It’s all about reviews and the buzz people create. Reviews are so important to the success of a book – any book! They help with algorithms and create verified tags. It is a digital world whether we like it or not and frankly, I admit, I look at the back of a book before I purchase one.
We would appreciate reviews and testimonials through any social media and especially Amazon, Goodreads, anywhere you find our books.
If you post something, please remember to tag us so we can thank you and use it in our marketing campaign. Email us too with any reviews or testimonials so we might add it to this page!
We are excited about this journey of ours. Never in a million years did we think we would become authors. Our first book was all about telling the story of our most wonderful year spent in Italy. Our second book is the conclusion of this adventure. Our third book is completly different in that we designed and created a travel guidebook through 31 towns in Tuscany. We hope you’ll join our journey and be inspired.
Grazie Mille – thank you!
Additional Reviews
Best memoir ever! 5 Cannoli! I have read several of these type of memoirs of Italy and this takes all the cannoli. I love that even though both husband and wife tell the story there is a smoothness of voice between them, reflecting perhaps of their marriage. As self-published books go, these folks did their homework and the book is pretty much error free. Their descriptions of the places they visited are vivid and authentic. Their style is down-to-earth. Boo to the reviewer who griped that they could only do this because they were dual citizens…not true. Many Italian Americans have no clue that they may have the right to dual citizenship. These two have guts and a caring heart to do what they did. A great read, don’t miss it.
Elliana, “Our Italian Journey”
Reading this book feels like strolling down a quaint Italian street, where every corner offers a new delight, and each window reveals a world waiting to be discovered. Instead of glancing into charming shops, however, you’re peeking into the heart of Tuscan towns, one by one. The book invites you to imagine yourself there—wandering narrow cobblestone alleys, gazing up at centuries-old architecture, or sitting in a quiet piazza with a glass of local wine in hand.
It’s not about ticking off lists of must-see landmarks, top restaurants, or hotel recommendations—you’ve got the internet and guidebooks for that. This book goes deeper, capturing the soul of each town. It paints a vivid picture of what it feels like to be there, to breathe in the history, to savor the unique atmosphere.
Rather than reading it cover to cover, this book invites you to wander, to flip through its pages and linger wherever your curiosity takes you. The introductory chapters set the stage beautifully, and practical tips at the end provide helpful advice on train travel, seasonal differences, and other essentials for anyone dreaming of an Italian escape.
Explore Tuscany without leaving your couch—this book will give you the spirit of the place, and maybe even spark a longing to experience it for yourself.
JoAn, “Tuscany Treasures”
We followed Gary and Ilene on their Italian journey as their hearts searched for a home in beautiful Italy. As we rejoined them in “When Your Heart Finds It’s Home,” we felt as though we were having a cappuccino with an old friend and picking up right where we left off. Rejoin this brave, big hearted, adventurous couple and find out right where their hearts led them. You will laugh and cry with them as you read all about the trials and tribulations of settling in to a new Italian home. (Spoiler Alert!} Over the course of their two books, you will watch them as they go from novice to practically ambassadors of their new town!
Gina Ann, “When Your Heart Finds Its Home”
If you have ever dreamed of following your heart to Italy, you must read their story! And if you have traveled to Italy, as we did, and met your favorite authors, you might even find that they have written you right into their book!
I’ve just finished reading this book for a second time. We’ve been missing our usual annual trips to Italy due to the pandemic so I got a stroll down memory lane by reading Gary and Ilene’s book again, chock full of interesting topics such as food, wine, markets, local vendors, apartments and local ceremonies and customs. We’ve been to some of the towns they visited and there were many that we haven’t been to. Their descriptions make us want to add those towns to our own bucket list when we can return to Italy. And I especially enjoyed their adventures with train schedules. In almost every chapter of their book Ilene and Gary reminded me how incredibly helpful, friendly and welcoming the Italians are, which brought back my own memories of many special people we met while in Italy. Bellissimo to Gary and Ilene!
Wendy Telford, “Our Italian Journey”
“Tuscany Treasures: A Journey Through 31 Towns” is a guidebook unlike any other. Ilene and Gary Modica have not only shared their personal journey of acquiring Italian citizenship and moving to Italy, but they’ve also taken readers on an immersive adventure through the enchanting towns of Tuscany. With each stop, their vivid descriptions stir the senses—I can almost smell the enticing aromas wafting from homes and trattorias, taste the authentic flavors, and see the cats lounging on sun-soaked windowsills. Ilene’s detailed storytelling brings the unique sounds of each village to life as if the music of Tuscany whispers in my ears with every page. By the time I finished, I felt as though I had wandered through the streets myself, and I am already planning my next travel adventure to experience the magic of Tuscany firsthand.
