Akcja książki "Włoskie zaręczyny" angielskiej pisarki Santy Montefiore rozgrywa się na południu Włoch, w malowniczym miasteczku Incantellaria.
Głównymi bohaterami są Luca, który po rozwodzie rzuca posadę w banku i przyjeżdża do palazzo Montelimone, by spędzić wakacje w posiadłości rodziców i odpocząć od przeszłości, oraz Cosima, mieszkanka urokliwej miejscowości, która jest w żałobie po śmierci sześcioletniego syna Francesca.
Początkowo znajomość tych dwojga nie rysuje zbyt optymistycznie. Pogrążona w smutku kobieta unika kontaktów z Lucą. Jednak gdy okazuje się, że mężczyzna jako jedyny widuje jej zmarłe dziecko, nawiązuje się między nimi nić porozumienia.
"Włoskie zaręczyny" to piękna, metafizyczna i jakże ciepła opowieść, gdzie dwa światy realny i duchowy stapiają się w jedną przestrzeń. Może są momenty naiwne, banalne, ale jak bardzo potrzebujemy takich właśnie chwil! Wystarczy przeczytać tę książkę, by odnieść wrażenie, że za mało w naszym życiu dobra i banalności, zapachu fig i aromatu cytryn.
Nie mam porównania z innymi książkami tej autorki, ponieważ ta jest moją pierwszą. Ale według mnie warta przeczytania. Przeniesie nas w deszczowe dni w piękne strony przesycone słońcem i pięknymi widokami.

First Book for Halloween Bingo!- Romantic Suspense

Centuries ago, a curse was placed upon the Deverills after taking a building a castle on the O'Leary land.  Since then, every male Deverill heir has been trapped in a limbo inside the castle upon their death.  For the curse to be broken, the land must come back into the hands of an O'Leary.  Now, in 1939, the Deverill Castle has fallen out of Deverill hands and has been bought up by former housemaid Bridie after she came into money in New York.  Bridie believed taking the Castle from the Deverills would be a perfect revenge, but still feels like an outsider in her hometown.  Jack O'Leary also returns to Ballinakelly from New York with a wife and kids in tow upsetting the gentle balance that Kitty has made with her family.  Meanwhile, Bridie's daughter that she believes has died, comes looking for her family believing that Lady Rowan-Hampton is her birth mother.  However, she is just the one who began many of the lies and deceptions.  With everyone in one place, old flames light once again and new ones spark.  A chance for  JP Deverill and  Alana O'Leary to end everything with true love. After generations of lies, mistakes, secrets and missteps, the Deverills and O'Learys will have to dig deep for forgiveness.

The Secret of the Irish Castle is the last book in the Deverill Chronicles trilogy.  I would highly recommend reading these in order, there is much to keep track of and a lot of history.  It was almost difficult for me to read this last installment because so much tension existed between all of the characters due to the massive web of lies and deceptions that they have formed over the years in the belief that it would keep them safe.  It was a relief when everything begun to crash down around them.  Santa Montefiore deftly moves through the many subplots happening at once in a way that kept me engaged and interested while showing the beauty of the Irish landscape, Castle and people as well as the intensity of war.  I was glad that more of the ghost's stories were brought to light along with how the curse began with Maggie O'Leary as well as their influence over their descendants.  A rollercoaster of emotions, The Secret of the Irish Castle went from triumph to tragedy, heartbreak to  happiness and fury to forgiveness which is what lies at the heart of the story.  

This book was received for free in return for an honest review. 

If you've come here hoping for your next read of the summer then I'm afraid I have to disappoint you (unless this sounds up your street for some reason). The Royal Rabbits of London by Santa Montefiore & Simon Sebag Montefiore caught my eye because of the fantastic cover illustration of rabbits in various outfits. This is the story of Shylo, an extremely small bunny that is ridiculed and bullied by his peers (and siblings). He gets roped into a bit of intrigue and derring-do which takes him away from all that he has ever known and into the very heart of the Royal Rabbits of London. Much shenanigans ensue especially when they are confronted by Ratzis. I feel like this book was given very little thought or care (except for the illustrations which were really great and liberally padded the story) so it shocked me to learn that this is the first in a series. (Spoiler alert: I won't be reading the others.) It wasn't particularly well-written but would probably appeal to 2nd or 3rd graders who really like rabbits. For me, it was disappointing to say the least. 1/10 only because of those excellent drawings.

What I'm Currently Reading: Recovery: Freedom From Our Addictions by Russell Brand

Since I´m sick for the rest of the week and with the upcoming Christmas days, I have a whole lot of spare time do a lot of reading (and watching the second season of The Expanse). So I decided to spin the dreidel for the Hanukkah task. To whittle down my Willoughby book club TBR, I have choosen four books that the people from Willoughby have send to me.

נ (Nun) - The Hidden People by Alison Littlewood

ג (Gimel) - One Night in Winter by Simon Sebag Montefiore

ה (He) - The Beguiled by Thomas Cullinan

ש (Shin) - Under a Pole Star by Stef Penny

And the dreidel says:

ה (He) - The Beguiled by Thomas Cullinan

At a girls boarding school in Virginia, the pupils lead sheltered lives. When an injured soldier, wounded in the civil war, is found in the woods nearby and taken in to recuperate, the girls fall immediately under the spell of this charming stranger. But soon his presence unleashes something dark and dangerous in all of them ...

I have to admit, that sounds really good.

Celia Deverill has bought the ruins of her family's castle after it was burned down in the war.  The year is 1925 and Celia and her husband have plenty of money to rebuild the castle and upgrade everything to Celia's extravagant and opulent demands.  While Celia is busy redecorating, Kitty Deverill and her husband Robert Trench are raising Kitty's half-brother, Little Jack.  Kitty is concerned that Little Jack's real mother, Bridie Doyle will come and steal him away. Kitty is also wrestling with her feelings for her true love Jack O'Leary.  She will have to make a decision to tear apart her family and move to America with Jack or deny her true love and stay with her family and her home in Ireland.  Meanwhile, Bridie Doyle has become a new person in New York.  Now a wealthy widow, she is determined to reclaim the son that was taken from her as well as the Castle where she once worked.

Once again, I was enraptured by the stories of the women of Castle Deverill.  Picking up right after The Girl in the Castle, the stories of Kitty, Bridie and Celia continue to grow and shine.  Now adults, these women are making their own decisions and affecting the lives of those around them as well as the ghosts who still inhabit Castle Deverill.  I was very pleased that Barton Deverill's story was expanded upon and I was able to understand the reasons for the curse.  I love that the supernatural and folklore are a part of the story, bringing out the magic of Ireland in a sophisticated way.  I was completely captivated by all of these women's stories while they  were busy trying to navigate life and come to terms with what has been handed to them their stories went in such different ways then I could have ever imagined. I became so frustrated at points when their decisions seemed immature or senseless, I just wanted to shake them!  However, through masterful storytelling, the saga of the Daughters of Ireland engrossed me all the way through.  I was definitely surprised at the end, but I believe they are one step closer to breaking the curse of Castle Deverill.

This book was received for free in return for an honest review.