(Read by Sir Timothy Ackroyd; Recorded Books; 6 CDs; 6.75 hours; $29.99/www.audible.com download; $20.99)
The prolific McCall Smith has once again veered away from his many series and given us a sweet, if slight, humorous romance. Food writer Paul Stuart heads for Italy to help mend his broken heart and finish his latest book. He becomes the local eccentric when he rents a bulldozer for local transportation because apparently there isn't a rental car to be found in all of Tuscany. This bit of whimsy is just charming enough for us to suspend our disbelief and narrator Ackroyd calls up an array of voices and accents with much aplomb. Witty and surprisingly wise, this makes for breezy summer fun. Grade: B +
