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Varina Palladino's Jersey Italian Love Story: A Novel
Varina Palladino's Jersey Italian Love Story is fun and funny, wonderfully exuberant, and incredibly wise. These endearing characters--their voices and stories-- will be with me for a long time to come. I didn't want to say good-bye. -Jill McCorkle, New York Times bestselling author of Hieroglyphics
An utterly delightful and surprising family drama--think Moonstruck and My Big Fat Greek Wedding set in New Jersey--about a boisterous, complicated Italian family determined to help their widowed mother find a new boyfriend.
Lively widow Varina Paladino has lived in the same house in Wyldale, New Jersey, her entire life. The town might be slightly stuck in the 1960s, when small businesses thrived and most residents were Italian, but its population is getting younger and the Paladinos are embracing the change. What Varina's not embracing, much to her ninety-two-year-old mother's dismay, is dating. Running Paladino's Italian Specialties grocery, caring for her mother, and keeping her large, loud Jersey Italian family from killing one another takes up all of Varina's energy anyway.
Sylvia Spini worries about her daughter Varina being left all alone when she dies. Sylvia knows what it is to be old and alone, so when her granddaughter, Donatella, comes to her with an ill-conceived plan to find Varina a man, Sylvia dives in. The three men of the family--Dante, Tommy, and Paulie--are each secretly plotting their own big life changes, which will throw everyone for a loop.
Three generations of Paladinos butt heads and break one another's hearts as they wrestle with their own Jersey Italian love stories in this hilarious and life-affirming ode to love and family.
An utterly delightful and surprising family drama--think Moonstruck and My Big Fat Greek Wedding set in New Jersey--about a boisterous, complicated Italian family determined to help their widowed mother find a new boyfriend.
Lively widow Varina Paladino has lived in the same house in Wyldale, New Jersey, her entire life. The town might be slightly stuck in the 1960s, when small businesses thrived and most residents were Italian, but its population is getting younger and the Paladinos are embracing the change. What Varina's not embracing, much to her ninety-two-year-old mother's dismay, is dating. Running Paladino's Italian Specialties grocery, caring for her mother, and keeping her large, loud Jersey Italian family from killing one another takes up all of Varina's energy anyway.
Sylvia Spini worries about her daughter Varina being left all alone when she dies. Sylvia knows what it is to be old and alone, so when her granddaughter, Donatella, comes to her with an ill-conceived plan to find Varina a man, Sylvia dives in. The three men of the family--Dante, Tommy, and Paulie--are each secretly plotting their own big life changes, which will throw everyone for a loop.
Three generations of Paladinos butt heads and break one another's hearts as they wrestle with their own Jersey Italian love stories in this hilarious and life-affirming ode to love and family.
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First published February 14, 2023
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About the author
Terri-Lynne DeFino
12 books314 followersTerri-Lynne DeFino was born and raised in New Jersey but escaped to the wilds of Connecticut back in the nineties when her kids were babies and everyone wore flannel. She is the second of four children born to a homemaker and a then-fledgling attorney, in a Paterson, NJ household that included two grandparents and the occasional uncle, where Sunday dinner was a given and the noise level often required earplugs. According to her mother, she started writing stories at the age of seven, and learned to cook at any elbow she could wedge herself under. These days, her famiglia is larger, and louder, which might explain why she's still in Connecticut, but if you knock on her door, she'll invite you in and feed you, because you can take the Italian girl out of Jersey, but you can't take the Jersey Italian out of the girl.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 529 reviews
October 8, 2025
Once again, Goodreads keeps asking me to review my own book. I mean, a woman can demure only so long; especially one for whom "Modesty is for suckers" is a life mantra. So, in my not-so-humble opinion, Varina Palladino's Jersey Italian Love Story is pretty fabulous. And funny. But mostly fabulous.
April 9, 2023
We readers like to immerse ourselves in other people's worlds. I enjoyed spending the past few days getting to know Varina Palladino and her family. Varina is a vigorous 70 year old Italian American, whose life is busy, busy, busy. For years, she has been consumed with managing her Italian foods store and with tending to the needs of her 92 year old mother and middle-aged children. As the book opens, we see her determined to take a trip away to France - a luxury she has dreamed about for years and has never dared to do.
Of course, this description just skims the surface of the story. It concerns the lives of a close-knit family with four generations and is written with humor and charm. I particularly liked the author's having fun with small touches: "Vicky" is short for the grandmother's haunted Victrola record player - Vicky likes to move about and sometimes, plays music on her own. Also, each chapter begins with a discussion of common Italian phrases and their meanings - often comical.
This is a lighter book meant to entertain.
Of course, this description just skims the surface of the story. It concerns the lives of a close-knit family with four generations and is written with humor and charm. I particularly liked the author's having fun with small touches: "Vicky" is short for the grandmother's haunted Victrola record player - Vicky likes to move about and sometimes, plays music on her own. Also, each chapter begins with a discussion of common Italian phrases and their meanings - often comical.
This is a lighter book meant to entertain.
April 11, 2023
I'm sorry, but I just can't do it anymore!
I have spent 2 weeks trying to get into this book (3 weeks if you count my first attempt).
I'm so disappointed. I was so excited about this book when I first learned about it. As a Jersey Italian myself, I thought this was going to be fun to read. Two weeks of reading, and I'm only at 31%.
The writing style has driven me nuts from the get-go... partial-sentences, awkward phrasing, etc. I tried to push past it and focus on the story, focusing on getting to know the characters. OMG, the characters! There are SO many characters, and they're introduced all at once... Varina, her mother Sylvia, their decreased spouses, Varina's middle-aged children (whose names all start with D, in case you weren't confused enough), their spouses, their children, and still more.
As if that wasn't bad enough, once I finally figured out who's who, I couldn't even appreciate the characters. Ninety-two year-old Sylvia, the matriarch of the family, just wasn't believable to me as an Italian nonina; she seemed more Americanized than Varina, which was odd to me. Then there's Donatella, Varina's daughter, who I found immature and unlikable... and don't get me started on the awkwardness of her relationship with her homosexual BFF who's in love with her brother. It was all so weird and icky.
Furthermore, the title is very misleading. I've barely gotten any plot development related to Varina's love story. There's just way too many storylines for that title to be fitting.
I must admit, though, that I did enjoy reading the author's notes about the etymology of dialectic terms at the beginning of each chapter. I will likely continue reading through those. Also, there were times the author captured the true essence of the culture, and those made me chuckle.
