Customer Reviews

Dating da Vinci

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Rating: 3.5 stars

"Dating da Vinci" is the story of Ramona Elise, who is desperately trying to cope with the loss of her husband nearly two years earlier. She worries about how the absence of a father will affect her two sons and fears that her husband may have taken certain secrets to his grave. Enter Leonardo da Vinci, aptly named after the fifteenth century visionary, because he manages to inspire exuberance and vitality from Ramona. Though Leo is considerably younger than Ramona and speaks little English, not to mention a student in her English as a second language class, Ramona finds herself falling for him. They develop a passionate relationship and Leo even manages to win the affection of Ramona's sons. Leo helps Ramona find herself again and the pain from her husband's death begins to subside.

Overall I had mixed feelings about the characters. It's hard not to fall for the adorable Leo, whose broken English and naïve innocence only add to his charm. Ramona, on the other hand, was not as likeable as I would have hoped and I didn't really find myself connecting to her. Also, the other characters seemed a little too shallow to be portrayed realistically. While I would have liked to see more depth in the characters, it did not sufficiently detract from the storyline and I still savored the characters' successes and lamented over their disappointments.

This book has all the makings of what I envision to be a great romantic comedy and for the most part the plot does deliver. There is the romance, the ensuing drama, the eventual complications that arise and final culmination towards a satisfying ending. The book also deals with important issues of grief, infidelity and heartbreak. In that sense, it succeeds in giving readers more than the average 'woman-meets-man-and-they-fall-in -love' story.

"Dating da Vinci" is a sweet and quick read. Though the ending is predictable, I enjoyed reading the way Lott crafted the storyline and led readers to the end.

[...]

Although this isn't normally the genre I read, I picked up Dating Da Vinci, and was absolutely hooked. I couldn't put it down, especially once the story really got going. Even the first few introductory chapters held my interest because of Malena Lott's clever and captivating writing style. The way Malena blended humor and sadness into this engaging, heart-warming novel was completely enjoyable. Her characters and the way they learned from one another gave the story an added element that I loved. I also love the way she threaded the language factor throughout and the comparisons to the actual DaVinci and Mona Lisa. One thing that made this novel even more appealing was how 'real' it felt, with Ramona's day to day life and her middle-aged woman issues. Although DaVinci himself was very sexy, I absolutely adored Cortland, and was worried about how it would all turn out, but the author managed to handle it expertly and logically, not to mention in a way where the reader can give a wistful sigh of relief, wishing the same happy ending for themselves. This novel is truly, completely captivating and delightful. I was sorry to see this one end.

THREE QUICK POINTS:
* Point 1: Leonardo da Vinci is hot. Really hot. I have to admit that his character was well-crafted to make the ladies (and possibly some men) drool. Drool like a rabid mangy mongrel and make no apologies for it. Up until he peed the bed.

* Point 2: Unfortunately, the remaining characters (except a few) had trouble finding their voices. For the most part, they'd be traveling along quite nicely when a piece of stray dialog that rang absolutely false for the character would present itself.

* Point 3: Feel good at its finest. Despite the ending being highly predictable, it still elicits that warm and fuzzy feeling inside.

SHORT SYNOPSIS:
Ramona Elise Griffen was a grieving young widow (aged 36) when Leonardo da Vinci, the Italian immigrant 11 years her junior, walked into her ESL classroom. Knowing only a few words of English, having even less money, and no friends created a soft spot in Ramona's heart (plus, it didn't hurt that he was excruciatingly hot) and she decided to bring him home and allow him to stay in the studio behind her house. As the 'How Stella Got Her Groove Back'-esque romance continued, Ramona began realizing there were a number of emotions and unanswered questions that she needed to confront if she truly could move on. The biggest one of all was that of her husband's fidelity. As if adjusting to the first romance since her husband passed away and trying to confront her husband's ex-fiancee weren't enough, another man tumbles into Ramona's life and she happens to be developing feelings--real feelings--for him. There was just one major problem to overcome: he was dating Ramona's sister.

MY THOUGHTS:
Where to begin? Starting the book I was hooked. Then halfway through the second chapter, I wanted to set the book down and not really pick it up again. Seriously. Reading through that second (and halfway through the third) chapter was excruciating. But, all in all, I'm glad I pressed through it-more on why in a minute. Let me back up and explain the hitch.

