The Three Graces of Pearl Street

by Elizabeth Wellington Rollins

“A stunning debut. An intergenerational story full of the complexities of family life that will surprise and inspire you at every turn.” —Adriana Trigiani, New York Times bestselling author

In this wise and warm debut novel, an Italian American grandmother, daughter, and granddaughter all named after the Roman myth of the Three Graces find their lives—and their secrets—colliding when, after years apart, they come to live under the same roof.

Graziella, a ninety-six-year-old former nun, spends her days running the parish’s food kitchen, convinced it is her responsibility to keep everyone fed in their working-class New York neighborhood. Her daughter, Grace, a respected psychology professor, appears accomplished and composed, yet finds herself unmoored as her personal life falters. Ella—Graziella’s granddaughter and Grace’s daughter—is weary of defending her vegan diet and anti-capitalistic lifestyle; blind to her own brilliance, she longs, above all, for a place to belong. Living together again, the three Graces reckon with the distances that have shaped them, and with what it means, at last, to be fully known.

“Truly captivating” (Annabel Monaghan, New York Times bestselling author) and populated by unforgettable characters, The Three Graces of Pearl Street explores the delicate balance between tradition and modernity, and the quiet courage it takes to move through the world with true grace.

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary, Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction, Book Club, Historical, Novels

416 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication September 1, 2026

About the author

Elizabeth Wellington Rollins is a writer and award-winning copywriter. She grew up outside New York City and graduated from Davidson College. She has written for Condé Nast Traveler, The Week, Travel + Leisure, and Vogue. She lives in Vermont with her family.

Reviews

[Liana Gold · Rating 4 out of 5]

4! If you love multigenerational family sagas with emotional depth and feisty Italian grandmas, then this one will be for you! I loved the rich cultural setting, Little Italy vibes and the way Wellington-Rollins wrote about honoring traditions and how they forge our own paths.

FULL REVIEW TO FOLLOW!

The story follows three Italian American women: a 96 year old Graziella, Grace (her daughter) and Grace's daughter/Graziellas granddaughter, Ella. All have very different personalities and outlooks on life. While not particularly close, circumstances brings them under one roof, forcing them to confront the past as long-hidden family secrets begin to emerge.

I love intergenerational stories and this one is set in New York City's Little Italy, a place that I adore. I mean, sitting outside anyone of those cute restaurants--the ambiance of every place is so Italy.


This book was featured on BOTM for August and if interested, get your first copy for $5 using this link: https://www.mybotm.com/bgnrjn6qk0o
Very easy to sign up and to cancel at no cost to you! BOTM is my favorite subscription and you're able to get a variety of books prior to their release date.




Many thanks to NetGalley, Atria Books and the author, Elizabeth Wellington Rollins for an early ARC!

Publication date: September 1, 2026

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really lovely story of three generations of women in one family…
all named Graziella, there is Graziella the 96 yr old elder member, her daughter who goes by Grace, and her granddaughter who goes by Ella.
They are named after a statue in Italy.. The Three Graces.
Graziella was born in the house on Pearl Street, in Little Italy and lived there also throughout her marriage and now in her advanced age she and her daughter and granddaughter are brought together in that same house for various reasons… all have some secrets that come to light.
You will love them all , but mostly Graziella who is an old stern Nona, but she has always helped the entire community and you will find out the stunning reasons of how she could do that.
The daughter and granddaughter’s romantic relationships are also part of the story, as is Italian cooking, and the Catholic church.
I absolutely loved this story!

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the free ebook in exchange for my honest review!

[Erikk Hokenson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for early access to this novel.

I’m not reaching for hyperbole when I confess that I was blindsided by this book. This is one of those books where you wish it wouldn’t end, but also couldn’t stop reading until the end. Beautifully written, with richly layered characters and a deeper-than-previewed storyline, and plenty of passages sparking meaningful reflections on family, purpose, and belonging. I’m grateful that I received this ARC as I doubt I would’ve chosen to read it. I’m better because I have.

[Linda Burrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book about family!
This generational story kept my interest as the author tell of a grandmother, mother and daughter all with the same name! Don’t worry! They go by nicknames so you are not totally confused! Of course- there are secrets!
Highly recommend!

