I hope I'm not being patronizing when I call this a sweet little book, since that's precisely what it is. It's not great literature, and it's not even a terrific tale. It's simply a very delightful read on a summer afternoon when it's far too hot to do anything more active than locating a shady spot to relax and read. It's a sweet story about a large Catholic family with Venetian roots and the women in the kitchen. Lucia is unique. She wants to work and make something of her life, but her family and her fiancé's family believe she will stop working once she marries. She's divided between her family, her work, and the man she adores. This is the account of how she reconciles her competing interests. The characterization is adequate but not outstanding. Lucia is the main character, and she is well-drawn. I warmed up to her and empathized with her, but others were not as moved. Even at the end of the novel, I was having trouble telling one of Lucia's brothers from another - and she only had three. The man she fell in love with is, at best, two-dimensional. One thing I wasn't keen on was the "bookend" format. The story begins with Kit, an aspiring playwright, being invited to tea by Lucia, and once there Lucia tells her story. Most of the book is this story, told in the first person. Towards the end, we revert to Kit and she brings the story up-to-date. I can understand why it was done this way, but Kit did seem rather superfluous and too obvious a device. Yes, it's chick-lit at its most basic, but it has a feel-good factor. There are no graphic sexual scenes or violence. It's just a nice, pleasant read for when you don't want to put in the effort with something more demanding.