Note: I work for the publisher. For anyone looking to feel seen as an Italian American, look no further. This is a fun romp and enjoyable from start to finish.

This was a fun book centered around Varina and her family home. There were a lot of quirky characters that brought so much life to this story.

The three grown children that came home for holidays and other life crises kept Varina on her toes as did caring for her mother.
Varina's daughter and her mother come up with a plan to get her dates. It backfires a bit but it gets the matriarch a match and a good relationship.

Varina comes up with a plan to sell her house to her son that is in construction and flipping houses. He reimagines the space and uncovers a lot of memories and feelings in the process.

This was a well crafted book that kept me wanting to follow the family for longer than the book

Many thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Being a true North Jersey Italian girl, I couldn't resist reading this when I saw the title. The language the book referred to was so familiar to me and I loved how it wove around the story of a family.

What resonated with me:

I loved all of the different characters and how the dynamics of their relationships with each other built the story.
The exploration of the etymology behind the various words was truly captivating
I thought the book stayed very true to what I've experienced growing up an Italian Jersey girl. I actually laughed out loud at different points because the similarities were startingly accurate.

What slightly missed the mark:

The title was "Varina Palladino's Jersey Italian Love Story" but there was way less to do with Varina Palladino finding love and way more to do with the paths her different family members took to finding their own happy endings. It didn't necessarily take anything away for me from the book, but how I went into reading it and how I came out were unexpectedly different.

Overall, it makes me happy that this book hopefully introduced much more of the world to the love language I know as "Jersey Italian".

This one missed it's mark on several points. It went on and on and too many POV for me to keep up.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher.

In Wyldale, New Jersey, Varina Palladino navigates life as a lively widow, managing her family's grocery store while caring for her aging mother. Concerned for Varina's future, her daughter Donatella devises a plan to find her a companion, stirring up unexpected changes for the entire Palladino clan. As three generations of Palladinos grapple with love, heritage, and individual aspirations, DeFino's heartfelt narrative celebrates the complexities of Jersey Italian family dynamics.

DeFino's exploration of family and heritage resonates deeply, intertwining the lives of Varina, Sylvia, Donatella, and honorary family member Paulie. Despite the initial challenge of keeping track of the extensive cast, each character emerges with distinct depth and purpose, contributing to the rich tapestry of the Palladino saga. With a charming incorporation of Jersey Italian slang and authentic familial interactions, the novel delivers a satisfying and immersive reading experience, underscored by themes of love, individuality, and tradition.

Thank you Netgalley and the publishers for this ARC for an exchange for an honest review.

Such a good book, highly recommend it.

There were too many povs in this book. If we could have stick with two, then it's fine to read. But there were too many chapters to keep up with. I found myself confused half of the times. It left me disconnected with the story.

This story follows Varina and her large Italian Family and I was here for it. The story opens up on Christmas Eve with a large family dinner and it really got me into the holiday spirit. I am a jersey girl and really related to so many of the characters in this book. Varina also reminded me a lot of my mother and I found myself wanting to call her and squeeze her so tight after finishing this book.

Each chapter opens with a little tidbit about Italian culture and I loved that! This was a fun read!

This is my personal opinion, but this book took me longer to read than it should have. I enjoyed the premise and assumed it would be like I picture my Italian family to be. But I’m sorry to say, I just could not connect to this book. There is absolutely nothing wrong with the writing, it was simply a lack of connection on my part. I’m sure others will love it.

I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by NetGalley.

Thank you William Morrow and NetGalley for the eARC of Varina Palladino's Jersey Italian Love Story! All opinions in this review are my own.

This was easily one of my favorite books I read this year! My family is Italian so I was able to connect with a lot of the language and traditions described in the book. While the novel deals with some heavier subjects, it felt like a very cozy read for me. I felt like I was reading about people I know, and I especially loved Paulie and Dante! I can't wait to read more from this author!

I ended up listening to the audiobook after having a hard time getting into this story. The cover of this book is PHENOMENAL, however, it didn't work for me. I found this family drama to be frustrating and meandering. Not a super memorable plot for me and I felt as though maybe there were too many characters so I wasn't able to dig deep on any specific character. The ending had a heartwarming nice touch, but it wasn't enough for me to say I loved the book.

Rating: 4/5 Stars

Varina Palladino has been the heart of her large Italian family for decades. Caring simultaneously for multiple generations including her elderly mother and children. By day she manages her family’s local Italian goods store, by night she dreams about going on a European cruise along the French Riviera.

