Urbino, Unexpectedly, is set in Italy between the frivolous Adriatic coast, the backcountry's romantic hamlets, the Alps, foggy Milan, and colorful Rome. It shows the Italian upper-class lifestyle and it is a coming-of-age journey through love, sickness, death, jealousy, and passion. Clara is twenty-two; she studies in Milan and is about to become a lawyer. From the outside, everything is exactly as it is supposed to be, but Clara is unhappy. She finds Milan depressing, she hates law school and, anywhere she goes, she feels "like a fish out of water." Embracing her parents' values has trapped her in a life she neither likes nor understands. Her father is a famous surgeon and a reserved, pragmatic man whom she fears; her mother is a well-connected, flamboyant socialite used to supervising and influencing Clara's every move; her roommates are often a source of trouble and, her grandma, who lives upstairs in the family's home, is Clara's only confidant. In Urbino, she meets Leonardo, a young doctor who lives in Rome, and from their first handshake, her destiny is changed forever. Their immediate mental connection crumbles the rules of her black-and-white world and their powerful physical passion shows her the many colors of life. But this is only the beginning. Clara's newfound confidence, her decision to quit law school, and her intention to marry Leonardo trigger unforeseen conflicts and bring to the surface deep-rooted jealousy that force her to redefine not only the relationships with her parents, but also the meaning of true friendship. Clara is faced with the dilemma of having to choose between her own happiness and the peace of mind of the people around her. She has to understand if spreading her wings and living life her own way it is more important than the reassuring feeling of being a 'good girl' who always behaves. Urbino, Unexpectedly is a deep immersion in the Italian culture and a journey of self-discovery through the power of love, the complexity of a mother-daughter relationship, friendship, and the need to follow one's own dreams.
About the Author: Maria Chiara Marsciani was born and raised in Rimini, Italy. After attending a 'scientific' high school, she moved to Rome where she trained as a clinical psychologist at "Universita' La Sapienza". In 1994 she moved to the United States with her husband and now they live in Potomac, MD.