Both literary and funny, Tartufo centers on a down-and-out medieval Tuscan town with a unique and eccentric cast of residents. When an elderly truffle hunter finds the worlds largest rare White Truffle it may fetch a price to save them all, but it sets off a series of events and personal interactions among the citizens which no one could have predicted. As events race out of control for the towns new mayor (who beat out a 22 year old donkey by only a few votes), estranged marriages, frightened pre-teens, and nonagenarian Nonna Amara, former restauranteur and everyone's grandmother. The interconnectedness of the townspeople and their secrets and everyday lives are the star of the show as they bumble into the international limelight and try to reignite their town's fortunes!

I chose to read this book, Tartufo by Kira Jane Buxton (due to be published in late January 2025), because I was charmed by the cover (which really is delightful). The description sounded charming as well. But that’s as far as the charm went for me. The writing style was overly descriptive and heavy, and totally got in the way of the story.

This simply wasn’t my book.
2 stars.

Thank you to Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for providing an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. The book will be published on January 28, 2025.

Can a huge truffle save the village of Lazzarini Boscarino in Italy?

The village is in dire need of tourists, and the eccentric townspeople are ready to give up.

Until...they realize the huge truffle may save them.

The townspeople are fun and loving, and the description of the food and the characters is well done.

Unfortunately, it was a very slow read and didn't really keep my interest.

It will make you want to go to Italy, though, and experience the warmth of these people and share food with them.

The relationships between all the characters is heartwarming and seems very representative of Italians in small villages.

I do have to say I loved the names of the characters and the name of the town, but there were too many characters to keep track of. I see why they had a legend of each character at the beginning of the book.

It is a light read, but too detailed and no action for me. 3/5

Thank you to the publisher for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Tartufo is a heartwarming story and really makes you feel like in you're in a small Tuscan town. I liked getting to know such a varied cast of characters, and the attention the author pays to the description of nature.

Thanks to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for making an advance copy of this title available for an honest review.

I LOVED THIS BOOK!

Rarely have I come across a book that pleased in so many ways. Each delightfully quirky character in this dying village found their way into my heart. Their deep roots and boisterous frustration with each other made me laugh out loud again and again. The ups and downs and twists and turns of the plot surprised me again and again. It was positively fabulous!

What surprised me even more was the beauty of the prose. This is undoubtedly the most sensual book that I have read in recent memory. The smells in particular were described so eloquently that it allowed me to be there and savor nuances. How fitting for a story about an unbelievably huge and overpoweringly aromatic fungus!

A delightful love letter to the Italian countryside and small towns. The village of Lazzarini Boscarino is dying on the vine – not enough tourism and a landslide taking out the town’s beloved restaurant have taken their toll. In turn, many of the town’s residents themselves are feeling a malaise reflecting their town’s fortunes. But when a potential windfall lands in their laps, the town finds itself with an unfamiliar feeling: hope. But nothing ever goes smoothly in Lazzarini Boscarino, and there are many tragicomic bumps in the road on the way to the town and its citizens perhaps getting a second chance in life.

Buxton presents us with a cast of larger-than-life characters (the guide at the beginning is very helpful for the first half of the book!) spanning a range of generations and personalities. Her prose is romantic and there is a good dose of magical realism, reflecting the setting that the author clearly finds enchanting.

A wholesome, substantial and feel-good read. (Note for lovers of the wonderful Animal Kingdom, her first novel – this has a very different feel!) Thank you to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for a chance to read this ARC.

This was heartwarming and funny sorry about a town gone wild after the discovery of a priceless truffle. Personally it didn’t resonate with me, but I loved the theme of the town being family.

The Run-Down: Tartufo by Kira Jane Buxton is an entertaining read that manages to fit into the “feel-good story with quirky small-town characters” genre without being too saccharine or vacuous.


Review:
Tartufo by Kira Jane Buxton is the kind of book that would make a good mid-budget comedy movie. The plot is straightforward: it follows an ensemble cast of characters who live in a small, dying Italian village that finds itself turned upside-down with the discovery of an absurdly rare and valuable white truffle by one of the villages. Will the discovery breathe new life into their aging and bankrupt village, or tear it apart? Buxton has a knack for setting up and executing highly entertaining, and occasionally touching, scenes that bring a healthy balance of quirkiness, humor, heart, and suspense to the table. Her heavy use of metaphor and descriptive language might not be for everyone, but it brings her writing a sense of liveliness that adds to the story’s appeal. I would be curious to hear what Italian readers think of the book, as Buxton does not appear to be Italian, but the book’s setting is central to its plot and character development.

