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    Very Valentine
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    Very Valentine
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    Very Valentine
    Audiobook14 hours

    Very Valentine

    Written by Adriana Trigiani

    Narrated by Cassandra Campbell

    3.5/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this audiobook

    “Sex and the City meets Moonstruck….Sly, sensual, and dripping in style.”
    —People

     

    Poignant, funny, warm, and red hot, Very Valentine is a wonderful treat for Adriana Trigiani fans—a “delightful” (Boston Globe), “romance-soaked novel” (Marie Claire) from much adored playwright, screenwriter, documentary filmmaker, and New York Times bestselling author of Lucia, Lucia; Rococo; and Big Stone Gap. The adventures of an extraordinary and unforgettable woman as she attempts to rescue her family’s struggling shoe business and find love at the same time, Very Valentine sweeps the reader from the streets of Manhattan to the picturesque hills of la bella Italia. Already a national bestseller, here is a valentine from the incomparable Trigiani that you can take into your heart.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarperAudio
    Release dateFeb 3, 2009
    ISBN9780061768743
    Unavailable
    Very Valentine
    Author

    Adriana Trigiani

    Beloved by millions of readers around the world for her "dazzling" novels (USA Today), Adriana Trigiani is “a master of palpable and visual detail” (Washington Post) and “a comedy writer with a heart of gold” (New York Times). She is the New York Times bestselling author of twenty books of fiction and nonfiction, including her latest, The Good Left Undone- an instant New York Times best seller, Book of the Month pick and People’s Book of the Week. Her work is published in 38 languages around the world. An award-winning playwright, television writer/producer and filmmaker, Adriana’s screen credits include writer/director of the major motion picture of her debut novel, Big Stone Gap, the adaptation of her novel Very Valentine and director of Then Came You. Adriana grew up in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia where she co-founded The Origin Project, an in-school writing program serving over 1,700 students in Appalachia. She is at work on her next novel for Dutton at Penguin Random House.  Follow Adriana on Facebook and Instagram @AdrianaTrigiani and on TikTok @AdrianaTrigianiAuthor or visit her website: AdrianaTrigiani.com.  Join Adriana’s Facebook LIVE show, Adriana Ink, in conversation with the world’s greatest authors- Tuesdays at 3 PM EST! For more from Adriana’s interviews, you can subscribe to her Meta “Bulletin” column, Adriana Spills the Ink: adrianatrigiani.bulletin.com/subscribe.

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    Reviews for Very Valentine

    3.5/5

    430 ratings60 reviews

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    • 2/5
      This first in a trilogy introduces Valentine and her Italian family. Valentine works and lives with her grandmother who owns an Italian shoe shop in New York named Angelini Shoe Company. Financial burdens plague the shop and Valentine strives to save her legacy.Oh my. This was a huge disappointment for me. I have thoroughly loved Adriana Trigiani's work in the past and was so looking forward to this trilogy. Unfortunately, my lack of enthusiasm for the book started from the beginning. For me, it was bland, dull and lifeless. Either there wasn't enough conflict or the characters were just boring or maybe even this reader just wasn't in the right mood for it - I don't know, but I highly doubt I'll venture into the doldrums of the second. (2.25/5)Originally posted on: "Thoughts of Joy..."
    • 4/5
      Although I might have put this in the “chick lit” category, I was pleasantly surprised that it became a good book for book club discussion.
      Multi-generational women and how they dealt with life, work and family made for great topics because our group could relate to these issues.
      Valentine’s dilemma is how to continue tradition while trying to thrive in the contemporary business world, while trying to have a personal life.
      This was a perfect fit in terms of the stress-free reading.
    • 4/5
      This is a good book to listen to because you get the New York-Italian-American accent, as well as Italian-Italian. I noticed that some reviewers said the book had too much detail, but hearing those details read made the descriptions vivid.

      I'm looking forward to the second book in the series, Brava, Valentine. I hope to get that as an audio book, too.
    • 2/5
      I freely admit that I probably picked this book for the wrong reasons. (1) it was Valentine's Day, and this book has the word Valentine in the title! (2) the author offered a walking tour in Manhattan on one of the sites I visit, which I thought was pretty cool. (3) The main character makes custom wedding shoes, and if you follow my reviews, you've probably noticed that in the months leading up to my wedding I'm a bit of a sucker for books related to weddings, however tangentially.

