Read it for Venice -an excellent escape
Opening line: “Guido Calvani took another turn along the hospital corridor, trying not to think of his uncle, lying behind the closed door, desperately ill.”
Ah Venice, what a beautiful character you portrayed in this book. Actually you may have been my favourite part of this book. The romance and mystic of Venice is captured perfectly here, bringing to life the maze of streets and canals, the language, food and music. Throw in a handsome gondolier, a parody of secrets, a jilted P.I and you’ve got yourselves a great escape, all without leaving your house.
To me this reads very much like a play, with every character trying to cover up their true identity through a comedy of errors. The romance is sweetly done with some great angst however this is clean romance so nobody gets naked. The real story here is Venice, everything else is just a backdrop.
Dulcie Maddox is a private investigator, in Italy on her latest assignment. It’s a plum job, as she’s to pose as an heiress on vacation in the hopes of catching the lowly gondolier scamming the young daughter of her client. The daughter claims to be in love but Dulcie is set to prove her gondolier is just after the money. However the joke may be on her client because Guido Calvani is no simple gondolier scratching a living but actually an Italian aristocrat heir to the Calvani title. He’s simply helping out a friend and enjoys the life of the canals.
Upon meeting there is an immediate attraction between our couple and as predicted Guido asks if he can show Dulcie the real Venice. Within days they are in love. Guido enjoys being with a woman who wants him for something other then his title and Dulcie is wondering how she is ever going to get out of this assignment with her heart intact.
However all is not what it seems and when Guido discovers he’s not the only one hiding a secret his world is turned upside down with everything coming to a head at what else but a masquerade ball. And that people is amore. Salute
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