In the beginning of “Women in Sunlight,” we meet three middle-aged American women. Two of them are widows; the other recently fled a bad marriage. All share a vague urge to start over. So on a whim and barely knowing each other, they move to Italy for an indefinite period.
Sound familiar? Yes, this is a version of “Eat, Pray, Love” for women of a certain age. Call it “Eat, Drink, Nap.” Readers who want sparkling details about great meals in a beautiful setting might consider this agreeable story for a long plane ride.
After all, “Women in Sunlight” is written by Frances Mayes, author of “Under the Tuscan Sun,” the best-selling memoir from 1996 that, like “Eat, Pray, Love,” inspired a lush movie version.