      All of that said, I didn't *not* enjoy this book. It was fine. Some of it was even lovely, and I now have a previously undiscovered longing to visit the isle of Capri. I now know what the vamp of a shoe is.

      None of this could wring a third star out of me, because the incredible overuse of simile and metaphor was impossible to get past. Sometimes there would be two in the same sentence! At one point, we're told that rugs are "splashed" across a marble floor, and two sentences later women (who "drip" with jewelry, naturally) are described as having "splashes of glitz against their tawny skin." Using "splash" creatively is fine in either of those instances, but twice in three sentences is ridiculous.

      A small sampling of annoying similes from a single wedding scene:

      -My mother bursts into the lounge like a frapped tangerine (?)
      -a corsage of purple roses, which hangs off her lilac crepe dress like a ruby red tire
      -I yank up the front of my dress like I'm pulling a full Hefty bag out of a trash can
      -her lips pulled tight, like the zipper on a change purse
      -her eyes rolling around in their sockets like frantic golf balls

      And if I even started to count the number of times that rivers or lakes or oceans were described as unfurled bolts of fabric, I'd lose my mind.

      So, yes, you can ruin a perfectly decent storyline with an excess of descriptive detail, just like you can ruin a perfectly good wedding dress with a bow bigger than the bride's head, which steals attention like a girl in a too-small bikini top at a country fair.

      If your eyes are rolling around in your sockets like frantic golf balls, I've done my job.
    • 4/5
      Italian-American Valentine is 33-years old and lives and works with her grandmother in New York City. Gram runs a shoe making company; they hand-make wedding shoes and the company has been in business since 1903. Unfortunately, the company is in financial trouble, and Valentine is not sure what will happen if her brother gets his way and Gram decides to sell. In the meantime, Valentine has met a very busy chef and they are trying to maintain a relationship.I really liked this. This is the second book I've read by Trigiani and I really enjoy her writing. I often don't like long descriptions, but even though some of Trigiani's descriptions are long and very detailed, there is something about the way she writes that keeps me interested, and enjoying the detail as it brings whatever she is describing to life.
    • 5/5
      I really enjoyed this book, and if I had never read the Big Stone Gap trilogy by Trigiani, I would think it was a totally wonderful book. The only objection I have to Very Valentine is that it might have been called Big Stone Gap Goes to New York City. There are a few too many similarities for comfort. That said, however, it's a great read, and if you want a little romance in your life, go for it. I will definitely read volume two of the series, whenever it arrives on the scene. This is another winner.
    • 4/5
      This is classic Trigiani -- light, hysterical, and a lot of Italian family dynamics.
    • 3/5
      This was a fun read about a large Italian family in New York city. The grandmother owns the Angelini Shoe Company which has been in business since 1903 and Valentine works with her. I read more about making shoes than I really wanted to know and I found those parts of the book kind of boring. What I really enjoyed was the family - they sisters and the fun that they family all had together was hilarious. Can't wait to read book 2 in the series to see what happens next.
    • 4/5
      Fun author! Love the story of Italian shoe family. Author is amazing, and I have read many of her books now.
    • 3/5
      Valentine is trying to save the Angelini Shoe Company and figuring out her love life all while dealing with her big, loving, slightly crazy Italian family. What made this for me was the incredible detail and language. I loved reading about Valentine figuring out her life and dealing with change. Definitely going to give the next one a try.

