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Italian for Beginners

by Kristin Harmel (Goodreads Author)

3.63 of 5 stars 3.63 · rating details · 782 ratings · 144 reviews

Thirty-four-year-old Manhattan accountant Cat Connelly has always lived life on the safe side. But after her little sister gets married, Cat wonders if she has condemned herself to a life of boredom by playing by the rules. She decides to take a chance for once, accepting an invitation to spend a month with an old flame in Italy. But her reunion with the slick and gorgeous...more

Paperback, 384 pages

Published August 13th 2009 by 5 Spot (first published February 5th 2009)

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Jul 27, 2012 Lirio rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book is a WOW! Such an amazing one! When i first saw the book, i wasn't interested at all 'cause i thought it's merely a guide for beginners wanting to be proficient in the Italian Language..But..i was wrong. This book now is one of my favorites!

I love Cat Conelly! Such a lovely woman, i guess. I admire her character being a loving daughter and a sister. There's Marco too, and i super love him!! He's so cool, kind-hearted and a real gentleman.. Haha, i'm actually fantasizing to be with a ma...more

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Jul 22, 2011 Rebecca rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: chicklit

Another winner from one of my current favorite authors. And now I have finished everything she has written at the moment. This book takes our protag to Rome. Girl is very straight laced and always looking out for her father and crazy sister before herself. Dad talks her into breaking out of the mold and going back to Italy, the only place she has spent more time in her younger days then home. She goes, but not without some hurdles, of course. Before she goes away, she goes out on a "perfect" dat...more

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Dec 27, 2010 Kathleen rated it 4 of 5 stars

I wasn’t sure how this book landed in my house; before opening it I literally thought it was a primer for teaching the language to the interested reader. Instead, it is a story of a young woman, marked by her mother’s abandonment and then death, stuck in her anger toward her mother, driven to be responsible and committed to living her life on the safe side. When she decides to visit Rome and reconnect to an old boyfriend, she unexpectedly encounters people and experiences that are life changing....more

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Oct 09, 2010 Jessica Lawlor rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2010

Italian for Beginners by Kristin Harmel tells the story of Cat Connelly, a New York City accountant. Cat’s life is not very exciting- she goes to work and spends time with her father and her sister with a few not so hot relationships thrown in here and there. She is the definition of dependable.

After her little sister ties the knot, Cat knows she needs to change something in her life. After much debate, she decides to go to Rome, where she spent a semester as a college student. She e-mails her o...more

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Oct 09, 2010 Nan rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: revision, romance

This is one of the few books where the cover truly tells a part of the story. The young woman with her dark bobbed hair, the handsome man with a chiseled jaw, and a Vespa are instantly enough to bring to mind the famous Audrey Hepburn film Roman Holiday. That's actually a good thing, as the film plays an important role in the story--one that I found both unexpected and delightful.

As the novel opens, Cat is a bridesmaid at her young sister's wedding. Their grandmother (seemingly in early stages o...more This is one of the few books where the cover truly tells a part of the story. The young woman with her dark bobbed hair, the handsome man with a chiseled jaw, and a Vespa are instantly enough to bring to mind the famous Audrey Hepburn film Roman Holiday. That's actually a good thing, as the film plays an important role in the story--one that I found both unexpected and delightful.

As the novel opens, Cat is a bridesmaid at her young sister's wedding. Their grandmother (seemingly in early stages of Alzheimer's) causes a ruckus, asking Cat in the middle of the ceremony why she isn't married yet. Between that public humiliation, and a divine--but then disastrous--date with a man she met at the reception, Cat realizes that something has to change in her life.

Since she was 11 years old, she's always been the responsible person in her family. That was the year her mother left them, inexplicably, and Cat found herself trying desperately to be a mother to her younger sister and keep the household functioning. Her mother returned five years later, and Cat never forgave her--which became a serious problem for her when Cat's mother died unexpectedly a few years later, leaving so much unresolved between them.

At the instigation of her family and a friendly coworker, Cat decides to return to Rome. She'd been there once before as a junior in college, and she'd fallen madly in love with an Italian named Francesco. Maybe, she reasons, the reason that she's been so unlucky in love since then is because she turned her back on it so long ago . . .