[Angelie · Rating 2 out of 5]

This story is a character driven novel that follows three generations of Italian American women. As an Italian American woman myself, I was especially drawn to the premise.

I found this book hard to rate. I would read one chapter and get completely hooked, and then be ready to abandon the book after the next two. It was a slow character driven book that explores the relationships of 3 generations of Valentini women, all going through different struggles and life stages.

I found the story to be a weird mix of bland and slaggy for stretches while also indulgent and bold the next. The fun parts didn't evolve into anything, landing pretty pointless and unsatisfying. The characters became myopic, repetitive, and stereotypical, less developed with little depth. I didn't particularly like them or care about their woes, which probably played a major part in my experience. I mostly liked 96yo Graziella and her care for stray cats. But honestly she seemed way overpainted.

While a big part of this story centered around the Catholic religion, it was often extremely offensive to anyone with Catholic proclivities. I am not Catholic, but found the digs at the religion to be in very poor taste.

By 65% mark, I was so ready for it to be over. Ugh. Sad. Had high hopes for this one, but I can't think of one person I would recommend this book to.

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria for providing the eARC in exchange for an honest review! All opinions and statements are my own.

[Amy Spencer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bravo!! One of the most beautiful, ugly, loving, frustrating, and heartfelt books I have ever read. I laughed and cried and yelled and did them all again. This book is filled with one thing above all else, Heart. So many thoughtful ways about how we should treat each other. How we should live with each other. I loved all of the Graces and how they evolved and turned into the women they were always meant to be. I didn’t want this book to end. A huge thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

[Jennifer Marshall · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a great multi generational book. The three Graces are an Italian grandmother, mom, and daughter. I loved each of their relationships and how important their Italian heritage was to them! The growth in the characters was so special. This debut novel is superb!

[Michelle Ardillo · Rating 5 out of 5]

See my full review at http://michelleardillo.com/2026/07/08...

[Mary Pogue · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t think I’ve loved a book like this in a long time. It was a beautiful portrait of a family of strong women, all with different personalities but the same driver to do good in the world.

I loved all three women for different reasons. But the most being their bonds with one another. It made me feel so much and it’s definitely a contender for my best book of the year.

Thank you to the author for the advanced reader copy!! It’s out now through book of the month and hitting a shelf near you in early September 2026 ❤️🍝

[Devon Givens · Rating 5 out of 5]

SUCH a beautiful story! I loved the three Graces so much, but oh gosh Graziella was a dynamo! I love a family drama and watching these three women fall apart, only to heal stronger was such a gorgeous journey. The love of mothers and daughters….one of my favorite books I’ve read this year.

[Terilynn Knezek · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this multi generational storiy about the three Graziellas - Graziella the Nonna, Grace her daughter and Ella her grandaughter. It is a beautiful story about a wise and determined Graziella who is trying to help and guide her daughter and grandsughter as they encounter challenges in their lives. We also find out that Graziella is an amazing community helper involved in their church food pantry and helping others.

This book grabbed me from the beginning and was hard to put down! You will be turning pages to learn how Grace and Ella handle their challenges and see what Graziella is up to now as there is Shay’s something. It will have you laughing and crying! It is a must read!!!

[Cristina McMinn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unbelievable! I laughed, I sobbed! This book made me feel so proud to be an Italian-American! Best read of the summer!

[Sarah Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for this ARC, which is out on September 1st.

I am always a sucker for a family saga, and I especially loved that this one centers around three generations of women, who are all named Graziella.

Graziella is the most fierce and iconic Nonna I have ever come across in literature. She is the ruthless matriarch of the family and is simultaneously rude and generous to everyone she meets. She has high standards for her only daughter and granddaughter and is a master in the kitchen. She has an indomitable sense of right and wrong and the way things should be. She has an amazing backstory: a nun that fell in love with the mailman. In comparison, her daughter Grace is professionally accomplished as a Columbia professor but flailing in a marriage that has slowly been dying for years. And her granddaughter Ella has fled from MIT and her promising science career and is now working at a thrift store, to the exasperation of her mother and grandmother.

