Below is the complete list of Adriana Trigiani’s Valentine books in order. For this series, the chronological reading order is the same as the order of publication.
Publication Order of Valentine Books
About Valentine
At a century-old shoe workshop in Greenwich Village, Valentine Roncalli is determined to preserve a family tradition that the modern fashion industry seems increasingly willing to leave behind. Her ambitions form the heart of Adriana Trigiani’s Valentine trilogy, a contemporary family saga that combines Italian American heritage, romance, entrepreneurship, and the complicated loyalties of a large, outspoken family. Set between New York and Italy, with important developments in Argentina, the novels follow a talented artisan learning to balance professional independence with the demands of love and family.
The story begins in Very Valentine (2009), introducing thirty-three-year-old Valentine, an apprentice shoemaker working alongside her grandmother, Teodora Angelini. Their family business, the Angelini Shoe Company, has operated in Greenwich Village since 1903, specialising in beautifully crafted wedding shoes.
Although Valentine loves the artistry of her profession, the workshop faces serious financial difficulties. Competition from mass-produced footwear and changing consumer expectations threaten its survival, leaving her determined to find a way to preserve traditional craftsmanship while developing a commercially sustainable future.
Her professional challenges become entangled with an uncertain romantic life. As Valentine attempts to establish herself as an independent businesswoman, her relationships force her to question whether personal happiness can coexist with the demanding career she has chosen.
Teodora plays an especially important role in Valentine’s development. More than a teacher, she represents the family’s connection to its Italian roots and the generations of artisans whose skills have sustained the business. Their relationship provides the series with an emotional foundation extending beyond its romantic conflicts.
In Brava, Valentine (2010), Valentine assumes greater responsibility for the company as Teodora begins a new chapter of her own life. An opportunity involving the manufacture of shoes in Buenos Aires offers fresh possibilities, but also introduces complications involving business partnerships and long-concealed family history.
Valentine’s personal circumstances become increasingly complicated through her relationship with Gianluca Vechiarelli, an Italian leather tanner whose family connections overlap with her own. Their attraction introduces questions about cultural differences, geographical distance, and the compromises required to maintain a relationship between two independent adults.
The trilogy concludes with The Supreme Macaroni Company (2013), which explores Valentine’s transition into marriage while she continues expanding her business. Her determination to manufacture shoes in America becomes central to her professional ambitions, creating tensions with Gianluca over where they should live and how their priorities should be balanced.
Rather than portraying marriage as the uncomplicated resolution of romantic uncertainty, Trigiani examines the practical difficulties of combining two established lives. Valentine must learn that partnership involves communication and compromise without necessarily requiring her to abandon the work that gives her a sense of purpose.
The Roncalli family contributes much of the trilogy’s humour and emotional complexity. Parents, siblings, grandparents, and extended relatives frequently involve themselves in Valentine’s decisions, offering affection and advice that can be both valuable and exasperating.
Food, family celebrations, traditional craftsmanship, and Italian customs create a richly textured social environment. These details also reinforce the importance of cultural inheritance, particularly for younger generations seeking to preserve meaningful traditions while adapting to contemporary life.
Trigiani’s portrayal of shoemaking is especially distinctive. The careful selection of materials, design process, and technical skill involved in creating handmade footwear become expressions of Valentine’s identity. Her profession is not merely a convenient occupation but an essential part of her understanding of creativity, responsibility, and family legacy.
The trilogy was also collected in Valentine Collection, an omnibus containing the three original novels. The second book has appeared in some editions under the alternative title Encore Valentine, rather than representing an additional instalment.
Very Valentine was adapted into a Lifetime television film in 2019, starring Kelen Coleman as Valentine and Jacqueline Bisset as Teodora.
Across the trilogy, Valentine’s changing circumstances reveal that independence is not a fixed achievement but something continually negotiated through relationships, work, and personal responsibilities. Trigiani combines the warmth of a multigenerational family story with a thoughtful examination of ambition, showing how preserving a cherished inheritance sometimes requires the courage to transform it.