NEW RELEASE
Brava, Valentine - Adriana Trigiani (2010)
Starting off in picturesque Italy for the wedding of her beloved grandmother, this novel follows on from the first novel in the Valentine series. Valentine Roncalli, a designer and shoemaker, takes over her family shoe business but she is not alone in this venture. Her grandmother has made Valentine's brother, Alfred, her partner in the business much to her dismay. Valentine and Alfred don't work too well together and she's afraid of what business decisions he will make. Distraught, she turns to sexy Gianluca, who has previously made his romantic intentions known. As much as Valentine enjoys the company of Gianluca, she can't imagine them continuing a long-distance relationship when she returns to New York and he stays behind in Tuscany. Instead of dwelling on her love life, Valentine throws herself wholeheartedly into her work. With many new business opportunities that could bring Angelini Shoes into the modern age, Valentine has her hands full. When she accepts a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, Valentine unearths a family secret that has been buried for many years. Though this revelation shakes her family to the core, Valentine is sure that she can keep her family together while also being a successful business owner. Expect lots of drama, laughter and charm like only the Roncalli family can deliver. (AS)
Adriana Trigiani's shoe-designing heroine Valentine Roncalli from Very Valentine returns in Brava, Valentine. The story picks up in Tuscany as her grandmother Teodora marries longtime love, Dominic. But Valentine's dreams are dashed when her grandmother announces that Valentine's brother, Alfred, has been named her partner at Angelini Shoes. Valentine seeks comfort in the arms of Gianluca, a sexy Tuscan tanner who had made his romantic intentions known on Capri. But despite their passion for one another, Valentine turns away from romance and devotes herself to her work. Meanwhile her ex-fiance Bret encourages Valentine to exploit her full potential as a designer and businesswoman. When a once-in-a-lifetime business opportunity takes Valentine from Greenwich Village to Buenos Aires, she uncovers a long-buried family secret. For details of Trigiani's promotional tour in the US in the new year, check out her publisher's website.