The self appointed mayor Signor Speranza of Prometto, Italy has a problem. He needs money and makes up a tiny lie to help save the town and hilarity ensues. I enjoyed this book. It was lighthearted and fun to read.

This debut novel is a whimsical little story about a significant predicament facing a village of 212 in southern Italy and the elephantine lengths the self-appointed mayor engages in to save his town from extinction. The characters are charming; especially Signor Speranza, his assistant Smilzo, and Signor’s wife Betta. There are numerous amusing moments along the way. There is even a bit of suspense thrown in.

The book is a quick read and a nice way to take a break from the state of the world these days. For my tastes though I would have liked it better if the story hadn’t been quite as light. In other words, I wish there had been more character development. That’s OK though. it’s pulling in excellent ratings, and I’m sure many readers will continue to rate it higher than I did. Recommended for a quick, easy, and entertaining read.

I would like to thank Atria Books, Net Galley, and Ms. Christine Simon for an advanced copy. Opinions are mine alone and not biased in any way.

Rating: 4.5 Stars

Prometto was dying, and Signor Speranza was determined to save his beloved village.

What a charming story! How far would you go to save something you loved? That’s the central question here. It all began with a little lie in an effort to breathe new life into the village, but Signor Speranza found his small tale took on a life of its own. It was so much fun waiting to see what would happen next as this small web of lies grew bigger and bigger. It was even more fun waiting to see how Signor Speranza would solve each problem that arose.

The best part for me was how many positive things precipitated from this situation. It was beautiful watching the residents band together in an effort to make this film. Some found love, some found confidence, while others were able to leave a legacy. I experienced so many mini-heart explosions while smiling like a fool as I read this tale.

Signor Speranza easily won my heart, but so did everyone else! This village was packed with amusing and quirky characters. It was a such pleasure meeting them all and getting to spend time in Prometto.

Overall: A heartwarming and uplifting story of family and community that was infused with lots of humor and had me grinning from beginning to end.

The Patron Saint of Second Chances by Christine Simon is a quirky little novel set in the very small town of Prometto, Italy. Loveable characters and laughable text make this the perfect light afternoon read. I'm already looking forward to Simon's future novels.

Thanks, NetGalley and the publisher, for providing me with an ARC ebook in exchange for my honest review.

This is a very cute small town novel set in Prometto, Italy. Population - 212. The mayor is a sweet gentle character who deeply loves his town and will do anything to save it and all the people in the town. To earn money for needed repairs the mayor gets wrapped up in one event after another. This is a very entertaining easy read for anyone who enjoys small town funny books. Thank you to Net Galley, the publisher, and author for letting me review this light hearted enjoyable book.

I’ve been wanting to read this book for a few months now! I was so exited to have received an ARC from NetGalley and Atria books…thank you by the way!

This book is perfect! It’s humorous and quirky and beautifully written! I love all of the characters and the whole story line. It was everything I was hoping for, and more. I cannot wait for the next book by Simon. And I’ll definitely be purchasing a physical copy in April.

This year has been really hard, and books have been a great way to escape from all of the troubling things going on in the world right now. I was really wanting to pick up a fun, light-hearted read that would make me laugh - man did this book not disappoint.

This story follows Signor Speranza, the self-appointed mayor of a small little Italian town, as he tries to raise money to fix the town’s pipes. If the money isn’t raised, the water will be shut off throughout the town and the residents will be forced to leave. What starts out as one lie to save the town spirals into more and more lies as Signor convinces everyone that a famous movie star is coming to the town to film his next movie. The whole town gets involved, and the power of community really starts to shine through.

I am so thankful that I picked up this book to read. It had everything - a fun plot, lovable characters, laughs upon laughs, and an ending that makes your heart smile. If you need a pick-me-up this is the book for you. I cannot recommend this book enough.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

One of the reasons this book interested me is because I read The Switch earlier this year and realized I enjoyed the grandma’s chapters more than the granddaughter’s. So when I found out the protagonist of The Patron Saint of Second Chances is an older gentleman, I knew I had to give it a try.

Additionally, in full disclosure, I usually read books with female leads which is another reason I was interested in reading this book. I don’t think I’ve read a book with a male lead (not including children’s books) since high school. One of my reading goals for this year is to try picking up books with male leads more often and I’m really happy this was my first. I wish every city (big and small) had a Signor Speranza of their own.

The Patron Saint of Second Chances is everything I hoped it would be: charming, heartwarming, and funny. I couldn’t help but play this book in my head like a movie. It was seriously so cute and it is definitely a good book to pick up when you want to read something lighthearted. I love how you get to know each of the characters from the eyes of Signor Speranza and how you come to love them the way he does. This book truly drives home the importance of community and taking care of those around you.

Thank you, Atria Books for my E-ARC, in exchange for an honest review.
3.5 ⭐

The Water Commission in Prometto, a peaceful small Italian town, has declared the pipelines unusable. The water will be shut off, and everyone will be displaced if mayor Signore Speranza cannot raise the money to replace them. However, a small town of 212 people does not have the extra 70,000 Euros to pay for such a project, so Signore Speranza creates a story that a famous movie star is planning to film in Prometto in a desperate bid to boost tourism income. Amid the pandemic, this charming book was precisely what I needed. It's the story of how one lie intended to garner funds for pipe repairs. But it's not about the lies; it's about perseverance in the face of hardship.