This book is so rich in detail. Ella is type one diabetic, which is a big part of her character. Cats are seen throughout the book, which feels in keeping with their family history as Graziella's mother came from Italy with just a cat. Along those same lines, the fierce Graziella has a distinctive cane with a brass lion's head that "felt like a sword" and is a fitting symbol for her. Their family home on Pearl Street, where four generations have lived, is filled with well-worn but functional items, especially the kitchen: "Nothing in her childhood home had changed in the last sixty years." I also loved all of the New York City scenes that felt very visceral and familiar like the local Italian market and the MET cloisters. Ella is always writing haikus in her mind, which was a fun and quirky character trait. Grace is always hot and always laying on towels and sweating more than she would like: "Grace was lying in her underwear and a tank top on a beach towel, trying to sleep."

I do find that a lot of family dramas are very character driven (which I love!). While this book does have absolutely unforgettable characters, it also has an equally compelling plot. A rare feat! This has multiple plot developments that surprised me and is way more thrilling than I would have even guessed. I'm not going to tell you most of them because we don't do spoilers here but suffice it to say that this is action packed and brings some drama. We're talking radioactive materials, terrible husbands, and the dark underbelly of the Catholic church.

A moment for the food!! All of the Italian food mentioned in this become almost another character in this book. Just a few dishes referenced: Baccala alla romana, salted cod and potataoes stewed in San Marzano tomatoes, sardine salad, "fried smelts, marinated eel, anchovies with endive, calamri salad, seared scallops, spaghetti with clams, and her beloved baccala," Grazziella's famous cutlets, "lamb slow-roasted with fresh herbs and anchovy paste," "zuppa di pesca, a Roman fish stew," "bowls of tomato soup and Caesar salads," "crostata di recotta e visciole, a sour cherry and ricotta cake," frittata, Italian sausage, pangiallo, pizzelle, biscotti, and broth: "It was the same broth that had carried them through every birth, every loss, every injury, every illness, for generations."

At times the scene transitions and dialogue felt slightly stilted and clunky in a couple sections. But truly my only minor negative! An outstanding debut rich in family history, descriptions, and fully fleshed out characters and scenes. I loved that this book is inspired by the author's own family history and her deep love and understanding of the family's background and cultural heritage showed.

Favorite quotes:

"Grace could feel herself reaching through generations, far across an ocean, for something to hold onto."

"Don't ever think a system can fix anything. People fix things. Decency is simple but not easy. It's the only thing we have."

"Her mind began making haikus, but none of them fit the syllable pattern. She couldn't find the right words or do the math on Mike Graziano."

"People talked about Father Time, but Graziella believed time was a mother. It shooed everyone forward, insisted that they eat their meals and live their lives, even when the sky was falling."

"A woman opened her legs and gave birth to the church."

"Graziella's culinary heritage stretched far across an ocean, centuries deep into the corners of Rome and the countryside outside of it."

"Some people came to faith by climbing a ladder. Others fell into it and let themselves be caught."

"It takes finesse to put your finger on the scale without breaking it."

"People were always trying to settle up their tab rather than pay it forward, and it frustrated her to no end."

4.5 stars rounded up for Goodreads

[Janine · Rating 5 out of 5]

This a heartfelt, thoughtful contemporary novel exploring “aging, faith, and the quiet power of kindness.” It’s an amazing read!

There are three Graces on Pearl Street: 96 year old Graziella Valentini who was born in the house on Pearl Street and has lived her whole life there and runs a soup kitchen; her daughter, Graziella, who goes by “Grace” who is a psychology professor going through a divorce and in a midlife crisis; and Grace’s daughter, Graziella, who goes by “Ella” who is young, a dropout from MIT and searching for purpose. They have been named for a stature in the Little Italy district where Pearl Street is located known as The Three Graces. NB: The Three Graces in mythology represent radiance, joy and youth. Seneca, a Roman philosopher, felt the graces were an allegory for the “giving, receiving and returning a gift of favor.” In deed this is borne out in the novel.

The novel is told from each of the “Graziella’s” POV. The intergenerational differences emerge especially after Grace and Ella move into the Pearl Street house with Graziella. The writing is wonderful and the food so yummy I kept hoping a dish would reach out from the pages. I so enjoyed when Graziella explained the art of cooking - “When you cook you don’t try to change the ingredients. They are what they are. You feel for them. You learn from them. You work with what’s in front of you, and it transforms. It’s a paradox.” And that is the essence of life and relationships so brilliantly examined in this book.

