Secrets in Translation

by Margo Sorenson

In this celebration of Italian life and culture, seventeen-year-old Alessandra returns for the summer to Italy, where she grew up. Pressured by her parents into babysitting a rebellious twelve year old—ruining holiday plans with newfound American friends—Alessandra resigns herself to a tedious summer in Positano.

Her babysitting gig, however, turns out to be anything but boring! Not only does Alessandra fall for the handsome son of the Bertolucci family, renowned for their limoncello production, but when a body mysteriously turns up on the beach, the influence of organized crime in Positano becomes frighteningly real. As Alessandra is drawn further into an elaborate conspiracy, she must risk everything to protect herself, her family, and those she loves, and in the process finds herself—and her Italian heart.

Genres: Young Adult

Unknown Binding

Published January 1, 2018

About the author

Fun ahead for young readers with Margo's two newest picture books, LITTLE CALABASH (Island Heritage, Fall 2020) and CALVIN GETS THE LAST WORD (Tilbury House, October 2020), which was featured in the New York Times Children's Books review. Margo's 30th book, YA/Adult novel SECRETS IN TRANSLATION set in Italy was released in 2018 by Fitzroy Books. Her 27th book, picture book SPAGHETTI SMILES was released in 2014 by Pelican Publishing. Margo Sorenson was born in Washington, DC, and spent the first seven years of her life in Spain and Italy, devouring books and Italian food. She finished her school years in California, graduating from the University of California at Los Angeles. After teaching high school and middle school and raising a family of two daughters, Margo is now a full-time writer, writing primarily for young people of all ages, toddlers through high schoolers. Margo enjoys writing for young readers since she believes they are ready for new ideas and experiences, and they really have fun "living" the lives of the characters in books. She enjoys meeting with her readers in school and library settings from Minnesota to California and Hawaii.

Besides winning recognition and awards for her books from various groups, including finalist for the Minnesota Book Award, nominations from the American Library Association and winning the Milken National Educator Award, Margo was invited to donate and archive her working papers with the internationally-known children's literature collection, the Kerlan Collection, at the University of Minnesota. After having lived in Hawaii, California, and Minnesota, Margo and her husband now live full-time in Rancho Mission Viejo, California. When she isn't writing, she enjoys visiting her grandchildren, playing golf, reading, watching sports, traveling, and hearing from her readers. Margo is represented by Dan Cramer of Page Turner Literary Agency.

Reviews

[Dianne Hales · Rating 5 out of 5]

A teenage romance as sweet and satisfying as a summer day on the Amalfi coast, with a dark twist to add to the page-turning mystery. Margo Sorenson has deftly captured the enigmatic moodiness of a tween, the budding self-awareness of an almost-adult young woman, and the tantalizing seductiveness of Italy—and its young men.
A delightful armchair excursion to the romantic heart of southern Italy! Brava!

[Tonja Drecker · Rating 5 out of 5]

The beauty of Italy comes to life, while a young woman struggles to find her place but ends up facing a danger she never would have expected to find.

Alessandra (Alex) returns to Italy for the summer after moving to the US. She's not thrilled, especially when she's put in charge of a twelve-year-old girl, who is anything but simple and keeps her on her toes. But while trying to deal with the difficult pre-teen, she meets a very interesting guy. Just when the vacation appears it might be looking up, a dead body turns up on the beach and the organized crime running the place hits with harsh reality. Suddenly, Alex is facing an entirely new level of problems, and the stakes couldn't be higher since it involves the lives of not only her family but even her own.

There's so much to enjoy in this novel, and it makes sure to twist everything in the right way at the right time to keep the reader in the pages the entire way through. While the beginning takes on a more teen-drama start with Alex having to deal with an unwanted baby-sitting task and ruining her hopes, it melds into more than the usual romance like some novels for this age group tend to do. Instead, mystery and thrilling moments come in. The tension doesn't start right away as the reader is first drawn into the setting. Italy, the culture, and the life show their beauty and enjoyable sides. It will have the reader wishing they could be there, too. But just as these aspects begin to work their magic, little drips of tension begin to filter in. It grows little by little until the action and mystery take control. It's well-paced, carries heart, and makes even my 'action-fan' side smile.

