Italian for Beginners [Paperback]

Kristin Harmel (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 13, 2009

Thirty-four-year-old Manhattan accountant Cat Connelly has always lived life on the safe side. But after her little sister gets married, Cat wonders if she has condemned herself to a life of boredom by playing by the rules. She decides to take a chance for once, accepting an invitation to spend a month with an old flame in Italy. But her reunion with the slick and gorgeous Francesco is short-lived, and she finds herself suddenly alone in Rome. Now, she must see if she has the courage to live outside the lines for the first time - and to face a past she never understood. It will take an unexpected friendship with a fiery Italian waitress, a whirlwind Vespa tour of the Eternal City with a handsome stranger, and a surprise encounter with an old acquaintance to show Cat that life doesn't always work out the way you expect, but sometimes you have to have fall in order to fly.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A fun, high-spirited [novel]." (Romantic Times )

"Overflowing with bubbly fun...intoxicating with the magic of Paris...Like a bottle of champagne...You'll drink it down in one glamorous gulp." (Julia Holden, author of ONE DANCE IN PARIS )

"With her characteristic wit and warmth, Harmel tells a very entertaining story of a woman who reinvents herself almost without realizing it." (Melissa Senate, author of SEE JANE DATE and LOVE YOU TO DEATH )

About the Author

Kristin Harmel is the author of four women's fiction novels. She also reports for People magazine, and her work has appeared in magazines including Glamour, Runner's World, Woman's Day, American Baby, and Men's Health. She's also the author of two novels for teens. Kristin Harmel lives in Orlando, Florida.

Product Details

• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: 5 Spot; 1 Original edition (August 13, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0446538302
• ISBN-13: 978-0446538305
• Product Dimensions: 5.2 x 1 x 8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (26 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #410,107 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Absolute Pleasure, July 29, 2009

By 

Lauren G - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Italian for Beginners (Paperback)

Cat Connelly has a safe life. She has a comfortable job as an attorney in NYC, a nice apartment, an okay relationship history and that's it. Everything she's ever done has been by the book. She never leaves town because she fears her father or younger erratic sister may need her, since she's been taking care of them since her mother left them (and later passed away after returning). As the book starts, Cats watching her younger sister get married - something that wasn't entirely uncomfortable for her until her slightly senile grandmother decides to make a scene. Embarrassment ensues.

The one time Cat remembers being truly happy was when she was in Rome for a summer during college. She had a foreign lover named Francesco and a life of her own. She truly smiled without worrying about everyone else. And so, with some pursuasion from her persistent co-worker, Cat takes her first vacation - 4 weeks in Rome. Away from everything. She plans to return to her former fling and fall in love with him and the city once again. Of course, nothing goes as planned. Francesco turns out to be horrid and the city wasn't entirely welcoming at first. But with the help of a crazy waitress, Karina, and a restauranteur who calls her Princess Ann (a reference I later understood), Cat learns how to take some risks and let go.

Italian for Beginners is a lovely little book that takes you from the crowded streets of New York to the small alleys of Rome. Harmel does a fantastic job at describing both locations beautifully. She captures the liveliness of New York and the essence of Rome. From going to Rome I, personally, learned that it's not all about the main attractions - it's about the moments. And this book has plenty of memorable moments.

I loved the scene with Francesco, as awkward as it is, when she realizes that he's not what she built him up to be. I loved crazy Karina, who rents Cat an apartment, who's moods change quicker than the time. I liked how nothing was stereotypical in the book. Writing about Italians, of course it could be easy to say they're all crazy and macho, but Harmel created Marco who had a sensitive side as a restauranteur. He shined through the book and although I didn't totally trust him at first, I did end up liking him in the end. And I loved Cat. I enjoyed following her on her emotional journey. What I specifically liked is that Harmel didn't rush anything. As if she went through something similar, she knew how to delicately push Cat forward, but never to fast or too hard. The timing was perfect. But most importantly of all, it made me incredibly proud of my strong Italian roots.

