I want to go to Venice! This is a lovely story about Penny, who leaves her drab life behind and finds herself. It's a good happy read.

Penny is a waitress, who hopes to put her artwork in a gallery and she also dreams about visiting Venice. Her life changes from the moment she rescues a little child at the train station and due to the media coverage a woman calles Caroline approches her with a proposal she eventually agrees to.

The book opened with such an intense scene that it took me by surprise, in a good way, however the whole book didn’t work that well for me unfortunately. I didn’t feel the story line and didn’t really like the main character. I did like how the author described Venice, it really makes you want to visit it. Overall it was an average book, but looking at the reviews it seems that most of the people really enjoyed it, so it might have been just me who had issues with the book.

What a delightful fairy tale! I've had "Dreaming of Venice" in my TBR list for ages and now I regret I didn't read it sooner. It was the perfect feel good summer read, light, with a full set of charming characters, gorgeous locations (you could almost feel you were walking around the canals along Penny) and an interesting storyline. I specially liked that although it's a rags to riches story, Penny always kept her feet on the ground. I was definitely surprised to find out the author is a man, and I will definitely check out his other work.

Enjoyable story full of interesting characters and a good story line.

A Dream

T A Williams has a notorious habit of ending his books too soon. Or perhaps I enjoy them too much that I'd much rather they never end. It's a good thing he's written quite so many- one of his books is never nearly enough!

This book was a classic 'from rags to riches tale' but princess and the pauper style. I love this kind of story. Penny is an artist but not yet discovered so currently she works at a café. She looks like Olivia- practically identical, if her hair wasn't in such a terrible state! Olivia is rich, in possession of a respectable reputation. When the stars align to bring these young women together, Penny gets thrown into a dream. The kind of dream where you can spend a whole day shopping, get a free makeover and never have to worry about bills and debts. That is, if she holds up her end of the deal: she must pose as Olivia for all social events until Olivia feels confident to take over. However, the situation becomes a little tricky when Penny meets Olivia's crush but worse, when she meets the man of her own dreams. Literally.

I love this story, it was quite like It Had To Be You by Keris Stainton (another favourite of mine.) T A Williams writes so wonderfully it's practically magical: he writes of the dreamiest of locations- Venice being the subject of this one, as well as the world in the eyes of a young millionaire.

I received this book through NetGalley.

A fantastic tale of rags to riches this novel will swoop you away in a story of romance and friendship. I zipped through this book and was enchanted by the characters, as I have come to expect from T.A.Williams.

Penny is a realistically drawn character for her profession- it’s not an easy life being an undiscovered artist and she’s just putting one step in front of the other until she’s “discovered” by Caroline when she rescues a baby on a train platform and ends up in the news. Caroline approaches her to play her employer’s double (for reasons unknown at first) which seems a bit peculiar but the perks are hard to turn down! Penny gradually makes some headway in her career and her financial situation as she plays the double more and more often. And then she gets to chance to go to Venice ….which upped the charm and romance factor considerably for me. I don’t want to give anything away so I shall restrain myself on the details.

Typical of Williams, the characters are realistic and possess enough charisma to be engaging but aren’t bogged in so much “development” that the plot lags. He moves quickly and naturally through the action and his novels are humorous and heart-felt and always include a loveable dog.

Thank you to Canelo for our review copy. All opinions are our own.

A great read. Although the plot is far-fetched (how likely would it happen in real life?), it's good and well written. I really enjoyed this book and the characters within it. It's total escapism and the kind of book which wants me to read more from the same author.

I absolutely loved the cover on this book and being a fan of Venice, was thoroughly looking forward to my armchair travel..
Sadly though, I never even got to Italy., as I had to give up around a third of the way in by which time we still hadn't left the country. I found the book to be very much 'tell not show' and with quite a few clichés. The main character is supposed to be a young woman in her twenties so when she says 'you've got me bang to rights' it was so jarring as to completely throw me out of the story. To be honest, I'm not sure many millennials would even know this phrase, let alone use it.
I really had hoped to love this book but sadly I found it slow going, and unengaging.

I really enjoyed the book, it has everything I love in a novel from start to finish. I can’t wait to read what the author has planned next!

Well any book which states or even mildly suggests that I might "Find love, friendship and prosecco – in the magical city of Venice' and I'm there. The cover is gorgeous and immediately made me want to jump in to that lovely blue sea.I imagined I was that woman in the blue straw hat....

It was a lovely read - There's some serious issues in the book but they're dealt with such warmth and care and attention that you start to care for these characters in ways you might never have thought of - that Penny is an interesting if not slightly quirky and clumsy character..and as for dog....ah bless him! I'm not even really a dog lover but I want to adopt this one . There are some lovely laugh out loud moments throughout the story, some romance and all in the city with more water than most - think they're the result of tears - both happy and sad ones you might produce when reading this book! The book really captures the spirit of the city and the charm of its art galleries and treasures. Take this on a tour and you'll notice things you might not otherwise!