    • 5/5
      I really enjoyed this book, and if I had never read the Big Stone Gap trilogy by Trigiani, I would think it was a totally wonderful book. The only objection I have to Very Valentine is that it might have been called Big Stone Gap Goes to New York City. There are a few too many similarities for comfort. That said, however, it's a great read, and if you want a little romance in your life, go for it. I will definitely read volume two of the series, whenever it arrives on the scene. This is another winner.
    • 5/5
      Delightful and enjoyable read! Family,friends and the family business and a trip to lovely Capri. Highly recommended!
    • 5/5
      If you liked the movie My Big Fat Greek Wedding than you are going to love this book; the humor in it is hilarious. And the story is warm.
    • 2/5
      Adult fiction. Likeable characters with funny, memorable moments, but this isn't the rollicking storyline you'd expect in a typical chick lit novel, because this isn't a typical chick lit novel. Yes, the title character is obsessed with shoes (it's how she makes her living) and is involved with a new romance with the chef living next door, but she spends a lot of time sniffing that flower, admiring that bit of antique furniture, contemplating her navel. I would probably like this book more if I had time to finish it, but I am trying to make my way through a mountain of books, and if I'm not hooked after 50 pages of reading, I've decided to just move on.
    • 3/5
      Valentine is a fourth generation cobbler. Unfortunately the specialty shoe business her great grandfather started is suffering under the weight of discount competition and product branding by the big names in the industry. But Valentine has no intention of giving up. Her personal determination, amazing grandmother, dysfunctional family and new love interest can only lead to good things happening … if only they would take her seriously. A light, amusing read and I will definitely be picking up the next in the series to find out where life takes this lovable cast of characters.
    • 4/5
      Very Valentine / by Adriana Trigiani (c2009)A colorful cast of characters in this story of an extended Italian-American family. Set in a current day Manhattan, this story spans 100 years of history of the Angelini Shoe Company which is now threatened by closure due to financial problems. Valentine, 33 years old, is apprentice to her Grandmother, Teodora, and must find a way to bring the family’s old world-craftsmanship into the 21st century. Her love for the business comes through as she problem solves to create a new design for mass production, learn new crafting skills that will separate them from competitors, and develop her business sense to keep the business and her livelihood intact. She is also diverted by her father’s bout with cancer, her brother’s desire to sell the business, and her budding relationship with Italian chef Roman and romantic interests of Gianluca, an Italian leather craftsman.I was fascinated with the creativity of Valentine and her passion to keep the family business in operation and push them into the 21st century. The description of the shoes, the handcrafting process, and the history of the designs is a compelling piece of this story.Another strong draw for me is the building as a character. The old building serving as business and home and conflict as family decides what to do with it. NOTE: See the picture of Grandfather Carlo Bonicelli, shoemaker at the beginning of the book.Reminiscent of the movie -- My Big Fat Greek Wedding.Slow start with the wedding but necessary to set-up the background story and the family dynamic. First book in a trilogy continuing with Brava, Valentine (c2010).My favorite part of the book is when the movie people arrive at the shop expecting the Angelini Shoe Company to fix the show being highlighted in their film. The awe and appreciation on their faces as the learn about the shoes and select the new star of the picture always makes me smile.Sequel: Brava, Valentine (c2010) continues Valentine's story as she meets challenge after challenge in taking control of the Angelini Shoe Company. Gram is leaving for Italy to marry her long-time friend and lover leaving the company in the hands of Valentine and her brother Albert. They go head to head in business decisions as a new shoe is being designed and a production factory being located to handle mass production that will bring financial stability to the company.A surprise is waiting in Buenos Aires as it is discovered that there is a second branch of the family that noone knows about that also creates quality shoes and could be the answer that the New York store has been searching for.Valentine is struggling to grow-up while deciding what she really wants from life -- a success career or love and a family of her own.The family dynamics continue in this lovable, extended family. My favorite part of this story is packing day and the whole family joining together to lovingly wrap the shoes and send them to their customers in customized packing (starting on page 162).
    • 4/5
