Chasing The Italian Dream – written by Jo
Thomas and published by Corgi
I have been on many holidays
with Jo Thomas, she’s taken me to a German Christmas market, to some gorgeous lavender
fields in France, and now this time, she has whisked me away to a small village
in Southern Italy, introducing me to all her friends on the way. This time, no
Air B&B was needed as we stayed with Lucia and her Nonno and Nonna.
Lucia is a lawyer working
tirelessly for her firm in Wales – while she is waiting for an email to ping
into her inbox to tell her she’s been promoted, she takes her annual holiday to
visit her grandparents who run a pizzeria in a small village just outside
Naples. Whilst there, she receives two bits of life changing news…she was
overlooked for the promotion at work, and Nonno has decided to retire and as
there is no male in the family who wishes to take over the running of the
business, he is forced to sell up. When Lucia’s ex husband turns up the story
really gets going!!
This was such a lovely, pure
story about families, friends, community and love and with the dreaded pandemic
at the back of everyone’s mind, this was also a true antidote to the travel ban
that we are all living under, and so it was fantastic to be able to “travel” to
this quaint region in Italy. Jo has a wonderful talent of placing you smack
bang in the middle of the piazza, so that not only can you hear Angelo singing
every morning, but you also feel the ambiance of the town, the clatter of the
chairs and tables being set up outside the restaurants and the smell of the marvellous
food being prepared in fact I’ve still got the smell of fresh basil up my
nose!!
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