This was one of my brother's favourite books. It has food, Italy, romance and humour... all the things he loved. He recommended it so highly, and others have echoed his appreciation, so I felt pressurised into loving this book. I don't think I quite share the unbounded enthusiasm. There is much to relish and savour, but for me the tone of some of it less romantic, more gritty. Ultimately (and this is not really a spoiler, because I was kept guessing up to the very end) he went off with the wrong girl. That probably tells you more about me, than the book!