All the drama seemed realistic and enjoyable. This is a hilarious novel about what happens when a small lie goes too far, even if it's told with the best of intentions. The characters are endearing and unforgettable. It made me laugh out loud several times. I highly recommend this!

Cute and silly story about man, vacuum cleaners and his town pipes. Fun, silly and thought prior.
Thank Netgalley for the eARC for an honest review. #Netgalley #thepatronsaintofsecondchances

I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is a charming, gentle, slow-moving book. I really enjoyed it.

3.5....Quirky, laugh out loud, and atmospheric! I will read anything set in an Italian Village - sign me up!

This was not my typical read, but I enjoyed these charming characters!

Thank you @atria & @netgalley for this arc.

This was quite a charming, enteratining book and though it isn't my usual genre, I really enjoyed it! The characters were well drawn out and the setting almost like a character itself. Recommended!

I found this book and plot rather silly and "over the top." However, it was comic relief to the world we're living in, and I had to finish it to see what the author would do with this eccentric cast of characters.

This a cute story about a vacuum repairman, Signor Speranza, who needs 70,000 euros to fix the town's water pipes. He desperately wants his tiny town to thrive, but the writing is on all the wall. No one wants to stay in this town of only 212 souls. So, how to fix the problem and raise the money he needs for the water commission? Invent a celebrity visit to boost tourism.

As an Italian, I appreciated the characters and the references to Italian culture, which made for a charming read. However, after a while the hijinks became a little too repetitive, and predictable.

I felt so much stress for poor Speranza with all the monetary woes! But despite, I smiled and giggled and delighted muchly in this small Italian village and its real sense of community. All the drama felt very realistic and fun, especially some of the longstanding feuds, and while some aspects were far-fetched, the emotions were all incredibly real.

What a charming, humorous & funny story! Really, really enjoyed this debut novel about an Italian village and it's "mayor's" attempt to save it by lying to raise needed funds. The setting and characters are so well done and I really enjoyed it. laughed a lot & RECOMMEND to anyone who needs a pick-me-up (which is pretty much everyone these days)!! My deepest thanks to Net Galley, the publisher and their rep for the widget for a complimentary DRC, the exchange of which did not affect my review.

The Patron Saint of Second Chances is a sweet story about the lengths one man will go to to save his small town. Signor Spirenza is the self appointed mayor of Prometto, a town of 212. When he needs to come up with 70,000 euros to fix the town’s water pipes, he decides a small lie won’t be a problem. Of course, things quickly spiral out of control.
The book is cute, not overly funny. It’s somewhat uneven. The ending is fairly predictable and unbelievable. That said, it’s a nice way to spend a few hours with some lovely characters, many of whom are based on the author’s family.
My thanks to Netgalley and Atria Books for an advance copy of this book.

A small and sleepy Italian village faces a looming water shut off and displacement if they can’t raise the funds for repair but one man has a plan to prevent that in Christine Simon’s The Patron Saint of Second Chances.

The self-appointed mayor, and vacuum repairman, of the small village of Prometto, Signor Speranza is faced with a significant problem after the water commission evaluated their pipes. They drastically need repair and it’ll cost seventy thousand euros to fix otherwise the commission will shut off water to Prometto, forcing the 212 residents to evacuate. The village doesn’t have anywhere near that amount of money in their coffers, especially as many residents owe back taxes. Inspired by a friend’s town that was revitalized by a celebrity supposedly interested in the town, Signor Speranza decides to spread a rumor that movie star Dante Rinaldi is interested in Prometto and may film his next project nearby to try to boost revenue opportunities that might help them out. The small rumor quickly snowballs and the entire village wants to be part of the fictional film and meet Dante Rinaldi, and Signor Speranza soon realizes that to keep up the charade he’ll need to make a movie for real and deal with whatever consequences arise if Dante does, or doesn’t, make an appearance and hope that the village is able to persevere.

A light, quick, and comical narrative, the story presents as a fun comedy of errors compounding upon themselves; predictable in its trajectory, if a bit outlandish, the tale is enjoyable with an engaging and feel-good message. Though set in a small and sparsely populated village, there are quite a few characters involved throughout, which at the outset was a bit overwhelming especially as names are prefaced by “Signor/a” and the eye can easily skim over the visual similarity, leading to confusion, but each character adds a layer of heart and humor to the story. While Signor Speranza chose not to be forthright with those in his village about their impending plight, which would have prevented the inevitable misunderstandings that provided reader entertainment, there is a good sense of community and camaraderie depicted throughout the narrative as they were all energized about the opportunity and eager to be part of something that would highlight their home.

Overall, I’d give it a 3.5 out of 5 stars.

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

I received an email from the publisher about this book which is, admittedly, not the type of book I usually read. I have been in search of more lighthearted reads of late, so I gave this book a whirl. I'm glad I did! This book was such a fun little jaunt through life in a struggling Italian village and the crazy scheme its mayor comes up with to save the town. Small town rivalries and comic misunderstandings abound to great entertainment. This was a quick, easy read that provided the little pick me up I was looking for.