The Italian Girl by Lucinda Riley (2014-07-03)

Wow, what a beautiful novel, it has music,a beautiful setting, and a novel that I was so engrossed in, I couldn't put it down.
The story begins with Rosanna growing up in her parents cafe helping them out, she has a sister who her parents dote on, and they don't seem to notice Rosanna the younger daughter. Everything changes when Roberta an opera star visits, and hears her exquisite voice. Rosanna's brother pays for her lessons secretly for years unbeknown to her parents who would have refused to pay.
This book and all the characters were all well thought out, and all linked,and it so reminded me of The Thorn Birds!! This is another book that has you sobbing, and having to put it down for a short time before going back to see what would happen next. I found it so moving, and it is yet another book by Lucinda that will stay with me for years to come.

Lucinda Riley's description of her heroine's world is absolutely authentic. A singer, particularly, will relate to this novel. Singing, especially opera, is a demanding, physically draining and passionate gift that is given to few. Rosanna's actions need to be looked at from that perspective. The admiration earned and received, as well as the need for acclaim, can be an overwhelming addiction. The years of hard work and dedication are well described, as Rosanna's singing becomes a very part of who she is. Locations such as La Scala are accurate, as is the tempestuous nature of relationships within that circle. Rosanna's emotions ring very true. The loss of a career such as Riley describes, should that happen, would undoubtedly leave Rosanna with tremendous grief. If I have one criticism, it is that I felt a decision made towards the end of the novel took too long in coming. Highly recommended!

After reading The Midnight Rose by Lucinda Riley which has become one of my top favorites. I purchased about 5 more books from this Author. I absolutely love her style of writing you become so engrossed in her books and totally lose yourself. I really liked The Italian Girl not as much as Midnight Rose but very heartfelt and kept me turning pages. I enjoy a good romance novel sometimes and her books so far seem to feel historical with romance and intrigue. The Italian Girl felt real life it was not so far out there that you roll your eyes because it is unrealistic like a lot of romance novels. (nothing against those type stories when you need that) but this one has realistic situations that people face in life sometimes. I enjoyed this book and will read more of her work.

“We accept the love we think we deserve.”

----Stephen Chbosky

Lucinda Riley, the New York Times best-selling author, has penned an enchanting tale of love and betrayal in her book, The Italian Girl , that unfolds the story of a young girl falling in love in the backdrop of Naples surrounded by beautiful music and opera that runs through a decade to show the readers how the lovers are torn up as well as brought together by destiny and lies.

Synopsis:

Rosanna Menici is just eleven years old when she meets Roberto Rossini, the man who will change her life forever. In the years to come, their destinies are bound together by their extraordinary talents as opera singers and by their enduring but obsessive love for each other - a love that will ultimately affect the lives of all those closest to them. For, as Rosanna slowly discovers, their union is haunted by powerful secrets from the past .

Rosanna Menici, an 11-year old Italian girl, living in a picturesque town in Naples along with her family who ran a small cafe, fell hard in love with Roberto Rossini, a native opera student. They fall for each other in the first sight. Soon Rosanna's talent for music gets accredited when she wins a scholarship to the music school, La Scala in Milan, thus opening the door to the world of opera where she along with Roberto performs in some of the world's prestigious opera stages. But their love story is not only connected by fate but is also dominated by betrayal, family past-secrets and lies. Can they keep their love and passion for music as well as for one another alive over challenges on their way?

This book was previously published as Aria in 1996 under author's pen name, Lucinda Edmonds, and has now been re-written and re-published as The Italian Girl. Having previously read Riley's book, The Seven Sisters, I'm quite a fan of her writing style which is exquisite. Her carefully chosen words as well as her pouring emotions made the story passionate and completely romantic, so if you've have fallen recently in love, then this book will sync as per your emotions. The story pulls the readers into it's very depth right from the very beginning, and won't allow to look away from it till the very end.

The main character is very well-developed who is constantly evolving through out the story. Rosanna, driven by passion for opera, at a tender age, is seen embracing her success as well as nurturing her career while performing all over the world. But when Roberto re-enters her life, she is seen making sacrifices for her love and how she gets entangled in the obsessive nature of her love for Roberto thus making her weak as an ambitious woman. The supporting cast is also quiet well-developed and are in perfect tune with the story.

What really took my breath away from this story is the setting which is sprawled across a vast horizon of Naples, to a quaint English village to the shimmering opera stages around the world. This book, in short, is not only entertaining but also poignant. And if you're a big romantic stories fan, then this book is perfect for you which will not only bring a tear in your eyes but will also blossom your heart.

