Roberta R. Carr’s The Vernazza Effect is a captivating story about twenty-nine-year-old Ella Walker, who undergoes a journey to discover her destiny and heal her body and soul. After Ella experiences a traumatic tragedy both at work and in her marriage, her best friend, Tara Collins, makes sure to take her far away from what has been physically and emotionally breaking her down. Despite the frantic rush of a short-notice trip to Italy, Ella ends up being captivated by the enchanting scenery and splendor of Vernazza, one of the five seaside villages of Cinque Terre. As she finally gains courage and opens her heart to new possibilities, another tragedy occurs for her. Will Ella once again find herself lost and broken beyond repair, or will she be able to fight for her dreams against such a cruel twist in her life?

The Vernazza Effect was a gripping story that left me speechless. Roberta R. Carr described Italy so that I felt myself falling in love with the place even though I have never been. It made me feel like I was there seeing the quaint, beautiful scenes that Ella experienced. After reading this story, I fell in love with Vernazza, and I feel as though I can see myself there when I close my eyes. It made me want to go on a spontaneous trip to heal my soul too! The progress Ella made throughout the story was also remarkable, and I became fond of her. I felt so happy for Ella whenever something good happened to her, but I was also frustrated, and I felt like I might cry whenever she experienced awful things. I worried for her right until the end of the story, and I kept hoping that she would get the happy ending she deserved. Her best friend, Tara Collins, is another character that I adored. She was impressive and supportive in every way, but she was also not afraid to tell Ella off whenever she went overboard. She was indeed a good friend, and Ella was lucky to have her. Despite being a busy lawyer, she always found time to be there for Ella. This story left a deep impression on me, I never tired of it and could see myself reading this lovely book repeatedly! Great work!

The Vernazza Effect by Roberta R. Carr is unashamedly a romantic love story laced with tragedy. Ella Walker, a neonatal nurse, is in an unhappy marriage with a domineering, emotionally and physically abusive husband. When one of Ella’s precious premature babies dies, followed by the death of her beloved mother, all in the same week, Ella is at her lowest point. Angry at her husband’s greed over her late mother’s estate, Ella is convinced by her best friend, Tara Collins, to drop everything and head off to the Italian Riviera together to celebrate Ella’s thirtieth birthday. Following the two girls’ spa vacation, Ella decides to stay another two weeks, by herself, to further explore the village of Vernazza which they had visited on the spa tour. A chance encounter on a hiking trail with a fellow American tourist clarifies her feelings about her soon-to-be ex-husband and leads Ella to decide she is ready to move on with her life and start afresh.

The Vernazza Effect is a wonderfully descriptive and emotive novel about love, loss, and the uncertainties of life. In Ella, author Roberta R. Carr has created the perfect mix of a determined young woman also infused with uncertainty about herself, her place in the world, and her purpose. As a reader, I am a sucker for a sweet love story, especially one that takes some overcoming of obstacles and personal issues to achieve, and this story fits the bill perfectly. As a bonus, the author gives us a vivid description and vision of the beauty of the little villages along the Italian Riviera. One could almost taste the succulent food and delicious wine of an Italian summer. Her prose is evocative and appealing, and the story is well capable of being read in one sitting in front of the fire on a cold winter’s day. The synchronicity, apparent in the plot, may be stretching the bounds of credibility a little, but somehow it doesn’t matter as Ella seeks purpose and direction in her life. This story has no pretensions – it is what it is: a simple romance, but it is an excellent example of the genre and well worth a read. I can highly recommend this book.