I wasn't expecting the comedy in this book! I really enjoyed the cute, funny aspect. I loved the setting of the little town. It read a little slow, but, overall, a really cute book!

The Patron Saint of Second Chances is a book full of unique and quirky characters. This story is set in Prometto, Italy. This is a small town of only 212. The poor town doesn't have much hope of surviving due to the town's pipes needing repaired.

Signor Speranza has appointed himself the mayor of Prometto and is determined to save his town not matter what it might take. Speranza has decided he is going to say that there is going to be a movie filmed in Prometto and the town rallies.

"On paper" I should have loved this book. I love quirky unique characters who show that we are better together. I love quirky writing. I have put a lot of thought in to why this story fell so short for me. I cannot pin-point what was lacking for me. The formula is there but the outcome wasn't which honestly made me sad.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts & opinions are my own.

The self-appointed mayor of a small Italian village has to raise 70,000 euros to pay for repairs to the water system or the residents will have to leave their homes and relocate elsewhere. Instead of telling them, he decides that he will try to find the money by himself. From there the story is about his efforts to generate funds by encouraging a rumor that a famous actor is going to make a movie in the village.

The Patron Saint of Second Chances has such a gentle, charming premise that involves a number of quirky characters and is laced with some humor (but certainly not hilarious). It was a book that I truly wanted to enjoy. However, it was very slow-paced and the characters were a bit too campy, and the situation a little too silly. While it will definitely appeal to many readers, it just wasn’t the book for me. It’s 2.5 *s bumped to 3.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a copy of this book for review.

I picked up this book on a recommendation from @booklangauge who described it as a book for Nick Miller fans, and wow – it did not disappoint!

When faced with an impossible situation, Signor Speranza, the self-appointed town mayor and vacuum repairman, springs into action! He must come up with 70,000 euros (or 135,585,900 lire, if you’re counting) in just 60 short days or the Water Commission will shut down the water to his small coastal hometown of Prometto, Italy. Signor Speranza starts a rumor that a famous Italian actor will soon be coming to Prometto to film his next movie, but this fib soon turns into a full-blown lie and things spiral out of control. As he searches for any Patron Saint that might help his cause, Signor Speranza must figure out how to save his town – and quick!

This novel was so sweet and funny, I actually laughed out loud quite a few times. The plot was entirely unbelievable and yet completely captivating. I found myself in the small town square of Prometto just willing Signor Speranza along and wondering how he might get out of each snafu that arose. Christine Simon wrote magic and mirth into each page of this wonderful little book! Thank you @atriabooks for approving my @netgalley request!

In this zany debut novel, Signor Speranza is determined to save his tiny Italian village that needs extensive plumbing work. Inspired by his friend who concocted a fictional tale of celebrity interest in his own village, Signor Speranza starts a rumor that Dante Rinaldi will be starring in a movie filmed in the village.

Soon the entire village is vested in this film and Signor Speranza has no choice but to make the film, assisted by his vacuum repair employee, daughter, local priest, elderly uncle, etc. Along the way, the villagers learn to care more about each other.

The novel crosses over into slapstick on more than one occasion, but is a refreshing romp. #ThePatronSaintofSecondChances #NetGalley

This sweet book was exactly what I needed in the middle of the pandemic. It's a story about the lengths people will go for the people and places they love and it's the kind of story that gives your heart a lift and puts a smile on your face. There were a few far-fetched plot elements and the fart jokes got a bit old by the end, but I was willing to look past all of that because I liked the characters so much and wanted their plans to work. I would highly recommend this book if you're looking for an easy, light-hearted read.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Patron Saint of Second Chances, the debut novel by Christine Simon, is completely delightful from the first page to last! I enjoyed the large cast of zany characters and looked forward to every reading session.

This is the tale of a well-intentioned vacuum cleaner repairman slash mayor who tells a little white lie to save his beloved Italian village from certain doom. Of course, more lies must be shared to cover the first, and soon circumstances spiral far beyond Signor Speranza's control. But (of course) there's a happy ending.

The story is charming, heartwarming, and better than a cozy mystery since no murders occur. Many of the antics are slapstick and must be read while suspending reality, but it was a welcome break from heavier books I've recently read.

Perfect for summer, the novel provides a sunny escape if a trip to the Italian coast isn't in your plans. Another example that a memorable story can be well told in 300 pages or less.

I'm grateful to the From the Front Porch podcast for putting this on my reading radar and to Atria and NetGalley for providing a review copy.

Listen, I thought this was the cutest little book! It is a lighthearted story that also draws you in so you want to know how it ends!

I felt like Signor could have been my grandpa if I somehow grew up in an old Italian town, and I would have loved every second of it!

This book is totally not realistic, but I think it is part of it's charm!

Thanks to Atria and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

This was a heartwarming story about a man’s devotion to his small Italian town. A large town water bill could shut off service to the entire town. Signor Speranza’s determination to prevent that leads him to a creative fundraiser. The problem is he does want anyone to know about the debt, so he must generate funds without a cause. His efforts are unstoppable and frame this delightful story that finds you cheering him on at every turn. Thanks to #Netgalley and #Atriabooks for the ARC. This is my honest review.

Need a light, heartwarming fun story? This might be for you. In a small town in Italy, the self-appointed mayor, Signor Speranza, is struggling. The town’s water will be shut off unless they can afford some spendy repairs. What follows is a comedy of errors, really, as a wacky idea for raising money snowballs into out of control lies.

I read this book while reading a few others, and I will say, I had a hard time wanting to go back to it at times. I enjoyed it once I was immersed again but it was tough to get there. That being said, this story is very charming. I read a blurb where it was compared to Backman and I totally see it - the quirky, wholesome, even a little grumpy characters are very much like those in Anxious People, Ove, and Britt-Marie. I loved the silliness of it all. If you’re in the mood for something like that - this will fit the bill.

