Francesca Hackett (Cesca) has given up a career in Law to move to Rome and work as a tour guide, helping tourists see the real city. One evening after returning home after a night out with friends, Cesca finds a stolen designer handbag dumped in a bin, and vows to return it to its true owner.

Socialite Viscontessa Elena Dei Damiani Pignatelli Della Mirandola is the owner of the bag, and the two women strike up an unusual friendship, resulting in Cesca agreeing to become Elena's biographer. As the story of her life unfolds, the lid on Pandora's box is lifted and a tragic secret is revealed.

I adored this book which I read on a sunbed whilst on holiday!! Karen Swan is a brilliant author, and always makes the story lift off the pages so much so, that when you are reading it you will feel the heat of Rome on your shoulders, smell the aroma of freshly brewed coffee and your lips will drool as you imagine the taste of the pizza.

It is a lovely, romantic story that won't leave you disappointed, but will have you googling flights to Rome!!!

*I was provided with a free copy of this book via the Publishers and Netgalley in return for an honest review.*

A brilliant summer read - especially if you are in Rome. I find that split narrated books are easy to put down whenever they swap over, but I couldn't put this book down. Yes, there are plenty of clichés in the book, but I expect that in summer reads, and this book also has a few surprises. Highly recommend this as an easy summer read.

I read The Rome Affair while on holiday in sweltering heat in Italy. I wasn't in Rome, we were staying near Sorrento, but the temperatures certainly made the setting come alive for me. I was gripped right from the prologue and was absorbed in the story from beginning to end. Cesca is a Brit living in Rome, barely managing to scrape together her monthly rent when she is hired by Elena, an elderly Principessa living in a vast palazzo, to write her biography. Cesca begins sorting through Elena's huge photo collection documenting her life and conversations about them with Elena in the present day, link back to Elena's memories of her colourful past. Elena is from a very wealthy American family and her story is one of intrigue, glamour and mystery in the high society circles she has moved in. Cesca is a former barrister and not without her own regrets and demons. I was engrossed in this story of secrets and love as Cesca began to suspect she is not quite getting the full picture from Elena. Throw in a romantic interest for Cesca, the discovery of long forgotten tunnels under the palazzo and one handsome though rather annoying Italian man and you have a winning combination for a book I didn't want to put down. This is a book to lose yourself in while you bask in the sun for a few hours - or, if you're like me, sit in the shade!

Haven't read this author before but thoroughly enjoyed it. The way Karen described Rome was was as if you were there in the streets with her. The book goes between 1974 and present day Rome. Cesca has lost her job as a tour guide and is employed by the mysterious Elena, an American who is now a titled Visountessa. Elena wants Cesca to write her biography but doesn't want her looking at what's been written about her and will only tell her certain things about her past.

It really is the sign of an excellent author when they can transport you to a city or country that you have never visited before but make you feel like you are right there with the characters experiencing all the sights and sounds and the history it has to offer. Karen Swan is one such author for me and with her new novel The Rome Affair I was completely engulfed in the wonderful story that awaited me between the pages of such a stunning, yet simple cover that really evokes the mood of the book. Lately, Karen has seemed to be writing two books a year, one for the summer market and another at Christmas. For some reason I always manage to read the summer books but some of the Christmas ones remain on my TBR pile but if they are anywhere near as good as The Rome Affair I am in for a real treat.

The Rome Affair is long in terms of length, at well over 400 pages, but honestly I didn't notice the chapters flying by so quickly as so engrossed did I become in the story. The author has a real knack for making the characters come alive on the pages and having you believe you have know them for years. What's more is that this story has a dual time line, one of my favourite elements in a book that I feel always works well and adds that little extra something to a story, that of Cesca in modern day Rome where she works as a tour guide. In the past we read of Elena from the time she spent growing up in America in one of the wealthiest families to the modern day as she lives out her old age in a place with a thousand rooms in Rome. The whole story was fascinating from beginning to end and it proved to be one of those books that you really don't want to finish. As soon as you read the last page you will want to turn to the first chapter and begin all over again and that's very rare that happens for me given all the books I have waiting to be read.

Cesca has spent the last seven months working in the eternal city of Rome leading tourists through the streets extolling the beauty of the city and informing people of its ancient history which is still clear for all to see. This job really couldn't be more different from her former job in England working as a barrister in the law courts. One instantly wonders how could someone have left such a high powered, good paying job for such a contrasting life? Clearly something major had happened to Cesca but now it seems she is satisfied with her life and although at times she can struggle money wise and has to budget carefully she is happy and content and soaks up all the city has to offer. This was a chance for her to embrace new opportunities and start afresh.

