While the concept of this one was really lovely and something I was really excited to read, the writing style (while good for some) didn’t connect with me. I really wanted to love the characters but I felt disconnected. Totally could have been a me problem because I’ve heard other people really love this one, so definitely recommend still checking it out if you are intrigued by the synopsis.

I, for some reason, believed this would remind me oof A Man Called Ove. Unfortunately, it didn’t hit me like that one. I am just not connecting with the story. I will be setting it down after 2 days of trying to get into and at 42% in. I may pick it back up at another time, but for now, I am DNFing.

Such a silly, heartwarming story about the ridiculous lengths an old man will go to in order to save his small Italian town!

Thank you Atria Books and NetGalley for the gifted copy. This book publishes April 12, 2022.

What a fun story to dip into for an afternoon! Signor Speranza is a vacuum repairman and the self-appointed mayor of Prometto, Italy. After a visit from the water commission, he is advised that the town needs to find 70,000 euros to fix the town's pipes or water will be shut off to the village. Signor Speranza doesn't want to burden the towns people with this news and through a few miscommunication mishaps, word gets round that a celebrity wants to film a movie in their small town and the money starts coming in!

This book reminded me of those fun slapstick comedy movies where one might roll their eyes at the antics that the characters get into, but love the story so much they just keep watching - at least thats how I felt while reading this book! It was a fun reprieve from the serious books that I tend to read and I fell in love with the town and the quirky characters and was hoping they would find the money in time!

A fun debut that I just giggled and laughed my way through. I hope this author has many more up her sleeves!

Someone recommended this book to me as something light and funny to read and it definitely fits the bill. Please suspend all disbelief about the practicality of the characters pulling off their mission, it’s supposed to be fun :)

Signore Speranza hears from the water commission that the town’s pipes need replaced at a rather large sum. The water commission says that the town is so small and so broke that they can’t even approve a loan. Something crazy is going to need to happen to raise such a huge amount of money in such a small period of time.

Signore learns of a town nearby that benefited from a rumor that George Clooney was planning to buy a house there. Signore gets the idea to spread a little rumor that a huge movie star is filming a rumor in their town. If he can only convince the richest man in town then he can borrow money “for the movie” and use it to pay for the water pipe repair.
Obviously this won’t be an easy task!

The next thing you know poor Signore has begun actually filming a movie to cover his tracks. He feels really guilty at first because he’s a very religious man who knows his lying is wrong. But he watched the town come alive the more time is spent together working on the movie.

This was funny and silly, heart warming, with likable characters and a lazy old dog that makes it to the end of the book (so you don’t have to worry!)

I got to read an early ebook edition from NetGalley. Thanks!

The Patron Saint of Second Chances is a fun romp in a tiny Italian town with an interesting cast of characters that made me laugh. I enjoyed the look into small-town life in Italy and enjoyed these lovable characters.

Signor Speranza is a vacuum cleaner repairman in the tiny Italian town of Promette, population 212. He considers himself the self-appointed mayor of the tiny village and when a plumber gives him a 70,000.00 euro price to fix the water pipe that brings water to the village, Signor Sperenza knows the village doesn’t have the money to fix the pipe, and water will soon be shut off to the village unless something is done soon.

When a customer comes to his shop and shares photos of the famous Italian actor, Dante Rinaldi, Speranza decides to tell the village that Dante is filming a movie in their tiny village in hopes of getting the villagers hopeful and inspiring some tourist activity to help pay for the expensive plumbing repairs. But, very quickly, things get out of hand as all the villagers want a part in the film and are very excited about the film. Speranza’s employee, Smilzo, also writes a script, and then Dante’s agent calls Speranza asking for details on the movie.

This fun, over-the-top, story is told in a conversational tone and I was able to read it very quickly. I loved visiting this small fictional village and I was immersed in the characters and the story from the very beginning. Some of the stories are a bit over the top and unbelievable, but I was fine with that. It’s fiction! The small lie that Speranza tells soon becomes a huge, tangled web of lies, and I couldn’t figure out how he was going to get out of the mess he made.

I recommend The Patron Saint of Second Chances to anyone who loves a good story. I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author, for an ARC of this book, in exchange for an honest review.
"The Patron Saint of Second Chances" by Christine Simon was a cute feel good & quirky story with a fun setting.

3.5 stars

A charming tale of a well-intentioned mayor in a very small (population 212) Italian town who has to come up with 70,000 Euros to fix the community's ancient water system. He stumbles into capitalizing on the George Clooney effect -- the revenue a little town can realize when a celebrity visits or moves in.

Signor Speranza owns a vacuum cleaner sales & service business and has an assistant, Smilza, who is entranced by the movie business. Smilza's romantic focus is on local woman Antonella, who is crushing on Italian movie star Dante Rinaldi. Somehow Speranza almost accidentally comes up with the idea of what could happen if Rinaldi showed up in town to make a movie -- and soon the rumor spreads wildly with a ton of unanticipated consequences. Some of them are financial and some are emotional.

