Italy and Forever by Leonie Mack

This is the fourth, and sadly, the final book in the Adventure Weddings series (also known as the Wedding Planners series) which features characters who work at two companies that undertake an unusual merger. When an adventure travel company combines with a wedding planning company, the service that the new company offers is weddings set in unusual destinations, often with some adventure sports mixed into the wedding plan.

Throughout the series, we have heard about the employees of the new company and seen them meet their loves. Ginny is happy for her loved up friends, but she has not been as lucky. As a result, she has decided that she isn't going to try anymore and she is going on a dating band. After all she has a wedding to organise, all while doing double duty as bridesmaid!

The wedding is for mountain climber Andreas and her friend and colleague Sophie who we met in the first book in the series. They are getting married in Northern Italy, an area of extreme mountainous beauty and crystal-clear lakes. The biggest headache that Ginny has is that she needs a wedding photographer and she has run out of options.

Rhys is a photographer but not usually of weddings. He loves taking photos in extreme situations and nature photos but not of people. Rhys prefers to work alone, and comes across as being very grumpy, and he exasperates Ginny quite regularly. When he finally agrees to do the job, he knows that it is going to be very challenging. What Ginny doesn't know is that Rhys had an accident years before which has left him with a condition which certainly explains why he is the way he is!

What Ginny doesn't expect is for her constant annoyance with Rhys to transform into a powerful attraction which is hard to resist. After all, she is on a dating ban, and he is all sorts of wrong for her. Not only is he always grumpy, he is also a good deal older than her. 

As for Rhys, he was very hurt when his last serious relationship ended. He is not averse to the idea of a flirtation with Ginny but he has plans that he hasn't shared with anyone, so there is no future in it. They are wrong for each other on so many levels, and yet, they work.

Now, Ginny is juggling keeping her growing attachment to Rhys a secret, weathering the unusual wedding traditions that the groom's friends seem to be insisting must be part of the wedding, and hope that the groom can resist the call of the nearby climbable mountains. It's a lot!

Given that it is the last book in the series, we do get to see all of the characters we came to love, and the unusual Italian settings that are so important to this series. 

I have now read twelve books by Leonie Mack and I look forward to each new one as it comes up. I love that she writes about more unusual settings, such as this area of Italy and that she often includes outdoor activities like the mountain climbing. I am never actually going to go mountain climbing but I do enjoy reading about it! Now that this series is done, I am excited to see what Leonie Mack comes up with next!  If you love books with great settings, humour, and good characters, please give Leonie Mack a go!

Here are my reviews of the other books in this series (although it doesn't look like I reviewed the third book. Whoops!)

An Italian Wedding Adventure

A Winter Wedding Adventure

An Italian Island Love Story

I am sharing this review with the New Release Challenge hosted at The Chocolate Lady's Book Reviews and also counts for Aussie Author August. Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the review copy.

Rating 4/5

Blog Tour: Secrets of the Italian Guesthouse by Sue Moorcroft (includes UK giveaway)

 

The last trilogy from Sue Moorcroft featured three sisters living in Scotland on the Isle of Skye. Her new trilogy, of which this is the first book, again features three sisters but this time it is set on the shores of beautiful Lake Como

Jade was raised by her grandparents after being basically abandoned by her parents. Through out her life she has had nothing to do with either of her parents. One thing that she did know that under Italian property law, her father would have been the rightful heir of the guesthouse that Jade and her grandmother had run for many years. Jade has poured her whole career into the guesthouse, so it is a relief to find out that her father has foregone his right to inherit.

Fast forward many years, and the time has come. With Jade's grandmother's passing, Jade expects to inherit everything. It is therefore a complete shock when she finds out with her two half-sisters that she never even knew existed. Her grandmother knew about Rosalie and Erin and made provisions for them, even though she never met them.

Jade is standoffish with the two women as she realises that she is going to have to come up with a new plan for her future. Erin was raised by her mother and never knew their father either whereas Rosalie's mother had died when she was young but was raised by their father. With their different personalities and history, it is easy for feelings to be hurt, intentionally or not. 

If navigating new familial relationships where everyone is on edge isn't difficult enough, Jade's first love, Leo, is back in town. Sixteen years previously Leo had devastated Jade by announcing he was moving to England and just expected to go with him. Heartbroken, Jade said no, and so that was it. But now Leo is back after his relationship, which was both romantic and business, disintegrated in spectacular fashion. He is now at a loose end trying to work out what to do next.

I really enjoyed that Leo had his own storyline, and that he wasn't just there to be the love interest. His family also played an important part in the story. His parents had long been friends to Jade and her grandmother, so they provide support, but their lives are also changing. They are now semi-retired with Leo's brother taking over the management of running their own boutique hotel. Is there a place for Leo back in Italy or will he return to England to forge his new life?

As always Sue Moorcroft brings the setting to life on the page through the scenery, the food, the vibe. While I have visited Italy a couple of times, I have never made it to Lake Como and she had me wishing that I could visit there to see the amazing beauty for myself. 

There are two more books in the Italian Legacy series, one for each of the remaining sisters. I am looking forward to learning more about their stories, and seeing how this cobbled together family can truly unite and make up for all of the lost years!

I am sharing this review with the New Release Challenge hosted at The Chocolate Lady's Book Reviews. It was also one of the books I nominated for the Twenty Books of Winter. The theme for my read on a theme book club this time is Secrets, so given the title even has the word in it, this will be one of my book club selection. Thanks to the publisher and Rachel's Random Resources for the review copy. Be sure to check out other stops on the tour below too!

Rating 4/5

About the Book

Secrets of the Italian Guesthouse

Two sisters she's never met
A first love who's impossible to forget...

For Jade, life in Lake Como is la dolce vita. Until her beloved grandmother passes, leaving Jade not just the family's bustling guesthouse to run, but two life-changing secrets to confront...

The pensione hasn't just been left to Jade, it's also been inherited by her sisters - who she had no idea existed. As Erin and Rosalie arrive in Italy, Jade is forced to face the heart-wrenching prospect of sharing her last remaining tie to the woman who raised her.

Jade is desperately trying to hold on to the past, but there's one person she would prefer to leave firmly behind: her first love, Leo. He's back in the city that is filled with the memories they once made together. But as Jade fights to take control of her future and her heart, why do all cobbled roads lead back to Leo?

