A Year at Hotel Gondola by the bestselling international author, Nicky Pellegrino, tells the story of a year spent in Venice, of falling in love, eating great food and making good friends.
Kat Black, who has travelled to the lesser known places of the world for her TV show “Black of Beyond”, has turned fifty. After her mother remarks that Kat has only twenty good years left, she realises that she has never experienced a lasting relationship. She decides to spend a year in Venice to try to find one.
Her publisher has commissioned a book to be written during the year. Kat intends to seek out and write about interesting places only known to the locals, and include recipes for food eaten at the cafes and restaurants that remain hidden from tourists.
While staying at the Hotel Gondola she becomes involved with the owner, Massimo Morosini, who asks if she will help him run the guesthouse. Soon Kat moves in with him and has hopes for a true relationship this time around.
As the year progresses she makes friends with Ruth, who is staying at the hotel. Ruth hopes the magic of Venice will inspire her to take up painting again. And, while visiting a pre-loved clothes shop, Kat meets the colourful Coco, who has unusual methods of finding new homes for her outfits. The three rapidly become close friends.
But, will Kat’s relationship with Massimo last the distance or will her adventure be over before it has begun?
Nicky’s beautifully detailed, descriptive writing takes the reader through the winding backstreets of Venice to visit lesser-known eateries, taste a variety of glorious meals, and learn their authentic Italian recipes. A novel of love, friendship and the joy of realising that life does NOT end at fifty!
ISBN: 9781869713751
Imprint: Hachette New Zealand
A Year at Hotel Gondola is currently in bookstores around Australia in paperback and ebook.
About Nicky Pellegrino
Nicky Pellegrino (born 1964) is an English-born New Zealander of Italian descent and lives and writes in Auckland, New Zealand.
When Nicky Pellegrino’s Italian father came to England he fell in love with and married a Liverpool girl. He brought to his new family his passion for food and instilled in them what all Italians know – that you live to eat instead of eating to live. This Italian mantra is the inspiration behind Nicky’s delicious novels.
Nicky lives in Auckland with her husband, two dogs and two horses.
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