In this delightful, moving novel, Peter Pezzelli brings to life the earthy sensuality of Italy's Abruzzo region— the smell of just-baked bread wafting through the village piazza; the shopkeepers sweeping the sidewalks first thing in the morning; groups of cyclists dotting the mountain roads—and spins a story of May-December romance as sharp and delicious as the olives of Villa San Giuseppe. . . SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO TRAVEL FAR TO FIND YOUR WAY HOME. After the death of his beloved wife, Anna, Peppi's family and friends expect him to bury his grief by tending to his gardens and taking long rides on his bike. Instead, Peppi shocks them all with his decision to leave Rhode Island and return to Villa San Giuseppe, the small Italian village where he spent his childhood, and to il mulino, his family's old mill. But once he's back, he temporarily moves into an apartment over the candy factory run by his childhood best friend, Luca. It is modest, but livable, with a lovely view of Luca's neglected gardens and his equally neglected daughter, the fiery Lucrezia. More a force of nature than a woman, Lucrezia's legendary temper and workaholic schedule hide the very real pain she feels over her husband's death years before. At first, she tolerates Peppi as an eccentric annoyance—her father's strange but handsome American friend who fixes things around the factory and is bringing the gardens back to life. But soon, Lucrezia's interest in Peppi deepens. Like a high wind, the gossip is flying through Villa San Giuseppe—Lucrezia's making it to dinner on time. She's eating olives from a man's hand. She's wearing heels. Now, under the Italian sun, a tentative romance begins to bloom between the grieving pair, yielding to a surprisingly strong passion with the power to heal life's wounds and promise second chances. . .
Peter Pezzelli's remarkable debut, Home to Italy, won the hearts of readers and critics alike. Now, with Every Sunday, Pezzelli has created another unforgettable tale about life, love, family and friendship. In Providence, Rhode Island, everybody knows Nick Catini. Street smart, with a quick wit and a larger-than-life personality, Nick is the go-to guy, the owner of Catini's Hardware who's there to score friends tickets to the big game or fix his daughters' problems. Every Sunday, Nick presides over the family dinner, dishing out sauce and advice with equal abandon. It is a time for family, for grandchildren, for men watching football in the living room while the women gossip and plan in the kitchen. It is a time to remember what matters most in life. Sunday is the best day of the week, and nobody can imagine it without Nick. But when Nick is suddenly gone, that is exactly what they have to do--go on without him. For his girls--Maria, Nina, and Gina--it means learning to stand on their own feet while arguing about whether or not their mother, Teresa, can date again. For Teresa, it means trying somehow to keep her family together, even as she wonders what it would be like to find love again. And for her carefree son, Johnny, it means making good on his father's last request, a secret with the power to heal Johnny's guarded heart, if it doesn't destroy his family in the process. Now, as the first leaves of fall stick to the wet streets of New England, as the winter snow melts into the pastel hues of spring, and everything seems new and different, the Catinis will be tested and changed as never before. For what seems like an insurmountable loss just may be the beginning of the best part of their lives... At once both funny and heartwarming, with one of the most unique, unforgettable narrators to come along in years, Every Sunday is a warm, winning novel rich in hope, wisdom and the surprising strength of second chances. Outstanding Praise For Peter Pezzelli And Home To Italy A BookSense Pick! "A beautiful novel. . .Peter Pezzelli captures the warmth of Italy--family, friendships, and food--invites us into the world of his wonderful characters, and takes us full circle on a journey of life and love." --Luanne Rice, New York Times bestselling author "A delightful story of second chances." --Desert Morning News "Big-hearted and wise, Home to Italy is a charming ode to the romance of new beginnings and the Italian gusto for life. Peter Pezzelli's tale of a widower who returns to his childhood town in Abruzzo to rebuild his life, only to be struck by the legendary thunderbolt of love, is a continuous delight." --Louisa Ermelino, author of Joey Dee Gets Wise "With heartwarming touches of humor, Home to Italy reaffirms that life can always be renewed. This is a wonderfully satisfying romance that brings to life the sights, sounds, and tastes of Italy." --Romantic Times "A warmhearted novel, perfect for an autumn evening in front of the fire." --Litchfield Enquirer
No one writes about Italian-American families with the humor, warmth, and heart of Peter Pezzelli. With Francesca's Kitchen, he delivers a winning novel about how much we need the closeness of family--even if we don't know it. Where There's Food, There's Family For years, Francesca Campanile was the queen of her home. Standing in her Rhode Island kitchen, Francesca dispensed advice as liberally as she did the garlic, arguing nonstop with her son and two daughters. It was wonderful. But now, her children and their children have moved away. And for the widowed Francesca, no longer having a family around to pester, annoy, guide, love, and, of course, cook for, makes her feel useless. What she needs is another family who needs her, and when she sees Loretta Simmons's ad in the Providence paper for a part-time nanny, she's sure she's found it. All the single mom wants is someone to fill in for a few hours a day. But it's obvious to Francesca that Loretta and her kids need a lot more. Loretta's struggling to make ends meet. Every man she brings home is a disaster. And her kids could definitely use some guidance--and a little lasagna, frankly. It's time for Francesca to work her magic…and the best place to start is the kitchen. Funny and moving, with a heroine to adore, Francesca's Kitchen is a delicious story about sharing love, life, advice, and, above all, food. "Home cooking, good pasta, and traditional family values conquer all in this amusing and touching story." --Publishers Weekly