When the three women move in together, there is need to learn how to get along but essentially they live ordinary lives in Little Italy but as these lives are explored you soon learn that in the often simple things these women give and get great joy and kindness. Take the eldest Graziella. She left the abbey where she was a nun to serve her family not others - and married the mailman never losing her desire to serve running a soup kitchen believing compassion is life’s greatest gift. I loved this feisty lady and when the powers that be - all men of course - come to tell her things are changing at the soup kitchen, she shows them (respectfully of course, Graziella is a woman of extraordinary faith) - you have to read the book to find out what she does (it will be worth it). But she’s also so feisty; some of her dialogue is hilarious. My favorite is in response to a question about Ella dating an arsonist: “She dated an idiot. She’s not the only one. Her mother married a fool.” Love that woman!

Ella is at the novel’s heart. I liked her too. She’s brilliant but somehow doesn’t realize it. She and her grandmother argue a lot because they are two peas in a pod. Their arguments are funny and full of pith and wisdom. These are revealing and entertaining because these two deeply love each other but come at it from different generations so are struggling to understand each other. Grace’s life wasn’t nearly as interesting from my view but she too is full of snark as when she describes her job as dean of students “as drinking from a tsunami rather than a water hose.”

I hated for the book to end. I grew to love these women. They became my family in a sense - I was rooting for them all - which is one of the reasons I gave this book five stars. I also felt this book was so simply but beautifully crafted - that simplicity allowed for a story of extraordinary compassion to be told. And I finally I loved the book. Who can agree with that!

My thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for “blessing” me with this ARC.

[Kristen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was honored to receive an advance copy of The Three Graces of Pearl Street directly from Elizabeth Wellington Rollins. Debut novels always feel a little special, but this one felt especially personal.

Growing up in an Italian-American family, with my grandparents living in the downstairs apartment, I found so much of this novel deeply familiar. The food. The constant movement through the kitchen. The open-door neighborhood. The way one woman can quietly become the heart of an entire family—and, somehow, an entire community.

The story follows three generations of women named Graziella. The matriarch, ninety-six-year-old Graziella, spends her days serving others at her parish food kitchen and watching over loved ones. Her daughter, Grace, faces divorce and menopause after years of holding everything together. Her granddaughter, Ella, five years after MIT, is uncertain about her future. When all three women reunite, they each confront issues of identity, family, and life's next chapter.

For me, Graziella completely stole the novel. She is one of those characters who feels larger than life without ever feeling unbelievable. Wise, stubborn, generous, funny, deeply flawed, and endlessly devoted, she became the emotional center of the story. I would have happily read another hundred pages if they had all belonged to her.

Rollins also beautifully captures Italian-American family life. This never felt like a caricature or nostalgia for nostalgia's sake. It felt lived in. The traditions, the meals, the conversations around the table, the neighborhood relationships—they all rang true in a way that immediately transported me back to my own childhood.

My critique is the pacing. At 416 pages, the novel sometimes lingered on similar emotional beats, and a tighter version closer to 325–350 pages could have strengthened it. I also wish for more development of supporting characters, who sometimes felt overshadowed by Graziella.

For a debut, this is an impressive, heartfelt novel. It's a warm family story about reinvention, aging, motherhood, and identity, showing how we keep becoming ourselves at every stage of life. If you enjoy character-driven fiction about family and communities, this deserves a place on your fall reading list.

[Emily Gibson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for early access to this wonderful novel!

The three Graces of the Valentini family -- grandmother, mother, and daughter -- couldn’t be more different, and yet in ways rely on each other to be (and find) their true selves. This is a generational story about tradition, the importance of community and belonging, and new beginnings. This a story about women that focuses on the most important and often the most strained female relationships: mother-daughter-grandmother relationships. When the Three Graces find themselves living together under the same roof, each with their own reasons for being there, their worlds and lives they have been living start to collide, and an incredible journey begins for each of them.

I love stories featuring intergenerational relationships, so I knew I would enjoy this book going in. I immediately connected to the youngest Grace, who is so similar in age and circumstance to me, but each Grace held their own in terms of character and voice. Each Grace stood alone in their identity and had equally powerful stories, secrets, and traits, and all three learned to lean on each other throughout the book.