Thank you to NetGalley, William Morrow, and Goodreads for allowing me access to the ebook and print ARCs of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
I have spent 2 weeks trying to get into this book (3 weeks if you count my first attempt).
I'm so disappointed. I was so excited about this book when I first learned about it. As a Jersey Italian myself, I thought this was going to be fun to read. Two weeks of reading, and I'm only at 31%.
The writing style has driven me nuts from the get-go... partial-sentences, awkward phrasing, etc. I tried to push past it and focus on the story, focusing on getting to know the characters. OMG, the characters! There are SO many characters, and they're introduced all at once... Varina, her mother Sylvia, their decreased spouses, Varina's middle-aged children (whose names all start with D, in case you weren't confused enough), their spouses, their children, and still more.
As if that wasn't bad enough, once I finally figured out who's who, I couldn't even appreciate the characters. Ninety-two year-old Sylvia, the matriarch of the family, just wasn't believable to me as an Italian nonina; she seemed more Americanized than Varina, which was odd to me. Then there's Donatella, Varina's daughter, who I found immature and unlikable... and don't get me started on the awkwardness of her relationship with her homosexual BFF who's in love with her brother. It was all so weird and icky.
Furthermore, the title is very misleading. I've barely gotten any plot development related to Varina's love story. There's just way too many storylines for that title to be fitting.
I must admit, though, that I did enjoy reading the author's notes about the etymology of dialectic terms at the beginning of each chapter. I will likely continue reading through those. Also, there were times the author captured the true essence of the culture, and those made me chuckle.
Thank you to NetGalley, William Morrow, and Goodreads for allowing me access to the ebook and print ARCs of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
June 27, 2023
Terri-Lynne DeFino's Varina Palladino's Jersey Italian Love Story is an immensely fulfilling, heartfelt novel about family. Following three generations of the Palladino family throughout one dramatic year of their lives, this read will charm you, and make you feel like you're one of the family by the time you finish that last page.
Terri-Lynne DeFino was born and raised in New Jersey but escaped to the wilds of Connecticut, where she still lives with her husband and her cats. If you knock on her door, she'll invite you in and feed you. That's what Jersey Italian women do, because you can take the girl out of Jersey but you can't take Jersey out of the girl. She is the author of the novel The Bar Harbor Retirement Home for Famous Writers (and Their Muses) and the Bitterly Suite romance series. You can find Terri-Lynne online here.
Lively widow Varina Palladino has lived in the same house in Wyldale, New Jersey, her entire life. The town might be slightly stuck in the 1960s, when small businesses thrived and most residents were Italian, but its population is getting younger and the Palladinos are embracing the change. What Varina's not embracing, much to her ninety-two-year-old mother's dismay, is dating. Running Palladino's Italian Specialties grocery, caring for her mother, and keeping her large, loud Jersey Italian family from killing one another takes up all of Varina's energy anyway. Sylvia Spini worries about her daughter Varina being left all alone when she dies. Syliva knows what it is to be old and alone, so when her granddaughter, Donatella, comes to her with an ill-conceived plan to find Varina a man, Sylvia dives in. The three men of the family—Dante, Tommy, and Paulie—are each secretly plotting their own big life changes, which will throw everyone for a loop. Three generations of Palladinos butt heads and break one another's hearts as they wrestle with their own Jersey Italian love stories in this hilarious and life-affirming ode to love and family.
I'm from an Italian family, but reading this book made me wish I knew more about my own family's heritage. DeFino really leans into her own past and experiences, explained in her disclaim and author's note, although I don't think I needed to read either one to truly know this one came from a place of love. We follow four main characters from this family: the matriarch, Varina; Varina's 92-year-old mother, Sylvia; Varina's daughter, Donatella; Donatella's childhood best friend and honorary Palladino, Paulie. Their stories interconnect as they each participate in, avoid, and meddle in the others' lives, all from a place of love. I just love multigenerational stories, and DeFino balances all of these characters with big personalities and the drama of the book itself really well to create an engaging and entertaining read that's grounded in the experience of being Jersey Italian.
For a book about family and heritage, Varina Palladino's Jersey Italian Love Story also does a good job at capturing individuality. It may take readers a second to catch onto all the names and relationships (I know for the first few chapters I was wishing for a family tree!), but despite that, once I got a handle on it, I felt like it was easy to keep track of who was who. This is because DeFino builds an individuality for each of the characters outside of their familial obligations, which in turn leads to more compelling characters. While I was rooting for the family to win at the end of the day, it was also about hoping that each of the characters got out of life what they were looking for. Part of the reason the novel is so satisfying is because both of those things align so perfectly at the end!
All that's left to say is, I love how each chapter begins with a little tid-bit about Jersey Italian slang. The definition includes the Jersey Italian pronunciation, the Italian root or origin of the slang word, and then what it's meaning is. These are super fun, because, once introduced, DeFino uses them in the actual dialogue later in that chapter and throughout the rest of the book. It adds another element of authenticity to the story, of being able to hear the characters as they talk to one another like they're sitting in the room with you. What's even better is that you find out who wrote these little definitions by the very end—or, you could argue that it's implied which character may have had a hand in these definitions, and I'm just going to run with that! It brings the whole heartfelt, messy, lovely novel to a satisfying and fulfilling close.
You can find Terri-Lynne online here.
*This review can also be found on my blog, toreadornottoreadnm.blogspot.com*
Terri-Lynne DeFino was born and raised in New Jersey but escaped to the wilds of Connecticut, where she still lives with her husband and her cats. If you knock on her door, she'll invite you in and feed you. That's what Jersey Italian women do, because you can take the girl out of Jersey but you can't take Jersey out of the girl. She is the author of the novel The Bar Harbor Retirement Home for Famous Writers (and Their Muses) and the Bitterly Suite romance series. You can find Terri-Lynne online here.
Lively widow Varina Palladino has lived in the same house in Wyldale, New Jersey, her entire life. The town might be slightly stuck in the 1960s, when small businesses thrived and most residents were Italian, but its population is getting younger and the Palladinos are embracing the change. What Varina's not embracing, much to her ninety-two-year-old mother's dismay, is dating. Running Palladino's Italian Specialties grocery, caring for her mother, and keeping her large, loud Jersey Italian family from killing one another takes up all of Varina's energy anyway. Sylvia Spini worries about her daughter Varina being left all alone when she dies. Syliva knows what it is to be old and alone, so when her granddaughter, Donatella, comes to her with an ill-conceived plan to find Varina a man, Sylvia dives in. The three men of the family—Dante, Tommy, and Paulie—are each secretly plotting their own big life changes, which will throw everyone for a loop. Three generations of Palladinos butt heads and break one another's hearts as they wrestle with their own Jersey Italian love stories in this hilarious and life-affirming ode to love and family.
