Publisher : Lake Union Publishing (April 13, 2021)
Language : English
Paperback : 411 pages
ISBN-10 : 154202711X
Love and secrets collide in Venice during WWII in an enthralling novel of brief encounters and lasting romance by the New York Times bestselling author of The Tuscan Child and Above the Bay of Angels.
Caroline Grant is struggling to accept the end of her marriage when she receives an unexpected bequest. Her beloved great-aunt Lettie leaves her a sketchbook, three keys, and a final whisper…Venice. Caroline’s quest: to scatter Juliet “Lettie” Browning’s ashes in the city she loved and to unlock the mysteries stored away for more than sixty years.
It’s 1938 when art teacher Juliet Browning arrives in romantic Venice. For her students, it’s a wealth of history, art, and beauty. For Juliet, it’s poignant memories and a chance to reconnect with Leonardo Da Rossi, the man she loves whose future is already determined by his noble family. However star-crossed, nothing can come between them. Until the threat of war closes in on Venice and they’re forced to fight, survive, and protect a secret that will bind them forever.
Key by key, Lettie’s life of impossible love, loss, and courage unfolds. It’s one that Caroline can now make right again as her own journey of self-discovery begins.
“Bowen’s vivid storytelling style holds readers enrapt…Bowen has written a tender, poignant story balancing dark and light.” ―Historical Novel Society
“The Venice Sketchbook is that rare book, both epic and personal, and utterly compelling. Two women, decades apart, escape to Venice, each forced to grapple with the influence of world events on her own life. This is a tale brimming with secrets, romance, and possibilities, cast against the colorful setting of irresistible Venice. I was utterly captured.” ―Barbara O’Neal, bestselling author of When We Believed in Mermaids and The Lost Girls of Devon
MY REVIEW:
First of all I want to admire the beautiful sketches inside this beautiful book, it’s a wow!
I just loved this dual time line story, with the first focused on carefree Juliet in 1928 as an eighteen year-old in Venice, and the other with Caroline, Juliet’s great niece set in 2001 England and New York. This is a story about families, secrets, star-crossed love, relationships, the tragedy of wars in the 40’s and the terror attacks in ‘01, and the courage of these women to face what life has given.
Overall I enjoy historical fiction books set in WWII and this one had a nice mystery twist which I found entertaining and a delight to read. A fun escape read that was immersive and highly intriguing.
About the Author:
Rhys Bowen is the New York Times bestselling author of more than forty novels, including Above the Bay of Angels, The Victory Garden, The Tuscan Child, and the World War II–based In Farleigh Field, the winner of the Macavity and Left Coast Crime Awards for Best Historical Mystery Novel and the Agatha Award for Best Historical Mystery. Bowen’s work has won twenty honors to date, including multiple Agatha, Anthony, and Macavity Awards. Her books have been translated into many languages, and she has fans around the world. A transplanted Brit, Bowen divides her time between California and Arizona. To learn more about the author, visit www.rhysbowen.com.
I really like this author and I have this on my Kindle. Thanks for the review.
ReplyDelete