I never got the sense Cesca was running scared from her old life but an event had led her needing a big change. I'm glad the reason for Cesca leaving England wasn't the dominant theme of the book. Instead she briefly alludes to it in one or two sentences every now and again and that was enough for me. I was more concerned with the uncovering of Elena's story. When Cesca discovers a handbag dumped in the communal rubbish bin of the quiet palazzo on which she lives, her interest is aroused. She finds a letter inside unopened and through one thing and another she arrives at the doors of the 1000 room palace on the palazzo. Little does Cesca know this discovery will change her life. She will become close to a woman with a rich and detailed life who now feels it is the time to share it with everybody and Cesca may just be the person to help her with this.

The Rome Affair was so rich in detail and vivid in its descriptions that the reader can easily create their own picture of the various settings in their head. The palace that Principessa Viscontessa Elena lives in just seemed out of this world and full of history, secrets and memories. It was sad she was now living there on her own with just some servants for company. But the reader can sense she has lived a colourful life but yet has placed firm barriers up but now is the time they have to come down. A publisher wishes her to write her life story to uncover the woman behind the enigma and before Cesca realises it she has volunteered her services. The palace has secrets waiting to be revealed and Cesca has the guts and determination to find out just what Elena would rather was kept secret. I can't say the two women bonded especially well throughout the story as I don't think they were very fully truthful with each other. Cesca was there to do a job and I think she wanted to become friends with Elena but Elena as we discover had been through so much, had been so cruelly hurt and things never seemed to go her way that she refused to fully open up and reveal her true self. She wanted to maintain that aloofness, never letting her guard down and to portray a glamorous lifestyle. But between all that glitter and gold and false smiles there was a lot more going on than at first meets the eye.

The earlier half of the book ,as well as focusing on the present day, takes us back to Elena's earlier life growing up in America as the daughter of a hugely successful business man. Money was always in plentiful supply and she was given whatever she wanted. As we move forward with Elena we read of her marriages and their failures. She has a challenging life and I could see why she she came across as bitter and hurt in the present. Everything that occurred to her had such a deep impact on how she lived now and the past was forever haunting her. It was compelling to read as to how she ended up in Rome married to her third husband Prince Gianvito Damiani and for me this was the most interesting part of her story.

As I was reading I had felt the earlier parts of her life had been written about in too much detail and I couldn't see how they had much relevance to how she came to be in Italy. But the more the layers were peeled back I understood the earlier sections had been necessary as it gave the reader a deeper insight into the person Elena actually was. I did find it strange that there seemed to be discrepancies in some parts of the story but again they were essential to the overall story. In the present day a sink hole appearing in the grounds of the palace provided another dimension to the story and it's from this point on I felt everything really picked up a gear. It allowed for the introduction of the urban speleologist Nico Cantarelli as he is brought in to investigate the site and what he discovers turns things on it's head.

I loved how Cesca and Nico bounced off each other and always had sharp one liners flowing back and forth between them. There was a chemistry between the pair but neither were willing to give into it given their first initial encounter. As they work together, delving deeper into the secrets of the sink hole and into Elena's life the story took on so many twists and turns that at times I found it possible to keep track of everything. Cesca was ruthless and determined to find the exact story and if she was writing a biography she wanted the truth and she wouldn't rest until she discovered what Elena was hiding. When everything came to a head I must admit I did become confused and had to reread the pages several times just to make sure I had everything correct. It was a bitter sweet yet apt reveal yet given how much had gone into the setting up of everything it felt slightly rushed for me and that's what made me confused. I would be interested to see did other readers feel the same about the reveal.

All in all this was another stunning read with an epic love story at its centre from Karen Swan that should be on everyone's holiday reading list this summer. It had a brilliant yet deceptive storyline with rising tension and crafty twists and characters you fall in and out of love with. I was taken on a real journey with Cesca and Elena and didn't want it to end. The Rome Affair should be read in as few sittings as possible preferably in the sun with a glass of something nice to hand. This one comes highly recommended

I was a little bit worried when I started reading the Rome Affair that it was simply going to be a rehash of the authors previous book The Paris Secret. From the synopsis it sounds very similar, young woman running away from trouble in her own life goes to stay in a European city and ends up investigating a mystery from the past, and I suppose it kind of is. Despite some similarities however, this is a very different book and for me it was even better.