This book was charming and emotional -- with a wonderful storyline about the Catholic Church and what it actually means to be a good person. I laughed and teared up and smiled throughout reading it with some wonderful one-liners like:
“She didn’t understand why everyone made new words for things that had been done forever.”
“She did not like men who ran for no reason.”
“‘A woman opened her legs and gave birth to the church,’ Graziella yelled.”
“Graziella could hear her daughter comforting Ella in the kitchen and wondered if she would still be able to listen to the two of them when she was longer here.”

I loved reading about their personal journeys and their shared moments and memories!

[Margie Bunting · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Elizabeth Wellington Rollins's debut novel, Graziella, age 96, is tiny in stature but ferociously committed to her Catholic background (she had spent a short time as a nun before marrying the convent's mailman), the food kitchen she supports, and her family. Her daughter Graziella (Grace) and granddaughter Graziella (Ella) have come to live with her as her medical issues increase, but it's not an easy road for any of them.

Grace is tired of the responsibilities of being head of Columbia's psychology department and has taken a lesser position, as she deals with a cheating husband, a pending divorce, and the continuous hot flashes of menopause. Ella is a brilliant nuclear physics student at MIT and a diabetic who has recently left the university and taken a lowly job for which she is wildly overqualified. She is questioning all of the things in her life that she has strongly believed and wonders whether it's been worth it, given her current situation. The appearance of her closest male childhood friend may change everything. And the residents of the women's New York town love Graziella for her generosity and fear her for being intimidating. in equal measures.

It all makes for a fascinating story, with the first half more of a character study of the three women representing three generations of an Italian family. Things heat up further in the second half, as the three band together to achieve the goals that the senior Graziella holds dearest, in the face of daunting obstacles. They help each other with their personal needs and goals. And Grace and Ella learn how Graziella is able to be so generous to those in need. It is an absorbing, complicated, and detailed story of family dynamics, clever planning and collaboration, shared food, and love.

My review is based on a complimentary pre-release copy of this book.

[*TUDOR^QUEEN* · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not much of a fiction reader, but occasionally like to sprinkle them in between my usual biography preferences. I was drawn to this one because of several things: the location of Pearl Street in New York City (I used to work around there in the 80's), the focus on three generations of an Italian family- technically 3 Graziellas- Graziella, Grace and Ella. I liked the fact that the feisty 96-year-old matriarch Graziella had originally been a novice nun in an Abbey, as I love reading about Catholic nuns. Her daughter Grace is going through horrific post-menopausal hot flashes in the middle of a divorce, and her granddaughter Ella is a brilliant MIT dropout trying to find herself. While each chapter rotates through the observations of these characters, the main focus is on Graziella. She is a constant helper to those in need at her church and in the neighborhood, founding and maintaining a food bank, being involved in pet rescue/fostering, and many other secret acts of kindness and generosity. At the same time, the personality of Graziella is A LOT and sometimes off putting as she needs to be in control and masterminding outcomes of the loved ones all around her.

I loved how the "Three Graces" wound up living together at this particular time, with Graziella teaching her granddaughter how to cook and bake many different Italian dishes which were described in delicious detail. There was a lull for me at a certain point of the book where I was a bit bored, but am glad I persevered- because this was a very special book that had me borderline crying by the end of the story. A lot of good lessons here about what's really important in life and definitely my favorite fiction book of 2026 so far.

Thank you to Atria Books who provided an advance reader copy via NetGalley.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 stars

Thanks to Lit Club NYC and Atria Books for the ARC!

This book tells a charming story about three generations of an Italian-American family — Graziella, the 96 year old matriarch, her daughter Grace, and her granddaughter, Ella — living in New York. All three of them have secrets of their own, but when they are forced by circumstances beyond their control to live together under one roof again, everything starts slowly coming out of the woodwork. Over the course of the story, the three Graces slowly grow and change and come into their own, all while strengthening their family bonds.

The characters of Graziella and Ella in particular were well written, and they both shone a lot in the latter parts of the novel. Grace’s character felt a bit weaker in comparison, but her calming presence rounded out the family and helped make things feel balanced. And while the story doesn’t say anything too groundbreaking on the topics of family, motherhood, and trying to juggle family traditions with modern views, it still makes for a heartwarming read.