Except that Francesco isn't the man she remembered. Finding herself stuck in Rome for a month, Cat decides that she's going to stay and make the trip something to remember. And does she ever. By taking chances and opening herself to new friendships, Cat begins the slow and painful business of confronting the ghosts of her past so that she can actually have a future.

I, too, lost my mother when I was young. I don't normally enjoy books about motherless daughters, especially when that is the defining fact of their character, but this one was different. I hate to call a book "relatable," as I think that's one of the worst sorts of adjectives. Books should be considered good whether or not a reader can relate to the characters. But I did see parts of myself in Cat, which causes a bit of a dilemma for me. So, instead of saying that I enjoyed this book because I found Cat to be relatable, I'll simply say that Harmel's characters are psychologically real and complicated, with uncertain motivations and desires.

I loved this title. I don't know if I'll read Harmel's other books, but Italian for Beginners spoke to me, and I recommend it highly.(less)

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Nov 19, 2009 Renee rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I often read books about traveling also there's a romance, that could spices things up!! So this book began with an old romance with a man in Italy back when she was in really young age, then afterward she had lost contact with that man, as the time flew by, and the end of story told that the main character got herself a new boyfriend, discovered new things, her pasts, her dreams, and lived a happy life, this short yet catching story and I can really imagine the amazingly beautiful views at ther...more

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Oct 20, 2009 Namratha Kumar rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: chick-lit

If this is your first chick-lit, you’ll enjoy it thoroughly. And if it’s your 55th chick-lit, you may not be blown away by the story but will still come away with a warm fuzzy feeling. I come under the latter category and ‘Italian for Beginners’ was a fun romp.

The plot has been done to death… Sensible yet single heroine on the wrong side of thirty…nosey relatives who love to drop poisonous barbs at every given opportunity (especially at embarrassing public gatherings like weddings)…unresolved i...more If this is your first chick-lit, you’ll enjoy it thoroughly. And if it’s your 55th chick-lit, you may not be blown away by the story but will still come away with a warm fuzzy feeling. I come under the latter category and ‘Italian for Beginners’ was a fun romp.

The plot has been done to death… Sensible yet single heroine on the wrong side of thirty…nosey relatives who love to drop poisonous barbs at every given opportunity (especially at embarrassing public gatherings like weddings)…unresolved issues with a deceased parent....a well-paying though dead-end job…and the cherry on the cake: a non-existent love-life. Say hello to our heroine:Cat Connelly.

Cat meets the seemingly perfect man, but things go awry when she learns that he is married. In a bid to break out of her safe mould, she scoots off to Rome (a place she has always loved), where she hopes to reunite with an old flame. But the book is 340-pages thick and Cat’s problems cannot be solved so soon. She encounters crazy situations and messy emotions that she could have done without. She learns to deal with her past baggage. She rediscovers her self…her self-worth…and people who prop her up with their buoyancy and sheer pig-headedness.

And the whole transformation was brought about in a glorious setting…the dusty, mellow around the edges, steeped in culture Roma . These were the parts I liked best. The author, Kirstin Harmel lets her love for the ancient city pour out through tiny but delicious descriptions, like:

I took a deep breath, soaking in the smells around me; baking bread from a nearby bakery; a hint of lavender perfume hanging in the air from the giggling pair of twenty-something girls who had just passed by; the slightly salty, slighty muddy smell of the Tiber river, drifting in from a block away.

I started off getting irritated with Cat’s seeming lack of backbone to feeling happy as I watched her grow, glow and shed her insecurities. A sweet light read that gives you a few moist-eyed moments; but mostly fills you with a strong yearning to wear a white sundress, a floppy straw-hat, gladiator-sandals and have your own l'il Roman Holiday
(less)

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Sep 23, 2009 Trisha W. rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Sigh, what a perfect romance. This book took place in Italy and the way the author described the streets made you feel like you were there. Cat is the main character in this book, she is the one who always does for others and never for herself. After her mother leaves them when she is younger, then comes back, Cat had never forgiven her. Her dad, sister, and her were close and Cat thought she needed to take care of them. After her younger sister gets married, and she is embarrassed at the weddin...more

