Book: The Villa Girls by Nicky Pellegrino
Reviewed by: Rebecca Hansen
The Villa Girls
Disclaimer: I have an allergy to chick lit. Fiction I read would fall generally into 3 categories: 1) historical murder mysteries 2) steamy historical romance novels (possibly involving pirates. Yarr.) and 3) fantasy with magic and dragons, the whole nerdy shebang. So any mention of exciting shoes and sequined handbags brings me out in a rash, but I was pleasantly surprised when Rosie, the heroine of Nicky Pellegrino’s The Villa Girls, turned out to be a sensible sort of person who was mostly uninterested in sparkled fashion but very interested in food. Now that I can relate to.
Recently orphaned and newly finished High School Rosie starts the book off ‘accidently’ ending up on holiday in Italy with a group of class mates. Characterised initially as isolated and cold, Rosie is nonetheless appealing as she begins to grow and recover from personal tragedy, the sort of person it would be worth persevering to know, even when she pushes you away.
Her story becomes intertwined with that of a local young man, Enzo, who leads a life of both ignorance and privilege at a local olive oil plantation. Enzo begins as a distant sort of character, barely self aware but as Rosie becomes part of his life he becomes more engaging and human, as her accessibility seems to rub off onto him.
Their romance is the lynchpin of the story, its tendrils extending all through the years and the events of their lives.
The peripheral characters are interesting, if sometimes a little light on personality. Rosie’s closest friend, Addolorata is someone who you’d want to meet, although the tongue-twisting (mind-twisting?) name Addolorata did cause my inner monologue to pause slightly before reading it every time I encountered it in the book. Addolorata’s father Beppi and Enzo’s grandmother Nonna are definite highlights in the book, both being very appealing characters of the type we all wish we were related to!
Food is a constant theme through the book, with Rosie progressing from someone who is grief stricken and all but starving to someone more aware of the sensuous nature of food as her character grows and changes and becomes more self and socially aware. Rapturous descriptions of Italian cuisine are to blame for my family spending a week being fed pasta for tea as I was unable to resist translating the ecstatic imagery of food in the book into something slightly more edible.
The Villa Girls is a light and flavoursome confection to read whilst reclining on the sofa with a glass of vino and a large plate of scrumptious pasta.
