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Excerpt from Chapter One

I NEVER INTENDED TO take home da Vinci. I don’t mean “a da Vinci” as in a reproduction of the man’s art, best known for his Mona Lisa and Last Supper paintings. I mean to say I took home Leonardo da Vinci, the living, breathing man; only not that man, the genius from the fifteenth century, but a young Italian immigrant who shared his name in modern day Austin, Texas.

It is far more accurate to say I took home Italian for dinner.
It began innocently enough, with me breaking my rule yet again not to get involved with a student, but I assure you I had never gotten this involved before.

My students, all adults ranging in age from their twenties to their sixties, shuffled into the cramped classroom with the wide-eyed wonder of children on the first day of school. I smoothed my blonde hair behind my ear and reviewed the student roster on my clipboard: eight students, five languages. Of the 6,912 known living languages in the world, I had personally encountered more than fifty in my role as an English language instructor to immigrants (including those speaking languages most Americans have never heard of, like Balochi, Dari, Pashto, and Tajik). But it wasn’t an unfamiliar language that caused me to catch my breath. It was a name, jumping off the page like a typo or emblazoned in lights on a marquee. The usual: Miguel, Margarita, Jesús—Spanish; Helena—Swahili; Jayesh—Farsi; Pénélope—French. And lastly, the one that caused the hair on the back of my neck to stand: Leonardo da Vinci—Italian.

My best friend says that funny tickle is the breeze of fate telling you your life is about to change, but I’d been walking around in a fog so long I barely noticed.

I surveyed the students—none remotely resembling an Italian. I’d encountered people with famous names before: a homely grade-school friend named Elizabeth Taylor, a high-school boyfriend named Bill Clinton, even a wiry bank teller with the macho moniker of John Wayne, but someone named after perhaps the greatest genius of all time? This I had to see. I imagined he would resemble the only sketch I’d ever seen of the artist da Vinci: a self-portrait he’d made in his old age, with a crazy long beard and deep wrinkles. I wondered if Cecelia, my friend in admissions, was playing some kind of joke on me.

I watched my students take their places, smiles plastered on their faces as they exchanged pleasant nods to their classmates. A smile was the universal hello, even if it wasn’t genuine, but it soon would be. I wished Americans could see how well the students got along: people from vastly different areas of the world, from all walks of life, from peasants in remote villages to descendants of royalty. My students shared one distinct characteristic that bonded them for life: they were outsiders desperately wanting in.

I could typically tell who was whom from their appearances. Their skin colors ranged from the very fair, belonging to a lanky French woman to the rich ebony of an African. Their dress was the second cultural marker, though you could tell how quickly they planned to assimilate if they wore American-style clothing.

I passed out the workbooks, noting that da Vinci was still missing, if he existed at all. Getting lost in America was common, something that we concentrated on heavily in the first six weeks—how to get from point A to point B was critical for survival. Each student carried a map with color-coded instructions. My building, the Panchal Cultural Center of Austin, was in orange. I noticed the map was the one item all my students carried in their hands. I waited a few minutes longer for da Vinci to show, but when he didn’t, I started my class as I did each semester, with a welcome in my students’ languages.

“Karibu! ¡Hola! Bonjour! Xosh amadid!” I welcomed them with a smile, my hands clasped together then widening in a warm gesture.

My students replied back in their native tongues, pleased that we had made a verbal connection. I knew the word welcome in a hundred languages, but was only fluent in four: German, French, Spanish, and English. As a linguist, I knew enough to get around in dozens of foreign countries though I’d never traveled anywhere outside of the United States, except for Mexico where I went with my husband every year for vacation. My heart paused as I thought of him, but soon resumed its normal rhythm. I’m not certain how long it takes a broken heart to mend, but I hadn’t done anything to speed along its recovery.

In fact, my life had become so simple and routine that I began to believe survival mode was the only mode, or at least the only mode for me. My only source of adventure lay before me, the seven students who would hang on my every word, unlike my two sons, who grew more belligerent with each passing year, especially with their father gone. After Joel died, I wanted nothing more than to stop communicating altogether, yet finances forced me to work right through my grief. In the almost two years since Joel’s passing, I found myself more comfortable with complete strangers from around the globe than I did with my friends and family.

I liked that each semester began with a blank slate—I did not know them, and they did not know me. They were floundering to make it in America, I was floundering to make it through another day. I had never had so much in common with my students. For the first time in my thirty-six years, I didn’t fit in, either.

Our class began with a lot of non-verbal communication—pointing to charts and learning the signs they would encounter—stop signs, restroom signs, road signs, traffic signals—all important things that could keep them alive, fed, clothed, and not run over by a bus.

Ramona is a young widow who is stuck in her grief. She is having trouble moving on with her life. She teaches English as a Second Language at a local culture center and when the new semester starts she encounters a young Italian immigrant, Leonardo da Vinci who will change her life.

da Vinci (as she calls him) needs a place to stay, so Ramona allows him to live in the studio in her backyard. She finds herself daydreaming about him and before she knows it they are in a relationship. Things are great at first, but then Ramona starts to feel like she is being used, and little things about da Vinci start to bother her.

Along with all of that, Ramona has to deal with her two young sons, her overbearing sister, her parents, her late husband’s mother and her friends. Not to mention the fact that she’s working on her doctoral dissertation in linguistics. Everyone’s lives are entangled, resulting in an entertaining read.

I enjoyed Dating da Vinci by Malena Lott, even though it is somewhat predictable. I thought Malena did an excellent job describing Ramona’s grief, and I found myself rooting for Ramona. I think this book made me better understand how a grieving spouse feels.

Malena Lott is a brand and marketing consultant. She is married and has three children. Her favorite book is A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving. Dating da Vinci is her second novel.

Journey to La Dolce Vita. (4 stars)

Two years ago, Ramona Griffen lost her husband. Being a widow at any age is hard, being one in your mid-thirties is near impossible. In Ramona’s world there are now only two kinds of people; Grievers and Normals. The Normals don’t understand why she can’t throw out her husband’s last jar of peanut butter or why decorating for the holidays is just too much. She’s coped through junk food and routine but what she really wants is her life back.

When 25-year-old Italian immigrant, Leonardo da Vinci, walks into her classroom she knows she shouldn’t take him home. But the lonely young foreigner needs a place to stay and she her husband’s old studio would make a good place for him to get a start in America. Da Vinci in turn has something to offer Ramona, or Mona Lisa as he begins to call her. The handsome Italian has a youthful passion for life that begins to rub off on Ramona. But where does she draw the line between them? She might be a widow but she’s not dead yet. Learning to live and to love again might be the scariest thing she’s had to face since her husband’s untimely death.

