Peter Pezzelli

A relaxing and quick read about an Italian mother and grandmother who has love and wisdom to spare. She decides to share it with Loretta, a single mom of Penny and Will, who works full-time and has been feeling tired and overwhelmed.

As their nanny, Francesca watches Penny and Will after school. Observing their flippant behavior and the messy state of the house forces Francesca to take action. She slowly changes the Simmons' family's dynamics, their habits, and their attitudes making everyone much happier. She insists the children take on more responsibility for their rooms, clothing, homework assignments rewarding them by cooking delicious dinners and desserts. The Simmons learn to cook and appreciate good food and each other.

Before long, Francesca learns that no good deed goes unrewarded and her life is changed for the good.

Pleasant and smart read.… (meer)

Francesca's Kitchen by Peter Pezzelli
What appealed to me about this book was the fact the woman had raised her Italian family in RI-where I live and now that all the kids have grown and moved away.
She keeps busy by learning new things from books at the library. She's got her act together-she travels to visit all the kids two times a year and they visit her. Some days it's still not enough-too much silence.
The story is depicted in January and it's described exactly how it feels in RI at that time of the year when the big snow storm hits. Love memories myself of the 78 blizzard-the weekend of our marriage, marooned for a whole week with no travel on roads possible.
Story also follows Loretta Simmons, the mother of children who want her to actually get out of bed to take them to school....
Francesca needs to find something new to do-to feel useful again. She loves cooking and searches through the local ads for a job. A babysitting job just a few hours til the mother returns from her work at the lawyer's firm for her 2 kids...
Loretta dates and Francesca babysits more hours for them. She's got them eating real food and picking up after themselves which makes Loretta feel like she's not a good mother....
Fran's kids have no idea she's been working as she talks to each of the girls weekly with the same stories of shopping at the local grocery and going to get books from the library...when Loretta becomes sick for a week Francesca takes over and even meets one of Loretta's bosses.
They get to chat while doing house chores and having tea and Loretta takes an interest in cooking as they clear the skeletons from their closets.
They become better friends as time goes on til the kids have a week off and Francesca isn't needed....or is she? Like the religious interventions along the way-really fits in with the whole story.
Author Q&A and recipes at the end. Will be looking for more from this author. Like how he describes things, makes you feel like you are there experiencing it for yourself.
I received this book from The Kennsington Books in exchange for my honest review… (meer)

A nice, calm, lovely sweet nostalgic love story about a man who left Italy in his youth, enjoyed a lovely marriage and a big extended Italian family in Rhode Island but who decides after the death of his wife to return to his home village, move back into the old homestead he inherited from his now deceased parents, and essentially return to the site of his youth.

He tells no one he's coming, (and doesn't correspond with his US relatives for almost a year) but goes about adjusting slowly to the changes that have come about in the 50 years he was gone. His love of family, his love of biking, and the presence of his best friend from childhood help him transplant his life. A sweet and easy to read fairy tale.… (meer)