I'm from an Italian family, but reading this book made me wish I knew more about my own family's heritage. DeFino really leans into her own past and experiences, explained in her disclaim and author's note, although I don't think I needed to read either one to truly know this one came from a place of love. We follow four main characters from this family: the matriarch, Varina; Varina's 92-year-old mother, Sylvia; Varina's daughter, Donatella; Donatella's childhood best friend and honorary Palladino, Paulie. Their stories interconnect as they each participate in, avoid, and meddle in the others' lives, all from a place of love. I just love multigenerational stories, and DeFino balances all of these characters with big personalities and the drama of the book itself really well to create an engaging and entertaining read that's grounded in the experience of being Jersey Italian.
For a book about family and heritage, Varina Palladino's Jersey Italian Love Story also does a good job at capturing individuality. It may take readers a second to catch onto all the names and relationships (I know for the first few chapters I was wishing for a family tree!), but despite that, once I got a handle on it, I felt like it was easy to keep track of who was who. This is because DeFino builds an individuality for each of the characters outside of their familial obligations, which in turn leads to more compelling characters. While I was rooting for the family to win at the end of the day, it was also about hoping that each of the characters got out of life what they were looking for. Part of the reason the novel is so satisfying is because both of those things align so perfectly at the end!
All that's left to say is, I love how each chapter begins with a little tid-bit about Jersey Italian slang. The definition includes the Jersey Italian pronunciation, the Italian root or origin of the slang word, and then what it's meaning is. These are super fun, because, once introduced, DeFino uses them in the actual dialogue later in that chapter and throughout the rest of the book. It adds another element of authenticity to the story, of being able to hear the characters as they talk to one another like they're sitting in the room with you. What's even better is that you find out who wrote these little definitions by the very end—or, you could argue that it's implied which character may have had a hand in these definitions, and I'm just going to run with that! It brings the whole heartfelt, messy, lovely novel to a satisfying and fulfilling close.
You can find Terri-Lynne online here.
*This review can also be found on my blog, toreadornottoreadnm.blogspot.com*
November 21, 2022
I didn't feel like there was an actual plot and I was confused over who the book was about.
The description suggests it's about Varina and possibly being set up on dates by her mom and daughter. But most of it is about a trip she's planning instead with very brief parts on dating. There's this whole build up to Varina's trip, but then it's just forgotten about and the focus shifts to Paulie. We never hear about the trip and there is no longer any portion of the story written from her point of view after she leaves for it. There was nothing in the book description to suggest Paulie was a main character as well, yet he is.
There's a lot of jumping around and it felt like some of it was just words on paper instead of a story.
The description suggests it's about Varina and possibly being set up on dates by her mom and daughter. But most of it is about a trip she's planning instead with very brief parts on dating. There's this whole build up to Varina's trip, but then it's just forgotten about and the focus shifts to Paulie. We never hear about the trip and there is no longer any portion of the story written from her point of view after she leaves for it. There was nothing in the book description to suggest Paulie was a main character as well, yet he is.
There's a lot of jumping around and it felt like some of it was just words on paper instead of a story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 18, 2023
Good effort but a pretty mediocre novel. The plot is somewhat incoherent and disjointed and the many, many characters are not fully developed. As a Northern New Jersey Italian-American of the same generation as the main character (who I think was Varina), I was really looking forward to reading this. I was disappointed.
March 18, 2023
A cozy, large and noisy Italian family in North Jersey handles day to day life with love and brute honesty.
Varina Palladino takes care of her 92 year old mother, her three adult kids, and Palladino’s Deli. She wants and definitely needs a break. She books a river Cruise in France with her close friend, Ruth; but she’s afraid to tell her family about it.
In between the time she books the cruise and when she’s supposed to travel, various members of the family need help in minor events and always call Varina. They equally love each other and get on each other’s nerves.
I enjoyed the many Italian words and their “Jersey Italian” translation, offered by the author. I knew them all except one or two.
I too was born and raised in NJ (central Jersey) Our tiny state is carved into three distinct areas of North, Central, and South. Each of those areas had minor differences in dialect and whether the rest of your family was in NY or PA. Central has its own accent versus those closer to NY or Philly.
A fun story about several generations of Italian Americans.
Thank you Edelweiss and Harper Collins publisher.
Varina Palladino takes care of her 92 year old mother, her three adult kids, and Palladino’s Deli. She wants and definitely needs a break. She books a river Cruise in France with her close friend, Ruth; but she’s afraid to tell her family about it.
In between the time she books the cruise and when she’s supposed to travel, various members of the family need help in minor events and always call Varina. They equally love each other and get on each other’s nerves.
I enjoyed the many Italian words and their “Jersey Italian” translation, offered by the author. I knew them all except one or two.
I too was born and raised in NJ (central Jersey) Our tiny state is carved into three distinct areas of North, Central, and South. Each of those areas had minor differences in dialect and whether the rest of your family was in NY or PA. Central has its own accent versus those closer to NY or Philly.
A fun story about several generations of Italian Americans.
Thank you Edelweiss and Harper Collins publisher.
March 4, 2023
Going on nothing more than the cover and title, I entered this novel expecting a romantic comedy. Something along the lines of My Big Fat Greek Wedding. Well, I was wrong.
While there are some romantic subplots, this is a dramedy about a large, complex, multi-generational Italian-America family. Think of the film Moonstruck. And at both the novel and the family's heart is seventy-year-old matriarch, Varina Palladino, one of several people with the potential for exciting new leases on life. These characters are more nuanced than your typical rom com archetypes. Each member of this family is endearing in sometimes challenging ways, but you'll find yourself rooting for them.
This is a feel-good read, but one a little more grounded in life's messy realities. Taking place over the course (mostly) of one pivotal year, the novel's epilogue is the perfect button to a tale well told.
P.S.: Have something good to eat on hand--this book will make you hungry!
While there are some romantic subplots, this is a dramedy about a large, complex, multi-generational Italian-America family. Think of the film Moonstruck. And at both the novel and the family's heart is seventy-year-old matriarch, Varina Palladino, one of several people with the potential for exciting new leases on life. These characters are more nuanced than your typical rom com archetypes. Each member of this family is endearing in sometimes challenging ways, but you'll find yourself rooting for them.
