This novel is a work of fiction that explores the relationships between three women in the remote mountain village of Gildone in Southern Italy. It begins in 1956 after the protagonist, Liliana Farinacci, discovers she is pregnant. Her husband, Domenico, leaves Italy for Venezuela to find work. Before marrying Domenico, Liliana's former boyfriend, Raphael, confesses his love for her and leaves to better himself in Venezuela. Abandoned and alone Liliana escapes her sorrows at the family bakery that she runs. The novel follows Liliana, the birth of her daughter, Francesca, and the birth of her granddaughter Anna. Liliana copes with all the gossip in the small town. She also learns that the one secret her mother kept from her might have made a difference in her life's choices and happiness. / by Gloria Panzera. / Preliminary p. vii numbered as "1". / Thesis (M.F.A.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2010. / Electronic reproduction. Boca Raton, Fla., 2010. Mode of access: World Wide Web.