In Dreaming Sophia, Melissa Muldoon weaves many strands of Italian culture into a delightful blend of fantasy, romance, art and history. With an artist's keen eye and deft touch, she brings to life the titans of Italian culture in a touching tale of a young woman reeling from loss who discovers that "Italy is the answer." The many Italophiles who share her belief will revel in the adventures of this kindred spirit. Brava, Melissa! -Dianne Hales, author of "La Bella Lingua" and "Mona Lisa: A Life Discovered" I loved following in Sophia's footsteps as she was introduced to Florence and the Italian culture. Her vivid imagination and her love of artistic icons was charming. Melissa Muldoon's experience with Italians and their expressions, wives's tales and cultural idiosyncrasies had me chuckling. It had me reminiscing all the times my mom and nonna would do and say the exact same things! But it's the ex-pat life of an artist who discovers who she truly is meant to be that warmed my heart as I read Dreaming Sophia. To all the dreamers out there, the message is that no matter how rough the start, dreams do become reality. -Laura Fabiani, Italy Book Tours In Dreaming Sophia, Melissa Muldoon shares her love of art and all things Italian. Inhabited by an eclectic cast of historical characters, the story emerged from the author's numerous travels to Italy, her deep appreciation of Italian culture, and her spirited, years-long study of the language. -Mary A. Osborne, Award-winning author of Alchemy's Daughter and Nonna's Book of Mysteries "I just finished it and I loved it! It has all the makings of a success: colorful, heartfelt, searching, with a wonderful mix of Italian culture and history. And how can you not drop of a few tears!" -Caroline Eitzen, author of "A Tangled Tale - Mona Lisa's Knot"