Brava, Valentine    by Adriana Trigiani Order:  USA  Can Harper, 2010 (2010) Hardcover, CD, e-Book Read an Excerpt     Reviewed by Mary Ann Smyth Following on the heels of the success of Very Valentine, author Adriana Trigiani presents her fans with more in the life of Valentine Roncalli in Brava, Valentine. Be sure to clear your decks before starting this delightful sequel. It's hard to put down. Valentine, a designer and manufacturer of high end women's shoes, lives and works in New York. We, the readers, live through the trials and tribulations of owning and running one's own business. We also learn what it is like to be a member of a large Italian family. Can't be easy but it sure is never dull. We travel to Italy with Valentine for her grandmother's wedding! While there, Valentine renews a relationship with a supplier of fine leathers. The agonies associated with making a commitment to a lasting relationship make Valentine's decision a hard one to reach. Feeling like voyeurs, we live through every step of of Valentine's musings of what she should do. We travel to Buenos Aires, Argentina to meet a long lost member of the Roncalli family. There's a surprise waiting there. The outcome almost boggles the mind. Valentine's instant acceptance seems a tiny bit out of character. She usually needs a little more time to think things over. Trigiani is the author of the Big Stone Gap series that made a big hit. The first book is to be made into a movie and I shall be first in line to see it. Don't miss these beguiling stories - whether of Valentine or Big Stone Gap. I recently saw Trigiani being interviewed on television. She is as vivacious as I would expect her to be - rather like the characters she creates. And that ain't bad. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Contemporary books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews