Lorenzo Carcaterra has told a story that is moving to the reader. As I have just finished Three Dreamers, I am working to wrap my head around everything. This book is about the three women in Caracterra's life that had such an profound impact: his nonna (his Italian grandmother, his mother, and his wife.

Carcaterra breaks the book down in to three sections with each section focused on one of the women.
The love that his Nonna Maria demonstrated towards Carcaterra every summer when he visited Ischia made me miss my grandma. The stories about Nonna Maria, the extended family, and life on the small island off the coast of Napels were enthralling it. It made me want to rush there to visit this island and experience life.

The second section was about Carcaterra's mother, Raffaela. This is the part of the story that really bothered me. Raffaela had experienced some unimaginable tragedies early on in her life but it appears she continued to carry a badge of victimhood throughout the rest of her life. Raffaela went on to marry a stranger, whom she had never met and whom was actually her cousin and a convicted murderer. She depended so heavily on Carcaterra for everything but especially for financial support. From this book, the reader comes to believe that she definitely played favorites between her two sons and Carcaterra was the loser in this. I understand that battered women are often just trying to survive. The thing I could not get is that she showed outward love to one son but not the other and the only thing I can resolve is the difference if parentage of the two boys.

And finally but not least, Susan Toepfer was the third influential woman. Toepfer and Carcaterra's relationship first started out boss and employee, then as friends, then as husband and wife. Toepfer was a great supporter of Carcaterra's writing career, urging him to keep pressing on and to write that book.

Thanks to the Ballantine Books and NetGalley for the ARC. All thoughts & opinions are my own.

I rarely read memoirs, but I found myself completely captivated by this one. It is divided in three parts, firstly by his grandmother in Italy. Her fascinating life and lessons to her grandson held my interest, keeping me awake until I finished the section. The next part focused on his mother, whose life was completely different but continued to influence him. The last part was about his wife Susan and the life they had together. It was amazing how the influence of these three women shaped the author’s life. I highly recommend this book.

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The three women in Lorenzo's life would be honored by this tribute to them. They shaped his life and gave it meaning which he has related beautifully in this well-written memoir. The stories of their lives - and what they meant to Lorenzo - come through loud and clear. He's done them proud!

I love Mr. Carcaterra's books. I was hooked into this book as soon as I read the introduction. At 63, I get it. He speaks those words for most of us. (It's in the blurb on the cover-go read it!! I don't do book reports, read the jacket cover and decide for yourself. I will say,I loved the book, his family came alive in his words. He must have a huge heart, I'm not so sure some of the things that were said and done to him are forgiveable. Well, I suppose forgive able but never forgotten. Gut wrenching that a mother would say some of those things to any child despite tue fact that it did serve him well to buck up and overcome all the negatively he was fed. . Curious though, I wonder whatever became of the half brother? Especially since Mr. C. is a well known best selling author and even is listed in Wikipedia.. Bet there isn't a page for the half brother. But I digress, this is a wonderful book as he tells the stories of how his grandmother, mother and wife influenced his life, and he pays homepage to their part in his success. Read and enjoy!
I was provided an advanced reader copy but was under no obligation to review the book. The opinions expressed are my own. Many thanks to the author,publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read this book.

A touching and beautiful tribute to three women in the author's life that not only meant so much to him, but also impacted his life. Not without rough times in their lives, but the ability to go above and beyond circumstances that would take out most people at the knees.

I enjoyed reading this book and wish I could have met these three women!

If you enjoy reading about those who've walked before us and persevered—and succeeded, this book should be on your "to be read" pile.

Disclaimer: I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher with no expectation in return. The words and opinions above are my own.

I will post a review of this book on my website https://www.jenabooks.com/category/promotions/ on
April 27, 2021.

Author Lorenzo Carcaterra looks back at his life in Three Dreamers- A Memoir of Family.
The “three dreamers” are his Nonna who lived her whole life in Italy, his Italian mother who came to America after World War II, and his American wife of 30 years. The author shares his life of struggle and success, abuse and love in a warm and entertaining way.

He was fortunate to spend summers during his teenage years with his Nona and large Italian family in Italy. From his Nonna and relatives, he learned about the horror of living during World War II and the joy of being with a warm, loving and accepting family. Mr. Caracterra grew up in New York City, poor, with an abusive father and a mother who couldn’t cope. From his mother, he learned to be be resourceful, rely on himself, and follow his dreams. He dreamed of being a writer and he has had much success in this field.

With his loving and supportive wife, he learned to complete himself. (The “Three Stooges” brought them together.) They raised a family and they were both highly successful in the writing and editing world. This captivating memoir is filled with the charm of Italy, the grit of New York and the spirit of a man who loved his “three dreamers.”

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine for an advance review copy. This is my honest review.