Terrific broadly-written characters, a sweet but not syrupy ensemble of family and villagers, and a wildly entertaining (if not quite plausible) plot. A readable feel-good story with a fun setting. Thanks to the publisher and to Net Galley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

A charming book, as heartwarming as it is preposterous. A simple man who loves his family and loves his community tells a tiny white lie to save his quaint Italian town.... and next thing you know he's directing a movie starring the hot young actor, Dante Rinaldi! A light and easy read with surprising soul.

My thanks to the author, publisher, and #NetGalley for the chance to read this ARC.

Generally I enjoy a book that is quirky but I think this one may have been a little too quirky for me. It was silly and sure, fun at times but overall it just felt too ridiculous for me to fully enjoy. I’m all for suspending some disbelief but this one was way over the top and just required me to overlook too much in the end. But if you enjoy slapstick comedy and some outrageous storytelling you may enjoy this one more than I did

Prometto population 212 people is facing a huge problem and self-appointed Mayor; Signor Speranza has no clue how he is going to fix it. If he does not come up with 70,000 euros to fix the towns pipes they will all have to vacate the town. This is where a elaborate plan of trickery comes into play. Signor Speranza might spread a white lie that the hottest hollywood star in Italy has chosen Prometto to film his next movie. But, when the towns people believe this is true he actually has to make a movie. Does this all work our in Signor Speranzas favor? Does the start show up? Does the town get its pipes fixed?

Such a fun and comical read that will have you laughing away!

. . . ⭑ ⭑ ⭑ ⭑ ⭒
Well this was a delightfully quirky read. Ridiculous in all the right ways, this story was a nice change of pace.

You definitely have to like this type of book in order to enjoy this one - it’s entirely silly, but I found it to also be endearing. The setting of a small Italian town played on the love I have for my own Italian heritage, and I really savored the cultural references, attitudes, phrases, and food cameos.

The cast of characters were a lovably fallible group, each offering something fun to this grand misadventure. While I do love a good curmudgeon, Nino was a bit hard to like in the beginning, which did result in me setting this book aside a couple times, but in the end, I grew to enjoy the grumpy old coot.

I loved the overall inclusion theme of the Compendium of Patron Saints, which is completely real and something that added both authenticity and amusement to the story.

As far as books go, it’s eccentric and totally ridiculous, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

‘The Patron Saint of Second Chances’ hits shelves April 12th and is a delightfully absurd read.

~👩🏻‍🦰

"The Patron Saint of Second Chances" is a very light, laugh-out-loud funny story, and it came to me at just the right time as a reader. If you're looking for something quirky without a complex plot to keep track of that will still surely tug on your heartstrings, look no further!

What I loved most about reading this book was that it played out in my mind like an Italian Hallmark comedy movie. What on earth is a small-town mayor to do when he discovers he must quickly scrounge together 70,000 euro in order to fix Prometto's pipes, or else risk the disbanding of his community? Thankfully for us readers, Signore Speranza is full of big ideas to save his beloved Prometto, but what happens when the ideas get a bit too big for Prometto's own good?

This sweet treasure of a story is beautifully written and has so many emotional little gems strewn throughout its otherwise haphazardly-hilarious plot. The depth of certain characters wasn't lost on me, and neither was the emotional-complexity of Signore Speranza.

If you're a reader who can't help but dwell on plot-holes, no matter how tiny, this may not be the book for you. But, if you're looking for an easy, breezy, heartwarming story, pick this up. You won't be sorry!

*Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for providing my advanced review copy of this title*

The Patron Saint of Second Chances by Christine Simon is a very highly recommended heartwarming and humorous story about the lengths one man will go to save his town.

Signor Giovannino Speranza, the owner of a vacuum cleaner repair shop and hotelier, is the self-appointed mayor of Prometto, Italy (population 212) and he has a huge problem. The town has failed the pipe inspection by the water commission and has two months to come up with 70,000 euros to repair the pipes or water will be shut off to the town and everyone will have to move out. People aren't even paying their property taxes, so how can raise this impossible sum? In hopes of increasing tourism, Speranza decides to spread a harmless rumor the movie star Dante Rinaldi will be filming his next project nearby. How could he know that the entire town would embrace the idea and want to have a part in the film?

Maestro, the local butcher, donates a large sum of money toward the project if some of his fifteen sons can have a part, people all over town want a part in it, and suddenly Speranza and his assistant Smilzo have to actually plan to make a movie. Smilzo writes a screen play, they hold auditions, cast parts, and begin filming. As one mishap and set-back after another occurs, people begin to question when Dante Rinaldi is going to show up.