This was one of those books I read for someone else. When I heard about it I thought it would be a good read for someone I know who was recently divorced and struggling with finding a reason to "live". I honestly didn’t think that I personally would get anything out of it. But I was wrong. Ramona’s situation as a widow and a mother were very relatable because they could be any woman. I found myself wondering how I would cope if my husband died and I was left partnerless. It’s kind of frightening how much it made me realize I shouldn’t take the partnership I have with my husband for granted.

What made me actually not be able to put the book down was that while Ramona was the central character of the story, each person within her life was on a journey of their own too. Everyone grows as she grows and Ramona learns that she shouldn’t feel guilty for wanting to be happy again. Her romance with da Vinci is a very good example of these two factors. He has growing to do as a person just as she does and I enjoyed that their relationship was realistic, not unbelievable as I worried it might be.

Overall Dating da Vinci was surprisingly moving and insightful but still had a good romance to keep it from being all about life lessons. I think this would be a great read for anyone who is looking for an entertaining bit of insight on getting the joy back in your everyday life.

Ramona Elise Griffen, a 36-year-old widow with two boys, never, ever took her students home with her. In fact, after the death of her architectural husband, Joel, two years ago, she had almost stopped living. Now, part time linguist at The Panchal Cultural Center of Austin, part of the University of Texas, faced a 25-year-old student who not only didn’t speak English, but he had no job, no place to stay, and was an Italian named Leonardo da Vinci?

Leonardo da Vinci was from Italy and left a large family and came to America for the dream that so enthralled others. He moved into the studio of Ramona’s deceased husband. He soon worked his way into the family life with her and her two boys, William and Bradley. In many ways, he took over the part of their lives that the father had occupied. At their impressionable ages, all they understood was that, finally, their mom was feeling better.

Ms. Malena Lott has taken her readers through a poignant journey through the death of a soul mate and the finding of her way back from the numbed. This was definitely an unusual contemporary romance for me to read. This was more an upscale version of a book with a myriad of information on word origins. I did manage to read this with an exploration into widowhood and had to exercise my brain cells even more to follow the storyline.

The main characters in this book were total opposites—a linguist who had been widowed for two years and an immigrant who idolized his teacher, turned landlord, then bedmate. What a metamorphosis was called for in this relationship. The storyline did not stop there. There were a myriad of sub-characters who played an emotional, as well as important, part in the lives of both main characters.

The characters are solid, the plot was interesting, and it definitely was not a book to take lightly. I recommend you read this book for a look far beyond the superficial romance at which it hints. It’s a story which will capture your attention.

Overall rating: 4 hearts our of 5
Sensuality rating: Mildly sensual

This book is a woman’s journey of finding herself again. The handsome men, like Leo da Vinci are the push that she needed to get her started on her journey. Ramona is a widow who, after 2 years had passed since her husband’s death, is still living a life of a woman in mourning. She clearly wasn’t ready to view herself as a sexy, young, and successful woman who would find love again. Rather, she succombed to being a permanent widow and one who questioned her late husband’s faithfulness, at that. Ramona, an English teacher for immigrants meets da Vinci in class. He is, of course, a complete stud-muffin! When he asks her for help on food, work, shelter, etc., she brings him home and rents out the studio in her backyard to him for a mere $200/month. From what I read, this wasn’t Ramona’s typical M.O. Rather, he was just so stunning and foxy that she couldn’t resist.

From a “crush” to “dating” they go. Along the way, the reader gets to meet her best friend, Anh, along a host of characters. The characters include her ridiculous sister, Rachel, who is a Blonde Ambition Tour all in herself. Rachel is an on-air fitness guru with a penchant for devouring the male species. Michael, her ex-husband, seems like a cool cat and a perfect match for Anh. Then, there’s Courtland the anesthesiologist whom her mother attempted to set her up with, however ended up, a bit predictably, dating her sister. Ramona has two boys Bradley and William, whom she seems to just dote on. But, it is her dead husband, Joel, that I think the readers get to know the most. And, like the rest of us, he has a past, one that Ramona cannot seem to let go of obsessing over. Which leads us to Monica, his ex-fiance who is, of course, perfect in every way that Ramona is not. Sounds like the makings of a good “chicklit” book and it was.

However, and there’s always that “however” with me (forgive me), this book had a bit of a slow start for me. Around Chapter 5, I was involved in the book to the point where I wanted to know what happened. I suppose you could say that, for me, that is when the book started getting good. The ending is solid, albeit a bit predictable. But, with good chicklit books, you want a happy ending and you get one with da Vinci. I think that another obstacle I faced is that recently I have read 3 other books in which the heroine’s/protagonist’s husband has passed away. More specifically, I just read a book of 23 women’s stories of their loss of their spouse. So, I think that being the case, I may have had just too many of these types of books in a row.

The premise of the book is cute and I liked Malena’s style. You felt very at home with Ramona and as though you could understand her decisions. I think that Malena’s website is fun and funky… plus, she’s SUPER pretty! Lucky gal!

Two years have come and gone since Ramona Griffin lost her beloved husband to a sudden heart attack. She’s tried to cope in various ways: attending grief counselling, immersing herself in raising her two young sons and eating junk food. But for all her friends’ and family’s assurances that things would get easier, Ramona’s life has not returned to anything close to normal. That changes the day a charming, language challenged Italian immigrant enrols in her English class.

Leonardo da Vinci is a master of charm, wit and persuasion - and most of all, a connoisseur in the fine art of la dolce vita: the joy of living. His passion for all things that bring joy to the heart is contagious, and even more evident once Ramona offers him temporary lodging at her house. Before long, Leo has her energetic young sons wrapped around his finger and leaves her friends and neighbours twittering when they spy him mowing the lawn or tending Ramona’s bedraggled flowerbeds in all his tanned, bare-chested glory. Soon Leo’s got Ramona seriously considering a no-strings-attached fling. Despite his allure, however, she hardens her heart to Leo’s persistent pleas that his Mona Lisa share his bed. But a normal, red-blooded, romance starved woman will only be able to ignore the handsome young man’s romantic overtures for so long before falling under his tempting spell.

