Welcome, Beautiful Reader! In this age of internet clutter, we’re so glad you’ve arrived here, where we value books, food, and intentional travel. Let me tell you a little about what you’ll find in the pages of this site…

You see, it all began with a journey. A year in an Italian village—2 parents, 3 children, 2 cats. Exquisitely observed, Il Bel Centro is an intimate celebration of small town Italy, as well as a thoughtful look at finding a home. Ultimately though, Il Bel Centro is a story about how travel can change you even if you aren’t quite ready. With laugh-out-loud moments and wanderlust-inspiring storytelling, Il Bel Centro is a joyous and life-affirming read that will have readers rushing to renew their passports. Since its publication, Il Bel Centro: a Year in the Beautiful Center has earned hundreds of five-star reviews and been named by Huffington Post as one of “10 Fascinating Reads about Living in a Foreign Country.” The book is available in print, ebook, or audiobook, wherever you get your books, click here to find IBC in your preferred marketplace. The ebook is also available here on this website, just click “Buy My Books” above to save a step!

By popular demand, you can now find all sorts of extra IBC content, including book club questions and FAQs, right here. Did you read IBC and want to know what happened when the Damiani family returned to American soil? Click here to get the epilogue. Along with the free bonus chapters, you’ll also be signed up for the Grapevine, your once monthly digest of IBC updates, travel gems, recipes, and more!

With a longing to return to the people and rhythms of small town Italy, the Santa Lucia series was born. Four novels, filled with characters you’ll want to swap gossip with over an espresso at Bar Birbo and enough drama and dialogue to keep the pace humming. Italophiles will feel like they’ve discovered a portal to Italy and and insomniacs will love having a reason to stay up far past their bedtime. Lauded for narratives that twist and turn like cobblestone alleys, you’ll quickly fall in love with each thrilling installment. Those who sign up for The Grapevine will get a free copy of Santa Lucia, the first book in the series, along with a monthly delivery of wanderlust reads, book deals, recipes, and travel tips. Don’t forget you can buy electronic books right here on this website by clicking “Buy my Books” above. There you’ll find the complete Santa Lucia boxset for a steal. The series is also available in print, ebook, or audiobook, wherever you get your books (click here to be taken to your preferred marketplace).

Following the success of the Santa Lucia series comes the launch into a whole new kind of worldmaking—cozy mysteries! Cozy mysteries are just as they sound—mysteries made cozy with an amateur sleuth, no gore or overt sex or crass language, a merry band of crime-fighting misfits, a pet or two, and an evocative location. Enter the Murder in an Italian Village series, set in the tiny, undiscovered town of Aramezzo, outside of Assisi. Like the Santa Lucia series, readers praise the escape into Italian village life, complete with intriguing characters and small town details. Find Death in Aramezzo, the first in the series, in print and electronic versions wherever you get your books. You can also download a copy onto your device directly by clicking “Buy My Books” on the banner above. Bread and Murder in Aramezzo and Unmasked in Aramezzo, the second and third books in the series, are now available! Again, you can click “Buy My Books” above to be directed to my on-line shop! You can follow new book releases and access promotional pricing by signing up for the Grapevine, my monthly newsletter. As mentioned above, not only will those who sign up get a monthly installment with recipes, travel inspiration, book news, and wanderlust reads, but you’ll also get a free copy of book 1 in my Santa Lucia series!

A year in Italy is a dream, and for many, a dream more attainable than you might imagine. Fielding question after question about how families can design their own adventure spurred the creation of The Road Taken: How to Dream, Plan, and Live Your Family Adventure Abroad. Brimming with stories from families who embarked on every kind of experience from settling in a French village to driving through central Asia to “world schooling”, The Road Taken answers all your questions about how to build a journey that defines your family, and, step-by-step, how to make it happen.

Readers report that the book reads like a thrilling adventure tale, even if they have no intention of ever leaving their cozy armchair. The Road Taken is available in print and ebook, click here to be find it wherever you like to buy books. As with the other books, you can also find download it directly onto your device by clicking the “Buy My Books” tab above!

We’re glad you’re here, Beautiful Reader. Whether you’re here looking for a book to read, or a recipe to try, ideas for your next vacation, or merely wanting some digital content to escape from the harsh realities of hand-sanitizer soaked pandemic life. Here you’ll find my blog, where I write about expat life and how I bring an adventurous spirit and Italian sensibilities to my Charlottesville life, too. Follow the links at the top of the page to also find posts about France, Laos, Canada, of course Italy, and more! … Below find a sampling of what’s popular now on the website. Want to make sure you don’t miss any steps in the journey? Join my newsletter, The Grapevine!