This is a feel-good read, but one a little more grounded in life's messy realities. Taking place over the course (mostly) of one pivotal year, the novel's epilogue is the perfect button to a tale well told.
P.S.: Have something good to eat on hand--this book will make you hungry!
February 10, 2023
Varina Palladino has always kept her family together, their traditions alive, and everyone happy. She runs her family's Italian-American grocery story, keeps an eye on her aging mother, and takes care of her grown (and sometimes needy) children when they need her. She is a widow and has never thought of moving on from her husband or even traveling, but this year she is thinking of leaving her comfort zone. Varina's mother, Sylvia, and Varina's troubled daughter, Donatella, decide to hatch a plan to get Varina dating. Meanwhile, there's plenty of family drama. All three of Varina's sons are going through some major life changes, her daughter is getting into trouble....again, their gay family friend has feelings for a Palladino, Sylvia is worried about what will happen to Varina after she passes on, and Varina is planning a trip to Europe. So many changes are en route for the Palladinos and some of these changes will make you laugh-out-loud, cringe, and make you tear up. Varina Palladino's Jersey Italian Love Story by Terri-Lynne DeFino is a charming family tale that fans of Adriana Trigiani will thoroughly enjoy.
Read the rest of my review here: http://www.confessionsofabookaddict.c...
Read the rest of my review here: http://www.confessionsofabookaddict.c...
March 24, 2023
This book was charming, heartwarming, and funny – all without being cheesy and contrived. I adore this family and wish they’d make a TV show about them!
Varina is a widow still running a small local grocery in the Jersey neighborhood she’s lived in her entire life. Her 92-year-old mother Sylvia is concerned that she has no love life and spends a lot of time caring for everyone but herself. Varina is perfectly content with running the store, caring for her mom, and being the peacekeeper for her large Jersey Italian family …but she is secretly planning a big vacation for herself, which is threatened when the three generations of Palladinos argue, break hearts, and make their own love stories.
A sweet story about love and family with lots of Jersey Italian definitions/phrases and food – lots and lots of food!
Thanks to William Morrow and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review. Varina Palladino’s Jersey Italian Love Story was released on February 14, 2023.
For more reviews, visit www.rootsandreads.wordpress.com
Varina is a widow still running a small local grocery in the Jersey neighborhood she’s lived in her entire life. Her 92-year-old mother Sylvia is concerned that she has no love life and spends a lot of time caring for everyone but herself. Varina is perfectly content with running the store, caring for her mom, and being the peacekeeper for her large Jersey Italian family …but she is secretly planning a big vacation for herself, which is threatened when the three generations of Palladinos argue, break hearts, and make their own love stories.
A sweet story about love and family with lots of Jersey Italian definitions/phrases and food – lots and lots of food!
Thanks to William Morrow and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review. Varina Palladino’s Jersey Italian Love Story was released on February 14, 2023.
For more reviews, visit www.rootsandreads.wordpress.com
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February 1, 2023Excited to be the moderator of a panel featuring this author at the Tucson Festival of Books this March!! Really enjoyed this big Italian family story. As someone who comes from an Italian family and recognized a lot of these words and traditions, this one was fun to read :) lovable cast of character and funny dialogue! Sylvia, the matriarch was probably my favorite character.
June 12, 2023
As someone who comes from a Jersey Italian family, I wasn’t sure what I was getting into with this book, and to be honest, it ended up not being what I expected.
Did I enjoy it? Yeah, mostly. There were a lot of things that reminded me of my grandma and her sisters, or stories my mom told about her childhood. A lot of the language and culture are lost to time, and there aren’t many of the older generation left. But my favorite part of Varina Palladino’s Jersey Italian Love Story are the bits about the family, the food, and the language quips scattered throughout (I did also love the haunted Victrola but that’s not really related).
What I didn’t like: it took me a LONG time to get into the story. I just didn’t care about the characters for a large percentage of the book. Some of the family relationships were distant and WEIRD and I felt like Varina wasn’t even the main character (Paulie was). Would I read it again sometime? Probably not, but it was a good bookclub book.
One small note: we call it sauce 😘
Did I enjoy it? Yeah, mostly. There were a lot of things that reminded me of my grandma and her sisters, or stories my mom told about her childhood. A lot of the language and culture are lost to time, and there aren’t many of the older generation left. But my favorite part of Varina Palladino’s Jersey Italian Love Story are the bits about the family, the food, and the language quips scattered throughout (I did also love the haunted Victrola but that’s not really related).
What I didn’t like: it took me a LONG time to get into the story. I just didn’t care about the characters for a large percentage of the book. Some of the family relationships were distant and WEIRD and I felt like Varina wasn’t even the main character (Paulie was). Would I read it again sometime? Probably not, but it was a good bookclub book.
One small note: we call it sauce 😘
January 2, 2023
I loved the premise of this book and the translation and history of the Italian words at the beginning of each chapter. Being of Italian descent, I could definitely relate. Unfortunately, the story/writing falls short.
The author does not hold onto Varina's story, she strays and instead focuses on Paulie and Donatella. This leaves the reader confused and let down.
Another thing I could not get past was the preaching. Donatella can accuse her 92 year old grandmother of being an accidental racist for using the word oriental, yet she's the one who lands in jail for going against an order of protection and vandalism. No preaching went on about her always disappearing, not holding down a job or lying all the time.
I actually thought the author was going to show some character growth when Donatella finds out she's bipolar. We also find out the grandmother was in a sanitarium. This information could have been given to the granddaughter years before. Maybe her mental illness could have been dealt with instead of her floundering and destroying her life.
I felt the author was trying to fit all modern rhetoric into one story. The mother who is a widow and in her 70s is thought to be a lesbian because she hasn't dated. Yet she owns a store, takes care of her elderly mother and dysfunctional family. I don't think time allowed for any other emotional output. An option to be single and happy should be acceptable. Then we get into the whole friends with privileges. Paulie is gay but he loves Donatella so its okay for them to have sex. Maybe Paulie should have looked at her mental state and not gone that route.
Coming from an Italian family, I know choas and dysfunction, but this is just over the top. Toward the end of the story Dante is said to be the brother of Gabs instead of the father.
I would rewrite and have Varina be your main character throughout and then work on removing some of the modern rhetoric. Focus on the family, the love and yes the dysfunction, but show growth.
