Lazzarini Boscarino. A small Italian town on the brink of death because all of the young people move away, leaving only a precious few. Struggling to keep the town alive, the new mayor searches for a way to keep things going. When the largest ever white truffle is rooted out nearby, this tiny town is about to be bombarded by the worldwide media, celebrity chefs, and thieves. Will Lazzarini Boscarino survive? You'll have to read this to find out!

I have followed Kira Jane Buxton since her first book Hollow Kingdom. Her offbeat sense of humor is always present-she's hilarious. But what I like most about her work is its connected-ness. We are all connected to the world. We do not exist as islands, the things we do as individuals and as a people have ripple effects throughout. This concept is at the heart of Hollow Kingdom and its sequel. That concept is not the heart of this story, but it is here. Perhaps in the form of a bee, flying from room to room in search of tasty treats and overhearing the human conversations as she buzzes by. Perhaps in the form of a street cat named Al Pacino as she flows through the tiny streets of town, pregnant once again, and privy to many small town secrets. Perhaps in just the intoxicating scent of a white truffle as it floats through the air, pheromones inciting romance...and other things.

The cast of characters here was positively delightful and I especially admired Guisepinna, the fiery town bartender and rather obnoxious beauty. The recently widowed Giovanni just wanted to be left alone with his truffle hunting dogs because that's all he had left. The entire town was charming as hell and this reader couldn't help but fall in love with this tiny corner of Tuscany.

Full of laughs, nature's beauty, terrific Italian dishes, and fiery Italian tempers, Tartufo was utterly delightful. Beautifully written with a love of humanity and nature, I think this is going to be one that I read over and over again.

My highest recommendation!

*ARC from publisher

There's a lot going on in this lively tale about a giant truffle invigorating the denizens of a down-on-its-luck Italian village. There's a large cast of characters--many zany and memorable--and a steady, if uneven, narrative. I enjoyed it.

The residents of Lazzarini Boscarino don't know what to do anymore. No tourists visit their sleepy enclave--unless the GPS leads them there by accident on this way to Borghese, the thriving down near them which includes a Michelin-starred restaurant run by Umberto. The local bar is run down and the villagers are uninspired and just going through their daily motions. Yet, when a local truffle-hunting dog discovers a big white truffle, the town must protect it from nefarious forces so they can cash in and reinvigorate their town.

Small-town hijinks ensue and many of them are funny. I still found that the extensive description and quirky cast of characters, at times, took away from the emotional component of the book. Still, if you're a fan of whimsical comedic tales and the endurance of the human spirit, check out this one. You might enjoy it!

Charming and comical story that takes place in a Tuscan village who has seen better days. This book is full of a great mixture of characters who are both flawed and redeeming. There is a truffle hunter among the townfolks who stumbles upon a giant truffle with the help of his hunting dogs. We learn about this type of foraging as well as the value of truffles!

The town has a new mayor who is looking for a way to turn her town around. It seems that the giant truffle will be the answer to their needs but is it? The truffle puts the town in the spotlight but will it be enough to turn their fortunes?

We are told the story from many points of view and each has their own unique story and contribution to the town's history and rebirth. Of course, there is a lot of great food and celebration mixed into the book. This story left me smiling and wanting to visit Tuscany. I appreciated that it did not romanticize the area and we were able to meet some every day people. I enjoyed the book and would recommend it to others. Thank you Netgalley for the chance to review this book.

Thanks to Grand Central Publishing and Netgalley for this advanced copy!

What a fun and hilarious novel! Tartufo tells the story of a small Italian village turned upside down by the discovery of the world's biggest truffle. Soon everyone is coming out of the woodwork and hilarity ensues. I loved the cast of characters and how distinct and funny they were, how they all worked with each other while also somehow working against each other in the way that people who love each other can do. I laughed out loud several times and thought this book was just zany and a perfect read for these stressed-out times. Need a bit of an escape? This book has got what you need.

Tartufo is a contemporary fiction novel about a small Italian village that discovers a valuable white truffle that could bring riches to the community.

Lazzarini Boscarino is a tiny rural village with an aging population, a new mayor who barely beat out her opponent (a donkey), and zero tourism. But when the local truffle hunter and his beloved dogs find an extremely valuable truffle, there’s finally something that could put Lazzarini Boscarino on the map. First, though, they need to pull off an auction in their abandoned medieval castle which will hopefully attract the highest bidders from around the world.

This is a fun and wholesome comedy about a tight-knit community that looks out for one another. There are plenty of hilarious moments starring big personalities (both human and animal), and I learned a lot about truffles and the people who covet them.

Loved.

I began the e-arc for TARTUFO while sitting on a train zipping through the Tuscan countryside, so you could say I was predisposed to like this book. But it wasn't a guarantee: Sometimes heartwarming stories are too sweet, or have plots that are too convenient. Sometimes books that begin with a touch of abstraction take it further and lose me along the way. Sometimes a book is perfectly enjoyable but ultimately forgettable (and there's nothing wrong with that!).

