The story of a single woman's travels to Italy from the age of 17 through retirement. The book details all the types of accommodations such as the agriturismi, the apartments, farmhouses, vineyards, and riding centers she stayed and the romances and friends acquired along the way. Each chapter begins with the author's life at home and the reasons she returns each time.

When Laura Fraser's husband leaves her for his high school sweetheart, she takes off, on impulse, for Italy, and discovers not only a lasting sense of pleasure, but a more fully recovered sense of her emotional and sexual self. “Sweet, smart. We are smitten from the start.” —O: The Oprah Magazine When Laura Fraser's husband leaves her for his high school sweetheart, she takes off, on impulse, for Italy, hoping to leave some of her sadness behind. There, on the island of Ischia, she meets M., an aesthetics professor from Paris with an oversized love of life. What they both assume will be a casual vacation tryst turns into a passionate, transatlantic love affair, as they rendezvous in London, Marrakech, Milan, the Aeolian Islands, and San Francisco. Each encounter is a delirious immersion into place (sumptuous food and wine, dazzling scenery, lush gardens, and vibrant streetscapes) and into each other. And with each experience, Laura brings home not only a lasting sense of pleasure, but a more fully recovered sense of her emotional and sexual self. Written with an observant eye, an open mind, and a delightful sense of humor, An Italian Affair has the irresistible honesty of a story told from and about the heart.

Join author Darlene Marwitz as she departs from her architectural background and succumbs to the pleasures of Italy -- all year long. Follow along as she renews her post-forty spirit by pursuing her passion and by indulging in engaging (and often humorous) ways to feed an Italy fever. Marwitz shares old and new ideas and humble experiences to help readers discover, interpret, and incorporate pieces of Italy into their own daily lives. From talking to a map of Italy on her walls to collecting old postcards of Venice and Rome, from sampling gelato combinations and calling it research to overdosing on Verdi and Puccini, from stalking used bookstores for Italy-looking and -sounding titles to marathon movie weekends via video -- she is smitten, even obsessed with all things Italian. With gusto, Italy Fever is sprinkled with favorite references to food, books, movies, operas, and websites.

Annette Joseph’s years in Italy revealed this truth: Italy, in all its multifaceted, glorious history and culture has to be experienced in full. Over almost three decades, Italy has fed, entertained, confused, excited, lured, promised, lied, satisfied, occasionally disappointed, and utterly enchanted her. She’s left, but can't stay away—she’ll always return. Always. Just like a beloved partner…Italy Is My Boyfriend will take you through the journey of finding love, life, and a sense of home. While often times a lonely, challenging place, never once did the love for this special place waiver. See how one very determined lady finds her dream place in the Tuscan sun.

A jubilant celebration of Italy’s outsize impact on culture, from literature to art, music to movies, that “masterfully examines the multitude of reasons why so many people fall in love with Italy and the Italian lifestyle” (Forbes) Can you imagine painting without Leonardo, opera without Verdi, fashion without Armani, food without the signature tastes of pasta, gelato, and pizza? The first universities, first banks, first public libraries? All Italian. New York Times bestselling author Dianne Hales attributes these landmark achievements to la passione italiana, a primal force that stems from an insatiable hunger to discover and create; to love and live with every fiber of one's being. This fierce drive, millennia in the making, blazes to life in the Sistine Chapel, surges through a Puccini aria, deepens a vintage Brunello, and rumbles in a gleaming Ferrari engine. Our ideal tour guide, Hales sweeps readers along on her adventurous quest for the secrets of la passione. She swims in the playgrounds of mythic gods, shadows artisanal makers of chocolate and cheese, joins in Sicily’s Holy Week traditions, celebrates a neighborhood Carnevale in Venice, and explores pagan temples, vineyards, silk mills, movie sets, crafts studios, and fashion salons. She introduces us, through sumptuous prose, to unforgettable Italians, historical and contemporary, all brimming with the greatest of Italian passions—for life itself. A lyrical portrait of a spirit as well as a nation, La Passione appeals to the Italian in all our souls, inspiring us to be as daring as Italy’s gladiators, as eloquent as its poets, as alluring as its beauties, and as irresistible as its lovers. Praise for La Passione “[An] effervescent love letter to all things Italian.”—Newsday “In this sweeping account of la passione italiana from ancient to modern times, Dianne Hales shows once again why she is one the world’s foremost guides to the riches of Italian culture. Every page resonates with the author’s love for Italy and her joy in sharing its remarkable discoveries and exquisite pleasures with her readers.” —Joseph Luzzi, author of My Two Italies and In a Dark Wood “Hales takes us on an enriching and delightful journey, filled with fascinating characters, scintillating sensual details, and an authentic connection to the ever-inspiring Italian heart and soul that has given the world boundless pleasures.” —Susan Van Allen, author of 100 Places in Italy Every Woman Should Go

“I resisted, but she drew me back. I stayed away, but she beckoned me. I distanced myself, but she haunted me. I even rejected her but she did not abandon me...” This work of nonfiction is divided into chapters in which the reader experiences aspects of art, culture, history and the present through the eyes of the writer and of the inhabitants of Rome, past and present. Show Less She Seduced Me is that rare book in which the reader becomes part of a magical world in which places, monuments and artists come alive through their stories. In this case, however, that world is Rome and the reader becomes a participant in the ebb and flow of the city and gains insight into why so many have fallen in love with Rome despite its faults. The journey commences with the reader accompanying the author who, standing in front of Michelangelo’s Moses statue, mouth agape, almost hears the artist scream at his creation: “Speak!” From this an odyssey of wonder begins: what is the story behind the Trevi fountain, behind that rock in the middle of the Roman Forum, behind all those priests and nuns everywhere, behind everything one stumbles upon, wonders about and takes selfies in front of? The quest is to uncover those stories. Author and reader continue to explore the life in the piazzas, experience camaraderie with street performers, see history through all the senses, get lost in Rome, observe Americans and foreigners, discover unique places to eat, speak with Romans, explore the houses of Nero, Augustus and Livia, encounter Caravaggio and chats with expats. This work is a virtual tour through a magical city that educates and enthralls.

Her travel book captures the allure of Italy's Amalfi Coast, as Margie Miklas takes us on a journey of personal experiences through storytelling. An award-winning author and travel blogger, Margie has traveled to the Amalfi Coast more than any other area of Italy and has fallen in love with the beauty of its rugged landscape and rocky coastline. Through real-life stories, humor, travel advice, and practical information, she'll entice you to plan your next trip and maybe even experience your own love affair. Discover: Various transportation options and how to get around Less touristy towns and other hidden gems Local people who are happy to share their passion The cities that make the best hubs for day excursions The location that provided the inspiration to write The Amalfi Coast is waiting for you. All you have to do is make it happen. The helpful hints in this book will get you started.