The author does not hold onto Varina's story, she strays and instead focuses on Paulie and Donatella. This leaves the reader confused and let down.
Another thing I could not get past was the preaching. Donatella can accuse her 92 year old grandmother of being an accidental racist for using the word oriental, yet she's the one who lands in jail for going against an order of protection and vandalism. No preaching went on about her always disappearing, not holding down a job or lying all the time.
I actually thought the author was going to show some character growth when Donatella finds out she's bipolar. We also find out the grandmother was in a sanitarium. This information could have been given to the granddaughter years before. Maybe her mental illness could have been dealt with instead of her floundering and destroying her life.
I felt the author was trying to fit all modern rhetoric into one story. The mother who is a widow and in her 70s is thought to be a lesbian because she hasn't dated. Yet she owns a store, takes care of her elderly mother and dysfunctional family. I don't think time allowed for any other emotional output. An option to be single and happy should be acceptable. Then we get into the whole friends with privileges. Paulie is gay but he loves Donatella so its okay for them to have sex. Maybe Paulie should have looked at her mental state and not gone that route.
Coming from an Italian family, I know choas and dysfunction, but this is just over the top. Toward the end of the story Dante is said to be the brother of Gabs instead of the father.
I would rewrite and have Varina be your main character throughout and then work on removing some of the modern rhetoric. Focus on the family, the love and yes the dysfunction, but show growth.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 30, 2023
I was excited for Varina Palladino's Jersey Italian Love Story, but this just missed the mark. Sloppy writing and a rambling storyline that was all over the place. I don't think there was a clear plot, and none of the characters were developed enough for us to understand any of their motivations.
April 30, 2023
3.5 stars. Cute and comforting and full of love and tenderness.
Do you have to be a Jersey Italian to fully appreciate this book? It probably helps.
My favorite line in the book: “…though he got his stature from her father-in-law. Tall, tall man. Five-eight or-nine. And solid.” 😂😂😂 I feel seen.
Do you have to be a Jersey Italian to fully appreciate this book? It probably helps.
My favorite line in the book: “…though he got his stature from her father-in-law. Tall, tall man. Five-eight or-nine. And solid.” 😂😂😂 I feel seen.
September 26, 2025
Such a great read! A great mix of Jersey Shore and my big fat Greek wedding. Was very relatable and sweet. I loved being able to catch a glimpse of each generation.
January 7, 2023
After reading this, it feels like I now know some of the Italian dialect from North Jersey along with mouth-savoring dishes which are beautifully woven into the story. It’s about relationships with the importance of family and friends.
We all know that family affairs are all over the place with what is happening at the time and this book is no different.
Was the plot about Varina, the mother? She was the best Italian chef in town that made me very hungry. The grandmother, Sylvia, who lived with her? Her son, Dante, with a lucrative construction company? Her son, Davide, who had a successful salon? Or her granddaughter, Donatella, who was diagnosed with bipolar? All the characters could have been stars of the story. I felt like I knew each one along with Varina’s new best friend, Ruth.
Varina’s kids were 35 to 50 when the book started and ended when the elders became memories on the wall. The grandchildren were now adults. Secrets were revealed. Food was what brought the family together with a couple of recipes shared at the end.
It felt to me like the story was a tad too long and drifted into too many places. It’s almost like the author was afraid to leave anything out. Yet, there were some good lines told and it’s one plot I will remember. It seems like it would have been easy for her to keep writing about the characters for another 300 pages. She wrote like the family was hers in a loving way.
My thanks to Terri-Lynne Defino, William Morrow and NetGalley for allowing me to read this advanced copy with an expected release date of February 14, 2023.
We all know that family affairs are all over the place with what is happening at the time and this book is no different.
Was the plot about Varina, the mother? She was the best Italian chef in town that made me very hungry. The grandmother, Sylvia, who lived with her? Her son, Dante, with a lucrative construction company? Her son, Davide, who had a successful salon? Or her granddaughter, Donatella, who was diagnosed with bipolar? All the characters could have been stars of the story. I felt like I knew each one along with Varina’s new best friend, Ruth.
Varina’s kids were 35 to 50 when the book started and ended when the elders became memories on the wall. The grandchildren were now adults. Secrets were revealed. Food was what brought the family together with a couple of recipes shared at the end.
It felt to me like the story was a tad too long and drifted into too many places. It’s almost like the author was afraid to leave anything out. Yet, there were some good lines told and it’s one plot I will remember. It seems like it would have been easy for her to keep writing about the characters for another 300 pages. She wrote like the family was hers in a loving way.
My thanks to Terri-Lynne Defino, William Morrow and NetGalley for allowing me to read this advanced copy with an expected release date of February 14, 2023.
June 2, 2023
This may be the wrong book at the wrong time or it may just not be the book for me but I was bored to tears. This is a multigenerational "story" (A term that implies a plot so I use it very loosely) about Varina (70's) her mom (90's) her middle aged children (all with D names) and their family. The synopsis would imply the story is her family members trying to set her up, but that isn't really what I would say the book focuses on. There is a lot about an honorary family member (Paulie) and a lot of random meanderings that have no real focus. Things I liked about this book: There are vocabulary words at the start of the chapters that explain Italian slang. I thought they were funny and interesting. I liked how "woke" this book is. There was some (albeit a little awkwardly in your face) discussions of racism, homophobia, etc. and its nice to see representation in books. If I was someone who annotated fiction, there are some one liners I would've highlighted. However the majority of this book is so scattered, chaotic and pointless that I just couldn't care less. You might be saying-- thats the whole point. A Jersey Italian family (by stereotype) is loud, chaotic, all talking at once, etc. but the lack of direction made for a rough reading experience for me.
July 13, 2023
I so wanted to like this book! The title alone compelled me to check out this book. And then ... meh. I may give this book a chance again some other time, but the writing seemed lethargic and dull. I hope I run across another review that encourages me to move this book up on my list, but it's OK if I don't. So disappointed.
February 26, 2023
I now have a new favorite book. Terri-Lynne DeFino captured parts of my memories and heartbreaking milestones in Varina Palladino's Jersey Italian Love Story. On page one, I laughed out loud four times. Fortunately the cat was the only one around and he knows I'm crazy.
Despite what you might think from the title, title character Varina does not find new romantic love; instead she finds a whole side of herself that blossomed because of a friendship. The only reason I give that one spoiler is because I don't want someone to pick up the book expecting one thing and being disappointed. Regardless, there is so much love in this book, if it were a cup, it would runneth over.
