Every Sunday

by Peter Pezzelli

Home To Italy was a September 2004 Book Sense Pick!

Pezzelli's remarkable debut, Home to Italy, won the hearts of readers and critics alike. Now, with Every Sunday, Pezzelli has created another unforgettable tale about life, love, family and friendship.
In Providence, Rhode Island, everybody knows Nick Catini. Street smart, with a quick wit and a larger-than-life personality, Nick is the go-to guy, the owner of Catini's Hardware who's there to score friends tickets to the big game or fix his daughters' problems. Every Sunday, Nick presides over the family dinner, dishing out sauce and advice with equal abandon. It is a time for family, for grandchildren, for men watching football in the living room while the women gossip and plan in the kitchen. It is a time to remember what matters most in life. Sunday is the best day of the week, and nobody can imagine it without Nick.

But when Nick is suddenly gone, that is exactly what they have to do--go on without him. For his girls--Maria, Nina, and Gina--it means learning to stand on their own feet while arguing about whether or not their mother, Teresa, can date again. For Teresa, it means trying somehow to keep her family together, even as she wonders what it would be like to find love again. And for her carefree son, Johnny, it means making good on his father's last request, a secret with the power to heal Johnny's guarded heart, if it doesn't destroy his family in the process.

Now, as the first leaves of fall stick to the wet streets of New England, as the winter snow melts into the pastel hues of spring, and everything seems new and different, the Catinis will be tested and changed as never before. For what seems like an insurmountable loss just may be the beginning of the best part of their lives...

At once both funny and heartwarming, with one of the most unique, unforgettable narrators to come along in years, Every Sunday is a warm, winning novel rich in hope, wisdom and the surprising strength of second chances.

Outstanding Praise For Peter Pezzelli And Home To Italy

A BookSense Pick!

"A beautiful novel. . .Peter Pezzelli captures the warmth of Italy--family, friendships, and food--invites us into the world of his wonderful characters, and takes us full circle on a journey of life and love."
--Luanne Rice, New York Times bestselling author

"A delightful story of second chances."
--Desert Morning News

"Big-hearted and wise, Home to Italy is a charming ode to the romance of new beginnings and the Italian gusto for life. Peter Pezzelli's tale of a widower who returns to his childhood town in Abruzzo to rebuild his life, only to be struck by the legendary thunderbolt of love, is a continuous delight."
--Louisa Ermelino, author of Joey Dee Gets Wise

"With heartwarming touches of humor, Home to Italy reaffirms that life can always be renewed. This is a wonderfully satisfying romance that brings to life the sights, sounds, and tastes of Italy."
--Romantic Times

"A warmhearted novel, perfect for an autumn evening in front of the fire."
--Litchfield Enquirer

Genres: Fiction, Adult Fiction, Romance

313 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2005

About the author

Peter Pezzelli was born and raised in Rhode Island. A graduate of Wesleyan University, he lives with his wife, two children and their dog in Rhode Island where, most days, he is busy at work at his next novel.

Reviews

[Maria · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have read a few of Peter's books in the past, and was somewhat mixed on the reviews. However, I decided to give this book a try, as I had read the synopsis, and thought I would enjoy what the book was about. The story starts with Nick, who is the father in a family of three daughters and one son. Nick is dying, and the story goes on to talk of his family after he has passed away, with Nick acting as the narrator throughout the entire book. On his deathbed, Nick asks Johnny to visit a mistress of his, whose name is Vicky. Of course, Johnny refuses, but then decides to help his father, and visits Vicky after Nick passes away. I don't want to give too much away, but let's just say, a lot stems from Johnny's visit to Vicky, both good and bad. Overall though, the book had a lot of faults that just didn't jive well. Firstly, there were a lot of clichés in regards to how Italian families act, and most of them involved mannerisms and food. I was surprised to read about them as the author himself is of Italian descent, so, he was basically poking fun at his own background. Secondly, there were many parts of the story that didn't need to be added, such as Johnny's hangouts with his friends, and other meaningless conversations. Finally, I felt that the story had no real meaning to it, and was somewhat bothered by the whole 'mistress' situation. Wouldn't recommend this read to anyone though, as it wasn't the best I have read by this author.

[Melinda Christensen · Rating 4 out of 5]

The narrator of this heartwarming novel is a dead guy, Nick Catini, who is still very much concerned about his family. We meet him in the beginning before he dies in Providence, Rhode Island, so we've become acquainted with him. His family is composed of his wife, Teresa, his three daughters, and his son, Johnny. Being Italian, they are all wrapped up with family, friendships, food and the family business. I enjoyed reading about the closeness of the family, and Johnny's slow growth to becoming a responsible person who runs the family business. Wonderful characters!

[Barb Anders · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a book that i picked up at a resale store....was ok but pretty predictable, although the ending was a bit of a surprise so that was fun. A book to remind us that things can happen when you least expect them- and life is certainly not always what it seems to be. Characters were a little rough around the edges...although you got used to them as the book went on.....

