"A Portrait of Emily Price" by Katherine Reay

 


(Please note: This review contains spoilers.)

Art restorer Emily Price and Italian chef Ben Vassallo are both visiting Atlanta when they meet and quickly fall in love. Emily has never felt so special - she's had to be the older, responsible sister ever since her parents divorced, and her younger sister Amy has always held the spotlight. Ben is unlike anyone she's ever met, and when after a two-week courtship Ben asks her to marry him and move to Italy with him, it feels right in Emily's heart. They are married and on a flight to Florence only sixteen days after meeting.

I'm going to go ahead and say that this life choice of Emily's is one that I would never make, and while I had been pretty excited about the book up until this twist in the plot, it was easy to see that the transition from "art restorer and aspiring artist" to "pizza maker's wife" wasn't going to be an easy one. In fact, I felt like Emily quickly got lost in this book. It seemed as though the title should have been "A Portrait of the Vassallo Family," as that would have more accurately described the majority of this novel, with the focus changing so dramatically. It becomes largely about Ben's family: their traditions, their relationships, their lurking secrets.

I will say that this was my favorite of Katherine Reay's releases since her much-beloved debut Dear Mr. Knightley. However, I felt like the book was missing several things, including a relatable theme and a faith aspect. Overall I enjoyed it but was left unsatisfied. This reader hopes to find better things in Reay's upcoming releases.