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Sep 16, 2009 Juli rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2009, new-in-2009, own-and-read

The only way I forced myself to finish this book was because I'd hurt my back the night before and this was the only book I could reach without getting up. :P

The idea is really not terrible (and neither was the descriptions of Italy and the ending was kind of cute, otherwise, I'd have given it only one star), but the execution lacked... something. I think I'd have preferred this as a short story. The word "wonderment" was used twice, and that's twice too many. Several characters' jaws dropped mo...more The only way I forced myself to finish this book was because I'd hurt my back the night before and this was the only book I could reach without getting up. :P

The idea is really not terrible (and neither was the descriptions of Italy and the ending was kind of cute, otherwise, I'd have given it only one star), but the execution lacked... something. I think I'd have preferred this as a short story. The word "wonderment" was used twice, and that's twice too many. Several characters' jaws dropped more than once (probably ever other page.) Everyone, including the men, murmured, smirked, and blushed. The main character is supposed to be mature and someone who's always had to take care of her family since her mother left, and then came back, and then died, but she has no faith in herself, and while she always martyrs herself and says it's because she has always been the dependable one (which I actually empathize with, but not in the way she goes on and on), she never says until the end of the book that it's because she always felt as if she had to be perfect or someone else would leave her, too, which makes her a lot more sympathetic. I think the short story version could have cut out a lot of the lengthy hemming and hawing of the main character (whom I hated, even at the end), and just let her have fun in Rome. She is a boring accountant in NY, but mentions constantly out of context how more in control of her life she feels when she's behind a camera, but she insists when people start lavishing her with compliments about her art and great talent that photography's just a hobby. She always thinks before someone praises her that they are about to either walk away without saying anything or else will tell her she sucks. It just got old. And the Roman Holiday parallels... enough already! Although now I do want to see the movie again. So at least there's that. :P

I think I'm just tired of typical chick lit, and that's not the author's fault. All in all, she had a good idea, but I doubt I'll read anything else by her unless someone else who didn't like this book thinks she improved later in her writing.(less)

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Aug 14, 2009 Michelle rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Italian for Beginners was appealing for many reasons. First, I’ve read all of Kristin Harmel’s previous novels and enjoyed each one and knew that this too would provide that same level of entertainment and enjoyment. I can happily tell you it did, in spades.

It was, however, a bit of a departure from her previous work. I felt the story was more deeply emotional than her other novels. Outside of Cat’s obvious (and warranted) trust issues she also owns a heaping case of low self-esteem. Moreover, i...more Italian for Beginners was appealing for many reasons. First, I’ve read all of Kristin Harmel’s previous novels and enjoyed each one and knew that this too would provide that same level of entertainment and enjoyment. I can happily tell you it did, in spades.

It was, however, a bit of a departure from her previous work. I felt the story was more deeply emotional than her other novels. Outside of Cat’s obvious (and warranted) trust issues she also owns a heaping case of low self-esteem. Moreover, infused throughout the story readers are given insight into the instability of her life via some heavy underlying issues. It’s these same issues that play such a significant role in shaping how her relationships with friends, family and potential lovers continue to be formulated and manipulated all the way through her time in Italy and back to the US again.

None of this is to say there isn’t a fair share of comedy and light-heartedness because there is plenty of that too, I wouldn’t want to paint Italian For Beginners as a dark or brooding story because it’s not. For example, the eclectic group of friends Cat makes during her time in Italy provides an extremely happy place. We also get some good chuckles out of the self-centered and somewhat clueless baby sister. It’s just that much of this is not the heart of the story.

One of the reasons I believe this particular story resonated so deeply with me is that I felt Cat’s life, in some respects, mirrored my own. I felt a kinship with her — Harmel wrote an exceptional character that allowed me to feel the vulnerability and pain she was experiencing. I bonded with Cat and I can tell you that does not happen with me often. She is a character that is deeply committed to her family and views herself as the primary caretaker. She takes this role seriously but also to the extreme. While at times certain people worked those traits to their advantage ultimately her family saw how important it was for Cat to strike out and make a life for herself. A life that isn’t solely centered around them.