Of course as a fellow Jersey Girl, I came to DeFino's book with a critical eye. I've seen New Jersey so terribly portrayed with stereotypes that no one knows what it's really like here. First thing is that her setting is on the side close to the Hudson River and New York City where I still have a twig of the family tree connected to that region. My family relocated to the "sticks" on the western side closer to the Delaware River when I was 10. Somehow, all the goddamn planes going to Newark fly over this backyard too.
I was also ready to pick apart DeFino's Jersey Italian (or J.I. as she calls it) representation the way Sherlock Holmes would a crime scene. Here's the thing: I don't have one drop of Italian in me, but we were raised with a heavy dose of it because of my Gram's husband, the only grandfather I ever had. They were married before I was born. Anyway, he and his family were the dark-haired, tan-skinned, food-centric Italians from Elizabeth, New Jersey. I preferred all those pastas, cheeses, basil, and garlic over any of the meats of my other people. When my father would make London Broil, I would cover it in ketchup and milk (not even kidding) and swallow it like a snake because I could not chew that vile leather he called food. My mom, however, is a A+ cook.
DeFino gives readers four generations (at least) of Jersey Italians of the Spino-Palladino family. Transport to a town that's really a city—where the population is still small enough that everyone knows everyone's business. If people didn't move when they grew up, there are grudges and feuds that go back to grade school. Such is the case for the main gay character Paulie Vittone. When Paulie came out to his parents, they kicked him out and the Palladino's took him in without a second thought. He and Donatella Palladino had been best friends their whole lives and it's their relationship that carries the story from beginning to end.
Sylvia, the great-grandmother or Nonina, is an absolute spitfire at age 92. She and Donatella have a special bond which eventually comes out in one of Nonina's chapters, but otherwise is a deep secret no one alive in the family knows. Keeping secrets is something that's done. It's a practice that eats away in bites so small and slowly moving that one day, you realize a big chunk of your heart has been carrying that painful weight your whole life.
Sylvia's daughter and Donatella's mother, Varina is in her 70's and she's not looking for love. She's looking for change. She's waiting for one day to be different. One week where she doesn't know exactly what steps her feet will take as she runs the Italian specialty market, Palladino's, which she and her husband Dino had started as a young couple.
In the story, Dino has been dead for quite some time. Varina has her biological kids plus Paulie and grandchildren; a brother Thomas and his family; one son's ex-wife Pandora (a Greek!) who is strangely still part of the family and at all their functions; of course her mother Sylvia; and Gabriella is Dante and Pandora's only child. When Varina makes a friend for the first time in her life since she was a child, she's so out of sorts with the idea of it, that keeps Ruth Cooperman a secret from her family for a couple of months.
Ruth and Varina meet at a travel agency which apparently still exists. They discover they're booked on the same cruise through France. They become best friends from that point forward bringing Ruth's highfalutin Manhattan and Jewish style to the Palladino's world—and it works incredibly well.
Paulie's sexuality takes up a lot of real estate in the book as he and Donatella get their own chapters. DeFino approaches it with care while still exploring what it was like for a boy to grow up being called slurs and getting beat up regularly. Paulie is also able to accept Donatella and her erratic behavior. No one ever knows if she's coming or going. She's always in trouble. She's even stolen from the family—la famiglia—the people who try to have each other's backs for life and in death. DeFino comes up with a plausible and contemporary explanation for Donatella's behavior which others view as selfish or self-centered; she's bipolar. When Donatella takes off, she does it because she truly thinks her familigia would be better off without having to deal with all her shitty problems. Yet, she crawls back when she has nowhere else to go where people would love her. Paulie is that compass point for her. They love each other so much. She's the only woman that would define Paulie as bisexual rather than gay. Ultimately, while she's a love for him, she's not the love of his life. Who is ends up being a huge character evolution.
Each chapter begins with DeFino's vocabulary entries. They are hysterical! Readers who are interested in slang and pidgin languages will certainly appreciate these. DeFino explains what pidgin is as a mash-up of languages such as Italian and English with specifically regional dialects like whether a Jersey Italian lives closer to New York or Philadelphia.
Whether these classic slang entries are supposed to be from author DeFino or Varina's grandson, Vincent, I honestly don't know for certain. The epilogue focuses on a teenage Vincent and how he collects words he hears his family using. The reason I wish I knew whose perspective it's from is because of the entry for basil (bas'nigol). There's an anecdote for the word bas'nigol instead of an etymology lesson. I want to quote the best part, but I'll let you read it for yourself. GO READ THIS BOOK!
Summary:
Read this book! My brain is stuttering trying to find the words to summarize this reading experience. DeFino makes telling a multi-cast story appear effortless. She presents characters with their own baggage and mistakes as well as family drama that makes for some tense Sunday dinners. It's brilliant.
Rating: 5 stars (I'd give it more if possible)
Despite what you might think from the title, title character Varina does not find new romantic love; instead she finds a whole side of herself that blossomed because of a friendship. The only reason I give that one spoiler is because I don't want someone to pick up the book expecting one thing and being disappointed. Regardless, there is so much love in this book, if it were a cup, it would runneth over.
Of course as a fellow Jersey Girl, I came to DeFino's book with a critical eye. I've seen New Jersey so terribly portrayed with stereotypes that no one knows what it's really like here. First thing is that her setting is on the side close to the Hudson River and New York City where I still have a twig of the family tree connected to that region. My family relocated to the "sticks" on the western side closer to the Delaware River when I was 10. Somehow, all the goddamn planes going to Newark fly over this backyard too.
I was also ready to pick apart DeFino's Jersey Italian (or J.I. as she calls it) representation the way Sherlock Holmes would a crime scene. Here's the thing: I don't have one drop of Italian in me, but we were raised with a heavy dose of it because of my Gram's husband, the only grandfather I ever had. They were married before I was born. Anyway, he and his family were the dark-haired, tan-skinned, food-centric Italians from Elizabeth, New Jersey. I preferred all those pastas, cheeses, basil, and garlic over any of the meats of my other people. When my father would make London Broil, I would cover it in ketchup and milk (not even kidding) and swallow it like a snake because I could not chew that vile leather he called food. My mom, however, is a A+ cook.
DeFino gives readers four generations (at least) of Jersey Italians of the Spino-Palladino family. Transport to a town that's really a city—where the population is still small enough that everyone knows everyone's business. If people didn't move when they grew up, there are grudges and feuds that go back to grade school. Such is the case for the main gay character Paulie Vittone. When Paulie came out to his parents, they kicked him out and the Palladino's took him in without a second thought. He and Donatella Palladino had been best friends their whole lives and it's their relationship that carries the story from beginning to end.
