Urbino, Unexpectedly

A Story of Love and Self-discovery

Fiction - Chick Lit
330 Pages
Reviewed on 04/07/2014
Buy on Amazon

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Author Biography

I was born and raised in Rimini, Italy, a mid-size town on the Adriatic Sea. I was trained as a clinical psychologist at "Universita' La Sapienza" in Rome where I spent fun and exciting years enjoining the energy of the capital.

I got married in 1994 and soon after, following my husband in his career (or maybe it was him following me in my desire to try different cultures), I moved to the US where I still live with my husband (the same one!) and our ten-year-old daughter (did I just write ten? Time really flies).

Besides writing, I love spending my time growing and caring for plants and flowers. Here, my husband and daughter would have a loud laugh since, it often happens that, despite my efforts to keep them alive, my plants turn into dry sticks.
Luckily, that doesn't happen with our many pets; our home is full of animals, inside and out. Inside there is Roxy, the happy and fierce Pomapoo always looking for a soft place to snuggle up; Margot, the nosy and sweet black cat constantly hunting; Cheddar, the chubby and lazy orange tabby that loves to play with her tail; five fishes named Dave one, two, three, four, and five. Outside, we have plenty of deer that we love even if they keep eating my flowers and my vegetables as soon as they bloom or as soon as they are ready to be harvested; we have birds and squirrels that we keep satisfied bfeeding them seeds and nuts all year long, and an old fox with three legs that hide in the woods and that we call 'Foxy'.

    Book Review

Reviewed by Michelle Randall for Readers' Favorite

Is it good enough to go through life doing the right thing and never causing your parents any problems? Even if you aren't happy with the choices that you are making, can you live a good life making other people happy? Clara is in law school only because she thought it was what her parents wanted her to do. Her father is a surgeon and not the type to express his feelings to her. Her mother is a socialite bent on keeping Clara doing exactly as she says. One night, while out with friends, Clara met Leonardo, a doctor, and it is love from the start. They begin dating and he allows her to be who she is, never telling her what to do or what to think. As Urbino, Unexpectedly continues on, Clara finds herself answering questions and coming into her own; at the same time realizing that having Leonardo, who is not telling her what to do in her life, is the best thing she has ever had. Maria Chiara Marsciani gives the reader a story of love and self-discovery, parental control, and breaking free all wrapped in the beauty of Italy.

Urbino, Unexpectedly confronts the dysfunctional family that Clara has been raised in, but also some of the friendships that she has allowed herself that have fed off her family relationship. As she becomes stronger, her grandmother is the one person who cheers her in this, but at the same time you see grandma relaxing and saying, "Finally, my work is done." Maria Chiara Marsciani gives the reader a complex story with a number of different veins. Some of the characters are quite shallow, but the main characters are good and have some qualities that make you want to read further and see what happens. This is a women's story and would even be good for a book club discussion.

Michelle

Urbino unexpectedly was a beautifully luscious read! The story follows the personal journey of the main character Clara. She is a young woman set in a daily routine, designed and maintained by her parents and the society in which she lives. Clara feels stifled and meeting Leonardo a young doctor changes everything for Clara.

The relationship between Clara and Leonardo to the disapproval of those around her sparks the unraveling of all that is known and accepted in Clara's life, she is similar to a new bud that has been awakened,and begins to blossom.

I enjoyed the read and believe that anyone at any age could identify with Clara's plight...once the new adventure has been undertaken, the new sights, ideals and wonders viewed...they cannot be unseen or experienced...I believe the story is less then about the love of Clara and Leonardo and how that relationship affected her life...yes, it is the catalyst and the topic of discussion, but it more about Clara herself, finding out who she is...the passion shared with the young doctor opens her to new possibilities and creates in her an awareness that there is more and through that strength birthed within her to desire to have the life she wants...this book reflects the journey that Clara takes to make this happens. Many of the "normal things" in Clara's life remains...but some relationships and situations will be severed.

I enjoyed this book, loved the backdrop, admired the main character's strength in character and was mesmerized by the passion between Leonardo and Clara!

I fully recommend those who enjoy Romance, Women's Fiction:O)

Sarah

When I purchased this book, I didn't know what to expect from a first-time author. Well, this book went way beyond my expectations. Unlike authors who try too hard to impress, or use various excesses and over emphasis, this book was as honest, pure and fresh as you can find from much more experienced authors. I could vividly see the locations, the colors, Italy, and most of all I could see through the beauty of the main character through her eyes. What an amazing journey. Highly recommended.

Melissa

Clara's journey is one that many women can relate to. Living your life the way that would please your parents and believing it's what you want but realizing its not at all the life you want! Claras an adult who is still treated like a immature child, her mother is overbearing and very conceded. She meets Leonardo and falls in love and he helps her in her road to self discovery. It's a hard road when her mother wont give up trying to stay in control of her daughters life but this story is great, touching, romantic and I recommend to all!

Alessia

A beautiful and romantic love story that makes you dream and a great representation of a reality that makes you think...
I love how the author describes all the characters, making you feel part of them...making you lough sometimes and sad at other times.
Very well written, makes the reader eager to read it all in one go.

I would be happy to read part 2 soon!

Paige

I was pleasantly surprised by Urbino, Unexpectedly. It had a really nice flow to it, and it read almost as if I was reading a memoir(and y'all know how much I love a good memoir!). The story follows Clara, a twenty-two year old woman who is trying to find her way. About to become her lawyer, the story opens on her preparing to head to a conference, of which she daydreams through most of. Upon leaving, though, she bumps into a man and feels an immediate connection...

