The Star-Crossed Sisters of Tuscany

Emmie Fontana created a world that she is perfectly comfortable in. She works at her Brooklyn family bakery, and lives alone in her little apartment. Comfortable. Content... or is she? She does everything her overbearing and strict Nonna says like the dutiful granddaughter she is.  Emmie dresses comfortably, with no regard to modern styles or fads. She replaces her eyeglasses the same style for years. This woman exists in predictability. Yep, she is perfectly comfortable. Her outspoken cousin and best friend, Lucy, thinks Emmie is simply settling because it's ... well, comfortable.

Both girls are second-born daughters, and they believe the Fontana Family Curse that says all second daughters will never find love. Well, Emmie insists she doesn't think it's true, but deep down she wonders if there isn't some validity to it. Emmie, came across a family tree when she was a child, and sure enough, all second-born daughters were old maids.

One of the cursed women is her old Aunt Poppy, Nonna's sister. Nonna raised both Lucy and Emmie, and has made it clear that no-one is not to have any contact with Poppy. Apparently, Poppy was blamed for kidnapping a baby ... Emmie's mother. 

Emmie wrote to her Aunt Poppy, but Nonna found out and demanded she cut off all contact. So, as always, Emmie did as she was told to escape Nonna's wrath. But she missed her eccentric Aunt. 

Then her 80-year-old eccentric Poppy comes into Emmie's life again, and this is where the story really takes a turn.  Emmie, and her cousin Lucy accept an all expense paid trip to visit Poppy in Italy. Nonna is furious, but Emmie grows a backbone and goes anyway. The adventure that follows is filled with surprises, growth, and uncovered secrets. 

A  must read for sure. The generations of the Fontana family is a mixture of so many types of people; loving, controlling, free-spirited, lovelorn ... you name it. 

5 Stars

I received this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.