Very Valentine
by Adriana Trigiani
Hardcover: 384 pages
Publisher: Harper (February 3, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0061257052
ISBN-13: 978-0061257056

"Meet the Roncalli and Angelini families, a vibrant cast of colorful characters who navigate tricky family dynamics with hilarity and brio, from magical Manhattan to the picturesque hills of bella Italia. Very Valentine is the first novel in a trilogy and is sure to be the new favorite of Trigiani's millions of fans around the world.

In this luscious, contemporary family saga, the Angelini Shoe Company, makers of exquisite wedding shoes since 1903, is one of the last family-owned businesses in Greenwich Village. The company is on the verge of financial collapse. It falls to thirty-three-year-old Valentine Roncalli, the talented and determined apprentice to her grandmother, the master artisan Teodora Angelini, to bring the family's old-world craftsmanship into the twenty-first century and save the company from ruin.

While juggling a budding romance with dashing chef Roman Falconi, her duty to her family, and a design challenge presented by a prestigious department store, Valentine returns to Italy with her grandmother to learn new techniques and seek one-of-a-kind materials for building a pair of glorious shoes to beat their rivals. There, in Tuscany, Naples, and on the Isle of Capri, a family secret is revealed as Valentine discovers her artistic voice and much more, turning her life and the family business upside down in ways she never expected. Very Valentine is a sumptuous treat, a journey of dreams fulfilled, a celebration of love and loss filled with Trigiani's trademark heart and humor"

Review: Wow I don't even know where to start with this book other than to say it was a wonderfully delicious treat! All the talk of food in the book had me drooling! First I was SO drawn to the cover. I'm a sucker for a good cover and this one has a gorgeous cover. I really enjoyed this book. It was fun and romantic and sassy too! I loved watching the growth of Valentine throughout this story. I found the insight into the shoe industry extremely fascinating, and never really considered how much goes into designing shoes. I also didn't know there were places you could get shoes custom made for you..I learned something!

This is my first Adriana Trigiani novel, and I am definitely a fan! She has a tremendous talent for describing the locations, the characters, the food, and the gorgeous shoes. I felt like I could see and taste them all. I really felt like I got to know her family and friends They are at any given moment crazy, cruel, funny, scared, lustful, hormonal, hopeless, and hopeful.

This is definitely a book you'll want to read and then tell everyone else about it. You won't be disappointed in this one.

Make sure you check out her website and see how you can get an autographed bookplate for your copy!

Thanks to Adrianna for giving me the opportunity to read and review this wonderful book!

Video: Walking Tour of New York (visiting some of the locations in the book)

Video: Adriana Trigiani on "Very Valentine"

Readers Guide
Authors Website