Evenings at the Argentine Club

Reviewed by Deb Shunamon for Reader Views (01/10) Victoria has been a good daughter, giving up dreams and her own independence to help with the family business. When successful, handsome Eric reenters his parents' lives, looking to fill an emptiness in his life, he and Victoria set off events in a gentle story where characters finally come to openly admit what, and who, is important in their lives. While the novel ends, perhaps a bit too abruptly, with thoughts on the immigration experience, I enjoyed it more as a tale about comfortable love which develops over time; sensual, young love; and the limitless love of parents for their children. "Evenings at the Argentine Club," the gathering spot in Los Angeles for a community to maintain their culture, is as much a universal love story as it is about being Argentinian in America. I really enjoyed this novel. Julie Amante writes well and the various story lines move swiftly between the couples and families. The characters are written with a lot of sensitivity, realistically portraying youth and those who are aging. The reader comes to understand each one of the major characters well, empathizing with the sacrifices immigrants make so their children can lead good lives, as well as the problems that arise when younger people, who are more American than their immigrant parents are comfortable with, make the older ones realize the need to question some of their traditions and rules. This is an interesting book, with a relaxed story told in fluid, well-written language. "Evenings at the Argentine Club" by Julia Amante is a mature story of love between people and their culture, and I highly recommend it.

Evenings at the Argentine Club is a tale of love and family relationships set in modern Southern California. It centers on two families, The Torres and the Ortellis, who came to the US from Argentina to follow their dreams and `make it' in America. Together with other families, they formed The Argentine Club, a place where they meet on Sundays for entertainment and as a way to preserve their traditions. The story begins many years after the club was formed and our protagonist, Victoria Torres, is already twenty-eight years old. Victoria still lives with her parents, helping her father with his restaurant business, La Parrilla. From the start, we get the feeling that although Victoria loves her family with all her heart and wants to make her father proud, she also silently regrets not finishing college and pursuing her dreams to become `someone'. She feels a bit lost, mostly following the plans set out for her--mainly by her father--and putting her desires aside. Then one weekend, during an evening at the club, Victoria meets Eric Ortellis, the son of her parents' best friends. From that day on, Victoria's life begins to change. The change doesn't happen overnight but gradually. Eric is considered a `black sheep', a lost son who has come back to his family after many years of being away. Eric had his reasons--to make it on his own and somehow `escape' the fatality of their little town--but no one seems to understand. Soon Victoria is influenced and affected by his ambition and views about life and the Argentine culture. A transformation begins to take place in Victoria's character, one that deeply affects her relationship with her family but especially with her father, who has never given her total credit for the smart young woman that she really is. More tension arises when Victoria and Eric begin to feel attracted to each other. The story is told from various points of views, including Victoria's and Eric's parents, offering a clear snapshot of their family dynamics. In the end, it is not only Victoria who changes, but her friends and family as well. Evenings at the Argentine Club is an absorbing novel that sheds light into the Argentine immigrants living in the United States. It is also a love story between two different people who share the same cultural background. The author has done an excellent job in creating everyday, genuine characters that shine on every page. The secondary characters are as compelling as the protagonists. I was hooked from the start by Amante's simple, smooth prose and by the lives of these people, their culture and beliefs. Even though the story centers on an Argentinean family, the themes and family dramas explored in the novel are universal. Above all, I loved the author's genuine voice and unpretentious writing style. I recommend you pick this one up!

Regardless of your ethnicity, you will connect with the two families in this novel and their struggles to embrace the American dream. Like the JOY LUCK CLUB did with its universal issues of mothers and daughters, EVENINGS AT THE ARGENTINE CLUB will resonate with its universal issues of reaching for your dreams without hurting those that you love. A definite keeper.

"To every Argentine immigrant, July 9 is a day that brings back memories of family celebrations centered around food, wine, and heart-pounding renditions of national theme playing on every radio and TV across the nation. July 9 is Independence Day. A day of freedom and new beginnings. But to those Argentines living in America, it's also a day to admit with a fair amount of guilt that they chose to give up their old life for the intangible, unexplainable dream of. . . something better." - Evenings at the Argentine Club by Julia Amante So opens, Julia Amante's newest work, Evenings at the Argentine Club. Julia Amante fashions a story around the lives of two families that have emigrated from Argentina to the United States. She captures with depth and sympathy the points of view of the many and diverse characters. You'll meet the Torres family. At twenty-eight years, Victoria, has worked for the family restaurant, La Parilla, and the Argentine Cafe, ever since she left college. Vivacious, organized, and kind, she has handled the decorations, celebrations, daycare and helped develop a sense of community. It's been seemed natural for her to step in, so much so, that she's hasn't considered going after her own dreams but this changes. Victor Torres, her ambitious and protective father, who dreams of opening a chain of successful restaurants and returning back to Buenos Aires with his lovely wife. Jacqueline Torres, who has made her family her life and is only now allowing herself to feel lonely and disaffected with her daughter gone. Fortunately, Jacqueline is well loved and easy to befriend - her old friends and new help her ride the transition and find her own path. The Ortelli family has its own secrets. Eric Ortelli, the successful son, visits home for the first time in years. He spent years building a career and business from scratch. He doesn't expect the hostility and disapproval from his old friends and the Argentine community, but he's determined to make a success of his new venture and to help Victoria with the changes in her life. His father Antonio Ortelli was disappointed when Eric chose not to go to law school but he tries to understand his son's new business. Antonio tries to offer his advice and get involved in Eric's business, but his optimism and business naivete threatens their fragile relationship. Lucia Ortelli is happy just to have her family together in one roof. Lucia can't help dreaming that her Eric will fall in love with her best friend's daughter Victoria and that the young couple will choose to make their lives in the neighborhood. I thoroughly enjoyed Evenings at the Argentine Club for many reasons. What I loved most about the book is how it captures so well the longings, sacrifices, and the compromises that accompany the immigrant experience. Each person balances the desire to succeed in their new country with the love and longing for a place or time that was left behind. Publisher: Grand Central Publishing (Septembe

EVENINGS AT THE ARGENTINE CLUB Julia Amante Grand Central Publishing $13.99 - Paperback ISBN: 978-446-0-58162-2 336 pages Reviewer: Annie Slessman EVENINGS AT THE ARGENTINE CLUB by Julia Amante is the story of two families who came to America to live out their dreams. The Torres and Orteli families have been best friends since their arrival in Southern California. Along with other Argentine families, they have formed the Argentine Club where they visit with one another on special occasions and also prepare and eat traditional Argentine dishes. It is their hope that their children will become friends and eventually marry Argentine spouses. Victoria Torres is the eldest of the Torres children and works at her father's restaurant, plans the events at the Argentine Club and supports her parent's dreams. Meanwhile, her own dreams of being an interior designer seem to farfetched to ever reach reality. Only when Eric Orteli returns home does her dream seem to take on a life of its own. Eric is a real estate investor who left home, despite his parent's objection, many years ago to find his own life. When he renews his childhood friendship with Victoria they team up to refurbish a home he bought in the area to fix up and sell. Meanwhile, Victoria's mother, Jacqueline struggles to find herself after Victor, her husband, moves to their garage at her request. She wants time to re-evaluate their marriage and make a decision as to whether or not she wants to continue in her marriage to Victor. This story, while a study of Argentine families is really a study of American families as well. It is not a new story but an old one well told providing you with a sense of satisfaction when you read the last word.