That's Amore

Psychic wanderer Daria Marshall tries to ignore the dead people who follow her around everywhere—and she refuses to settle down anywhere for very long. When she visits her sister in New York City, she ends up in Astoria, where she encounters Ralph Chickalini, a lifelong Astorian and member of a large Italian family. Chickalini is mourning the loss of his father, but not the end of his recent ill-advised engagement. Their immediate attraction is tempered by his sadness and her fear of settling down, yet Daria yearns for family and stability and Ralph needs to strike out and become independent of his support system. The presence of the father's ghost adds a nice touch to the story without being too schmaltzy. The characters are fairly well drawn, and Markham (Bride Needs Groom ) captures the smalltown/big city contrast of the Queens neighborhood perfectly, with local touches that really make the atmosphere come alive. (July)