This collection takes the reader into the complex world of family though a series of short stories about loss, grief, hope and – most importantly – love. Each tale is a beautiful glimpse into how the characters navigate their place within both their families and contemporary Australia. Valerie draws you into their worlds though her wonderful storytelling which leaves you wanting more of these vivid characters.

Valerie G Miller is a wonderful storyteller. The title and description seems apt. The stories are of family, loss and love, and capture subtleties and emotions of the in between moments of our lives.

This is such a beautiful collection of short stories grounded in family ties. The author explains at the start of the book that she's inserted her Italian heritage into the stories, and she really has! It gives the stories a nostalgic realness that's relatable even if you don't know what it's like to have a nonna.

The stories were heartwarming and at times gut wrenching. Valerie captures the emotion equally well of large, life changing events as well as the subtle details that make up the human experience of everyday life. The characters had me wondering about them long after I closed the book.

 enjoyed curling up with these heart-warming stories of love, heartbreak, and everything in between. The Italian aesthetic of family, passion and finding joy in everyday life underlies the stories in this versatile collection and was a pleasure to read. Some of the stories were cosy and reassuring, some were tragic and others mysterious and intriguing. From rebellious daughters to devoted nonnas, the characters were lively and engaging, as they traversed the sometimes-difficult challenges life threw at them. Through it all, there is a pervading sense of hope, and the feeling that even when things are bad, life is a gift to be savoured.