Gelato at the Villa

Gunn follows up Tea with Elephants with a clumsy tale of travel, spiritual renewal, and new beginnings. Grace and Claire first connect at a coffee shop, bonding over their shared love of books. Years later, the two friends are struggling with their own personal crises—Grace is grappling with a stressful job as a receptionist, while Claire’s reeling from the recent deaths of her parents—and they decide to seek a fresh start in Italy, where they enjoy pasta, gelato, and sightseeing. Paulina, the enigmatic owner of the out-of-the-way villa where they’re staying, shows them the sights of Venice, including a series of awe-inspiring churches that spur Claire to rethink her abandoned faith. First, though, she’ll need to open up about a traumatic childhood trip to Rome that drove her away from God, wrecking her relationship with her parents in the process. While vivid descriptions of Italian food, art, and culture add color, the plot is hampered by clunky writing and awkward dialogue, and Claire’s spiritual reawakening feels forced. Readers in the market for a sweet, faith-filled travel adventure would be better served by Pepper Basham’s Some Like It Scot. (Aug.)