Jump to navigation David Briggs Gail Reitano sought to recreate the strength and agency of her Italian-American mother and grandmother in her new novel, Italian Love Cake. The book allowed her to explore Italy, which she said was missing for the generations that were in a fever to integrate.
By 05/19/2021
Gail Reitano’s first novel, Italian Love Cake, hit the shelves this month. Set on the eve of World War II, the novel features a young, second-generation Italian-American woman making her own way as a shopkeeper and baker in rural New Jersey. The narrative is political, delving into the growing divisions of a society preparing for war. Despite the increasingly dire circumstances, the plotline is driven by a fearless, hopeful and free-spirited lead character, Marie Genovese. Rejecting the patriarchal pressures of her reality, Marie claims her independence at every turn.