Solid 3/5! This was a very quick, enjoyable read that I definitely recommend. A perfect summer book that's entertaining and enticing, and has superb writing that constantly had me thinking "Wow, what a great sentence" or nodding thoughtfully at a particularly poignant section of narrative.
Take this passage, for example:
"From my vantage point at the edge of the driveway, the kaleidoscope of costumes, bursts of color from feather plumes and scarves, wigs and hats of all kinds, sweeping capes and furry boas, made the crowd on Henry and Tillie's lawn look like a single organism, breathing and preening on the grass. It was a frightening sight, this crowd creature, as if it were about to open its mouth and swallow me whole."
The coastal 80s setting is fun, and the many mentions of several great books and authors are a fun nod for people who are true bibliophiles.
I didn't love that so much of Eve's life/character revolved around her varying degrees of romance with three different men, but because Karen's writing is so great and the overall story was entertaining, I can let it slide. Plus, Eve is still a young woman finding her way, one could say that it's realistic (in some ways) that a young woman would spend so much of her time and thoughts on relationships/romantic interests, especially since she comes to regret much of it.
Karen's writing style really makes this story sing—if a different author wrote the same plot and characters, I don't know that I'd enjoy it as much as I did! Which is a bit ironic, but I won't explain why...you'll just have to read the book 😉
The love story between Tembi and Saro is swoon-worthy, but I also loved all the real, raw, hard parts of their relationship that were included. The chapter where Tembi describes her last day with Saro was probably my favorite, even though it was sad and made me cry! I appreciated the vulnerability in her writing and recalling of what was clearly an emotional, devastating period in her life.
The descriptions of all the dishes in this book constantly made me hungry, and the depictions of Italy and the unique island of Sicily were painted vividly, making it easy to picture. Tembi did an excellent job of engaging all five senses throughout this book, creating a book that felt more like an experience than a story.
I was also pleasantly surprised that Tembi and her family are from East Texas! As an East Texan, that was a fun tidbit to discover as I dove into Tembi's musings on life, love, and grief.
I would highly recommend this to anyone and everyone, but you'll especially enjoy this book if you're interested in reading about grief, realistic yet romantic love stories, travel, culture, and the culinary arts.
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