Iris is in New York to escape an abusive relationship. She lost her mother pretty recently and she discovers a little gelato shop in Little Italy where her mother met the "love of her life" but returned to it on a promise too late. She slowly is pulled into this wonderful big Italian family through the shop but it's owner is medically not well, his shop is falling and because of how their recipe is kept (only 2 people know it at a time)..Iris's mother gave her that secret and she wanted to return it but in a way that still keeps her promise to her mother.

Iris and Gio. I really loved these two and think they met (more than the bookstore encounter)  at the exact right time for each other to begin healing in all the ways they needed to. Iris-to get over her emotionally abusive ex and the death of her mother. Gio- to learn to be fully happy again after the death of his wife.

There are a couple of big secrets that Iris is  keeping and she may not have gone about hiding them in the most conductive ways but the way that Gio acts when he finds out... Gio still is just a really good guy at heart and took care of Iris so tenderly even if he was initially mad. I love that Santo allowed her to be part of the family at the most perfect time.

This was a heartfelt book that made me feel so comforted in the goodness of people and new beginnings!