Kiss Carlo: A Novel

InstantNew York TimesBestsellerPeoplesBook of the Week

From Adriana Trigiani,the beloved New York Times-bestselling author ofThe Shoemakers Wife,comes an exhilarating epic novel of love, loyalty, and creativitythe story of an Italian-American family on the cusp of change.

Its 1949 and South Philadelphia bursts with opportunity during the post-war boom. The Palazzini Cab Company Western Union Telegraph Office, owned and operated by Dominic Palazzini and his three sons, is flourishing: business is good, theyre surrounded by sympathetic wives and daughters-in-law, with grandchildren on the way. But a decades-long feud that split Dominic and his brother Mike and their once-close families sets the stage for a re-match.

Amidst the hoopla,the arrival of anurgent telegram from Italy upends the life of Nicky Castone (Dominic and his wifes orphaned nephew) who lives and works with his Uncle Dom and his family.

Nicky decides, at 30, that he wants moremore than just a job driving Car #4 and more than his longtime fiance Peachy DePino, a bookkeeper, can offer. When he admits to his fiance that hes been secretly moonlighting at the local Shakespeare theater company, Nicky finds himselfdrawn to the stage, its colorful players and to the determined Calla Borelli, who inherited the enterprise from her father, Nicky must choose between the conventional life his family expects of him or chart a new course and risk losing everything he cherishes.

From the dreamymountaintop village of Roseto Valfortore in Italy, to the vibrant streets of South Philly, to the close-knit enclave of Roseto, Pennsylvania, to New York City during the birth of the golden age of television,Kiss Carlois a powerful, inter-generational story that celebrates the ties that bind, while staying true to oneself when all hope seems lost.

Told against the backdrop of some of Shakespeares greatest comedies, this novel brims with romance as long buried secrets are revealed, mistaken identities are unmasked, scores are settled, broken hearts are mended and true love reigns. Trigianis consummate storytelling skill and her trademark wit, along with a dazzling cast of characters will enthrall readers.

Once again, the author has returned to her own family garden to create an unforgettable feast.Kiss Carlois a jubilee, resplendent with hope, love, and the abiding power of la famiglia.