Women in Sunlight

The author of Under the Tuscan Sun, Frances Mayes has written another great novel based in the region of Tuscany. Three vibrant women, Julia, Camille and Susan, all in their 60s or 70s, meet at a new over-fifty-five community in North Carolina, where they are considering a possible purchase. However, they really hit it off, and Susan offers them a stay at her beach house. From there, she persuades the others to split a yearly rental fee for a villa in Tuscany. They agree, and have the time of their lives living in Italy. Mayes’ descriptions of Tuscany will leave you wanting to visit and perhaps move there; the residents are friendly, and the food is delicious. The points of view move from one character to another, including a fourth: Kit Raines, a young poet who lives across the street and is befriended by the American ladies. All in all, a very enjoyable story with a satisfying ending.