Calabrisella Mia

At the end of summer, I received a copy of Family Matters by an independent writer based in Calabria. It’s been a busy few months, but I managed to carve out some time for this book. I am all about supporting people who have a passion and are willing to put themselves out there. Plus, the second half of the book is set in Calabria!

About The Author

A childhood passion reignited after many years. Rose Finches began focusing on writing fiction a few short years ago and can now proudly say she is a published author. Family Matters, her debut novel, has allowed her to dive into the world of publishing and share her stories with book lovers everywhere.

The Story

Sophie, a young successful English girl, seems to have everything under control. The life she had carefully planned out was finally coming together. But, when her whole world comes crashing down, she’s left second-guessing her life decisions and wondering what to do next. She decides to reflect and reconnect to her Italian roots by visiting her nonna Rosa in a small quaint village in Calabria. There she discovers the value of family, friends and finding one’s true path.

My Thoughts

Overall, the book is a light, easy read. It’s the perfect book for a relaxing afternoon or evening under a cozy blanket with a cup of warm tea.

Personally, I can relate to Sophie in certain respects. Like Sophie, I also worked in a hectic, time-consuming job. We both faced a moment that completely changed the course of our lives. We chose to leave our comfort zone and do something completely “out of character”.

I can also relate to Sophie’s feeling of disconnect from her Italian heritage. Growing up, I was surrounded by my Italian family members. But, I always felt that I was missing something not being able to speak the language. It made it difficult for me to have a closer relationship with my relatives in Italy. After my dad passed, I felt that disconnect even more. That was a huge reason why I moved to Italy and tried very hard to be near my family here in Calabria.

The story did seem a bit rushed in the beginning, but that almost works since it’s set in a big city and life is, after all, hectic and fast-paced. Things slow down and an endless flow of adjectives paint the scenes of Calabria. The author beautifully describes Morano, Scilla and Tropea – places that are loved by locals and tourists!

I had to giggle anytime Sophie’s mom or nonna said to eat something – as if it were the solution to every problem. And maybe it is! After all, it’s the simple things in life that have the biggest impact on us. And, I can’t leave out the Italian characters. They may seem stereotypical but if you’ve spent any reasonable amount of time in Calabria, you can almost safely say that everyone has these characters in their lives.

Some Criticism

As I mentioned before, this is an easy read, a great choice when you want to just unwind. I’ve only got two real issues with the book. Firstly, there are some parts of the storyline that are a bit “over the top” and a bit too far fetched – but this is fiction so let your imagination go wild. I also noticed some grammatical errors and editing mistakes. Although that doesn’t take away too much from the story, I do hope more attention was paid on this for her other book releases.

Shop the Book

Family Matters is available in ebook and paperback format here on Amazon.

You can find out more about Rose Finches and her other releases on Facebook and GoodReads.

What’s your favorite book set in Italy? Do you know other books set in Calabria? Share them in the comments below!