ROMANCE IN ITALY
By
Her dream come true, Jane Graydon prepares to leave her native England for a summer in Genoa as a staff member of the Blue Dragon Travel Agency. Since Jane's mother had been obstracized and disinherited by her wealthy Italian family, the Lerrantes, Jane is fascinated by the signs of Lerrante wealth she confronts all around her. She is strangely attracted to the family, yet fearful of meeting them. The meeting is inevitable however, and like the rest of the plot, entirely predictable. Jane falls in love with Andrea Lerrante, her cousin, keeps the relationship a secret until Desda Lerrante notices the resemblance between Jane and her long forgotten Aunt Giovanna. Grandfather dies (conveniently) permitting a total reconciliation and Jane's romance flourishes. Except for the colorful scenes of Genoa, the Italian Riviera and Rome, there is little to substantiate teenage identification with the story.