River City Book 1
A group of strangers meets at Ragazzi, an Italian restaurant, for a cooking lesson that will change them all. They quickly become intertwined in each other's lives, and a bit of magic touches each of them.
Meet Dave, the consultant who lost his partner; Matteo and Diego, the couple who run the restaurant; recently-widowed Carmelina; Marcos, a web designer getting too old for hook-ups; Ben, a trans author writing the Great American Novel; teenager Marissa, kicked out for being bi; and Sam and Brad, a May-September couple who would never have gotten together without a little magic of their own.
Everyone in the River City has a secret, and sooner or later secrets always come out.
Matteo stared out the restaurant window into the darkness of Folsom Boulevard. It was getting dark earlier as summer edged into fall. Streetlights flickered on as cars drifted by, looking for parking or making the trip out of Midtown toward home.
The sign on the window read âRagazziâ (the boys), lettered in a beautiful golden script just two months old. Investing in this little restaurant his uncle had left to them when he'd passed away had been their ticket out of Italy. But now with each passing day, as seats sat empty and tomatoes, pasta, and garlic went uneaten, the worry was gnawing ever deeper into Matteo's gut.
Behind him in the open, modernized kitchen, Diego was busy cookingâhis mother's lasagne, some fresh fish from San Francisco, and some of the newer Italian dishes they'd brought with them from Bologna. The smells of boiling sauce and fresh-cooked pasta that emanated from the kitchen were entrancing.
READ MOREThey'd sent the rest of the staff âMax and Justinâhome for the evening. The three customers who had shown up so far didn't justify the cost of keeping their waiter and busboy on hand.
Matteo stopped at the couple's table in front of the other window. "Buona sera," he said, smiling his brightest Italian smile.
"Hi," the man said, smiling back at him. He was a gentleman in about his mid-fifties, wearing a golf shirt and floppy hat. "Kinda quiet tonight, huh?"
"It always gets busier later," Matteo lied smoothly. "Pleasure to have you here. Can I get you anything else?"
"A little more wine, please?" the woman said, holding out her glass so the charm bracelet on her wrist jangled.
"Of course." He bowed and ducked into the kitchen.
He gave Diego a quick peck on the cheek.
His husband and chef waved him off with a snort. "PiĂš tardi. Sto preparando la cena."
"I can see that. Dinner for a hundred, is it? Itâs dead out there again tonight.â
Diego shot him a dirty look.
Matteo retrieved the bottle of wine from the case and returned to fill up his guests' glasses. âWhat brings you in tonight?â Maybe they saw our ad.âŚ
âJust walking by and we were hungry. I miss the old place though.⌠What was it called, honey?â
Her husband scratched his chin. âLittle Italy, I think?â
âThatâs it! It was the cutest place. Checkered tablecloths, those great Italian bottles with the melted wax⌠so Italian.â
Matteo groaned inside. âSo glad you came inâ was all he said with another smile.
COLLAPSEAll the characters here are so beautifully created, so multidimensional that they are all on equal footing. Each and every one is so important to the story and will gain equal measure in your heart. Itâs a large cast but it simply doesnât matter. You invest yourself completely in their lives and their stories. You hurt with them, you laugh with themâŚthe entire spectrum of emotion will be trotted out here between the kids thrown out of their homes to the May/December romances and so much more.
The River City Chronicles is a rich tapestry of livesâŚmessy, complicated, wonderful, human lives. Itâs filled with love, cooking, Italy through the language and recipes, and the singular location of Sacramento. And I canât get enough of it.
I want more of it.
Like visiting that restaurant you have picked out as yours and visit over and over because the food is perfect, the atmosphere warm and welcoming, the people inside familiar and everything about the place makes you anticipate an evening that will fill your heart with love and memories. Thatâs how The River City Chronicles makes me feel as well. I hope that J. Scott Coatsworth feels that thereâs more tales to tell here. I certainly hope so. Ragazzi is doing so well, so are the cooking classes. Who knows who will show up next? Scott, are you listening?
Trust me, this book is magical. I highly recommend it.