Having been a fan of Lorenzo Carcaterra for many years I was looking forward to this read - a memoir of the three influential women in his life. It begins with his maternal grandmother,Nonna Maria who lived in Ischia, Italy. So loved his recollections of the moment they met and his easy going family filled life those seven summers he spent there. Nonna served as such an inspiration to him and many others. She and her husband, who died before Lorenzo met him, were influential in the lives of so many. Such a positive influence in his very troubled home life. I kept imagining how much he must have hated going home as the summer ended. I also wondered where the money for his travels there and home came from as they always seemed destitute.
The second woman, his mother Raffaela, was so hard for me to understand. Her acceptance of life with his father seemed unrealistic to me. Her hatred of his father was understandable but I struggled with the way she treated Lorenzo. Again I questioned how she could afford her yearly week long visits to Ischia and why she chose to return home after each visit.
She was certainly influential in Lorenzo’s life to succeed to prove her wrong.
The third section was about his beautiful wife, Susan, who was an editor and a cheerleader for Lorenzo. Loved reading his reminiscing of their first interactions and subsequent courtship. Reading about her death is so emotional for me as my best friend of more than 43 years is currently in the hospital receiving morphine after an intense unsuccessful treatment for lung cancer. So appreciate the fact that she loved Lorenzo and served as an inspiration for him when he was struggling. I have long been a fan since Sleepers and am thankful that each of these three women influenced him to be the author he is.
Many many thanks to Lorenzo Carcaterra, Ballantine Books, and NetGalley for affording me the opportunity to read an arc of this memoir that is being published on April 27. An inspiration to all readers and writers.

What a great memoir. I love how the author tells us the story of his life, through three women who meant the most to him.
His Italian Grandmother, Nonna Marie, who lived on the Island of Ischia, off the coast of Naples and who gave him the first loving home he remembers. Her Kindness and humor shaped his character the summers he spent on the Island as a teenager.
His mother Raffaela, who was in an abusive marriage and who's harsh life drove him to want better in life, as he tried to get out of that circle of abuse, debt and a father who was not really there for the family.
The third woman was his wife Susan, slightly older that him, a brilliant editor and a champion of the writing he himself wanted to do. This was a strong bond of love and friendship.
All of these people influenced the authors life, and he lets us see this through the wonderful stories of each of these people.
Highly recommended.
I would like to thank NetGalley and Random House publishing Group-Ballantine for a copy of this book.

Thank you Ballantine books and NetGalley for a preview copy of Three Dreamers, A Memoir of Family. This is a book about three strong women and how they made Lorenzo the best grandson, son and husband he could be. His Italian grandmother Nonna Maria had him every summer while he stayed with her in Ischia, an island off the coast of Naples, Italy. He was able to enjoy the loving Italian family and see the beauty of Italy. Nonna Marie could see that he had stories in him even before he started writing.
Raffaela, his mother,taught him that even in a loveless and abusive marriage that was constantly battling the climb out of debt that life can be better if you strive to make it better.
Then there was Susan his wife who falls in love with a staff member over a story about the Three Stooges. She, as his editor, gave him the chance to see his talent and encouraged him to write the stories he had in him and that were only his stories. She showed him life with his best friend and that marriage could be like that of his family in Italy with love to share and make each day an exciting adventure even though the road is not always smooth and uneventful.
Thanks for the opportunity to read and review this book.
#Netgalley #BallentineBooks #ThreeDreamers

Three Women Who Created This Man
This is a fascinating memoir about a self-made man and the women who influenced his life. This guy had a tremendously difficult upbringing and his grandmother was one of his most positive influencers. His mother also added a lot to the man he would become. And finally, his wife who was his best friend and trusted colleague. Part of me could not believe how he was raised and in such conditions. Having grown up in the same era, I could understand some of it, but not the position his mother took. Part of this story was a huge eye-opener. This is a fascinating book that I read in one sitting because I could just not put it down. I received this ARC book for free from Net Galley and this is my honest review.

What a great story to read. If you ever doubt the influence you can have on someone’s life you should read this book. Three strong women in different ways help to develop this story that comes out on these pages.
Powerful, memorable, sad, truth life.
Thanks netgalley for an advanced copy and to the publisher.

30% of the way into this memoir I realized I hadn’t taken a single note as I was completely absorbed in the words. This book reads more like fiction than a memoir. Each character develops as the story progresses. His grandma is my hero! Some parts of his life are difficult to read. After reading one of his earlier articles his wife said, “It’s sad, painful, heartfelt, and powerful. I didn’t change a word. There was no need.” I hope she would have felt the same way about this book.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with this early release in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Lorenzo Carcaterra grew up dreaming of being a writer. Three women influenced his path towards accomplishing his dream. His Italian grandmother told him stories, then told him he now owned the stories to write. His mother, an abused woman, had doubts about his dream because she did not know if he'd earn enough money. His editor, soon to be his wife, told him his writing was flawless and he should write books.

