LoveReading Says
LoveReading Says
The diminishing Italian village of Prometto (population 212) is in trouble. Self appointed mayor and part time vacuum repairman Nino Speranza is a man on a mission, determined to save his hometown from collapse. Unless he can find the money to fund expensive repairs to the town's pipes, the water commission will shut off the water to the village and all its residents will be forced to disperse. If you're looking for a heartwarming, feel-good read, stop right there.
In a desperate bid Speranza starts a rumour that Italian heart-throb and movie star Dante Rinaldi is coming to Prometto to film his next movie. He needs a George Clooney-style miracle, and he's determined to make it happen. From his assistant writing the screenplay. the bogus auditions, and even the butcher investing in the project, the charade is well and truly strung out to keep the harbingers of doom off his back.
Praying to St Vincent Ferrier, the patron saint of plumbing, he asks for help: "I'm sorry to bother you but could you take a look at Prometto's pipes? I know it's a pain in the ass, but there is no money here".
With a gorgeous cast of characters and an inner depth flowing through the book, it's a really sweet and funny tale filled with heart and hope.
Deborah Maclaren
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About
The Patron Saint of Second Chances Synopsis
The Patron Saint of Plumbing is not answering Nino Speranza's prayers.
Without the thousands of euros in taxes that he could never bring himself to collect from his neighbours, the water board will cut the town off. All 212 inhabitants will be forced to leave.
So, in a desperate bid to save his hometown, he starts a rumour that major movie star Dante Rinaldi is filming his next movie in the village.
Soon, all the locals want to be involved: Speranza's assistant has written a screenplay and the local butcher will invest - each of his fifteen enormous sons is given a role. It seems the only way to save the town is to actually make the movie.
And Nino Speranza starts to think he might have created the second chance they all needed . . . until word of the production reaches Dante Rinaldi himself.
Funny, charming and incredibly heart-warming, this is the feel-good book we all need; a celebration of the underdog, of family and of remembering what really matters in life.
About This Edition
| ISBN: |
9780751582918 |
| Publication date: |
18th August 2022 |
| Author: |
Christine Simon |
| Publisher: |
Sphere an imprint of Little, Brown Book Group |
| Format: |
Paperback |
| Pagination: |
352 pages |
| Primary Genre |
Romance / Relationship Stories
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| Other Genres: |
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Press Reviews
Christine Simon Press Reviews
The Patron Saint of Second Chances is a rare treasure: both hilariously funny and beautifully written. I was sad to say goodbye to these delightful, large-hearted characters when I turned the final page. Sequel, please. -- Julia Claiborne Johnson, author of Better Luck Next Time and Be Frank With Me
A glorious romp of a book with a cast of characters to fall in love with. Gorgeous, hilarious and brimming with joy. Christine Simon's writing is just a delight. -- Helen Paris, author of Lost Property
'The Patron Saint of Second Chances is the most charming, original and hilarious novel I have read in ages. I laughed out loud on almost every page. Simon is the master of creating lovable, quirky and relatable characters that feel like your best friends. All I want for Christmas is to meet Signor Speranza and have my vacuum cleaner repaired at his shop. And I'm desperate to be in the movie, with or without Dante Rinaldi. This novel is something special. Everyone with a sense of humor must pick this up immediately.' -- Elyssa Friedland, author of Last Summer at The Golden Hotel
[A] sparkling, hilarious debut... Simon's wit pervades every page, with colorful portrayals of Speranza and the town's quirky inhabitants. This triumphant farce is a gem. - Publishers Weekly (starred review)
Full of slapstick humor (including a rescue from a wild goat) and a large cast of quirky characters, Simon's debut is brimming with heart... Fans of Fredrik Backman, Phaedra Patrick, and other chroniclers of small-town humour will savour this. - Booklist (starred review)
