Norato, Lisa

PERSONAL:

Born in RI. Education: Studied at New Bedford Art College and Katherine Gibbs School.

ADDRESSES:

Home—RI.

CAREER:

Writer and legal assistant.

MEMBER:

Rhode Island Romance Writers, Romance Writers of America.

WRITINGS:

I Only Want to Be with You (novel), Five Star (Waterville, ME), 2007.

SIDELIGHTS:

Lisa Norato is an American writer and a legal assistant. Born in Rhode Island, Norato studied art at the New Bedford Art College, where she began to write and illustrate children's books. Despite her love for art, she later began studying at the Katherine Gibbs School, where she learned more office-related skills. Norato eventually became a legal assistant in the corporate department of a Providence, Rhode Island-based law firm.

Norato published her first novel, I Only Want to Be with You, in 2007. Magazine editor Marcella Tartaglia sees her dream promotion in reach when a new man, William Stafford, comes into her life. She later finds out that the Englishman descends from aristocracy but is a priest and wishes Marcella to follow him in his lifestyle, one she never imagined.

In an interview in the Northeast Book Reviews, Norato justified her choice for making William Stafford an English vicar. She explained that, "having read my share of romantic novels, something has always attracted me about a less than traditional hero. The sort of guy who's got everything going for him and yet there's one aspect of his personality that makes finding love a challenge. I'm also a big fan of British humor." Norato also clarified the order in which she develops her stories and characters. She related: "I start with a story concept, meaning that I have an solid idea of what the story is going to be about. Beyond the romance, that is. But the characters always come first for me. My plot develops as a result of fleshing them out and discovering how they will react to the situation I've placed them in."

Writing in the Northeast Book Reviews, Mike Saitas described the novel as a "funny, sometimes moving, and always lively romantic comedy," adding that "the balance of humor and poignancy is just right." Harriet Klausner, writing on the Genre Go Round Reviews Web site, remarked that "readers will wonder" what Marcella will decide to do throughout the story. Klausner described the novel as "a sweet tale starring two fully developed likable individuals who believe their choices are all or nothing." Booklist contributor Aleksandra Kostovski noted that it "could use some polish," but nevertheless concluded that I Only Want to Be with You "is entertaining and will please romance readers and Anglophiles alike." A contributor to Publishers Weekly found that the author's "debut is sweet and sincere, a deranged Prada by way of a more innocent Bridget Jones."

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

PERIODICALS

Booklist, November 1, 2007, Aleksandra Kostovski, review of I Only Want to Be with You, p. 31.

Northeast Book Reviews, July 31, 2008, Mike Saitas, review of I Only Want to Be with You, and author interview.

Publishers Weekly, October 1, 2007, review of I Only Want to Be with You, p. 39.

ONLINE

Genre Go Round Reviews Online,http://genregoroundreviews.blogspot.com/ (October 19, 2007), Harriet Klausner, review of I Only Want to Be with You.

Lisa Norato MySpace Page,http://www.myspace.com/lisanorato (July 31, 2008), author profile.