Carcaterra has written several books and short stories. A Safe Place also tells about his parents and their abusive marriage and his beloved grandmother. His blog has a fascinating detailed piece about a FBI profiler of serial killers. Well worth your time to google!

Three Dreamers -- a wonderful memoir. I now want to read his other books!

It is a rare thing when a book brings me to tears. Three Dreamers did that and then some. When I was offered an ARC of this book, I wasn't sure it was something I would enjoy reading. It wasn't in any of my favorite genres. It didn't take long for this wonderful book to reach out and grip my heart. Anyone who has been fortunate enough to have strong women in their lives needs to read this book. We meet the author's grandmother (Nonna Maria), mother and wife. All three are unique in their own way and the author has very different relationships with each one. He lays it all out there - the good, the bad, the happy and the heart wrenching sadness.
I loved this book. It made me reflect on my own relationships with the women in my life - how much richer I am for having known them and how priceless the time I spent with each of them. I admire and respect Lorenzo Carcaterra for having the courage to give us this literary treasure. God bless him for that.

A trip to Ischia with his children after the death of his much beloved wife Susan prompted Caracaterra to think about the women- his grandmother Maria, his mother Raffaella, and his wife- who shaped him. The result is this lovely and thoughtful memoir. Nonna Maria, who he did not meet until he was 14, was the grandmother we'd all like to have, especially knowing that she had a steel core and a generous spirit that kept her going though the Nazi occupation and the loss of her son, as well as other privations. His mother was another story. A young widow, she was sent to the US to marry a ,an who, as it turned out, was abusive; she didn't protect her son. Raffaela was an angry woman. Then there's Susa, the wife who saw the good in him. It's a tough read in spots given what happened to each of the women but it's also a tribute to them. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. An excellent read.

I received a free electronic copy of this excellent memoir from Netgalley, Lorenzo Carcaterra, and Ballantine Books. Thank you all for sharing your hard work with me. I have read Three Dreamers of my own volition, and this review reflects my honest opinion of this work. I am happy to recommend anything by Lorenzo Carcaterra to friends and family. He has a wonderful imagination.

Three Dreamers is a family memoir from the author of Tin Badges, Payback, and many more police procedurals and thrillers we have all enjoyed over the last few years. It is a homage to the three women who shaped him into the Lorenzo Carcaterra that we know and love today through his works. The love and respect he felt for his Nonna Maria, his mother Raffaela, and his wife Susan are obvious on every page. And his memories of growing up in NYC and those few summers he was able to spend on the Italian island of Ischia, take us back to another time, another way of life. This is a book I thoroughly enjoyed.

4.5 stars

I received a copy of Three Dreamers from NetGalley for an honest review. I wish to thank NetGalley, Ballantine Books. and Lorenzo Carcaterra for the opportunity to read this book.

This book was an emotional roller-coaster of all the feels. It is divided into three sections: the author's nonna, mother, and wife. I know that this book will stay with me for a very long time.

I normally do not cry while reading books - movies, television, or even commercials do it to me. But, one section had me in tears. Happy tears and sad tears. Such a contradiction of emotions.

I was envious of the author's relationship with his nonna - I never had either of mine. sadly. Nonna was the type of person that I strive and want to be. His mother was a unique and flawed character who really was hard to understand as all women are of that time period. They had few choices and didn't exercise any of their rights. Very sad. His wife sounded like a creative and motivational genius - I would have loved to have a glass of wine with her.

This was NOT the book that I expected at all - it was beautifully written with love, pain, grief, and joy. All the emotions that we experience IF we really LIVE our LIFE!

Highly recommend!!

As a die-hard fan of mystery/thriller/detective books, I admit I'd never, ever have picked it on my own. It is, after all, a memoir about three women who played major roles in the author's life: His grandmother, his mother and his wife - nope, definitely not my thing. But having read and absolutely loved two of the author's books featuring NYPD cop "Tank" Rizzo, I just didn't have the heart to say no when the publisher offered me a pre-release copy of this one to read and review. Oh why not, I said to myself - it's short.

Now I've finished - and that there wasn't more is the pity. What an eloquent yet simply written tribute to three very different women - with memories and heartfelt emotions pouring off every page from happy to sad to downright chilling. And as I read, the words triggered the same emotions in me; I chuckled, I got angry and yes, I teared up. But don't confuse emotional with sappy; this is a straightforward, honest report, if you will, on who these women were and how the person the author is today came to be because of, or in spite of, having them in his life.

