Judith Works

Reviewed in exchange for an early copy from LibraryThing.

Laura and Jake have a marriage that doesn't seem to be working. Jake is made out to be a lazy, selfish guy, while Laura seems to be presented as the heroine who thinks a job offer in Italy will revive her marriage and make her husband want a baby. Now, most of us see the fallacy in that right away, but not Laura, who I think is just as selfish as her husband. I really couldn't like either of them. I kept reading mostly to see how they'd end up and also to continue to be immersed in the culture of modern day Rome. The author weaves the beauty and the ugliness of the city into the rather mundane plot like and that's what kept my interest.… (meer)

This review is in exchange for an early read through LibraryThing.com

The book City of Illusions is an easy, light read. Not hard to follow, the reader is taken along a journey of struggles, troubles, and changes on the part of the main characters. Main character Laura is likeable enough to root for, while her husband Jake is a perfect harmless villain. There is just some mystery about what will happen next, although the connections between characters become obvious well before the end of the book. The obvious direction of the book does not take away from its overall interest. Readers will enjoy the characters' journey to Italy; the descriptions of Italian food, art, historical sites, and Italian living are both interesting and accurate. While not deep in content, this book is fine for a light read.… (meer)

I received this book from Librarything in exchange for a review.

Jake and Laura Miller are living with a marriage gone stale, so when the opportunity to work a year in Rome presents itself, Laura jumps at the chance. Jake reluctantly goes along. Laura is hoping the chance to live in the beautiful city of Rome will bring love back into their disintegrating marriage. But while Laura works at the United Nations, Jake finds himself drawn into the seamier side of life. As expatriates, they each have to learn how to navigate in this new environment. Unfortunately, the paths they choose results in their being pulled further and further apart.

Beautiful Rome, the City of Illusions, is really the main character in this book. The author weaves the sights, sounds and smells of the city so seamlessly into the very fabric of her novel.… (meer)