In the acknowledgements, the author says she wrote this during the early pandemic days and now I see how that makes perfect sense. It is a little escape into an idyllic time and place.

What a cute story!

First off, I love this cover. It's so vibrant and fun.

This story helps magnify how a small fib can create large ripples. I adored seeing the small village in Italy become a greater community as they found ways to solve their problems!

Thank you to Atria for the advanced readers copy. I adored this story!

What a cute story! This book is about how one small fib can create an avalanche of mischief, humor, and even a little love. Maybe, just maybe, all we need is a second chance. 

What I loved most about this book was the characters. Each character was so unique and all of them had me laughing out loud at least once. The setting takes place in a small Italian town where everyone knows everyone. The warm feeling of community and friendship was present on every page. 

The plot is totally unbelievable and reminded me of a cheesy movie. I think it's a good break from reality and found it entertaining. 

I think this will be a cute summer read for a pool day because the story is short and very easy to binge read.

okay. i'm gonna be honest with you. this book was not it for me. i really wanted to like this book, but it did not work out for me. i'm so sad about it. but thank you to netgalley for letting me read this one early!!

This was the perfect feel-good novel for me. There has been a lot of "stuff" going on lately, too many funerals and surgeries and my university class just concluded. So The Patron Saint of Second Chances was exactly what I needed right now. And I'm sure that I'm rounding up or throwing in a bonus star for Christine Simon and her debut novel.

Signor Speranza feels an obligation to the town to come up with a way to fund a bill that he doesn't think that the community can afford. His plot keeps getting deeper. This really is a lovely story.

I love that NetGalley keeps introducing me to authors. Thank you to NetGalley, Christine Simon (author) and Atria Books (an Imprint of Simon & Schuster) for the opportunity to review The Patron Saint of Second Chances in exchange for an honest review. Publication date is April 12, 2022.

Cute is the best way for me describe this book. I enjoyed the spending time in the Italian setting and some of the characters were lovely. I found myself wishing parts of the story were told with them in forefront. I liked the plot, although somewhat ridiculous and kooky, it worked pretty well and told a story of a desperate man's bargain with himself to weave a web of deceit for honorable reasons. Parts of the story bored me, others I found humorous, and many I found myself simply smiling. It's a not a book that "wowed" me but it is one that provides a nice story and good escapism. The author's acknowledgment note at the end was one I thoroughly enjoyed as it leant a certain other reverent charm to the context of the book.

This book was delightful! A humorous read about what happens when Signor Speranza is in desperate for money to fix an expensive water pipe issue and tells what he intends to be a harmless lie. The lie snowballs and Signor Speranza gets caught deeper and deeper in the lie that involves 70,000 euros, a movie star, and the butcher and his 15 sons. Signor Speranza only wants the best for his town. He’s hard not to love even when he’s a little curmudgeonly.

I saw a fellow reviewer call it a “slice of life novel” and I have never heard of that before! But it perfectly describes the novel and I want more slices of the lives of Signor Speranza, Smilzo and the town of Prometto.

It’s funny, it’s charming, it’s delightful. Did I already say delightful?

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

I was sent a free ARC of this book via email from Atria Marketing. I tend to judge a book by its cover and really liked this one so I dove right in. However, I couldn’t keep all the characters straight and found the storyline pretty cheesy. Unfortunately, this book just felt like a chore to pick up and wasn’t for me.

This is a cute story set in a tiny Italian village where there are big problems with the water system. If the very large bill isn’t paid by the short deadline, the water will be shut off to the entire city. Only the self-appointed Mayor of the village is aware of the water problem & the deadline for payment. This is where the scheme all begins. The Mayor hatches a plan to raise the money to save the village without anyone knowing about the water issue. It’s one debacle after another in the race to meet the deadline.

While reading this story, the descriptions of the Mayor had me imagining the restaurant owner in the beloved Disney movie “Lady & The Tramp”. From then on I couldn’t help but to imagine the entire book as a cartoon with all the antics that ensued. If you’re looking for a refreshing, silly read…this is the book you should pick up.

A special thanks to #netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I used this book as my pick for prompt 52 in the Goodreads 52 book club’s reading challenge.

The Patron Saint of Second Chances
Rating: 3.5 stars - enjoyed

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the gifted digital advanced copy. All opinions are my own. Full review on bookstagram to come.

Quick synopsis: After an inspector threatens to shut off the village's water supply unless they can come up with the money to fix the pipes, Signor Speranza comes up with a crazy idea to save the village. He "accidentally" lets it slip that a famous movie star chose their town as the location for his next movie. Hoping this drives up tourism and revenue for the village, Speranza lets his fib snowball until the entire village is excited for the movie, forcing him to start filming. Hilarity ensues as he tries to save his town and hide the deadline for the shutdown from the villagers.

This was a sweet book with loveable characters, but one that you definitely need to suspend reality for, with Signor Speranza's antics to hide the truth from his neighbors. While he had the purest of intentions, it definitely wasn't the easiest way to fix the village's problem, but it sure was fun to read. The story takes place in a tiny village in Italy (population 212), but I wanted the setting to be a bit more detailed and to be able to connect with the characters more. Still, it was a light and fun book, great as a palate cleanser in between heavier books, or if you're just looking for a relaxing book to escape reality!

The Patron Saint of Second Chances is a less outlandish Waiting for Guffman in a lot of ways. There are pranks, hijinks, and a cast of crazy characters trying to make a movie so (unbeknownst to most of the town) the water supply won't be shut off. It is a story full of heart and theatrics about what we will do for the places and people we love. 3.5 stars.

Many thanks to Atria and Netgalley for the ARC.