No one writes about Italian-American families with the humor, warmth, and heart of Peter Pezzelli. With Francesca's Kitchen, he delivers a winning novel about how much we need the closeness of family—even if we don't know it. For years, Francesca Campanile was the queen of her home. Standing in her Rhode Island kitchen, Francesca dispensed advice as liberally as she did the garlic, arguing nonstop with her son and two daughters. It was wonderful. But now, her children and their children have moved away. And for the widowed Francesca, no longer having a family around to pester, annoy, guide, love, and, of course, cook for, makes her feel useless. What she needs is another family who needs her, and when she sees Loretta Simmons's ad in the Providence paper for a part-time nanny, she's sure she's found it. All the single mom wants is someone to fill in for a few hours a day. But it's obvious to Francesca that Loretta and her kids need a lot more. Loretta's struggling to make ends meet. Every man she brings home is a disaster. And her kids could definitely use some guidance—and a little lasagna, frankly. It's time for Francesca to work her magic…and the best place to start is the kitchen. Funny and moving, with a heroine to adore, is a delicious story about sharing love, life, advice, and, above all, food. "Home cooking, good pasta, and traditional family values conquer all in this amusing and touching story." —