As for the romance, this wasn't as sugar-sweet as I feared it might be. Instead, it holds the dreamy beginnings but adds just enough twist to make it interesting and slide right in with the quicker pacing as the read continues. It's hard to guess what will happen even on this front.

This is an enjoyable read, which offers Italian goodness while giving so much more and promises readers anything but a boring read.

[Bethany · Rating 5 out of 5]

After living in America and having trouble fitting in, Alex is hesitant to return to Italy. However, her parents won't let her out of the task of being the nanny for their friend's 12 year old, Carrie. Carrie seems like a brat and Alex wonders how she's supposed to rein her in and keep her straight while dealing with holding on to her American side. Then, she meets the adorable Carlo. He's sweet and is all about business. He and Alex don't connect at first, but that just keeps things interesting.

But not everything is as it seems in the little Italian town they choose to stay at. The Sacra Lista, the Italian mafia, are working in the background. Alex finds it hard deciphering who she can trust and who is lying straight to her face. Then, bad things start happening to those she cares for and she can't just sit by and do nothing.

SECRETS IN TRANSLATION is a cute contemporary romance that also focuses on discovering yourself. Alex has an identity crisis because she wants to hold on to her new American side. However, in Italy, it's so easy for her to fall back into her Italian roots, especially when she's with Carlo. I love the inclusion of the mafia because it brings suspense and mystery to this novel which builds the plot up even more.


Final Verdict: Overall SECRETS IN TRANSLATION is a great summer read and I would recommend this to fans of contemporary romance, Italian living, coming of age stories, and mystery/suspense.

[Marcia · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an entertaining read! Torn between two cultures, seventeen-year-old Alessandra (or Alex) struggles with where she fits in, and who she really wants to be. After living in America for the past year, she is returning to Italy as a nanny for a young charge who, in the boy-crazy department, is 12 going on 16. I enjoyed seeing the bond between the two girls develop, as well as Alessandra’s relationship with a certain very-hot Italian boy. Actually, there are two charismatic and handsome young men, but can either one be trusted or could one or possibly both be involved in the organized crime overshadowing the tranquil scenery? The descriptions of the beautiful coastal locations and customs are gorgeous and pulled me right into the action which builds up to a suspenseful climax and satisfying ending. I’ve never been to Italy, but now I’m ready to pack my bags and sit on a terrace sipping delicious lemon-flavored drinks. You’re sure to enjoy Secrets in Translation!

[Meradeth Houston · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adore reading books that take me to new places and show me different ways of life around the world. It's always so interesting, and when I can't visit in person, a great way to tame my wanderlust! Secrets was perfect for that. Sorenson has created a great picture of a summer in Italy, complete with a bratty tween under Alessandra's care, and the narrow, twisting streets of Positano. I desperately wanted to step through the pages and relax by the sea or eat some of the incredible food! And maybe enjoy some limoncello while I was at it ;) I also really enjoyed reading about Alessandra/Alex's struggle with finding the balance between her upbringing in Italy and her current life in Sonoma, California. The juxtaposition of the two was spot-on and heart wrenching at first, but she manages to find her place, which left me cheering. It doesn't hurt to have an Italian hottie to help out a little! Overall, this was a great read that will leave you wanting to book a trip to Italy!

[Frank Morelli · Rating 5 out of 5]

As someone who can reliably trace my family lineage directly back to Southern Italy, and as a lucky soul who has been fortunate enough to have visited the region on multiple occasions, I can tell you that Margo Sorenson captures the unimaginable beauty and the irresistible seduction of the area with startling accuracy and a satisfying flourish. Secrets in Translation takes the reader on an Italian voyage with authentically young adult protagonist Alessandra as she attempts to adapt to her new life and rein in the bratty tween who's been charged under her care. Alessandra doesn't see the lure of Italy until she's drawn in by the adorable Carlo who shows her the importance of taking in the view and living in the moment, and makes her trip to Italy as unforgettable and delightful as Margo Sorenson's page-turning novel. Highly recommend!