MaryPat, “Tuscany Treasures”
Great book, Had a hard time putting it down. Gary and Ilene make everyone feel like family. I hope to some day visit Lucca and meet this amazing couple. This book is a must read for anyone visiting Italy. The day I finished the book, Ilene has a live FB tour of the area they live and their adorable apartment. Seeing them live and being invited into their apartment made the book come alive. Thank you for sharing your life and journey. You are blessed and have blessed us for sharing!
Great book, Had a hard time putting it down. Gary and Ilene make everyone feel like family. I hope to some day visit Lucca and meet this amazing couple. This book is a must read for anyone visiting Italy. The day I finished the book, Ilene has a live FB tour of the area they live and their adorable apartment. Seeing them live and being invited into their apartment made the book come alive. Thank you for sharing your life and journey. You are blessed and have blessed us for sharing!
Kathleen F. DeSanto, “When Your Heart Finds Its Home”
Our Italian Journey is a beautifully written memoir, full of realistic, charming and delightful people.
Susan Lauciello, “Our Italian Journey”
Every page made me feel I was there with Ilene and Gary, enjoying each Italian village not only getting to know the locals but struggling with the language as well. If only I could taste the food too! The descriptions of each town is great. I’ll definitely reference that when planning our next trip.
“I found the book to be both entertaining and enlightening. I am a U.S. citizen living in Tuscany, and as I read through the towns, I found several places added to my “to-do” list. It is an excellent “places to see” book and a good guide for the perfect getaway places.”
M. D’Ambra, “Tuscany Treasures”
I truly enjoyed reading the second book of the Modica’s adventures while settling into Lucca, Italy after receiving their dual citizenship. The pages give you a true sense of how everyday life is versus vacationing in Italy. Having visited myself several of the sites and villages they mention, their words brought back that magical feeling that being in Italy brings me. The book provides so many practical details of their personal experiences while relocating to a new country, unafraid of pointing out the lows as well as the highs of the process. Their experience provides the encouragement that once had to fathom dreams can actually, with determination, come true.
Barbara Winshurst, “When Your Heart Finds Its Home”
Since I may never have the opportunity to live in Italy through every season, living vicariously through their year there is a gift to me. I felt like I was on a trip to Italy every time I picked it up. And it is a book I can return to again and again if I want a quick reminder of what it is like to be in Italy. Also, they are inspiring me to make the most of my next opportunity to travel to Italy when we are able to once again. Ilene and Gary were brave enough to live their dream and share it with us. Through reading their book I was glad to be a part of this adventure!
Diane Selkregg, “Our Italian Journey”
Great book, Had a hard time putting it down. Gary and Ilene make everyone feel like family. I hope to some day visit Luca and meet this amazing couple. This book is a must read for anyone visiting Italy. The day I finished the book, Ilene has a live FB tour of the area they live and their adorable apartment. Seeing them live and being invited into their apartment made the book come alive. Thank you for sharing your life and journey. You are blessed and have blessed us for sharing!
Meredith J. “When Your Heart Finds Its Home”
What a truly wonderful journey! The authors took us – readers – to Italy. It was very nice reading and following their adventures and I hope another book will follow soon! I certainly will recommend this book to people who like to read wonderful travel memoirs. Without no doubt, I give Italian Journey a 5 star rating!
Kathleen Van Lierop, “Our Italian Journey”
If you’ve ever been to Italy, or ever dreamed of going you need to read this book. If you’ve been to Italy, it will remind you of all the wonderful beauty of the places and people there and if you dream of going one day, you’ll want to read this book and highlight every place Gary and Ilene talk about. They have a wonderful knack for finding great places to eat, see and enjoy and make friends everywhere they go. There are many wonderful places in the world but I truly believe it’s the people you meet along the way that make the trip worth taking. One of Ilene’s quote speaks to my heart “it’s the people you meet along the journey that make the journey” and after you read this book you’ll feel like two of those people are Gary and Ilene. You’ll be sorry to come to the end of this book and want to read it again just to feel like you’re there with them! And Ilene even includes some of her special recipes!
