Review: The Star-Crossed Sisters of Tuscany

The Star-Crossed Sisters of Tuscany

by Lori Nelson Spielman

Publisher: Berkley

Pages: 400

Format: book

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads:  Since the day Filomena Fontana cast a curse upon her sister more than two hundred years ago, not one second-born Fontana daughter has found lasting love. Some, like second-born Emilia, the happily-single baker at her grandfather’s Brooklyn deli, claim it’s an odd coincidence. Others, like her sexy, desperate-for-love cousin Lucy, insist it’s a true hex. But both are bewildered when their great-aunt calls with an astounding proposition: If they accompany her to her homeland of Italy, Aunt Poppy vows she’ll meet the love of her life on the steps of the Ravello Cathedral on her eightieth birthday, and break the Fontana Second-Daughter Curse once and for all.

Against the backdrop of wandering Venetian canals, rolling Tuscan fields, and enchanting Amalfi Coast villages, romance blooms, destinies are found, and family secrets are unearthed—secrets that could threaten the family far more than a centuries-old curse.


Kritters Thoughts:  Two stories that perfectly weave in and out, one in current day as Emilia is taking a big trip to Italy with her great-aunt Poppy and her cousin Lucy as they try to reverse a curse on their family that has impacted second daughters for generations and generations.  The other storyline goes back in time to a young Poppy as she is trying to fall in love with the family curse looming over her shoulder.  

I love a story with two storylines and I love when the reader knows from the beginning the link between the two, but doesn't know everything and there are still great details to evolve as the story goes on.  It also helps when the characters are great to follow and I quickly fell in love with all three of the main ladies and couldn't wait to keep reading to see where they would each end up and if they could end this crazy curse that this family has been passing on from daughter to daughter.  

Another "character" in this book was the setting.  Italy is probably my top place that I would love to visit, so the way the author wrote this setting, made me want to visit it even more - probably didn't help reading it during COVID quarantine when travel doesn't seem anywhere in the future.  I felt the romance that could happen in this ancient city and reading this book made me google images so I could "see it for myself." 

This was my second read by Lori Nelson Spielman and I loved this one just the same as the other.  I only have one in her backlist that I want to read soon to complete my read of her work.  


Rating: absolutely loved it and want a sequel

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from Berkley  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.