Rosalia's Bittersweet Pastry Shop

Can you believe it is Friday already?  The week flew by.  I am definitely feeling the time I spent on the roof yesterday.  While I would love to stay in bed, I have to finish repairs before it rains again (and then I can collapse back into bed)!  What are your plans for today?  I sincerely hope they are more exciting (and fun) than mine.  

Rosalia’s Bittersweet Pastry Shop by Rosanna Chiofalo tells the story of Rosalia Di Santa and the pastry shop at Santa Lucia del Mela Convent in Sicily.  Claudia Lombardo is a writer and she wishes to do a book (a cookbook with stories) on the convent and its marvelous pastries (she also has a blog titled Chow Girl).  Claudia gets to stay at the convent, watch the delicious delicacies being made, and interview the Mother Superior of the convent.  The Mother Superior tells Claudia the story of the bakery and Rosalia.  It takes us back to 1955 and how the sisters found Rosalia.  The Mother Superior then slowly reveals Rosalia’s story. How an unfortunate event forever changed Rosalia's life and that of her family.  You will have to read Rosalia’s Bittersweet Pastry Shop to find out the secrets behind their delectable desserts.

The book is well-written (easy to read) and the writer does a very good job at describing the desserts (if I liked pastries I would want to devour them). The novel seemed to go on forever.  It started out interesting, but then the pace slowed down considerably (though it does pick up again near the end).  What the Mother Superior ultimately reveals is easy to figure out during the course of the novel.  Rosanna Chiofalo is a descriptive writer which makes it easy to visualize what she is describing (a wonderful quality for a writer).  If the pace had been a little faster, it would have made the novel much more enjoyable (and the book shortened just a bit).  I give Rosalia’s Bittersweet Pastry Shop 3.5 out of 5 stars.  The book hints at something magical, and I wish the author had included a magical element.  I believe it would have enhanced the story (it would have made a big difference).  The book does contain dessert recipes.  

Rosanna Chiofalo has written other books (they all seem to involve Italy) and you can check them out on Amazon.  I received a complimentary copy of the book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest evaluation of the novel.

Thank you for visiting.  I do appreciate each and every one of you that visit my blog.  I am currently enjoying Amber Smoke by Kristen Cast (I just received it from the publisher).  I hope all of you have a nice, relaxing evening (or fun and exciting if that is what you want).  Take care and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader