A tale of mayoral meddling
Young, handsome and eligible Salvio Valentini has taken on the role of Mayor of Montenello. He’s determined to turn the town’s misfortunes around given that the once thriving picturesque mountainous village is now a dwindling and fading beauty.
His strategy, with the help of his geriatric assistant, Augusto, is to revive the village by selling off the historic buildings for one euro to foreigners. The proviso being they must renovate their derelict villa within three years and commit to the regeneration of the community. Never mind that Montenello happens to be filled with abandoned decaying houses, there are no children and it’s rumoured to be cursed.
A slightly dubious selection process makes the dream of owning a home in Southern Italy come true for four people: Mimi, a middle-aged woman who has recently joined a “Silver Divorcees” club; Elise, desperate to get on the property ladder even though it’s far from her English home; Edward who’s feeling suffocated with his routine life in Sydney with his long-term boyfriend Gino and then the fourth, a surprise visitor whose mysterious connection to the village slowly reveals itself.
The characters are unique and captivating from start to finish, with highly relatable relationship woes, and Montenello’s state of decline is metaphorical for the troubled relationships that have stagnated or run their course: “When the weather was cold, Montenello could be bleak. Even the houses looked unfriendly, with their windows shuttered and doors firmly closed.”
Love, friendships and new beginnings are themes running through the story and, like Nicky Pellegrino’s other successful novels, it’s as much a culinary journey as it is one through relationships. Her gratuitously mouthwatering descriptions of southern Italian cuisine are enough to make you book a holiday to Italy.
As things start to change, Salvio’s mother, Donna Carmelo, becomes a Strega Nona of the village, a fixer of things, matchmaker and soother of wounded souls with her heavenly cooking: “Everyone needs love, Salvio. Along with food it is one of life’s greatest necessities and pleasures,” she wisely tells her son when he chastises her for not-so-subtle matchmaking. She’s a pivotal character, who can see clearly what everyone needs when they themselves can’t and she isn’t afraid to do a bit of meddling to make it happen.
Pellegrino cleverly crafts an unexpected twist that keeps the pace interesting.
All in all, a thoroughly enjoyable and heartwarming tale that transports you to a quintessential Italian summer in the countryside.