What do you think?
Rate this book
Лято във Вила Роза
Рафаела Морети, несъмнено най-красивото момиче в малкото италианско градче Триенто, е на път да се омъжи за единствения мъж, когото някога е обичала. Изглежда, че й предстои светло бъдеще, но съдбата й е подготвила изненада. Само година след сватбата си младата жена започва работа като домашна помощница и готвачка в необикновена къща на брега на морето.
В търсене на изгубеното си щастие, Рафаела решава да направи живота на хората около себе си по-ведър и изпълнен с топлина. Например Силвана - съпругата на пекаря, чиято страст е потисната твърде дълго; Шарлота - дъщерята на градинаря, спотаила в себе си непознати тъга и огорчение, и добросърдечния и притеснителен собственик на "Циганската чайна", който смутено предлага своето приятелство на Рафаела.
Неусетно съдбите на новите й приятели се преплитат и младата жена се оказва в центъра на конфликт, който заплашва не просто да раздели градчето, но и да разруши всичко скъпо на сърцето й.
Завладяваща и емоционална история за една млада жена, търсеща любов и доверие. - Sunday Express
Описанията на италианска храна ще изкушат и развълнуват сетивата ви. – Cosmopolitan
Като любим десерт за душата. „Шоколад” среща „Под небето на Тоскана”. – Cleo magazine
Ще ви плени тихо и неусетно, докато с изненада не откриете, че сте прочели цялата книга. – Romantic Times
В търсене на изгубеното си щастие, Рафаела решава да направи живота на хората около себе си по-ведър и изпълнен с топлина. Например Силвана - съпругата на пекаря, чиято страст е потисната твърде дълго; Шарлота - дъщерята на градинаря, спотаила в себе си непознати тъга и огорчение, и добросърдечния и притеснителен собственик на "Циганската чайна", който смутено предлага своето приятелство на Рафаела.
Неусетно съдбите на новите й приятели се преплитат и младата жена се оказва в центъра на конфликт, който заплашва не просто да раздели градчето, но и да разруши всичко скъпо на сърцето й.
Завладяваща и емоционална история за една млада жена, търсеща любов и доверие. - Sunday Express
Описанията на италианска храна ще изкушат и развълнуват сетивата ви. – Cosmopolitan
Като любим десерт за душата. „Шоколад” среща „Под небето на Тоскана”. – Cleo magazine
Ще ви плени тихо и неусетно, докато с изненада не откриете, че сте прочели цялата книга. – Romantic Times
232 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2007
About the author
Nicky Pellegrino
21 books568 followersI was born and grew up near Liverpool, England. For a while I worked as a magazine journalist in London but then 21 years ago I came on holiday to New Zealand and met my future husband Carne Bidwill at a wedding. Now we live together near a beach in Auckland with our dogs Charlie the standard poodle and Lucy the pointer. I spend my time writing novels, working as a freelance journalist, riding my two horses, growing veges in my garden, cooking, trying to get other people to cook for me, eating and reading. There isn't much time for anything else except a little light housework.
My all-time favourite book is To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee and my book of 2013 was LIfe After LIfe by Kate Atkinson.
I have a website www.nickypellegrino.com
My all-time favourite book is To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee and my book of 2013 was LIfe After LIfe by Kate Atkinson.
I have a website www.nickypellegrino.com
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 84 reviews
November 24, 2017
This is the final book I read while on holiday. I wrote reviews for the others, but have only incomplete notes for this one. Just got bored... & I left the book at my accommodation.
Set in the fictitious Italian village of Triento, (some time in the twentieth century) this is the story of the bland & beautiful Raffaella.
Pellegrino's bio says she spent her childhood summers in Italy, so it is surprising that she couldn't make her characters come alive. The only time when there seemed to be any life in this book was in the descriptions of food. The writing style is flat & amateurish.
The cover on my edition is very misleading as Raffaella is in funereal black for 95% of this novel.
Set in the fictitious Italian village of Triento, (some time in the twentieth century) this is the story of the bland & beautiful Raffaella.
Pellegrino's bio says she spent her childhood summers in Italy, so it is surprising that she couldn't make her characters come alive. The only time when there seemed to be any life in this book was in the descriptions of food. The writing style is flat & amateurish.
The cover on my edition is very misleading as Raffaella is in funereal black for 95% of this novel.
October 26, 2008
I enjoyed every page of this wonderful book. Food, romance and Italy - the perfect combination to pick you up on these chilly days.
