Mark Lamprell

“New York, Paris, London—every grand metropolis—has its own irresistible attraction but Rome so swirls with stories of saints and sinners...lovers and fighters, that she compels you towards her, like gravity.... No one leaves her unaltered. Part of you always loves her. This is the place where passions are aroused, senses inflamed, and lovers fall into each other’s arms. It all appears to unfold like magic but I will tell you what really happens...Come with me, if you will, and observe my labors.” Mark Lamprell's One Summer Day in Rome is an enchanting novel about three couples drawn irresistibly to Rome, narrated by the city itself. Alice, an art student in New York City, has come to Rome in search of adventure and inspiration before settling down with her steady, safe fiancé. Meg and Alec, busy parents and successful business people from LA, are on a mission to find the holy grail, a certain blue tile that will make their home renovation complete—but soon it becomes clear that their marriage needs a makeover as well. Connie and Lizzie are women of a certain age—“Sometimes I look at my laughter lines and wonder what on earth could have been that funny”—who come from London to scatter the ashes of their beloved husband and brother. Both women are seemingly done with romance, but Rome has other ideas. Brimming with wit and charm (and gelato), One Summer Day in Rome is the most delicious novel you will read this summer.

A Novel

One Summer Day in Rome

This gorgeous romantic novel set around the beautiful sights of Rome tells the story of three couples and their adventures with love in the eternal city. Young artist Alice has come to Rome for adventure and inspiration before settling down with her safe boyfriend, Daniel. Is there such a thing as love at first sight and how will she know if it's happening to her? Middle-aged Meg and Alec have come to Rome to rekindle their love affair, which has faded over the years as they've become busy parents and successful businesspeople. Constance and Lizzie are here to scatter the ashes of Constance's beloved husband Henry, who's also Lizzie's brother. But Lizzie doesn't know the real story of how Constance and Henry met decades ago in Rome, and what secrets their trip back there will uncover. The narrator of this romantic novel is actually Rome itself, who tells the story of the city and why it is has become a blessed place for lovers. It turns out that Rome will play a part in the lives of these characters and make sure they find the happiness they deserve. The Lovers' Guide to Rome will appeal to readers of David Nicholls and fans of films such as Midnight in Paris and Love, Actually. It is a beautifully written, warm, funny and compelling novel full of heart and pure romantic delight.

The Lovers' Guide to Rome

For readers of Robert Hillman and Toni Jordan, and written by an award-winning author and screenwriter, The Secret Wife a tense, heartfelt story of female friendship and liberation in the turbulent 1960s.

The Secret Wife

Michaelo O'Dell is hit by a car, and when he doesn't die, he is surprised and pleased. But he can't seem to move, frozen in the crash position. He can't concentrate, or control his anger and grief, or work out what to do about much of anything. His professional life begins to crumble, and although his wife Wendy is heroically supportive, his teenage children only exacerbate his post-accident angst. His daughter Rosie punches out a vindictive schoolmate, plunging the family into a special parent-teacher hell. Meanwhile, his son Declan is found with a stash of illicit drugs, and a strange policeman starts harassing the family, causing ordinary mishaps to take on a sinister desperation. Equal parts hilarious and painful, this compelling novel delves into the difficulties of family, love, and the precarious business of being a man. Mark Lamprell's extraordinary debut examines the terrible truth: sometimes you can't pull yourself together until you've completely fallen apart.

The Full Ridiculous

A funny, moving novel about love, family and the precarious business of being a man. Michael O'Dell is hit by a car. When he doesn't die, he is surprised and pleased. But he can't seem to move from the crash position. He can't concentrate, or control his anger and grief, or work out what to do about anything much. His wife Wendy is heroically supportive but his teenage children don't help his post-accident angst: daughter Rosie punches out a vindictive schoolmate and all hell breaks loose; son Declan is found with a stash of illicit drugs. A strange policeman starts harrassing the family and ordinary mishaps take on a sinister desperation. To top it all off, Michael's professional life starts to crumble. Mark Lamprell's extraordinary debut examines the terrible truth: sometimes you can't pull yourself together until you've completely fallen apart. Reading group notes available at textpublishing.com.au/resources/reading-group-guides. Mark Lamprell has worked in film and television for many years. He co-wrote the film Babe Pig in the City and wrote and directed the award-winning feature My Mother Frank. His most recent project is the movie musical Goddess, which he co-wrote and directed. The Full Ridiculous is his first novel. textpublishing.com.au 'Gorgeous and heartfelt...The Full Ridiculous is a portrait of individual crisis and family dysfunctionality. But although Michael's family is on the edge, their collective situation never degenerates into the brutally satirical world of, say, the Joy family in Peter Carey's Bliss. Although the story hovers on the cusp of seriously dark territory, Lamprell chooses a gentler path, one closer to Graeme Simsion's highly successful recent comic novel, The Rosie Project. Ultimately, The Full Ridiculous is a story about a family's love and durability.' Weekend Australian 'The Full Ridiculous will appeal to readers of quirky, contemporary fiction such as The Rosie Project and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. It reminds us that sometimes, to really appreciate the beautiful highs of life, you need to hit rock bottom first.' Bookseller and Publisher 'This is a funny, thought-provoking and ultimately inspiring tale that will have the reader thinking about Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, adoption, self-worth, suicide, peer pressure, unconditional love, self-delusion and hospital ceilings. An outstanding debut novel.' Fantastic Fiction blog 'Mark Lamprell's debut novel, The Full Ridiculous is laugh-out-loud funny from page one. Pacey, wry and observant, this is a novel set to tickle a fair few funny-bones.' The Hoopla 'A fast-paced and witty take on the highs and lows of modern family life.' Good Reading 'Lamprell's novel shows a deft touch. His writing is serious and wise, but is underpinned by a great sense of humour...This is a short breezy novel, easy to read...I love it.' Waikato Times 'A stunning debut.' Courier Mail/Herald Sun/Sunday Territorian