Verdict: A perfect contemporary book for the summers.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. The beginning was about a traditional Italian family and how life can change in an instant with one bad choice. Rosanna first saw Roberto and fell in love with him at age eleven. Her life was forever changed by their love for each other. At an early age she was trained as an Opera singer. She was very successful.
But there is so much more to the story. Obsession betrayal and the way many lives become intertwined. Abi and Rosanna become life long friends. Rosanna.s brother Luca is one of the main characters. Also it ends on a good note.

Angeline

I've been reading Lucinda Riley for years now, and this is one of her best novels. I wasn't quite sold on the whole "opera" aspect of it, but it was surprisingly an avenue to write about famous people without all the Hollywood trash. The characters felt more real and relatable because they weren't pop stars or actors. I absolutely loved the ending for Abi and Luca, but I wish the ending for Rosanna was a bit happier. But then, we don't always get a happy ending, do we?

Sadly, I think "The Italian Girl" will be the last novel I read by author Lucinda Riley. Not quite a fan, I admit to purchasing her novels mainly because they are always available in audio format that I can download to my iPod and listen to while I exercise. Her stories usually engage and as I know they follow a particular formula, don't for the most part, disappoint.

"The Italian Girl" begins on familiar ground. Roseanna, like Riley's other heroines, is a character of near perfection from the romantic heroine standpoint. Of course, she is beautiful, pure, loving, compassionate and has a fabulous talent: she sings like an angel. Initially, the reader follows her development as an opera student of great potential and as in Riley's other novels, meets a full cast of auxiliary characters that either add or detract from her progress.

Along with introducing the reader to the very passionate opera world of divas and egotistical tenors--Riley describes her mostly Italian-born cast with such over-the-top emotions that the reader very quickly wonders at such stereotyping and quite frankly, becomes sick of it early on.

Most disturbing about this novel is its theme of a love so obsessive and so obviously unhealthy, the reader must ponder whether this is meant as a cautionary tale. As in her other novels, Riley waxes on and on about tragedy, circumstance and too-late realizations that become tedious in their repetitiveness.

Readers of this genre do like the detail; they do like the entry into a world of which they are not always familiar. But goodness gracious, such reading is not tabbed as 'great literature' where such harsh lessons must always be learned. Perhaps, as an escape--a leisurely read or saga, it is meant to have a happy ending--not "A Star is Born" finale where a dirge to the dead is sung amidst flickering matches.

Bottom line? This offering by Lucinda Riley starts off with her typical scenario--a young talented woman reflects upon her life with the technical device of a letter written from the present to some unknown loved one. Eventually, the reader will discover to whom the letters are written and the full story that becomes increasingly tragic and overly emotional with each page. Tedious and depressing to the point of wishing it were over about two thirds of the way through:( Not recommended even for fans.
Diana Faillace Von Behren
"reneofc"

Lucinda Riley has come a long way from this beginning book. The book was okay, but her newer ones show how much she's grown as an author. I am always eager to read her stories, this one was Lucinda Riley light weight!

The dialogues lack complexity and are bore-some. The story has potential, but it becomes very predictable since the beginning (no plot change) and the book becomes boring. Very easy to loose the interest in finishing it.

Enjoyed this book immensely. This was my free lending library book for August and I have just spent several hours enjoying Rosanna's journey. I loved the writing of the letter to Nico, each of these letters gave you just enough to want to continue on to find out what was going to happen. Roberta was bad, very bad, controlling, narcissistic, manipulative, selfish, arrogant, actually reminded me of some people I have met in my life. This was my first book I've read by Lucinda Riley and I will most certainly look at some of her others. I liked her writing style. I even found myself staying up late reading and if I woke up in the middle of the nite, I would start reading again. I do wish Nico's life would have been explained a little more as he was growing up, all of the other characters had explanations. I would highly recommend this book, it was more than a romance novel, it was a coming of age and an acceptance of what love is, what love can do, and taking responsibility for the consequences of your actions and decisions. This one is definitely going into my "Best books read" folder.

This book was absolutely AMAZING! I can't say enough about the beauty that this book boasted, from the first page, all the way until the last. I loved every minute of this book, and was intrigued by the various plotlines that took place, especially between Roberto and Rosanna, and Luca and Abi. I felt that I really was in the story when I read this book, especially when it came to Roberto and Rosanna singing on stage; the way in which the author described their passion was felt immensely as I continued to read their tragic saga page by page. I was in love with the affection that Roberto and Rosanna felt for one another, and was rooting for them until a certain point, when I felt that Roberto had overstepped his boundaries with Rosanna. I truly felt for Stephen, and wanted him to be the one central figure that would help Rosanna through her turning point. Luca and Abi were a couple from paradise, making me wonder why Luca was not involved with her more intently, until he revealed his true intentions. I truly felt sorry for Nico and Ella, as they were both young, and had no say as to how their lives were to be affected by the actions of their family members. Overall, this book spoke to me on many levels, and kept me turning the pages quickly to see what would happen!