Raffaella has always lived amongst the fisherman in Little Triento but when she marries into the Russo family she moves up the hill and up in the world. Until her new husband dies and she is left a widow. The small town is filled with gossips who instantly target Rafaella and she seeks refuge as a housekeeper at the Villa Rosa. Triento is divided by plans to build a grand statue on the cliff - using the town's money that was left by a wealthy man. The American man hired to design and build the statue is staying at the Villa Rosa and Rafaella soons builds up a friendship with him that again will set tongues wagging.
The settings in the novel are wonderful, the small-town life, the magnificent characters, including the Traffic Warden, who is very funny and so well drawn. The fabulous food descriptions are so mouth watering and form the backbone of the story. The pizzas in the Gypsy Tearoom to the wonderfully elaborate meals that Rafaella cooks at the Villa Rosa - all of them will make you so hungry and desperate to visit the region.
For anyone who enjoyed Anthony Capella's The Food Of Love - then here is another that you cant fail to love. I'd recommend this for a couple of days when you need some comfort reading.
Raffaella has always lived amongst the fisherman in Little Triento but when she marries into the Russo family she moves up the hill and up in the world. Until her new husband dies and she is left a widow. The small town is filled with gossips who instantly target Rafaella and she seeks refuge as a housekeeper at the Villa Rosa. Triento is divided by plans to build a grand statue on the cliff - using the town's money that was left by a wealthy man. The American man hired to design and build the statue is staying at the Villa Rosa and Rafaella soons builds up a friendship with him that again will set tongues wagging.
The settings in the novel are wonderful, the small-town life, the magnificent characters, including the Traffic Warden, who is very funny and so well drawn. The fabulous food descriptions are so mouth watering and form the backbone of the story. The pizzas in the Gypsy Tearoom to the wonderfully elaborate meals that Rafaella cooks at the Villa Rosa - all of them will make you so hungry and desperate to visit the region.
For anyone who enjoyed Anthony Capella's The Food Of Love - then here is another that you cant fail to love. I'd recommend this for a couple of days when you need some comfort reading.
August 29, 2015
A beautiful Italian love story.
March 11, 2011
Good read but not as good as The Italian Wedding.
September 16, 2011
I loved how this book started off and the middle. The ending, however, left me wondering at what point did the book come off the tracks? All in all it's a very good book.
July 11, 2017
An easy read.
Based on the west coast of Italy this story shows the lives of the villagers, the divisions, the expectations, all based around one young woman from the lower village who marries a man from the upper village, and when he dies soon after the marriage his family blame her and take revenge. While this is happening the upper village wants a statue of Christ built on the mountaintop above the village and this divides the village even more.
Based on the west coast of Italy this story shows the lives of the villagers, the divisions, the expectations, all based around one young woman from the lower village who marries a man from the upper village, and when he dies soon after the marriage his family blame her and take revenge. While this is happening the upper village wants a statue of Christ built on the mountaintop above the village and this divides the village even more.
October 29, 2020
While the story itself was grand, this is light reading and you expect an ending not to just tie up loose lines but to leave you either wanting more or at least have a contented feeling. Instead I just felt let down.
July 16, 2013
I don't think I have ever read a duller "novel" than this one. Apart from the cultural inaccuracies and misspelling of Italian words (more accurate research would have helped), what I found extremely irritating is the plethora of stereotypes about the Italian culture and the depiction of unlikely situation (e.g. Carlotta deciding to become a nun after she finds out that her long lost daughter is being brought up in the local convent and the nuns agreeing with her decision). A waste of time, I am glad I did not pay a penny for the book as I got it from a local book-crossing group. A pile of rubbish. I rated it one star because I could not rate it anything less than that.
March 23, 2015
Set in a small Italian village, a light story that follows the short marriage then widowhood of the beautiful Raffaela. It painted a picture of the village and its characters-some of them I wanted to slap-but the storyline itself felt slightly naive and wooden. The best part was the food descriptions-she would make a wonderful restaurant critic or food reviewer!!
July 4, 2021
I picked this one up on a whim at a used book store while on vacation. This was a decent beach read. The writing itself is beautiful, but the story seemed a bit disjointed and slow going.
March 31, 2022
Light, poignant. I loved how the story played out. The book makes you crave for freshly made Italian food and a glass of wine while reading it.
August 9, 2017
Foi a minha estreia e fiquei agradavelmente surpreendida, o que me fez ficar com vontade de ler mais livros escritos por ela.
