This is another deal I’ve found recently on Audible and a book I’ve had in my Netgalley queue for quite some time. When I think of Karen Swan books I think of authors similar like Victoria Hislop. I enjoy how atmospheric the story feels with the depth of feeling between characters.

The story follows main character Charlotte who travels to Spain to assist as a wealth counsellor after it’s revealed that the estate of the failing Mendoza is going to an unknown young woman with apparently tenuous connections to the Mendoza family.

As I said I love Karen’s writing for the atmosphere and description of settings so I enjoyed soaking up the Spanish vibes in this one. The story is tense with the main plot but also with Charlotte and her love life.

The last book I read from Karen was The Last Summer which was a historical romance that I really enjoyed and I’m planning my next read to be The Greek Escape.

Loved this book as I had recently been to Rome and felt that I could relate to places visited. A joy to follow where the handbag leads and we meet some great people on the way.

I very much enjoyed this compulsive page-turner by the bestselling author Karen Swan.

The story is set in Rome and follows two timelines – Elena’s story is told in the past with Cesca’s story being present day. The author splits these times very well and is a very enjoyable book.

The characters become very real that you feel like you have lost a friend when you get to the end.
Recommended reading from Karen Swan!

The third book I have read by Karen Swan and once again I am not disappointed. An intriguing story set in a dual timeline.
The pages turned to reveal an interesting and exciting story. A satisfying ending wrapped up the mystery nicely.

This was an enjoyable read, and I liked the split in time between the different parts of the story. I originally just thought it was ok, but I did really like the twist that is revealed near the end - what a clever idea!

Nice easy to read book which I enjoyed by the pool on holiday with a cocktail. Quite a quick feel good book which was just what I needed.

Karen Swan writes very readable novels & this story lived up to that description. The characters were interesting & the story well formulated. The setting - the city of Rome was lovely.

I have had this to read for a while and I needed a break from the all the lovely Christmas stories. I am pleased that I had that break.
I loved the setting of Rome after visiting last year, especially after reading the acknowledgments of where Karen Swan based her story as I recalled several of the places making it even more special.
The story of the main character, Elena, was tragic in many ways. I liked the feisty character of Cesca very much and thought that she was written about very well, with her underlying story being explained towards the end.
The book was very good. I wasn't expecting the twist near the end, only to find that there was more to it.
What it must be to be adored and loved so deeply and know that with all the money you could wish for it doesn't buy happiness.

Thank you to NetGalley, Karen Swan and the publisher Pan Macmillan for the opportunity to read and review this book.

This was a brilliantly clever and absorbing story. I often have problems with split time stories but this one seemed to move seamlessly through. Some really great character descriptions which made the story seem very lifelike. I felt at times that I was actually walking through the streets of Rome. I loved the conclusion, very appropriate and satisfying.

Lovely book combining present day Rome with a family mystery spanning 50 years across America and Europe.

Romance, intrigue and suspense set against a palatial Italian backdrop make for a cracking read.

A lovely easy to read book from Karen Swann - i read this on the beach and it really is a perfect holiday read. I could visualise the Rome that Karen described and i wished that i could be there too! Both main characters were likeable with their own secrets. My perfect holiday read.

I love reading Karen Swan's books, I've read the majority of them but this book is by far her best yet. I read it in a day and couldn't put it down! I'm still processing the revelation at the end of the book I don't know what to say other than it was amazing and the best book I have read in a long time. I was desperate to know the truth about the family which kept you going until the very last pages and then I didn't guess any of the secrets. I was pulled in with Elena's story and found it fascinating reading about her life. I assumed she was ill but didn't know she didn't have long to live and I didn't expect her to pass away at the end but it was obviously right for her after learning the truth herself and reading the letter in the blue envelope which I was dying to know what it said! It seemed the three of them were all playing each other and didn't even know it. I would change nothing about this story and would give it all the stars I could, I absolutely loved it and would highly recommend it to everyone. Thank you for letting me read and review this book, it most definitely deserves more than 5 stars! An amazing piece of writing by Karen Swan.

I have read most of Karen Swan's novels and have really enjoyed them all - this was an excellent book. Karen is a fabulous writer - her novels are eloquent, evocative and beautifully written.

