Made redundant from her job at a glossy magazine in London,without a rental contract, no cat, single and in her late 30s, Kamin Mohammadi landed in Florence initially for a couple of month, trying to figure out her life. From the very beginning of her new life adventure, besides the tastier fruits and vegetables compared to the bland offer from the British supermarkets, there is something else that caught her attention: bella figura.

This concept means ´making every aspect of life as beautiful as it can be, no matter when, from what we eat to how we get to work in the morning´. It means welcoming the day and every moment of it with grace, charm and relaxed, the opposite attitude of the burnout life of a busy professional in London.

And what a beautiful lifestyle it is but how hard is to get rid of old habits. But it is worth more than all the detox and diets and positive thinking and expensive therapy sessions. On the other side, the men, the Italian men - some of them still living with their parents in their 40s because...it seems they can - , are real trouble but going through the experience of loss or romantic failure is part of the long process of knowing how to deal with your own life, moving forward and discovering one´s strengths and resources.

The memoir, Mohammadi´s second after the book that she wrote during her Florence adventure about her childhood in Iran and her family escape after the Islamic Revolution, is organised monthly, around some important details, such as the produce of the season, the scent of the city, the Italian moment and the word of the month. Every chapter has its own repertoire of recipes, simple and filled with natural ingredients. Expect a lot of olive oil, maybe too much for my taste, but when in Tuscany...

Kamin Mohammadi has a charming way of writing, inviting the reader into the story. She is not only a great storyteller but also an inspirational travel writer, her detailed descriptions of her Florence environment and trips deep into Tuscany being instant recommendations for a slow, off-the-beaten path adventures, with insightful observations about the architecture and local vibe.

Kamin Mohammadi keeps living her Italian dream in Tuscany with a handsome Italian men, sharing her experience of bella figura and enjoying it every day, and writing about beautiful places.

It is Tuscany on my mind right now...



Rating: 3.5 stars

Disclaimer: Book offered by the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Kamin Mohammadi is one amazing writer. The way she describes Italy just transports you right there alongside her. It's a journey of self-discovery and you can't help but take a little time to evaluate your own life as you read how Kamin embraced 'Bella Figura' and learned to take pleasure in every day. The recipes included in the book were a nice surprise too - I've already made two of the pasta dishes which were simple and bursting with flavour. Fabulous book.

Oh this was so beautiful. Beautiful! It'll give you the most painful wanderlust you've ever experienced, but it's totally worth it. Part memoir, part love story to Florence, part recipe book, this memoir is bursting with love, curiosity and intelligence, right from the very first page. Italy sprawls off of the page in the form of tantalizing descriptions of just how therapeutic disappearing from London could truly be. On more than one occasion, I found myself looking up flights to Italy to see if the country could really work wonders on me as much as they did Kamin!
Elegantly written, you have moments where you laugh and where your heart aches, purely because of how glorious the entire book is. A year in Italy gives you so much, from the charming side characters, to the lovers she encounters, to the people that she comes to know so well, despite the language barrier. I absolutely loved this book; I've been looking for more wanderlust-fuelled memoirs, particularly by women (and particularly involving food) and this just hit that perfect spot for me. Now, time to go and get some authentic Italian food. Fair warning: this book will make you hungry.