There wasn’t anything in the plot of Cat going to Italy to discover herself that I found unrealistic or particularly cliched. I found her journey to be one of profound self-discovery. More importantly it helped her become a better communicator. She was forced to face a great many truths about herself and her family. In doing so this book went away from the typical formulaic chick lit novel where woman meets man, woman is destined to be with man, then woman and man get together. I mean, don’t get me wrong there was a fair share of romance but unlike many books in the genre that aspect took a back seat to the larger emotional issues. As a reader I appreciated that Cat’s story wasn’t just about chasing men and “oh by the way I discovered myself on the way” plot points. These elements were reversed and on Cat’s road to self-discovery she happened to find a man too. I felt it was quite empowering for her and for the reader to know that yes a woman can survive adversity and still get it all in the end. Not only that but she gets it all in a way that (I felt) prioritized the most important aspects of life first. Get your own life in order, love and care for your family and friends (to an extent) and in the end romance will fall into place.

Speaking of ends falling into place I’m sure you can sense through this review that I encourage you to go out and grab a copy of Italian For Beginners it’s an entertaining and heart-warming read.(less)

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Jul 24, 2011 Jaime rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

As an expat, I have recently developed a love for stories involving travel. Stories that combine romance and travel are all the better. That is why Italian for Beginners seemed exactly what I wanted. Unfortunately, I was left feeling a little flat.

At the beginning of the book, I didn’t get a real feel for the character. Instead of being swept into the story, I couldn’t help but feel like Harmel was exerting too much control over the characters, making them say what they ‘need’ to say to get the...more

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Aug 24, 2009 Debbie rated it 4 of 5 stars

I was surprised just how into this book I got. For chick lit type books I normally can pick it up and put it down as I have time to read but this one kept me going up until the end even though it meant staying up late to finish reading it. The opening chapter was hilarious (in a glad it wasn’t me way) as we see Cat’s grandmother embarrass Cat at her younger sister’s wedding by wondering aloud why Cat is not married at the spinster age of 34. At her sister’s wedding reception she also meets a han...more

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Mar 25, 2010 Kari rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: chick-lit

30-something Cat is single, living in Manhattan, and has absolutely nothing exciting in her life. I mean, from the start you want to like this character but you quickly realize she is BORING; she's done nothing interesting since she studied abroad in Rome thirteen years ago. At her younger sister's wedding, Cat gets humiliated by Grandma and, with a push from her nearest and dearest, decides to take a four-week long vacation to Rome and reunite with her former Italian flame.

Well it's no surprise...more

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May 04, 2010 Shanyn (Chick Loves Lit) rated it 3 of 5 stars

I thought that Italian for Beginners was a great summer read. It wasn't entirely fluffy (the main character Cat deals with a few issues during the course of the book), but was very easy to follow.

The thing that I noticed most at the end of the book was how slowly the days seemed to move - Cat only planned to be there for a few weeks, but it seemed to me like so many things happened while she was there that she was actually there for months. I did consider that she didn't have a job or many other...more

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Jan 24, 2010 Jeannen rated it 2 of 5 stars

My lifelong and recently-renewed love of Italy led me astray with this book. The plot felt contrived -- not true to how people really behave (if you have someone staying with you and you know they don't speak the local language, do you really walk off and leave them alone in an unfamiliar neighborhood in the middle of the night?) -- and I couldn't connect with the narrator at all. 1st person narratives only work for me if the narrator is an interested and articulate observer of what is going on...more

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Aug 02, 2011 Renee Beaucage added it · review of another edition

One of my favourite types of books to read are those where the characters are in a different country, where I can learn about a new culture, language, etc. I knew I'd love Italian For Beginners because I love Europe. I haven't had the pleasure of visiting Italy, however Harmel's descriptions of the sights and places in Rome are enough to create a fantastic picture if your mind. I find Harmel's writing style very similar to my own, therefore creating a stronger connection to her work than anticip...more

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Aug 24, 2010 Alexei rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: generic-fiction, read-in-2010

Eh, I liked the descriptions of Rome, the writing was okay, but the characterization was poor and stereotypical. It was like a bad fusion of In Her Shoes with Under the Tuscan Sun (not to insult either of those very fine books). I just could not like Cat. She let her mean little sister push her around, she jumped into bed with guys she barely knew, was the only person in her family with a steady paycheck but apparently gave all the money away, and then whined constantly about how her life was bo...more

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Dec 14, 2009 Susan rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: lbd-books

Tricky one this one. It was one of those books where I just HAD to skip forward and see what where I was headed before I actually went there. But for a chick-lit it was well written (but what was with all the typos in the edition I read!!!) and the emotional depth that the main character revealed was a change. It just was a pity that the book ended before the reader learnt fully how things ended romantically for Cat, but then perhaps the last words are a clue?

