Lucia, Lucia - Adriana Trigiani

I am on a bit of a roll with this author! After reading and loving her latest book, Very Valentine, I went out searching for her earlier books. Don't you just love it when you discover a new great author and they have plenty of books waiting for you to pick up??

I went straight for a book from her collection that is again set in Italy and New York (how could I resist?), is again set in an area of the fashion world (a New York department store) and is set in the time of the 1950's - a favourite era of mine for fiction and movies.

Lucia, Lucia is the story of Italian American girl Lucia Sartori - the youngest child and only girl in a big family. Lucia is rare for her day and age in that she has a career as a seamstress in a New York department store and she is keen to hold on to this no matter what - marriage is not such a high priority for her, until she meets the charming John Talbot. Things start to go a little topsy turvy from here.

Trigiani's writing is not perfect - there are some forced metaphors in places and the plot devices can feel a little controlled at times - but I really didn't care. I was hooked into Lucia's story and I wanted to see where things went in her life. I have also loved the endings in both of her books that I have read so far - a little bit of romance and completion but the endings have felt "real" and possible in a non -Hollywood, happily ever after way.

I will try and move on from Trigiani books now but have loved reading these two!

Very Valentine - Adriana Trigiani

I have not read any of Adriana Trigiani's books before but I couldn't resist two things about this book:

1. It's cover (the one in the picture above - different to the US copy I think)

2. It's locations (New York and Italy)

I was thinking even if the book wasn't so great I would enjoy being transported to these places. Turns out that Very Valentine was a great book!

Valentine Roncalli is an Italian American woman in her mid-30's living in and working in Greenwich Village. Valentine lives and works with her grandmother in the family shoe company - Angelini Shoes - making wedding shoes for the women of New York since 1903. Valentine loves her work and has dreams of taking the business further - but the company is in financial trouble and may have to close its doors before Valentine gets her chance to move things forward.

There are of course the family and relationships sub plots as well but the real focus of this book for me was Valentine - and the choices she has made, and will make, in regards to her life and her future.

It was so refreshing to read a "chick lit" book that did not focus on the main female character in pursuit, or in the midst of, being a wife and/or mother at the expense of everything else in her life. Not that there is anything wrong with these pursuits - they are just not usually characters that I can connect to or care about as much. Valentine was a strong, independent woman - sure, she made some mistakes (don't we all?!) but I loved reading about her and her story. Apparently there is a sequel in the wind - can't wait to read it!