Saturday, February 14, 2009

Valentine's Giveaway: The Italian Lover

Summary: Margot Harrington's memoir about her discovery in Florence of a priceless masterwork of Renaissance erotica--and the misguided love affair it inspired--is now, 25 years later, being made into a movie. Margot, with the help of her lover, Woody, writes a script that she thinks will validate her life. Of course their script is not used, but never mind--happy endings are the best endings for movies, as Margot eventually comes to see. At the former convent in Florence where "The Sixteen Pleasures"--now called "The Italian Lover,"--is being filmed, Margot enters into a drama she never imagined, where her ideas of home, love, art, and aging collide with the imperatives of commerce and the unknowability of other cultures and other people. -- Back Bay Books

I want to celebrate Valentine's Day with all of you; and I can't think of a better way than having a giveaway of a book with "lover" in the title -- an Italian lover at that. I am so excited that I have five copies of THE ITALIAN LOVER by Robert Hellenga to giveaway courtesy of Hachette Book Group USA! All you have to do for an entry is leave a comment. If you'd like additional comments, you can blog about this post with a link back here and/or you can also twitter about this contest with a link. The contest is open until Friday, March 6th at 11:59 p.m. EST. I will announce the winners the following day. This contest is open to those of you with U.S. and Canada mailing addresses only. Good luck to all of you!

I just received my copy so I haven't gotten a chance to read it yet, but I think it looks terrific. I can't wait to read it. This isn't a promise, but I am going to try to read it and post my review before the contest ends. Good luck to me!

54 comments:

Andi said...

Perfect book for today. I blogged about the giveaway - http://www.andilit.com/?p=379 - and I'll tweet about it in a sec. Thanks. Hope you enjoy the book.

Bridget said...

Great idea for today! I've posted this on Win A Book.

Linda said...

A great Valentine possibility. Hope I win.

Simply Stacie said...

Please count me in :)

Amy said...

Please enter me Julie! I'd love to win this one. :)

Melanie said...

Looks like a great book for Valentines Day. Can't wait for your review.

Anonymous said...

Hey! Enter me please. Thanks!
tiffanyak1986(at)hotmail(dot)com

I'm also blogging about this contest at:
http://olympianlady.livejournal.com/1977.html and will include a link.

bison61 said...

Happy Valentine's Day-thanks for the giveaway

tiramisu392 (at) yahoo.com

Karlie said...

Great title! Please enter me.

traveler said...

Thanks for featuring this wonderful novel. It looks so intriguing. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

Kristen said...

Doesn't this look yummy?!

whitreidsmama at yahoo.com

Anonymous said...

Oh - I want to kiss those lips. Sounds like a good book, too. Thanks for the great review.

MaMa said...

Sounds like a fantastic read...please count me in.
Lisa

avisannschild said...

Please count me in too!

Wanda said...

Very cute....lover! haha.
I would love to read it too.
Just because...you know....:)

Jayme said...

looks like a good one!

tweet tweet!

anne said...

I am intrigued with this book. Thanks for this lovely chance.

Serena said...

This looks like a great book, hopefully you enjoy it once you receive it.

Marie said...

I have been wanting to read this one, thanks for the chance!

vmlay@artsci.wustl.edu

Amanda said...

Thanks for the chance to win this. I've been wanting to read it.

Paula said...

What a nose shot! Would love to read this sometime. Thanks for having the giveaway!

Marina said...

Would love to read this! Please count me in the drawing - thanks!

sounders68 [at] gmail.com

Anonymous said...

With a name like The Italian Lover, how can you go wrong!

Mariee said...

I would love to read The Italian Lover. Please sign me up!

Anonymous said...

Love the cover and title. Please enter me.

ossmcalc said...

Just what I need. Please count me in for this giveaway.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for a chance for me to discover a new author. Healthy Happy 2009!

Bingo said...

Thanks for the giveaway!

StyleVamp said...

Please enter me for this fab. prize

Cricket said...

I would love an entry into this wonderful giveaway! Thank you!

How do you follow your blog? I really like it. :)

Olga said...

Ooh this looks lovely! I'm definitely in. :) piratecakes@gmail.com

Unknown said...

Sounds like a great book thanks for the giveaway.

anne said...

Thanks for featuring this great book. It would be wonderful to read.
elliotbencan(at)hotmail(dot)com

Julie said...

Please sign me up. This looks very interesting!

Rica said...

I'd love to be entered in the contest!

Unknown said...

Hi Julie

Wow, another giveaway, and such a great book.

Enter me and I'll post on my blog as well.

Dottie

Sage Ravenwood said...

I've heard so many great reviews about this book. Please enter me in the drawing. Thanks!Indigo

ravensquietscreams@gmail.com

annie said...

As a big fan of Robert Hellenga I am looking forward to reading another of his books. Thanks for the chance to win.

Rue said...

Looks like a great book.
Thanks for the chance to win.
ruthann (dot) francis (at) gmail (dot) com

Melissa said...

This looks like a good one. Thanks for the giveaway!

techyone said...

This sounds like a great book. Thank you.

Wendi said...

Julie - Please include me in your giveaway - I'm dying (well, not literally!) to read this one! It sounds great, and I'll bet my book club would love to read it too.

:) Wendi
wbarker at hotmail.com

Wendi said...

I added a link to your giveaway in the giveaway sidebar at Wendi's Book Corner: http://wendisbookcorner.blogspot.com

:) Wendi

annies home said...

have a daughter who loves to read love stories
shopannies@yahoo.com

annies home said...

twittered
http://twitter.com/shopannies/status/1274174924

shopannies@Yahoo.com

BJ said...

I'm planning a trip to Italy and I love to read books with the same locale as the place I'm visiting.

Jayna said...

What an interesting plot! I can see all kinds of ways this could go... and I'd love to win a copy and find out!

Michelle Kuo said...

I'd love to enter! I've only heard good things about this book.

I blogged about it here:
http://flyingsolooooo.blogspot.com/2009/03/book-giveaway-links-for-march.html

Anonymous said...

please enter me in this one! thanks!

k_sunshine1977@yahoo.com

Jenny Girl said...

Must read this book! Please enter me.
Jennygirl73ATgmailDOT com

Anonymous said...

Oh THANK YOU for making this available for a contest! I am so excited to read this!
Good Luck to all!
Cassandra

colec[at]students[dot]sou[dot]edu

I also posted this at shelfari!

Anna said...

Sounds like a good one. I'd love to be entered! I added your giveaway to my sidebar.

--Anna
Diary of an Eccentric
diaryofaneccentric at hotmail dot com

Sandee61 said...

Please enter me in your giveaway...I so want to read this book! I enjoyed the review very much. Thank you!

Sandy

Muzzley56[at]aol[dot]com

CherylS22 said...

I'd love to read this book - please count me in!

Thanks,
megalon22 at yahoo dot com