A surprisingly emotional read for me...more

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Sep 14, 2011 Jennifer rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Looking for some light and frothy summer books I first I read the Straight Talking book by Jane Green (that has pretty good reviews) and although the author was pretty bawdy and did not hold back on her discussions of sex and 4-letters words which seemed to just lay everything out on the table about the writer (as it's written in a diary style, speaking to you the reader) I found the Italian for Beginners book much more intimate with less sex descriptions and more honesty. I liked this book and...more

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Jun 13, 2010 Sarah rated it 3 of 5 stars

Actually, a 2.5 star book

Pros of this Book:
1. It was easy to read when I was sick, drifting in and out of sleep, waiting for the dr. to come in, sitting in waiting rooms, etc.
2. The plot and the characters were not too advanced, so it was super easy to follow.
3. A good summer read - a feel good book.

Cons of this book:
1. Entirely too predictable. I had the entire book figured out from about page 25, and I was heavily drugged! lol
2. Really wanted to be Jennifer Weiner or Bridget Jones, but failed...more

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Apr 07, 2010 Teresa rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2010

Summary from the Publisher

Thirty-four-year-old Manhattan accountant Cat Connelly has always lived life on the safe side. But after her little sister gets married, Cat wonders if she has condemned herself to a life of boredom by playing by the rules. She decides to take a chance for once, accepting an invitation to spend a month with an old flame in Italy. But her reunion with the slick and gorgeous Francesco is short-lived, and she finds herself suddenly alone in Rome. Now, she must see if she h...more

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Aug 13, 2012 Sarah rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A nice light read - Cat Connelly is easy to relate to. How many of us have made all the 'right' decisions in life but still have a little part that wonders what else is out there and what adventures you have missed? Now i am not saying it is even remotely conceivable for most people to just take a month off and fly to Rome but wouldn't it be nice?

I was reading another review that stated that a lot of the plot twists are a little too convenient for reality but, hey, it isn't reality! It is a good...more

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Oct 13, 2012 Bonnie rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: chick-flick

I consider Italian for Beginners as one of the best reading discoveries! This book was impossible to put down because of:

1. Roman Holiday is a beloved romantic classic
2. Cat is a relatable single women.
3. The tenderness Harmel puts into describing a romantic kiss.

Admittingly, I love a good romance. Cat dumps her boyfriend just before her younger sister's wedding. The insufferable question remains. Why are you still single?

The truth is I agree with Cat. She had not found true love. Why shoul...more

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Apr 13, 2011 Daniela rated it 4 of 5 stars

I absolutely adored this book. I'm so happy that I just plucked it off the shelf at the bookstore, because it said "Italian" in the beginning of the name. I'm Italian myself, so I already know the lanuage fluently, but I was interested to see how they would start a "Beginners" book on it, and I was surprised to see that it was a novel and not a self-help book on learning the language.

I've already recommended this book to two of my co-workers, and I'll definitely be recommending it to my friends...more I absolutely adored this book. I'm so happy that I just plucked it off the shelf at the bookstore, because it said "Italian" in the beginning of the name. I'm Italian myself, so I already know the lanuage fluently, but I was interested to see how they would start a "Beginners" book on it, and I was surprised to see that it was a novel and not a self-help book on learning the language.

I've already recommended this book to two of my co-workers, and I'll definitely be recommending it to my friends. Not only was this book fun, wonderful, inspirational and spiritual, it also makes you wonder about your own life. Where it's headed and how it came to be. I haven't been this inspired by a book, since "Eat, Pray, Love" and I read a book everyday.

