Dolci di Love
By Sarah-Kate Lynch
Publication date: March 29, 2011
My review:
When Lily Turner finds evidence of her husband's secret life (a girlfriend and two children) in his golf shoe, she has a little too much wine and decides to take a trip to Italy to see her husband without thinking it through. Brokenhearted, she somehow crosses paths with the League of Widowed Darners, a group of elderly women who make it their mission to mend hearts. With the help of these well meaning meddlers, Lily may find the peace and answers she seeks.
Lily is an uptight character who has suffered her share of sorrows from dealing with an alcoholic mother to failed attempts to have children of her own and now a cheating husband. She may have flaws (like drinking too much) but she is a character that draws the reader's sympathy. Even her husband Daniel is more than just a cheating cad. The author could easily have turned him and the mistress into villains but she did not. Instead there is some depth to his character and I could even feel sorry for him a little. My favorite characters by far are the widows because they add so much humor and fun to the story. I liked the idea of their league and how they tried to help people even when they are sometimes misguided.
Dolci di Love is a surprisingly upbeat book given how the story begins with Lily's painful discovery. The descriptions of Tuscany, the food, and eccentric characters make for a more enjoyable reading experience. I was surprised a little bit by the direction the love story takes. While the unrealistic ending feels like a Hallmark movie this novel has some charm particularly due to its setting and the secondary characters. I still liked it in spite of its flaws, something that could be said of the characters as well. If you enjoy reading about Italy or are a fan of films like Under the Tuscan Sun and Letters From Juliet you might like Dolci di Love.
Readalikes: Skipping A Beat by Sarah Pekkanen, The Violets of March by Sarah Jio, Seven Year Switch by Claire Cook
Great review, Christina! I love any books that take place in Italy and I loved Under the Tuscan Sun, so I must add this one to my TBR list. Thanks for sharing it! And I love that cover...it really captures some of the side streets in Italy.
ReplyDeleteA lovely review. I loved how you were able to enjoy the characters even the cheating husband and mistress. With many of these types of books I think the authors always want to have a happy ending, which I like sometimes too, but in my experience is not usually how it works.
ReplyDeleteYikes, poor gal! What a horrible thing to discover...it sounds like an interesting read, if only for descriptions of Italy! Definitely putting this on my TBR list,
ReplyDeleteFantastic Review!