Rococo

Turn off the usual track to find yourself. A warm story about love and growing up

A new release from the author of the novels "The Shoemaker’s Wife," "Don’t Put Good Off Until Later," and "Tony’s Wife"—about a woman determined to build her own life before it’s too late.

Jess Baratta lives in her hometown, the small town of Lake Como in New Jersey, far from the life she has always dreamed of. After leaving behind a marriage to the “perfect husband,” she returns home to her parents to hide from the world and to heal the emotional wounds after her divorce. There she finds all the same familiar faces, other people’s expectations, and the family business trading in Italian marble. Jess is used to living for others, constantly putting herself last. Yet despite her gentle, non-confrontational nature and her role as a servant in the family, Jess has an unparalleled talent as a draftsman—something her Uncle Louis, who manages the family firm, knows firsthand.

Unexpectedly, Louis dies, naming his business heir his niece, Jess. The newly acquired burden of responsibility and the family rift drive the girl to flee to the ancestral homeland of her forefathers—to Italian Carrara, where the famous marble is quarried. It is there, in the heart of Tuscany, that she encounters picturesque landscapes, bright sunshine, and the REAL Lake Como. Jess immerses herself in an entirely different circle of acquaintances, meets a wonderful Italian man, and finds hope for happiness. But is it really that easy to break out of the boundaries of her familiar role—the dutiful daughter, the reliable niece, and the convenient person—and begin living her own life?

Actress Marina Lisovets lovingly brought this warm, bittersweet story of late coming-of-age, of love that heals, and of the courage required to find one’s own path.