Lose yourself in the first, utterly romantic novel in a brand-new trilogy, filled with new beginnings and second chances. Perfect for fans of Sarah Morgan and Milly Johnson.

Purchase Link - https://geni.us/ItalianGuesthouse

About the Author


Sue Moorcroft is a Sunday Times bestselling author. Her novels have reached #1 on Kindle UK and Top 100 on Kindle US, Canada, Germany and Italy. She’s won the Goldsboro Books Contemporary Novel of the Year, Readers’ Best Romantic Novel award, two HOLT Medallions and the Katie Fforde Bursary. She’s the president of the Romantic Novelists’ Association.

Her novels, short stories, serials, columns, writing ‘how to’ and courses have appeared around the world.

Social Media Links –

Amazon page: Sue Moorcroft

Audible page: Sue Moorcroft

Website: www.suemoorcroft.com

Facebook author page SueMoorcroftAuthor

Twitter: @SueMoorcroft

Instagram: @SueMoorcroftAuthor

Linked in: Sue Moorcroft

Link Tree: linktr.ee/SueMoorcroft

Bookbub: SueMoorcroft1

Giveaway to Win a signed copy of Secrets of the Italian Guesthouse and a Sue Moorcroft pen (Open to UK Only)

*Terms and Conditions –UK entries welcome. Please enter using the Gleam box below. The winner will be selected at random via Gleam from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over. Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data. I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.

Win a signed copy of Secrets of the Italian Guesthouse & Sue Moorcroft pen (UK Only)

Blog Tour: A Venice Summer by Lynne Shelby

 

A couple of months ago I borrowed a book by Lynne Shelby from the library but I had to return it unread because that's just what happens with library books right? I had initially heard about the author who as author of the day in an online group I am in and I thought I liked the sound of her books. They feature fun locations like Venice in this book.

When this book came up for a blog tour, I jumped at the chance to read it, and I am really glad I did! I feel like I got a fun reading experience, a visit to Venice, some art history and a whole lot more!

Rose Bennet is down on her luck but thanks to a friend she gets the chance of a lifetime. She goes to Venice to work on a restoration of a 16th century painting. No one knows who the subject of the painting is or who painted it. After years of neglect, it is up to Rose to restore it and bring it back to life! 

The painting, which is called Portrait of a Young Woman in a Blue Dress, is part of a significant art collection owned by Luca Casserini. Luca is the head of one of the historically important families in Venetian history and owner of the Ca’ D’Ambra, a six hundred year old palazzo that he is in the process of turning into an art gallery.  Like many old homes, the Ca’ D’Ambra takes a lot of money to upkeep and the hope is that by turning it into a gallery with a private living quarters he can save the beautiful home from becoming a luxury hotel or something similar. Luca is head of the family in more ways than one. He is also responsible for caring for his much younger sister, a task he takes very seriously. Like many old homes, the Ca’ D’Ambra takes a lot of money to upkeep and the hope is that by 

As Rose works on restoring the painting, she begins to reveal previously hidden details such as the young woman's hair colour and features, what she is holding in her hand, and she begins to wonder who this young woman really was. She also begins to wonder about the broody Luca who likes to play the guitar in the garden when he is thinking things through. When Luca offers to show Rose the sights of Veniice, is he just being polite as her boss or is there something more. If it is something more, Rose has to be careful. After all, she is only in Venice for the summer.

The Venice that the reader is introduced to in these pages is a combination of touristy Venice but also the Venice that only Venetians know. Short walks down laneways take us to unexpected areas of the city, or a water taxi takes us to other locations. We also get to see glamourous Venice with art, music, and yes, even a masked ball colliding on the pages.

One of the things that I enjoyed was a surprise dual timeline where, as Rose wondered about the girl, the reader meets the young woman in question and we learn her history. There is nothing in the blurb to indicate this so it was a lovely surprise to me. Whilst as far as I can tell the art history was based on real people but imagined for the purpose of the story, I was fascinated by all the art, and history, that was mentioned throughout the book.

Now that I know that I enjoy Lynne Shelby's work, it might be time for me to reborrow that book and see where her next books takes me!

I am sharing this review with the New Release Challenge hosted at The Chocolate Lady's Book Reviews. Thanks to the publisher and Rachel's Random Resources for the review copy. Be sure to check out other stops on the tour below too!

Rating 4/5

About the book

A Venice Summer

Art conservator Rose Bennet is still reeling from a bad break-up when she is offered a dream job in Venice, restoring an art collection in the Ca’ D’Ambra, a six-hundred-year-old Venetian palazzo. Despite her fears about travelling to a foreign country on her own, Rose is soon heading to Italy for the summer.

While she is awestruck by the breathtaking beauty of Venice, Rose finds the owner of the palazzo, the arrogant and short-tempered Luca Casserini, insufferable. When he questions her ability to do her work, she almost heads straight back to London, but decides that she won’t let herself be intimidated or driven away before she’s even had a chance to ride in a gondola.

Losing her way in Venice’s picturesque maze of canals and alleyways, the last person Rose wants to see is her employer, but when they meet by chance and, to her surprise, he offers to show her around the city, she feels it would be churlish to refuse.

Spending sunlit summer days exploring Venice with Luca, Rose discovers a passionate side to him, very different to her first impression, and her feelings towards him begin to change …

Rose knows she can restore a damaged painting, but can she mend Luca’s damaged heart?

Purchase Links

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Venice-Summer-sunlit-summer-romance-ebook/dp/B0GGX58TWJ/

https://www.amazon.com/Venice-Summer-sunlit-summer-romance-ebook/dp/B0GGX58TWJ/

About the Author 

Lynne Shelby writes contemporary and dual-timeline women’s fiction/romance. Her debut novel, ‘Meet Me In Paris,' (originally titled French Kissing), won the Accent Press and Woman magazine Writing Competition, and her fifth novel, Love On Location, was shortlisted for a Romantic Novelists' Award. When not writing or reading, Lynne can usually be found at the theatre or exploring a foreign city, writer's notebook and sketchbook in hand. She lives in London with her husband, and has three adult children who live nearby.