It has Swan’s usual wonderful writing but there is something compelling and addictive about the story. I picked the book up late one Saturday night and found it impossible to put down, finishing it on Sunday afternoon. The descriptions and feel of the book drew me in so completely that it was actually a bit of a shock to the system to be back in the real world.

The narrative flips back and forth in time and is told from Cesca’s point of view in the present and Elena’s in the past and while I found both fascinating I have to confess it was Elena’s story that captivated me. Her life as a rich heiress, socializing with the rich and famous while struggling to fit in and ultimately being abandoned time after time is compelling reading. The contrast between experiencing it through her eyes and hearing her tell Cesca the story works incredibly well. She edits and spins her experiences to paint the picture she wants to show the world and it definitely makes you question whether her final perfect romance was all it seemed.

Cesca’s story in the present is slightly less intriguing, she’s hiding from something that happened in London and trying to enjoy the simple things in life in Rome, with mixed success. There’s a little bit of romance in the air and she has to admit to and face up to her past but her role seemed to be primarily to dig into Elena’s past. I didn’t think she was necessarily the most likeable of characters but she was perfect for the role of interrogator/investigator and her love of her new home really flows through the pages.

The setting of Rome was definitely one of the highlights for me as, while I’ve only visited once, I absolutely love it. The author’s descriptions are so wonderful they give a real sense of the city as well as the other settings in the novel (Greece, Florida, New York). It’s very easy to imagine yourself getting a pizza and eating outside on the piazza, visiting the tunnels running under the city, visiting a nightclub in New York or sunbathing on a yacht off a Greek Island.

The pacing of the story is spot on and there are plenty of twists and turns to grab your attention. I spent a lot of the book guessing what had happened and while you can see most of it coming there were still a few surprises that I doubt many will guess.

Overall, I would definitely rate this as one of my favorite reads of the Summer. With an addictive story, a wonderful setting and brilliant writing I would recommend this to anyone who likes a novel with a lot of secrets and a bit of romance.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC. As always all views are my own.

I gave this book two stars because I cannot fault Swan's eye for detail, her lovely use of dialogue, strong character development, her knack to build and release tension and her commitment to researching facts in order to bring life to her novel. But, sadly, this book was not for me.

Romance, in its pure form, is not one of my favoured sub genres of women's fiction but for all the reasons I listed above, I was happy to put this aside and read on. For the majority of the book my wanting to see where the writer would go with this paid off ... until the end pages. No spoilers here. I am fully aware that Swan has a big fan base and only fans of hers could put up with what I think was a poor plot ending. I was so sorry to have chosen to read this title but I hope it doesn't disappoint you as much as it did me.

Wealth, passion, and la dolce vita are the key threads in this fun romp through high society in the '60s and '70s, with links to love stories both past and present. A highly enjoyable read, just as fun as Swan's other work, but with a slightly more soignee approach. Great characterisation, with less of the brashness seen in some of Swan's previous heroines.

Classic Swan. Loved the parallel past and present structure of the book and that things aren't always what they seem.

One of the best holiday books I have read so far this year.
Be prepared to be whisked to Rome and become emerged into the lives of two totally different women whose lives become explicable linked.
A great love story combined with secrets that go back years with a surprising twist at the end of the book.
It just goes to prove the lengths people will go for love and to protect the ones they love.

Elena Damiani has had an interesting life, but it isn't until Francesca is hired as her biographer that long hidden secrets start to emerge, to a surprising conclusion.

The story is part written in modern day Rome, and partly written in the past, as we follow key points in Elena's life "live" and the see how she interprets them for Cesca. Elena is from a privileged American Family and she eventually married into the top rung of Roman society, but its not all Bulgari jewellery and great parties. Her life is far different to what you may think, from the opening as the character development goes on and we see just what life is like in the large Palazzo she lives in. Although just why a couple of the local older ladies try to persuade Cesca that Elena is bad news, is something you need to discover for yourselves!

Cesca it a huge fan of Rome, she even runs a blog called The Rome Affair, and was working as a tour guide, until her change meeting with Elena. She is also a former barrister and seems to keep running into a man who she appears to hate!

I found the story was a fascinating look at higher society in Rome and America from the 60s onwards and just shows you can't guess what goes on behind closed doors, away from the worlds press.

I really enjoyed the character of Cesca, she has an incredible eye for detail, a clear love of Rome, has made a great life for herself in the city, and is clearly hiding a secret herself, so should be able to empathise with Elena's inability to reveal the truths about herself.

The storyline involving a sinkhole was quite different too, especially once it had me thinking about what lies beneath the surface of a city like Rome, thanks to the handsome speleologist who was determined to investigate the hole and surrounding thoroughly.

