The Star Crossed Sisters of Tuscany

Absolutely charming! I loved the back and forth between two second born Italian American daughter (cousins Emilia and Lucy) and their great Aunt Poppy's romantic love story in the sixties. Their mysterious (and forbidden) great aunt Poppy takes Em and Lucy out of New York City to an all expenses paid trip to Italy. The goal of the visit is for Aunt Poppy to find her old lover on her 80th birthday and break the curse that plagued their family for generations. The curse says that all second born daughters will never find lasting love due to either death or heartbreak. It's been challenging growing up hearing that their whole lives but Em and Lucy decide to hell with it and embark on a crazy Italian adventure with a relative they barely know. It's romantic, it's crazy, it's fantastic. Wonderful plot and characters. I was definitely invested and thoroughly enjoyed the unconventional ending. I want more books about this family!

Under the Tuscan Sun

If this were a little shorter this most likely would been bumped up to a 5 star review. As it was I adored hearing (I listened to the audio - it was great!) about all the hard work, money, and experiences thrown into a centuries old house in the Italian country side. It made me want to visit Italy even more. The food, the language, the sights, the sounds, the way of living. I was swept right in. Granted not many except the very wealthy could recreate Frances Mayes experience. Undertaking a whole house flip - overseas - would be very costly. Especially when you only live in the house during Christmas and in the summer. In places it was a bit drawn out - but overall it was pretty solid.

Eat Pray Love

I believe I enjoyed this book as much the second time around as I did when I first read it five years ago. Eat Pray Love is a yearlong memoir by Elizabeth Gilbert, a recently divorced, emotionally scarred woman in her thirties. She decides she'll spend four months in Rome to learn the language and enjoy the food,  four months in India to meditate and pray, and four months in Indonesia to learn to balance her life. Along the way she discovers more about herself, meets unforgettable people, and constantly challenges herself to live life the fullest. It's a very inspiring memoir and I dare you to read this and not start a saving up to go traveling yourself. I have yet to see the movie but I hope it's at least a decent tribute to this awesome book.

Bianca's Vineyard

A wonderful book that spans generations and continents while showing the bonds of family, tradition, and love. Hard to put down, this family saga will draw readers in and has something to offer everyone. It has history, romance, culture, mental illness, art, family values, espionage, and war. The bulk of the story takes place during World War II in Italy and author, Teresa Neumann, does a wonderful job bringing the war torn and impressive Italian countryside to life. It wasn't til I had finished the book that I realized this story was based on true events, which makes it all the more impressive to me. The story is centered on one vineyard, one broken romance, and the decades long battle to hide and heal the rift between families and friends. Reading it made me want to visit the rolling hills of Italy, stay in a villa, and sample the world's finest wines. IT was truly a fantastic sensory experience reading this. A must read for fans of historical fiction, Italy, and World War II.

I received this book for free from Italy Book Tours in return for my honest, unbiased review.