The Three Graces of Pearl Street: A Novel

Summary

“A truly captivating tale spanning generations of strong women, this poignant debut features unforgettable characters who discover that it’s never too late to stand up for what’s right. Don’t miss this charmer.” —Annabel Monaghan, New York Times bestselling author of Dolly All The Time

“A stunning debut. An intergenerational story full of the complexities of family life that will surprise and inspire you at every turn.” —Adriana Trigiani, New York Times bestselling author of The View from Lake Como

In this wise and warm debut novel, an Italian American grandmother, daughter, and granddaughter all named after the Roman myth of The Three Graces find their lives—and their secrets—colliding when, after years apart, they come to live under the same roof.

Graziella, the ninety-six-year-old matriarch and former nun, spends her days running the parish’s food kitchen, convinced it is her responsibility to keep everyone fed in their working-class New York neighborhood. Her daughter, Grace, a respected psychology professor, appears accomplished and composed, yet finds herself unmoored as her personal life falters. Ella—Graziella’s granddaughter and Grace’s daughter—is weary of defending her vegan diet and anti-capitalistic lifestyle; blind to her own brilliance, she longs, above all, for a place to belong. Living together again, the three Graces reckon with the distances that have shaped them, and with what it means, at last, to be fully known.

Exquisitely written and populated by unforgettable characters, The Three Graces of Pearl Street explores the delicate balance between tradition and modernity, and the quiet courage it takes to move through the world with true grace.