With Valentine’s Day only a couple of days away, it’s only appropriate that this week’s reviewed book deal, in some way, with love and romance. Searching through lists of upcoming releases, one book really stuck out from the rest. Only released a week ago, “Very Valentine” by Adriana Trigiani is a must-read for anyone interested in a little romance, family bonds and finding the courage to be the little guy in a world full of big business.
Valentine Roncalli, an Italian American woman living in Manhattan, has a problem: she just broke up with her longtime boyfriend, quit her teaching job and now makes custom wedding shoes and resides in an old building with her grandmother. On top of all her other worries, the shoe business is on the brink of ruin, weighed down by the large debt the company owes. Now throw in a dash of family drama, top it all off with a hot hunk of an Italian chef and you have one hell of a story.
One of the greatest strengths of the novel is the dominant female character of Valentine. She’s a middle-aged woman who seems to be living a life of whimsy, but, as the story is told through her point of view, the reader can see she is following her dreams. Throughout the novel she struggles with her relationship to the admittedly older, smokin’ Italian chef Roman Falconi, whose very name melts her like butter. Both are committed to their professions, yet the undeniable attraction forces them to find a way for the relationship to work. Valentine can’t believe she found such a perfect man, and blinded by her infatuation, doesn’t realize just how forgiving she is for missed dates and empty promises. It’s hard not to side with Valentine and feel the same woes. One might even start to feel that heavy weight of responsibility that she takes upon herself to keep the family shoe company in business. Trigiani, author to a multitude of other works, is apt at creating sympathetic characters: there are no real villains; in the real and fictional world everyone’s human.
Another praise for “Very Valentine” are the strong family ties throughout. The Roncalli’s consist of Valentine’s parents, her grandmother, two sisters, a brother, the assortment of in-laws and a multitude of nieces and nephews. As a heavily traditional Italian family, they enjoy throwing parties and having other such gatherings for any occasion. In the first chapter, immediately the reader is enmeshed with the Roncallis, learning their quirks and some family secrets. Even in the fictional world, families aren’t portrayed as perfect, but the Roncallis seem to rejoice in their flaws. Fights can be brutally verbal, but at the end of the day, they still love each other. The sheer strength Trigiani portrays the family having is astounding. They stand tall; they lean on each other in times of need; no matter what, they are all there to give support.
At points in the novel, the action dies away and stalls. It can be hard to keep reading at those times, but the best option is to put the book down, walk away from it and come back at a later time when you are refreshed and ready to start reading again. This is not a novel that captivates wholly from start to finish. It’s enjoyable to read the little bits of history Trigiani has Valentine recalling, but the transitions can be weak for some and almost non-existent for others. It’s endearing to note that, like the characters, the book has its own flaws.
The first book in a trilogy revolving around Valentine, her quirky family and wacky love life, “Very Valentine” is, overall, a very enjoyable novel and a recommended favorite for all to read.
-Nepenthe
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