ANGELICA'S DISCOVERIES

Greco’s (Dreams, 2010) second novel features a young woman in pursuit of answers to a family mystery.

Angelica grows up in the beautiful Swiss Alps but dreams of exotic travel and adventure. Her interest is especially piqued by a family story about a golden tie clip, an heirloom treasured by her grandfather for unknown reasons and passed down through the generations as a good luck charm. Regardless of her family’s concern for her safety, Angelica becomes a travel guide in Greece to temper her craving for excitement. Despite several romantic interests, she marries Mark, a young man from her past who travels to Athens to win her hand in marriage. The young couple travel extensively, start a family and eventually decide to immigrate to the United States. In the spirit of adventure, they take a cross-country road trip before settling in California. Angelica, still curious about the golden tie clip, makes contact with relatives who settled in America, in hopes of reuniting her far-flung family as a means of uncovering the mystery. Greco’s simple story, while ambitious in scope, can often strain the bounds of credulity. There’s very little conflict or suspense in the narrative, as the pieces of Angelica’s life fall into place in a string of happy coincidences. Angelica shows potential to be a strong protagonist and Mark appears to be a smart, determined young man, but the book fails to provide a true exploration of the characters’ motivations and emotions. In the interest of moving the plot along, the narrative skips over what could have been interesting scenes, such as Angelica’s introduction to Mark and their blossoming romance. Similarly, the story of the golden tie clip is introduced in the beginning yet seems to be an afterthought for most of the novel. The book focuses on Angelica’s travels, ignoring the budding mystery surrounding the jewel.

A quick, easy read that falls short of expectations.