ISBN: 978-1402213939
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Paperback: 288 pages
Genre: Women's Fiction
First Line: I never intended to take home da Vinci.
One Word Review: Touching
Publisher's Description:
A gorgeous young Italian, with nowhere to go... His name just happens to be Leonardo da Vinci. When he walks into Ramona Elise's English class, he's a twenty-five-year-old immigrant, struggling to forge a new life in America - but he's lonely, has nowhere to live, and barely speaks English...
She knows she shouldn't take him home... Picking up the pieces of her life after the death of her beloved husband, linguist and teacher Ramona Elise can't help but be charmed by her gorgeous new student. And when he calls her 'Mona Lisa' she just about loses her heart...
The cover of this novel and it's blurb had me expecting a light-hearted chick lit romp. While it definitely could be considered contemporary women's fiction, it's deeper and with a more meaningful message than what I originally had assumed it would be. I think readers will sympathize with Ramona's situation and relate to her insecurities and doubts. While I felt that the male characters were at times a little too perfect (though this is pretty common in romances), I thought Ramona was written really well. The story itself is touching, yet it still maintains the fun aspects of 'chick lit.' Fans of books like P.S. I Love You by Cecilia Ahern and movies like Under the Tuscan Sun (though not the book, as it's vastly different) will appreciate Ramona's emotional journey.
Book Rating: 3 1/2 out of 5 stars
