It is quite a number of years since I read a book written by Adriana Trigiani. I am so pleased that I picked this book and reacquainted myself with a wonderful story teller.
I loved the dynamics of the story, the Italian American family and the setting both in New Jersey and Italy.
This is a book that I couldn’t put down and one that will stay with me for some time. Loved it!

Recently divorced Jess is now living with her parents.
She travels to Italy to visit the place where her uncle and employer started up his business.
I am a fan of this author but I was a bit disappointed in this story and I found it slow in parts.
Thank you to NetGalley and Michael Joseph, Penguin Random House for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

I have read every book that Adriana Trigiani has written, and liked all of them. This one I found a little confusing due to the time shifting. But as always the author takes you into Italy with eclat, giving wonderful food, amazing scenery and a general feeling of 'being there'. Thank you for allowing me to read this book.

I have read every book by Adriana Trigiani so I was absolutely thrilled to receive an advanced reading copy of View from Lake Como from NetGalley. I started reading it immediately and was quickly drawn into the lives of the Baratta family. Giuseppina Capodimonte, named after a maiden great aunt but known as Jess to her family is recently divorced, living back home in the family basement and working for her Uncle Louie in the family business Capadimonte Marble and Stone. Jess has never been away to college or gone far from home in Lake Como New Jersey. When she married Bobby, her childhood sweetheart she stayed in the same town. Jess’s and Bobby’s Mums are determined that the couple will get back together. It’s clear that Jess’s Mum wants to keep her close and Jess has always been the people pleaser in the family.
Jess is close to her Uncle Louie and Aunt Lil and her uncle has decided that it’s time for Jess to see the place their family came from, near Lake Como in Italy. He wants Jess to take over the business and she needs to see the quarries and understand the mining in Carrara, Italy. Plane tickets are booked and Jess couldn’t be more excited. Not all goes to plan but Jess does go to Carrara and on a journey of self discovery she has the chance to find out for herself all she needs to be fulfilled in her work and personal life.
View from Lake Como is a must read for fans of Adriana Trigiani and for anyone who loves an Italian American family saga. I went from laughing out loud to reaching for the tissues as I loved, laughed and cried with the Baratta family. I just didn’t want to leave them. This is an excellent 5* read!

Like most of Adrianas books this needs to come with a warning that it will make you hungry and crave Italian food, I’d forgotten that fact before I started to read.
It’s excellent, American Italian families, food and wonderful descriptions of Lake Como and the Italian countryside, culture and community. If you have read any of her previous books you will enjoy this one too and if you haven’t then this is a great introduction to her style of writing.
Thank you for the opportunity to read this book.

I have always enjoyed Adriana Trigiani's books and this was no exception. She tells a wonderful story about Jess, an American Italian, who returns to the land of her parents after her divorce. The book is beautifully descriptive, from the food, the scenery, the big involved Italian family, and the marble cutting. It is a pleasant read, though I did get a little confused with the large cast of characters, however they were all well crafted and interesting. One for the holidays, by the pool or at the beach!
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC

I did enjoy this book especially as I had a trip to Italy planned and I finished the book the day before I travelled. Some of the places I visited were in the book so made them more interesting.

I did find the book a little confusing when it went from present day to the past but not sure if that was just how it had downloaded onto my Kindle. I also found the Italian references confusing as well as I don't speak Italian.

I couldn't wait to get to the end of the book to find out why Jess left Bobby but I guess it just means everyone deserves to be happy no matter what stage they are in their life journey.

I read this ARC for an honest review
All thoughts and opinions are mine

I absolutely love this author and have read many of their books - all are enjoyable
I feel very fortunate to be able to read this

Absolutely loved it
Great characters and a wonderful read

Highly recommend

This has definitely been a struggle to read. I began to find it very boring. The family and constant references to food and different members of the family felt very claustrophobic and I was glad to finish it.

when Jess Barratta gets divorced she moves back into her parents cellar. Her job which she has had since leaving College, at Capodiamonte Marble and Stone is also still the same until her Uncle Louie who is also her boss, dies suddenly.
Jess (Giuseppino) has always wanted to travel especially to Italy, from where her ancestors had come but has never left America in her 34 years.
How will live change now Uncle Louie is gone?
A tale of family life with twists and turns.

A mix of the old and the new. US and Italy. I loved the family dynamics and particularly the parts of the book in Italy. It is a story of discovery in past and present and the message is one of change and acceptance. An enjoyable read.

I’ve read all of Adriana Trigiani’s books so was really looking forward to this new one. However I found it difficult to connect with the main character. Despite this is did enjoy the book but it’s not one of my favourites

I love Adriana Trigiani and this book did not disappoint. Set between Lake Como, New Jersey and the marble capital of the world, Carrara, this is the story of Giuseppina ((Jess), who is living in her parents’ basement after getting divorced. She works for her uncle, who imports marble, but when he dies it turns out that there are a lot of things in the family which are not as Jess thought, so off she goes to Italy to find herself.
There’s a lot to love in this big, noisy Italian family. The food descriptions are wonderful, and I’ve learnt a lot about marble cutting and about gilding. Jess’ journey to finding herself is lovely.
This is a comforting, feel-good read. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Well, I got to 40% before I gave up, too slow and just not for me. It’s a lighthearted read, amusingly written and may well pick up now our lady has arrived in Italy however I’m finding myself actively avoiding reading it and when I do I’m very easily distracted which isn’t a good sign! Time to move on, I very rarely dnf a book so I’m sorry for the bad review.

