Review: Varina Palladino's Jersey Italian Love Story

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Varina Palladino's Jersey Italian Love Story by Terri-Lynne DeFino

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I met the author a few years ago - we were published by the same company, which has now gone out of business. Since then, Terri and I have moved on to other publishers, and in her case have changed genres.

So, having made a full disclosure, I found this book fantastic! Varina Palladino, the title character, is a widowed 70-year-old Italian-American living in New Jersey. She's a full-time caregiver to her 92-year-old mom and has a collection of kids and grandkids with whom she's involved with. The most problematic is her youngest, Donatella, who misses the family Christmas Eve dinner because she's in the town jail.

The story then becomes one of Varina dealing with her family while trying to find some time for herself. There's some romance, mild intrigue, and a surprising amount of character growth. Oh, and each chapter provides a mini-lesson in Italian-American slang! This was really an entertaining book.



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