I absolutely apologetically love and adore this farcical, entertaining, charming, engaging, and laugh-out-loud funny debut novel. Sure it is silly and over-the-top at times as so many absurd and outlandish things occur. It reminded me of an older comedic, campy movie made just for the laughs - and I did laugh, snort, and smile my way through The Patron Saint of Second Chances. It is a witty novel full of quirky characters set in a charming small town where everyone knows everyone else and all their problems and issues.

As one mishap after another occurs and Speranza needs to try to raise more money to save his town, I was rooting for him the whole time. Sure, it might have been easier to just tell his fellow citizens what was going on, but his determination to save them from the worry and upcoming displacement is commendable. Admittedly, there isn't a lot of character development and many deep, thoughtful moments, but it does showcase a deep love for a community and perseverance in the face of hardship while being wildly entertaining.

This is a great choice for those times when you simply need an entertaining, feel-good novel to read for escapism and relaxation.

Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Simon & Schuster.
The review will be published on Barnes & Noble, Edelweiss, Google Books, and Amazon.

This is a quirky, silly little read that is quite entertaining in places. The humor is more slapstick but good for uplifting spirits. The underlying story is very heartwarming about a man’s love for his home and village.

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC to read and review.

This was an entertaining book.

The mayor of a small town in Italy has to come up with €78000 to fix the town's pipes, or the water will be cut off from the village. To save his village he comes up with a lie that a well-known Italian movie star will film a movie in their town. However, the lie makes all the villagers come together to create a film and find love in their sleepy town.

This entire book was a fun adventure. I kept thinking it was time to put the book down, but then I had to know what would happen next. The only problem I did have was that the characters were too flat. It made sense for the characters to be ridiculous amidst the zaniness, but I would have appreciated some depth.

This review is based on an advanced reader copy provided through Netgalley for an honest review.

Read this if you like: Small towns, funny stories

The self appointed mayor and town vacuum repair man, Signor Speranza has a problem. His town has a whopping population of 212 people but if he doesn't come up with €70000 all of the residents will move away. The town's water pipes are breaking and if he doesn't fix them the water commission will turn them off. So in an attempt to boost tourism and revenue in the town he spreads a harmless rumor that movie star Dante Ronaldo will be filming his next project in the area.

To his surprise the plan works a little too well. Soon everyone in town wants to be a part of the fictional film. The village butcher will throw in some money if Speranza can find roles for his fifteen enormous sons. Speranza’s wistfully adrift daughter reveals an unexpected interest in stage makeup. Then, his hapless assistant Smilzo volunteers a screenplay that’s not so secretly based on his undying love for the film’s leading lady. Speranza realizes that the only way to keep up the ruse is to actually make the movie.

As the entire town becomes involved Signor Speranza starts to think he might be able to pull this off. What a mess he made for himself. It was so funny reading it all unravel. I was surprised that this is a debut. It was good. It was a very heartwarming story. The only thing that bothered me was excessive use of Signor and Signora. It was all over every page. It took away from the story. I still liked it. It was a fast, fun read. Definitely recommend!

Thank you so much to NetGalley, the author Christine Simon, and the publisher Atria for the ARC! ❤

The town bustled around him as he walked down Main Street. He smiled and waved at all of the familiar faces and called out “hello’s” to his friends. Little did they all know the dire trouble their town was in. As he observed the only town he knew and loved, he was determined to fix things before everyone suffered. Even if that meant making up the world’s greatest story.

The Patron Saint of Second Chances tells the story of a small Italian town and self-appointed mayor, Speranza. Speranza learns that the town’s pipes need replaced and it’s an exorbitant amount that they’ll never be able to pay. But if they don’t pay, the town’s water will be shut off and all his family and friends will have to disperse. So, in order to raise some money he starts a tiny little lie… no harm he thinks… just stating a famous movie star will be coming to town to shoot a movie.

This book was so heart-warming and made me laugh. What started as a tiny rumor spread like wildfire and Speranza found himself falling into a deeper hole with each page turn. Wild scenarios that had me laughing as he continuously had to step up his game.

If you’re looking for a sweet story with some laughter throughout the pages and lovable characters, then be sure to pick up this book!

This is a sweet novel about a small Italian town and the characters who live there. Town mayor and vacuum cleaner retailer and repairer, Signor Speranza, is desperate. The water pipes throughout town badly need an upgrade and maintenance and the water authority has said if they don't pay up, the water will be shut off. Signor Speranza knows this means the end of his town, however, no one makes enough to pay their taxes - the money simply isn't there. Facing the inevitability of leaving, he visits a friend in another town and notices their town is booming! A plan starts to form in Signor Speranza's mind, and with the help of his trusty assistant who is obsessed with movies, a young woman from the village who is social media mad, a generous financial contribution from the terrifying town butcher, and prayers to all the relevant saints in the book, he thinks he might be able to pull it off.

A wonderful peek into the small communities of Italy and a fun fast homage to the joys of small town life.

This was such a cute story! The characters were so much fun and the ending was absolutely precious! There were a couple slow patches but all in all I loved it! Thank you netgalley for my free copy.