For every family that is Italian going back several generations, this will sound familiar: It's a known fact that Italian women are passionate about everything, especially family, and they know that food is the essence of life.
Stephanie (Stevie) Valentini's story begins with her Bisnonna (great-grandmother) Paola in a village in Italy after WW2. In 2021, she is searching for something. She's just not sure what that something is.
The chef in her family's trattoria, Stephanie's life has imploded. Suddenly single, suffering from Covid burnout, and about to turn thirty, she impulsively agrees to help best friend Kim with her pop-up jewelry shop on a Mediterranean cruise. Feeling lost, she's not convinced she even needs to be found. What she discovers on this voyage is magic that might change her forever.
This gourmet food cruise is on a small ship with ten stops of three days in exciting ports from Barcelona to Venice. Time with Kim can only help heal Stephanie's wounded heart as they have laughed and cried their way through life together as only besties can. They will be crew on this cruise and not paying passengers. Kim understands Stephanie does not want anyone to know she is the TikTok star of Stevie Valentini's Pasta Party. Nor does she want any romance.
With each passing port, adventures continue, surprises occur and the final outcome once Venice is reached could not have been anticipated, particularly by Stephanie.
Join bestselling author Patricia Sands as she whisks you away in the latest adventure in the Sail Away series. Lose yourself on the sparkling Mediterranean in a story of family, friendship and food.
My thoughts about Lost at Sea ~
(I love to note the first lines of the books I'm reading. First lines can really grab a reader's attention and I love seeing where the author takes the reader after their first line.)
First line—"For every family that is Italian going back several generations, this will sound familiar: It's a known fact that Italian women are passionate about everything, especially family, and they know that food is the essence of life."
I'm a huge fan of this series and I especially love the work of this week's author. Patricia Sands' stories always take me on wonderful, little vacations, allowing me to escape my life for a bit. Lost at Sea was just the mini vacation I needed right now. I was able to spend time on a wonderful cruise full of fantastic people, beautiful scenery and tempting, yummy-sounding food.
Stevie Valentini is burnt out and goes on this cruise with her best friend, to get away from her career and to reset her life. Not wanting to outed for the wonderful chef that she is, she makes friends and keeps her identify a secret. That was fun to watch, as she tries to rein in her foodie expertise.
Like all the books in this series, Stevie learns so much about herself while cruising and is on the path for figuring out her life. Lost at Sea will sweep you up and land you in an amazing place, enjoying the beautiful scenery just as if you were there. I could almost smell the wonderful aromas of the food they all enjoyed. Thanks, Patricia, for once again allowing me to enjoy this little trip to another world.
I highly recommend Lost at Sea, as well as this whole series, as an escape and as a way to experience the fun of a cruise or two, or eight.
I received a copy of Lost at Sea from the author and this is my honest opinion.
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Get ready to set sail on the trip of a lifetime! Eight amazing authors have come together to create this fun series, each book set on a cruise ship but with individual stories and characters. I have read a few of these authors, and love them already. Some are new-to-me authors but I'm excited to give their books a try.
Welcome Aboard contains the prologue to each story so the reader can get a taste of the story before it comes out. I have to admit that I am intrigued by all of them and can't wait to read all of the stories. Some of the characters have already grabbed my heart.
You can snag Welcome Aboard for free right now. Check it out and then sit back and wait in anticipation for each release, like I will be. I know it's going to be fun!
★ Don’t miss a Sail Away book! ★
Book 1: Welcome Aboard – prologue book
Book 2: The Sound of the Sea by Jessie Newton
Book 3: Uncharted Waters by Tammy L. Grace
Book 4: A Not So Distant Shore by Ev Bishop
Book 5: Caroline, Adrift by Kay Bratt
Book 6: Moonlight On the Lido Deck by Violet Howe
Book 7: The Winning Tickets by Judith Keim
Book 8: Lost At Sea by Patricia Sands
Book 9: The Last Port of Call by Elizabeth Bromke
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