple interconnected character arcs, which I sometimes find confusing or forced, but this book is neither. The plot propelled me forward deeper into the book, and the main characters are all well-rounded. I was reminded at various points of Erin Morgenstern's The Night Circus (beautiful writing and a character that's not exactly a character), J.K Rowling's The Casual Vacancy (in terms of how the story is constructed and how the characters intersect), and Gabriel Garcia Marquez's One Hundred Years of Solitude (how the characters interact with the city). I loved the characters, really feeling the emotions of a few of them, and I especially loved the city. Highly recommended.
December 28, 2020
Wow! Judging from all the four and five star reviews, I think I read a completely different book. I found "Santa Lucia" to be virtually joyless with pervasive despair and mean-spiritedness throughout. None of the characters are honest, many are spineless and only a few are likable. And even though nothing was resolved at the end (which kinda pissed me off), I have absolutely no desire to read the rest of this series to see what happens. Life is too short to read melancholy, happiness-crushing books like this.
May 13, 2019
I thoroughly enjoyed this story. I loved all the characters and, of course, the star of the story, Santa Lucia. I found myself drawn into the story and was fully immersed in all the drama of each character. I had no trouble keeping track of who was who as each person in the story was very clearly defined. I very much look forward to reading the sequel.
November 10, 2022
che dire di questo libro...mi trovo in difficoltà...
Posso sinceramente dire che non mi è piaciuto e mi ha annoiato? No... Tuttavia non posso neanche dire che mi sia piaciuto e che lo abbia letto con curiosità e passione...è un libro nella norma, che va bene per tappare i buchi ma di cui ci si dimentica presto. Credo che la cosa principale che ha remato contro sia la modalità di scrittura. Questo libro è scritto in inglese ma con una grande abbondanza di termini in italiano, che dovrebbero dare il senso dell'italianità della storia, passatemi il termine. Invece risultano spesso una ridondanza (vengono tradotti all'interno della stessa frase) e non aggiungono nulla...non si capisce nemmeno perchè questi termini siano in italiano, non sono nè particolarmente idiomatici nè pregni di chissà quale significato, nella maggiorparte dei casi.
Veniamo alla storia: un racconto corale che riguarda gli abitanti di Santa Lucia, un piccolo paese nell'Appennino umbro, dove non si sa perchè la luce è diversa che nel resto d'Italia. Ma non aspettatevi nulla di paranormale o chissà che, legato alla luce: è solo un modo pittoresco per descrivere il paesaggio, usata talvolta per descrivere stati d'animo e pensieri. Idea carina ma non mi ha convinto del tutto. Allo stesso modo la narrazione si sposta da un personaggio all'altro usando diversi espedienti, come il cane che cammina per la strada e seguendolo passiamo dalle vicende di un personaggio a quelle di un altro protagonista, altre volte si passa dall'uno all'altro senza un preciso ordine. Ho apprezzato la visione un pò cinematografica del racconto, lo vedrei bene trasformato in un film. Tuttavia la storia in sè è piuttosto inconsistente: ognuno con i propri drammi, chi affoga nel bere i dispiaceri, chi custodisce dentro una burbera corrazza un misterioso segreto, chi si addentra ingenuamente in una vita non sua...con un mix di mentalità retrograda, tipo padre padrone e tematiche moderne, come l'omosessualità.
Non mi ha convinto e stavolta non penso che cercherò di completare la serie...mi sembra una sorta di Beautiful, la soap opera tanto cara alle nostre nonne.
Posso sinceramente dire che non mi è piaciuto e mi ha annoiato? No... Tuttavia non posso neanche dire che mi sia piaciuto e che lo abbia letto con curiosità e passione...è un libro nella norma, che va bene per tappare i buchi ma di cui ci si dimentica presto. Credo che la cosa principale che ha remato contro sia la modalità di scrittura. Questo libro è scritto in inglese ma con una grande abbondanza di termini in italiano, che dovrebbero dare il senso dell'italianità della storia, passatemi il termine. Invece risultano spesso una ridondanza (vengono tradotti all'interno della stessa frase) e non aggiungono nulla...non si capisce nemmeno perchè questi termini siano in italiano, non sono nè particolarmente idiomatici nè pregni di chissà quale significato, nella maggiorparte dei casi.