Tartufo does touch upon themes of grief and loss, but largely remains an upbeat read. It’s a good book for someone looking for a fun, breezy palette cleanser after a heavier or denser read!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Tartufo offers readers a whimsical escape into a world of charm and happiness, following the lives of the members of a small Italian village through a series of lighthearted adventures. The story is both cute and fun, making it a pleasant read before bed or whenever you need a little escape. However, the writing style may not be for everyone.

The author’s prose is loaded with alliteration, sprinkled with Italian phrases, and full of long, winding sentences that add flair but can feel overdone. At times, this style makes the book feel twice as long as necessary, stretching out scenes that could have been conveyed more concisely. Additionally, the story features a large cast of characters, which, while colorful, can make it tricky to keep track of who’s who and where the plot is headed. One of the highlights, though, is how much I learned about truffle hunting and the truffle industry--it was a lot of fun.

All in all, Tartufo is a charming story with a happy vibe, ideal for readers looking for a lighthearted break, even if it does get a little lost in its own flowery language.

This book failed to charm with its shrill, in-your-face style. I have to admit that I would also skip this town and move on to the next, despite the array of kooky characters and abundant crumbling charm.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ This delicious delight of a novel packs a lot of punch.

“What does one do upon finding the world’s biggest epicurean diamond? Giovanni fears what he knows is to come. The truffle will incite hysteria, greed. Worst of all, danger. Tartufai—truffle hunters—have committed the most heinous of crimes over tartufi. Over forest territory, high-end buyers, the innocent dogs who find them. Where there be treasure, there be pirates.”

The writing in this novel is colorful and fun, pungent.

“Giuseppina leans on the bar itself, her bosom spilling over its surface like two jellyfish in a battle for hegemony. She idly molests the bar’s wooden surface with a rag, sighing loud enough to suggest some sort of respiratory distress.”

“The glowing blonde opens the sandwich, immediately spying the ham. She mimes a sad face, forms an angry cross with her fingers and then pushes her nose into a snout. “Ah, you are vegetarians!” roars Giuseppina. “How ridiculous! No wonder you are so skinny. I bet when you have sex, it’s like sticks rubbing together—you could catch fire!”

The smell descriptions are really intense, especially about truffles!

“…she must home in for the hunt—swiftly tuning out soft-spoken smells—pheromones of flowers, quiet musk of moss, hay-like incense of hazelnuts buried by a forgetful squirrel. She must tune out the sinister. Screams of spilled boar semen and the flesh an owl let fall. Rusted tin roof smell of dried blood. And all around, trees releasing heady waves of resin, each as bright as a burst of laughter. Among all these stories is the one Aria is after. It starts as a flutter, a mere flirtation.”

A really fun read, with vivid writing and colorful, dear characters. Thanks for NerGalley for the opportunity to review and advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book made me so incredibly happy. I fell in love with every person and animal in this beautiful, little Tuscan village. I wish I could be transported to Lazzarini Boscarino so I too can enjoy the company, food, and love. I laughed and cried, and usually finished every reading session of this book absolutely starved for some great Italian food. Kira's story is about love, grief, forgiveness, and belonging. Getting back to your roots. As an Italian, I thoroughly enjoyed Tartufo and it has earned itself a spot on my favorites list.

Thank you to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for this ARC.

Can’t go wrong with a colorful cover, colorful characters, the beautiful country of Italy and a bit of whimsy thrown in.

Tartufo by Kira Jane Buxton is a delightful and whimsical tale set in a quaint Italian village. The story revolves around Mayor Delizia Miccuci, who, after a narrow election victory against a geriatric donkey named Maurizio, grapples with the challenges of revitalizing her fading village, Lazzarini Boscarino.

The narrative is filled with colorful characters, from Nonna Amara's cherished ristorante to the rustic Bar Celebrità, where locals gather to share their woes and enjoy Giuseppina's volcanic espresso. The arrival of a giant truffle changes the fate of the village, bringing a touch of magic and hope to the otherwise dreary setting.

Buxton's writing is both humorous and heartwarming, with a strong focus on food and smells that almost become characters themselves. The book is a perfect blend of fantasy and comedy, making it an enjoyable read for fans of quirky, character-driven stories.

Overall, the book is a charming and entertaining novel that captures the essence of small-town life and the power of community. It's a story that will leave you smiling and rooting for the villagers as they navigate their quirky challenges.

My favorite read of the year!! Tartufo is beautifully written with humor and heart, the uniquely descriptive language blew me away. Kira Jane Buxton’s quirky and loveable characters had me wishing for a trip to the Italian countryside, I loved it!