There were a few things that took me out of the story a little — Graziella’s big secret, for example, stretched the limits of my suspension of disbelief quite a bit, as did Ella’s initial trouble at her job that led her to go home in the first place — but I was able to overlook them for the sake of the story. Other things I didn’t love include the two romance side plots, as I personally didn’t really care for either of the relationships too much, but I appreciate what they did for the characters.

Overall, this book was a good read. If you like intergenerational stories, I think this would be a great addition to your TBR.

[Pamela Shrewsbury · Rating 4 out of 5]

📚 BOOK REVIEW 📚
THE THREE GRACES OF PEARL STREET — Elizabeth Wellington Rollins
PUBLISHES 9/01/26
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thanks to @netgalley, @atriabooks & @elizabethwellingtonrollins for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

———
Grandmother Graziella, daughter Grace, and granddaughter Ella find themselves living under one roof after years apart, forcing them to face old wounds, family expectations, and secrets that have shaped their lives. It’s a heartfelt story about family, forgiveness, identity, and what it means to truly know the people you love.

I really enjoyed getting to know these three women and watching their relationships change. There’s plenty of genuine emotion here, along with some mouth-watering food that added even more warmth to the story.

Graziella was definitely the showstopper for me. At 96, she has lived a fascinating life largely on her own terms, and I loved her independence, personality, and devotion to her community.

My biggest issue was the length. There’s quite a bit of repetition through the middle, and I think the heart of the story could have been captured in far fewer pages. There are also A LOT of side stories—relationships, careers, cats, Graziella’s various ventures, and numerous secondary characters. At times, they pulled me away from the three women I cared about most.

Still, I was invested in this family and genuinely enjoyed spending time with them. Underneath all those extra storylines is a warm, thoughtful novel about mothers and daughters, belonging, forgiveness, and second chances.

⭐ WHAT WORKED
• Graziella—she stole the show!
• Three memorable women
• Authentic family dynamics
• Emotional depth
• Strong sense of community

🤔 WHAT DIDN’T
• Longer than it needed to be
• Repetitive through the middle
• Too many side stories

[Kelsey Fredericks · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is an OUTSTANDING debut and at the top of my reads for 2026! The Three Graces of Pearl street follows three generations of women in an Italian family in New York. Each woman- grandmother, daughter and granddaughter- are all going through their own struggles and challenges. All in all this book is about Graziella, Grace and Ella and how they are there for each other NO MATTER WHAT.

The immersion into the Italian-American culture in this book is wonderful and really brings the book to life. I loved the message of this book which besides caring for you family is caring for our neighbors. Graziella knew how to care for people and I loved reading about how she did it and then passed it on to her daughter and granddaughter. I highly recommend this book and loved every minute of it!

The amount of wisdom packed into this book is **chef's kiss**. The following are a few of my favorite quotes:

- “Every defeat is just another opportunity. Let it guide you to the next action and the next action, even and especially if it’s not a fair fight."

- "Was terrible timing better than no timing at all? She felt unmoored by every possible outcome and wondered if that was a part of becoming a woman—recognizing the profound unlikelihood of having everything in the right order, the right way."

- "Ella, this is why people go to confession. It gives you a sense of absolution. People think hell is a place, but it’s not. It’s living with the consequences of your choices without forgiveness."

Thank you Atria and NetGalley for the ARC!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Ellie · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Three Graces of Pearl Street by Elizabeth Wellington Rollins is a delicious and rich romp of a wonderful story. There are the three Graces...Graziella, the grandmother, Graziella, (Grace, her daughter), and Graziella, (Ella, Grace's daughter)..This is the most heart warming story of these three women on Pearl Street in New York.... Graziella, the Grandma, is rich beyond belief (she is 96 years young, an online stock trader who makes millions, millions)!!!! Grace, her daughter, is going through a really awful divorce. Her former husband, Bill has fallen in love with a very rich woman in her 90s; Bill is much younger. Ella is a brilliant student who ends up going back to college for her PhD and falls in love with the local boy in her neighborhood in New York. The story evolves within the closeness of these three women in such a beautiful, heartwarming way, and of course, there is food, always food, in this case beautiful Italian meals shared with hundreds of people because Graziella, the grandmother, has helped so many people during her life. She has paid for hospitals, for homes, for cars, for food, for coats to keep children warm; in other words, she has been a benefactor for hundreds of people in her neighborhood, so many so that when she passes away hundreds fill the church for her funeral.

