Postcards from Sicily by Nancy Barone

  

Postcards from Sicily

By Nancy Barone

 

SUMMARY:

A heartwarming story about mother-daughter relationships and starting over in life, set in a luxurious Italian spa resort

Olivia swore she would never grow up to be like her mother, who fled to Sicily to be with her lover when Olivia was a teenager. But now, in her thirties, the spark in Olivia's marriage has been extinguished for years; she's hopelessly pining over her attractive business partner, Markus, and her own teenage daughter barely speaks to her.

So when her estranged mother offers to pay for an eight-week trip to a luxurious wellness centre in Italy, Olivia reluctantly accepts. A break will be good for her. For everyone. There's just one catch... Susan is staying in the adjoining room.

Fuelled by gorgeous weather, good food and even better wine, can the two women overcome their history and form the mother-daughter bond that Olivia always dreamed of? Or is it too late for second chances?

MY REVIEW:

This is a book packed with themes that we can all relate to. Second chances. Atonement. Making peace with the past and relationships. I know I can relate to these! Family relationships affect how we think, feel, and connect. They improve our mental health, lower our stress, and help us live longer. We are, after all, social creatures who need connection to feel safe, happy, and supported through life's challenges.

The opening action hook is attention-grabbing. Olivia, a thirty-something stuck in a loveless marriage, has been invited by her estranged mother, Susan, to stay at a wellness clinic in northern Italy.

‘You think I’m going to accept charity from the woman who abandoned us and check myself into an expensive spa that she’s paying for? I haven’t spoken to her for almost twenty-two years. Can’t you see, Dad, how awkward that would be?’

There is conflict and estrangement. This story is going to be an exploration of the mother-daughter relationship. Naturally, the reader wants answers, and I think each chapter provides some while raising more questions. Olivia is unfulfilled in other areas of her life. Her marriage to Simon is dying, and she is also dealing with a difficult teenage, self-absorbed daughter, Cassie.  The only element of her life that seems to work is a soft furnishing business called Timber and Thimble, which she runs with the tall and broad-shouldered Viking lookalike, Markus. She has the perfect relationship with him, except that we know that Olivia would like the relationship to be more than platonic.

This book skilfully explores serious topics, yet it does so with a gentle and compassionate touch, making it both engaging and approachable. This story could be a heavy narrative, but the tone is balanced with a sprinkle of humour, light-hearted moments and the author allows her characters to use dark, self-ironic, or sarcastic jokes as a realistic coping mechanism for stress and trauma.

‘Perhaps I do have the slightest bit of road rage, but despite what my father and Markus says, I can keep my cool. I don’t have any suppressed anger or whatever it is they think I have. I simply have a low tolerance for idiots while I’m trying to run around and get things done.’

The reader is witnessing the unravelling of Olivia. She feels like she is falling apart. After an aggressive confrontation with a driver who calls her a ‘crazy bitch’ she tearfully catches sight of her ragged reflection in the mirror, her eyes wild with stress and not even being able to recognise herself. And then she falls on the floor at McDonald's and yells at a lady who tries to help her. She is losing control, breaking down, and changing character. This is the defining moment when she realises she needs to take some time out.

The pace changes from a frenetic, highly charged atmosphere, and the location changes as we head to Italy, but during the flight, Olivia reflects with flashbacks to the day her mother abandoned her, and it is a very sad story.  A school concert where Olivia would ironically sing and play with her mother, ‘all by myself’. The author compellingly conveys the pain, anger, and confusion, eliciting a deep sense of sympathy in the reader.

‘And then I saw it: the empty seat and my father’s drawn face squinting up at me in a mixture of pride and utter misery. The song seemed to last forever, and every new verse or chorus became harder and harder to perform as I was now almost completely engulfed in panic and confusion.’

I think this establishes a connection for the reader with Olivia and explains the deep emotional pain she suffered, and it creates a sense of shared experience.

