First published 2006
Bartolomeo di Crespi stands as the most sought-after interior decorator and eligible bachelor in Our Lady of Fatima, New Jersey. When the local church needs renovation, he sees the perfect opportunity to bring his aesthetic vision home. Bartolomeo recruits an artist and a stained-glass craftsman to join the project, but these two attractive newcomers spark romantic chaos among the women of OLOF, including his sister and former fiancée. As Bartolomeo navigates from the New Jersey coast to New York's fabric districts, from London art dealers to Italy's Mediterranean shores, he fights to balance his artistic mission with his role as the steady anchor of the unpredictable di Crespi family. The church restoration becomes more than a simple renovation as the team challenges the community's faith and transforms the entire town.
Genres: fiction, art, 20th-century, contemporary, 21st-century, family-drama
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: family-secrets, found-family
Setting: Italy, London, New Jersey, New York
Period: 20th-century, 21st-century
283 pages · Paperback · Random House Publishing Group