Malena Lott has created an involving and touching story in Dating da Vinci. Ramona takes you through every step of her healing journey with poignant clarity and wit as she begins picking up the pieces of her life by embracing her joys, one of which includes working towards her doctorate. Lott’s secondary characters are also a real treat, particularly Anh, Ramona’s very wise best friend, whose advice often smacks of the superstitious, but is always well meant, if often very amusing. Then there’s Cortland, a divorced and determined doctor who sets his sights on Ramona after realizing that her high maintenance and spoiled younger sister isn’t really the woman for him. Dating da Vinci is a captivating and inspirational story that will hook you from the first page and may even help a few readers experience a renaissance of their own.

Thirty five year old Ramona Elise has been widowed for two years. Her two young sons have been the reason she keeps getting up every day. Ramona teaches English to new immigrants. She impetuously offers to rent the studio behind her home to a young new student from Italy named Leonardo da Vinci.

"La vita allegra. Joyful living. His eyes danced with excitement and awe and insatiable curiosity. Not just for America. For life. I ached to feel that again."

Lott’s depiction and characterization of a grief stricken family still coming to terms with the loss of their husband/father is realistically written and sensitively portrayed.

Da Vinci becomes more than just a tenant. He becomes friends with the boys and closer and closer to Ramona. Is she ready to act on the attraction she feels towards this younger man? Or would it be a betrayal of her love for her husband Joel? She has unanwered questions about Joel’s relationship with an old flame that still haunt her as well.

"I wished I could wear red lipstick, but much like the red suit, you have to have the red inside of you to wear it on the outside."

I had the idea that this would be a ’chick lit’ book when I first picked it up. I found it to have more depth than just a beach read. Lott has also done her research - I found the origins of words and love fascinating as well as the details of an Indian wedding ceremony. As I interact with immigrants on a daily basis, I appreciated her positive outlook towards new citizens.

The book is populated with some fun supporting characters. I found the best friend Anh particularly appealing. The sister and mothers are a bit stereotypical and overdone, but fulfill their role in the book quite well. I did find that taking da Vinci into her bed when her boys home a bit rash. Quite honestly she put up with a bit more than I would have. (the new mattress story springs to mind)

Although the ending of the book is predictable and neatly wrapped up, it was an enjoyable journey to get there. I was happy to discover this new (for me) author. Check out Malena’s website for contests, recipes and reading group guides. One of my favourite new authors, Jess Riley, just posted a great interview with Malena here.

Dating da Vinci was just released last month from Sourcebooks.

Rating

5 stars – chick lit at its finest – with a handsome Italian thrown in for good measure!

When Ramona becomes a widow at the age of 34 her world comes crashing down around her, and the only thing that keeps her getting out of bed in the morning are her two young sons. That is until Leonardo Da Vinci walks into her life. Not the real Leonardo obviously, but a 25 year old Italian student who has come to make a new life for himself in America.

As Ramona sets out to teach Da Vinci the skills he needs to succeed in this foreign country she finds that she too is learning something; that life can go on after you lose your soul mate.

In this light-hearted and humorous novel, Lott covers the sensitive subject of bereavement and how it affects Ramona as she loses her soul mate and her children’s father. The affect on the young boys as they go to great lengths to make their mom smile again. And on Judith, the mother-in-law who is torn between protecting her beloved son’s memory and helping Ramona find love and happiness again.

Dating da Vinci is a fantastic chick lit novel, just perfect for the beach (which is where I read it). Lott does a fabulous job of creating believable and likeable characters in Ramona and da Vinci, her two sons Bradley and William and her best friend Anh. Oh and Cortland; for where would a chick lit novel be without the ‘other’ love interest? Should Ramona choose fun in the form of the gorgeous Italian who brags about her to his college friends and reminds her how to smile, or settle down with the reliable but handsome doctor who shares her love for words? I suggest you read dating da Vinci and find out!

Ramona is a Griever; a Griever who wants to be a Normal again but doesn’t know how. Two years ago Romona’s husband, Joel, died. For two years Ramona has been trying to keep herself and her life together even when she’d rather not. If not for her boys, she may not have tried at all. Everything changes when Ramona meets Leonardo da Vinci. Not that Leonardo da Vinci, but a young Italian immigrant trying to make a life in America.

When Ramona is with da Vinci she begins to feel la vita allegra again. Her love of life is returning, and she’s that much closer to being a Normal once more. But when things with da Vinci start looking more serious, Ramona starts to question whether or not she’s really ready. Is this thing with da Vinci really love? Or are they both clinging to what is comfortable for fear of what else is out there?

DATING DA VINCI is an inspiring heart-warming tale of a woman falling in love with life again. Watching Ramona rediscover her world is like watcing a child discover the world for the first time. There can be heartbreak and sadness, but there is also love and joy and happiness. Ramona is stronger than she ever gave herself credit for and watching her realize it is a joy. I hope there is an opportunity to visit with Ramona and her boys again, but even if there isnt’ I’m sure there will be more wonderful works to look forward to from Malena Lott.

Dating da Vinci by Malena Lott was a really good read. It was just what I needed in between some of this heavier stuff I’ve been reading. One would think that this book is really just ’chick lit’ but actually for me it seemed much more.

Ramona is the main character in this book. She’s thirty-six years old and a widow with two young boys and still trying to put her life back together after the death of her husband Joel. She’s a linguist and teaches English to foreign students which is how she ultimately means Leonardo da Vinci and strikes up a romance with him. What I liked most about this was he taught her to appreciate life again and to love again and even more important to realize that she was capable of allowing love back into her life.

However, in the wings is her sister Rachel’s boyfriend Cortland wanting to date her too. Before you think how horrible it is of her to be making eyes at her sister’s boyfriend, her sister really didn’t want him. Cortland is a doctor and she was really more interested in the money and prestige than the man himself. Besides that Rachel really was more interested in making her ex jealous which ultimately didn’t work out so well for her either.

As the story goes on we see Ramona healing more and more from the death of her husband and willing to explore more in the world around her again. It is kind of an awakening of someone who’s been sleeping for a while and missing out on life around them. I liked seeing her go through her relationship with Leo and try to determine exactly what it was she was feeling for him and then ultimately knowing how terrific Cortland would be too. Of course it doesn’t hurt for an older woman to have a young handsome Italian man chasing after her, let alone two men.

While I do think this book has a deeper meaning in that a person can recover from the death of someone so close and important to them and learn to love and live again, it is also a light and funny read. I think the author did a wonderful job of incorporating these two themes perfectly. The character of Ramona is such that you really feel for her and you want her to feel better and learn to live again. Really, all of the characters in this novel were funny and likeable in their own way.

