The Weight of Salt: A Gripping Story of Love and Courage. (Angelina Pirrello Saga)

Product Description

In an era of two colliding worlds…At the height of women’s fight to gain a vote…A young girl falls in love and must discern the truth from the illusions that surround her.In 1906 Florida, the cigar capital of the world, suffragettes march for a vote, the Mafia terrorizes neighborhoods, and girls are expected to marry whom their strict Sicilian fathers choose. Angelina Pirrello, dutiful, bright, and ambitious, finds herself abruptly torn from her mother and left to abide by her well-meaning Italian father’s rigid beliefs. When she falls in love with a suitor who doesn’t meet the ideal her father has set, she finds herself promised in an arranged marriage to a man she detests. Forced to choose between her father, and following her heart, Angelina makes a daring move to take destiny into her own hands.But such a choice comes with devastating consequences that threaten to shatter her world…Travel on a journey of love, heartbreak, passion, and the unexpected with Angelina as she discovers “The Weight of Salt.”Get it now.

Review

In Montanino’s debut historical novel, the young daughter of Sicilian immigrants struggles to carve her own path in the early 20th century. Overall, this is a poignant family saga that portrays the social, political, and economic struggles of its time. The factory scenes allow Montanino to provide a thorough primer on the intricacies of hand-rolled cigar manufacturing, from humidifying the leaves to stripping off the stems, sorting the leaves, and rolling the cigars. Pasquale and next-door-neighbor Signora Bertelli-who peppers everything she says with Italian curses and benedictions-prove to be the two most amusing and charming characters in the novel, providing relief from the drama’s darker but still compelling moments. Sequels are planned. An engaging coming-of-age story set in an eventful era. — Kirkus Reviews

“A story that is compelling, complex, and especially satisfying. It’s highly recommended reading for historical romance readers who look for an emphasis on the sociology and history of the times as well as evolving romance.” — D. Donovan, Sr. Reviewer, Midwest Book Review

About the Author

By the age of eight, Sandra Montanino, lived in three different countries. Born into a large Italian, Basque, and Panamanian family, these rich exposures immersed her into a wealth of cultures, languages, provincial superstitions, and an endless fascination with her family of storytellers. The stories enriched her life and ignited her imagination. The Original Recipe was an article featured in Ancestry Magazine about her family’s obsession with who makes the best pasta sauce. Sandra found that her treasure chest of tales, mystical superstitions, adventures, and wisdom came from her own family and she has committed to print for everyone to enjoy. Sandra’s longtime husband Gennaro comes from a family originating in Naples and was born into the immigrant world of Manhattan’s Little Italy. From his experiences and those of his family, she is now compiling these stories for another book. Together she and her husband have five children and fourteen grandchildren and while they lived in Southern California for most of their lives, they now reside in Provo, Utah.