Social Media Links –

Facebook: www.facebook.com/LynneShelbyWriter

Instagram: lynneshelbywriter

Website: www.lynneshelby.com

Classics Club Spin: The Leopard by Giuseppe Tomasi de Lampedusa

Earlier this year I decided that I am going to try to read some classics this year. I therefore decided to join in with the Classics Club Spin and the first selection for me was The Leopard by Giuseppe Tomasi de Lampedusa whose titles were 11th Prince of Lampedusa and 12th Duke of Palma. He wrote this book over a period of years but it was only published after his death.

I was pleased that this was the book chosen as it was quite a small book compared to some of my other options! It felt like quite an accessible start to my Classics Club Spin adventure. I then decided that this is was the perfect book to read on my recent long haul flight, which it was and it wasn't. 

The Leopard tells the story of the coming of change to Sicily from independence to being part of the Kingdom of Italy. The Sicilian Prince of Salina is a man who is walking on the edge of a precipice. He is used to a certain way of life, of wealth and the privilege that comes with it. But  times are changing, and the days of Sicily being independent are coming to an end. It is the 1860's and Garibaldi has overthrown the royal family in Naples. The Prince and his aristocratic family needs to adapt and quickly. 

The Prince has several children but really his most beloved is his nephew Tancredi, who he does everything he can to assist. When Tancredi declares that he is joining Garibaldi's army, known as the Red Shirts, the Prince sees it as an opportunity to have a foot in both camps. Later we see Tancredi as he falls in love with Angelica, the beautiful daughter of a nouveau rich neighbour,  which will be extremely advantageous for a man with a good pedigree but no real assets. This leave one of the Prince's daughters heartbroken

The writing in this book was quite dense at times, so it did take me a bit longer to read than I might have expected. I was, however pleasantly surprised by how funny some sections of the book were. For example, there is a funny scene where The Prince is having a bath and the priest comes to visit him and the Prince basically shows him everything! It bought to mind the story of Winston Churchill working while in the bath during WWII.

There were, however, odd little elements of foreshadowing where we find out that things are going to happen, particularly during WWII. 

I am so glad that this was the book that came up for this Spin. Let's hope the next Spin works just as well for me.

This book not only counts for the Classics Club Spin but also for the Historical Fiction Reading Challenge which I host here. It also counts for the Books in Translation challenge as the book was originally written in Italian and is translated by Archibald Duke. The book also includes a few extracts of text that were discovered after the book was originally published. 

Rating 4/5

The Girl from Lake Maggiore by Siobhan Daiko

 

Young Italian woman Giulia Leone lives on the shores of Lake Maggiore in Northern Italy. Her father runs a hotel and amongst the guests are some Jewish people, including Ester who is her best friend. It is 1943 and the Germans approaching Giulia and her family come up with a plan to help their Jewish guests, but it all goes terribly wrong. Giulia is the only person to escape. She doesn't know what happened to any of them, including her own parents, and now she finds herself on the German's wanted list. 

After finding a safe house for a while, it soon becomes clear that the Germans are still determined to find her. She therefore has no choice but to head to the hills and join a small band of partisans who are lead by Raffaele, the son of the hotel manager. Raffaele resents being lumbered with a spoilt rich girl but soon he begins to appreciate her willingness to work hard for the cause. However, she is not always keen to follow orders, especially as she is determined to find out what happened to her friends and her parents, 

Lake Maggiore straddles the border between Italy and Switzerland so you can see why people would head to that area in the hope of being able to escape from persecution, and if you have a look at the pictures it looks like a gorgeous part of Italy. I was glad to see that there were moments where the characters could appreciate the views, even if it was just for a fleeting moment

I do enjoy the stories that Siobhan Daiko brings us. This is the fifth book featuring Girls and each is set in a different region and often the stories are based on true events from WWII. They aren't strictly a series given that there aren't recurring characters. I have read The Girl from Venice, from Sicily and now from Lake Maggiore (as well as some of her other books set in Italy) but I still need to read Portofino and Bologna. I think I own both of them. Actually though, my introduction was through one of her book set in the Pacific theatre of war and I would love it if we got another story from there. 

This time though, the book didn't work as well as it might have. Some of the dialogue seemed somewhat simplistic and it detracted from the overall reading experience. It could be that it is not that different from previous books but I did really notice it this time.

Will I still be reading the next book from this author. Most likely! 

I am sharing this review with the New Release Challenge hosted at The Chocolate Lady's Book Review Blog and the Historical Fiction Reading Challenge which I host here.

Rating 3.5/5

Three mini reviews for The Historical Fiction Reading Challenge

Every month when I share the statistics for The Historical Fiction Reading challenge I go around and look at the books that everyone has been reading. In my post I inevitably say I have added several books to my TBR, and today I bring you evidence of that! Two of these books are ones that I learned about through the challenge. 

The Mad Women's Ball by Victoria Mas

Set in 1885 in Paris, The Mad Women's Ball is a short but engrossing read that I thoroughly enjoyed. 

The Mad Women's Ball tells the story of the women of the Salpêtrière Asylum. It wasn't a place that you wanted to find yourself as for most of the year it is a very grim place where the women that no one wants in society are hidden behind the locked doors and high walls. Whilst there were some genuinely mentally disturbed people in the asylum, there are also some women who are there because they dared to defy their families, fell in love with someone inappropriate or behaved in some other non-typical way. 

Eugenie comes from a well to do family, and she should be living a protected, sheltered life but she mistakenly trusts her grandmother with her secret - she can see ghosts. It is the last straw for her father and she is taken to the asylum to be locked up with a diagnosis of hysteria. 

Keeping firm control of the asylum is the Matron, Genevieve. Whilst she is stern, she also does her best to care for the women, especially those who are used as living subjects of Jean-Martin Charcot, a French doctor who is credited with doing ground breaking work about hypnosis and hysteria, although I am not sure he would get away with doing the same living experiments these days

The only time that Eugenie will be seen again is on the occasion of The Mad Women's Ball, an annual event where the patients get the chance to get all dressed up and the brightest lights of Paris come to the ball to watch them dance. 

I heard about this book over at Carpe Librum when Tracey reviewed it here. It's a fascinating read. 

Victoria Mas is a French author and the translator was Frank Wynne. This books counts for the Books in Translation challenge hosted at Introverted Reader.

