Rating: Just Okay
Source: NetGalley
Description: Something terrible happened here...Hollywood, 1975: Tragedy sends troubled film star Vivien Lockhart into the arms of Giovanni Moretti, and it seems her fortunes have finally changed. Until she meets his sister, and learns that her new husband's past holds dark secrets. Tuscany, Present day: Everyone in London is searching for Lucy Whittaker - so Lucy needs to disappear. But her new home, the crumbling Castillo Barbarossa, is far from the secluded paradise it seemed. Across the decades, Vivien and Lucy find themselves trapped in the idyllic Italian villa. And if they are ever to truly escape its walls, they must first unearth its secrets...
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Why I Picked This Book: I love an Italian villa and a dual time line plot.
My Impression: This was romantic suspense - heavy on suspense with a seriously Gothic feel. The atmosphere just hummed with ominous secrets and every conversation felt threatening. And really an almost abandoned Italian villa is plenty creepy all on it's own but throw in some foreboding warnings and a reclusive, rarely seen inhabitant and the creep factor raises to almost oppressive.
The characters were intriguing and Vivien's story especially was brutal and fascinating. Lucy was a little harder to like. She's running from something and spends a lot of time worrying about whatever secret she's running for and struggles to follow the incredibly restrictive rules in the villa.
What made this book just okay was the pacing. It seemed like such a slow read and I got frustrated not knowing ANY of the mounting secrets. I get that part of the atmosphere is the not knowing but I felt like I didn't know anything that was going on and that got a little tedious after awhile. I think the writing style was good and the characters and plot were interesting and maybe if I had been in the mood for a slower paced book this would have been a better read. As it was it wasn't a bad read but it didn't pull me in and keep me reading either.
Would I Read More of this Series/Author? If I see a blurb that interests me I'd probably pick it up though only if I was in the mood for a slower read.
Would I Recommend this Book? If you're in the mood for a Gothic-y novel this is a good one though don't be expecting a book you fly through.
Oh yeah, not discovering any secrets along the way when more mount up - I would be very frustrated too. Sounds like the atmosphere was amazing, though.
ReplyDeleteOkay - Just Okay! I love reading that rating at the top. Yes slow pace would get to me too. And being kept in the dark secrets just leaves a reader out in the cold.
ReplyDeleteI need a good pace in a suspense book so it probably wouldn't be for me. Love the cover though.
ReplyDeleteI don't do well with slower reads. This sounds like one that I would put aside often. Glad you liked parts of it.
ReplyDeleteI am sorry this one wasn't better for you. Like Carole, I have little patience for slower reads these days, although sometimes I can get by if the slow spot is just a short part of the book. I do like the premise of this one though!
ReplyDeleteHmmmhh, the cover looks great but a slow read is never for me.
ReplyDeleteThis reminds me why I wasn't such a huge Kate Morton fan like everyone. I got frustrated at finding out secrets crumb by crumb.
ReplyDeleteI will have to try another blondie recipe again. It's still intriguing for me. I'm sorry your neighborhood isn't trick-or-treat friendly but glad there's one near by. You took Tornado right?