In blue-collar Lake Como, New Jersey, family comes first. Recently divorced from Bobby Bilancia, “the perfect husband,” Jess moves into her parents’ basement to hide and heal. Jess is the overlooked daughter, who dutifully takes care of her parents, cooks Sunday dinner, and puts herself last. Despite her role as the family handmaiden, Jess is also a talented draftswoman in the marble business run by her confidant, her dapper uncle Louie, who believes she can do anything (once she invests in a better wardrobe).
When the Capodimonte and Baratta families endure an unexpected loss, the shock unearths long-buried secrets that will force Jess to question her loyalty to those she trusted. Fueled by her lost dreams, Jess takes fate into her own hands and escapes to her ancestral home, Carrara, Italy.
From the shadows of the majestic marble-capped mountains of Tuscany, to the glittering streets of Milan, and on the shores of enchanting Lake Como (the other one), Jess begins to carve a place in this new/old world. When she meets Angelo Strazza, a passionate artist who works in gold, she discovers her own skills are priceless. But as Jess uncovers the truth about her family history, it will change the course of her life and those she loves the most forever. In love and work, in art and soul, Jess will need every tool she has mastered to reinvent her life.
The View From Lake Como is a compelling literary family drama that intertwines travel, romance, and midlife reinvention. The story follows Jess Baratta, a gifted marble artisan who feels stifled by the weight of tradition and family expectations in her small New Jersey town. Following her divorce, she moves back into her parents basement, and her beloved Uncle Louis suddenly dies and leaves her his family business. Seizing the opportunity to continue his legacy and make big changes in her life, she travels to Italy and is swept into a world of breathtaking beauty, artistic heritage, and quiet self-discovery.
Adriana Trigiani’s writing is contemporary and emotionally intelligent. The pacing in this story is a bit uneven but beautifully parallels Jess’s emotional arc and her decision-making throughout the story. Major themes in the story include family bonds, particularly in immigrant, working-class families, breaking cycles, and new beginnings!
Jess is a richly developed protagonist. She’s at a crossroads in her life, grappling between her former self, who always met family expectations and didn’t look outside the box, and the new version of her that is emerging. She’s ended her marriage due to irreconcilable differences and is now seeing a therapist—both unheard of in her family! She can be a frustrating character at times because of her contradictions—she’s in love with her roots and old-fashioned family traditions but longs for me.
Jess’s lifelong struggles with anxiety and panic attacks are authentically described, and the story also emphasizes how anxiety and fear-based patterns are passed down through generations. Jess’s mother, although more traditional, has a similar restless, anxious energy, and their contrasting views lead to some very heated family arguments regarding Jess’s future. The entire Baratta family is loud and lovable, and each character plays a role in Jess’s transformation—no one more so than her Uncle Louie. Their relationship and bond is the heart of the story, and his heartbreaking death and the legacy he leaves behind for her, early in the novel, is the catalyst for her transformation!
There are a couple of very minor weaknesses in the novel. Firstly, Jess’s reasons for ending her marriage are never made entirely clear, and readers only discover the issues between them late in the story. While this slow unfolding may pique curiosity, it may be frustrating to some readers. Also, Jess provides captivating memories of her growing up with her parents/siblings and ex-husband through written entries to her therapist—while these add richness and fill in gaps in the story, they often happen abruptly and sometimes disturb the flow of the present-day narrative.
The novel really shines when it dives into the world of marble. When Jess is in Italy and takes the tour of the mountain where the marble is drawn from, there’s some fascinating dialogue about extracting and crafting marble that is seamlessly woven into the story. Anyone who’s been part of a family business will especially appreciate these scenes, and the passion with which the Italian characters speak of the business is very compelling. The two “Lake Como” settings, in gritty New Jersey and in the elegant hills of Northern Italy, are a metaphor for Jess’s inner duality struggle: staying aligned with known comforts vs. taking risks with the mysterious unknown. Trigiani’s portrayal of Italy is romantic but not overly idealized—the Carrara marble quarries are authentically depicted, and Lake Como becomes a mirror for Jess, reflecting back to her the life she could choose if she dares!
This book has a wonderful second-chance romance—but it may not please all readers, as it’s a bit lacking in heat and resolution. Jess was attached to her ex-husband since childhood, and taking a chance on a new romance seems daunting for her. Her romance in Italy with Angelo develops organically, mostly through flirtatious dialogue. Angelo’s bold moves and outspoken affection towards her are definitely swoon-worthy later on—even if he’s still involved with a girlfriend he’s not happy with. As over-the-top as his behavior comes across, it’s a pretty accurate representation of how men court women in Italy—and a vast difference from what happens in North America!
Overall, The View from Lake Como is a beautifully crafted story with richly drawn characters and beautiful contrasting settings that are a metaphor for the protagonist’s struggles. Readers who enjoy multi-generational women’s fiction, hopeful stories of midlife reinvention, second-chance romances, and family dramas will really enjoy this book!
Narrator Performance
Mira Sorvino’s narration greatly elevates The View from Lake Como, infusing it with emotional clarity and cultural authenticity. She fully embodies protagonist Jess Baratta, using a myriad of emotions, and shifts her performance in the last chapters to convey the character’s profound transformation. A major highlight of the performance is how Sorvino conveys the Baratta family dynamics—the heated arguments, heartfelt apologies, and unconditional love between Jess and her family are so authentically and compellingly narrated and will especially resonate with Italians or listeners of immigrant families!
Sorvino’s natural pacing mirrors Trigiani’s layered storytelling, and she makes flashbacks, journal entries, and the dual settings come alive and engaging from start to finish. Sorvino also nails all the Italian accents and sounds like a native speaker the few times Italian words are spoken!
If you love immersive audiobooks with expressive dialogue and character-rich intimacy, don’t hesitate to give this one a listen!
Narrator Performance
Mira Sorvino’s narration greatly elevates The View from Lake Como, infusing it with emotional clarity and cultural authenticity. She fully embodies protagonist Jess Baratta, using a myriad of emotions, and shifts her performance in the last chapters to convey the character’s profound transformation. A major highlight of the performance is how Sorvino conveys the Baratta family dynamics—the heated arguments, heartfelt apologies, and unconditional love between Jess and her family are so authentically and compellingly narrated and will especially resonate with Italians or listeners of immigrant families!
Sorvino’s natural pacing mirrors Trigiani’s layered storytelling, and she makes flashbacks, journal entries, and the dual settings come alive and engaging from start to finish. Sorvino also nails all the Italian accents and sounds like a native speaker the few times Italian words are spoken!
If you love immersive audiobooks with expressive dialogue and character-rich intimacy, don’t hesitate to give this one a listen!
Mira Sorvino’s narration greatly elevates The View from Lake Como, infusing it with emotional clarity and cultural authenticity. She fully embodies protagonist Jess Baratta, using a myriad of emotions, and shifts her performance in the last chapters to convey the character’s profound transformation. A major highlight of the performance is how Sorvino conveys the Baratta family dynamics—the heated arguments, heartfelt apologies, and unconditional love between Jess and her family are so authentically and compellingly narrated and will especially resonate with Italians or listeners of immigrant families!
Sorvino’s natural pacing mirrors Trigiani’s layered storytelling, and she makes flashbacks, journal entries, and the dual settings come alive and engaging from start to finish. Sorvino also nails all the Italian accents and sounds like a native speaker the few times Italian words are spoken!
If you love immersive audiobooks with expressive dialogue and character-rich intimacy, don’t hesitate to give this one a listen!
