Rococo

A Novel

By: Adriana Trigiani

Narrated by: Stephen Hoye

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • One small Italian American town in America gets the makeover it never expected in this “eccentric, unpredictable, entertaining” (The Boston Globe) novel from the author of the beloved Big Stone Gap series

“An artfully designed tale [with] characters so lively they bounce off the page [and] wit so subtle that even the best jokes seem effortless.”—People

Bartolomeo di Crespi is the acclaimed interior decorator—not to mention the most eligible bachelor—in Our Lady of Fatima, New Jersey. From the dazzling shores of the Garden State to the legendary fabric houses of New York City, from the prickly purveyors of fine art in London to the Mediterranean coast of Italy, Bartolomeo is on a mission to bring talent, sophistication, and his aesthetic vision to his hometown. So when the renovation of the local church is scheduled, he assumes there is only one man to oversee the job.

Recruiting an artist and a stained-glass artisan to help with the project—two handsome men who create romantic mayhem among Bartolomeo’s sister, his erstwhile fiancée, and all the other lovelorn ladies of OLOF—Bartolomeo struggles to create art while remaining the steadfast linchpin of the volatile di Crespi clan. Together, Bartolomeo and his team will do more than blow the dust off the old Fatima frescoes—they will turn the town upside down, challenge the faithful, and restore hope where there once was none.©2005 Adriana Trigiani; (P)2005 Books on Tape, Inc.

Critic reviews

“A veritable crazy quilt of quirky Italian Americans . . .Trigiani weaves all [the] subplots together with wonderful ease.”—Entertainment Weekly

“A summer must-read. . . a hilarious mix of. . . humor, lust, [and] family dynamics.”—The Hartford Courant

“A feel-good story . . . manages to soothe, in part because of its cozy design talk, and in part because of the likable, competent B.”—Publishers Weekly

“An affectionate celebration of the support we derive from family and community, told with humor and warmth.”—Hartford Courant

“[Trigiani] delivers charming, dependably satisfying books that you know will be stuffed with quirky but likable characters. . . . Throughout this fast-paced, abundantly charming novel, Trigiani focuses on the things that really matter: family, faith and home. Especially home. It is a deeply rewarding book that should make her legions of fans very happy indeed.”—BookPage

“A rollicking read . . . The comic prose itself deserves applause.”—Booklist

“Here’s your beach read . . . [Rococo] is as much fun as [Trigiani’s] previous novels. . . . There are hilarious encounters here and abroad, with so many colorful citizens darting in and out of the pages that it is impossible to name favorites.”—Roanoke Times

“[A] kitschy, quaintly amusing Italian American saga . . . [B is a] unique and winning protagonist.”—Kirkus Reviews

“Tiramisu for the soul . . . It’s rejuvenating to read a book as light and crisp as Rococo. . . . An authentic sentimental tale, with characters you very quickly adore . . . like a bubble bath you don’t want to get out of.”—Washington Examiner

“[Adriana Trigiani] again shows her abilities to take the everyday happenings of a small town and turn them into a story that is entertaining and just plain fun in Rococo. Trigiani has an elegant writing style that captures the essence of her characters and makes them larger than life on the written page.”—Texas Times Record News

“It would be impossible not to like a hero who declares that ‘Italy, despite its earthiness and charm, can never be New Jersey.’”—The Christian Science Monitor

“Breathtaking . . . full of color, fabric, love, lust and secrets”—The Huntsville Times

“Lighthearted . . . hilarious . . . Trigiani has a bombastic comedic style.”—Deseret Morning News

“A paean to Italian life . . . laugh-out-loud funny . . . it’s The Sopranos without the mob hits and the psychotherapy.”—Fort Worth Star-Telegram

Wonderful! Great entertainment

This was a very well written book. I stayed interested and laughed often. Would highly recommend.

An Ode to Family

Trigiani always makes you want be part of the family she is writing about and this book is no different. But this one also makes you appreciate your own crazy family as well and understand their value in your life.

A fun book. Great characters.

I listen while I drive to work and around town. I fell in love with the perfect ordinariness of the characters. They are like family and friends in my own life...totally relatable.

My favorite

This is my third time doing this book on tape. It is my all time favorite book on tape. I love the characters and the way they come to life I see parts of my own Italian/Roman Catholic upbringing and recommend it to everyone who enjoys books on tape. You will laugh and you may even cry a little. Enjoy with a plate of spaghetti or not

A book to keep you company

This book has no actual plot, so don't read it expecting one. It is charming though, and entertaining, with observations on family and community life. Recipes and descriptions of furnishing are scattered throughout as you follow the saga of the church renovation and the lives that surround it. If you want a little warmth and comfort in your life at the moment, you will find this a companionable read. If you want tension, self-discovery, murder or mystery, then perhaps wait on this one until you are ready for it.