Keeping a reader enthralled for the duration of a book is a talent many authors possess. However, very few writers have the ability to hold the attention of a reader by crafting a thrilling series that goes on for several books. Adriana Trigiani is one of those authors who belongs to the latter category.
Having been a writer for over two decades, she has crafted standalones as well as series, and her Valentine series is an example of a trilogy that readers absolutely love and enjoy.
Comprising of three novels, the books in the series are titled Very Valentine, Brava, Valentine, and The Supreme Macaroni Company, and they were released in 2009, 2010, and 2013 respectively.
By combining humor and emotions, Trigiani very deftly gets into the nuances of the romance genre and gives her readers everything they desire. The author’s own Italian American heritage is reflected in the way she develops certain aspects of the novels.
Trigiani has a fabulous ability to combine autobiographical elements with fiction, thereby intermingling her personal experiences with almost fantastical ones, and this amalgamation is what makes the readers want to keep turning the pages.
In this article, we will be diving deep into the summary of the Valentine series while also exploring the characters and quotes penned down by the writer.
Table of Contents
The Chronological List of Valentine Series
Summary of The Valentine Series
As the Valentine series is divided into three books, we will be looking at the summaries of all the novels individually. So, let’s get right to it, shall we?
| Sr. No. | Title | Publication Date | Print Length | Publisher | Where to Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Very Valentine | February 4, 2009 | 562 pages | Harper | |
| 2 | Brava, Valentine | November 9, 2010 | 332 pages | Harper Perennial | |
| 3 | The Supreme Macaroni Company | May 6, 2014 | 352 pages | Harper Paperbacks |
1. Very Valentine
In the first novel of the trilogy, we meet 33-year-old Valentine Roncalli. Her family owns Angelini Shoe Company, an establishment that has been making intricate wedding shoes since 1903. However, the family business is on the verge of financial ruin, and it’s on Valentine’s shoulders to save it from collapsing.
Valentine has been an apprentice working under her 80-year-old grandmother named Teodora, gaining skills related to shoemaking and running a business. Her brother, Alfred, wants to sell the business and send their grandmother to a retirement home.
However, Teodora and Valentine believe they can save the business and make it relevant enough for the current generation. Together, the two of them take a trip to Italy, which turns into a whirlwind of affairs.
Valentine meets Dominic, who has been her grandmother’s lover for a long time, and she finds herself feeling attracted towards Gianluca, Dominic’s son. Confusion arises in Valentine’s heart because back in Greenwich Village, she has been developing a relationship with a chef named Roman Falconi.
The novel navigates the romantic oscillations faced by Valentine and the extremes she goes to in order to keep her family’s legacy alive.
2. Brava, Valentine
The second novel in the series begins with the wedding of Teodora and Dominic. It’s an emotional moment for Valentine as she will no longer have the constant guidance from her grandmother.
Instead, she has to deal with her brother, Alfred, who has become the CFO of the family business, while Valentine has been planning on adding mass-produced daywear to the products manufactured by the company.
She is having her apartment redecorated by her buddy, Gabriel, and she also flies down to Buenos Aires to meet her long-lost cousin and discuss further about the business of shoemaking.
Meanwhile, the romance with Gianluca has been growing more passion and heat than ever before, with him confessing his love for her through long letters.
However, Valentine has been overwhelmed with the work pressure and begins to wonder if she can juggle a relationship while also managing her professional duties. Will her love story survive? That’s the question this book answers.
3. The Supreme Macaroni Company
The Supreme Macaroni Company is the third and last book in the Valentine series. The novel opens with Gianluca proposing to Valentine.
We’re made aware of all the conflicts that exist in the relationship that go beyond the age gap. They both have had chaotic relationships in the past, Gianluca wants to remain in Italy, and Valentine isn’t sure of how he will fit into the equation of the shoe business.
Despite these reservations, the two of them get married, and the majority of the novel focuses on the wedding plans and the madness around them. There is a jump in the timeline during which we learn of the current state of the business and the fact that the couple now have a daughter.
The mixture of family, love, and wedding planning perfectly ties up the last book in this series.
Review of the Valentine Series
One of the strongest features of the Valentine series by Trigiani is just how seamlessly the author blends romance, ambition, and familial bonds.
Right from the beginning, we’re introduced to the family members, and light is shed upon the equation Valentine shares with them, thereby stating time and again just how vital her family is to her.
Trigiani creates a protagonist who is driven and goal-oriented and wants to make something of her life. She is passionate and refuses to let the hurdles get her down, thereby emerging as the warrior who saves the family business from doom.
The soft and nurturing bond between a grandmother and granddaughter is one that will make you nostalgic for your own childhood. The romance between the characters takes center stage for the majority of the series and is quite well-developed.
The best part is that the author doesn’t just show the love story between the younger characters but also focuses on the romance between the older ones, thereby stressing on the fact that romantic love can exist across all age groups.
Characters in the Valentine Series
The author populates this particular trilogy with very many interesting characters. A couple of them we meet in the series include:
1. Valentine Roncalli
Valentine is the protagonist of the series. She spends a lot of her time learning about shoe making and the ways of running a business from her grandmother. She juggles her personal and professional goals throughout the trilogy.
2. Teodora
Teodora is Valentine’s grandmother, and the two have a strong and sweet bond. It is later discovered that Teodora has a secret lover to whom she gets married.
3. Dominic
Dominic is revealed to be Teodora’s longtime lover. Their relationship eventually comes out in the open, and they get married.
4. Gianluca
Gianluca is Dominic’s son. He develops feelings for Valentine when they meet, and the two of them get married and start a family through the course of the series.
Quotes
Trigiani is quite a wizard with words, and much like her other series, the Valentine series too is filled with memorable quotes. Some of them are as follows:
“That’s when you know for sure somebody loves you. They figure out what you need and they give it to you — without you asking.”
“I used to believe my art had to be about the things that brought me joy and gave me hope. But I learned that art can be found in all of life, even in pain.”
“A handwritten letter carries a lot of risk. It’s a one-sided conversation that reveals the truth of the writer.”
“Sometimes redemption lands in your life like a bird and looks you straight in the eye, even when you believe you don’t deserve forgiveness.”
“Women give men a place to go. A man is a useless piece of equipment whose purpose is lost if it were not for women.”
“There isn’t anything a parent won’t do for her child. There is no limit on love.”
“The worst punishment you can give a man is to isolate him. I’ve never seen one who can handle it.”
“I have decided that love is only real and true when it makes you feel safe.”
“Love has a funny way of showing up when you aren’t looking for it and didn’t plan on it.”
“It’s important to accept a happy life when it’s presented to you. The only time you can go wrong is when you make a decision to please others and not yourself.”
Movies And TV Adaptations
Of all the novels present in the Valentine series, the first book has been made into a movie of the same name. It was released in 2019, starring Kelen Coleman, Liam McIntyre, Paolo Bernardini, Fabio Testi, and Jacqueline Bisset.
Conclusion
Containing all the necessary elements for a spicy and colorful series, Trigiani cooks the Valentine trilogy to keep the reader guessing until the very last page. The books contain every ingredient that has come to be associated with the writer’s trademark style.
Trigiani provides such vivid descriptions of the food, locations, and accessories that the readers feel like they can almost touch the shoes being mentioned or feel the breeze of the Italian places on their skin.
So, whether you’re someone who is picking up Trigiani’s books for the first time or a devoted fan who has been consuming her novels for ages, this is a series you’re bound to get attached to and devour.
