Helpful Score: 6
I just finished listening to this on audio. It was a charming book, the narration was wonderful. Adriana has a wondeful way of letting you see, feel and smell the food, the scenery, the textures......Growing up in the suburbs of NY city with an Italian american heritage on my mom's side. I felt like she accurately describes the experience. This book is pure fun
Cristina C. (moondance83) reviewed Very Valentine (Valentine Trilogy, Bk 1) on + 19 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 3
I love Adriana Trigiani---it wasn't my favorite of her books, but it did enjoy it.
Helpful Score: 3
Enjoyed this book very much. Style of writing was colorful and made it easy to imagine I was there.
Helpful Score: 2
No the best Adriana Trigiani book I have ever read.
The story centers on the Angelini Shoe Company, a Greenwich Village shoe company (since 1903) that creates custom wedding shoes. It is run by Valentine and her grandmother, salt of the earth Italians. When the company starts losing money, other family members start the pressure to sell the business.
Valentine is romanced by a local cafe owner who does not seem to have any time for her. (Valentine does not have much time for him either, but she is not called to task for this.) Because of his dedication to his work, he is considered selfish and not thoughtful. Valentine's dedication to her job, however, is considered admirable.
A long trip to Italy, spurred by a desire to win a shoe-making contest, adds a little color to the story. There are some good supporting characters here, but I found the main character, Valentine, to be contradictory, wishy-washy, and a little whiny. (She's right that her boyfriend works too much--but so does she!)
It was mildly enjoyable, but not a series that I will continue to read.
The story centers on the Angelini Shoe Company, a Greenwich Village shoe company (since 1903) that creates custom wedding shoes. It is run by Valentine and her grandmother, salt of the earth Italians. When the company starts losing money, other family members start the pressure to sell the business.
Valentine is romanced by a local cafe owner who does not seem to have any time for her. (Valentine does not have much time for him either, but she is not called to task for this.) Because of his dedication to his work, he is considered selfish and not thoughtful. Valentine's dedication to her job, however, is considered admirable.
A long trip to Italy, spurred by a desire to win a shoe-making contest, adds a little color to the story. There are some good supporting characters here, but I found the main character, Valentine, to be contradictory, wishy-washy, and a little whiny. (She's right that her boyfriend works too much--but so does she!)
It was mildly enjoyable, but not a series that I will continue to read.
Kristin D. (kdurham2813) reviewed Very Valentine (Valentine Trilogy, Bk 1) on + 753 more book reviews
Check out the full review at Kritters Ramblings
The first of a trilogy that centers around Valentine who is a young woman who has decided to leave her job as a teacher and go into the family business that has been their mainstay for over 100 years. Valentine must forgo many things to follow in her grand parents and great grand parents footsteps.
The reason I started this book was because I am on tour for the third book in the trilogy and decided to start back at square one. I spent one fantastic fall weekend soaking up some sun outside and reading the first two in this trilogy. I fell in love with both Valentine and her family. Adriana Trigiani paints fantastic pictures of both characters and setting - the reader wants to be a part of the family and go with them on their adventures. With an older brother and three sisters, this family had plenty of drama, but never too much!
The first of a trilogy that centers around Valentine who is a young woman who has decided to leave her job as a teacher and go into the family business that has been their mainstay for over 100 years. Valentine must forgo many things to follow in her grand parents and great grand parents footsteps.
The reason I started this book was because I am on tour for the third book in the trilogy and decided to start back at square one. I spent one fantastic fall weekend soaking up some sun outside and reading the first two in this trilogy. I fell in love with both Valentine and her family. Adriana Trigiani paints fantastic pictures of both characters and setting - the reader wants to be a part of the family and go with them on their adventures. With an older brother and three sisters, this family had plenty of drama, but never too much!
A big disappointment. I am a huge fan of Trigiani's "Big Stone Gap" series, which contained characters of such warmth and depth and a story line that left me wanting more and was therefore worthy of a series. Here, regretfully, I found the characters flat and unlikeable.
Valentine, the star/heroine, is too glib, always with a convenient one liner at the ready, but with a constant drumbeat of self-depreciating road-weariness that I quickly found monotonous and predictable. She describes herself and her siblings thusly: "Alfred is the boss, Tess is interlligent, Jaclyn is the beauty, and I'm the funny one." Cue the dialogue because honestly that's all you need to know about any of them. Oh, and her best friend is gay and hilarious. Oh, and she lives with her feisty grandmother. No surprises there, either. Yawn.
I have zero interest in books 2 or 3 of this trilogy, sad to say.
* One lowly star.
Valentine, the star/heroine, is too glib, always with a convenient one liner at the ready, but with a constant drumbeat of self-depreciating road-weariness that I quickly found monotonous and predictable. She describes herself and her siblings thusly: "Alfred is the boss, Tess is interlligent, Jaclyn is the beauty, and I'm the funny one." Cue the dialogue because honestly that's all you need to know about any of them. Oh, and her best friend is gay and hilarious. Oh, and she lives with her feisty grandmother. No surprises there, either. Yawn.
I have zero interest in books 2 or 3 of this trilogy, sad to say.
* One lowly star.
