My Year With The Italian Girl

It’s 1985. The Bellport Evening Star, a weekly community paper headed by its sassy editor Vivian Allegra, covers both the humorous and serious issues that regularly erupt in this small village. When she agrees to host a teen exchange student from Catania for a year, Francesca, who descriptively discusses her ancient home city and is hilarious in her observations of American life and who teams up with Black student Keisha with her beautiful Broadway dancer aunt for the upcoming Step competition, life starts taking off.

Actually it does for all of them. These are three strong women who in their own voices, fight to achieve their goals, which includes the community that helps them.

Add a burgeoning local environmental issue with alarming threats to Vivian, a bit of magical realism, and a handsome Brit neighbor who has his eye on recently divorced Vivian and things get pretty interesting.

Who’s mysteriously threatening Vivian? Will the Wiley property be saved? Will the Step Squad win the Regional competition? And will Vivian let down her guard with sweet Ian?

This uplifting story about small town life presents the workings of a weekly paper, different cultures, and what happens when belief in one’s self persists.

Great summer read

Linda masterfully humanizes her characters, crafting them with depth and nuance that draw readers in. She skillfully shares just enough background to make their experiences relatable, while also giving voice to their struggles and triumphs. This delicate balance showcases her artistry with words, making each character feel vividly real and emotionally resonant. It’s a testament to her talent that readers are not only invested in the plot but also in the rich inner lives of the characters she creates.