Book Club Night Kit
From Italy With Amore
Jessi and Alessio Pasini
Cozy night
A tender, sun-warmed love letter to Italy, food, and the people who make a place feel like home, perfect for a snug evening with friends.
An Evening From Italy, With Amore
Come cozy up for pasta, warm drinks, and gentle chat about a sun-warmed love story. Bring your appetite and your softest sweater.
Reading level: Easy
Best for: A relaxed club that loves warm stories, good food, and gentle conversation over analysis
Discussion
Warm-up
- 1.As you settled into this book, what smell or taste did it make you crave? Tell us about a food that instantly makes you feel at home.
- 2.If you could be dropped into one cozy scene from the book for an afternoon, where would you sit and what would you be sipping?
Digging in
- 1.The book treats food as a language of love. When has someone shown they cared about you through a meal, and how did it feel?
- 2.Italy here feels like a warm embrace as much as a place. What corner of the world (real or imagined) gives you that same held, unhurried feeling?
- 3.So much of the warmth comes from slowing down and savoring small moments. Which little moment in the story made you exhale and want to linger?
- 4.The story leans into welcome and belonging. When did a stranger or new place make you feel unexpectedly at home, the way the characters do here?
Going deep
- 1.Without giving anything away, was there a moment that quietly moved you or brought a lump to your throat? What do you think tugged at you there?
- 2.By the last pages, the book leaves you with a certain feeling more than a lesson. What warmth or longing did you carry with you after closing it, and where do you think it came from?
On the table & to sip
To eat
Big pot of slow ragù with pasta
A homey, simmer-all-afternoon dish that fills the room with the book's Italian-kitchen warmth and feeds a crowd with zero fuss
Crusty bread with olive oil and a wedge of Parmigiano
The kind of easy, tear-and-share comfort that keeps hands busy and conversation flowing, straight from the book's love of simple Italian pleasures
Warm tiramisu cups or a soft almond cake
A gentle, indulgent finish echoing the sweet, nostalgic heart of the story
To sip
A soft, easy Chianti
An unfussy Italian red to sip slowly and pass around the table
Aperol spritz
A sunny, golden-hour drink that tastes like an Italian evening unwinding
Warm honey-and-lemon or a frothy Italian hot chocolate (no alcohol)
A soothing, non-alcoholic hug in a mug for the cozy chill of the evening
Run of show
7:00
Warm welcome
Greet everyone with a mug or a spritz and let the pasta smell do the hosting
7:20
Settle in and nibble
Gather around the food, no rush; ease in with the warm-up questions
7:45
Dinner and gentle chat
Serve the ragù and drift through the theme questions between bites
8:20
Cozy deep dive
Move to comfy seats with dessert and mugs for the two deep questions
8:45
Trivia and scorecards
Light, low-stakes trivia and fill in scorecards together for laughs
9:00
Soft landing
Wind down with music, leftovers to-go, and picking the next read
Host tips
- Keep it low-pressure: make clear there are no wrong answers and quiet members can simply pass
- Prep the ragù earlier in the day so you can actually sit and enjoy the evening
- Have blankets, warm lighting, and refillable mugs within reach to lock in the cozy feeling
Playlist
Soft Italian evenings: mellow crooners, gentle guitar, and warm acoustic glow
- 01 That's Amore - Dean Martin
- 02 Con Te Partirò - Andrea Bocelli
- 03 Tu Vuò Fà L'Americano - Renato Carosone
- 04 La Vita è Bella - Nicola Piovani
- 05 Volare - Domenico Modugno
- 06 Come Prima - Marino Marini
- 07 Estate - João Gilberto
Trivia
- 1.What country is the setting and heart of this book? (Italy)
- 2.The title includes an Italian word for love. What is it? (Amore)
- 3.The book is credited to two authors who share a last name. What is it? (Pasini (Jessi and Alessio))
- 4.What everyday Italian pleasure runs warmly through the book's mood: food and cooking, or deep-sea diving? (Food and cooking)
- 5.The Italian phrase for the sweet, relaxed art of enjoying life is 'la dolce ___.' What word finishes it? (Vita (la dolce vita))
- 6.What is the classic Italian coffee-and-cocoa dessert, meaning 'pick me up,' that suits this cozy read? (Tiramisu)
- 7.The title borrows a familiar 'From ___ With Love' phrasing. What word replaces 'Love' here? (Amore)
Bookmarks
Print, cut, and tuck one at every seat, a small keepsake from the night.
Rate the book
Coziness☆☆☆☆☆
Made-me-hungry factor☆☆☆☆☆
Warmth of the characters☆☆☆☆☆
Feel-good glow☆☆☆☆☆
Would-reread comfort☆☆☆☆☆
One word for how this book made me feel: ______________________
The dish I most wanted to eat while reading: ______________________
The scene I'd curl up inside: ______________________
That's a wrap
Thank you for coming
We hope the company was good and the conversation even better. Until the next chapter.