Frank S., “When Your Heart Finds Its Home”
Our Italian Journey is about having a dream and doing everything in your power to achieve it. Gary and Ilene took on the arduous task of acquiring Italian citizenship, applying for Italian passports, and leaving their family & friends for an entire year to live out their dream of residing in Italy. At any point, they could have given up on that dream, but instead perserved. Regardless of what your dream may be, this memoir truly inspires the reader to overcome all obstacles and have a lot of fun along the way!
Gina Andracchio, Community Leader of mi.o; an online community for people passionate about Italy, “Our Italian Journey”
This is the 2nd book by Ilene & Gary that I’ve read. I feel like they are friends – yet I’ve never met them. They are a typical American couple experiencing living & traveling in Italy. They aren’t well-to-do suggesting the impossible to us “regular folk”. They stick to a budget so I can relate to them! They do have Italian citizenship so that makes it easier for them to see more without having to travel back to the States. But that said, I enjoy reading about the places they’ve seen & food they’ve eaten. I like the off-the-beaten-path recommendations, far from tourists. It makes them more charming. I underline & dog-ear pages in their books of the places they’ve been to that are of interest to me. One day, it will help plan my own trip! Thank you, Ilene & Gary!
MC, “When Your Heart Finds Its Home”
As avid European traveler, I always enjoy reading the experiences of others, and Our Italian Journey does not disappoint. Our Italian Journey was hard to put down, from the beginnings with Gary and Ilene’s acquisition of Dual Citizenship to the end. I really enjoy that Gary and Ilene would each have a separate section to provide their particular feelings and views. It was great to read of all the places Gary and Ilene visited in Italy and all the friends they made along the way. Throughout the book their love for each other resonates. The book is well written, very easy to read, yet hard to put down, and inspiring do some Italian traveling. I highly recommend
Romie, “Our Italian Journey”
We’ve been following Gary and Ilene for several years both through their helpful blog and fun books. In all their communications, they have the wonderful ability to make you feel like you’re traveling along with them. Traveling and chatting with a couple of amici. No preaching. No metaphors. No judging. No exaggerations. Lots of helpful stuff. Like their first book, this one also has plenty of the Modica secret sauce: Amore. Try it. You’ll like it.
John Petralia, “When Your Heart Finds Its Home”
I loved this book as the witty and wonderful couple, Ilene and Gary Modica, narrates and navigate throughout Italy in search of the perfect place to call “home.” Our Italian Journey was both informative and delightful as they take turns describing the people they meet, villages, meals, duomos (cathedrals), trail ways and scenic routes. Their journey becomes so much more when Gary returns to his “roots” and walks the paths his beloved grandfather (Pop), and family had lived so long ago. They made everyday count, sharing their strengths, disappointments, recommendations and determinations. Ilene often phrased, “if we can do this, anyone can.” They are such an inspiration in their love for one another and their commitment to living their best life, in Italy. I certainly am looking forward to reading a continuation of their journey to find out where they end up hanging their hats. Italy is now #1 on My bucket list, thanks to the Modica’s
Cynthia Vance, “Our Italian Journey”
Life gives you the most beautiful gifts and it has given us Ilene and Gary Modica’s captivating tale of their journey to finding their forever home in Italy. This book is a lovely, intimate, and charming memoir of Italian life and travel. Italy is generally regarded as having the most inevitable lifestyle. They way Ilene & Gary have described the scenery, the people, and their experiences surely support this and make me want to follow in their footsteps. Excellent, beautifully written, this is a book I’ll keep and reread time and again.
Susan Lauciello
“When Your Heart Finds Its Home”
I’ve been following Ilene and Gary’s blog, Our Italian Journey, since the beginning of their adventure, and I was delighted to see they’d written a book about their travels! This book is a love letter to Italy, and the three-year culmination of their life-long dream to become Italian citizens! Their story is also a tribute to the desire many Americans have — to return to the land of their ancestors — and a chance to imagine life in small villages with cobblestone streets and flower boxes attached to ancient walls. From loving descriptions of the exquisite food to stories of all the lovely people they meet through this year-long adventure, you’ll find a treasure on every page. I highly recommend this book!
Maureen Hannon
“Our Italian Journey”
“This is not your typical dry travel book telling you to go here, stay there, and eat that! This is a book about the very heart and soul of Tuscany. Even if you’ve been to any of the towns listed in this book you’ll want to visit them again after reading Ilene and Gary’s descriptions. You’ll want to look for the people they mention and the little nooks and crannies of the cities and towns that make each one unique. This is a book you can relax with, savor a glass of wine, and imagine yourself immersed in the sights, sounds and smells of a beautiful part of the world through the charming descriptions of Ilene and Gary”.