Well that was just fantastic! If you like a big, fabulous soapy drama with a side of Broadway glamour, you can‰ÃƒÂ›Ã‚ªt go wrong with this story about three generations of women struggling to live their dreams. I devoured it in less than a day. ( )

Easy to read multi-generational story about Carrie, daughter of a great philanthropist mother & a Broadway musical genius, & granddaughter of one of Broadway's leading stars, she knows nothing about her family but rumors & gossip. But when Carrie's mother dies, she goes on a journey to learn about her past, & the father she doesn't remember, the mother she never really KNEW, & the grandmother she never met. Along the way she discovers herself, & who she can be.

This is a charming, easy to read, captivating tale that kind of sucks you in. It took me 3 days to read :) ( )

I read this book based on the talents of the author, Louise Shaffer, a star of the former soap opera, "Ryan's Hope." Serendipity tells the story of four generations of Italian-Americans who paid for "The Sins of the Mother." The first generation American mother was Mifalda Leporello who entered into an arrange marriage because she was not worth much on the marriage marketplace in Italy. Mifalda was born to an opera singer who was not married to the father and was given-up to a convent.

All her married life she was restless; the truth was, there had always been something wrong inside her-the nuns have been right about that. She wanted more but that was wrong but she had the wild streak of her mother running in her veins. She felt it was her duty as a Mother to teach her daughter "Lu" and then eventually her Granddaughter, Rose to tame their wild side. The best laid plans do not always come to be.

This book has many a twist and turns but you will want the 4th generation protagonist, Carrie to understand why her Mother "Rose" stopped speaking to her mother "Lu" and vowed a life of selfless given to to homeless children ( )

Serendipity brings you into the world of women doing what is right for them at the time with consequences for their daughters. The book begins with Carrie dealing with the death of her mother who dictated how Carrie's life should be, leaving Carrie with a fractured sense of herself. Tie that controlling mother in with a famous grandmother who Carrie has not seen since she was three and you have a book full of emotional twists. I ended up with very strong feelings for each of the characters and enjoyed the book. ( )

This was one of my favorite early reviewers books! It was the story of Carrie coming to terms with her family, in particular her mother and grandmother. It was a quick read but not superficial. I would recommend it to others. ( )