Thank you to Netgalley the author and publishers for an arc in exchange for an honest review

Jess is in a rut. She is divorced from her husband and living in her parents' basement. She is working for her uncle as she has done for 19 years, since she was a teenager. Uncle Louis has arranged for them to visit the village in Italy, where he worked mining marble - the marble which now forms the basis of their business in the United States. After Uncle Louis' sudden death, she decides to go on her own to Italy for some space from her suffocating Italian-American family. Here, she discovers family secrets, potential love as well as who she is.

This was a very pleasant read. It had a few twists and turns in it and I enjoyed reading it, although the first part in America was a bit slow for me.

A wonderful story about life, family and second chances. The story moves between past and present, focusing on the area of Lake Como in the US and Italy. The protagonist Jess is trying to figure out what she wants from life and how to move forward after her divorce. This is made more difficult by the family revelations that are scattered throughout the book. I loved the range of characters who had a range of motivations and impacted the direction of Jess's life significantly. I especially enjoyed the time spent in Italy and some of the descriptions of Italian life and food. It did take a little while to get into the book but I was soon invested and wanted to know if Jess would figure everything out. There is a good ending with a strong resolution to the issues presented and I enjoyed exploring the self-discovery of Jess after much of her early life had been directed by the actions of those around here. It makes a great summer read.
Thank you to NetGallery, the author and publisher for the ARC and the opportunity to provide an honest review.

Adriana Trigiani's The View from Lake Como offers an exploration of self-discovery, family dynamics, and the pursuit of dreams. Jess Capodimonte Baratta, stuck in the doldrums of life in blue-collar Lake Como, New Jersey, is recently divorced and retreating to her parents' basement to heal. Known for putting everyone else first, Jess is the dutiful daughter, always caring for her family while sacrificing her desires. Yet, beneath her familial obligations, Jess has a hidden talent in draftsmanship, working in her uncle Louie’s marble business. Despite her potential, she is trapped in a life that doesn’t quite fit.

When tragedy strikes the Capodimonte and Baratta families, Jess is forced to confront long-buried secrets, and the shock of this loss sends her into a journey of self-realisation. Seeking to escape her past, Jess leaves for her ancestral home in Carrara, Italy, where the stunning landscapes of Tuscany, Milan, and the idyllic shores of Lake Como become the backdrop for her reinvention. In Italy, Jess’s life takes a new turn when she meets Angelo Strazza, a passionate artist who helps her uncover her invaluable skills, both in art and in life.

While the Italian setting provides an enchanting atmosphere and the story of Jess’s reinvention is compelling, the early chapters set in New Jersey struggle with some unbelievable scenes, especially those involving Jess's family. The family dynamics, particularly with her parents, feel exaggerated, leaving readers feeling disconnected from the protagonist’s experiences. Jess’s journal entries help provide insight into her journey, but her motivations and the reasons behind her marriage breakdown are kept hidden for too long, which, while creating suspense, ultimately leaves the reader more confused than intrigued.

Trigiani’s writing shines in the Italian chapters, where Jess truly comes alive, but her journey from confusion to clarity can feel frustrating due to the drawn-out mysteries surrounding her past. For readers who enjoy stories of personal transformation set against beautiful locations, The View from Lake Como offers an uplifting, if sometimes puzzling, exploration of family, love, and artistic ambition.

Read more at The Secret Book Review.

I'd not read anything written by this author before so wasn't sure what to expect. I wasn't a massive fan of the flashbacks, they took me out of the story a bit and the descriptions were a bit like a travelogue.

I would say it is a slow start but picked up a bit when the main character got to Italy. I also liked the inclusion of a recipe to bake, I'll have to try it!

A diverse cast of characters which was nice to read with how Jess learns to be herself and get over family trauma.

At times the descriptions get a lengthy and detract from the story but overall a decent and quite quick read.

A lovely story of an Italian American woman and her journey to discover herself and her independence as she travels back to her family's roots in Italy. I loved the descriptions of her family and the way I could see Italy through the characters eyes. Sad but uplifting at the same time.

Jess comes from a large family of Italian immigrants. She’s divorced, going through therapy and lives in a musty basement flat in New Jersey. She’s thrilled when her Uncle Louie invited her to go to Italy with him. Then something happens to put the trip in jeopardy and she discovers something her parents have done which has changed the course of her life. Despite this, Adriana is not going to divulge shameful family secrets, especially not to the police. She’s also still determined to get to Italy. What surprises await her and what fun she has when she gets there! A feisty woman with a great heart. I love the way the family members interact and watch each other’s backs.