Ciao, Bella: A Novel About Searching for Beauty and Finding Love

Isabelle Mackenzie always imagined herself married with kids. Instead, at 30, she’s chronically single and lives alone in a cramped condo on Chicago’s north side. Sure she’s got her beloved bookstore and her two best friends, Cameron and Oliver, but even they can’t make up for the fact that her life hasn’t turned out anything like she expected. The weighing disappointment has her questioning everything she once felt certain of, including her faith in God. So when Olly and Cam secretly volunteer her for a nationally-televised makeover, Mack decides to use the opportunity to reinvent herself. What follows is an unlikely romance
with famous actor Cooper Young, a cross-continental adventure, and the long-awaited chance to make all of her dreams come true. Will Mack be able to keep her faith amidst the glitz and glamour of Cooper’s lifestyle, or will she lose herself and abandon everything and everyone she cares about in the process? Ciao, Bella is the story of one woman’s unexpected revelations about faith, love, and true happiness. It’s a novel for all who have ever been granted the desires of their hearts only to discover that what they thought they wanted could never compare to what they already had.

Ryan M. Phillips lives in Orlando, Florida. She is the communications specialist for The Ephraim Project, Inc. and the author of three previous novels: Saving Grace, After the Fall, and Fall from Grace. Ryan is currently working on her fifth novel while pursuing a Master of Arts degree in English. Visit her website at www.ryanmphillips.com.