      4**** and a &#10084Trigiani is a larger-than-life woman who writes about larger-than-life women. Her books are peopled with characters we care about, whose hearts are open – flaws and all, who live, laugh, love, cry and endear themselves to us. Valentine Roncalli is working in her grandparents custom shoe shop, and living above the shop with her grandmother. She’s 33 (nearly 34) still single, and struggling with what she wants to do with her life. Her brother’s move to sell the Greenwich Village building in which their shop and home is located so that “Gran can retire in peace” rankles Valentine and threatens the business that’s been in the family since 1903. Valentine’s journey to find her way is wonderfully told. Full of humor, pathos, love, disappointment, family feuds, health scares and all the threads that form the rich fabric of her life.
    • 4/5
      A young woman navigates life with her large Italian-American family while apprenticing at the family business of artisan shoe-making and looking for romantic love. This book was better than I was expecting. While it may be part of that often dismissed genre of "chick lit," it was certainly better than other titles I've read within that genre. (And, please, can we think of a better name than "chick lit"??) Trigiani's writing style is good, and she especially excels at writing believable characters with the quirks of real-life people. The audiobook narrator also helped to bring these characters to life with distinct voices, accents, etc. I appreciated that much of the story was concerned with Valentine's family relations, her work at the shoe shop as well as career interests, and her friendships. There's a romantic plotline that I felt was a bit lame (mostly because there was zero chemistry between her and the man slotted for her, who wasn't much of a catch anyway in my opinion) but it's also not the major thrust of the story. Trigiani also writes lovingly of places, Greenwich Village and Capri in particular. She spends time describing the details of Valentine's work at the shoe shop and her interests in fashion; these are not my interests per se but it was evocative and well done. That all being said, when I finished the book, I felt it was wrapped up in a good enough place that I didn't feel particularly compelled to continue with the series. When curiosity got the better of me and I looked at the description of the next book in the series, I decided to leave well enough alone.
    • 3/5
      Valentine is "the funny one" in her large Italian family. A late bloomer, she is now in her second career, apprenticed to her grandmother as a cobbler. But handmade shoes are hardly a booming business and when Valentine's grandmother admits that she is deeply in debt it brings matters to a head. Facing the potential loss of her job and home, Valentine must mature and prepare to take over the grandmother's failing business.
    • 4/5
      I'm a sucker for a Saga and I reall enjoy this author.
    • 4/5
      The Angelini family has been making wedding shoes since 1903 but is in financial trouble now. Valentine is the granddaughter and is in the business with her grandmother. Now her brother wants to sell the bulding and property. Valentine and her grandmother make the yearly trip to Europe to buy leather and supplies and Valentine discovers a secret about her grandmother. They have an opportunity to enter a contest to win a contract with a large store which could save their business. The info about making shoes was v ery interesting. I enjoyed this book. It was a qick read.
    • 4/5
      Loved it! About a fun, large Italian family--it's funny, moving, and inspiring. I learned a lot about making shoes...and surprisingly found it interesting. Highly recommend! Getting ready to read the sequel, Viva, Valentine.
    • 4/5
      The average rating for this title by our group by 3.8. It was a fun, light , summer read. Most enjoyed this title however some did not like it at all & thought the characters were unbelievable. It certainly was not deep like most of our selections this year but I thought it was a nice change of pace for the summer.
    • 4/5
      The Angelini Shoe Company, one of the last family-owned businesses in Greenwich Village, has been making exquiisite wedding shoes since 1903 but now teeters on the brink of financial collapse. To save their business from ruin, thirty-three year old Valentine Roncalli-apprentice to and grandaughter of master artisan Teodora Angelini-must bring her family's old world craftsmanship into the twenty-first century.
    • 3/5
      This could be just the thing for the fashion diva. I guess I'm not. For a woman who is nearly losing a company I find it hard to believe that she can afford the clothes she describes.....but...such is the life within the romance novel: Barbie and Ken(s) in this case. I liked the Big Stone Gap series better. Was not so carried away with this first novel that I find I have to read any more of the sequels. As evidenced by my opinion, I am not a big fan of the romance genre. Too alike.....
    • 4/5
      So over Christmas break my second fun-book was Very Valentine by Adriana Trigiani.Very Valentine is the cute and highly descriptive tale of Valentine, an Italian American living in New York with her grandmother, a famous crafter of handmade shoes. Unfortunately, Grams isn't terribly business-savvy and their about to lose their business (which they also live over). So what's a girl to do? Fall in love with a gorgeous chef, try really hard to save the business in order to spite her money-grubbing brother who's after the brownstone and plan an escape trip to Italy!The descriptions are really fantastic-- from the descriptions of the food, to the shoes, to the sprawling Italian countryside and the secret caves in Capri... all of it really made me want to plan a trip to Italy.Trigiani has also recently written a YA novel and a sequel to Very Valentine called Brava, Valentine (and apparently there is a trip to Argentina! Mayhaps we have just met book 52. Perhaps, Reader. Perhaps.