George Miller

John Escott

Judy Morris

Babe leaves the farm for the city. He wants to make some money. 'But nobody wins in the city', says Bob, a chimpanzee. 'And nobody helps anybody. Understand?'

Pig in the City Book

Babe

Absolutely enchanting, an ode to all the semi - magical towns and vibrant cities in the world where fate is decided. Love has many faces - and Lamprell knows them all. This is a book for those willing to travel the road of love from the beginning, across the long middle, to the end, over and over again. (And, by the way: you will discover the secret places of Rome in every chapter!)' NINA GEORGE, author of the New York Times bestseller, The Little Paris Bookshop This is the place where passions are aroused, senses inflamed, and lovers fall into each other's arms. It all appears to unfold like magic - but I will tell you what really happens. Rome - glorious, eternal, intoxicating. Could there be a better place on earth to fall in love? Young artist Alice has come to Rome for adventure before settling down with her safe boyfriend. But when fate intervenes to show her there really is such a thing as love at first sight, will she find the courage to follow her heart? Meg and Alec fell in love in Rome many years before and have returned to rekindle their amore, but have they left it too late? Connie and Lizzie are in Rome to scatter the ashes of Connie's beloved husband Henry, who's also Lizzie's brother. But Lizzie doesn't know the real story of how Connie and Henry met there decades before, nor what long - hidden secrets lie waiting to be unearthed. And what of Rome itself? It turns out that the Eternal City has secrets only lovers can glimpse. The magic of Rome is also the magic of the human heart. The Lovers' Guide to Rome is a witty, sophisticated and bewitching novel about the greatest mystery of all.

«Voglio che tu ti conceda qualcosa di unico, di indimenticabile.» E cosa c’è di più unico di una dolcissima, improvvisata “vacanza romana”? Alice, studentessa americana affamata di arte e bellezza, non ci pensa due volte a seguire il consiglio del suo professore: alla vigilia del fidanzamento con l’uomo perfetto, parte per la Città Eterna con la voglia di vivere e osare che le ribolle nel sangue. L’anziana Constance, intanto, è in città per disperdere le ceneri dell’amato marito dal Ponte Sant’Angelo, dove tutto – segreti compresi – ebbe inizio più di quarant’anni fa. Meg e Alec, infine, facoltosa coppia residente a Los Angeles, è a Roma per un capriccio di lei, disposta a tutto pur di rintracciare un artigiano dal talento inimitabile. Ma le torbide acque del Tevere riportano a galla antichi ricordi e verità troppo a lungo sepolte. Tra equivoci, imprevisti, amori che sbocciano ed altri che sembrano giunti al capolinea, riuscirà il destino a mescolare le carte e riaprire i giochi del cuore? Sei personaggi, tre storie solo apparentemente distanti, collidono e si intrecciano nella città più bella del mondo. Perché le vie dell’amore sono infinite. E portano tutte a Roma. «Assolutamente incantevole. Un’ode a tutte le magnifiche città in cui l’amore e il destino si incontrano.» - Nina George, autrice di Una piccola libreria a Parigi

Un giorno a Roma per innamorarsi

En sjarmerende roman som kretser rundt Romas vakre severdigheter. Historier og livsskjebner veves elegant inn i hverandre gjennom fortellingen om tre par og deres kjærlighetseventyr i Den evige stad. Den unge kunstneren Alice har kommet til Roma for å oppleve litt spenning og inspirasjon før hun slår seg til ro med kjæresten Daniel. Det middelaldrende paret Meg og Alec prøver å holde liv i sitt noe falmede ekteskap. Connie og Lizzie er i byen for å spre asken etter Connies elskede mann, som også var Lizzies bror. Fortellerstemmen i romanen tilhører Roma selv, i form av Kjærlighetens ånd, som veileder oss gjennom byen. Den lar leserne forstå hvordan Roma har blitt et så velsignet sted for elskende, og gir de tre parene velmenende dytt i retning av den lykken de fortjener.

Mark Lamprell

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