I could have gone to a shrink. But a year in Italy sounded so much more appealing. My fantasy was that by changing my address, my insecurities would vanish and I would magically become the sexy, sultry and migraine-free woman I was always meant to be.

 

So begins URGE TO ROME, a memoir about the year I moved to the eternal city with my family. We rented an apartment under the guise of an educational and cultural once-in-a-lifetime experience for all. 

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It should have occurred to me that complications might arise: a new country and language with a teen, a tween, and a linguistically challenged husband coupled with the guilt I felt at abandoning my demanding mother. Our assimilation into a new community was hardly seamless; and we got way too familiar with the Italian healthcare system. But despite all the unexpected hurdles, I learned to love the woman staring back from my mirror.

 

A cross between A Year in Provence and Eat Pray Love, with a hint of Jennifer Weiner thrown into the mix, URGE TO ROME is about longing. Adventure. It entices the reader with delectable meals, captivating locations and the unexpected surprises that life presents. But the real journey was one of self discovery: coming to terms with my personal limitations.

 

You can read excerpts from the book at storgy.com and wanderlust-journal.com... or see a Photo Gallery of Highlights from the year abroad.