Friday in Napa: A Novel

Vene and her mother Olivia have always been at odds, but when Olivia's imminent death comes, Vene returns to their family home in Napa to mend their relationship. She discovers a passion for cooking in Olivia's old cookbook and embarks on an intimate journey to learn about the Olivia she never got to meet before it's too late. The story explores the pains and joys of devotion, the price of loyalty, the power of secrets, and the meaning of sacrifice.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 256 pages
Publication date: 29 August 2023
Publisher: She Writes Press

Vene has always felt like she and her mother have been at odds, with her first word to describe Olivia being "cold" when she was a child. When news of her mother's imminent death comes, Vene returns to her family's home in Napa to see if their strained relationship can be mended, only to find Olivia as harsh as ever and their reconciliation seemingly unreachable. But when Vene stumbles upon Olivia's old cookbook, she discovers a passion within her mother she didn't know existed. The clipped tone and quick judgments of her dying mother don't match the young woman whose voice she finds between the pages - one that tells a story of romance, longing, duty, and aching heartbreak. Curiosity consumes Vene, and she embarks on an intimate journey to learn about the Olivia she never got to meet - before it's too late.

Vene's story is a captivating tale of devotion, told in alternating perspectives a half-century apart. One Friday in Napa explores the pains and joys of loyalty, the power of secrets, and the meaning of sacrifice. Vene's first word to describe Olivia was "cold" when she was a child, and when news of her mother's imminent death comes, Vene returns to her family's home in Napa to see if their strained relationship can be mended. However, when Vene stumbles upon Olivia's old cookbook, she discovers a passion within her mother she didn't know existed. The clipped tone and quick judgments of her dying mother don't match the young woman whose voice she finds between the pages - one that tells a story of romance, longing, duty, and aching heartbreak. Curiosity consumes Vene, and she embarks on an intimate journey to learn about the Olivia she never got to meet - before it's too late.

Weight: 338g
Dimension: 139 x 217 x 18 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781647425296