For me this was a good book and I enjoyed the story. I like that it ended and left me feeling good too. If you’re looking for a good ’chick lit’ story with a little more added in, this is a great selection. Many thanks to Danielle at Sourcebooks for this great read.

A&E A&E - Books
‘Dating da Vinci’ sweetens life
RomanceCity author pens novel about woman finding unexpected love
Published: November 16, 2008

Do you need a little more of la dolce vita? Ramona Elise did when Leonardo da Vinci walked into her life. No, not that da Vinci but a modern-day version of the Renaissance master, this one sporting rock hard abs and a penchant for a certain single American mother.

Ramona was still recovering from the unexpected death of her husband two years earlier when her life went from blah to "ooh la la,” rekindling her zest for life along with her passions. Dating da Vinci turned her world upside down, shook the loose change from her pockets and plopped her back down in the center of her life with a new sense of adventure, love and hope for the future.

Oklahoma City author Malena Lott delivers a dose of la dolce vita, or "the sweet life” in "Dating da Vinci” (Sourcebooks Casablanca, $12.95), her second novel. The book is rich with a cast of zany and interesting characters, lessons about life and love, and bittersweet moments that will make you laugh through your tears and leave you wanting to hug your children and your husband.

It’s a quick-witted page turner that will keep you up late, burning the midnight oil to live vicariously through Mona Lisa, da Vinci’s pet name for the book’s heroine, an all-too real woman dealing with grief, single parenthood and unexpected attention from an exceptional man.

— Heather Warlick

Every once in awhile, I like to pick up a light, fun read. DATING DA VINCI by Malena Lott was the perfect choice because it’s basically a romance, chick lit book for women in their 30s! I thought the premise sounded kind of cute — a young widow and mother of two "gets her groove back." And when I saw Jenny Gardiner’s, author of SLEEPING WITH WARD CLEAVER, ringing endorsement on the back cover, I pretty much knew that I’d like this book.

This book was definitely a pleasure to read. I couldn’t help but feel sympathy for Ramona — she is about my age and a mother of two when she suddenly loses her husband. As I read this book, I could really relate to Ramona and her grief. I can’t imagine how I’d ever move on if I were in her situation (I know you have to for the kids’ sake.) While the subject matter of this book could have been very depressing, this book was ultimately very uplifting. I really appreciated was how the author was able to incorporate so much humor into the pages of this book and provide a happily ever after ending.

The characters in the book were terrific, especially Ramona; however, I also really liked her best friend Anh. She was the ideal friend for Ramona and often times, she provided just what Ramona needed. I also thought Ramona’s "perfect" sister was a hoot! Of course, I couldn’t help but be captivated by Leo in much the same way that Ramona was. It was so refreshing to read a novel where a mature woman was able to rediscover herself and her needs with a little help from a younger man!

Another thing I really enjoyed about this novel was how the author incorporated Ramona’s occupation as a linguist into the story. Not only did Ramona meet Leo as a result of teaching English to foreign students, but I thought the author did a great job of weaving word meanings and the "language of love" into the storyline. She even had the family play Scrabble (the all-time best word game) as a way of being together. I loved reading Ramona’s body language interpretations, and I thought it was so cute how the author used Ramona’s name as a play on words — Ramona Elise/Mona Lisa.

After enjoying DATING DA VINCI so much, I’d definitely like to read Malena Lott’s other novel, THE STORK REALITY. I was very impressed with her ability to tell Ramona’s story, and I thought she did a wonderful job of expressing Ramona’s feelings about the sudden death of her husband and the grief that followed. Ms. Lott has an awesome (and fun) website that you should visit. Once you are there, you can learn more about Ms. Lott’s books, listen to a few of her favorite recipes, read her blog, and even enter some awesome contests (I did.)

If your club is looking for a lighter read around the holidays, you might want to consider DATING DA VINCI. It’s an uplifting book about starting over and second chances. And, I liked that it shows how a woman in her 30s and a mother of two can still manage to find love. There are numerous themes to discuss including "the grieving process, May-December romances, second chances, Heaven, soul mates, and family dynamics." Ms. Lott will even send you the discussion questions if you contact her. You can read an excerpt here.

Make sure you come back tomorrow because Ms. Lott will be stopping by with a terrific guest post!

Ok. Play along with me now. Look at this cover, and now listen to what I have to say.
No one was more surprised than me by the depth and consideration of this thoughtful novel about love, loss and rediscovering life after going through very difficult times.

Ramona Elise Griffen is the widowed 36-year-old mother of two young boys who has been grieving the death of her husband, Joel, for the last two years. While working part-time teaching English to newly arrived immigrants, Ramona meets the beautiful Leonardo, who has come to the US to study at the nearby university, and then she surprises herself and offers to rent him her husband’s studio that sits in just steps away in her backyard, untouched since the day he died. With the help of the young Italian, Ramona’s love of life slowly returns and propels her out of grief and back into life.

I really enjoyed this book. I loved the warm and wonderful characters, and funny interactions lend humor and levity to the thoughtful conversations that Ramona has about faith, love and what happens when the love of your life dies. Ramona decides to finish dissertation for her doctorate, and as a linguist she researches love in all it stages and forms and deals with her own issues of marital trust, fidelity and the meaning of soulmates as she grapples to accept another love into her life, and accept that Joel may have had more than one love in his. I was thoroughly engaged throughout this book as Lott charmingly presents a balance of light-hearted fare tempered with ruminations of heavy issues. Truly a delightful read.

BIG THANKS to Malena and Sourcebooks for helping me get a copy of this book to review!

“Dating da Vinci” by Malena Lott

Published by Sourcebooks Casablanca, an imprint of Sourcebooks, Inc.

Rating: 3.5 stars

“Dating da Vinci” is the story of Ramona Elise, who is desperately trying to cope with the loss of her husband nearly two years earlier. She worries about how the absence of a father will affect her two sons and fears that her husband may have taken certain secrets to his grave. Enter Leonardo da Vinci, aptly named after the fifteenth century visionary, because he manages to inspire exuberance and vitality from Ramona. Though Leo is considerably younger than Ramona and speaks little English, not to mention a student in her English as a second language class, Ramona finds herself falling for him. They develop a passionate relationship and Leo even manages to win the affection of Ramona’s sons. Leo helps Ramona find herself again and the pain from her husband’s death begins to subside.

