Over twenty years ago,
Wendy Ramer arrived at the shores of Spain and discovered duende, the magical fire that dwells in the rivers and plains and
that made her fall in love with the country, inspiring her to write five novels
in its homage. This collection of three stories is her personal love letter to
the land that has become her second home. Looking for Anita
How important are childhood friendships in determining who we become? How crippling is nostalgia when it settles too deeply in our hearts?
In the summer of 1976, newly-orphaned Jennifer meets Betty, who lives across the street with her overprotective immigrant parents. When the girls become best friends, they develop a camaraderie that erases the cultural divide of 1970s Miami. But when Betty’s family mysteriously disappears four years later amidst the news of Cuba’s Mariel Boatlift, Jennifer’s renewed sense of abandonment sparks her decades-long struggle to accept her past and find her place in the present.
Looking for Anita follows Jennifer through adolescence to middle age, from Miami to Spain and home again, as she fights the pain of inescapable nostalgia and unanswered questions. Just as she is ready to move on, Jennifer discovers what became of Betty. What she finds will challenge everything she believes to be true in this story of childhood friendship and the magic that can happen if we never lose hope.
“Wendy Ramer mixes chick lit with travelogue and [the feel of a] heartfelt memoir to craft Looking for Anita. It’s a fresh take on female friendship, underlay with a soundtrack by iconic 70’s pop group, ABBA. Mamma Mia, this is one fine book!” - Deborah Sharp, author of the Mace Bauer Mystery series
When American expatriate Millie Gossett leaves her home in northern Italy to visit her estranged parents in Miami, she leaves behind a strained marriage and a young son, while another woman’s hatred towards Jews evolves into a misdirected vendetta. What follows is the saga of a mother’s struggle to rebuild her life while never losing hope for a future with her lost son.
In Enzo’s Mamma, Wendy Ramer transforms her Mediterranean living experiences into a fictional story of love and devotion, laced with anti-Semitism and vengeance, as she takes the reader on a journey that covers Bologna, Italy; Lugano, Switzerland; Syracuse, New York; and South Florida. Lose yourself in the great escape of Enzo’s Mamma.
"Enzo's Mamma was fantastic. The sense of pacing was perfect. I truly got to know the characters, specifically Millie, and was so touched by her experiences. The plot came full-circle, karmic debts were paid, and every story line was laced up by the end. Bravo! I'm so glad to have read this book." - Nicole Ducleroir, author of Mariposa, featured in Writer's Bump Anthology: Volume 1: The Best Short Stories from the Best New Writers
"Wendy Ramer has crafted a delightful story that will pull on your heartstrings with her strong feeling for her son and her characters' great emotional depth. It promises to mesmerize readers with its poignancy. With her setting in lovely Italy, it will draw you in to a turbulent family and a sensitive plot. Truly a page turner and a wonderful read from this fresh, new voice." - Alinka Zyrmont, author of Forbidden Passion
"Enzo's Mamma was fantastic. The sense of pacing was perfect. I truly got to know the characters, specifically Millie, and was so touched by her experiences. The plot came full-circle, karmic debts were paid, and every story line was laced up by the end. Bravo! I'm so glad to have read this book." - Nicole Ducleroir, author of Mariposa, featured in Writer's Bump Anthology: Volume 1: The Best Short Stories from the Best New Writers
"Wendy Ramer has crafted a delightful story that will pull on your heartstrings with her strong feeling for her son and her characters' great emotional depth. It promises to mesmerize readers with its poignancy. With her setting in lovely Italy, it will draw you in to a turbulent family and a sensitive plot. Truly a page turner and a wonderful read from this fresh, new voice." - Alinka Zyrmont, author of Forbidden Passion
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ReplyDeleteYour comments about childhood friendships and nostalgia got me to thinking.
ReplyDeleteChildhood friendships are important, but if we catch ourselves ensnared with excessive nostlagia, then our present is insufficient somehow. As we age, we should grow better not emptier. If we feel empty, it is time to check our goals and our assets to reach those goals.
Today is all we have. Let's make the most of it. Roland
Nice blog. Congratulations!
ReplyDeleteDaniel D. Peaceman, writer and editor of CHMagazine
In your honour and in the honour of wall the Writwrs and Poets, I published an ilustration.
ReplyDeleteBoth books sound like really good reads but I especially liked Looking for Anita! All friendships are important but I believe childhood friends have special places, they help shape our characters. I’ll definitely be reading Looking for Anita :)
ReplyDeleteLua~ Thank you for your support!
ReplyDeleteThese sound like fantastic reads, Wendy! Congrats on your excellent reviews.
ReplyDeleteYour books sound fascinating! All the best with them.
ReplyDeleteBoth sound fascinating, especially the second.
ReplyDeleteBringing the past and present together always make for interesting reading.
I'll have to see if they are on the Book Depository (free postage down to Oz)
Great reviews. Adding both these books to my TBR pile. Agree with you on childhood friendships. So important.
ReplyDeleteLooking for Anita, sounds interesting.
ReplyDeleteWill have a look at this one.
Sadako & Haddock~ Thanks for the interest. I wanted you both to know that my active blog is http://onnonnon.blogspot.com, which I think Sadako has already visited. Thanks :-D
ReplyDelete