"The View From Lake Como" | Reviewed by Tonya O'Connell

“The View from Lake Como,” by Adriana Trigiani, is a story about the blue-collar town of Lake Como, New Jersey, where family comes first.

Giuseppina, or Jess, as her Uncle Louie calls her, is recently divorced from Bobby Bilancia, “the perfect husband.” Jess moves into her parents’ basement to hide and heal. She is the overlooked daughter who dutifully takes care of her parents, cooks Sunday dinner, and puts everyone’s wishes ahead of herself.

Despite her role as the family handmaiden, Jess also is a talented draftswoman in the marble industry—the business run by her Uncle Louie. He believes in Jess and thinks she can do anything she wants if she just invests in new clothing instead of the hand-me-downs she currently wears.

When the Capodimonte and Baratta families, both sides of Jess’s family,

endure an unexpected loss, the shock reveals long-hidden secrets, forcing Jess to question her loyalty to those she trusted. Reflecting on her lost dreams, Jess chooses to change her life and escape to her ancestral home, Carrara, Italy.

         From the shadows of the marble-capped mountains of Tuscany, to the streets of Milan, and on the shores of enchanting Lake Como, Jess begins to find a place in this new/old world. When she meets Angelo Strazza, a passionate artist who works in gold, she discovers her skills are priceless.

But soon Jess discovers the truth about her family history, a truth that will change the course of her life and those she loves the most forever. In her work, her art, and in love, Jess will need everything she has learned about herself to reinvent her life.

This is a novel readers won’t want to put down. Every page is intriguing and keeps you wondering what will happen next—how Jess will change, and what changes others will see in her. Also how will the changes affect the family? I highly recommend "The View From Lake Como."

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