Rating 4.5/5

The Florence Sisters by Tessa Harris

The idea of packing up and living in Italy for a while has long been attractive. In Florence in 1940 there are a group of British women who live in the city. They are known as the Scorpioni although they prefer to think of themselves of the English Ladies Art Appreciation Society. However, this is a time when the British are at war with Italy and so they find themselves targeted by the authorities.

Angelina is one of the ladies' half English-half Italian nieces, who also happens to be an expert in art, with a particular fascination for the work of Lucas Cranach. When she first meets art dealer, Edoardo Bernini she doesn't like him. She knows that he can't be trusted. After all, his father was convicted of an art related con and Edoardo is working for the fascists.

When he asks her to verify the authenticity of a recently found Cranach painting she knows that if she says that it is genuine it will disappear over the border to Germany, but if she falsely declares it to be a fake she will put the herself and all of the ladies in danger. 

This was my first Tessa Harris and it was an interesting read. I did go down a bit of a rabbit hole regarding the damage done to Venice during WWII and also in looking at the work of Cranach who was an artist that I was unfamiliar with!

I am sharing this review with the New Release Challenge hosted at The Chocolate Lady's Book Reviews.

Rating 4/5

Glorious Exploits by Ferdia Lennon

This is almost a wildcard entry in my reading because it is well and truly outside my normal choices. This book is set in Syracuse in Sicily in the year 412 BC in the days following an unsuccessful Athenian invasion. The Athenians who survived the battle are being held in a disused quarry outside town. The conditions are harsh, the food is scarce and there is no compassion from the locals. After all, these are the men who killed their husbands, brothers and sons. 

Our two main characters, Gelon and Lampo, are unemployed potters, who come across as being a bit dodgy, particularly Lampo who sees himself as a wheeler dealer but money just flows through his fingers like sand. They come up with a scheme to use the prisoners to put on a for one night only production of the latest play by Euripides. The scale of the production gets larger and larger involving more and more of the locals. But the big question is, will the crowd come?

This was such a fun read. Ferdia Lennon is an Irish author who has achieved quite a lot of success with this book, including being shortlisted for the Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction in 2025. One of the fun aspects is the language. Lennon chooses to give his main characters Irish voices, using words that are so overtly anachronistic that it doesn't matter. It probably shouldn't work, but it does!

There are, however, serious subjects covered in the book including the impact of war, of love, of redemption and so much more.

I first heard about this book when Cathy from What Cathy Reader Next reviewed it. I was very surprised to find it at my local library, but I am so glad that I got to read it!

Rating 4/5

I am sharing all of these reviews with the Historical Fiction Reading Challenge which I host. 

A Winter Wedding Adventure by Leonie Mack

 

I am a big fan of Leonie Mack's writing, and I thoroughly enjoyed the first book in this series, An Italian Wedding Adventure (my review). I always knew that I was going to be keen to read this follow up book. And here's a newsflash....I'm going to read the next book in the series too.

We met Kira in the previous book when she was a co-worker and friend (occasionally with benefits) with Andreas. She has always loved the adventure part of her job, the rock climbing, the skiing and more. What she doesn't love is that her employer has now merged with a wedding planning company. She can't think of anything worse than weddings.

This is especially true when she is assigned to babysit the bride's best friend and guest of honour. Mattia is an Italian opera singer who has sensory issues and a tendency towards misadventure and Kira has been asked to make sure that he makes it to the wedding which is being held at the top of a snow covered mountain on New Years Eve. What could go wrong?

It turns out plenty could go wrong, from transport issues, meddling friends, to ex partners turning up at the wedding, a stressed out bride and nature having her say. Through it all, Kira fights the attraction that she feels to this man who is so different from her, so open to life and yet not overly confident whereas Kira has built walls around herself after her heart was broken years before but no one, not even those she has been closest to over the years, knows that story. 

I really enjoyed the chemistry between Kira and Mattia. He sees her beneath her blue hair and her grumpy exterior (particularly when she is hungry), and she is attentive to him and accepts his sensitivities without judgement. Given who she is, Kira takes a while to come round but when she does fall, she falls hard!

Whilst this book opens at a Christmas market in Salzburg, the events take place in the few days between Christmas and New Year's so it is festive rather than full on Christmassy. It has the trademark Leonie Mack humour and sense of adventure, and is another good read from her!

I am sharing this review with the New Release Challenge hosted at The Chocolate Lady's Book Reviews. Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the review copy.

Rating 4/5

Blog Tour: Daughter of Genoa by Kat Devereaux

 

Anna relies on the kindness of a select number of people like the banker to help her survive. Other than that, she remains hidden in her apartment with the days running into each other. That's what you have to do when you are a Jewish woman who has lost her husband and whose immediate family has already escaped to America. It's a big change from her previous life where she was a trusted worker in the office of a prominent shipbuilder in Genoa. 

Little did she know but it turns out that things could get worse, when her home is destroyed and she lost what little she had. Left dazed, while she was being comforted, she meets a Jesuit priest. Anna doesn't trust anyone, and certainly does not trust priests but when you have no other options then you have to take a chance.

This is how Anna finds herself hiding in the home of Bernardino and Silvia who are key members of a group that helps Jews escape from Genoa, which is in Northern Italy. Other key members include Father Vittorio, the priest that saved her, and mysterious Mister X. They all face danger as they provide new documents for the Jews who are fleeing the Germans.

Anna, who is using a different identity, uses some of her skills to become useful in helping create the identity cards, often accompanied by the cat. Soon she is spending extended time with both Father Vittorio and Mister X and their friendships and they begin to create a bond. There is, however,  danger in getting close to people when everyone is hiding their true identity and danger lurks around every corner. One unwise word could put the whole organisation at risk, along with the lives of everyone involved

This book really highlights the role of the Catholic church and in particular a group known as DELASEM or the Delegation for the Assistance of Jewish Emigrants, and some of the characters in the book were influential in real life. Several of them were honoured for their work

I really liked that there were several ways that the author connected the story to what was actually happening in Genoa at the time. Before the book even started there was some Essential Information painting the picture of the racial laws that had been enacted before the story in the book started. At the end there was a section called What Happened Next and then What Happened Afterwards. There was also notes on names and sources. 

I am sharing this review with the New Release Challenge hosted at The Chocolate Lady's Book Reviews and with the Historical Fiction Reading Challenge which I host. Thanks to the publisher, Rachel's Random Resources and Netgalley for the review copy. Check out the other stops on the blog tour as well!