Sylvia, the great-grandmother or Nonina, is an absolute spitfire at age 92. She and Donatella have a special bond which eventually comes out in one of Nonina's chapters, but otherwise is a deep secret no one alive in the family knows. Keeping secrets is something that's done. It's a practice that eats away in bites so small and slowly moving that one day, you realize a big chunk of your heart has been carrying that painful weight your whole life.
Sylvia's daughter and Donatella's mother, Varina is in her 70's and she's not looking for love. She's looking for change. She's waiting for one day to be different. One week where she doesn't know exactly what steps her feet will take as she runs the Italian specialty market, Palladino's, which she and her husband Dino had started as a young couple.
In the story, Dino has been dead for quite some time. Varina has her biological kids plus Paulie and grandchildren; a brother Thomas and his family; one son's ex-wife Pandora (a Greek!) who is strangely still part of the family and at all their functions; of course her mother Sylvia; and Gabriella is Dante and Pandora's only child. When Varina makes a friend for the first time in her life since she was a child, she's so out of sorts with the idea of it, that keeps Ruth Cooperman a secret from her family for a couple of months.
Ruth and Varina meet at a travel agency which apparently still exists. They discover they're booked on the same cruise through France. They become best friends from that point forward bringing Ruth's highfalutin Manhattan and Jewish style to the Palladino's world—and it works incredibly well.
Paulie's sexuality takes up a lot of real estate in the book as he and Donatella get their own chapters. DeFino approaches it with care while still exploring what it was like for a boy to grow up being called slurs and getting beat up regularly. Paulie is also able to accept Donatella and her erratic behavior. No one ever knows if she's coming or going. She's always in trouble. She's even stolen from the family—la famiglia—the people who try to have each other's backs for life and in death. DeFino comes up with a plausible and contemporary explanation for Donatella's behavior which others view as selfish or self-centered; she's bipolar. When Donatella takes off, she does it because she truly thinks her familigia would be better off without having to deal with all her shitty problems. Yet, she crawls back when she has nowhere else to go where people would love her. Paulie is that compass point for her. They love each other so much. She's the only woman that would define Paulie as bisexual rather than gay. Ultimately, while she's a love for him, she's not the love of his life. Who is ends up being a huge character evolution.
Each chapter begins with DeFino's vocabulary entries. They are hysterical! Readers who are interested in slang and pidgin languages will certainly appreciate these. DeFino explains what pidgin is as a mash-up of languages such as Italian and English with specifically regional dialects like whether a Jersey Italian lives closer to New York or Philadelphia.
Whether these classic slang entries are supposed to be from author DeFino or Varina's grandson, Vincent, I honestly don't know for certain. The epilogue focuses on a teenage Vincent and how he collects words he hears his family using. The reason I wish I knew whose perspective it's from is because of the entry for basil (bas'nigol). There's an anecdote for the word bas'nigol instead of an etymology lesson. I want to quote the best part, but I'll let you read it for yourself. GO READ THIS BOOK!
Summary:
Read this book! My brain is stuttering trying to find the words to summarize this reading experience. DeFino makes telling a multi-cast story appear effortless. She presents characters with their own baggage and mistakes as well as family drama that makes for some tense Sunday dinners. It's brilliant.
Rating: 5 stars (I'd give it more if possible)
April 24, 2023
The title sums up this book beautifully; although there are multiple “love” stories with a mix of predictable and a lovely surprise. This Relationship novel celebrates the author’s Jersey Italian American heritage throughout the book especially with the inclusion of a Jersey Italian glossary that precedes each chapter with wit and respectful self-deprecating humor. The CHs are cross-generational and confront sorrow, loneliness, empty nests, mental illness, and LGBTQIA issues as well as the day-to-day issues one has running a business and surviving ones family and the modern world. Famiglia is all important and that includes those who are accepted as family as well as blood relations. Most of the CHs will echo people you know and are fully fleshed out. The setting details of suburban NJ, construction and renovation, décor and Italian food is excellent. The last chapter was a terrific and lovely surprise ending that was both satisfactory and realistic. Some internal repetitive emotional turmoil could have been edited out but for the most part this novel was a delight. Perfect for someone who wants to visit with great CHs they will grow to love, in a setting not often done as well. Fans who enjoy Elin Hilderbrand, Phaedra Patrick, and Amy Poeppel may want to pick up.
July 7, 2025
This was very cute and I loved the focus on family and the Italian culture. I am glad I read this book second because if I had read it first, probably wouldn’t have been so inclined to read Didn’t You Used to be Queenie B, which is actually one of my fav books! If you are looking for a family drama filled easy read- this is it! Great palette cleanser for bookworms!
August 28, 2024
3.5+ It’s been so fun getting to know this Jersey Italian family. Thanks for letting us in the back kitchen door Ms DeFino!
July 7, 2025
I loved this book. I felt like I was with family again. I knew more than half the slang and we are New York Italians. It made me smile, it made me laugh, so much made me remember things from when I was younger. If I could give 10 stars I would.
March 14, 2023
Went in expecting a light rom-com but was pleasantly surprised. Adored this story & fell in love with the characters. Loved this.
March 13, 2025
i feel adopted by them now
December 11, 2023
This story follows Varina and her large Italian Family and I was here for it. The story opens up on Christmas Eve with a large family dinner and it really got me into the holiday spirit. I am a jersey girl and really related to so many of the characters in this book. Varina also reminded me a lot of my mother and I found myself wanting to call her and squeeze her so tight after finishing this book.
Each chapter opens with a little tidbit about Italian culture and I loved that! This was a fun read!
Each chapter opens with a little tidbit about Italian culture and I loved that! This was a fun read!
December 2, 2023
I laughed out loud at this read. Definitely entertaining, neat little bow at end and a total feel good story. The connection to family and heritage were so endearing. Loved how main characters were seniors and not perfect.
January 19, 2023
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ This book is a well told and entertaining story that will have you laughing out loud at times!
This book just draws you in from the beginning with Varina preparing for her family’s Christmas Eve dinner. The typical of getting down to almost finishing when you realize you don’t have enough to make the last dish. In this case, pasta for the kids.