A definite feel good read for the beach or on a gondola ride around the Grand Canal if you're lucky?

Dreaming of Venice is a Wonderfull feel good, life affirming novel of second chances and living life. It is very well written with a prose that flows smoothly and a plot to keep you engaged. I loved the characters, they were well developed and became like friends by the end of the book.
What more could I want, a beautiful story with a beautiful setting with art and culture.

Thank you to Netgalley, Canelo and TA Williams for allowing to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

I didn’t really get this book and it was kind of an unbelievable situation to be in. Is there someone else in the world (or actually in the same city) that can take your place and step into your life with just a new hairdo and a fresh set of nails and no one notice?

I did the love authors telling descriptive hand when it came to Venice. Wow, it really made me want to visit there!

5☆+  Mesmerising story of Rags to Riches

I absolutely loved Dreaming of Venice.
It was simply enchanting and captivating.
Right from the very first page I was mesmerized by Trevor's beautifully descriptive writing.
He has a way of taking me captive and holding my attention drawing me into each and every page.

The opening Prologue is a real heroic story. Heart in your mouth, blood pumping scene!
Penny jumps in front of a moving train to save a baby in a pram as it hurled over the tracks. She just makes it out with seconds to spare!
Penny becomes a hero internet sensation over night!

I loved Penny she was so down to earth, kind, a big heart,and liked to speak her mind. She had an endearing charm about her.

 She is an artist stuck in a cafe trying to make ends meet, living in a shared apartment in London which is damp and cold .... well that is until she meets the mysterious Caroline.

Caroline is about to turn Penny's life literally upside down!!!!
Making her an offer she really can't refuse!

I'm not going to say anymore as I don't want to give anything away!

It's far too good for me to spoil in a review.

Let's just say your in for a real treat!!!

 I laughed out loud, I was captivated, I fell in love with Penny and her charm.
Trevor took me on a delightful journey to Venice. Somewhere I have always wanted to go.

Dreaming of Venice has the perfect fairy tale feel, a rags to riches story.

It has plenty of comical moments... one that sticks in my mind when Penny first tries to walk in heels in the dark... lets just say it really doesn't end well.
I don't think I have laughed so much! 
Think we can all remember our first time wearing heels!

All of the characters are delightful, even Mrs Brookes-Webster who is ghastly to begin with and very rude!
I loved Gilbert the Labrador simply adorable, any books that feature dogs goes up a star. Being a big animal lover.

For me the whole concept of the storyline was brilliant and very original.
I really Didn't expect it.
That's why the whole cryptic meetings and the build up to the mysterious Caroline was exciting and highly top secret!

Do I recommend this book..... 100% YES!!!

Trevor has a way of enchanting he's readers. Leaving them warm inside and wanting more.

This book has everything you could want in a book, a real feel good book, plenty of humour, mishaps, romance, a gorgeous dog, delightful characters, mystery, art, Venice, emotion, charm..... I could go on and on.... but I would much rather you discover how fab this book is!

Highly recommended for readers who enjoy Chick Lit, Rom Com, Women's Literature and Romance.

I really wanted to love this book. The cover is beautiful and with a title like 'Dreaming of Venice', it makes you believe that this is where most of the book is going to be set. I really enjoyed To Rome, With Love which is another novel by T.A. Williams so with all the good reviews of this book I thought that I was going to really enjoy this as well.

Don't get me wrong, I did enjoy the storyline and it is like nothing I have read before. The story follows Penny and her quest to earn more money and also her dream of putting her artwork in a gallery. She rescues a child from being hit by a train and the story goes from there. She then meets Caroline who offers her the chance of working and earning very good money for very little work. And she also mentions that a trip to Venice is part of the deal so of course Penny jumps at the chance and accepts Caroline's invitation.

I would say that this storyline is a bit jumbled up. Penny's relationships with the men in her life is quite confusing and there doesn't appear to be much development on it. I know most other people who have read this book probably love this character but I really didn't like Jimmy! I'm not sure what it is but I just couldn't connect with him.

As well as Jimmy, I was getting slightly confused about Penny's mystery man (who turned out to be a Prince?!). It just seemed to happen a bit too quickly. Although I wasn't too fond of the characters within the novel, I still did like the storyline, it was interesting and it was very different to the other novels I've read.

Overall, an interesting storyline but I didn't want to read more. 3.5 stars for this one. Thank you to Canelo and Netgalley for a chance to read this novel in return of an honest review.

I loved this book! It was cute and heartfelt! My favorite of corse was the ending !!!! I really enjoyed this book. I was hesitant because it took me a while to really get into the book, that being said once I did I ate it up. Before I knew it I was on the last page.

