All her books are fabulous...favorite so far is "Lucia Lucia". She writes with such compassion and you actually feel that you are there. After reading some of her books I have learned about the shoe industry and the clothing industry. Cannot put her books down.

This was the first book I read from this author and I absolutely LOVED it! It was a long read but I enjoyed every page.

I thought this book would be a sweet love story from all the reviews but it was probably the cheesiest thing I've ever read. The author created very sappy one-dimensional characters and too many things happened towards the end; a simpler, shorter book would have been better.

I absolutely LOVED this book and I didn't want it to end! I will be reading her other books now.

Written in overly descriptive, repetitive prose, this unimaginative, sappy book failed to get my attention. I finished hoping it would pick up in plot or depth, but was sadly disappointed to see it was another immigrant story - of which I have read many - highlighted by an unethical, perverted priest. This happened before WW I! Why hasn't the church made progress in this?!?!?! The characters didn't grab me. Ciro was boring! Enza overcame many challenges but very similar to many stories I have read. If you have read a lot of the immigrant comes to America stories and thrives, skip this one!

This old-fashioned love story, which starts in the Italian alps and ends in Minnesota, brought me to tears. Adriana Trigiani writes about Ciro and Enza in a way that seems so real you cannot help but fall in love with them as if they were actual people you once met. Written around experiences of new American immigrants and spanning the two World Wars, the Shoemaker's Wife is a welcome story which focusses on ordinary people and not your typical rich heroes and heroines.

My first Adriana Trigiani book, but definitely not my last! Trigiani made me want to visit Italy with her wonderful descriptive writing. She had me enthralled right at the beginning of the novel. A great read!

Pennie Clark Ianniciello, Costco's book buyer, has chosen The Shoemaker's Wife as her pick of the month for September 2012. "Inspired by the story of the author's grandparents, who grew up five miles apart in the Italian Alps but didn't meet until they were both living in New Jersey, this novel serves as a meaningful piece of historical fiction in the descriptions of the Italian immigrant experience and life during wartime. "The love flowing through this book isn't just the romance between the two main characters, it's the love Trigiani has for her family, in particular her grandparents. It's the kind of love that will make you want to leaf through old photo albums, give your parents a call and wish a story this beautiful didn't have to end."

Lovingly told immigrant story - I wasn't surprised to discover that it was a tribute to Ms. Trigiani's grandparents. I found the middle section too draggy and implausible. YMMV.

I almost couldn't make it through this book! I don't know what it was about it but I didn't feel a connection with any of the characters. None of the characters had any feelings and when they did talk about how they felt, it was usually years after it was relevant. Everything was so disjointed, it was painful to read.