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

The tragic tale of a teen girl whose parents pressure her into a six week long babysitting gig in Positano, Italy. To make matters even more horrific, upon arrival in the coastal town, she falls in love with a handsome young man, heir to a limoncello factory. Between taking her twelve-year-old charge to the beach, Alessandra (aka Alex) savors limoncello and Italian food in the company of this young man. Throw in a bit of organized crime shenanigans and you've got yourself a teen novel to add to your summer reading list. If only something this wretched would befall me.

[Angie Quantrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fun Italian adventure! I enjoyed reading about Alessandra and her struggle to figure out who she was - Italian or American. I loved the drama and suspense of what was happening around her in Italy, and the budding romance and acceptance of belonging to two places. I enjoyed the Italian sections and the cultural experiences as well. Great read!

[Lesley · Rating 4 out of 5]

If I’m purely rating this book on how quickly and easily it read, I’d rate 5. It was an easy, light, read that had a few twists and turns. I read it in a day and a half, and I loved learning more about Italy and it’s culture. It could have easily been a young adult book, so I’d probably rate it a 3 for it’s actual writing, but none the less, i enjoyed it!

[Adalay London · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is probably one of the shortest book I've read in a long time. That being said, it had an amazing plot that did not feel rushed. I would have liked to see more with the different groups but we couldn't really if we wanted to keep it somewhat realistic and the author knew that but still kept us interested. I don't have much to say. I liked the book and the main character, I think she was written really well and of course the setting.

[Ishita Sood · Rating 4 out of 5]

Secrets in Translation is a delightful summer read set in the Amalfi Coast. It is loaded with crazy plot twists. Read more here --https://ishitasood.com/secrets-in-tra...

[Skye · Rating 5 out of 5]

Seventeen-year-old Alessandra is an American teen who was born and raised in Italy. When her family returned to the US, she attended the local high school and immediately felt out of place. Despite being American, she struggles with fitting into a culture that was incredibly different from Italy's.

Alessandra spent the last year trying to become Alex, an "American" and not "the Italian girl". Just when she thinks she finally got it right, with her cool new friends, she is asked by her parents to go back to Italy for the summer. Their friends were looking for a nanny for their 12-year-old daughter, as well as a translator, while they spend take their sabbatical in Positano on the Almafi Coast.

The summer trip starts off badly for Alex. She's torn between feeling happy to be "home" and wanting to reject it all. Between balancing her work as a translator and nanny, she meets Carlo. He's the very handsome heir to a local limoncello factory. He encourages Alex to be herself, whether that is Alex or Alessandra.

When a dead body turns up on the beach, Alex learns about the local mafia and how they are targeting local producers and distributors of limoncello. Even Carlo's family is being threatened. As Alex starts embracing her Italian identity, she finds herself entangled in a world of mystery, organized crime, and limoncello.

My thoughts?

I loved every moment of this book. The writing of the book was incredibly lush with vivid details about the Almafi coast and Italian culture. It left me wanting to plan a vacation to Italy, ASAP!

I also loved that Alessandra's identity was explored throughout the book. The topic wasn't put on the back burner when other events start to happen. I deeply related to Alessandra's struggles. As someone who grew up in different places, identity can be confusing.

This was such a page-turner. It was the perfect blend of romance, mystery, suspense, and coming to age. I highly recommend it! (Doesn't hurt to have some limoncello while reading too!)

[☆devan☆ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was really fun to read. I loved the fact that it was a romance novel that also included the main character's path of self-discovery. I was lucky enough to meet Margo Sorenson at a book signing and having heard about this book made me want to read it. This is definitely on my re-read list.