A história gira em torno de Raffaella, jovem filha de um pescador, que desde criança se apaixonou por um rapaz da terra, de famílias abastadas. Chega finalmente a altura em que casam e a vida que Raffaella pensou ser de sonho, rapidamente se transforma em pesadelo, com a morte precoce do jovem marido.
A partir daí, visto que é rejeitada pela família do marido, tem que se fazer à vida e arranja emprego.
Começa então a conhecer novas pessoas e novas realidades, nunca desfazendo os laços com o passado e sem esquecer a memória do falecido marido.
No meio de todo este enredo há a construção de uma estátua na vila onde vive, ideia acarinhada por uns e odiada por outros, facto que também vai fazer com que Raffaella seja apanhada na teia dos acontecimentos.
Livro recomendado a quem gosta de leitura fácil e relaxante.
A história gira em torno de Raffaella, jovem filha de um pescador, que desde criança se apaixonou por um rapaz da terra, de famílias abastadas. Chega finalmente a altura em que casam e a vida que Raffaella pensou ser de sonho, rapidamente se transforma em pesadelo, com a morte precoce do jovem marido.
A partir daí, visto que é rejeitada pela família do marido, tem que se fazer à vida e arranja emprego.
Começa então a conhecer novas pessoas e novas realidades, nunca desfazendo os laços com o passado e sem esquecer a memória do falecido marido.
No meio de todo este enredo há a construção de uma estátua na vila onde vive, ideia acarinhada por uns e odiada por outros, facto que também vai fazer com que Raffaella seja apanhada na teia dos acontecimentos.
Livro recomendado a quem gosta de leitura fácil e relaxante.
November 26, 2022
Raffaella is the daughter of a fisherman in the small town of Triento Southern Italy.
She marries her childhood sweetheart Marcello who is from a well to do family.
Everything goes well for the first year of their marriage until Marcello falls ill and dies.
Raffaella is now a young widow whose husbands family believes she has poisoned him.
The town decide to build a statue at the top of the mountain square but there are fights amongst the fisherman and towns priests. The priests decide to go ahead with the build and bring in an americano, so they offer Raffaella a job to look after this man by cooking and cleaning.
This story intertwines people from below a village and people above the village. Twists and turns, relationships, past hurts, support through troubled times and finding love.
She marries her childhood sweetheart Marcello who is from a well to do family.
Everything goes well for the first year of their marriage until Marcello falls ill and dies.
Raffaella is now a young widow whose husbands family believes she has poisoned him.
The town decide to build a statue at the top of the mountain square but there are fights amongst the fisherman and towns priests. The priests decide to go ahead with the build and bring in an americano, so they offer Raffaella a job to look after this man by cooking and cleaning.
This story intertwines people from below a village and people above the village. Twists and turns, relationships, past hurts, support through troubled times and finding love.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 26, 2020
A heart-warming story woven through all the complexities of living in a tiny Italian town with all the complex characters who make living a little like crawling through an obstacle course each day. A fast and easy read that is a joy to pick up each time and be transported to the charms of Italy.
August 24, 2020
Dutch: Het duurde even vooraleer ik in het verhaal gezogen werd. Het boek verschillende malen terug opnieuw weggelegd, tot ik uiteindelijk aan het midden van het boek belandde. Plots kwam er wat tempo in het verhaal...
Laatste deel (net als haar beschrijvingen van Italië) vond ik wel echt goed...
Laatste deel (net als haar beschrijvingen van Italië) vond ik wel echt goed...
August 20, 2021
A gorgeously romantic love story of love,loss and the human nature.
I loved being transported to the old city in a small town in Italy. The writing so detailed it was luxurious. A little lengthy and dragged at times but overall a sweet story. For those who love Italy and food this is inspiring.
I loved being transported to the old city in a small town in Italy. The writing so detailed it was luxurious. A little lengthy and dragged at times but overall a sweet story. For those who love Italy and food this is inspiring.
June 8, 2017
Seemed to take me a long time to finish this book but nevertheless it was enjoyable from start to finish.
April 11, 2019
Enjoyable read
I really enjoy Nicky Pelligrino's books. She takes you to Italy. She's the type of writer that captures your imagination. A great holiday read.
I really enjoy Nicky Pelligrino's books. She takes you to Italy. She's the type of writer that captures your imagination. A great holiday read.
July 8, 2019
Μου άρεσε πολύ γτ είχε όλες τις γεύσεις κ τα αρώματα της Ιταλίας, καθώς επίσης έχουμε παρομοια νοοτροπία. Ας μην είχε καλό τέλος. Ήταν μια όμορφη ιστορία
June 1, 2020
Quite enjoyable but story pretty slow to grab me.