In many ways, the three women couldn't be more different; Nonna Marie, a lifelong resident of an island just off the coast of Italy, is everything we non-Italians envision an Italian grandmother would be. Forgiving and unforgiving depending on the circumstances, her love for the author - who visited during many summers as a young boy - was boundless. Her stories of life during World War II were both raw and inspirational.

Contrast that with his mother, Raffaela, who did and said things to her son (in concert with and apart from her husband) that no child ever should be subjected to. Herself a victim of abuse, she didn't hesitate to make her son a whipping boy and blame him for her plight; yet throughout it all he knows that, in her way, she loved him. Admittedly, this was hard for me to read - as it was, I have no doubt, difficult for the author to write.

Last but hardly least is his wife of three decades, Susan. They met when she was a successful editor and he a struggling but up-and-coming writer; they stuck together through thick and thin until she died of lung cancer in 2013. Clearly, she was the love of his life - and the most important champion, in my mind, at least, of his becoming the successful writer that he is. Returning full circle by bringing his and Susan's children to his grandmother's grave after their mother died, he says, provided the inspiration for writing this book. To be sure, it's a special one - and in my opinion, he did all three women up proud (as, in their own ways, they did for him). A wonderful and thought-provoking book I highly recommend.

I absolutely loved this book! I loved Nonna, and and all the family in Ischia. This book had me laughing, crying and certainly mad at times. His wife Susan, was perfect for him. What a beautiful pair! His mom made me sad, but I kind of understand. This was a beautiful story and I enjoyed every page. Thank you Netgalley for this wonderful opportunity to read this book.

I came to this book by invitation to read it from the publisher, knowing of my penchant for memoirs. I also was drawn to it by its dual locations, which were the island of Ischia in Italy which is right near Naples (my best friend hails from Naples) and New York City. This accomplished author who was a writer/producer for the series "Law and Order" and authored the bestseller "Sleepers" which was made into a movie, decided to write a memoir about the three most important women who influenced his life.

I was drawn in immediately by the first third of the book where he focused on his grandmother in Italy, Nonna Maria. Lorenzo spent seven glorious summers there as a child, where he was totally enthralled and charmed by this strong, wise woman. She always had hot Italian food aplenty to serve throughout the day for any callers who might come by. A pot of espresso was ever present with small cups at the table. She had many stories to tell, such as her brave attempts to acquire food for her family during WWII, and an especially touching story of how her husband (now deceased) decided to take another baby boy (set to go to an orphanage) home with them on the day his wife was bringing home their newborn from the hospital. And stories to tell is a big theme in this book because Lorenzo dreamed of becoming a writer.

The second third of the book tells the extremely troubling story of his mother Raffaela. She began an idyllic, happy married life in Italy until it all came crashing down unexpectedly. Then a relative contacted her parents pitching a prospective husband from New York City, who in actuality was her cousin. Marrying this man was a mistake that set Raffaela up for years of isolation, misery, physical and mental injury, and financial strife. On her wedding night he confessed he had just gotten out of prison for murdering his previous wife! He was a con man who swindled people out of their money, which he then frittered away on gambling. Raffaela was living in a Hell's Kitchen cold water flat struggling to pay her bills. Once Lorenzo was old enough she began to lean on him to help with finances. But when she gazed at Lorenzo she almost hated him- because he looked just like her despicable husband. She much favored her older son, born from her first husband in Italy. Lorenzo often accompanied his Mom to the hospital when she was beat up by her husband. Sometimes, Lorenzo also suffered at the hands of his father's fists. Raffaela never learned English or tried to get a job to help her own plight, but found solace only in going to church, clutching her rosary and sitting at the kitchen table. She knew that Lorenzo dreamt of being a writer, but fretted about him doing a job that paid reliably-like working in a bank.

The third and final portion of the book centers upon meeting his future wife while working in minor roles at The Daily News. He was glad to get his foot in the door, but always looked for opportunities to push his writings for publication. He made a point to stand in coffee lines at work just to rub elbows with famous writers like Jimmy Breslin and Pete Hamill. He never forgot the day he met Susan while waiting for an elevator. She was newly hired to head the features section at The Daily News, and he was attracted to her easy smile. Susan experienced male resentment for her prominent role at the newspaper. Lorenzo was relentless and crafty at gently approaching Susan with article ideas. She noticed his talent immediately, which she improved upon with some skilled editing. He started with a successful article about The Three Stooges, but his talent really shone when he wrote a personal article about his mother which was published in the Sunday Magazine section with photos. At first they were forced to hide the fact that they were a couple, but later married and had two children.

This was a really lovely memoir that triggered the heartstrings. Lorenzo's writing style makes for a comfortable, free flowing read. He really communicated the characters of these three very important ladies in his life so vividly, that I keep thinking about them days after reading it.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group for providing an advance reader copy via NetGalley.