Rating 4/5

About the Book

Daughter of Genoa

In Nazi-occupied Italy, keeping secrets could be deadly…

Genoa, 1944:

Widowed and alone, Anna Pastorino has been surviving on her wits since the Germans invaded. The daughter of a prominent Jewish antifascist, Anna lives a hidden life in her small flat near the harbour ... until an RAF bomb destroys her only shelter. When a Jesuit priest approaches her offering help, she has no choice but to accept. She follows her new friend, Father Vittorio, to a safe house above a printers’ shop in a quiet street near via Assarotti.

But the Tipografia Guichard is more than just a refuge. It’s a forgery workshop: a key part of the secret rescue operation headed by Massimo Teglio, the “Scarlet Pimpernel” of Genoa’s persecuted Jewish population. Drawn into a world of clandestine resistance, Anna discovers a new sense of purpose, a circle of friends, and a passion that brings her alive.

Soon, the little flat above the shop holds more secrets than anyone could imagine. As Anna grows closer to both Teglio and Vittorio, she must confront a past trauma of her own: a secret that might endanger her and everyone she loves.

Purchase Link - https://amzn.eu/d/fYISSnd

About the Author

Kat Devereaux was born near Edinburgh, and lived in the United States, Russia, France, Chile, Germany, and the Czech Republic before finally settling in Italy. She is a writer and translator with a special focus on Italian literature.

https://www.katdevereaux.com/

Social Media Links –

Publisher social media handles:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AriaFiction

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AriaFiction

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/headofzeus/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@headofzeus

Blog Tour: The Lost Garden by Angela Petch

Ernestina has lived a comfortable if sheltered life as the only daughter of an Italian count. Tina's parent's story was like a fairytale. She was a poor girl who caught the rich count's eye and they married quickly. After some disappointments finally Tina was born but the cost was high as her mother died in childbirth. 

Tina's father has always been very strict and distant with his daughter although he himself is something of a philanderer. Thank goodness for Allegra who was her mother's best friend and has practically raised Tina, showing her love and teaching her many skills. The one thing that Allegra won't do is talk about Tina's mother.

One day Tina finds a hidden path which leads to an overgrown garden. Tina can't believe that she has never known about the garden and soon she is inspired to try and coax the garden back to life. It turns out that the garden was her mother's passion and refuge from an unhappy marriage. Allegra warns Tina not to ever mention the garden to her father and warns her to stay away but Tina can't help herself. Soon she is weeding, pruning and reinstating many of the beautiful features

Whilst Tina has lived a very sheltered life, it is not possible for her to remain sequestered away forever. It is, after all, 1930's Italy and Mussolini's particular brand of fascism is forcing the poor to become poorer, and other people, like Tina's father, to grow wealthier. And even worse, war is coming.

One day Tina meets a group of young people who are around her age, her first friends. Among  them are Olivio, Luisa and Sergio. With the arrival of war the friends need to make choices about which side they are going to be on, and whether they can trust each other. After all, Tina's father is an influential fascist. Can Tina prove useful in the resistance movement? Can their friendships survive betrayal and tragedy? And how will they and their town all be changed by the events during the war? 

I have read several of Angela Petch's books now, and her love of Italy has shone through each of the books. This was an interesting read and featured a technique I haven't seen in the author's previous books. Whilst Tina's mother died in childbirth, she still managed to be a presence in the book and to influence the events. 

I am sharing this review with the New Release Challenge hosted at The Chocolate Lady's Book Reviews and with the Historical Fiction Reading Challenge which I host. Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the review copy. Check out the other stops on the blog tour as well!

Rating 4/5

Buy Link: https://geni.us/B0FHBH86K4social

About the Book:

It hides a family secret that could change the course of the war.

Italy, 1930s. Tina lives in the crumbling castle of Montesecco with only her strict father and their maid, Allegra, for company. She’s never been allowed to ask questions about her mother, who died in childbirth. But the day Tina discovers a hidden, crumbling door, everything changes.


Inside is an overgrown garden. Ivy and roses adorn the stone walls. Fresh water springs from a fountain and the scent of wild herbs fills the air. How did she never know this beautiful place existed? Excitedly begging Allegra for answers, the elderly woman’s face turns pale. ‘You must never mention this to your father. It’s not safe. You’ve found your mamma’s garden.’

The Count believes Tina’s mother died because of the garden: but Allegra refuses to say more. Certain she can feel her mother watching over her, Tina secretly tends to the garden herself. And when war breaks out, Tina’s encounters with local resistance fighters mean the garden becomes a place of refuge, a place of hope – and a place of great danger when Tina must prove where her loyalties lie once and for all…

Will Tina ever discover the truth about her mother? Or was the garden, with all its secrets, never meant to be disturbed?

An absolutely breathtaking and stunning historical novel about the incredible risks people took in wartime, family secrets, loss and love. Perfect for fans of Fiona Valpy and Santa Montefiore.

 About the author

Angela Petch is an award winning writer of fiction – and the occasional poem.
Every summer she moves to Tuscany for six months where her and her husband own a renovated watermill which they let out. When not exploring their unspoilt corner of the Apennines, Angela disappears to her writing desk at the top of her converted stable.


In her Italian handbag or hiking rucksack she always makes sure to store a notebook and pen to jot down ideas.


The winter months are spent in Sussex where most of her family live. When she's not helping out with grandchildren, she catches up with writer friends.


Social Media

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AngelaJaneClarePetch/
Website: https://angelapetchsblogsite.wordpress.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/angela_maurice/
Bookouture email signup: https://www.bookouture.com/angela-petch

Blog Tour: A Place in the Sun by Jo Thomas

 

When Thea and her two children Luca and Aimee arrive in the small hill top town of Citta dei Castagni in Tuscany, they are exhausted from the long drive from the UK. Thea's plan is to clean up the house that her husband bought on a whim nearly two years ago as part of a regeneration scheme for a really cheap price and then sell it quickly. She's got six weeks to sort it all out, so that they can start their life again. Since her husband died soon after signing the contract for the house, Thea has done her best to keep going but she has lost the restaurant that they ran together and the family home. Whatever she can get for this house is what she has to build her future life upon.