Like the synopsis states, this truly is a story of the power of love and the need to follow one's one dreams, and I felt almost honored to be able to follow Clara on her journey as she navigated the ups and downs of life. I think that this is definitely a book for fans of chick lit, and it has a definite readability that is sure to span age groups.

My favorite thing about this book is the wondrous picture of Italy that is painted on almost every page. The author vividly portrays her birth-country with such detail that I felt as if I was almost there. It's always been a dream of mine to visit Italy, and this book is about as close as I've ever gotten. I've read books based in Italy before, but never one that felt was an honest portrayal, until now.

Maria Chiara Marsciani knows how to create breath-taking chapters and have you on edge just a bit as page after page you race to find what happens in Clara's life next. I would recommend for anyone in the market for a good Chick Lit!

Gina

Urbino, Unexpectedly I found had a good flow to the story. I myself do not usually read love stories but I liked the way the author described and incorporated the italian culture and life style. The main character Clara is so easy to identify with as a women coming of age wanting to break away from her family and make her own life long decisions yet maintain her family relationships. The other uses good use of descriptions with out exhausting the readers attention span. I would recommend this book as a easy summer read.

Mary

Awesome.
I really really enjoyed reading this story.
Clara is just like me - maybe I am not as brave as she is and I need much more time to make big decisions but, yeah, Clara is as close to my heart as a fictional character can be. All young people have got problems just like hers, problems with parents that are trying to control Your whole life, problems with double-faced friends, being struck with realization that what You are doing is not what You are craving for and all troubles connected with inevitable growing up. What makes her special is that she IS strong enough to face the world around her, strong enough to fight for her own happiness and smart enough to follow her dreams and listen to her heart.

The story is amazing from the very beginning. It's easy to understand Clara's actions and to like her friends. It was a little bit difficult to like Leonardo at first because I do not believe in love at first sight, but well.... the longer I was reading the more I liked him and the closer I got to believing that there is something between them, something invisible connecting them in a way that gave Clara strength to change her life, once and for good. The wedding plans came out a little bit too fast but who am I to judge them? All in all it seems like they are a happy, perfect couple. Another advantage of this book is the place, it is set up in Italy, which is just the most beautiful place in the world (in my opinion of course) and it is just perfect to fall in love there:)

This story has got everything I am looking for in books: it is funny and I ended up laughing out loud on the bus (I LOVE Ella! she is absolutely one of my favorite Clara's friends), it was sad sometimes, it was interesting (I was curious what will happen next, what kind of decision will Clara make about her studies, wedding, Portland), and it was heart-warming, it lit this little spark of hope in me that maybe, just maybe, there is a way to find true love and a chance for a happy-ending for all of us. On the other hand I have to say that there were moment that were just too sappy for me and I felt like it was taken straight from some kind of a Harlequin book (and I hate those), but since there were not too many moments like this I can simply forget about that:)
Apart from a sweet love story there were a lot of things that made it not only easier to understand presented world and people (all mentioned marriages in Clara's family) but also point out that everything in our life (including relationships, studies, work) is not how we imagine it and we have to live with this knowledge and try to be as happy as possible.

A. Kennett

OH WOW.
My very first time I have done this so please bear with me,thanks.I won this book in a contest.so gracious.everyone has different tastes,but for anyone who loves a great read,I very highly recommend this book.beautiful imagery,makes you feel like you are there.the writing flows so well.I hated to go to bed because I wanted to finish.ONE of the best books I have ever read,and I've read alot.so much is repeated in many books.not this one.so original and provocative.I want more.not spoiling the contents.they have to be experienced word by word.emerce you're self in a beautiful story.not to be missed or regretted.Thanks so much,Maria for one of the best.

Charlie Bray

A lovely book which I heartily recommend.
Clara is a contradiction in terms from the start. She sees her world in black and white, in that it’s all laid out for her, mainly at the instigation of her parents. Her existence at law school, the city of Milan, her peers are all laid out neatly in her mind. They represent a very cut and dried, very monochrome world, which follows the pattern expected by her parents, but fails to ignite any enthusiasm in her. Effectively, she has been shunted down a siding, imprisoned in a conventional world that, in reality, she has no appetite for.
And here is the contradiction. She, herself, is not black and white. She is a complex individual who does not fit into any stereotype.
But colour floods into her life in the form of Leonardo. He brings her intense joy and, perhaps more importantly, enables her to focus her mind on what is important to her. She begins to gain the confidence to make her own decisions, to find her own way.
Happy days may have arrived, but Clara finds that it is not plain sailing ahead. Her conventional family and friends become adversaries who balk at her desire to break away from the path that they expect for her. She finds herself in a constant struggle to break away from the magnets that shackle her, and becomes torn between the undoubted comfort zone that constantly beckons, and the intense excitement of life beyond it.
Urbino, Unexpectedly is very much a journey of self discovery, but Clara is not alone. The skill of Marcia Chiara Marsciani ensures that the reader accompanies her, and supports her, every inch of the way.

Optimistic Reader

Italy is a major character in this book, and the reader is treated to wonderfully crafted description of exotic settings, and they also serve as a backdrop for Clara’s voyage into adulthood. I really enjoyed Clara as a character; she’s not perfect but her struggles are real.This is also a lovely romance and tale of self-discovery. Clara falls in love with Leonardo, who is a great guy, but now she must figure out the rest of her relationships. Which family members (like her grandmother) will be supportive and available, and which will disapprove of her relationship and offer her something less than friendship? Through love Clara finds strength and clarity, and this is a coming of age story as much as anything else. I recommend it for a great, escapist read with a strong dose of poignancy!