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I was told about this book by a friend who had read the printed version. After listening to the excellent narration of a wonderful story, I wanted to tell my friend she had somehow been cheated and desperately needed to listen to it! Truly a fantastic book and narration. And, it didn't hurt that my mother's family is originally from the region of Italy depicted in the story... a beautiful part of a beautiful country.

I am totally baffled by the high ratings this audiobook has received. While I am not from Charleston, I am from the south and have visited the Holy City and vacationed in nearby Isle of Palms for years. First of all, the narrator's attempt at a southern, low-country accent was most unfortunate! But what should you expect... she is from Seattle! However, even if a true southern had narrated, I don't think it would have improved the content! Maybe there is a good story in there somewhere... but what wasn't anywhere in sight (or earshot) was an editor! Some of the phrasing made me cringe and the downright errors (the author had the Mayo Clinic in wrong Rochester!) made me wonder if anyone with a brain had read this before it was published! Thank goodness I bought this in the paperback sale and only paid $5 for it! I'm not sure it was worth that!

I purchased this book because of so many glowing reviews but it really didn't work for me. I kept waiting for something to happen and when it did I was disappointed... as in "that's it??" The author took so long to set up the climax of the story and then seemed to run out of gas... like he had something else in mind but didn't quite know how to get there so he just ended it. Definitely not one of my favorites!!

When my book club chose this title I checked it out of my local library but couldn't get through 10 pages without falling asleep. I was thrilled to find it on Audible. While it takes forever for the plot to develop... nearly two thirds of the way into the story... I thoroughly enjoyed the narrator. She voiced every character so well you hardly needed to be told who was speaking! While it is a long story and it takes a while for the plot to develop, the reader and ending are worth the wait