Very Valentine

By Ava T.

    Very Valentine by Adriana Trigiani is a story about a thirty three year old Italian woman living in Greenwich Village named Valentine Roncalli.  Valentine works at the family shoe business that was once successful but now may go bankrupt.  The story is about her journey to try to save the family business.

    This is a fiction-romance book.  It is the first book in a trilogy.  Valentine lives with her grandmother, Teodora Angelini who is a master shoemaker.  As big department stores mass produce shoes, the Angelini Shoe Company, which specializes in wedding shoes, still makes handmade shoes and can't compete.  Valentine is the only grandchild working at the family business trying to make it a success again.  She's a busy go-getter working hard and dating an Italian man her family loves.  She hears about a contest where the winning shoe would be in the store window of Bergdorf Goodman and thinks if they win, their business would be a success again.  Valentine and her grandmother travel to Italy to buy leather and different materials to make the perfect wedding shoe.  Along the way, Valentine meets another man and is forced to make some difficult decisions that will affect her and her family.  

    The book emphasizes Italian lifestyle and traditions.  It jumps into the Italian culture and makes you hungry as you read in detail about the delicious food they love to prepare.  The book does a great job in describing Italy's country and how much they enjoy life and love there.  

Italian based characters seem to be popular.  Being Italian, I could relate to this book very well.  The characters were authentic.  It felt as if I was reading about my family members.  There were very happy moments and some sad.  The romance was predictable, but still fun to read.  If you're interested in all things Italian, this is the book for you.

    This book is available in all bookstores and online.