But this is a book I felt in my marrow. I loved the way Kira Jane Buxton brought these characters and this town to life. I loved not knowing where the plot would go, but feeling taken by the hand along the way. I loved the descriptions of food, and the landscape. I loved how this book made me long for a fictional place, while also making me want to find a way to get back to Tuscany this year.

Tartufo is a charming story of a Tuscan village's quest to sell a gigantic truffle to fund the repair of a beloved Nonna's home. It took me about a second to get into, around the 15% mark. The prose is very descriptive, often from the point of view of an animal or a fungal spore, and that did take getting used to. The characters are captivating, and I adored them early. The humor of this could be subtle at times, and then there were outright fart jokes. These characters are somehow both caricatures and simultaneously believable in their absurdity. A universally beloved donkey almost winning the election to be mayor just makes sense, as much so as the actual mayor regretting her decision to run in the first place. This is a feel-good, cozy story of love, truffles, and small town revival. I wholeheartedly recommend this one.
I both read the ebook and listened to the audiobook. There are a lot of Italian words sprinkled throughout the text. I read Italian a lot better than I understand it when spoken, so I enjoyed the ebook more at no fault of the narrator.
Thanks to NetGalley, Grand Central Publishing, and Hachette Audio for this delightful ARC!!!!

I absolutely adored this book — no surprise there, since Buxton wrote some of my favorites of all time (Hollow Kingdom and Feral Creatures). Though this book is entirely different! I think that’s why it took me a second to get into, but I quickly fell in love with the tiny Italian village and its quirky and hilarious inhabitants. The writing is luxurious, and it will make you need a delicious meal as well as a Tuscan vacation. Fun, heartwarming, and exactly what I wanted.

WHO WHAT WHERE: This dying village of Lazzarini Boscarino in the Tuscan mountains, where the role of mayor almost went to a 22 year old donkey- named Maurizio, is in need of saving- the unlikely hero: A giant truffle!

MY THOUGHTS: This was one of the first 'humor' books I read and boy was it a fun time! The eccentric village swept me away to their varying concerns centered around a missing local- Sofia, Nonna Amara's house suffered a landslide, and the forewarnings of Giuseppina's psychic. The prediction including a fortune to come to the town, but not without a death... or two...

This animated village was a hoot to bounce between the POVs of most of them, even the bees and a spider! Especially the very nosy bumblebee watching some drama unfold with the townspeople! The truffle hunter- Giovanni and his dogs are also important perspectives in this one (I'm not a dog person, and had a hard time reading those but that doesn't change my opinion on the book!) I really enjoyed the authors use of Italian in this book- she nailed the use of different phrases especially in writing a funny book! Usually books will just stick to "buona sera/ grazie" but she really had a great natural flow between the two languages! (This is another personal note as I still have my reading goal of finishing a book in Italian lol)

I won't give any spoilers- but the last 6 or so chapters of this book picked up so well, anticipate some twists and turns that you won't see coming! It gets pretty juicy!

Overall a great fun read! Definitely check this one out!

Thank you to #NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for the gifted e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

I really wanted to love this one - the cover is gorgeous, the description sounds like so much fun, etc. etc., but the writing style just wasn't working for me. I had a hard time getting engaged, and I think, in part, the audio version + cast of characters at the beginning made it hard to figure out what was happening.

This is a beautifully written novel. The language had me hooked on the first page. The plot is a bit slow to start, and I trudged through the first few pages. Though I appreciated getting to know the setting and characters, the premise of the book - a truffle hunter and his dogs find the largest truffle ever - needed to make a much earlier appearance. Once the action started, I loved this book.

Highly recommended for light, quality reading.

What a charming, unexpected cast of characters! This book absolutely delighted me and felt like a warm hug.

Clever, charming, and (mercifully) far less absurdist than I was expecting.

I really did not love Hollow Kingdom but decided to give Buxton’s work another try after seeing the premise for this one, and I’m so glad I did. This is just an infinitely better book, especially if (like me) you really hate nonsense fiction.

This is, to begin, actually very funny. It’s clever and a bit of a spoof without veering into full absurdism, and it’s also a very sweet story about friendship and companionship and how they don’t always show up in the forms we expect.

Despite all being a touch ridiculous save for our protagonist (the story’s straight man to his supporting cast’s comedic roles), the characters are fairly well developed and likable rather than irritating, as comic fools can unfortunately sometimes be.

My lone complaint is that this book is significantly too long for the style and type of story. I actually think all comic novels need to be short, but that’s especially true of anything that touches on farce.

Thank you to NetGalley, Grand Central Publishing, and Ms. Buxton for the opportunity to read an ARC of this title. An honest review was requested but not required.

I came across this book while attending Library Journal Day of Dialog and viewed a panel with Ms. Buxton, whose books <I>Feral Creatures</I> and <I>Hollow Kingdom</I> I REALLY enjoyed (5 stars each if I recall correctly.)

<I>Tartufo</i> is a departure from the subject matter of the other two books, but it retains Ms. Buxton's absolutely magical and lyrical prose. The characterization, too, sparkles. There are a number of briefly mentioned characters that are difficult to keep track of and play very small roles, but that really wasn't a problem for me to keep track of. Overall the book had the madcap zaniness and offbeat characters of an English comedy (think Are You Being Served or Keeping Up Appearances, with a dash of Mr. Bean silliness), with absolute comedy gold every so often. I laughed SO hard during Giuseppina's visit to Umberto in Borghese that I almost fell off the elliptical at the gym. Seriously.