In the first chapter, we're introduced to Ramona and her plight, and then we have the glorious da Vinci thrust upon us with as much surprise and zeal as he was thrust upon Ramona. Then, we're no longer anywhere near the same scene; da Vinci is nowhere to be found, and we're listening to Ramona's incredibly depressing internal dialog as she cleans out the pantry with her friend Anh. The transition was a bit jarring to put it mildly. Luckily, it recovered at the end of the third chapter going into the fourth.

The novel did have a few other shortcomings with the character development. With the exceptions of Ramona and da Vinci, the remaining characters seemed conveniently two-dimensional. Even her two young boys seemed incredibly well-adjusted to the death of their father and their mother's dating. A little too well-adjusted. The remaining characters, including Ramona's arrogant and borderline evil sister Rachel, were too tame for the personalities being painted.

That aside, those shortcomings weren't enough to make this novel a bad one. It's redeeming qualities were found in the well-painted descriptions and the vague passage of time throughout the story. You knew that months were floating by and, the clunky transition in the second chapter notwithstanding, it complimented the murkiness of the emotional experience.

Also, the great message cannot be overlooked either. I'm sure that anyone who's ever lost someone close to them can relate to Ramona's grief, if not her character. The feelings and emotions were poignantly illustrated and I often found myself nodding in agreement. And just when you think it's too heavy to bear any longer, a bit of humor is injected to disperse the tension. By the end of the book, you'll believe in miracles again (or, at least, you'll want to).

Finally, I found it rather clever that language and the langue d'amour (language of love) was a common thread throughout the story. Some chapters began with quotes, others with a word and its definition, and some with sections from Ramona's dissertation (The Language of Love).

This book would be especially good for those who enjoy academic discussions on language or language in general and although I did wonder about the slick product placements in a couple places (who works priceline[dot]com nonchalantly into conversation?), it was a nice quick feel good read. It's perfect for a rainy day afternoon curled up under the covers with a mug of hot chocolate. And if for no other reason, read it to fall in love (or lust, take your pick) with da Vinci.

I'm not one to read "chic-lit" -- however, I was intrigued by this novel's storyline and decided to give it a whirl. I'm so glad I did. "Dating da Vinci" is well written and smart. At times funny and at other times incredibly sad, it's a story of a young widow's somewhat topsy-turvy journey to reshape her life after tragedy. Malena Lott quickly drew me into Ramona Elise's story and her myriad emotions -- which includes the very real weight of guilt over finding (and even desiring) happiness.

I enjoyed this book and I recommend it -- it's cute yet thought-provoking, and it's surprisingly clever.

I always feel like I have to put a disclaimer on GOOD chick-lit.

Dating da Vinci by Malena Lott is a well-written story that examines friendship, starting over, sibling rivalry, self-confidence and more. I call it "chick-lit plus." It's mostly a light romance, but as I said, the other plot elements (as well as great writing), give it something extra.

I enjoyed getting to know Ramona Elise -- her sense of humor, her matter-of-fact way of describing the difference between Normals and Grievers. She herself is a Griever, still recovering from the sudden death of her husband two years ago. But as most moms would agree, life goes on. But she shares some of the things that are different, "I had become Linus and Pigpen all in one. Neatness had become a part of my past" (page 6). She's been busy raising two boys and teaching adult English classes.

Life has gone on, but it's missing some of "La Dolce Vita." When Leonardo da Vinci, a man almost a decade younger than she is, comes into her class in Austin, Texas one day, things begin to change. Her sense of self reawakens, and she begins to try to reclaim that joyful life with his help.

Living La Dolce Vita



The Review:

This book is a woman's journey of finding herself again. The handsome men, like Leo da Vinci are the push that she needed to get her started on her journey. Ramona is a widow who, after 2 years had passed since her husband's death, is still living a life of a woman in mourning. She clearly wasn't ready to view herself as a sexy, young, and successful woman who would find love again. Rather, she succombed to being a permanent widow and one who questioned her late husband's faithfulness, at that. Ramona, an English teacher for immigrants meets da Vinci in class. He is, of course, a complete stud-muffin! When he asks her for help on food, work, shelter, etc., she brings him home and rents out the studio in her backyard to him for a mere $200/month. From what I read, this wasn't Ramona's typical M.O. Rather, he was just so stunning and foxy that she couldn't resist.

