Digital Reads Reviews

My review

There comes once in a lifetime, when you think you are reading a chick-lit book, but it turns out to be so much more. This is what I would call a propah women’s fiction. This book gave me Carla, a wonderful, strong, humorous, sarcastic woman, who like all of us, has a tiny sliver of insecurity and lack of confidence, at certain times. Who amongst us is confident all the time in every situation??

I have always thought that if a book pulls you in from the first line, then it is a fabulous book. Ten Years Later by Lisa Marie Latino is one such fabulous book. The author starts the story with a bang. I absolutely loved Carla, Italian girl from New Jersey, who at 28, stays with her parents, who is crazy about sports, and who would like nothing more than to host her own sports-show on the radio. But so far, she has become the producer of a show, just not her own show. Her nightmare started when she received a card beginning with Save the Date. Having a 10 year school reunion but not having a husband/boyfriend, a career, a home is extremely stressful especially when you know the others probably have it all. I totally get that. I have been scared of my school and college reunions (haven’t attended any, in case you wondering)

So armed with a new determination, Carla sets forth to makeover her life to achieve her goals. And man, she is knocked back and betrayed by people and life. But one would think, she would give up. Nahhh!! Not our Carla!! She she picks herself up, dusts up, and goes back to taking the reigns of her life, all done with humor.

The author has written Carla with great love; whatever be the knocks in her life, Carla goes through it through great dignity. I took 4 days to read this book, not because it was slow, but because I wanted to savor each word written by the author, it was that good. I didn’t want the book to end. I can keep gushing about Carla till I run out of words, but I would rather that every woman read her story.

Many authors write women’s fiction with the same formula, no confidence ——> great job, hunky man, high confidence. Carla’s story also follows the same equation to a slight extent, but the treatment is oh so different. Lisa Marie Latino is extremely talented to write such a book, which is an inspiration, and Thank God! no dumb, simpering, teenagery woman in this. The only time I wanted to deck Carla is when she wouldn’t speak up for herself, she never said No to anyone even when she knew that she should. I was standing at the wings, waiting for her to take the centre stage, supporting her all the while, and she never does… Then she did… And the story continued on beautifully….

This was just the perfect book to perk me up, when the flu got me down. A humorously beautiful take on school reunion invitations and its repercussions. Carla is every woman’s dream, and she is everything that a main lead should be : humorous, whacky, sarcastic, genuine, kind, honest, intelligent and a bit naive.

My rating : 5 stars

About the Author

Lisa Marie Latino is CEO and executive producer of Long Shot Productions, a full-service media production company based in Fairfield, New Jersey.

Latino’s career has produced numerous commercial, corporate, and entertainment programs that have taken her throughout the United States as well as Europe. In 2014, Latino co-launched Hip New Jersey (HipNewJersey.com), a lifestyle program featuring the latest trends around the Garden State.

Latino has appeared on a wide variety of local television, network cable, and radio shows, including TLC’s Cake Boss and works in-season for the New York Giants Radio Network. She has also served as an adjunct broadcasting professor at Seton Hall University. Latino graduated from Montclair State University in 2006 with a degree in broadcasting and speech communication.

She currently lives in New Jersey

Book blurb

When New Jersey-based sports radio producer Carla D’Agostino receives a save-the-date for her ten-year high school reunion, she’s thrown into a tailspin. She’s miserably single, living at home with her old-school Italian-American family, and miles away from her dream job as a sports talk radio host. Her friends Andrea, Katie and Dante encourage Carla to stand up and fight for the life she wants. Inspired by their words, Carla sets her plans in motion.

But the universe has different ideas for Carla than she has for herself, and she suffers setback after setback: Dan gives the afternoon host position to a Los Angeles import, and, worse yet, offers her friend Dante a gig, which he accepts, much to Carla’s hurt and dismay. More determined than ever, Carla continues to throw herself at life with gusto, and a series of surprises, both good and bad, lead her straight into the arms of a love that never really left.

Product Details

Publication date : 4th October, 2016

Publisher : Long Shot Publishing

Language : English

Available on Amazon, free with Kindle Unlimited

A book for every woman, filled with humor and sarcasm