[Allison Meakem · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cute book! I enjoyed this mostly because it's set in Providence and brought back lots of quaint New England college nostalgia from pre-COVID times :'-) The narrative premise is a little weird (let me modify that: EXTREMELY weird), but the characters grew on me. It could have done with a little less rambling on the part of the narrator, Nick.

[Emily · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars. I had a hard time getting into this story. Probably because it starts out with a dying father telling his only son to go check on his mistress when he dies only for the son to do so and then almost immediately sleeps with her himself. The whole book was narrated by the dead father. I was hoping for so much more since I read "Francesca's Kitchen" and loved it.

[Nancy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to like this book. I wanted to enjoy a heartwarming story of family and Sunday dinners. I got a story of a hot mess family who runs a hardware store and tries to live life after the patriarch dies. The description on the book jacket was incomplete, and while I finished it, I'm not sure I'd recommend it.

[Nancy Holden]

Story of Italian American family after father dies of cancer at the beginning of the book. An interesting twist is only son is asked by father before he dies to visit women with whom father has affair. He does and falls in love with her. She is English prof. He runs family hardware business. Story is predictable but interesting. Writing is okay.

[Heidi · Rating 2 out of 5]

I began to read it because it was all about Rhode Island.. however, beyond the accurate descriptions of the locale the way the Italian family was portrayed was very over the top stereotypical. The story line was repetitive and had no depth. It wasn't a bad book but it certainly wasn't good.

[Arthur Pendragon · Rating 3 out of 5]

A pleasant, if somewhat predictable book. Uplifting read as everything works out in the end. Having never been to Rhode Island, I am curious how realistic the vernacular, attitudes, and familial behavioral expectations are. The descriptions of the meals made me hungry!

[Diana · Rating 1 out of 5]

Disappointing

Pezzelli’s other books were entertaining reads, especially with the Italian connection. This is the author’s first book, and it shows. I skimmed through it and have nothing good to say at all.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Kiedy przestajesz się uczyć, przestajesz żyć. Ludzki umysł jest jak gąbka, która musi wchłaniać wodę, bo inaczej kompletnie wysycha.". Zabawnie opowiedziana historia z gatunku literatury pięknej, której narratorem jest zmarła głowa rodziny.

[Victoria Gisondi · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was cheesey

[Nmdb22 · Rating 4 out of 5]

My brother-in-law is an Italian American from Rhode Island. The lingo and storyline is authentic, amusing and entertaining. The narrator's voice is the best part of the story.

[Diane Napoli · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable and relatable!

[Dominika Witkowska · Rating 3 out of 5]

Przyjemne czytadło, szybka lektura

[Sandra Feck · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delightful - Super!!

[Pam McGinty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another good story from Peter Pezzelli. I like his books as a they depict ordinary lives of everyday Italians and he has done it again with this book.

[Robin McKee]

Ok

[Fuji-tsutsuji · Rating 1 out of 5]

„Co poradzić? Trzeba grać kartami, które dał nam los.”

[Maria Irrera · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have enjoyed all of Peter Pezzelli's books I have read. It reminds me of the Italian background I was raised in with all grandparents immigrating from Italy & being raised similar to his stories.

[Angie · Rating 3 out of 5]

My Review: "In Providence, Rhode Island, everybody knows Nick Catini. Street smart, with a quick wit and a larger-than-life personality, Nick is the go-to guy, the owner of Catini's Hardware who's there to score friends tickets to the big game or fix his daughters' problems. Every Sunday, Nick presides over the family dinner, dishing out sauce and advice with equal abandon. It is a time for family, for grandchildren, for men watching football in the living room while the women gossip and plan in the kitchen. It is a time to remember what matters most in life. Sunday is the best day of the week, and nobody can imagine it without Nick.

But when Nick is suddenly gone, that is exactly what they have to do--go on without him. For his girls--Maria, Nina, and Gina--it means learning to stand on their own feet while arguing about whether or not their mother, Teresa, can date again. For Teresa, it means trying somehow to keep her family together, even as she wonders what it would be like to find love again. And for her carefree son, Johnny, it means making good on his father's last request, a secret with the power to heal Johnny's guarded heart, if it doesn't destroy his family in the process.

Now, as the first leaves of fall stick to the wet streets of New England, as the winter snow melts into the pastel hues of spring, and everything seems new and different, the Catinis will be tested and changed as never before. For what seems like an insurmountable loss just may be the beginning of the best part of their lives...

At once both funny and heartwarming, with one of the most unique, unforgettable narrators to come along in years, Every Sunday is a warm, winning novel rich in hope, wisdom and the surprising strength of second chances."


My Review: This is a little bit of an unusual viewpoint, the whole story is narrated by the deceased character Nick as he follows his family for some time after he has passed. I must admit at times it was a little creepy. I did find the dynamics of the family to be very familiar and comforting, I am not from a big family but this one still felt very homey. I also really enjoyed watching as Johnny grew and developed after shouldering the responsibilities of the family and business while trying to find his way in life. It has moments of comedy, sadness, warmth and love. It is really a well rounded story that keeps the pages turning with the full personalities of the characters.

