Such a cute story about the power of love, forgiveness, and the roots that tie us to home. Not what I was expecting, but I was unable to put it down and found myself deeply invested in the characters. A good summer read!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher to early access to this ARC.

What a serious delight of a book! Stop me if I sound like SNL's Stefon, but THIS BOOK HAS EVERYTHING. It contains the most charming cast of characters, decadent food, lots of great humor, and the most gorgeous prose. Oh, and there's even a donkey who is very nearly nominated as mayor. Wait, there's also a female cat named Al Pacino. I told you- everything.

The book takes place in the struggling little Italian village of Lazzarini Boscarino. The town is not a tourist attraction and has no money.... a donkey almost became mayor, for goodness sake! But it's truly the residents that make the town. They may not always get along and they certainly don't agree on everything, but they so endearing.

The story starts off a little slowly for me, BUT I was pulled in by Buxton's writing from the first page. I figured even if the story was a little boring, at least I'd get to experience something really beautiful in the meantime. However, the story quickly picks up when Giovanni Scarpazza and his dogs find a really, really big truffle. Like the kind that could change the course of your life. Or the future of your town.

I don't want to give anything away because part of the beauty of the book is the unfolding of the story. Honestly, I feel like I'm not a good enough writer to truly describe the beauty of this novel. But even if you don't care about prose, you'll want to read it for the cast of characters.

I'm so excited for this book to publish and for everyone to read it. And I feel so lucky that I already had the chance to. It's the kind of book that, once it's released, I'll definitely want to read again. The people of Lazzarini Boscarino feel like friends now and I miss them so much now that the book is over.

I adored this book! Each character is so well written, both animal and human. It made me want to visit and meet each and every one of them. The setting is vibrant and Buxton’s writing is charming and witty.

Thanks to Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for this ARC of Kira Jane Buxton's 'Tartufo.'

Populated by a wonderful cast of characters who live in the bypassed, dying Tuscan village of Lazzarina Boscarino 'Tartufo' follows their adventures in the wake of the discovery by the local truffle hunter, Giovanni. There's a voluptuously barmaid and her celebrity chef ex-husband, a newly elected mayor (who's also the local vet) and her husband who runs the last bar/restaurant in the village, the aforementioned truffle hunter, a nonna (and her young protégé) whose house and garden were stricken by a landslide, a disgraced postman, a psychic, and many others including some domestic animals with real character and personality - dogs, a vindictive cat, and a much-loved donkey.

The discovery of the truffle, worth a lot of money, unleashes a cavalcade of events and outcomes that none of them could've foreseen.

It's lovingly and beautifully written - there's a very big focus on food and smells which, themselves, almost become characters, all of them wonderfully described. Although it's a constantly funny novel there's a lot of emotion involved.

I would love to see this made into one of those gauzy ensemble films in which you could lose yourself for a couple of hours of fun, beautiful scenery, and great characters.

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!

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.

This book was such an unexpected delight! I have not read anything by Kira Jane Buxton before, so I was not expecting a lighthearted, extremely funny read. This is a cozy, sweet, and uplifting story about a small, broke village in Italy that has a chance at a second life when the world's largest truffle is discovered in their woods (by an adorable truffle sniffing dog - this book has fantastic animal characters, including a cat named Al Pacino, and a donkey who narrowly just lost the election for mayor!)

With an eclectic cast of characters, genre-defying and expert world-building, and truly laugh out loud moments, I was so taken with the book as a whole. It's making me want to read the rest of Buxton's novels, which I hear are also incredible. Also, don't read this book if you are hungry. I'm seriously considering heading over to Shake Shack this afternoon to have one of their limited time truffle burgers because I have to remember exactly how truffles taste after an entire book describing how amazing they are!

I think this will be a great book club book next year, and it just the kind of book we need for tumultuous times. It's sweet, endearing, warm, and funny. Five easy stars.

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.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

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!

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!

