We've reviewed two Adriana Trigiani books at Trashionista. Lucia, Lucia, I absolutely loved. Queen of the Big Time, Diane didn't enjoy at all. I adored Trigiani's Big Stone Gap trilogy so could hardly wait to read Home to Big Stone Gap, but, sadly, I was terribly disappointed.

Ave Maria and Jack's daughter Etta has married young and settled in Italy. Jack's health is poor and Ave Maria thinks she's seen their son, who died aged 4, walking in the woods behind their house. Plus Ave Maria learns a secret about her best friend Iva Lou that causes a rift between them.

As I started reading Home to Big Stone Gap, I found it quite comforting to return to these much-loved characters, but as I read on... well, I was bored. I recently read and loved Michael Tolliver Lives - a sort of continuation of Armistead Maupin's Tales of the City series after a break of 20 years - so why didn't I enjoy Home to Big Stone Gap? Perhaps there hasn't been enough of a gap (ha!) since the end of the trilogy for me to be happy just to spend time with the characters. I wanted a story and I didn't really get one.