From a "crush" to "dating" they go. Along the way, the reader gets to meet her best friend, Anh, along a host of characters. The characters include her ridiculous sister, Rachel, who is a Blonde Ambition Tour all in herself. Rachel is an on-air fitness guru with a penchant for devouring the male species. Michael, her ex-husband, seems like a cool cat and a perfect match for Anh. Then, there's Courtland the anesthesiologist whom her mother attempted to set her up with, however ended up, a bit predictably, dating her sister. Ramona has two boys Bradley and William, whom she seems to just dote on. But, it is her dead husband, Joel, that I think the readers get to know the most. And, like the rest of us, he has a past, one that Ramona cannot seem to let go of obsessing over. Which leads us to Monica, his ex-fiance who is, of course, perfect in every way that Ramona is not. Sounds like the makings of a good "chicklit" book and it was.

However, and there's always that "however" with me (forgive me), this book had a bit of a slow start for me. Around Chapter 5, I was involved in the book to the point where I wanted to know what happened. I suppose you could say that, for me, that is when the book started getting good. The ending is solid, albeit a bit predictable. But, with good chicklit books, you want a happy ending and you get one with da Vinci. I think that another obstacle I faced is that recently I have read 3 other books in which the heroine's/protagonist's husband has passed away. More specifically, I just read a book of 23 women's stories of their loss of their spouse. So, I think that being the case, I may have had just too many of these types of books in a row.

The premise of the book is cute and I liked Malena's style. You felt very at home with Ramona and as though you could understand her decisions. I think that Malena's website is fun and funky... plus, she's SUPER pretty! Lucky gal!

Favorite Quote of the Book:
"To enjoy - to love a thing for its own sake and no other." -Leonardo da Vinci

Sher's "Out of Ten" Scale:

For the "chicklit" genre, my rating is in comparing this read to the others that fit in the same category this year: Jane Porter, Jennifer Weiner, Maria Murnane, Bridget Asher, Anne Brashares, and Nicholas Sparks. That being said, I think that I would give this book a rating of 7 out of 10. I have a strong feeling, however, that Malena's writing style will be one to watch. I think that as she continues to publish future chicklit novels, we will see great things out of her.

A 36 year old woman stuck in a rut, with two kids, a widow, and is unsure as to how to really be happy in life. Oh, yes she can be happy while eating fries and chocolate shakes, but as soon as they are gone, she is moping around again. Ramona Elise is a professor teaching an English Class when a beautiful Italian man walks in, and not just into her classroom, but into her life. Will he fit? Will she let him? Are they truly happy, or just no longer lonely?

I don't read chick lit very often, but sometimes it is nice. It is like that cotton candy that you wait for at the fair....not something you could handle for breakfast, lunch and dinner, but a sweet break. Reading Dating Da Vinci was that special treat. I read it during the read-a-thon, and it was good. Light, funny, silly, and still serious. There was enough intrigue to hold my attention and some aspects of mystery as well. I liked it....it was a nice treat of light, pink sweetness after reading Beasts of No Nation.

It is really interesting, it may be me, or just what I have read lately. But it seems that modern fiction is finally taking its dreamy eyes off 18 year old blonds, and diving into the difficulties we will all face someday of aging. When you are no longer considered "young" or "full of promise". When you reach the age where people expect things of you, require more of you. In Dating Da Vinci Malena Lott does an excellent job of capturing that feeling of inadequacy. The feeling of being older, uglier, and for that less valuable. But is that really true, or do we imagine it? One thing I do know, we as a society need to learn to age gracefully and allow others to do the same.

Ramona is a young widow who is stuck in her grief. She is having trouble moving on with her life. She teaches English as a Second Language at a local culture center and when the new semester starts she encounters a young Italian immigrant, Leonardo da Vinci who will change her life.

da Vinci (as she calls him) needs a place to stay, so Ramona allows him to live in the studio in her backyard. She finds herself daydreaming about him and before she knows it they are in a relationship. Things are great at first, but then Ramona starts to feel like she is being used, and little things about da Vinci start to bother her.