Overall I had mixed feelings about the characters. It’s hard not to fall for the adorable Leo, whose broken English and naïve innocence only add to his charm. Ramona, on the other hand, was not as likeable as I would have hoped and I didn’t really find myself connecting to her. Also, the other characters seemed a little too shallow to be portrayed realistically. While I would have liked to see more depth in the characters, it did not sufficiently detract from the storyline and I still savored the characters’ successes and lamented over their disappointments.

This book has all the makings of what I envision to be a great romantic comedy and for the most part the plot does deliver. There is the romance, the ensuing drama, the eventual complications that arise and final culmination towards a satisfying ending. The book also deals with important issues of grief, infidelity and heartbreak. In that sense, it succeeds in giving readers more than the average ’woman-meets-man-and-they-fall-in -love’ story.

“Dating da Vinci” is a sweet and quick read. Though the ending is predictable, I enjoyed reading the way Lott crafted the storyline and led readers to the end.

Thirty-six year old Ramona Elise has been a widow for two years. Her husband died suddenly and she has been living in a fog of grief ever since. She goes through the motions for the sake of her two young sons, but the joy has gone from her life and she doesn’t know how to get it back.

Ramona is a linguist who teaches English to immigrants who come from countries all over the world. One day a handsome young Italian man walks into her classroom with the unusual and famous name of Leonardo da Vinci. He is sweet and funny and he likes Ramona immediately, nicknaming her ’Mona Lisa’, a shortened version of her own name. A happy coincidence.

Leonardo is just what Ramona needs, someone able to draw her out of the shell that she has built around herself. Her family and friends have been there for her all along, of course. But now she is just about at the point that she is able to let someone in and feel like it is okay to have fun again.

The result is a charming and funny book that is surprisingly thoughtful, as well. Though it may look like a romance novel, this book is more than that. The issues of grief and loss are respectfully dealt with and the story is richer for it.

Thank you to Danielle from Sourcebooks for sending me this lovely book!

A Remarkable tour de force. This story will make you laugh, cry, and fall in love all over again. Curl up with a glass of wine, and spend a fabulous evening dating da Vinci.

Ramona’s thoughts still center around the loss of her husband, and the fate of her 2 fatherless young sons as she struggles to just get through each day. Ramona is a linguist, and teaches newly arrived foreigners how to speak some basic English to help them acclimate themselves to America. This part time job helps to get her out of the house and to think about something else besides the death of her husband. Ramona had been working on her PhD thesis before her loss, but except for surviving she has let everything slide but caring for her children, and the absolute necessities of life.

Ramona is a 36 year old widow. She has been widowed for 2 years, and is having a hard time moving on with her life. This teaching class starts out as many others have, except that she has a student named Leonardo da Vinci who is the cutest young man that she has ever met. He has just arrived in America, with little money, and no place to stay. Ramona takes him home with her to live in her garage apartment . This one action sets off a series of events in Ramona’s life, adding joy and spontaneity that will eventually lead Ramona to a joyful resolution that will bring tears to any reader’s eyes.

Having da Vinci living in their garage apartment immediately causes changes in the boy’s lives as da Vinci interacts with them, and Ramona realizes that she is coming out of her shell also. As Ramona discovers more interest and joy in life, a surprising new man who is very interested in Ramona makes an appearance. Is Ramona finally ready to move on? Are her boys willing to have a permanent new father figure?

This story is so engrossing that once I started reading, I read through the night until finished. This is a remarkable story, a virtual tour de force. I am humbled at the talent Ms. Lott exhibits, and I am honored that I have had an opportunity to review this story. It is riveting, absorbing, painful at times, and ultimately totally satisfying. Curl up, pour a glass of wine, have a few Kleenex available, and enjoy the ride. I certainly did..

Although this novel deals with the weighty issue of recovering from the death of a spouse, it remains a light, fun and fluffy story throughout.

Ramona, the main character, is a linguist and English teacher, as well as a mom to two boys. She is writing her PhD thesis about the language of love, and excerpts from her thesis are included and work well within the context of the story.

Between teaching, writing, and taking care of her kids, Ramona hasn’t found the time to take care of herself. All of that changes though, when Leonardo da Vinci, a student in her class, shows her that life can be full of joy again.

Both da Vinci and Cortland - her sister’s boyfriend, vie for Ramona’s affection, and Ramona must decide between the handsome-but-poor Italian student, and the flirtatious doctor.

Even though I enjoyed this book, and thought it was a fun read, as a mom I had a hard time accepting that Ramona would so quickly invite a hunky stranger to live in her house with her boys - regardless of what her hormones were doing. I also thought that if she was so obviously still grieving the loss of her husband after two years, then her boys probably would have been too, yet they seemed gung-ho to have another man in their lives.

That being said, it was fun to read about thirty-six-year old Ramona being sought after by a twenty-five-year-old gorgeous Italian man. This is the stuff that dreams are made of.

Overall, this was a fun and entertaining book. If you like chick-lit, then you should love Dating da Vinci!

Rating: 4/5

I rather liked this story of a woman rising above her grief and coming to terms with not just her husband’s death but also re-learning how to live and be her person after being half of a whole for so long. It’s somewhat inspiring and enjoyable. There were some things I didn’t like, but more on that later. Let me focus on the main issue – the Italian hunk (mamma mia!).

Da Vinci here is a sexy young man with a lovely accent who makes this older woman, a widow with 2 children, feel like the sexiest woman alive. And it was lovely to see how that changes Ramona for the better. Heck, just reading it cheered me up! And like da Vinci of old, he’s a jack of all trades. There’s also a clever play on words which da Vinci capitalizes on since you can find Mona Lisa by rearranging the words of Ramona Elise, sort of like finding the Mona Lisa in Ramona. This is apt since Ramona is a linguist and the whole story has countless mentions of words, their origins, meanings, Scrabble games, etc, which makes for enjoyable reading.

Before Ramona knows it, she and Da Vinci are considered a pair. But without resolving the doubts she has about her deceased husband’s love and fidelity, Ramona finds herself unable to move forward in her new relationship. This was particularly intriguing - Ramona’s internal struggle; for she idolizes her husband and fears to find his feet of clay. Since this is something she feels she can’t share with anyone, it’s a burden she has to carry alone.

Oh, and let’s not forget the other man who professes romantic interest in Ramona, leaving her with two hot men to contend with! There are also some interesting side stories involving the Evangelical Moms, a fitness-guru of a narcissistic sister with her pageant-weary 5 year old, the Russian mail-order bride, a friend who finds herself saddled with her grandkid, and many more. So, it’s just not Ramona’s story but all theirs woven together with hers. Overall, the journey, filled with growth, love, sex, hope, sorrow, children, friends and family makes for some pleasurable reading.