There are some wonderfully descriptive passages about Villa Dei Respiri Spa Villa of Breaths) a nineteenth-century Art Nouveau villa with peach coloured rendering nestled on the shores of Lake Maggiore. Where can I book, please?

‘A handsome man, around thirty-ish, comes to greet my taxi and shows me into the massive, elegant lobby, and I know that the Villa Dei Respiri is going to be amazing. Through a wide doorway, I can already see lake views with open terraces and white linen curtains billowing in pine-scented breeze and fancy drinks and foods, ladies dripping with jewels and gallant men vying to attend to their every need. More Gatsby anyone?’

The spa offers everything for discerning high-income individuals, wellness seekers, and busy professionals. From luxury massage to beauty treatments, wellness, fitness, arts and crafts, cooking classes, and, ironically, every therapy to alleviate symptoms of anxiety, depression, and mental fatigue. However, to Olivia’s horror and surprise, her estranged mother is in the adjoining room next door. This is where the healing process begins. Olivia must turn toward her difficult feelings instead of hiding from them. The writing is incredibly poignant, and I think the message is clear to the reader. Holding onto anger hurts you more than anyone else.

‘Now that I’m here, face to face with my mother, I’ve had to deal with the fact that she’s been gone all these years, but that she’s been extremely happy with her new life and never looked back. I’ve tried patience, indifference, and resentment, but none of them can fill the void inside me. I need to jump over the chasm in the middle of my life that has stopped me from moving on. I know that.’

The summer unfolds as a time for deep connection and personal growth, filled with moments of Olivia and her mother getting to know each other better while also navigating the journey of therapy.

I don’t believe every story needs a happy ending, just a resolution. Closure gives the reader a sense of completion.

“‘Olivia, is there any way you think that, as two grown women, we may reconnect once again? I have been so selfish. I want to make amends for all the hurt I’ve caused you.” Without a word, she spreads her arms and I fall into them and we both sob inconsolably.’

Susan has her own reasons for the reconciliation. Towards the end of the book, we move to Sicily – ‘a glorified chaos of the senses’ where they are joined by other members of the family. More beautiful descriptions of an antique villa facing the Mediterranean Sea.

Why I recommend this book:

It delves into important issues. It makes you reflect on your own relationships, so it's easy to connect with.  Takeaways include ‘letting go of the past before you can move forward.’ Empathy, acceptance and forgiveness are steps to take to release the weight of hurt.

 The theme of mothers and daughters is trending by Rachal Aviv in her book ‘You Won’t Get Free of It: Stories of Mothers and Daughters so it is worthy of more investigation since mothers and daughters are emotionally wired to feel connected to each other.

The story is written in the first person to create deep emotional connection and intense immediacy, and I think rather a rather unique character in Olivia.

Great book – I really enjoyed this

 

“A person is, among all else, a material thing, easily torn and not easily mended.”
― Ian McEwan, Atonement

 

AUTHOR BIO:

Nancy Barone grew up in Canada, but at the age of 12 her family moved to Italy. Catapulted into a world where her only contact with the English language was her old Judy Blume books, Nancy became an avid reader and a die-hard romantic. Nancy stayed in Italy and, despite being surrounded by handsome Italian men, she married an even more handsome Brit. They now live in Sicily, where she teaches English.

Nancy is a member of the RWA and a keen supporter of the Women's Fiction Festival at Matera where she meets up once a year with writing friends from all over the globe.

BOOK BLURB:

Published by Aria (July 2026)

OTHER BOOKS BY THIS AUTHOR:

One Summer in Sicily (June 2023)

The Little Cottage by the Cornish Sea (July 2025)

Dreams of a Little Cornish Cottage (July 2021)

Starting over at the Little Cornish Beach House (May 2022)

Storm in a D Cup (January 2023)

The Husband Diet (June 2022)

No Room at the Little Cornish Inn (November 2020)

My Big Fat Italian Breakup (July 2022)

New Hope for the Little Cornish Farmhouse (July 2020)

Snow Falls over Starry Cove (September 2022)

Deserted in Sicily (July 2016)