Set against a backdrop of meddling mothers, fighting children and strained personal relationships, Varina Palladino’s Jersey Italian Love Story isn’t a romance between two main characters, but instead a love letter to a dynamic family searching to figure out it’s place in the world.

This was a great one - it hit close to home in more ways than one, and the characters were relatable and flawed in the best way.

Thanks to NetGalley, William Morrow and Terri-Lynne DeFino for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This is great family drama book that was a quick read and kept me reading throughout. It feels like a warm (if smothering) hug and you really feel a part of the family (for better or worse). Every character feels universal, but unique and play into each other so well.

It does feel a bit dated with mild homophobic language and micro-aggressions abound, and the pacing is slow so it can seem to drag.

A good read for anyone looking for a messy family drama.

𝗩𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗮 𝗣𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗼'𝘀 𝗝𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗲𝘆 𝗜𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗟𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 by Terri-Lynne DeFino
Publishing: February 14, 2023 by @williammorrowbooks
Reviewed by: Mel
Format: Audiobook and eBook ARC [thank you @netgalley]

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗶𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗲𝗻𝗷𝗼𝘆
✽ Family drama
✽ Accidental love
✽ Cultural insights (Jersey Italian)
✽ Multiple story lines


𝗧𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀
I went into this one fairly blind because I didn't want to have any preconceived notions or expectations and boy was I so happy I did! This book was nothing what you'd expect from a book with "Love Story" in the title -- and I would definitely classify this as more of a family drama than a romance.

Considering it has multiple main characters, multiple story lines, and we don't actually find out who the narrator is until the very end of the book, it sucks you in and keeps you completely engrossed throughout. I love love loved the multiple love stories that ebb and flow throughout the book - and the snippets of Jersey Italian and explanations at the beginning of each chapter were GOLD. While I'm not a Jersey Italian, I am part Connecticut Italian, and a bunch of my friends are New York Italian, so I definitely knew most of these words and traditions :)

It was such a fun read, especially on audio, and I hope you'll consider picking it up to enjoy as well!

I’m thankful to the publishers for the opportunity to read and review an advanced copy of this book.

It was difficult to decide between 3 and 4 stars for me. While I enjoyed most of the book, I did feel like it was a little too long due to redundancy. It seemed like there was a lot of repetition in the story line that could’ve been cut to streamline the story more. However, overall I really enjoyed the book. As you read this, you can definitely get the feeling that you are part of this family. I loved how food became almost another character and was used in many ways throughout the book. I also liked that they addressed mental health issues in such an appropriate way. While not entirely a “fun summer beach read,” I could definitely recommend to take this book along on your trip down the shore…as long as you pair it with some good wine and delicious Italian food!

While I am 1/2 Italian, I am not Jersey Italian, so some of this was foreign to me. I did laugh at some of the descriptions of the terms, and the infighting and meddling in each other's lives. Part of the story was very sweet and loving, and other parts were a bit over the top.
This is basically a story of a messy Italian family, multiple generations of men and women - butting into each other's lives, usually with a whole lot of love. There are some issues - pregnancy, depression, aging, and more, but overall not too taxing.
For anyone with a large family, this is a love story to you!

Light on the love story and heavy on the family culture, love and drama. This is a fun, cozy story that takes place over a year and will leave you with a smile at the end

Unfortunately this one missed the mark for me in a few ways. Mileage may vary- maybe those who have an attachment to the Jersey Italian culture, for example, will relate to and enjoy this more. I found that it felt a little casually homophobic and racist, even when intending not to be, and it was way too long. Great characters and a sweet sense of community that ultimately fell flat.

I enjoyed this book for so many reasons. Most had to do with the family. The grandmother always had something to say weather in the kitchen or just around and did not mind if anyone asked to hear a question. Varina or Vicki was doing everything to keep her family together with food which in a lot of cultures is one way. Growing up in an Italian home it was like this for me except it was my father that was the cook and I would help him in the kitchen yet we would have the big dinners. Really I would experience this type of family when I would go to New York and be with them for they were in every part of your business but I know it was out of love. That is what you get out of this book a family that has family problems yet they are still together working all together, and you get to see the grandmother finally move on with a gentleman and Vicki take a trip which was huge for her. So much more to this story, the characters are all wonderful and this book is worth the read.

I'm pretty bummed that I couldn't get into this book.

The writing style was just not my cup of tea. I know a lot of people loved this but it just wasn't for me. I couldn't really follow the story very well.