Varina Palladino's Jersey Italian Love Story

A Novel

By: Terri-Lynne DeFino

Narrated by: Eva Kaminsky

“Varina Palladino’s Jersey Italian Love Story is fun and funny, wonderfully exuberant, and incredibly wise. These endearing characters—their voices and stories—will be with me for a long time to come. I didn’t want to say good-bye.”–Jill McCorkle, New York Times bestselling author of Hieroglyphics

An utterly delightful and surprising family drama—think Moonstruck and My Big Fat Greek Wedding set in New Jersey—about a boisterous, complicated Italian family determined to help their widowed mother find a new boyfriend.

Lively widow Varina Paladino has lived in the same house in Wyldale, New Jersey, her entire life. The town might be slightly stuck in the 1960s, when small businesses thrived and most residents were Italian, but its population is getting younger and the Paladinos are embracing the change. What Varina’s not embracing, much to her ninety-two-year-old mother’s dismay, is dating. Running Paladino’s Italian Specialties grocery, caring for her mother, and keeping her large, loud Jersey Italian family from killing one another takes up all of Varina’s energy anyway.

Sylvia Spini worries about her daughter Varina being left all alone when she dies. Sylvia knows what it is to be old and alone, so when her granddaughter, Donatella, comes to her with an ill-conceived plan to find Varina a man, Sylvia dives in. The three men of the family—Dante, Tommy, and Paulie—are each secretly plotting their own big life changes, which will throw everyone for a loop.

Three generations of Paladinos butt heads and break one another’s hearts as they wrestle with their own Jersey Italian love stories in this hilarious and life-affirming ode to love and family.

Supplemental enhancement PDF accompanies the audiobook.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2023 Terri-Lynne DeFino (P)2023 HarperCollins Publishers

All over the place.

I liked this story but it was all over the place with its characters and plots.

The ending

The ending kind of surprised me. Overall, the book kept my attention from the very first chapter. I loved nonina the the most. And the recipes look delicious. I’d recommend this book to my friends!

Fun read. Especially liked the vocabulary lessons

Very fun read. Especially liked the Italian vocabulary lessons at the beginning of each chapter.

Please read review

*** 2.5 Stars Rounded Up ***

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I loved Chapter 13 with Sylvia (92 years young) and Jon (89 years young) meeting and falling in love. I loved the growth that Donatella showed - her rise and fall and then to overcome once again. I love that Paulie adopted the mother cat and her two kittens found by Dante at a construction site without blinking. I also loved that Dante and Paulie found each other and made it through the craziness. And even though Varina (70 years young) is in the title. . .she has little to do with the overall story line other than going on dates and eventually taking the vacation she has always dreamed of while allowing herself to put her family’s needs aside.

I do think the author tried a bit much to make this an overly political correct book. But that wasn’t what kept me from giving it 4 stars. What I could not tolerate was the crassness and nonchalant entry of a character putting the family pet cat in a sack and tossing it in the river all because of a myth. Even as I write this, my heart is hurting. The only reason why this novel is receiving a rounded up star instead of down is because of the good things that I enjoyed. The animal cruelty was uncalled for and unnecessary to mention.

A family for everyone

Warm and beautifully written a multi generational story of a family's love and struggles. Easily relatable with genuine humor & some heartaches.

Traditional/ Fun

Loved every ones description!
Enjoyed the pronunciation and meanings of the Italian words at the beginning of some of the chapters, a lot of fun to compare, as I am also Italian!
So many Italian first names. But hey.
We’re Italian😂😂👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

Very close to home

I totally enjoyed this story!
The Italian Americanized words are explained at the beginning of each chapter was brilliant and hysterical. Brought back so many memories from my childhood.

Jersey Italian Love Story

This was an interesting story with an interesting bunch of characters, all of whom interacted in interesting ways.