If I could rate this book from 1 to 10 I would give it a 25. I have no doubt it will be a best seller as it touches one's heart in just so many wonderful ways. This story is what is so wonderful about being human. I highly recommend it to everyone!

[Sue - Recos and Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

Many thanks to NetGalley for the advance copy of this debut novel.

This is a slower-paced, character-driven story that follows three generations of women from a close-knit Italian family. The story focuses on their relationships, personal struggles, and the way family can both support and frustrate us.

At the centre of it all is Graziella, the 96-year-old matriarch. She has a sharp tongue, a fierce work ethic, and very definite opinions. She says exactly what she thinks, whether people want to hear it or not, and I found her to be the standout character. (Her backstory would be a great book in its own right)

Her daughter, Grace, couldn't be more different. She's quieter and gentler, trying to cope with the challenges of menopause while also adjusting to life after divorce and wondering what the future holds as retirement approaches.

Then there's Ella, Grace's twenty-something daughter, who feels a little adrift. She's independent and determined but unsure of what she really wants from life. Her experiences living with diabetes added another dimension to the story.

When unexpected circumstances bring the three women together under the same roof, old tensions, different outlooks, and long-held assumptions all come to the surface. Watching them navigate those relationships and gradually understand one another was the real heart of the story.

If you enjoy novels that take their time to explore family relationships, personal growth, and the bonds between generations, this is a thoughtful and engaging debut.

[Carolyn Linehan · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Three Graces of Pearl Street completely captured my heart!

I loved everything about this book—the family dynamics, the cooking, and the family matriarch, Graziella (Nonna). I fell in love with the entire Valentina family. I became so immersed in their lives that I wasn't ready to let them go when the story ended. I'm genuinely going to miss them.

This beautifully written, multi-generational family saga follows three generations of women living under one roof in a New York neighborhood as they navigate life's joys, challenges, and everything in between.

Elizabeth Wellington Rollins has created characters with remarkable depth, and I found myself deeply invested in each of their journeys. This novel made me laugh, made me cry, and reminded me that ordinary people can have an extraordinary impact on their community and on the lives of those around them. It also reminds us that the greatest legacies are often built through everyday acts of love.

I especially loved the focus on compassion, the quiet power of kindness, being of service to others, and what it truly means to see—and be seen by the people around us. Those themes are deeply meaningful to me, and they made this story even more special.

As I was reading, I occasionally found myself thinking of Theo of Golden. If you love intimate, character-driven novels that celebrate family, community, and the quiet ways people care for one another, I think this book will absolutely capture your heart too.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Jamie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED this book so much. In fact, I already know I’ll be buying a copy when it releases because this is a book I want to keep on my shelf.

The Three Graces of Pearl Street is beautifully written, with such well-developed, unforgettable characters. At the heart of the story are three generations of Italian American women, all named Graziella—Nonna, her daughter Grace, and her granddaughter Ella. In a turn of events, the three women find themselves living together again, and as they navigate the challenges in their lives, long held secrets begin to surface.

And Nonna? A force of nature. She is wise, no-nonsense, and exactly the kind of grandmother you want in your corner. I loved watching her guide Grace and Ella while also seeing how much the three women learn and grow simply by being together.

There is SO much heart in this book. The relationships between these women, the family history, the secrets, the humor, and the moments of wisdom all came together in such a beautiful way. I found myself highlighting quote after quote because there were so many lines that made me stop and think—or just made my heart ache a little.

This is the kind of story that stays with you after you finish it. Beautifully written, full of heart, and centered around complicated, resilient women and the bonds between generations.

One of my favorite reads this year. I cannot wait to own a physical copy.

Thank you to NetGalley, Elizabeth Wellington Rollins, and Atria Books for the opportunity to read this ARC. All opinions are my own.

[Julia C · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolutely delightful read! I loved this story about three generations of women in an Italian American family in New York City and how their lives intersect. Graziella, Grace, and Ella represent the myth of the Three Graces. They are forced by circumstance to live together for the first time in years, while all at pivotal moments in their lives, and must work through the tensions between them. I loved the strong personalities of each of the Three Graces and the complex intergenerational relationships between them.

