Michelle Damiani

Rumors. Romance. And more than a little espresso.Santa Lucia has seen a lot of changes, and they've made life for the villagers harder than they ever imagined. Creating a working vineyard. Parenting a teenage daughter. Romance with the mayor. Being gay in a quintessential Italian village. None of these are easy, and everyone is feeling the pressure as their annual festival nears.The villagers are back for one last passeggiata through the flower-lined alleys of Santa Lucia. Swapping gossip at the local caf has never been so delicious until a storm of secrets threatens the village's very survival.With the rain beginning to fall and the wine turning to vinegar in the barrels, can the villagers bring themselves back into the wavering blue light of Santa Lucia?

Old secrets. New lies. An Italian village on the brink of catastrophe.Things are changing in Santa Lucia, and not necessarily for the better. As the town's residents move through their daily lives, finding love, friendship, and themselves, the past starts to catch up with them...and spill its secrets.Sins thought long-forgotten return with vengeance, threatening the happiness of those who have fought for it so hard.When several children go missing, it sets off a series of events that expose hard truths and painful lies.Can the town survive the truth, or will Santa Lucia crumble under the weight of devastation left in its wake?

A ruined castle. A town picking up the pieces. And a mysterious stranger who could change everything.The fire may be out, but smoke lingers in Santa Lucia. Though the townspeople still gather for espresso at the town caf and swap recipes at the butcher shop, their iridescent blue sky feels behind a veil. The statue of the Madonna, set in a wall outside the cafe, watches it all in collected silence.Enter Alessandro, a New Yorker arriving to claim his inheritance--the derelict castle and the charred olive trees that surround it. Rich and handsome, his renovation plans set off a chain reaction of unearthed secrets, explosive relationships, and forbidden romance. Not just for himself, but for all the people who call this village home.Will the power of the Madonna save Alessandro and the villagers? Or will nothing in Santa Lucia ever be the same?Michelle Damiani's enchanting, magical novel will steal your heart. The town is alive with music, food, laughter, and turmoil, and you're at the center of it all.Interweaving love and betrayal, pulse-pounding suspense, lyrical beauty, and even a few familiar threads from Pride and Prejudice, The Silent Madonna will keep you on the edge of your seat.Those who loved Michelle Damiani's Santa Lucia will fall headlong back into the story of a town on the edge of change and the villagers that call it home. Much like an Italian village, newcomers are also welcome to walk the cobblestone streets, as The Silent Madonna can be read as a standalone book."The Silent Madonna sets the bar unrealistically high as my choice for Book of the Year. Highly recommended--I wish I could award a sixth star."--Paul Austin Ardoin, Caseful of Clues book reviews

Imagine for a moment taking your family on the global adventure of a lifetime. What might that look like? Enrolling your children in an international school in Singapore? Homeschooling while you drive through Europe or sail across an ocean? Backpacking through Asia?The Road Taken: How to Dream, Plan, and Live Your Family Adventure Abroad will guide you to your family dream and then walk you through not only how to get it but how to manage the side effects of stretching out of your collective comfort zone.From overthrowing your assumptions about what is possible to novel ideas for how to finance a global adventure to dealing with children's homesickness, The Road Taken is your how-to manual for creating the experience of a lifetime. It's also the perfect book for those who love thrilling adventure tales and are just looking for ideas for how to shake up their next family vacation.Author and clinical psychologist Michelle Damiani weaves together her story of moving to an Italian village with the experiences of thirty-six contributors to create what is sure to be the definitive manual for families who crave an international adventure.Because you owe it to yourself and your family to consider discovering the world together.

Santa Lucia is the sweeping tale of a town on the brink of change and the villagers that call it home.Surrounded by glimmering olive groves and embellished with flower-lined alleys, it would be easy to believe that Santa Lucia is as enchanting as it appears. After all, what drama could possibly unfold in such a storybook village? As it happens, Santa Lucia is rife with secrets that are swapped over espresso at the local bar. There is much to discuss. Massimo's sudden and powerful romance shocks the villagers who doubt his motives. Tragedy upon tragedy have rocked Luciano's world until he is at risk of losing everything. Young Fatima wrestles with how to balance her devotion to her Moroccan family with her desire to integrate into her new Italian home. Her best friend Elisa's very existence violates her family's sense of honor. Chiara's past threatens to corrupt her budding love affair. Edo 's wild streak is as dangerous as it is mystifying. Magda's shocking history can't stay hidden forever. And the mayor is too preoccupied to notice that his wife is carrying on an affair with the town handyman. Santa Lucia is a mesmerizing escape into one remarkable Italian village.By the author of the bestselling Il Bel Centro: A Year in the Beautiful Center, Santa Lucia similarly transports readers to the lush green hills of Italy. "Santa Lucia is 'un-put-downable' ""This book is for anyone who loves wandering Italian villages as well as Italian culture, language and food. A wonderful read that transports you completely into the atmosphere of everyday life in a little village that could only be in Italy. You'll love the intertwining of the stories of the many characters, the secrets and intrigue that typically though not obviously exist in a small place, the twists and turns of the general story and the dramatic final chapters, that leave you gagging for more. Roll on Book 2 ""I really felt like I was sipping a cappuccino at the local bar and watching the stories unfold. ""From the very first paragraph, I found myself intrigued. Michelle Damiani paints a complete portrait of Santa Lucia, her inhabitants and the aura of Umbria itself. The plot is well fleshed out, takes surprising and unexpected turns. It was difficult to lay the story aside. I can hardly wait for her next installment of the story of Santa Lucia. Bravo, Michelle Damiani.""One of those books that keeps you awake at night reading. Loved the characters and the story.""This was a fantastic read. I could not put it down. The way it ends leaves me longing for Michelle to write the sequel. Her descriptions of Santa Lucia are like reading poetry. Great great read. You will love it "

Il Bel Centro: A Year in the Beautiful Center is a passport to the heart of Italy. Michelle Damiani chronicles how her American family of five transformed within the medieval walls of Spello. Part searingly-honest memoir, part celebration of Umbrian life, Il Bel Centro evokes the pleasures of an Italian hill town, complete with colorful characters, historical asides, and storied celebrations. At once hilarious and wise, this spellbinding journey will feed your soul and your wanderlust. Il Bel Centro will sweep you into an Italian village, where for bakers, pants are optional, and a good lunch will take you straight through till dinner. "A magical read." "I absolutely couldn't get enough of this book." "I was instantly transported to Italy." "This is one of the most beautiful books I've ever read." "Could not put it down." "I could smell the freshly baked bread, taste the local wine, and if I closed my eyes I could easily see the sloping hills, the pink stones of Spello, the 'alley ladies' with their basket of vegetables to sort and their easy chatter." "I just want more." Il Bel Centro: A Year in the Beautiful Center includes recipes for delicious Umbrian dishes as well as professional-quality photographs."A realistic look into what happens when you uproot your family to immerse yourself in a foreign culture, attempting to raise kids in an unfamiliar environment."--Huffington Post's list of "Ten Fascinating Books about Living in a Foreign Country," August 2016"If you can't get yourself to Italy for an extended stay, Il Bel Centro is a worthy substitute. Highly recommended." --Michelle Fabio, Bleeding Espresso, reviewing for Spring 2016 issue of Ambassador, the magazine of the National Italian American Foundation (NIAF)"Il Bel Centro reads in many ways like a romance novel. In this case it is the author who falls in love with a country and way of life...It is a grand book..."--PRIMO magazine, October, 2016