The Patron Saint of Second Chances

A Novel

By: Christine Simon

Narrated by: Tim Frances

Length: 7 hrs and 54 mins

Publisher's Summary

SELECTED FOR THE RUSA 2023 LISTEN LIST FOR OUTSTANDING AUDIOBOOK NARRATION!

The self-appointed mayor of a tiny Italian village is determined to save his hometown no matter the cost in this “charming farce that highlights the triumph of hope and community” (People).

Vacuum repairman and self-appointed mayor of Prometto, Italy (population 212) Signor Speranza has a problem: unless he can come up with 70,000 euros to fix the town’s pipes, the water commission will shut off the water to the village and all the residents will be forced to disperse. In a desperate bid to boost tourism—and revenue—he spreads a harmless rumor that movie star Dante Rinaldi will be filming his next project nearby.

Unfortunately, the plan works a little too well, and soon everyone wants to be a part of the fictional film—the village butcher will throw in some money if Speranza can find roles for his fifteen enormous sons, Speranza’s wistfully adrift daughter reveals an unexpected interest in stage makeup, and his hapless assistant Smilzo volunteers a screenplay that’s not so secretly based on his undying love for the film’s leading lady. To his surprise—and considerable consternation, Speranza realizes that the only way to keep up the ruse is to make the movie for real.

As the entire town becomes involved (even the village priest invests!), Signor Speranza starts to think he might be able to pull this off. But what happens when Dante Rinaldi doesn’t show up? Or worse, what if he does?

A “warmhearted, original gem of a novel” (Amy Poeppel, author of Musical Chairs), The Patron Saint of Second Chances is perfect for fans of Fredrik Backman and Maria Semple.

©2022 Christine Simon. All rights reserved (P)2022 Hachette Audio UK. All rights reserved.

Critic Reviews

"This hilarious romp through the small-town life of the fictional Italian village of Prometto was tailor-made to be narrated, and Tim Frances is just the man for the job. Frances’s believable Italian accents in a variety of flavors and tones roll off his tongue, and he is especially convincing when embodying Signor Speranza, the beleaguered mayor with a very big plumbing problem on his hands. Listeners will appreciate the atmospheric nuances delivered by Frances, such as well-timed exasperated sighs and munching sounds at mealtimes. A whimsical farce about a little lie becoming a very big one that will be either the ruin or the salvation of the town proves to be a delight to the ear and heart." (AudioFile Magazine)

Hilarious, heartwarming and insightful!

This wonderful book is so captivating that I hate for it to end. The writing and narration were both beyond delightful! Loved it!

Tries for heartwarming, but isn't

I'm not sure what the author was aiming for with this book. It could be heartwarming, ala A Year in Provence, but it isn't, since the large cast of characters aren't developed enough to bond with. The plot could be a bit of intrigue, but it's too simplistic for that, with the main character taking preposterous actions that are just not plausible, even for fiction. Implausible could be farce, but it's not humorous enough to be comedy. Sadly, the main character comes across as more of a simpleton than someone I could root for, and I found myself shaking my head rather than feeling sympathetic.

This seems more like an idea for a novel than a fleshed-out and completed work. Didn't work for me at all.

So much fun

What a wonderful story. Well written, unexpected, funny and heart warming. And narrator was great.

Sweet tale

Absolutely charming story. Characters were just “real” enough to like them and care about their stories but also somewhat sweet and straightforward. Cute story that kept me engaged throughout. Narrator was outstanding.

Sweet and heartfelt

Great reading. I felt so much empathy for the main character and his devotion to family and community. I will recommend this.

An adorable book!

I am so glad that I listened to this on Audible versus reading it myself. The Reader did a phenomenal job with the voices and I found myself lapsing into the Italian accent in my head throughout my day. The book is a romping tale of a town with a big heart but many small minds. I thoroughly enjoyed it and hope you do too!

Literary slapstick at its finest

An interesting point of view of a 60-year-old man who is the mayor of a small town. Not usually somebody’s perspective I would seek out. But his stalwart belief in God and the Saints and his great need to save his little town create Vincent tableau for Hijinx. It’s also really interesting to get his perspective on his daughters unread pregnancy and his attitude towards the other people in the town.

Highly entertaining!!

What a fun, amusing book! The narration was perfect. I can’t wait for a streaming service to make it a movie!

Incredible!!! I can’t wait for the movie!

This book is hilarious and touching. I love it so much that I can’t wait to listen to it again! This will clearly be made into a movie! I can’t wait to see this group of crazy people on screen! Awesome job!