Pinch Me - by Barbara Boyle (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

For fans of Stanley Tucci and Frances Mayes, Barbara Boyle's story of leaving her California home to restore an old stone farmhouse in Italy's Piedmont--only to fall in love with the food and people of her enchanting new town--will delight and inspire.

An updated twist on the classic Under the Tuscan Sun, this is the deeply personal story of how fiftysomething Barbara Boyle leaves her busy and familiar life behind in San Francisco and begins taking apart a 300-year-old stone barn to build a new home--a new life--in the largely undiscovered region of Piedmont, Italy.

Filled with discoveries and pleasures of the stunning places and food she encounters, Pinch Me also details Barbara's frustrations in adjusting to a new culture, as well as the startling heartbreak of being faced with a breast cancer diagnosis. But even in the midst of this crisis, she and her husband create a home out of the stone ruin they had found, forming deep friendships in their little town and unlocking a new level of joy in life. She shares intimate moments, joyous and bittersweet, as a new wife, stepmom, and a member of a community--and, of course, she shares a few recipes reflecting the gastronomical excellence of the region.

A touching memoir filled with food, friendships, and scenes of Italy, Pinch Me is ultimately a celebration of love, of learning to see the world, as well as oneself, through a different window, and of the powerful joy that comes from building a dream.

Review Quotes

"This book is like the comforting Italian food that sustains one during challenging times and makes every celebration joyful. . . . The author deeply understands and impeccably defines the soul of the country that became her second home, its customs, holidays, and traditions. . . . a genuine, positive, and engrossing tale of finding and constructing a true home."--Readers' Favorite, FIVE STARS

"Richly evoked...The process of restoring the house makes for a satisfying read, in part because it fulfills the fantasy many readers have likely had and never acted on."--Kirkus Reviews

"With warmth and wit, Barbara Boyle whisks you to a rural village in Italy and envelops you in an unhurried world of ripe vineyards, fairytale castles, down-to-earth people, mouth-watering meals (recipes included) and the ancient, renovated farmhouse she calls home. Bellissimo!"--Terry Trucco, frequent contributor New York Times

About the Author

Barbara Boyle served for decades as an award-winning global creative director and executive vice president at Saatchi & Saatchi, Grey, and Lowe Advertising, creating commercials, ads, and stories for Procter & Gamble, Johnson & Johnson, and Anheuser Busch, among dozens of other worldwide marketers. A lifelong food and wine aficionado, she is a graduate of a professional cooking course at The Institute of Culinary Education in New York. Her fiction has also been published in Flash Fiction, Sky Island Journal, Star 82, and Ariel Chart. Barbara has lived in Paris, Frankfurt, and New York, and now resides in Piemonte, Italy, as well as San Francisco, California.