November 22, 2020
Found this one a bit slow to get going compared to her previous books.
February 22, 2021
I enjoyed this book set in a coastal town in Italy.
October 13, 2021
Ik las het boek in Italië. Heerlijk om in Italiaanse sferen te blijven.
November 21, 2021
Wonderful, from first page to last!!
Want to read
April 10, 2023Antonia’s
June 9, 2023
Wonderful summer read
November 15, 2020
Set in the Italian village of Triento, The Gypsy Tearoom follows Raffaella Moretti, a beautiful young girl who finds herself widowed after only a year of marriage, as she tries to find her way again.
This is a lovely book that tells a tale of love and friendship. It felt very wholesome and I loved reading it. Highly recommended, 4 stars
This is a lovely book that tells a tale of love and friendship. It felt very wholesome and I loved reading it. Highly recommended, 4 stars
February 15, 2012
Esta é uma das minhas autoras de eleição. A sua escrita é agradável, descreve os pormenores que prendem o leitor e desenha uma história cativante que nos delicía até à última página.
A Cozinha Italiana está sempre presente nos livros de Nicky e este não é excepção, mas no caso, será um tipo de cozinha tradicional, em que a autora faz questão de recorrer á base dos produtos italianos e com coisas simples fazer deliciosos manjares.
Raffaella é a nossa protagonista. Apesar de vir duma classe de pescadores da vila de Triento, ela “apanhou” o coração do rapaz mais belo e o qual pertence a uma das famílias mais respeitadas e ricas da vila.
Depois do casamento de sonho, ela não esperava que a sua felicidade tivesse os dias contados. E uma tragédia deita por terra todos os seus sonhos.
Viúva e sem sítio para onde ir, aceita a proposta dos padres e vai trabalhar para a Villa Rosa como governanta. Será aí que ela estará a par das notícias a respeito da construção da Cruz, situação que divide a aldeia em termos de opinião e de classes, pois o arquitecto responsável ficará hospedado nesta linda Villa.
No entanto, o enredo vai trazer outras histórias: a bela história de Silvana, infeliz e perdida, a quem Raffalella e a mãe darão uma ajuda na Padaria e também no amor, aqui com o apoio do dono da pizzaria Casa de Chá Cigana, que nutre um grande amor pela nossa protagonista. A história de Carlotta, filha do jardineiro da Villa Rosa e que esconde um segredo, responsável pela sua infelicidade. A história dos pais de Raffaella, família de pescadores, humildes e que tudo farão para fazer valer a sua palavra. Mas irão eles longe de mais? Poderá Raffalella salvá-los?
Lê-se de um trago e quando acaba, desejamos por mais. Recomendo.
A Cozinha Italiana está sempre presente nos livros de Nicky e este não é excepção, mas no caso, será um tipo de cozinha tradicional, em que a autora faz questão de recorrer á base dos produtos italianos e com coisas simples fazer deliciosos manjares.
Raffaella é a nossa protagonista. Apesar de vir duma classe de pescadores da vila de Triento, ela “apanhou” o coração do rapaz mais belo e o qual pertence a uma das famílias mais respeitadas e ricas da vila.
Depois do casamento de sonho, ela não esperava que a sua felicidade tivesse os dias contados. E uma tragédia deita por terra todos os seus sonhos.
Viúva e sem sítio para onde ir, aceita a proposta dos padres e vai trabalhar para a Villa Rosa como governanta. Será aí que ela estará a par das notícias a respeito da construção da Cruz, situação que divide a aldeia em termos de opinião e de classes, pois o arquitecto responsável ficará hospedado nesta linda Villa.
No entanto, o enredo vai trazer outras histórias: a bela história de Silvana, infeliz e perdida, a quem Raffalella e a mãe darão uma ajuda na Padaria e também no amor, aqui com o apoio do dono da pizzaria Casa de Chá Cigana, que nutre um grande amor pela nossa protagonista. A história de Carlotta, filha do jardineiro da Villa Rosa e que esconde um segredo, responsável pela sua infelicidade. A história dos pais de Raffaella, família de pescadores, humildes e que tudo farão para fazer valer a sua palavra. Mas irão eles longe de mais? Poderá Raffalella salvá-los?
Lê-se de um trago e quando acaba, desejamos por mais. Recomendo.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 84 reviews