Margo Harrington, the lead character in Hellenga’s 1994 novel, Sixteen Pleasures, is a book conservator who came to Florence after the 1966 floods. She is now in her late fifties and has established a life in Florence. Margo faces the unusual experience of seeing her life turned into a motion picture. Her memoir, “Sixteen Pleasures”, told of her affair with an older Italian scholar and her discovery of a Renaissance book of erotic poetry. It is now being made into a film in her own neighborhood. Unknown to Margo, the producer has plans to make her intricate story into a popularized romantic comedy. The director, Michael, is terminally ill and is determined to produce a masterpiece.

The leading actress, 29-year old Miranda, is surprised and annoyed that the older Italian leading actor, a notorious ladies man, is not interested in her but in an older woman, Michael’s wife.

Okay, this sounds very soap opera-ish but it is a step above a trivia romance and a lot of fun to read. We learn a great deal about Italian life, movies, art and food. Also, The Italian Lover  has some very witty moments. So for lovers of all things Italian, what’s not to like?