Reviews tagging 'Pregnancy'

The Star-Crossed Sisters of Tuscany by Lori Nelson Spielman

12 reviews

filipacarvalho's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

Was this book over the top? Subtle as a brick? Completely predictable? Yes. Did I still love it? Absolutely!

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Emotional abuse, and Chronic illness

thereadingsaint's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Pregnancy, Cancer, Death, Infertility, and Miscarriage

amandalawrance's review

adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I did not expect to like this book as much as I did. I saw reviews that applauded how vivid the author made Italy through their writing and that is what initially led me to reading it. It was great though and there were parts that really hit home for me so I felt such a deep connection to this book. Definitely made me cry more than once.

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Cancer, Gaslighting, Miscarriage, Toxic relationship, and Pregnancy

Minor: Homophobia

starshine1's review against another edition

adventurous funny medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Grief, Cancer, Gaslighting, Pregnancy, Terminal illness, War, Abandonment, Death, Infertility, and Toxic relationship

carolibrary's review

medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Pregnancy, and Miscarriage

elliez's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This isn't my usual type of read, but I gave it a shot because I love Italy and there was a supposed family curse on second-born daughters. Let's go for it!

I figured I would enjoy it well enough, but WOW did I get way more than I expected! The journeys of Emilia and her aunt Poppy. The family drama and secrets surrounding their family. It was distressing, devastating, and painful. I thought "How? Why?" My heart was crushed.

I thought I had an idea of where this book going when I started it, but boy was I wrong. In the end, I felt both broken and filled with joy...I sobbed like a baby.

This book made me feel so many things that I didn't have a choice but to give it five stars. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Kidnapping, Gaslighting, Grief, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Cancer, Miscarriage, Infertility, and Terminal illness

Minor: Death

kimveach's review

adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective relaxing medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

This is a charming and sweet story set mostly in past and present Italy.  It was especially good on audio.

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Bullying, Cancer, Car accident, Death, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Medical trauma, Miscarriage, and Pregnancy

readwithde's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring relaxing medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

Wow. I loved everything about this book: the family and political drama, the curse of Fontana second-born daughters, the travel through Italy, everything. 

As a girl with an Italian grandmother and German grandfather, Poppy and Rico's story hit me in a different way,

especially when a twist revealed Emilia (and Daria) were their grandchildren, not Rosa's.

How the curse affected the family -- from Rosa's desperation to wed and bear children, to Daria's prison of family, to Lucy's self-betrayal, and Emilia's forced contentment -- the women of the Fontana family suffered for generations, each poisoning the last in defense of their own actions and choices. 

If nothing else, the book taught me so much about hope and determination, that no matter what obstacles lie before you, "it's possible." This was a cathartic getaway and poignant reminder to choose love, life, and joy.

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Bullying, Cancer, Death, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Pregnancy, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Death of parent, Grief, Lesbophobia, Miscarriage, Sexual content, and War

dianasreadingcorner_01's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Chronic illness, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Infertility, Kidnapping, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, and Toxic relationship

claudiamacpherson's review

adventurous emotional funny hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

To be honest, I expected a lot more from this book. I’d heard good things about it and the premise sounded interesting, but it ended up being just okay. The characters were pretty one-dimensional and a bit annoying, and I got secondhand embarrassment for them in more than one scene. I did like the ending though!

I was so worried that the author was going to let Emilia end up with her childhood friend despite her clearly not having real chemistry with him, so I was happy that it worked out. I wish he hadn’t ended up with her cousin (was that their relationship? idk) and reminded me a little of the Jo/Laurie/Amy love triangle in Little Women, but better than ending up miserable with your childhood bestie, amiright?

Happy ending meter (no specific spoilers, just the vibe of the ending): Happy! It definitely got very close to the end before things were resolved, so I was fully prepared for it to end in a way I didn’t like, but thank god things got wrapped up eventually!

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Cancer, Car accident, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Kidnapping, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, and Toxic relationship