I loved this book. It was everything I hoped it would be. The characters were lovely and it had a lovely feel good storyline. Loved hearing all about venice too. Felt in the end it got slightly boring when she went on and about finding her pirate and how she felt about him. Felt there was no need to waste so much of the book thinking about him. But didnt mark down as the rest of the book was lovely. Perfect summer read

Omg, that prologue!!!!! I assumed at the start that 'Dreaming of Venice', based on the cover, was going to be a bit candyfloss; soft natured & sweet. How wrong was I! I'll say it again, omg that prologue!!!!

What an unbelievable way to begin a novel! Williams certainly knows how to reel his readers in, that's for sure! I think my heart went in my mouth whilst also forgetting to breathe for the duration of the prologue, no joke, it really was just...wow. From that moment on I knew that Williams' novel had me under its spell. I wouldn't be leaving that book without a fight! And by fight I mean my three year old telling me for the 184656374959687 time that day, that she was hungry. Probably the ONLY excuse that made me pause reading. Again, no joke!

Penny is an artist in the making, she just needs that one gallery to give her the chance; unfortunately it's not happening as quickly as she would have hoped. With her boyfriend in Australia and work colleagues attempting to pimp her out to all and sundry, Penny knows that her life needs to change, and fast. But, Penny isn't the sort of person to give up without a fight, let's hope she can channel that fight into creating a life to be proud of!

All of the characters in 'Dreaming of Venice' were such fun to read about and get to know. They all brought something completely different to the storyline with their larger than life type personalities. Do I have a favourite? I actually have two favourites, I'm not going to say who though! #sorrynotsorry!

I absolutely LOVED 'Dreaming of Venice'! For me, the overall plot was incredibly well thought out and executed in such a beautifully written manner. It was so refreshing to read a storyline in this genre that surprised me, as usually i'm guessing the events before they happen. With this book, I didn't! It was AMAZING! T.A.Williams gets extra brownie points for that, that's for sure!

Reading 'Dreaming of Venice', for me, was the same as opening a gift that you have been waiting ages for; the excitement of seeing the gift - beginning the novel, peeling the sticky tape and paper off of the gift - savouring every moment of every chapter, the excitement of holding the contents of the gift in your hands - the moment of the book where loose ends get tied up and phenomenal things happen. And, finally, feeling extremely content with the gift for a very long time - feeling elated because of the wonderful storyline that you have just read, knowing full well that you won't be forgetting it in a hurry.

Honestly? The above is exactly how I felt whilst reading T.A.Williams brand new novel, Dreaming of Venice. I cannot fault his novel at all, it was incredible, fun, different and beautifully written; this is Williams' best book to date!

Spell-binding from the first page to the last page, Dreaming of Venice is THE book to read this Summer, and every day afterwards. Such a joy to read.

Thank you Canelo!

Lighthearted, humorous and magically romantic!

This is a charming story that highlights that no matter how challenging life might seem at times things always seem to work out and reminds us that sometimes dreams do come true.

The characters are sweet, supportive, dependable and quirky. The prose is expressive and polished. And the plot is an enchanting mix of drama, emotion, entertaining mishaps, loss, love; as well as an insightful view into the City of Venice, including the food, the culture, the architecture, the history and the art.

Whenever you pick up a novel by Williams you always know it's going to be a warm, passionate, fascinating novel about an idyllic place in the world that you can't help but want to see, visit and experience once you've finished it and this book is no exception.

*Below link will be active as of May 6, 2017 as part of the blog tour.

Penny's life is going nowhere - she is an artist working in a down market café just to make ends meet, desperately trying to get galleries to take on some of her paintings - then she saves a child's life at a railway station and her heroism goes global on social media.

Caroline cannot believe it when she sees Penny's picture she could be identical twins with her employer Olivia and so comes up with a plan for Penny to stand in for Olivia at functions and pay her large sums of money and kit her out with a designer wardrobe the same as Olivia's - surely there must be a catch somewhere and the icing on the cake for Penny is that one of the functions is in Venice - the city of her dreams

A lovely story with a few twists and turns to keep you interested - as always in T A Williams stories lovely Labradors play a part

I participated in the blog tour for Dreaming of Venice yesterday – huge thanks to Trevor for writing a piece for me – so I though I’d get on quick-smart and review the book today.

After having enjoyed Chasing Shadows, which had a definite historical element to it, I was interested to read a more contemporary novel from the same author – how would the two compare? I have to say, favourably!

Dreaming of Venice is a light, romantic novel which is perfect as a quick read. There is plenty of historical and cultural information about Venice itself, and lots of art history, given that the lead character is an artist. The ‘extraordinary proposition’ is dealt with well, and there is a surprising amount of ethical dilemma and discussion of mental health for a book that is so easy to read.

Penny was a likeable character and it’s easy to wish good things for her. Similarly, the three other leading ladies of this book are excellently written and worth rooting for.

Dreaming of Venice was published by Canelo on 24th April, and you can find out more about the book and the author on his website.