Veniamo alla storia: un racconto corale che riguarda gli abitanti di Santa Lucia, un piccolo paese nell'Appennino umbro, dove non si sa perchè la luce è diversa che nel resto d'Italia. Ma non aspettatevi nulla di paranormale o chissà che, legato alla luce: è solo un modo pittoresco per descrivere il paesaggio, usata talvolta per descrivere stati d'animo e pensieri. Idea carina ma non mi ha convinto del tutto. Allo stesso modo la narrazione si sposta da un personaggio all'altro usando diversi espedienti, come il cane che cammina per la strada e seguendolo passiamo dalle vicende di un personaggio a quelle di un altro protagonista, altre volte si passa dall'uno all'altro senza un preciso ordine. Ho apprezzato la visione un pò cinematografica del racconto, lo vedrei bene trasformato in un film. Tuttavia la storia in sè è piuttosto inconsistente: ognuno con i propri drammi, chi affoga nel bere i dispiaceri, chi custodisce dentro una burbera corrazza un misterioso segreto, chi si addentra ingenuamente in una vita non sua...con un mix di mentalità retrograda, tipo padre padrone e tematiche moderne, come l'omosessualità.
Non mi ha convinto e stavolta non penso che cercherò di completare la serie...mi sembra una sorta di Beautiful, la soap opera tanto cara alle nostre nonne.
November 16, 2020
This is not the type of book I typically read. I actually didn't think I would like it that much and to be honest, I only read it because it was free on Kindle and wasn't some awful looking vampire or werewolf romance. After scrolling through pages of that, I was like okay, it's free so I'll download it. I decided to read the free Kindle books in the order that I downloaded them, so this one came up. I LOVED it! It was hard to put down and I loved the character development and world building of the town. I have traveled a lot, and to be honest Italy wasn't my favorite county. I loved this little town, though, and I love how not everything was romanticized and made to look so awesome, like a lot of books about Italy are. I felt the characters to be real and mostly not the likable bunch, which I loved! No one was perfect. Perfection in characters is a huge pet peeve of mine in books, so this one didn't disappoint. Don't get me wrong, almost all of the characters (except Massimo) were likeable in some ways, but they all had flaws, which made them more real. I am immediately downloading part 2 and I look forward to the rest of the series!
February 17, 2021
Captivating Read
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, Michelle´s descriptive way of writing brings the village to life. The cultures and atmosphere of life in a small Italian village are captured exquisitely, the delightful descriptions of the characters bringing them to life. I felt as if I was part of the story and I was there in Bar Birlo sipping my espresso. Secrets, mystery and intrigue are woven into the story making this an un-put-a-downable book. I am hooked and left wanting more of life in Santa Lucia. Thank you, Michelle, for a truly wonderful read. I am left wanting more, wondering what is happening to my friends in Santa Lucia, I will be ordering the rest of the series to follow them
Season of Secrets – Michelle Damiani
When I joined Michelle´s newsletter The Grapevine I received this book.
A wonderful short story unearthing secrets in the Italian village Santa Lucia, the ever-present characters are there and again there are mystery and intrigue woven through the story. It was a delightful read, thank you, Michelle.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, Michelle´s descriptive way of writing brings the village to life. The cultures and atmosphere of life in a small Italian village are captured exquisitely, the delightful descriptions of the characters bringing them to life. I felt as if I was part of the story and I was there in Bar Birlo sipping my espresso. Secrets, mystery and intrigue are woven into the story making this an un-put-a-downable book. I am hooked and left wanting more of life in Santa Lucia. Thank you, Michelle, for a truly wonderful read. I am left wanting more, wondering what is happening to my friends in Santa Lucia, I will be ordering the rest of the series to follow them
Season of Secrets – Michelle Damiani
When I joined Michelle´s newsletter The Grapevine I received this book.
A wonderful short story unearthing secrets in the Italian village Santa Lucia, the ever-present characters are there and again there are mystery and intrigue woven through the story. It was a delightful read, thank you, Michelle.
July 28, 2023
Because I loved Il Bel Centro so much, and I wanted to support Michelle in her new writing adventure, I purchased the 4 book Santa Lucia series and brought them to my vacation home in Umbria. In Sept. 2022, one of my good friends was staying with me for several weeks and needed something to read so she started with Santa Lucia. She fell in love with the characters and stories and needed to know more. Needless to say, she powered through all 4 books and finished the last one the night before her morning flight home.
So while alone in October, I started Santa Lucia myself. Now having lived part time in Italy, in particular Umbria, I could absolutely relate to the town villagers, their comings and goings each day, the gathering and gossip in the town bar, and so much more.
It took me a while to finish this one only because once I was back home, in full swing with work and life, I rarely find time to read. But I finished it in January while back in Italy and grabbed the 2nd book to start on the long flight home.