The main character, Cat was just a hoot. She was strong. Funny. Insecure. Confident. Loving. Charming. All mixed into one. She's a 34 year old woman whose very successful in her career, but not in love. Her home life is a shattered one because of her now deceased mother. She was left to raise her little sister and take care of her father, but never had time for herself. The only time, Cat, was ever happy was when she spent one summer in Rome for school, abroad.

After another "bad" date with a man she thought she could come to really like, she decides to just let go and fly back to Rome to find the one man she fell in love with and left a long time ago, Francesco. In Rome, that's where Cat, comes alive. That's when we truly "see" who Cat is. What she cares about. Loves. Feels. We also learn a lot about the mother that once left her and her sister & father when she was a little girl. Cat meets her mother's family. The story is heart breaking and sad. But, it's pure of love.

Also in Rome, Cat befriends Katerina and her family. Another wonderful story behind that. But, of course, the best of it, is Marco. The man who rescues her from the streets (literally) one night. They quickly become close and form a bond. We get to see Cat's vulernability, her warmth, her love.

When she's faced with the moment of going back home, back to her old life, will she? Can she now leave behind the NEW life and family & friends that she's come to love in a month?

Not only do we get to see Cat's story. But, we get to see Rome's story. We learn about the architecture. The food. The people. It's a wonderful read. It makes you feel as if you're in Rome yourself. If you're a traveler, you'll totally understand. And if you've already been on a Roman holiday yourself, you'll feel as if you're there once again.

Take yourself on a Roman holiday with Cat and her family & friends...You will not be dissapointed. This book made me want to pack my bags and head off to Rome to find myself too!!(less)

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Jun 21, 2009 Esther Kirby rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Mar 15, 2012 Sharon rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: No one

I didn't even finish this one. It was like the author just gathered every cliche in order to create a book. How in the world someone actually published it and paid this author for this creation is beyond my comprehension. There wasn't a single character that was likeable. I stopped reading this because I didn't want to spend my time reading a book that wasn't enjoyable. This one isn't worth it even if you get it for free - and I paid $9.99. Yes, let's all say it together ... sucker!

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Nov 15, 2009 Kathy Ginocchio rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fluff, total-chick-lit

I thought this book would be total fluff - I picked it up from the library shelf because it reminded me of Roman Holiday. Come to find out, that's not by accident! While it's a location piece that extolls the virtues of Rome and all thngs Italian (mostly, the food and wine, and the men too!) - it was actually a good life lesson book. The main character learns alot about herself and causes you to think yourself. A good read - quick, weekend fare, but actually substantial as well.

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Jul 19, 2011 Danie P. rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: adult-fiction

For an adult who seemingly has it together she is pretty awful when it comes to her personal life. Cat dumps her boyfriend bc she just isn't feeling it. Then she runs into her dream guy but when his secretary says something like "your mother in law is on the phone and it's an emergency" she jumps to conclusions without hearing the rest of the story.

I enjoyed the easy reading factor of this summer novel but the character was sort of unrelatable.

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Mar 31, 2010 Kristin rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

-I totally bought this book because I had a gift card, I thought it was going to go into detail about Rome, and the author's name is Kristin :-p
-I don't think I'll remember this book. Nothing about it stood out :( I was so excited to read about Rome but everything was cliche, predictable, and boring. You wouldn't even believe that the author spent time in Rome...she didn't talk about anything new.
-I didn't like the main characters at all.
+I liked reading about Cat's photography. I liked how the...more

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Oct 12, 2012 Elora Shore rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This was a lovely book, with a touching personal journey. I really liked the characters, and the complete, real feeling of being in Italy. I was impressed. It was a wonderful story, though I loved it more for the personal journey, than the romance. I'm not a fan of man-hopping, which this does have to an extent. And has revealing scenes, to my point of view, but it was a wonderful book nonetheless, one I'd be happy to have.

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About Kristin Harmel

Hi everyone! My name is Kristin Harmel, and I'm the author of seven novels, including THE SWEETNESS OF FORGETTING, which comes out this August from Simon & Schuster! I'm so happy to finally be on goodreads!

In addition to writing books (including ITALIAN FOR BEGINNERS and the YA novel AFTER), I've also been a magazine writer for years; my credits include People, Men's Health, Woman's Day, Ameri...more

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