A young man and his Italian teacher form an unlikely friendship in this novel of hope, heartbreak and the Italian-American experience. Fresh out of college, Carter Quinn has returned to his home in North Providence, Rhode Island, unsure of just about everything except his plans to go to Italy and pursue the woman of his dreams. To do that, he needs to learn to speak Italian, and there’s only one man who can teach him—if Carter can survive him. Giancarlo Rosa is nobody's fool. The middle-aged music professor does offer Italian lessons, but only to those who are truly dedicated. Carter will have to prove himself with strict discipline, hours of study, and respect for his teacher’s privacy. Giancarlo doesn’t care to be asked about his personal life—why he hasn't written music in years, why he lives alone, and why he left his homeland in the first place. While Carter sees Italy as a land of romance, Giancarlo knows what disappointments live under the Abruzzo sky. But soon the mentor and student develop a friendship that brings them to the old country together. In the land of sun, wine, new romance, and old wounds, each man embarks on his own journey of the heart…
In his acclaimed novels of Italian-American life, Peter Pezzelli explores themes of friendship, hope, and second chances. With Villa Mirabella, he invites readers into the lives of an unforgettable family—and into the warmth of one very special bed and breakfast . . . When Jason Mirabella returns to his childhood home on a blustery winter’s day, the only thing he’s sure of is that he’ll be staying in Providence just long enough to get back on his feet again. It’s been three years since Jason moved to Los Angeles, brimming with ambitions he knew could never be fulfilled in Rhode Island. He had no intention of entering the family business—running a beautiful but timeworn B&B that’s struggling to compete with downtown’s luxurious new hotels. Smart, proud, and hardworking, Jason found quick success in L.A., until one foolish decision cost him everything. Jason’s widowed father, Giulio, is overjoyed to have his prodigal son back in the fold under any circumstances, though his siblings, Ray and Natalie, are less than thrilled. But as days go by, Jason slowly begins to carve out a place for himself, rediscovering everything he was so eager to leave behind, and beginning a tentative romance with a young woman who opens his eyes to a wider world. Just as Jason begins to forge a better understanding of his family, circumstances transpire to test that bond and challenge his resolutions. Now, as the promise of spring comes to New England once more, Jason will learn that sometimes, you can go home again, and the answers found there may be the only ones you need...
A young man and his Italian teacher form an unlikely friendship in this novel of hope, heartbreak and the Italian-American experience. Fresh out of college, Carter Quinn has returned to his home in North Providence, Rhode Island, unsure of just about everything except his plans to go to Italy and pursue the woman of his dreams. To do that, he needs to learn to speak Italian, and there’s only one man who can teach him—if Carter can survive him. Giancarlo Rosa is nobody's fool. The middle-aged music professor does offer Italian lessons, but only to those who are truly dedicated. Carter will have to prove himself with strict discipline, hours of study, and respect for his teacher’s privacy. Giancarlo doesn’t care to be asked about his personal life—why he hasn't written music in years, why he lives alone, and why he left his homeland in the first place. While Carter sees Italy as a land of romance, Giancarlo knows what disappointments live under the Abruzzo sky. But soon the mentor and student develop a friendship that brings them to the old country together. In the land of sun, wine, new romance, and old wounds, each man embarks on his own journey of the heart…
After he returns from three years in L.A. and settles into his new role as caretaker of his Italian-American family's Rhode Island bed and breakfast, Jason Mirabella begins to carve out a place for himself among family, old friends and a new love, until all he has achieved is tested by a sudden change in circumstance. By the author of Every Sunday. Original.
When Nick Catini, the family patriarch and beloved member of the community, dies, his wife and daughters must find a way to go on without him and fulfill his last request, which opens up a new chapter in all of their lives, one that is full of hope and love. Original.
In this delightful, moving debut novel, Peter Pezzelli brings to life the earthy sensuality of Tuscany-- the smell of just-baked bread wafting through the village piazza;the shopkeepers sweeping the sidewalks under the warm, early morning sun;groups of cyclists dotting the mountain roads--and spins a story of May-December romance as sharp and delicious as the olives of Villa San Giuseppe. . . Sometimes You Have To Travel Far To Find Your Way Home. After the death of his beloved wife, Anna, Peppi's family and friends expect him to bury his grief by tending to his gardens and taking long rides on his bike. Instead, Peppi shocks them all with his decision to return to Villa San Giuseppe, the small Italian village where he spent his childhood, and to il mulino, his family's old mill. But once he's back, he temporarily moves into an apartment over the candy factory run by his childhood best friend, Luca. It is modest, but livable, with a lovely view of Luca's neglected gardens and his equally neglected daughter, the fiery Lucrezia. More a force of nature than a woman, Lucrezia's legendary temper and workaholic schedule hide the very real pain she feels over her husband's death years before. At first, she tolerates Peppi as an eccentric annoyance--her father's strange but handsome American friend who fixes things around the factory and is bringing the gardens back to life. But soon, Lucrezia's interest in Peppi deepens. Like a high wind, the gossip is flying through Villa San Giuseppe--Lucrezia's making it to dinner on time. She's eating olives from a man's hand. She's wearing heels. Now, under the warm Tuscan sun, a tentative romance begins to bloom between the grieving pair, yielding to a surprisingly strong passion with the power to heal life's wounds and promise second chances. . .
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