What she doesn't know is that the old house is still full of possessions from the previous owner and it looks like maybe someone has been staying there without Thea's knowing. From the minute they arrive and there are problems with the electricity it becomes clear that it is going to take a lot of effort to get the house ready. Then the mayor arrives with the news that under the terms of the contract the house must be habitable within two years or else the owners must pay the penalty clause which is the full value of the house. Thea doesn't have any money so the pressure is really on. She's got six weeks to sort it all out.

This is a really small town, with not a lot in the way of shops and restaurants, but what there is a community kitchen which is run by a former chef named Giovanni. On her first night in town, Giovanni fed Thea and the kids, and soon he is helping her navigate life in the small town where everybody knows everyone's business. 

Giovanni does try to warn her about the three feuding nonna's but still Thea isn't prepared when all three of them turn up at her place with a beautifully made lasagne, made to each of their own recipes, and each demanding to know which is her favourite. The three women, two sisters and their sister-in-law have been feuding for years over whose lasagne is best and they bicker constantly about everything. Or maybe the feud started about a couple of men. No one is really sure any more. 

Soon Thea finds herself getting involved at the community kitchen, but the last thing she wants is to get too involved in either hospitality or in the town itself given that she is going back to the UK at the end of the summer. And when there are a couple of unexpected visitors, one of which changes her family dynamic completely and the other a blast from the past, Thea needs time and space to come up with a plan of what her family's future might look like. 

What everyone in the town knows is that they also need to come up with a plan for the future of the community kitchen, as there just isn't enough funding to keep it running as it is. It is going to take the whole town, even feuding nonnas, to work together!

I have read a few books by Jo Thomas now, and I always really enjoy them. This book was no exception. I loved the way that we were immersed into this hilltop Tuscan town in summer. I could feel the heat, and the relief of sitting outside in the evening as the sun sets. I love that Thomas's book settings are quite varied. So far I have read a book about a trip to the German Christmas markets, one set at a French farmhouse, and another Christmas book which featured a character learning to make fancy chocolates at a school in Switzerland

All of the books I have read so far by Jo Thomas are very foodie focussed, and this book was absolutely full of references to delicious sounding Italian food, including but not limited to the infamous lasagne. Reading this book made me crave lasagne and I ended up having to make it for dinner last week in order to satisfy that craving!

I already know that I am looking forward to this author's next book, whereever it is set. I am also going to start working my way through her backlist as her books are my kind of reads!

I am sharing this review with the New Release Challenge hosted at The Chocolate Lady's Book Reviews, with Foodie Reads hosted at Based on a True Story and with Weekend Cooking which I host here. Thanks to the publisher and Zooloo's Book Tours for the review copy. Be sure to check out other stops on the tour shown below. 

Rating 4/5

About the book

It's never too late to find where you belong...

Thea knew the holiday house her late husband Marco bought in Tuscany wasn't pristine. But when she relocates to Italy for the summer with her children, she's shocked by how much work Casa Luna needs. And she only has six weeks to fix it up ready to sell! Her only option is to ask the tight-knit Italian community for help.

In return, Thea and her children become involved in the community kitchen, working alongside handsome chef Giovanni and three very competitive nonnas. Gradually, Thea begins to open up to the people around her for the first time in a long while. But just as she's beginning to wonder whether this small Tuscan town could become a new place to call home, a surprise visitor turns everything on its head . . .

Book Links

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/229351090-a-place-in-the-sun

Purchase Link: https://mybook.to/aplaceinthesun-zbt

About the author

Jo Thomas worked for many years as a reporter and producer, including time at Radio 4's Woman's Hour and Radio 2's The Steve Wright Show.

Jo's debut novel, The Oyster Catcher, was a runaway bestseller and won both the RNA Joan Hessayon Award and the Festival of Romance Best eBook Award. Her book Escape to the French Farmhouse was a #1 bestselling eBook. Jo loves to explore new countries and discover the food produced there, both of which she thoroughly enjoys researching. Jo lives in Pembrokeshire with her husband and three children, where cooking and gathering around the kitchen table are a hugely important and fun part of their family life.

Social Media Links

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/JoThomasAuthor/

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/jothomasauthor/

X (formerly Twitter) https://x.com/jo_thomas01

Website https://jothomasauthor.com/

Blog Tour: The Island of Hope and Dreams by Kate Frost

 

Lola Wild has just come out of a really bad relationship so spending time with her friends on a hen's weekend is exactly what she needs. However, she also knows that this is the beginning of more change. Her best friend, Mirabel, is getting married in Sardinia and then she is staying there permanently. All of her other friends have established lives, married, with or without children as per their own choices. And here is Lola, with a great job in the music industry, but single. She hasn't really even shared what really happened with her ex, Jarek with any of them. They know bits and pieces but not the whole story.

What she probably doesn't really need is their friendly encouragement to hook up with someone while they are at the wedding destination. The last time that happened it was a disaster, and Lola doesn't need any more stories. It's a funny story now, but it definitely wasn't at the time.

By the time everyone arrives in Sardinia a month later she is ready, or at least she thinks she is. Everyone has come together to spend some time with the happy couple in the days leading up to the wedding. There is drama, of course, especially between the parents of the happy couple who aren't really getting along that well. 

When she meets the groom's friend Rhys, she sees an opportunity to protect herself from the interference of her well-meaning friends. If she and Rhys can pretend that they have hooked up, there will be no more in appropriate suggestions. Rhys has his own reasons for agreeing to the arrangement. His ex has now coupled up with one of his old mates, and they are very much rubbing it in his face. It's just an uncomfortable situation all round.

Rhys isn't Lola's normal type. She normally goes for the really good looking, buff guys. Not that Rhys isn't good looking. He's just quiet, a man who loves crafting things out of wood, and a teacher. He is, however, also trying to figure out what he wants from life. Does he want to continue teaching or is there something else in his future?

When Lola receives texts from an unknown number and messages, she starts to get concerned that maybe Jarek knows where she is. She is, however, determined to have a great time and focus on her time in Sardinia and her best friend's wedding.

I have read a number of Kate Frost books now, and I really love how she includes the destination in her books. Sardinia is front and centre here, and had me wishing that I could go and spend time on the island.

