Secrets of the Villa Amore: the brand new blockbuster for 2023 from the Sunday Times bestseller

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Traitors should be shot,’ he spat, his eyes glittering dangerously in the moonlight. He raised the gun and took aim. Wait! the young man wanted to shout, but knowing it was futile the word died on his lips. He nodded as their eyes met for a split second. The book is set in beautiful Italy and it makes you want to visit there. I think the "villans" in this piece didn't get their comeuppance and I think that was the only mistake. The parallels between Phillipa and Carina’s lives are interesting. Though it doesn’t do justice to their ‘intelligence’, it offers a little something to ponder about in a mother-daughter relationship. (Not sure if this was intended, but anyhoo).

The book is set around Carina's wedding to Giogio, her childhood sweetheart. Carina knows in her heart that something is not right but feels that the two families are expecting this union to bring their vineyards together. There’s still so much to do,’ Philippa continued. ‘We have the family dinner tomorrow, with the Bianchis.’ Carina is marrying her childhood sweetheart, Giorgio, who has secrets of his own and isn’t who he appears to be. Edie is Carina’s friend and bridesmaid. This emerging Hwood actress has secrets she cannot reveal. Phillipa, Carina’s mother, has a happy life but finds things drifting apart. Complications arise when her former lover enters the scene. Then he ran too, and kept on running, and didn’t stop until he was far away from that dreadful moment. I have read a couple of Carol's books before and I really enjoyed this one. There were bits that I found a bit disappointing but it didn't spoil my enjoyment of the book.Philippa frowned. ‘But you were in love with Antonio, weren’t you?’ she pondered, naming Salvatore’s father who’d died a decade earlier. Concerned that the question was too personal, she added, ‘I’d never seen a more devoted couple.’ It’s Bianca,’ she explained, naming Carina’s wedding planner. ‘You need to decide about the stemware for the champagne reception. Flutes or coupes?’ Salerno had been heavily bombed in recent weeks, the scene of fierce fighting. Italy had withdrawn its support for Germany, and the Allies had landed in Sicily before making their way to the mainland. Now the country had been split in two, with Mussolini’s supporters in the north and those loyal to King Victor Emmanuel in the south, effectively a state of civil war.

Sono sorpreso ! You were always supportive of him, and you knew he had to build up his business. I think you would have understood, as Carina does.’ Giorgio, we’re almost married. Surely it doesn’t matter if we . . .’ She let the question hang, an unspoken invitation. Weather presenting legend Carol Kirkwood joined The Chris Evans Breakfast Show with cinch to talk about her “glamorous” and “escapist” third novel, Secrets of the Villa Amore. Carol explained: "I have just finished one. I was reading a trilogy by Heather Norris which is really good. The last one was called Three Sisters. A very good book - I'd recommend it." The two young soldiers joined in heartily with each toast, raising their glasses high in the air before crashing them together with cries of ‘ Salute!’ They shouted and cheered with the rest of the patrons, hammering noisily on the wooden tabletop. It was the safest thing to do right now; impossible to know from appearances who was friend and who was foe.

Philippa nodded, but she couldn’t shake the feeling that something was amiss. ‘I’d have been so angry if Salvatore had done that to me.’ Carina had a sharp business brain too, and her father had rewarded her devotion to the company by making her brand director of Casa di Russo. She’d more than risen to the challenge, recently overseeing an international campaign with Brad Pitt to raise the company’s profile in the US. It had been a huge investment, but Carina had convinced her father it would pay off in terms of brand awareness and sales. Now it seemed she’d been proved right, and she was thrilled. There was a tussle in the darkness and blows were exchanged, fists flying as pent-up fear and anger found a release. The mood changed rapidly when one of the soldiers drew his weapon. We’re going north, to fight with Mussolini,’ he declared belligerently. ‘Come with us, if you love your country.’The younger man’s eyes widened in alarm, anxiety coiling in his stomach. He tried to get past, but they jostled him and jeered. ‘What? Are you cowards? You want your women stolen by the British and the Americans?’

The dialogue is nice, but I didn’t like it. The conversations sound off in many places. It’s like the characters are acting their part in a play rather than being themselves on paper. His friend looked at him, terror in his eyes, but resolution too. ‘Yes. We must run. But not together . . . alone.’Philippa smiled as she replied to Bianca and ended the call. ‘Of course, every girl dreams of practicality on her wedding day,’ she teased, as Carina laughed.

Then he was gone, and Carina was left fighting a whirl of emotions: frustration, confusion, disappointment. Carina’s mother, Philippa, was Scottish. At first glance, people often thought Carina was too, with her light skin and fair colouring, but those close to her knew that she was Italian through and through – fiercely loyal, quietly determined, with a stubborn streak that meant she wasn’t afraid to fight her corner and stand her ground. Carina stiffened, knowing her mother would react like this. ‘Yes, and I’ve just had the same conversation with him, but there’s nothing he can do.’ They emerged onto the deserted street. The breeze was warm but carried the acrid smell of smoke and the stench of diesel from the ships in the harbour. There was a palpable sense of tension in the air. They’d already lived through three years of war, and it seemed it was far from over yet.The younger nodded and they drained their amaro, a locally produced, bitter-tasting herbal liqueur. They swayed unsteadily as they stood up from their wooden stools – this was far from their first drink of the evening – pushing their way through the throng of uniformed men, all yelling and singing and carousing. Tom arrives at the location, hired as Carina’s temporary bodyguard. With strange gifts and odd threats, it’s clear something sinister is happing behind the scenes. But what? What difference does two more weeks make? We’ve waited all this time, we can wait a little longer,’ he insisted. ‘I’ll see you in a few days.’