163 Comments
founding

Oh boy this has me hooked. Page turner!

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Getting a slight flashback to Under the Tuscan Sun though with a bit of mafioso intrigue, perhaps? So...what is behind the blue door?

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I am eagerly waiting to go on a trip to Italy. I think this adventure will be fantastic and I envision this adventure to be truly extraordinary, and it serves as a stepping stone towards finding a tranquil place to settle down in approximately five years. The escalating cost of living in the USA has motivated my search for an alternative, but beyond mere financial considerations, my heart yearns to reside in another country, where I can embrace a new language and become fully immersed in a vibrant and captivating culture. This enchanting story fills me with delight, as it flawlessly weaves together the enchanting art of knitting, delectable cuisine, and a captivating romance that seamlessly unfolds throughout the extraordinary journey.

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Shannon! You are going to ITALY??!!

YOU could very easily stumble on our little Tuscany town, and run into our heroines!!

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I appreciate your response, and I feel extremely privileged to receive your reply. Felicitations on your most recent vincita.

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I am counting the hours until the next release. Is it sent out at a specific time? 🤔

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I'm in for the duration....hooked on the curious history of our cafe owner...Shall we all learn Italian here?

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WELL....WELL, hello there, Lor!

We will learn many things together----but I'm not sure it will be ITALIAN!!

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I definitely detect "Mary" in the ✍️. She has an interesting way of infusing some dry wit into the narrative. Very effective!

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Doesn't she, Polly?

P.S. You are a sharp reader!

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I've never (knowingly) read a romance novel but I love Italy and the concept of this serial escape created by three smart, fun, sassy women - so decided to give it a go. And so far it IS a go! You're hooking me. Many thanks!

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Cynthia---hail.........now please tell us the secret to keeping you "hooked."

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Thanks for asking! Hmmm. It seems to me like more art than a list can cover but here's a start at what keeps me hooked:

* good writing - if I find myself mentally editing, I'm likely not going to hang with it

* a few characters I'd want to spend time with in real life (moral compass, sense of humor, intelligent observers, sense of justice and fairness)

* situations (plot) that I want to know more about & immerse myself in (i.e. neither stupidly frivolous OR too painful / depressing)

* new-to-me info about some particular topic(s) or surprising use of familiar facts can be a bonus

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I should clarify, my own "dream" of moving to Italy...

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As John Mellencamp says, "If you can dream it, you can do it."

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Absolutely, such a wise man! Let's see how it works out for Anastasia before I book my flight. 😉

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Would it be too much to ask to create an audible version of the chapter? (like how Robert Hubbel does it? ... just a simple read, but you could find an Italian man to play that part too ... how fun)

I dedicate more of my free time to podcasts and audible books (speaking of which, there is a huge sale until June 5th - just bought 20 books from audible.com).

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Your wish is our command, Karen!

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Oh yay!

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I can taste the Multipulciano...on my way to Italy tomorrow!

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I am glad you can taste it, Anne, cuz I can't even pronounce it!

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Beautiful description of surroundings. I want more

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Robin! I am so glad you said that! Mary, Jen and I were just on the phone yakking about CUTTING descriptions!

Very timely comment!

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No, no, no. I could never be a screen writer. My writing are descriptive and so is this! It’s delicious

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Sorry to be so verbose !

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VERBOSE?

We lurve "verbose" around here, Polly!

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What fun! It's like I'm reading my own story of moving to Italy and living alone above my little coffeehouse, (I've started 6, ran 3 of my own) with my cat, of course. I can't wait for the next chapter! Congratulations to you all! xx

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So glad that Katie Phang mentioned your romance novel project when interviewing Mary Trump on MSNBC this morning. Otherwise, I might have never heard about it! Delightful.

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Colin! Such good luck! So happy you are here!

Katie is the BEST!

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I’m snot usually a reader of comments, not a commenter myself. But this is so like a book club with my favorite lively friends inspired by the story to chatter about their mutual experiences that I can’t help joining in. Looking forward to the rest of a fine summer read!

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CINDY! Shhhhhhhhhhhhh.

I'm not sure if our chatting in the comments isn't more delicious than the novel!

But, not a word.

Mummmmm.

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Oh, and knitting. I’ll be bringing my current crochet project :-)

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