I also loved the friendship dynamics, particularly among Lola's friends. It was more complicated with Rhys's group but they still found a way to support each other. I loved seeing how everyone came together to support and protect Lola when she needed it.

I wanted to specifically mention the ending of this book, although no spoilers. Before he met Lola, Rhys had made some plans of what he was going to be doing for the next few months. I really liked that those plans weren't changed just because he had now met Lola. They had to work to build their budding relationship. It wasn't just...and now they live happily ever after. At least not straight away.

I am sharing this review with the New Release Challenge hosted at The Chocolate Lady's Book Reviews. Be sure to check out other stops on the tour shown below. Thanks to the publisher, Netgalley and Rachel's Random Resources for the review copy. 

Rating 4/5

About the book

The Island of Hopes and Dreams

When the beginning of the end is just the start…

Newly single Lola Wild has had her fill of well-intentioned matchmaking friends. Her best friend Mirabel’s hen weekend highlights all that’s wrong with Lola’s life and she knows something has to change.

With Mirabel’s luxurious wedding in Sardinia fast approaching, Lola is looking forward to switching off, spending time with her friends and keeping her non-existent love life off everyone’s agenda.

Meanwhile, fellow wedding guest Rhys Strickland has his own problems. So when a chance encounter brings Rhys and Lola together they decide to help each other out.

To the idyllic backdrop of white sand beaches and azure bays, they bond over shared heartache, and friendship blossoms as they attempt to navigate the hurt and hard truths of past relationships.

Opening up their hearts and embracing change might be the last thing they expected, but what if a holiday of make-believe can turn into something real?

A heart-warming and uplifting story of vulnerability, self-renewal and finding love when you least expect to.

 Purchase Link - https://mybook.to/TheIslandof

About the Author

Kate Frost is the author of several bestselling romantic escape novels including A Greek Island Escape, and An Island in the Sun. She lives in Bristol and is the Director of Storytale Festival, a book festival for children and teens she co-founded in 2019.

Social Media Links –

Facebook: @katefrostauthor

Twitter: @katefrostauthor

Instagram: @katefrostauthor

Newsletter Sign Up:

https://bit.ly/KateFrostNewsletter

Bookbub profile: @KateFrost

Weekend Cooking: Tucci in Italy and Nonnas - Italian Food!

I have a bit of a problem at the moment in that I have more Weekend Cooking posts than I have Saturdays available to post them on. I do, however, have a spare Sunday so today I am going to share another food related post, just because I can. That does make three for this weekend but that's okay

Tucci in Italy

In the last few years, I have become a big fan of Stanley Tucci. I have watched both of TV series, watched movies, and he personally read both of his audiobooks directly to me (or at least it fell to me). In his most recent book, What I Ate in One Year, there was a running joke through it about whether his TV series where he features the food and regions of Italy would find a new home, and if so what would it be called. 

It turns out that the series would be called Tucci in Italy and it would be shown on the National Geographic channel, and we binge watched it recently! 

It is very similar in concept to Searching for Italy which was originally shown on CNN. Stanley goes to a particular region of Italy, talks to them about their food, history and customs. Everyone he meets falls under his spell (I mean, I would too) and he loves everything that he eats, and then he moves onto the next place. 

Stanley visits five regions in Tucci in Italy.  Some of them are places he has been before, and others are new. The places are Tuscany, Lombardy, Trentino-Alto Adige, Abruzzo and Lazio. I was particularly interrested in the Trentino-Alto Adige which is a region in the very north of Italy. Some parts of the region are also called South Tyrol. Over the years it has sometimes been part of Austria and sometimes Italy, so it has a very particular language, food and style that it different to the rest of Italy. I had recently read a book that was set there so I think that was part of why it interested me so much!

I think the production values for this series are probably a bit more restricted than they were for the CNN show. The sound isn't quite as full, the subtitles are more obvious...just small things. For the most part though, it is more of the same captivating TV.

I guess the big difference for this series compared to the other show is that in order to watch it again I will need to go search it out specifically.  For the original series, it is shown repeatedly on one of our cable channels and if I see that the show is on then I will often start watching it, no matter which episode it is and what part of the episode we are at.

Now, we wait to see if there will be more episodes of Tucci in Italy. I really hope so.

Coincidentally, as I was writing this post I found a video of Stanley Tucci hosting a dinner with F1 Carlos Sainz, presenter Tan France and Spice Girl Melanie C, all answering questions about their lives and food including a crisp sandwich.  It was a lot of fun! Check it out here! The series is called Cards on the Table and I am looking forward to watching more episodes. It looks like there are a few episodes available everywhere.

Nonnas

A recent Netflix movie release, Nonnas stars Vince Vaughan, Susan Sarandon, Lorraine Bracco and Linda Cardenelli amongst others. It tells the story of a man named Joe Scaravella who inherits some money following the death of his mother. He reminisces about the great Italian food of his childhood, and decides to use his money to open a restaurant, despite the fact that he has no experience whatsoever. He is also trying to figure out what some of the ingredients are in some of the dishes he remembers like Sunday Gravy.

He finds an empty restaurant for sale on Staten Island and sets about refurbishing the restaurant with help from some very good friends. What he hadn't counted on was opposition from the locals who had fond memories of the previous restaurant that was there and didn't want it reopened. That doesn't really make sense as it was an empty building otherwise but people are sometimes strange, right? Thanks to support from good friends, Joe gets the restaurant ready despite some unexpected setbacks along the way.

Joe's plan is to have Italian Nonna's cook their specialities and so he puts an ad in Craigslist and his first three women come to apply. However, things don't quite go to plan when two of the nonna's don't get along due to the fact that one is from Bologna and the other from Sicily

It is touch and go as to whether the restaurant will even get off the ground, but Joe's persistence and determination mean that he is going to give it the best shot he can.

I love a movie that is based on a true story, which this one. The Staten Island restaurant which is called Enoteca Maria is still running, and there are still nonnas doing all the cooking, although these days they are from all around the world!

With humour, a touch of romance, and plenty of Italian food porn, this was a very pleasant way to pass a couple of hours.

An Italian Wedding Adventure by Leonie Mack

 

Sophie is a wedding planner who goes above and beyond for her clients, so if they want to have a wedding that includes climbing mountains in Italy, then she can make that happen. Given that more couples are wanting adventure/destination weddings she flippantly suggests to her boss that maybe they should join forces with an adventure company. She is still a bit shocked when her boss announces that they are merging with one. Of course it happens to be the company where her ex,  Andreas, works.