So while alone in October, I started Santa Lucia myself. Now having lived part time in Italy, in particular Umbria, I could absolutely relate to the town villagers, their comings and goings each day, the gathering and gossip in the town bar, and so much more.
It took me a while to finish this one only because once I was back home, in full swing with work and life, I rarely find time to read. But I finished it in January while back in Italy and grabbed the 2nd book to start on the long flight home.
October 7, 2020
Never give up on the town drunk.
This story of life in a small town starts out sort of slow with necessary background. As the people are introduced, the story becomes more interesting and more involved. Every emotion is touched on. The problem of people making unfair judgement is a matter of hurt feelings and broken spirits. Value of all people is touched on. A feel good story that ends with many questions.
This story of life in a small town starts out sort of slow with necessary background. As the people are introduced, the story becomes more interesting and more involved. Every emotion is touched on. The problem of people making unfair judgement is a matter of hurt feelings and broken spirits. Value of all people is touched on. A feel good story that ends with many questions.
November 8, 2020
I really liked this Italian story once I got into it and sorted out the characters. There are quite a few! It takes place in a very small Italian village so most of the people in the village are part of the story, some with a larger part than others. I came to care for a lot of them and may have to continue reading the series to see how it all ends. There are quite a few mysteries surrounding some of them, some of which are not resolved.
November 8, 2020
The people of Santa Lucia, a small village in Umbria, have the quirks, closeness, and secrets that are similar to small towns in the southern states of the U.S. The first in a series, the reader is immersed into the lives of Chiara who owns the only bar in town, Luciano, a former school teacher who has lost his wife and only daughter, Magda, a German who owns a vacation apartment, and Massimo, a widower and mama's boy who thinks a new woman will get him what he craves.
Read
December 23, 2022creates the atmosphere of a small Umbrian town andthe personalities who inhabit it. Starts out slow and builds as we get to know the villagers and the mysteries of their lives. A number of likable characters, but all are well drawn and interact in realistic ways. There is drama, but it's not over the top and we get truly involved with the citizens of this lovely village. The first in a series, which I'm looking forward to reading more of.
May 4, 2020
Interesting characters if somewhat predictable. Probably 3 1/2 stars but lacks the finished luster of a 4 star book. This is in part due to the fact that multiple characters are introduced and the text jumps from story to story. The result is that for me the characters are brushed over but not painted in depth.
December 14, 2020
Very good
Great characters. Great writing. It reads like a movie. Loved it. 5 stars if it didn't continue... it was left in a good place. If I do or don't read the next book I'm okay where it stopped. Of course I'm curious so I might continue but I hate being held hostage so I might not.
Great characters. Great writing. It reads like a movie. Loved it. 5 stars if it didn't continue... it was left in a good place. If I do or don't read the next book I'm okay where it stopped. Of course I'm curious so I might continue but I hate being held hostage so I might not.
October 10, 2021
Too much, Too many
I'll start by saying that the beginning of the book entranced me. The beautiful descriptions of the town and surrounding area made me want to get on a plane and go see it. The book went down hill from there. Too many characters, too many secrets, too much hiding the truth for whatever reason. Have no interest in reading book two of the series.
I'll start by saying that the beginning of the book entranced me. The beautiful descriptions of the town and surrounding area made me want to get on a plane and go see it. The book went down hill from there. Too many characters, too many secrets, too much hiding the truth for whatever reason. Have no interest in reading book two of the series.
June 8, 2022
like visiting Italia
The numerous, and at times confusing characters aside, the story flew me to this charming Umbrian town. Description of its shops, homes and setting shaped my imagination. The story and drama in each resident’s life made it a page turner. And the fire proved they supported each other above all.
The numerous, and at times confusing characters aside, the story flew me to this charming Umbrian town. Description of its shops, homes and setting shaped my imagination. The story and drama in each resident’s life made it a page turner. And the fire proved they supported each other above all.
August 17, 2020
I needed to get away from murder mysteries. Too much stress! This was a really fun read, with a beautiful setting in Italy sprinkled with lots of Italian and great characters. The intriguing stories about each character kept me happily reading.
I just started the second in the series.
I just started the second in the series.
October 3, 2020
I tried. I truly did. But there are too many books to read for me to waste time on one that simply falls flat from the beginning. There was no immediate desire to see where this would take me and I eventually I moved on.
October 18, 2020
Fabulous read
The author writes in such away that you become invested in the characters in addition to a spin of mystery. I want to visit Santa Lucia now.Looking forward in reading the next book which I just purchased.
The author writes in such away that you become invested in the characters in addition to a spin of mystery. I want to visit Santa Lucia now.Looking forward in reading the next book which I just purchased.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 66 reviews