A small aging town in Tuscany finds itself in financial trouble. When the community comes up together to find way to generate interest and tourisim the miraculous happens with the discovery of the worlds largest truffle. There is a host of quirky characters, some wonderful animals and alot of zany circumstances. I found the first part of the book slow, mostly because of the writing style... lots of over the top description that stood in the way of the story. This is a light read, often heartwarming with a charming wrap up.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an arc to read and review.

This was a pretty good book! It was a bit hard to follow in the beginning since there were so many characters being introduced so quickly with lack of full background info initially. I did enjoy the story, I liked the themes of family, relationships, etc. It was an entertaining read, and it was enjoyable!


Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for this complimentary ARC in exchange for an honest review!!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an opportunity to read this book in exchange for a honest review. All opinions are my own.

Italian Mayberry
Ever read a book you didn’t want to end? People you wanted to spend more time with? This is that book- it’s cozy, and funny, and has so much heart. Words can’t do justice to how much I enjoyed spending time with this village, these people.
In the beautiful ancient Italian village of Lazzarini Boscarino, there is a secret that sits down below the soil. A marriage of fungus and chestnut, soil and damp waiting to be found. As the story opens at Bar Celebrità, the last open establishment of a crumbling Italian village, we meet a few of our colorful cast of characters:
Giovanni and his soulful, intuitive truffle hunting dog Aria.
Giuseppina barmaid extraordinaire . A 50 year old sex symbol loud and brash and bursting with love, life and passion. She was my favorite character
Farmer Leon who’s floozy elderly wife has disappeared, but he has the distraction his animals including the town’s 22 year old beloved donkey Maurizio, who incidentally almost was elected mayor.
Delizia grew up in the town and left as soon as she could, she became a veterinarian and finds herself back home and elected mayor, with the daunting task of saving this town.
When Giovanni finds a massive world record breaking truffle he knows that it can bring in enough money to save the town or ruin it with the insanity of such fortune.
This would make a good book club read. While on the surface its a simple story, there is a lot to unpack here and discuss. The role of community, grief and grievance. What does one owe their village, their family? How comfortable and yet stifling a small town can be, when everyone knows your business and your past. How empty success can be.
Before you start you really need to stock up on some good Italian food because you will be craving it as the delicious descriptions are pepperd throughout the story.

I hope there is a sequel! Please make this delightful book in to a movie. My casting suggestions Marisa Tomei as Delizia and Stanley Tucci playing Chef Umberto.
Highly recommend.

I absolutely adored this story and every character in it about a small town in Tuscany slowly fading to the senior community left behind to carry on the traditions of generations, while the youth that have been raised go off to the big cities. I read this book while in a similar small town town in Calabria. Ironically, I met so many similar colorful characters and wonderful human beings, loving life and embracing the heritage of their land. This is an absolutely beautiful book, especially so if you love all things, Italia, food and have respect for tradition while moving forward into this fast-paced world of self-driving cars and AI. That these people are so connected to the soil, relationships and the traditions of the past is really the thing that moved me and resonated with me to the core. Core. The story of the truffle itself was almost incidental to me despite being the core character. This book would make a beautiful movie one day. If they do, I hope they do it justice .

🍄🇮🇹 BOOK REVIEW! [e-ARC] 🇮🇹🍄

Tartufo by Kira Jane Buxton
Genre: Humor & Satire, Literary Fiction
Length: 352 pages
Pub Date: Jan. 28, 2025
My Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟!

Thank you to @netgalley and @grandcentralpub for the opportunity to have this e-ARC! The opinions in this review are solely my own.

Synopsis:
Welcome to the small medieval village Tuscan village of Lazzarina Boscarino. Though it is modern times, the village is made of a cast of inhabitants that are all family, some by blood, others by generations of shared history. The village is in major financial trouble, but the tide appears to be changing as local truffle hunter, Giovanni Scarpazza, unearths the biggest tartufo the world has ever seen, with the help of his trusty dogs. Major planning ensues to host an auction with bidders from all over the world. The current mayor, Delizia, is determined to help save the village with the large payout from this wonder, but something, or someone, just may be in the shadows with some darker intentions...

Opinion:
Nothing I could possibly say would really do this book proper justice. It was SO beautifully written - the setting was so picturesque, each and every villager and their personalities were depicted so perfectly. It was honestly a book about relationships and their growth through beautiful and difficult times. I felt like I was honestly right there in this adventure with the whole cast of characters. They were so lovely, from the disgraced postman, to the wise 'nonna' of the town. This book highly exceeded my expectations and was very funny and charming at times! I loved how I felt so many different emotions throughout the story. It was a real winner and I highly recommend this one to anyone that needs a heart-warming read, a little adventure, and a good laugh!