Along with all of that, Ramona has to deal with her two young sons, her overbearing sister, her parents, her late husband's mother and her friends. Not to mention the fact that she's working on her doctoral dissertation in linguistics. Everyone's lives are entangled, resulting in an entertaining read.

I enjoyed Dating da Vinci by Malena Lott, even though it is somewhat predictable. I thought Malena did an excellent job describing Ramona's grief, and I found myself rooting for Ramona. I think this book made me better understand how a grieving spouse feels.

Malena Lott is a brand and marketing consultant. She is married and has three children. Her favorite book is A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving. Dating da Vinci is her second novel.

Two years ago, Ramona Griffen lost her husband. Being a widow at any age is hard, being one in your mid-thirties is near impossible. In Ramona's world there are now only two kinds of people; Grievers and Normals. The Normals don't understand why she can't throw out her husband's last jar of peanut butter or why decorating for the holidays is just too much. She's coped through junk food and routine but what she really wants is her life back.

When 25-year-old Italian immigrant, Leonardo da Vinci, walks into her classroom she knows she shouldn't take him home. But the lonely young foreigner needs a place to stay and she her husband's old studio would make a good place for him to get a start in America. Da Vinci in turn has something to offer Ramona, or Mona Lisa as he begins to call her. The handsome Italian has a youthful passion for life that begins to rub off on Ramona. But where does she draw the line between them? She might be a widow but she's not dead yet. Learning to live and to love again might be the scariest thing she's had to face since her husband's untimely death.

This was one of those books I read for someone else. When I heard about it I thought it would be a good read for someone I know who was recently divorced and struggling with finding a reason to "live". I honestly didn't think that I personally would get anything out of it. But I was wrong. Ramona's situation as a widow and a mother were very relatable because they could be any woman. I found myself wondering how I would cope if my husband died and I was left partnerless. It's kind of frightening how much it made me realize I shouldn't take the partnership I have with my husband for granted.

What made me actually not be able to put the book down was that while Ramona was the central character of the story, each person within her life was on a journey of their own too. Everyone grows as she grows and Ramona learns that she shouldn't feel guilty for wanting to be happy again. Her romance with da Vinci is a very good example of these two factors. He has growing to do as a person just as she does and I enjoyed that their relationship was realistic, not unbelievable as I worried it might be.

Overall Dating da Vinci was surprisingly moving and insightful but still had a good romance to keep it from being all about life lessons. I think this would be a great read for anyone who is looking for an entertaining bit of insight on getting the joy back in your everyday life.

Thirty five year old Ramona Elise has been widowed for two years. Her two young sons have been the reason she keeps getting up every day. Ramona teaches English to new immigrants. She impetuously offers to rent the studio behind her home to a young new student from Italy named Leonardo da Vinci.

"La vita allegra. Joyful living. His eyes danced with excitement and awe and insatiable curiosity. Not just for America. For life. I ached to feel that again."

Lott's depiction and characterization of a grief stricken family still coming to terms with the loss of their husband/father is realistically written and sensitively portrayed.

Da Vinci becomes more than just a tenant. He becomes friends with the boys and closer and closer to Ramona. Is she ready to act on the attraction she feels towards this younger man? Or would it be a betrayal of her love for her husband Joel? She has unanwered questions about Joel's relationship with an old flame that still haunt her as well.

"I wished I could wear red lipstick, but much like the red suit, you have to have the red inside of you to wear it on the outside."

I had the idea that this would be a 'chick lit' book when I first picked it up. I found it to have more depth than just a beach read. Lott has also done her research - I found the origins of words and love fascinating as well as the details of an Indian wedding ceremony. As I interact with immigrants on a daily basis, I appreciated her positive outlook towards new citizens.

The book is populated with some fun supporting characters. I found the best friend Anh particularly appealing. The sister and mothers are a bit stereotypical and overdone, but fulfill their role in the book quite well. I did find that taking da Vinci into her bed when her boys home a bit rash. Quite honestly she put up with a bit more than I would have. (the new mattress story springs to mind)

Although the ending of the book is predictable and neatly wrapped up, it was an enjoyable journey to get there.