The book was a fantastic and fun read that made me want to travel - to taste the foods Cat enjoyed and see the sights she shared. It made me feel like I was part of Cat's crazy adventure; like I was on the back of the vespa, not her, speeding through the market. I really enjoyed Harmel's writing style; it was incredibly smooth and flowing. The book reminded me very much of If You Could See Me Now by Cecelia Ahern, which is a compliment. I quite enjoyed that book as well.

Italian for Beginners a book that should be shared with girlfriends. Because, of all things, with this book you learn how important relationships are, and not just romantic ones. Sometimes the relationship you have with yourself is the most important of all.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars As light and sparkly as a glass of Prosecco; a perfect summer read, September 24, 2009

By 

Sarah - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Italian for Beginners (Paperback)

Cat Connelly lives a perfectly safe - if boring - existence. The daughter of an Irish father and an Italian mother, she's spent her life being who she thought others wanted her to be: organized, responsible, and always there to cook, clean, or dole out money in a bind. She works at a New York accounting firm for the money and health benefits, but her true love is digital photography. She has serious issues due to her mother's lengthy absence during her adolescence, and at thirty-five, she's still single and has serious commitment issues. She hasn't taken a vacation in years, but after a very public humiliation by her senile Irish grandmother, Cat ends up in Rome, a city she last visited as an exchange student thirteen years ago.

Once in Rome, Cat struggles to understand what's keeping her in the Eternal City after a series of unplanned disasters derail her plans. It's certainly not Francesco, her former flame. The handsome Marco has the annoying habit of calling Cat "Princess Ann" and making constant references to Roman Holiday even though she's never seen the movie (Cat's grandparents were extras, and even named her mother Audrey Hepburn Verdicchio), but there's little action on the romantic front. And Cat's afraid to contact her Roman family, whom she hasn't heard from since her mother's death nearly two decades ago.

Over the course of four weeks, Cat makes peace with the ghosts that haunt her. At the same time, she rediscovers the timeless charms of everyday life in Rome, dodging Italian stallions and eating like a princess, capturing slices of everyday life through the lens of her Panasonic DMC-FZ50 10.1MP Digital Camera with 12x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom (Black). Harmel turns the narrative into a glowing travelogue, a sort of off-the-beaten-path Rome that's enchanting and refreshing. The descriptions of Karina's cooking are mouthwatering, and several recipes mentioned in the book are included: cheese fondue, rice-stuffed tomatoes, Margherita pizza, creamy risotto, and panzanella salad. Most are vegetarian (the risotto calls for chicken broth, but vegetable broth could easily be substituted), all are easy to prepare and perfect for a light summer meal on the patio (or piazza).

Some of the plot twists were a bit too convenient for my tastes, but overall this is a light summer read that's a perfect escape from daily life full of the sights, sounds, and smells of Italy. Much of the story centers on Roman Holiday (Special Collector's Edition), right down to the cover photo of an attractive brunette with an Audreyesque bob on the back of a Vespa, so if you haven't seen the film, it's the perfect accompaniment, along with a glass of Prosecco. There are romantic elements, but the real story is on Cat's self-discovery and the mystery of her mother. The title is a bit misleading, though; Cat doesn't speak Italian and doesn't really make an attempt to learn to do so.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Trisha's Book Blog Review, January 10, 2010

By 

Trisha's Book Blog "Trisha" (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Italian for Beginners (Paperback)

Sigh, what a perfect romance. This book took place in Italy and the way the author described the streets made you feel like you were there. Cat is the main character in this book, she is the one who always does for others and never for herself. After her mother leaves them when she is younger, then comes back, Cat had never forgiven her. Her dad, sister, and her were close and Cat thought she needed to take care of them. After her younger sister gets married, and she is embarrassed at the wedding by her grandmother asking why she has not gotten married yet-In front of everyone, Cat decides to go back to Italy where she was happy years ago. But after getting there she is dumped by the one guy she thought still loved her from a long time ago, and she has no where to go. Until she meets Karina who rents her a place to stay. Cat goes from the person who does for all, to the person who wants to do for herself and live her life. I loved the ending and who she wound up with at the end. This was a really fast read for me, I really enjoyed it and highly recommend it.