I rather liked this story of a woman rising above her grief and coming to terms with not just her husband’s death but also re-learning how to live and be her person after being half of a whole for so long. It’s somewhat inspiring and enjoyable. There were some things I didn’t like, but more on that later. Let me focus on the main issue – the Italian hunk (mamma mia!).

Da Vinci here is a sexy young man with a lovely accent who makes this older woman, a widow with 2 children, feel like the sexiest woman alive. And it was lovely to see how that changes Ramona for the better. Heck, just reading it cheered me up! And like da Vinci of old, he’s a jack of all trades. There’s also a clever play on words which da Vinci capitalizes on since you can find Mona Lisa by rearranging the words of Ramona Elise, sort of like finding the Mona Lisa in Ramona. This is apt since Ramona is a linguist and the whole story has countless mentions of words, their origins, meanings, Scrabble games, etc, which makes for enjoyable reading.

The cover of this novel and it’s blurb had me expecting a light-hearted chick lit romp. While it definitely could be considered contemporary women’s fiction, it’s deeper and with a more meaningful message than what I originally had assumed it would be. I think readers will sympathize with Ramona’s situation and relate to her insecurities and doubts. While I felt that the male characters were at times a little too perfect (though this is pretty common in romances), I thought Ramona was written really well. The story itself is touching, yet it still maintains the fun aspects of ’chick lit.’ Fans of books like P.S. I Love You by Cecilia Ahern and movies like Under the Tuscan Sun (though not the book, as it’s vastly different) will appreciate Ramona’s emotional journey.

Book Rating: 3 1/2 out of 5 stars


A 36 year old woman stuck in a rut, with two kids, a widow, and is unsure as to how to really be happy in life. Oh, yes she can be happy while eating fries and chocolate shakes, but as soon as they are gone, she is moping around again. Ramona Elise is a professor teaching an English Class when a beautiful Italian man walks in, and not just into her classroom, but into her life. Will he fit? Will she let him? Are they truly happy, or just no longer lonely?

I don’t read chick lit very often, but sometimes it is nice. It is like that cotton candy that you wait for at the fair....not something you could handle for breakfast, lunch and dinner, but a sweet break. Reading Dating Da Vinci was that special treat. I read it during the read-a-thon, and it was good. Light, funny, silly, and still serious. There was enough intrigue to hold my attention and some aspects of mystery as well. I liked it....it was a nice treat of light, pink sweetness after reading Beasts of No Nation.

It is really interesting, it may be me, or just what I have read lately. But it seems that modern fiction is finally taking its dreamy eyes off 18 year old blonds, and diving into the difficulties we will all face someday of aging. When you are no longer considered "young" or "full of promise". When you reach the age where people expect things of you, require more of you. In Dating Da Vinci Malena Lott does an excellent job of capturing that feeling of inadequacy. The feeling of being older, uglier, and for that less valuable. But is that really true, or do we imagine it? One thing I do know, we as a society need to learn to age gracefully and allow others to do the same.

DATING DA VINCI is one of those books where you cheer for the heroine right from the start, simply because she so desperately needs a cheering section! Ramona is a language teacher who is struggling to move on after her husband’s death. While her husband’s been dead for a couple of years, Ramona’s sense of self hasn’t returned. She is unbalanced and needs to find a new life for herself and a way out of the rut she’s nearly buried herself in. When a handsome, smart Italian walks into her class, her life begins to perk up—literally. He has no where to live so she takes him home with her.

I loved watching Ramona find herself. She was so horribly sad at the start of this book, so tragic, it nearly made me cry. While taking home a stranger might not be the most practical, safe or realistic thing for a widow to do, this is fiction so I didn’t dwell overmuch on the poor judgment issue. I just let Ramona have her fun, and hoped she would find a happy ending.

While the book is well written and the characters intriguing, I have to say I was pulled out of the flow of the story time and again by some of the baser details. Plainly put, there was an inordinate amount of vomit and other bodily fluids in this tale. I have to admit, it was off-putting for me. Romance where someone loses their lunch in chapter after chapter? Just not my idea of romantic. And after I’d cheered for Ramona’s replacing her lumpy marital bed with a brand new, beautiful bed her Italian lover—well, I won’t even tell you what he does on her bed. If you really want to know you’ll have to read the book, but I warn you, I doubt you’ll find it romantic, either.

If there had been less vomit I would have loved DATING DA VINCI. Still, this is a heartfelt, well written account of a woman’s search for self after losing her husband. Malena Lott is a skilled writer and I look forward to reading more from her.

When Jane at Dear Author and Rowena at Book Binge both raised the question of where have all the good contemporary novels gone, I myself wondered the same thing. I, for one, do enjoy a good contemporary romance now and again, but this year I have found the genre lacking, with the exception of one or two novels. Surprisingly, I may have found a new author who has written a contemporary that may change my mind, and yours also.


Dating da Vinci by Malena Lott is about Ramona Elise, a widow with two young boys who is an English language instructor to immigrants who need help with the English language. During one of her classes, she happens to take home Leonardo da Vinci. And, we are told this in the very first line- “I never intended to take home da Vinci.” Da Vinci is the name of one of her students from Italy who has come to Texas as a college student. Leonardo da Vinci, looks more like the statue of David then the painter, and Elise sure does appreciate the young da Vinci even though she is thirty-six and he is much younger. Da Vinci needs a place to live. Ramona feels for the guy, and because he is too cute for words, she welcomes him to pay rent and stay at the studio apartment to in her backyard. The studio she offers to da Vinci was her deceased husband, Joel’s private workspace, and now two years later she lets da Vinci stay there as her way of moving on.


Ramona is taking baby steps and trying to get on with her life without Joel, whom she loved deeply. She has begun to clean out his closets and throw away certain foods he liked to eat, such as peanut butter, which may even be the same exact jar that was still in the cupboard before his death. The two-year anniversary of Joel’s death is upon Ramona and she still has some things to work out, such as Monica, the woman Joel was engaged to before he met Ramona. Monica came to Joel’s funeral and Ramona always wondered why they broke up. Monica is the complete opposite of Ramona in almost every way. Before Joel died, he started working on a project at the law firm where Monica worked. So, in the back of Ramona’s mind, she begins to think that perhaps Joel may have had an affair with Monica. Ramona has decided she will have a nice chat with Monica and ask her all the questions that have been bugging her.