I flew through this book, especially because of its emotional depth and perfectly unexpected plot points. I was charmed by the many details throughout, such as Graziella’s Italian recipes (which I could so clearly envision through the page!), her zealous commitment to her church food pantry, and her rescue cats. I was captivated by Graziella’s strong character and her many secrets. Grace’s journey of finding purpose in middle age and during her divorce was equally powerful. As a Gen Z reader, I also appreciated Ella’s struggle to find her place, and the tensions simmering between Ella’s new ways and Graziella’s treasured traditions.

I was so sad to leave the Valentini family behind when the book came to a close. They will steal your heart. This story has everything: powerful mother-daughter-granddaughter relationships, new beginnings, touches of romance and levity, and stellar writing. Don’t miss this one!

[Angela M · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 stars rounded up

All of my grandparents were born in Italy so it was easy to feel a connection to the characters . Three generations of Italian women, all with the same name - Graziella, the 96 year old grandmother, her daughter called Grace , her daughter called Ella. Graziella reminded me of a number of women in my life who would do anything for their family. She cares for the people in her community as well, always though with a tough and controlling demeanor. Tough enough to take on the Catholic Church for them . There’s a lot of love and compassion behind that toughness. I have to admit, though that her nearly constant sarcastic retorts felt overdone at times, almost a little contrived . However, Graziella knows who she is and what she has to do for those in need and how she manages as their benefactor came as a surprise.

Grace and Ella are having a difficult time on the road to self discovery and acceptance as the three of them end up living together . And oh the secrets that get revealed as the three of them find common ground in their unconditional love for each other. The comfort of food, the belief that family is everything, and the importance of keeping traditions were a part of my upbringing, even the occasional Italian swear word and were things reflected here. An enjoyable read, a touching ending.


I received a copy of this from Atria through NetGalley.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley, Atria Books, and Elizabeth Wellington Rollins for the ARC

An Italian grandmother, daughter, and granddaughter are living under the same roof after years apart

As an Italian American, I can say this was probably the most accurate depiction of growing up in an Italian family. The author had succeeded and weaved the intergenerational women together seamlessly.

This story revolves around an Italian grandmother, daughter, and granddaughter. The three women’s namesake is from a statue in Italy. Each woman is going through their own lives as they begin to live with each other under one roof.

The characters in this book lifted off the page. There was a lot of emotional depth in this story and I absolutely loved the setting being Little Italy. This was different from most books because it was a third person perspective and I really enjoyed that.

Wellington Rollins wrote a beautiful debut that made me thankful to be from an Italian American family. I loved the food references and the little pieces of the language woven in. This was a debut that I’ll always remember.

Pub date. September 1st, 2026

[Edie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this delightful trio of Grandmother, Mother & Daughter that confirmed everything in three makes us stronger!

I never felt it slow in pace plus it read like the proper length. I have finished some books that were a few hundred pages too long lately. I adored Graziella, Grace & Ella & I wonder if you will have a favorite?

Three worlds collide, but all three complement one another & the author makes it flow chapter by chapter. Each chose a different path in life given the generational span, but a realization brings a halt & were they that different?

My favorite part? Look for Graziella’s confrontation with a cardinal about what God knew about creating women & the question of equality.

I realize this must be the author’s first novel despite being an established writer for other periodicals. I will be on the lookout for her next book.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author & the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for a fair & honest review.

[Anne McEniry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ready to laugh, cry—and sometimes do both at the same time? The Three Graces of Pearl Street is a heartfelt, multigenerational story you won’t want to miss.

This novel follows three Italian women as they navigate family, love, generosity, faith, and the search for belonging—each from her own unique perspective.

At the center is Graziella, the 96-year-old matriarch and former nun whose care extends far beyond her family to her entire New York neighborhood. Her daughter, Grace, is a Columbia professor and psychologist facing a divorce and an unexpected kitchen renovation that sends her back to live with her mother. Then there’s Ella, Grace’s daughter and Graziella’s granddaughter—an MIT graduate whose path takes an unexpected turn when she finds herself working in a thrift store and ultimately playing a role in saving the city from a radioactive threat.

When all three women end up under one roof, secrets surface, relationships deepen, and each woman is reminded of what truly matters.

A moving story about the bonds that shape us and the enduring strength of family.