Varina owns and works at Palladino’s Italian Speciality grocery store. Paulie and her 92 year old mother, Slyvia, live with Varina. Varina and her husband, Dino, had taken in Paulie as a teenager due to his parents disowning him after coming out. Varina’s life was never dull with her adult children, especially with her daughter Donnatella in and out of prison. Varina has to keep putting off her trip to Europe in order to bail out her daughter. Will she be able to finally go on a much needed trip?
Varina’s husband, Dino, died over 10 years ago, so her mother and daughter felt it was time to date again. Donnatella felt it would help distract her, so she wouldn’t worry about her so much. The lengths they go to find her a date is creative! It just shows their desperation to make Varina happy! Will they find one or will it flop? Will this give Varina the push to start living her life again?
I liked how this book has likable characters that make you laugh and even shake your head at times! This story felt real and authentic because this author used her own Italian family from New Jersey for inspiration.
I loved how this author explained, at the beginning of each chapter, the Italian words and slang that were used as this added to the understanding and meaning of the story!
A great book to take along on vacations! Perfect for book clubs as it will lead to many interesting discussions.
Thanks to William Morrow, I was provided an ARC of Varina Palladino’s Jersey Italian Love Story by Terri-Lynne DeFino via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. #NetGalley
This book just draws you in from the beginning with Varina preparing for her family’s Christmas Eve dinner. The typical of getting down to almost finishing when you realize you don’t have enough to make the last dish. In this case, pasta for the kids.
Varina owns and works at Palladino’s Italian Speciality grocery store. Paulie and her 92 year old mother, Slyvia, live with Varina. Varina and her husband, Dino, had taken in Paulie as a teenager due to his parents disowning him after coming out. Varina’s life was never dull with her adult children, especially with her daughter Donnatella in and out of prison. Varina has to keep putting off her trip to Europe in order to bail out her daughter. Will she be able to finally go on a much needed trip?
Varina’s husband, Dino, died over 10 years ago, so her mother and daughter felt it was time to date again. Donnatella felt it would help distract her, so she wouldn’t worry about her so much. The lengths they go to find her a date is creative! It just shows their desperation to make Varina happy! Will they find one or will it flop? Will this give Varina the push to start living her life again?
I liked how this book has likable characters that make you laugh and even shake your head at times! This story felt real and authentic because this author used her own Italian family from New Jersey for inspiration.
I loved how this author explained, at the beginning of each chapter, the Italian words and slang that were used as this added to the understanding and meaning of the story!
A great book to take along on vacations! Perfect for book clubs as it will lead to many interesting discussions.
Thanks to William Morrow, I was provided an ARC of Varina Palladino’s Jersey Italian Love Story by Terri-Lynne DeFino via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. #NetGalley
March 4, 2023
Holding a New Jersey Italian family together is no easy feat for a widowed grocery store owner- especially since they start matchmaking. The title had me sold, but then I spotted the blurb for this new to me author effort and I couldn’t resist if I wanted to.
The story opens on an Italian American widow in her seventies who runs her late husband’s family Italian grocery store, cares for her ninety-two year old mother, Sylvia, keeps an eye on her grown sons, David and Dante, troubled Donatella, and a neighbor man, Paulie, who grew up with her kids and got kicked out of his family. Sylvia and Donatella decide Varina needs help getting back into the saddle when it comes to dating when Varina doesn’t begin dating on her own.
And, off we go with this boisterous, riot of a family giving the reader a full-senses read with color, language, food, emotions all over, and the ups and downs of a multi-generational family story. Varina might be the center of them all and her lack of love life the catalyst for some aspects, but this is not just her story. It’s a family saga, really with Sylvia being the one to get a romance, Varina considering what she really wants, and Paulie and Donatella taking the spotlight later as do other family members when Varina is background. So, there is romance and even some comic moments, but there is a lot of just life story of people tied to each other as family.
The author doesn’t shy away from mental health troubles in at least two characters, sexual orientation for another, family secrets, family misunderstandings, loss, and more including a late December surprise romance for Sylvia.
Incidentally, the beginning of each chapter was headed with Jersey Italian colloquialisms that cracked me up often enough. Some were familiar since I come from a Sicilian heritage, but most were not since my family doesn’t hail from Jersey.
While there are moments when the story meanders and doesn’t have a crisp plot thread (or threads) and I didn’t take to some of the characters, that feeling of being immersed in a big and clamorous Italian family, mouth-watering food descriptions, and emotional moments were there. In the end, I was glad to have spent time with the Pallodinos and hope Ms DeFino writes more in this vein. I would recommend it to women’s fic, chick lit, general fiction, and fans of romance that like the focus on family.
I rec'd an eARC via NetGalley to read in exchange for an honest review.
My full review will post at Caffeinated Reviewer on Feb 15th.
The story opens on an Italian American widow in her seventies who runs her late husband’s family Italian grocery store, cares for her ninety-two year old mother, Sylvia, keeps an eye on her grown sons, David and Dante, troubled Donatella, and a neighbor man, Paulie, who grew up with her kids and got kicked out of his family. Sylvia and Donatella decide Varina needs help getting back into the saddle when it comes to dating when Varina doesn’t begin dating on her own.
And, off we go with this boisterous, riot of a family giving the reader a full-senses read with color, language, food, emotions all over, and the ups and downs of a multi-generational family story. Varina might be the center of them all and her lack of love life the catalyst for some aspects, but this is not just her story. It’s a family saga, really with Sylvia being the one to get a romance, Varina considering what she really wants, and Paulie and Donatella taking the spotlight later as do other family members when Varina is background. So, there is romance and even some comic moments, but there is a lot of just life story of people tied to each other as family.
The author doesn’t shy away from mental health troubles in at least two characters, sexual orientation for another, family secrets, family misunderstandings, loss, and more including a late December surprise romance for Sylvia.
Incidentally, the beginning of each chapter was headed with Jersey Italian colloquialisms that cracked me up often enough. Some were familiar since I come from a Sicilian heritage, but most were not since my family doesn’t hail from Jersey.
While there are moments when the story meanders and doesn’t have a crisp plot thread (or threads) and I didn’t take to some of the characters, that feeling of being immersed in a big and clamorous Italian family, mouth-watering food descriptions, and emotional moments were there. In the end, I was glad to have spent time with the Pallodinos and hope Ms DeFino writes more in this vein. I would recommend it to women’s fic, chick lit, general fiction, and fans of romance that like the focus on family.
I rec'd an eARC via NetGalley to read in exchange for an honest review.
My full review will post at Caffeinated Reviewer on Feb 15th.
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