As Ramona tries to figure things out, da Vinci becomes more important in her life. Her two sons come to adore da Vinci, and Ramona does also, so much so that after a lot of going back and forth in her mind, she decides to have an affair with the young Italian, which blossoms into a real relationship. Even though Ramona may feel a bit overwhelmed and self-conscious because of her age, da Vinci makes her happy. Things are going along pretty well, that is, until her so very perfect sister, Rachel, starts dating Dr Cortland Andrews. Ramona and Cortland hit it off very well, where as her sister is only with Cortland because he is handsome, has a nice house and money. Soon Ramona can’t stop thinking about Cortland even though she enjoys being with da Vinci. And if that is not bad enough, Cortland reciprocates her feelings and wants to break if off with her sister, and wants Ramona to do the same thing with her young Italian.


Who would have though a widow like Ramona would have two men lusting after her? Ramona is so confused and even more so because she keeps wondering what is so appealing about her that these two men can’t help but want to be with her. And, the doubts she has about Joel keep growing because she comes to the conclusion that the only reason he married her was because she was safe, and may have never loved her at all because he never got over Monica.


Dating da Vinci is a quirky novel told in the first person by Ramona who really touched my heart. All her questions and self-doubting is the exact way I would have felt if I were in her shoes. She is like any woman you would meet from a loving mother and daughter, to a faithful friend who lends a sympathetic ear especially when it comes to Rachel who can’t understand why Cortland won’t sleep with her. Ramona feels guilty for having the feelings she does for Cortland because she knows he belongs to Rachel for the moment. I would react the same way if I were in the same shoes as Ramona and Rachel was my sister.


Ramona’s relationship with da Vinci is a total fantasy because da Vinci is a hot stud who gives Ramona everything she needs, from good sex to helping her around the house with her sons. But, Ramona knows their affair cannot last forever because they are two totally different people. And as for Cortland, well, Malena can sure write some excellent male characters because you are really torn between both men that Ramona must choose in the long run. Dating da Vinci made me laugh and smile over Ramona all because of how she handles both the little and big things in life. Even with the death of a loved one, Ramona is not all gloom and doom, but is surviving the best way she knows how and I loved how she wanted to find love again and felt Joel would understand.


When I think of a well-written book, including a book such as this, I expect to walk away taking something special from what I have read. I have certainly done that here with Malena Lott’s Dating da Vinci. She has written a story about human nature and the ups and downs someone has to go to fully understand life. Ramona must take that next step, hopefully with someone holding her hand, to help her overcome her grief and enjoy living life again to the fullest. That’s what makes this a worthy contemporary in my eyes because it is about one woman’s journey to find love and happiness in those places, and people, she would have never thought possible. (Sourcebooks, November 2008)


3 ½ stars out of 5 stars.




Dating da Vinci.
By Malena Lott.
Nov. 2008. 288p. Sourcebooks, paper, $12.95 (9781402213939).
REVIEW
First published September 15, 2008 (Booklist).

English teacher Ramona Elise, 36, has stopped fully living her life ever since her husband Joel died from a sudden heart attack two years ago. Despite pleas from her family and friends to get rid of Joel’s belongings and try dating again, Ramona can’t imagine erasing her late husband’s presence from her home. Until one day, Leonardo da Vinci, an attractive young Italian immigrant, lands in her classroom, lonely and unable to speak the language. Taking him under her wing, Ramona gives da Vinci a place to stay and in return, he brings her back to life. Goofy, humble, and gratifyingly real, Ramona treads the fine line between lust and love, passion and reality, while still managing to dodge many of life’s roadblocks. Finding herself on a new path wildly different than the one she envisioned with Joel, Ramona Elise (or Mona Lisa, as da Vinci calls her) learns to open her heart to new possibilities in order to find la dolce vita in Lott’s delightfully affirming romance.—Annie McCormick

Malena Lott’s Dating Da Vinci follows her debut novel, The Stork Reality. Both novels are character driven stories by female protagonists. Since I am the author of a WWII historical YA novel, Saving da Vinci, I eagerly looked forward to reading a novel titled dating da Vinci. My da Vinci is a 16-year-old Italian, code name “da Vinci,” who is helping the partisans liberate his country from the Nazis. Malena Lott’s da Vinci is a 25-year-old Italian immigrant trying to make his way in America through learning English. Little did I know what a delightful adventure was ahead of me when I chose this poignant and funny book solely based on its title.

The story begins in the classroom of Ramona Griffen, who is teaching English to international students in Austin, Texas. Imagine the possibility of this linguist having an Italian student in her class named Leonardo da Vinci. The implausibility opens the door for this refreshing story. When da Vinci calls his teacher Mona Lisa, Ramona is captivated by the gorgeous young Italian man. The last thing on Ramona’s mind is a romance; she is still grieving the loss of her beloved husband, Joel. She believes joy and love died for her with Joel’s fatal heart attack. She even identifies herself as a ‘Griever’ rather than a ‘Normal’: “Grievers want desperately to be Normal again, but the journey back seems impossible, and ‘Normals’ don’t understand why ‘Grievers’ can’t ‘move on’ and ‘get over it’.” Ramona also has to deal with suspicions of her late husband’s possible infidelity with his beautiful former fiancée.

That is, however, until an exciting young Italian enrolls in her language class. Because of Leonardo’s limited financial means, she lets him live in the studio apartment in her backyard. She is the sole support of two young boys, and romance entering her life at this stage is unthinkable even though she is enormously attracted to Leonardo. The attraction seems a betrayal of her husband’s memory, and there is an 11-year age difference - thirty-six-year-old widows do not date a 25-year-old man, no matter how attractive. Their romance, however, does develop because she finds this attractive young man irresistible. Even her young sons, Bradley and William, plot to make Ramona and Leonardo a “couple”.

