By Melina Byrne, Book Review Expert from Doubleday Entertainment The House By The Sea, by Santa Montefiore, spans four decades and features vivid characters, beautiful settings and a devastating romance.
This dramatic novel is told from the perspective of several key characters. It begins in the past, in Tuscany, but also tells an interlinked story set in present-day England.
The plot:
1960s, Tuscany. Ten-year-old Floriana, the daughter of a destitute, alcoholic father, is captivated by the magnificent villa that overlooks the sea just outside her small village. After Dante, the son of the villa’s powerful industrialist owner, invites her inside, she believes they are destined to be together. Later, when she grows up, she is seduced by Dante, becomes pregnant out of wedlock, and everything changes …
2008. A hotel on England’s Devon coast has fallen on hard times. Its owner, Marina, has advertised for an artist to teach the guests how to paint. Rafael, a handsome young artist, is hired, and it soon becomes clear that he is living a double life.
Book review:
“A wonderful, magical read. Quite possibly my favourite book of 2011 so far. Highly recommended!” – The Book Whisperer, (https://boofsbookshelf.com)
About the author:
A London-based writer, Santa Montefiore has written 11 bestsellers. She is married to Simon Sebag Montefiore, a famous author and historian.
Click here to buy this book, or for more info.
