A Portrait of Emily Price Katherine Reay Genre: Fiction Publisher: Thomas Nelson Publication Year: 2016 Series: Stand Alone My Rating: 4.5 of 5 stars Synopsis:
Art restorer Emily Price has never encountered anything she can’t fix—until she meets Ben, an Italian chef, who seems just right. When Emily follows Ben home to Italy, she learns that his family, however, is another matter . . . Emily Price—fix-it girl extraordinaire and would-be artist—finds herself in Atlanta, repairing objects damaged in a house fire. As she works to restore the home and dreams of one family, she strives to keep the pieces of her own life in perfect order and secure her own happy ending—a gallery show of her own. There is no time for distractions, especially not the ultimate distraction of falling in love. But Chef Benito Vassallo’s relentless pursuit proves hard to resist. Visiting from Italy, Ben works to reconnect with his brother and breathe new life into his aunt and uncle’s faded restaurant, Piccolo. And soon after their first meeting, he works to win Emily as well—inviting her into his world and into his heart. Emily astonishes everyone when she accepts Ben’s proposal and follows him home. Upon landing in Rome, she is enchanted with Italy. But instead of allowing the land, culture and people to transform her, Emily imposes her will upon everyone and everything around her, alienating Ben’s tightly knit family. Only Ben’s father, Lucio, gives Emily the understanding she needs to lay down her guard. Soon, Emily’s life and art begin to blossom, and Italy’s beauty and rhythm take hold of her spirit. Yet when she unearths long-buried family secrets, Emily wonders if she really fits into Ben’s world. Will the joys of Italy become just a memory, or will Emily share in the freedom and grace that her life with Ben has shown her are possible? ~Taken from Katherine Keay's website: http://katherinereay.com/books/a-portrait-of-emily-price/ My Thoughts: This book is amazing! I started reading it and probably got about two chapters in before I had to leave it, then picked it up again the next day. This story swept me away. I was lost in it and couldn't put it down. Through the final chapters I barely kept tears at bay before letting them loose in the last two chapters. I have never cried over a book. I was shocked and when my husband asked why I was crying, I had no answer for him. I still don't really understand why I cried. I texted my aunt, who had recommended this book to me, and asked why the story had captivated me. She answered, "It was like normal people." And that is the best description of the book: it is about normal everyday people. Emily is a driven fixer and art restorer. She fixes things and slowly throughout the story learns that not everything needs to be fixed. I loved following her growth as she went from a steady job to flying across the world and stepping into a place she really doesn't understand. Ben is steady and romantic and wonderful. He gently romances Emily throughout the book, while also dealing with grief. Ben says some profound lines throughout the book, so I picked out my two favorite to share with you! This he says to Emily after meeting her sister, "It is nothing to say lovely things to someone who expects them, needs them. The beauty is when one who does not expect them comes to believe them - that only happens when the compliments and the love behind them are sincere." (p. 71) ~How true is this! When I read it I had to go back and reread it again. Isn't it beautiful when we are gifted with a sincere compliment and we begin to start believing them?~ Later on he says this to Emily as they pass a sunflower field. "As I told you, they follow the sun...and you will never find a rebel. I know. I ran through a neighbor's field once and searched. I twisted a few and they snapped. They must turn on their own." (p. 145) ~How true is this about people? We can't force people to change or see things our way. Sometimes you have to be patient and let them turn on their own.~ I loved all the Italian that was used throughout the book. While I didn't understand any of it, it gave a beautiful essence to the story. Also, learning a little about art restoration was fascinating. The story is unique and not like one I have read recently, which made it like a breath of fresh air for me. The author used beautiful descriptive words and made it seem like you were right there. Recommend? Yes! I highly recommend this book. Would a book like this interest you? As always, I am more than happy to answer further questions about the book! Cheers, Rebecca
1 Comment
8/17/2018 07:56:20 pm
I wondered about this book! It looks so enchanting. Your review makes me want to read it for sure!
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Welcome!My name is Rebecca and this blog is dedicated to my thoughts and opinions of the books I read. I hope you enjoy reading through my reviews. And hopefully you will find a good one to get lost in! Archives
November 2019
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