Customer Reviews

Italian for Beginners

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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.

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.

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.

Italian For Beginners is a light, easy read. But it has been done so many times before! There are some fabulous chick lit romance novels on the market, but this just isn't one of them. It's ok, but not one of the better reads. And I have read A Lot.

Cat is such a timid, predictable, wimpy character that I had a hard time relating to her life. It was so redundant that I started to roll my eyes when the author would describe how Cat was so afraid of taking chances!

Francesco was a predictable character, and it was obvious that his motives were not pure when he never emailed Cat again.

Marco was interesting. But there is no way that Cat would not have even listened to him about his "misunderstanding." If she liked him as much as she claimed she did, they she would have at least checked her email...

Karina was funny and interesting, but why is she so, um, hot and cold? Even a stranger would never get so mad over a simple statement as to leave a roommate alone in the middle of the night in a foreign country. Really?

Overall, an entertaining read, but frustrating characters!

I thought that Italian for Beginners was a great summer read. It wasn't entirely fluffy (the main character Cat deals with a few issues during the course of the book), but was very easy to follow.


The thing that I noticed most at the end of the book was how slowly the days seemed to move - Cat only planned to be there for a few weeks, but it seemed to me like so many things happened while she was there that she was actually there for months. I did consider that she didn't have a job or many other responsibilities while she was on this vacation, though, so it is plausible that the events could happen in the time frame.



The plot summary from the back of the book marks it dead on - if you're at all interested in Italy or need another summer read (with some romance), I'd recommend Italian for Beginners.

Not her best work but is still pretty good. It was a heart warming story about a girl's relationship with her mother more so than a romance story. I could identify with the character's lifestyle of never living outside the box she created for herself. Reading this made me wish to travel and find an adventure of my own. I felt at times the story seemed to be lacking but i suppose that is only because I am so used to the overly dramatic love tales Harmel usually spins. It was enjoyable to read just not exactly what i was expecting.

I was surprised just how into this book I got. For chick lit type books I normally can pick it up and put it down as I have time to read but this one kept me going up until the end even though it meant staying up late to finish reading it. The opening chapter was hilarious (in a glad it wasn't me way) as we see Cat's grandmother embarrass Cat at her younger sister's wedding by wondering aloud why Cat is not married at the spinster age of 34. At her sister's wedding reception she also meets a handsome restaurant owner who seems like the perfect match for her until their date is interrupted by a phone call from his mother-in-law about his daughter! This spurs her to take off on a trip to Italy. This book was filled with humor, sadness and romance. I could not wait to see who Cat was going to end up with if anyone. A truly wonderful read!

Italian for Beginners was appealing for many reasons. First, I've read all of Kristin Harmel's previous novels and enjoyed each one and knew that this too would provide that same level of entertainment and enjoyment. I can happily tell you it did, in spades.

It was, however, a bit of a departure from her previous work. I felt the story was more deeply emotional than her other novels. Outside of Cat's obvious (and warranted) trust issues she also owns a heaping case of low self-esteem. Moreover, infused throughout the story readers are given insight into the instability of her life via some heavy underlying issues. It's these same issues that play such a significant role in shaping how her relationships with friends, family and potential lovers continue to be formulated and manipulated all the way through her time in Italy and back to the US again.

None of this is to say there isn't a fair share of comedy and light-heartedness because there is plenty of that too, I wouldn't want to paint Italian For Beginners as a dark or brooding story because it's not. For example, the eclectic group of friends Cat makes during her time in Italy provides an extremely happy place. We also get some good chuckles out of the self-centered and somewhat clueless baby sister. It's just that much of this is not the heart of the story.

One of the reasons I believe this particular story resonated so deeply with me is that I felt Cat's life, in some respects, mirrored my own. I felt a kinship with her -- Harmel wrote an exceptional character that allowed me to feel the vulnerability and pain she was experiencing. I bonded with Cat and I can tell you that does not happen with me often. She is a character that is deeply committed to her family and views herself as the primary caretaker. She takes this role seriously but also to the extreme. While at times certain people worked those traits to their advantage ultimately her family saw how important it was for Cat to strike out and make a life for herself. A life that isn't solely centered around them.

There wasn't anything in the plot of Cat going to Italy to discover herself that I found unrealistic or particularly cliched. I found her journey to be one of profound self-discovery. More importantly it helped her become a better communicator. She was forced to face a great many truths about herself and her family. In doing so this book went away from the typical formulaic chick lit novel where woman meets man, woman is destined to be with man, then woman and man get together. I mean, don't get me wrong there was a fair share of romance but unlike many books in the genre that aspect took a back seat to the larger emotional issues. As a reader I appreciated that Cat's story wasn't just about chasing men and "oh by the way I discovered myself on the way" plot points. These elements were reversed and on Cat's road to self-discovery she happened to find a man too. I felt it was quite empowering for her and for the reader to know that yes a woman can survive adversity and still get it all in the end. Not only that but she gets it all in a way that (I felt) prioritized the most important aspects of life first. Get your own life in order, love and care for your family and friends (to an extent) and in the end romance will fall into place.

Speaking of ends falling into place I'm sure you can sense through this review that I encourage you to go out and grab a copy of Italian For Beginners it's an entertaining and heart-warming read.

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.

This is chick lit through 5spot. I've noticed that I love the books in 5spot.

I liked the story of a girl who decides to find out more about herself in Roma Italy. Cat always takes care of everyone else and decides to do something spontaneous and go back to her favorite place on earth. This is good quick read. This book did make me want to visit Italy. I found that this book was more about relationships in all and not just the boyfriend aspect. It was a good story and I read this book from my house to the bay area.

I have on my [...] to read pile-- How to sleep with Movie Star also by the same author. This is the first time I have read this author and now I want to check out more books my her too.

There are recipes in the back for some of the meals mentioned through the book. Can't wait to try them in my house.

Cat Connelly is a thirty-four-year-old Manhattan accountant who has always lived a responsible life. She has lived on the safe side, even taking care of her younger sister and father when her mother left the family. But Cat starts to question her life choices while attending her sister's wedding.

When wedding guests ask her about finding the right man and walking down the isle, and when she hears quiet gossip, within earshot, she becomes embarrassed and frustrated. Where is the justice for someone who has, seemingly, done all the right things, but still hasn't found the life she rightfully deserves? She tries to leave the wedding party, but runs into a mysterious man who takes her breath away. Is he single or married, which turns into a major issue.

Cat, feeling confused, and low in spirit, returns to work, where a friend encourages her to take a much needed month's vacation to visit a former boyfriend in Italy. Cat talks to her father, who tells her it is a good idea for her to get away for awhile. She now has to choose between her perceived responsibility at home or a chance at happiness.

Arriving in Italy, Cat finds herself on a virtual "Roman Holiday" as her life becomes very similar to Audrey Hepburn's character in the movie by that name. Although, she finds romance, disappointment, betrayal, and love, she also must face some serious old ghosts that have haunted her in her earlier life. Does she have the courage to live as a stranger in Rome? Will she conquer her demons? Will she find her true self? Will she find the love of her life? These are questions that make the book a pure pleasure to read.
I give this a perfect 5 stars*****