SWEET DREAMS is a sad, but poignant story of nine-year-old Massimo who finds his father sobbing in anguish. He quickly learns that his mother had disappeared. Questions begin to circle in his young mind and that curiosity continues into his adulthood.

Forty years later, Massimo learns that secrets were kept from him and the woman who was his mother is not who he believes her to be. Oscillating between emotional moments to funny ones, author Massimo Gramellini weaves an interesting tale of secrets, growth and personal discovery. Written in first person with a few letters and newspaper clippings interspersed within, our protagonist learns first hand what it means to get to know someone past death. The first hand account of events puts readers in the forefront of the action, offering a great view of the emotion and heart behind Massimo's discovery.

Although different than the stories I'm used to, SWEET DREAMS is a refreshingly real story that held me captivated.