The story’s Austin setting allows the university community to be a part of the story. Ramona’s empathy for the plight of international students is an integral part of the story, and the reader will applaud her for taking this student into her home to help his financial state. Leonardo embraces the university environment like any American 25-year-old would. A fraternity Leonardo joins and other students add to the young people’s scene, making Ramona feel even older and her romance with Leonardo even more improbable. During her romance with Leonardo, Ramona meets her sister’s boyfriend, Dr. Cortland Andrews, an anesthesiologist. He seems unusually attracted to Ramona in spite of his relationship with her sister and her involvement with Leonardo. Strangely, however, I rooted for this intellectual doctor to win Ramona’s heart. This man enters the narrative quietly but quickly captivates the reader’s heart, too - this even though Ramona reminds the attentive Cortland he is a person who puts others to sleep. Although he is not multilingual like she is, he matches her quip for quip in English and replies, “But remember, I wake them up, too!” The reader wonders for the remainder of the story if the doctor will leave Ramona’s sister, and if she will give up Leonardo to become a “couple” with Cortland. Her beautiful but overbearing sister does not make this an easy situation. Over the course of her romantic dilemma, Ramona completes and submits her dissertation for her doctorate on the language of love to become a professor, an endeavor woven throughout the story. The research to complete the dissertation adds to her insight into the situation.

This book compares well to Malena Lott’s other book, The Stork Reality, which follows Taylor Montgomery through her pregnancy as she deals with this unexpected situation. Lott gives excellent insight into a woman’s feelings through her strong female protagonists in both books.

Other romance books can take the reader away to foreign lands with intriguing romances, but Dating Da Vinci lets the reader see a slice of life in one woman’s world and makes the reader feel a part of it. You will want her to find happiness again and anguish with her in her disappointments, at times finding yourself both laughing and crying almost in the same paragraph! The minor characters surrounding Ramona, Leonardo, and Cortland help bring the story to life as they contribute to their lives, too. How does Ramona Griffen have a renaissance in her life and discover that love never truly dies but just passes on? Who does win her heart? This compelling, heartfelt novel draws the reader along on her journey to find la vita allegro – a joyful life.

Review: Dating Da Vinci by Malena Lott.


Hero: ??
Heroine: Ramona Elise Griffen (Mona Lisa)
Grade: 4.75 out of 5



A gorgeous young Italian, with nowhere to go... His name just happens to be Leonardo da Vinci. When he walks into Ramona Elise’s English class, he’s a twenty-five yhear old immigrant, struggling to forget a new life in America but he’s lonely, has nowhere to live, and barely speaks English... She knows she shouldn’t take him home... Picking up the pieces of her life after the death of her beloved husband, linguist and teacher Ramona Elise can’t help but be charmed by her gorgeous new student. And when he calls her "Mona Lisa" she’s jsut about to lose her heart ...

This book was good right from the very first page. It was one of those books that I read the blurb and thought, hmm maybe I’ll like this and then I read it and think, man I really, really liked this book. It was so easy to fall into and just a pleasure to read that I’m kinda sad that I finished it so fast. I didn’t have time to savor the characters because my greedy eyes wanted to read it all and take it all in and man, I really, really liked this book.

The book is about Ramona Elise Griffen getting her groove back. It’s been two years since her husband died and she’s got a lot of unanswered questions and issues that she’s got to go through in order to truly let him go and move on with her life. She’s got two little boys and she’s functioned because of them but she hasn’t really been alive in the real sense of the word since Joel, her late husband died. Then one day, she goes to work (she’s a linguist and she’s an English teacher, who teaches immigrants how to speak English) and her roll sheet says she’s got a Leonardo da Vinci in her class, not the ancient guy but a real, modern day da Vinci and she’s a little excited except he’s not there when she takes roll so she starts class without him and then when he finally turns up, he’s not at all what she expected him to look like because he’s young and extremely hot.

He’s hot and extremely charming and the next thing Ramona knows, she’s inviting him to stay in Joel’s old studio because he needed a place to stay and she becomes his safe haven at the same time that he becomes hers.

This book was one of those books where the main character (in this case, Ramona) grows emotionally and becomes a very strong person at the end. You can see at the beginning that she’s leading a very chaotic life, which is hard to lead on any given day but when you’ve just lost your husband and you’re grieving like crazy, it can be even more chaotic and that’s pretty much the way that Ramona is living her life. She’s got some crazy regrets as far as her husband goes, she’s got some unsettled emotions that won’t let her move on and she’s got her two little boys to care for, her matchmaking Mom and Mother in Law who wants to see her happy again. So we start off, seeing Ramona trying to just get by and as the book wore on, we see her come back to the world of living one step at a time and at times it felt like she was slowly progressing and you just wanted to yank her into the present and keep her safely out of the past because that’s pretty much what she was doing, she couldn’t let go of the past so she didn’t have much of a future.

I was glad that da Vinci helped her come back to life. I was glad that he could open her eyes to the life that she was missing out on and I was glad that he was there for her but from the very beginning, I didn’t like him for Ramona. Not only were they too different, they just didn’t fit well together. He was a good friend to her but I didn’t see sky rockets where these two were concerned.

All in all, this book was an extremely well written story that captivated me from the very beginning. I fell in love with the characters and Ramona’s journey. I was glad that all of her questions were answered and I was glad that her love for Joel wasn’t something that she’d ever forget and I just really, really enjoyed this story. I will definitely be reading more by Ms. Lott and I’m happy to have been given the chance to read this one.

A really good read, I definitely recommend this book for those lazy weekends when a good book is all that’s needed to make the weekend a good one.

This book is available from Sourcebooks Publishing. You can buy it here.

Posted by Rowena at 6:00 AM

Labels: 4.75 Reviews, Chick Lit, Malena Lott, Sourcebooks Casablanca, Wena’s Reviews


Monday, August 18, 2008
Dating da Vinci, by Malena Lott

The heroine of Malena Lott’s novel Dating da Vinci is a 36-year-old linguist named Ramona Elise. The widowed mother of two young boys, Ramona is still mourning her husband, who died two years earlier. She can’t seem to get past her grief—until she meets Leonardo da Vinci, a gorgeous, 25-year-old Italian immigrant who joins her English class. Leonardo needs her help (language lessons, friendship, a place to stay), and their unexpected relationship allows Ramona to let go of some of her pain.

At first glance, Dating da Vinci looks like yet another story about an unhappy woman rediscovering happiness after an affair with a younger man (picture, if you will, a Texas-based hybrid of How Stella Got Her Groove Back and Under the Tuscan Sun). Happily, Lott takes her story in several surprising directions: she throws some serious curveballs in her wise-in-the-ways-of-love Italian stereotype, and Ramona, in a refreshing plot twist, discovers that some of her carefully nursed unhappiness was the product of her own insecurities. We may have seen similar plot set-ups before, but that doesn’t detract from Dating da Vinci’s charm—it’s thoughtful, heartfelt, and undeniably engaging, and we look forward to seeing more of Ms. Lott’s work.

Note: Dating da Vinci will be released on November 01, 2008.