Ms. Buxton's deep love for Tuscany and everything that makes it unique is evident. I was really happy to see that her magic for making animal characters come alive was back even in a more "people-centric" book; perhaps other readers wouldn't enjoy passages from the POV of an ant or a bee, but I thought they brought so much character and life to the story. Every page of this story was as vibrant as its colorful cover. My favorite character BY FAR was Giuseppina, who is an absolute dream and comedy gold; I also enjoyed the portions from Aria's (the truffle dog) and Delizia's (the beleaguered mayor)'s points of view. There are so many little treasures in here: the odd art (Woman with her Weasel (!), Stefano's colorful pants, the Batmobile, Mamma Fortuna and her evil grandson, Umberto's sous chefs, *chef's kiss* I just loved everything about it. Frankly this book would make an *excellent* movie.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The rural Italian village of Lazzarini Boscarino is slowly fading away. There aren't many tourists, the restaurants are closed and town hall is filled with refuse. Bar Celebritàis the last place where villagers gather to gossip and drink. A few miles away, local truffle hunter Giovanni Scarpazza just found the largest truffle ever seen, possibly worth six figures in particular international circles. No one is sure if this will be a gift to the village or a curse.

This novel opens with a very languid, bucolic description of the town, the people, and even the truffle itself. The prior mayor had run up incredible debt, and the new one can't bear to let the people know about it. Once Giovanni finds the truffle, he has five days to properly sell it. This draws people together to try improving the village, though some people are interested in their own gain.

The townsfolk are all tropey characters, but I had a really hard time connecting with any of them. They're dramatic and silly, and scenes progress with cinematic timing. One of the characters even says "Sometimes silly is the very ingredient that we need!" The novel certainly incorporates this a lot, especially with the high-end restaurants and auction staff. The various storylines come together by the end of the novel; so that characters often get what they need, even if they think they want something else. If someone enjoys more comedic timing, this is definitely one to look out for.

Thanks to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for this eARC!

This was such a wonderful and light read! I wasn't sure what to expect, but I loved the characters and the story. I also loved that in the beginning of the book there was a list of all the characters; that helped so much. I can't wait to read more from Kira Jane Buxton.

Happy pub day to this quirky read! Thanks to Grand Central, Hachette Audio, and NetGalley for early reader and listener copies in exchange for my honest opinion. I started by listening to the audio, and I thought the narration, including the Italian accents, made the story more fun, so I mostly listened, following along in the ebook at times.
Tartufo translates to truffle, and this book follows the discovery of a massive truffle and the auction that the unknown town of Lazzarini Boscarino, which is in need of money, holds to sell it. If you aren’t aware, truffles are some of the most expensive foods, as they are hard to find and grow, and they do not last for a long time, so time is of the essence in this book. While it took a little while to get going, I really enjoyed this story and giggled quite a bit while listening.
I’ve had truffle fries and pasta with truffles, and I personally love truffle cheese. Trader Joe’s makes an excellent one - it’s super flavorful! I have heard about truffle hunting, but this book gave a good mix of information along with a fun story. One of my favorite parts of the story were the interactions between the humans and the side character animals: Aria the truffle-hunting dog, Maurizio the donkey that ran for mayor, and, my favorite, Al Pacino, the seemingly always-pregnant female cat
This was my first time reading this author, and I have seen great things about her previous book, Hollow Kingdom, so I’ve added that to my TBR. The book is available now, and I recommend it and the audiobook!

I REALLY loved Buxton's Hollow Kingdom books and this latest is another drama-filled story with plucky animal side characters who steal the show from the small Italian villagers whose lives get turned upside down when a truffle hunter and his dog find the world's biggest truffle. Told from alternating POVs, the sheer number of characters to keep track of in this story was a bit daunting but it was just dramatic and over the top enough to keep me thoroughly entertained from start to finish. Definitely recommended and good on audio too!! Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

Tartufo by Kira Jane Buxton was such a delightful and heartfelt novel!
The beautiful descriptions and unforgettable characters made this book so hard to put down!
A sweet and funny story that I highly recommend!

🍃Set in a sleepy little Italian village surrounded by forests, Tartufo is a charming novel full of humor, heart, and a strong sense of community. The village is almost bankrupt, with landslides having destroyed homes and tourists flocking to the more famous village nearby. But what binds the story together is Nonna Amara and the love the villagers share for their four-legged companions.

One such companion stumbles upon a treasure that could change the fate of the entire village—but what lies ahead is for fate to decide.

This book is as funny and heartwarming as it is emotional. It’s a little slow to start, but once the story picks up, I found myself fully immersed. The vivid descriptions of nature and the forests transported me straight to this enchanting village, and the characters felt so real.

A delightful read with humor and heart, perfect for anyone who enjoys stories about small communities, unexpected surprises, and the bond between humans and animals.

Thank you to Grand Central Publishing for the copy!🍃