[Mandolin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Every Sunday is a delightful read, brimming with down-to-earth lessons that reinforce the value of family, friendships and faith. The story focuses on the youngest member of the Cantini family, Johnny, as he faces the future after the death of his father, Nick. The story is narrated by Nick himself, who watches the action from "the other side" and sprinkles his narrative with witty observations and humorous asides. When he was alive, Nick was the kind of guy you'd go to whenever you needed anything, whether it be tickets to a sold-out concert or a hard-to-find hardware part. He built his reputation, family and his store with a lot of hard work and love and now the burdens of those things have fallen on Johnny's shoulders, which have been relatively idle for the first thirty years of his life. Can Johnny rise to the occasion? To complicate matters immensely, Nick burdened Johnny with a deep secret right before his death and asked a huge favor of his son: to comfort his mistress after his death. That task leads Johnny into a relationship he never expected to find and lays an even greater burden on his shoulders, forcing him to make some difficult decisions about his life and his family's legacy. Throughout the book, Pezzelli's underlying message is clear: families are one of the most important things we have and we should treasure them each and every day. It's a wonderful read, rich with descriptions of the New England landscape as well as of the characters themselves. Liberally dosed with humor, it's also full of lovely little observations, like the way that the littlest things - like the aroma of baking bread or a snowflake on a windowsill - can make even the dreariest days beautiful. An easy read, I think that this book is sure to warm your heart as it did mine.

[Cathy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not a really bad book: just a thuddingly mediocre one. Every Sunday is narrated by the recently deceased (no, really) all-too-folksy-and-colorful patriarch of an Italiam-American clan, who bicker but are always brought together by Mama's ziti and gravy. His dumb-as-a-box-of-rocks son seeks out dead dad's mistress, who turns out to be a literature professor just the son's age! And really nice and hot! And they have a torrid affair, but they both worry about Mama finding out that he's in love with Dad's ex-mistress! How will everything end?

It's like the author watched Moonstruck about 18 times and then ate a big plate of corn. Even though the son is at least third-generation American, everything gives him agita and plenty of colorful Italianisms are sprinkled about. Plus dead Dad's folksy thoughts about God and his plans for us crazy humans.

It does, however, have a very pretty cover!

[Liz Destefano · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nick Cantini passes away and leaves a wife Teresa and 3 girls and a son Johnny to keep on living
Johnny takes over the hardware business and a promise to his father to see about a girl Vicki if she is ok
Instead Johnny falls in love with her and has to keep it secret for his mom saw her by accident one day and knew her husband had an affair and told him it's her or his mistress
And the mom tells her son about it , so the son hides the affair from his family
She helps him to move on with his life and which he does and the family as well
Funny how at the end it's not Vicki that the mom sees but another lady

But she also meet Vicki at the hair dressers as well but never knew that her husband had more then 1affair

[Wanda Gibbons · Rating 2 out of 5]

Every Sunday is narrated by the recently deceased all-too-folksy-and-colorful patriarch of an Italiam-American clan, who bicker but are always brought together by Mama's ziti and gravy. (I liked this line in someone else's review.) A fun little story with a very disappointing ending in terms that there is no satisfying ending. It is like the author got tired, ran out of ideas or just quit. Talk about leaving the reader at loose ends. The mistaken identity is really what makes the whole story even though there is the entire Italian culture crammed into the book.

[Diane Ferbrache · Rating 3 out of 5]

When Nick Catini dies, he leaves a wife, three daughters, a son, and a hardware store. Son, Johnny, is expected to take over, but is he really ready to step into Nick's shoes.

This is a sweet family story of grief and recovery. Told in Nick's voice as he looks down on the family he has left behind. Although the plot is less than surprising, even predictable, it's a wonderful story of love, family relations, and living up to expectations. Pezzelli's books are a breath of fresh air and a nice "beach read" -- not too taxing on the mind, yet not so sentimental or sappy.

[Judith · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoy Pezelli's writing, but this novel was more obviously predictable from the beginning. Johnny & Vicki's romance was another version of the "Romeo-Juliet" theme, and although the characters are likable, I just kept wanting to push them along to the inevitable ending.

All that said, the author's message that in life, anything is possible and therefore to live life to its fullest ring true.

[Heather · Rating 2 out of 5]

hey son, i know i am on my deathbed, but instead of some poignant heart to heart talk, could you please stop by my mistresses house and take care of her after i am gone? your mom being here all the time makes it hard for my bimbo to come say goodbye, ya know what i mean? and maybe while you are over there yous twos could "get together". just don't let your mother know.

[Suzanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a story of how an Italian-American family copes when the father suddenly passes away. The focus is on the son, Johnny, who has to run the family hardware business. Dad, Nick, also has a special request for Johnny....say goodbye to Nick's mistriss for him. The story is narrated by Nick as he watches over his family.

[Diane · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a nice book, a good read for bedtime reading. Family love, romance, emotional conflict. Ended without telling the reader what eventually happened, leaving it up to the imagination. Interesting perspective - the story being told by the husband/father, who had passed away and was keeping watch over his family. Well done.