For our first Sunday Sit-Down Supper of the year, we are delighted to host New York Times bestselling author Jill Santopolo in honor of her beautiful new novel, Stars in an Italian Sky. Weaving between a blossoming relationship in contemporary New York and two star-crossed lovers in post-World War II Italy, this is moving, emotional storytelling about secrets revealed, love lost and found, and the power of second chances.
We loved Jill’s runaway bestseller The Light We Lost and we’re super-excited for her first visit to M. Judson. So join us for a very special night in the bookstore— after hours, long tables set with vintage china, and a gorgeous Italian meal designed by Chef Teryi Youngblood Musolf of Camilla Kitchen that you’ll be dreaming about for weeks to come. Your ticket includes a welcome cocktail, a four-course dinner with thoughtful wine pairings (courtesy of our friends at Mission Grape), a copy of the book and the evening to hear the story behind the story with Jill herself.
Menu:
To Start:
Negronis
Cheese Focaccia
First Course:
Chickpea Pancakes with Fancy Toppings: Avocado, Spicy Calabrian Tuna, Herbed Summer Squash
Second Course:
Citrus Salad with Walnut Sauce
Main Course:
Ravioli Genovese al Forno with Pesto
Dessert:
Strawberry Semifreddo
BOOK SUMMARY:
Genoa, Italy, 1946. Vincenzo and Giovanna fall in love at twenty-one the moment they set eyes on each other. The son of a count and the daughter of a tailor, they belong to opposing worlds. Despite this, the undeniable spark between them quickly burns into a deep and passionate relationship spent exploring each other’s minds, bodies and their city, as well as Vincenzo’s family’s sprawling vineyard, Villa Della Rosa—until shifts in political power force them each to choose a side and commit what the other believes is a betrayal, shattering the bright future they dreamed of together.
New York, 2017. Cassandra and Luca are in love. Although neither quite fits with the other’s family, Cass and Luca have always felt like a perfect match for each other. But when Luca, an artist, convinces his grandfather and Cass’s grandmother to pose for a painting, past and present collide and reveal a secret that changes everything.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Jill Santopolo is the internationally best-selling author of Everything After, More Than Words and theThe Light We Lost, which was a Reese Witherspoon Book Club pick and has been optioned for film. Her books have been translated into more than 35 languages, and have been named to the New York Times, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, Apple, and Indie Bound bestseller list.
REVIEWS:
“A gorgeous, epic novel about star-crossed lovers and a choice that reverberates through generations. Jill Santopolo writes heartbreak like no other, and Stars in an Italian Sky is both masterful and unforgettable.” —Emily Giffin, author of Meant to Be
“The superb Jill Santopolo has written a shimmering love story for the ages. Giovanna and Vincenzo fall in love in 1946 in Italy, decades later, Cassandra and Luca fall in love in New York City. Soon, they discover the roots of their families lie deep in the vineyards of northern Italy. The yield of the harvest will be the truth. But first, there’s a mystery to be solved and a secret to be revealed. Stars in an Italian Sky is about the course of fate, the meaning of family and the power of love. Bellissima!” –Adriana Trigiani, author of The Good Left Undone
“A moving tale of two young people—one the daughter of a tailor, the other the son of a count—who fall in love in post-WW2 Italy and are torn apart by politics and misunderstanding, only to see the decisions they make reverberate in startling ways through the generations. Woven together as intricately as the fine fabrics of the Genoese tailor shop where the star-crossed lovers meet, the storyline moves between past and present, as a heartbreaking love story unfolds, set against the story of a second couple in 21st century New York. A poignant tale of love, loss, class, and fate, brimming with the colorful spirit of Italy and infused with the hopefulness of true love written in the stars.” —Kristin Harmel, author of The Book of Lost Names and The Winemaker’s Wife