Eight years previously Sophie and Andreas had a brief but very deep relationship. On February 29th she proposed to him, but he said no, leaving a heartbroken Sophie behind to pick up the pieces. She moved on, married and then divorced, but Andreas has always had a bit of her heart.

Having to spend time in Italy scouting for the ideal wedding location, Sophie and Andreas are forced to spend time together, and they are both still very attracted to each other. Andreas avoids any kind of emotional attachment, mainly because he knows how dangerous it is when he goes climbing on some of the biggest mountains in the world, and he also knows how traumatic it is for those that are left behind when something goes wrong. He has seen it in his own world when his best friend died during a climb. 

There are times when Andreas is a bit frustrating. He is so closed off to the idea of allowing himself to even be open to have a relationship, despite the pressure he is getting from his family. 

Part of the charm of this book lies in it's setting in Northern Italy, close to the German border. Historically the border has moved many times over the centuries, with the area sometimes being German and other times Italian, and this is reflected in the language, food and characters. Coincidentally, I was watching the new Tucci in Italy series, and Stanley Tucci visited this area in one of the episodes. I love that Leonie Mack takes us to Italy, but not just Tuscany or the Amalfi coast. She takes us to the lesser visited parts of Italy and makes me wish that we were going back to visit some of these fantastic locations.

Bearing in mind that the most climbing I do is off the couch or occasionally out of the bath, the adventure stuff is not really my jam, but the idea of seeing all that gorgeous scenery overlooking the lake - that I would love. There were times that the technical terms got a bit draggy for me, but I do think it was great that they were there, and it is clear that the author has done a lot of the things that she is talking about. 

We did, however, have a location wedding. Ours was just the two of us on a beach in Vanuatu, so a little less strenous!

This is the first in a series, and we have already met some of the people who are going to feature in the future books! The next one is due to be released in September and I am already looking forward to reading it

I am sharing this review with the New Release Challenge hosted by The Chocolate Lady's Book Reviews. Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the review copy.

Rating 4.5/5

Blog Tour: One Summer in Italy by Victoria Springfield

 

Three people are connected to a Venice at a single place and time which has left them with lasting impacts on their lives. When they all have to go back to Venice, will it be a chance for healing and forgiveness, or cause their lives to implode....again.

Natalie was once a presenter on a children's TV show, but these days she is happier behind the camera working as a freelancer in TV production. A job is a job, and so when she is offered a last minute role to present a high end house swap series called Luxe Life Swap, she accepts even though it means going back to Venice. The last time she was there, on a school trip, her life was changed when something happened and she also lost her best friend.

Cate and Phil are the wealthy homeowners who are swapping their lives to go and spend time living in a Venetian palazzo. Cate first laid eyes on Phil on that same school trip, when she was still known as Cathy. They got together four years later at university, and together have built a successful life together. But both Cate and Phil have some secrets about what happened on that first trip to Venice that they haven't told each other, even after all these years.

Phil was happy to do the house swap, but ever since he found out that they are going to Venice he has been acting strangely, to the point that he is finding it difficult to get on the plane. Cate is not sure what is going on, but she does need to find out.

It is quite a shock for Cate and Natalie when they realise that they are going to be forced into spending some time together. Even the glorious sites of Venice can only help so much. It is only as some truths of what really happened come out that there is any hope of reconciliation, but along the way there may well be some collateral damage.

This is the third Victoria Springfield book I have read. The first two were set on the islands of Procida and Ischia. This time the setting is Venice. The canals of Venice come alive in the pages of this book. It's not only the touristy places that we visit, but also little known areas off the track. Along the way, we get to hear about some of the crafts and trades that are being lost in Venice as they are replaced with cheap tourist knock-offs and as the locals are priced out of living in the famous city. 

I have been to Venice once a very long time ago and I would love to go again. This book is first and foremost about the lost friendship, the secrets and starting over, but it is also about the place. Within it's pages there is also a request of visitors to the city. Come, see the sights, marvel at the glass blowing, the lace, the carnival masks and more, but please support the genuine makers and the people who live in the city.

I visited the the islands of Murano and Burano and where I had a very fish forward lunch on one of them. We also visited a glassblowers, and I bought these glass lollies that I have carried around with me for the thirty years since. They were probably the least expensive thing that you could buy, but I have enjoyed getting them back down off the shelf and looking at them again! I do have some kind of paperweight as well, but these are the things that bring me joy when I look at them!

I am sharing this review with the New Release Challenge hosted by The Chocolate Lady's Book Reviews. Be sure to check out other stops on the tour shown below. Thanks to the publisher, Netgalley and Rachel's Random Resources for the review copy.

Rating 4/5

About the Book

One Summer in Italy

A return to Venice. A friendship rekindled. A time for romance.

Natalie’s landed the opportunity of a lifetime hosting television show 'Luxe Life Swap', but she’s dreading going back to Venice, scene of the school trip that changed her life. The beauty of the floating city and handsome watch restorer Eraldo begin to win her over, however. But then glamorous contestant Cate arrives, the girl who was once plain, ordinary Cathy – the ex-best friend Natalie blames for the night that wrecked her life.

Cate’s swapping The Old Vicarage for two weeks in a Venetian palazzo, hoping she might pluck up the courage to go on the quest she’s been putting off for more than twenty years. Forced to spend time with Natalie, Cate hopes to rebuild their friendship – until Natalie makes a shocking accusation against Cate’s husband. Cate needs to find out the truth but how can she expect Phil to be honest when she’s keeping secrets of her own?

Purchase Link - https://mybook.to/SummerinItaly

About the Author  –

Victoria Springfield writes contemporary ‘wish you were here’ evocative women’s fiction set in Italy. Her feel-good books follow unforgettable characters of all ages as they deal with love, loss, friendship and family secrets. Readers can feel the sunshine!

Social Media Links –

Facebook: @VictoriaSpringfieldAuthor
Twitter: @VictoriaSwrites
Instagram: @victoriaswrites
Newsletter Sign Up: https://bit.ly/VictoriaSpringfieldNews
Bookbub profile: @VictoriaSWrites