As far as I’m concerned, there are two elements required to make any love story complete: a dog and a happy ending. And Marcus of Umbria: What an Italian Dog Taught an American Girl about Love
has both!
Tired of the hyper-competitive magazine world in NYC, Justine van der Leun escapes to Collelungo, a bucolic village in rural Italy, where she meets a handsome Italian gardener. Through him, Justine experiences the ties that bind family life as she becomes an honorary member of his family. Even though the romance starts to unravel, Justine falls in love with another – Marcus, an abandoned English pointer that she rescues.
Justine’s life in the rural village turns out differently than what she had expected. Through a series of misadventures on the farm, in town, and even with a couple horses, Justine eventually realizes that she’s ready to leave Italy with the man she loves – Marcus.
Marcus of Umbria: What an Italian Dog Taught an American Girl about Love is a funny, lighthearted, and quick memoir – I read it cover to cover on a rainy Sunday afternoon – so it’s absolutely the perfect summer read.
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