Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.
Rococo  By  cover art

Rococo

By: Adriana Trigiani
Narrated by: Stephen Hoye
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $15.75

Buy for $15.75

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Publisher's summary

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • One small Italian American town in America gets the makeover it never expected in this “eccentric, unpredictable, entertaining” (The Boston Globe) novel from the author of the beloved Big Stone Gap series

“An artfully designed tale [with] characters so lively they bounce off the page [and] wit so subtle that even the best jokes seem effortless.”—People

Bartolomeo di Crespi is the acclaimed interior decorator—not to mention the most eligible bachelor—in Our Lady of Fatima, New Jersey. From the dazzling shores of the Garden State to the legendary fabric houses of New York City, from the prickly purveyors of fine art in London to the Mediterranean coast of Italy, Bartolomeo is on a mission to bring talent, sophistication, and his aesthetic vision to his hometown. So when the renovation of the local church is scheduled, he assumes there is only one man to oversee the job.

Recruiting an artist and a stained-glass artisan to help with the project—two handsome men who create romantic mayhem among Bartolomeo’s sister, his erstwhile fiancée, and all the other lovelorn ladies of OLOF—Bartolomeo struggles to create art while remaining the steadfast linchpin of the volatile di Crespi clan. Together, Bartolomeo and his team will do more than blow the dust off the old Fatima frescoes—they will turn the town upside down, challenge the faithful, and restore hope where there once was none.

©2005 Adriana Trigiani (P)2005 Books on Tape, Inc.

Critic reviews

"A veritable crazy quilt of quirky Italian Americans . . .Trigiani weaves all [the] subplots together with wonderful ease.”Entertainment Weekly

“[Trigiani] delivers charming, dependably satisfying books that you know will be stuffed with quirky but likable characters. . . . Throughout this fast-paced, abundantly charming novel, Trigiani focuses on the things that really matter: family, faith and home. Especially home. It is a deeply rewarding book that should make her legions of fans very happy indeed.”BookPage

“A feel-good story . . . manages to soothe, in part because of its cozy design talk, and in part because of the likable, competent B.”Publishers Weekly

What listeners say about Rococo

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    103
  • 4 Stars
    60
  • 3 Stars
    31
  • 2 Stars
    15
  • 1 Stars
    6
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    91
  • 4 Stars
    20
  • 3 Stars
    10
  • 2 Stars
    3
  • 1 Stars
    3
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    84
  • 4 Stars
    20
  • 3 Stars
    13
  • 2 Stars
    8
  • 1 Stars
    2

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

I wanna be Italian!

I was really surprised by this one. The characters are funny and loveable. Lots of plot twists in this light hearted novel about a warm, wonderful family and not a single wise guy in the bunch. Great character development pushes the story along. I used to be a decorator and I used to live in New Jersey and that is the only reason I bought it but it far exceeded my expectations. I will see if any more of her novels are on audio. My only criticism is that since the novel took place in 1970 and there were several young men in the family, why weren't any of them worried about the draft? Other than naming a baby "Moonstone," there weren't too many references to the time period. A few changes and it could have taken place in the present day. Perhaps the author felt that in the present day, the families are not as tight.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Delightful listening experience

Bartolomeo deCrespi - New Jersey interior decorator, devoted brother and uncle, Italian-American, devout Catholic - dreams of restoring his beloved church, Our Lady of Fatima. The narration by Stephen Hoye was perfect in conveying the heart and soul of this man, his family, and his community. The depiction of religious faith was appealing without being either contentious or evangelical - unusual in today's opinionated culture. Light-hearted entertainment at its best.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

I’m begging for a sequel!

One of the funniest books ever, I laughed out loud throughout. Trigiani left me wanting more, and wondering what B is up to now. How is Two doing? What is the hilarious Toot like once she becomes a grandmother? What about Capri and Aurelia?

Stephen Hoye captures the essence of each wonderful character. I found myself longing to read it again and again. I’m begging for a sequel!

I an hooked and am now a Trigiani fan, I’m a Rococo fan!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Who knew nice could be so amazing?

What did you love best about Rococo?

The narrator Stephen Hoye and his joyous New Jersey accent. The main character Bartolomeo di Crespi and his care for his family and friends and his passion for fabulous fabrics. The fact that this book is not something I would ever have normally picked up (I needed a New Jersey-set book for a reading challenge and my usual reading fare is crime fiction and historical nonfiction about such things as devastating hurricanes, horrifying treks through the Amazon, awful real people committing crimes) but I completely, unabashedly loved this non-cynical narrative about a really nice guy (and professional interior designer) who just wants to redecorate his boyhood church.

What did you like best about this story?

Somehow, a sweet story about nice people is not annoying, aggravating, mindless, boring. It is fresh, fun, and happy-making.

What about Stephen Hoye’s performance did you like?

Hoye is the perfect choice for this story. His New Jersey-accented narration obviously fits the story perfectly, but just like the story itself, it radiates sincerity.

Who was the most memorable character of Rococo and why?

Bartolomeo di Crespi. He's the main character and someone I'd just love to be friends with --- and go shopping with to find great stuff for my house.

Any additional comments?

As someone who usually reads violent, disturbing, and riveting fiction and nonfiction, I am surprised I enjoyed this so wholeheartedly and would recommend it to any other open-minded cynic.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Great Change

Most of Trigiani's books have a strong woman as the central character, so this was a bit of a change. But it was a good change. This did not diminish her ability to catch my interest and keep it throughout the book. I was a little dissappointed by the ending, but it is still a wonderful listen.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Wonderful! Great entertainment

This was a very well written book. I stayed interested and laughed often. Would highly recommend.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars

Sorry, but it was very disappointing.

Having read all of Adrianna Trigiani's books (either listening to them or on my Kindle), I couldn't wait to listen to "Rococo." I love her writing, musings and descriptions of life along with the story-lines of her books. Her gentle observations are well read by the various women narrators. However, in "Rococo", Steven Hoye is the reader, and this is appropriate because the main character in this book is a man. But, his very bad New York accent comes across as caustic and sarcastic instead of charming. I finished the book out of respect for the author and because I kept expecting it to get better. But, it didn't.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

A book to keep you company

This book has no actual plot, so don't read it expecting one. It is charming though, and entertaining, with observations on family and community life. Recipes and descriptions of furnishing are scattered throughout as you follow the saga of the church renovation and the lives that surround it. If you want a little warmth and comfort in your life at the moment, you will find this a companionable read. If you want tension, self-discovery, murder or mystery, then perhaps wait on this one until you are ready for it.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Loved it!

I loved this book, but it's not for everybody. It's about a funny, Italian family in New Jersey, with the 40 year old interior decorator son as the narrator and main character. I thought that the dialogue was very funny, and touching at times. But there is a lot of description of interior design, the fabrics, decor, etc. I loved the descriptions, but as I said, not everyone would enjoy them.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars

ok

After listening to Lucia, Lucia and Big Stone Gap I was very excited about listening to this book. Unfortunately I never felt connected to the main character, or any of the characters for that matter. The story was interesting but not really very amusing. I was disappointed after the compelling / amusing characters in her other books.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful