My Italian Bulldozer

February 15, 2017
McCall Smith (Chance Developments, 2016, etc.) adds to the overworked subgenre of Tuscan travel romance with this pallid story about a Scottish cookery writer recovering from his broken heart in Italy.Paul has published nine wildly successful books about food and wine under the tutelage of his "freelance editor" Gloria, who may harbor but doesn't quite express deeper than professional feelings for him. This is a contemporary novel, and Paul, whose decency and sensitivity McCall Smith frequently touts, is only supposed to be 36, but his reticence, especially concerning sex, and the mildly witty, buttoned-down dialogue make both character and time frame seem much older--think 1930s Fred Astaire sidekick. After Paul's girlfriend, Becky, dumps him for her personal trainer (the first of many oh please! moments in a novel rife with cliches) and Paul falls apart, Gloria suggests he take a trip to Tuscany to finish up his book on the Tuscan lifestyle. Arriving in Pisa, he faces a series of unfortunate events one would think an experienced travel writer would manage more handily. Victimized by stereotypically hot-tempered, conceited, and larcenous Italians, he's left without transportation to his destination, the small village of Montalcino, and even lands briefly in jail until the equally stereotypical, charming Italian "cavaliere" whom Paul met on the flight over bails him out and finds a vehicle for him to drive: a bulldozer. That bulldozer also more or less drives the plot, allowing Paul to meet charming American art historian Anna when he pulls her car out of a ditch and involving him, however unknowingly, in several escapades involving Montalcino villagers. Soon romantic complications set in: Paul thinks he's in love with Anna but she has a male friend coming to visit; Becky shows up to apologize, followed for reasons that remain vague by Gloria. Montalcino, of course, is full of natural beauty, ruined buildings, salt-of-the-earth if charming connivers, and underappreciated wine. McCall Smith knows how to concoct delightful fictions, but this one is undercooked.

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March 15, 2017
McCall Smith, the hugely popular author of The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency novels, has written a rom-com stand-alone novel that puts the machine back in deus ex machina. The novel's hero, Paul Stewart, is a young, good-looking, best-selling cookbook writer, based in Edinburgh, whose girlfriend has ditched him for her personal trainer. Paul is feeling stuck; his editor believes that any step in any direction will lead Paul out of his depressive bog. This translates into a trip to Italy to research a book on Tuscan cooking and then into a series of comic mishaps that end up with Paul having to make do with the only vehicle available, a gigantic bulldozer. Amusing as Paul's plight is, and as entrancing as the Tuscan hills and the tiny town of Montalcino are, the plot itself is predictable (and as slow to accelerate as the bulldozer): Can a young, handsome, wealthy man who loves to cook find love again? Well, yes, he can. In McCall Smith's hands, even this flawed premise is transformed into an entertaining novel, but it's not up to the author's usual level.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)

December 1, 2016

Paul Stewart is happily anticipating his stay at the charming Italian town of Montalcino, where he intends to complete his overdue cookbook. But at the airport, there's no record of his rental car reservation and in fact no cars to be had. Then someone offers him a bulldozer. Big book club push.

Copyright 2016 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.