Villa Coco

· Hachette UK
Ebook
288
Pages
Eligible
This book will become available on June 9, 2026. You will not be charged until it is released.

About this ebook

⭐ The new novel by the author of the international bestseller Less, winner of the Pulitzer Prize 2018 ⭐
'What, at first, appears to be a gloriously bonkers escapade amidst the Tuscan landscape gradually transforms into the most beautiful paean to youth, to age and to the fulfilment of love. Absolute joy'
Sarah Winman, author of Still Life

'Eccentric, funny, touching: I adored it'
Nina Stibbe, author of Man at the Helm


A coming-of-age novel, a love story and a tale of life-enhancing friendship: Pulitzer Prize winner Andrew Sean Greer showcases his wit, sophistication and deep knowledge of focaccia in this magical tale set amidst the Tuscan hills.

Broke and directionless, our young man takes a job in the Italian countryside as the all-purpose assistant to Lisabetta, known to her friends as Coco - a strong-willed, wealthy widow of great local renown.

Trained as an archivist, he thinks he's been hired to catalogue the contents of the beautiful, crumbling mansion nestled in the green Tuscan hills... but what are his actual duties? Days are spent ridding the house of a marten - whatever that is - locating the antediluvian septic system, entertaining an endless carousel of guests (from bohemian painters to elderly princesses to unnervingly handsome nephews), attending a funeral in order to make off with the urn, and not inadvertently sabotaging Coco's great and final plan-to locate the lost love of her life and be reunited before it's too late.

As summer turns into autumn and the Italian countryside begins to work its magic on our protagonist, the secrets of Villa Coco and its inhabitants are slowly brought to light - and with them, an unforgettable story of the enduring power of friendship.

Praise for Andrew Sean Greer
'Bedazzling, bewitching and be-wonderful' New York Times
'I recommend it with my whole heart' Ann Patchett
'Brilliant' Guardian
'Basically perfect' Dolly Alderton
'Unforgettable' Independent

About the author

Andrew Sean Greer is the bestselling author of eight works of fiction, including the Pulitzer Prize winning Less.
From 2016 - 2018, Greer was the first Executive Director of the Santa Maddalena Foundation, working alongside president Beatrice Monti della Corte to invite authors from around the world for a writing residence in the Tuscan countryside. The setting of Villa Coco, Greer's latest novel, is partly inspired by the time he spent there.

Reading information

Smartphones and tablets
Install the Google Play Books app for Android and iPad/iPhone. It syncs automatically with your account and allows you to read online or offline wherever you are.
Laptops and computers
You can listen to audiobooks purchased on Google Play using your computer's web browser.
eReaders and other devices
To read on e-ink devices like Kobo eReaders, you'll need to download a file and transfer it to your device. Follow the detailed Help Center instructions to transfer the files to supported eReaders.