Kira Jane Buxton’s Tartufo will make you wish you could spend your next vacation surrounded by the people and forests of Lazzarini Boscarino, a tiny Tuscan village.

As Giovanni Scarpazzi’s truffle-hunting dog Aria first detects the pungent odor of underground treasure wafting through the air from forest to Bar Celebrita, the depopulated village’s last surviving restaurant, former veterinarian Delizia Micucci will soon convene her fiirst meeting as newly elected female town mayor. After narrowly defeating Maurizio, the beloved local donkey and her closest opponent, Delizia now faces more nearly insurmountable obstacles: a missing woman, a skyrocketing cat population largely attributed to the revengeful Al Pacino, a landslide that displaced beloved elder Nona Amara, and the problem Delizia dreads bringing up at all—one that threatens Lazzarini Boscarino’s very survival. .

In a place where the powers of nature and time play equal roles, readers encounter not only truffle-hunting dogs, an aging donkey, and a troublesome cat but also ants, a honey bee, a spider, a wild boar, the world’s largest and most valuable truffle,, a wedding, a wake, a birthday party, an exorcism, a Southeby’s auction, a heist, a Dark Knight, a fortune teller, an ex-con postman, a priest with a notorious but hidden past, a female bartender described as New Year’s Eve incarnate, and an octogenarian grandmother, who is village cook, hand-holder, heart-mender, and proponent of the philosophy that “sometimes silly is the very ingredient we need.” And that is only a start!

Thanks to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing/Hachette Book Groupfor an advance reader egalley of the latest treat by Kira Jane Buxton’s—a novel that will make readers laugh out loud and hold their breath in suspense, but one that will also touch their hearts. ,

Thank you, NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for this ARC for review. This book was absolutely delightful! It took a minute to get into the story, but once I did I couldn’t put it down. I read this author’s previous book, Hollow Kingdom, VERY different subject matter and much less cussing 😂, but similar theme- family. Tartufo takes places in a small Italian village on the brink, that no one knows about and if tourists DO find their way there, it is by mistake as they were looking for the bigger, fancier city down the road. That is until the mayor finds the biggest, most impressive beautiful white truffle- Un Tartufo, and then there’s the possibility of fame and riches the village as never known, if only the people of the town can get it together and not mess it all up.

Kira Jane Buxton's Tartufo is a literary feast for the senses, brimming with evocative descriptions, unforgettable characters, and a narrative that feels both wildly imaginative and deeply heartfelt. Known for her unique ability to bring vivid worlds to life, Buxton does not disappoint here—her impeccable sensory writing transforms each scene into a multi-dimensional experience.

From the lush, atmospheric settings to the smallest sensory details, every description feels alive. Buxton's prose is so textured that you can almost feel the humidity in the air, hear the rustling of leaves, or taste the tantalizing dishes that are such an integral part of the story. It's a masterclass in immersive storytelling, where the world-building is as palpable as it is enchanting.

The true heart of the novel, however, lies in its lovable cast of characters. Each one is brimming with personality, quirks, and depth—so much so that they leap off the page. The relationships between them feel authentic, with moments of humor, tenderness, and unexpected vulnerability that make you root for them from beginning to end. It’s impossible not to imagine these characters starring in their own TV show; their antics and heartfelt connections would translate seamlessly to the screen, delighting audiences week after week.

Tartufo is more than just a novel—it’s an experience. With writing as rich and textured as its characters, it’s a story that lingers long after the final page is turned. Kira Jane Buxton has crafted a work that’s as intoxicating as it is unforgettable, a true testament to her boundless talent and creativity.

Tartufo is heartwarming, hilarious, and irreverent, precisely what you'd expect from Kira Jane Buxton. An old Tuscan village full of the most eccentric people is on the brink of dying when a truffle hunter finds the mother of all white truffles. Hilarity and hijinx ensue as the village deals with unexpected (some say unwanted) celebrity and the chance that they'll make a fortune.