    • 4/5
      Valentine Roncalli is the funny one in her boisterous Itailian-American family. She's also the only remaining single one. This could partly be a result of her commitment to the family's shoe company that has been in business since 1903 and her commitment to her aging Gram who helps run the small business as well. When the suave Roman Falconi enters Valentine's life, it becomes a question of what is most important: love, family, or protecting the business.I've recently seen many reviews for Adriana Trigiani's books all over book blogger world, so I decided to find out what the buzz was all about. Needless to say, I was not disappointed! I liked Valentine's character. She was very down-to-earth and likeable. I also liked her hilarious family. Reading about their interactions, I couldn't help but laugh out loud several times. Another of my favorite parts was the scenery. Whether the Hudson River, the NYC skyline, or the blue coast of the Isle of Capri, I felt like I was truly in the story with Trigiani's spectacular imagery. I did not like Valentine's relationship with Roman. I won't give up any spoilers here, but I wanted to yell at the two of them sometimes. Another minor annoyance was the tendency for this to drag; this one had its slower moments. Overall, I would recommend this to those of you looking for a lighter read with lots of comedy, beautiful scenery, a bit of romance, and a strong appreciation for fashion and family.
    • 2/5
      After splitting with her boyfriend, Valentine Roncalli leaves her teaching job and goes to work for her Gram at the Angelini Shoe Company, makers of custom made wedding shoes, opened in the 1950′s by her grandfather. Valentine meets and falls in love with italian chef Roman Falconi but the relationship doesn’t run smoothly.The shoe shop is near financial ruin, which Gram is in denial about but can Valentine save the business or will brother Alfred have his way and sell the place. At eighty years old will Gram ever retire?The plot in this book was very weak, while the art of shoemaking is close to the author’s heart, I don’t think it was enough to make a story from. The characters were bland, Valentine being a typical 30 something looking for love. I didn’t warm to her at all.The book is described as hilarious and romantic but it didn’t make me smile although the romance was there. The descriptive passages were far too long, if you took half of them away the book would have been so much better, included in the passages were three quarters of a page devoted to tomatoes growing from seed to fruit, too much describing for me.On the plus side, as the book was italian/american, plenty of italian food was mentioned and the recipes to the food mentioned were included at the back of the book which I thought was a nice touch.There’s a sequel to this book called Encore Valentine, it’s not one I’ll be reading I’m afraid.
    • 4/5
      Very Valentine by Adriana Trigiani weaves together themes of family, romance, food, and shoes. Valentine Roncalli is in her mid-30s, lives with her Grandmother, and makes shoes for a living. Within her family, she has the identity of being the funny one who uses humor to deal with the myriad of things life throws at her. Although Valentine has the role as the family comedian, don't go into this book expecting a hilarious romp. Rather, expect to see plenty of family interactions as well as a dash of romance.The premise of the novel is that the family shoe company is failing. People no longer care to spend extra money on custom-made shoes. Valentine, company apprentice/partner, must find a way to turn the company around before her lame-o brother can sell off the property which is worth some big money. Along the way, Valentine eats great food, experiences love, heart ache, and must make some excruciating choices with her priorities.I actually really enjoyed Trigiani's writing style. I think she does interactions with family members well. I will admit to seeing reviews on goodreads complain about the amount of detail she uses, but to me, I found that enhanced the story. For example, she would describe what this character, Roman -- a chef who is Valentine's love interest-- has cooked and I would feel myself salivate. I also feel that I learned a bit about shoe-making, without those details, I would have been in the dark as to how much work really does go into a custom shoe.As for Valentine's family, they are stereotypical Italians. They are loud, dramatic, and eat excellent food. They also tend to be fiercely loyal and quite close to each other. It was awesome getting a glimpse of them at events like weddings, and family dinners. To me, it was easy to picture how much they loved each other. It's nice seeing a supportive family in fiction - instead of one rife with problems.The romance added a nice dimension, but I felt it to be a bit disappointing. I did really like Roman at first, but then some of his actions led me to wonder what exactly Valentine was thinking by dating him. I mean, she could do better. I guess with Roman, I didn't feel that second-hand sizzle. No worries though, because Trigiani did wrap it up very nicely.
    • 3/5
      This book was soooo slooow, but I'll read the sequel just in case...