I loved the setting in Rome - a city I would love to visit. I feel the exquisite descriptions used in the book transported me to the eternal city with the culture, history and gorgeous food. The characters were multi-layered and very likeable - I found myself lost in their worlds.

A beautiful love story, emotional narrative and intriguing mystery all tied up in one story. The unravelling of the characters' secrets had me hooked from start to finish.

Absolutely fabulous - I would highly recommend any of Karen's books.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Cesca has given up her job as a barrister and moved to Rome, the city that she has always loved, and is making ends meet by working as a tour guide. When putting rubbish in her bin she discovers a vintage handbag and is immediately intrigued - any money of course has gone but there is a letter addressed to Elena and she is determined to find out who it belongs to and return it.

Elena was born Elaine Valentine, an American Heiress who could want for nothing.....or so it seemed! When Cesca returns her bag to her she decides to employ her to write her biography and so starts the relationship between them. Cesca is determined to get to the bottom of the notorious elderly lady who is now an Italian Princess and tries to gauge her life through photographs and then asking for the background to them.....but Elena is not always forthcoming

A great saga that I couldn't put down - I loved that way that you would hear Elena's story by going back in time and then hear the way that Elena would tell it to Cesca and hear all of the lies that she was telling her - lots of twists and turns and definitely a page turner

This book was a perfect holiday read. A well written book with an excellent storyline that did not unravel too quickly. Good strong characters and a very surprising ending. I look forward to reading more by this author.

I have read a few of this authors previous books and was looking forward to reading this one. I knew she was able to weave a good story, but this one was somewhat different to my previous reads. In this story we meet Francesca, a young woman living in present day Rome. We also meet Elena, who has lived a long and interesting life.

This story jumps from the present day to the past seamlessly as Francesca is given the task of organising Elena’s memoirs for a book. As she delves deeper into the past, Elena uncovers moments in Francesca’s life that surprise and shock her. Alongside this she also has to deal with upheaval in her personal life.

Cesca soon discovers that what she believes isn’t actually the whole truth, and there are some secrets that have been hidden for very good reasons.

I really enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more from the author in the future. Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing a copy.

I really enjoyed this book. It would be a perfect summer holiday beach read. It is well written and I learned a little about Rome as well.
I totally recommend it!

I absolutely loved this book, ! I loved the way it went from past to present.
All the characters seemed real, even 'Princess' Laney.
I haven't read many of Karen's books but I will be know.
I give this book 9/10.

A brilliant summer read. Written from the perspective of two different and interesting characters I couldn't put this book down.

This is such a lovely story. Francesca, known to her friends as Cesca, was a barrister, and after a bad experience, which you find out about towards the end of the book, she gives up her job and moves to Rome, and works as a tour guide. She also publishes a successful blog, writing just once a week about something she has seen and loved during the week. She lives in a small piazza in the centre of Rome, where most residents have lived all their lives, everyone knows everyone. The descriptions of life in the piazza really provide a feeling of non-touristy Rome. One evening she arrives home to her apartment and finds a very expensive handbag in her bin, obviously dumped by a thief. Her landlady recognises it as belonging to Elena, the Principessa who lives in the palazzo on the other side of the piazza, and although all the valuables have long since gone Cesca returns the handbag to its owner. Cesca has a small group of friends she spends her time with, and after a late night with them she oversleeps, missing her first guided tour of the day. Her boss sacks her, and she is terribly worried that she won't be able to stay in Rome, with no job and no money. When she gets back to her apartment she finds Elena waiting for her, to offer her a job as her biographer, and so the story proper begins. It is written with flashbacks to Elena's earlier life as a really wealthy American. She tells a story to Cesca, then there is a flashback to what really happened - and there is nothing that is true in the story she is telling. Life as such a wealthy woman has not been good to Elena in many ways. She has made many decisions for the wrong reasons, and the flashback true stories often make heartbreaking reading.

Cesca takes her job very seriously, she sometimes recognises that Elena is lying to her, and doesn't understand why. With her training as a barrister she gradually pieces the true story together. There are other things going on at the same time, and she meets Nico, who she hates on sight, but he keeps appearing in her life. When the final pieces of Elena's puzzle click into place the writing is absolutely superb. It is terribly sad, and I spent most of the last three or four chapters reading through tears, guessing what was coming. The book does have a sweet ending, but there is a great deal of well-written emotion throughout.

An excellent story, very well told.te