The Rome Affair was an enjoyable story with Karen Swan's usual attention to detail, human interest and great storytelling style.

Thank you to Netgalley and Pan for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

A beautifully written book set in magical Rome. The setting and the opulence in this book make it a lovely book to escape into. This book has obviously been well researched and it is very well written. Elena has led a very colourful life and her story is worth reading.

Karen Swan is a new author for me. However I really enjoyed this book and found it different and original. I loved the style of writing, with 2 people speaking as the main characters and seeing their points of view at different dates. It worked really well and the plot was clever and had some unforeseen twists.
I will definitely be looking for more of Karen's work. I particularly liked the way she finished it. I wasn't left with 'loose ends' and questions about characters, I knew what was happening with all of them.

Absolutely beautiful book, wonderful characters, brilliant storyline. Karen Swan transports you straight to the middle of a location and makes you fall straight in love with it.

I loved this book and was sorry when I came to the end. The story takes one straight to Italy, with all the excitement of a city that holds historical secrets.
Two interesting women take centre stage, Elena, a Grande Dame, and Cesca a young lady who lives in a small apartment near Elena. Cesca has a job showing tourists around Rome, but has just been asked to leave the agency due to the fact that she can never wake up in time to meet her groups.
Finding a beautiful handbag in her bi, thrown there by thieves, she is intrigued to find an unopened letter inside, She discovers that the bag belongs to Elena and returns it, somewhat overwhelmed by the grandeur of Elena's palatial home.
Cesca is persuaded to collaborate with Elena on writing her memoirs and spends hours going through books of photos. At the same time archeological work is taking place around Elena's palace a sink hole appears in the grounds and there is a meeting with a handsome archeologist.
All is not as it first seems, and Cesca is bewildered when a valuable ring is discovered in the ruins, leading to further discoveries of Elena's life.
The ending is sad. But the book is so readable.

Francesca, known as Cesca, is a tour guide in Rome, she has always wanted to live in Rome and she has a blog in which she details her adventures every week.

Elena, an American from a very wealthy family is now a Viscontessa living in Rome.

When Cesca finds a designer handbag in her bin, she asks around and is told that it belongs to Elena who lives in a palace nearby. Cesca returns the bag and the following day when Cesca loses her job, Elena asks her to write her biography although Cesca reminds her she’s a blogger not a writer but Elena doesn’t care.

The story follows the present day where Elena tells Cesca about her life, although Cesca feels that something about her story doesn’t ring true, and we delve into the past where we are told the real story of her life. We also meets Nico, when a sinkhole appears in the garden of the palace, he is a speleologist and he is summoned to investigate the tunnels that have been opened up by the sinkhole. Tension rises between Nico and Cesca.
.
This was a lovely book to read, you had to feel for Elena, although she was born into wealth her life appeared to be very lonely. I liked Cesca’s personality, she lived her life on her own terms and left no stone unturned when writing the biography to find out the truth of Elena’s life.

A lovely descriptive book with plenty of twists, the end was completely unexpected and sad. Despite that, this was a joy to read and was all-around a great book.

The Rome Affair
Francesca , known as Cesca, born in the late 1980’s, lover of vintage clothes, writer of a successful blog, ex London barrister, stricken with guilt over a case gone wrong, runs away to become a tour guide in Rome.
Elaine, known as Laney or Elena born into new American money in the 1950’s, known as ‘the luckiest girl alive’ yet at 26 has already lived a lifetime and is married to her fourth husband.
When Cesca finds a designer handbag in her rubbish bin her honesty compels here to return it to the elusive Viscontessa Elena who lives alone in the 1000 room palace nearby. Elena is stuck by her honesty and the next day offers Cesca a job – to write Elena’s biography.
Written in split narrative, the reader learns of Elena’s true life story whilst she narrates a sanitised version to Cesca. Meanwhile Cesca is attracted to Nico, a speleologist summoned to check the sinkhole which appeared overnight in the palace gardens. The sinkhole reopens long forgotten tunnels and secrets which had been buried are waiting to be discovered.
This is a spellbinding novel with many twists and mysteries along the way. I learnt about the miles of tunnels underneath Rome, the deep quarries and the priceless antiquities found on a regular basis.
The description of Rome had me tasting the pizza, visualising the ruins, hearing the traffic and of course drinking the wine!
A great read especially if you are going/been to Rome.

Brilliant book! I guessed the twist, but the twist within the twist came completely out of the blue! Great writing, fantastic plot, and the fact that it's set in the beautiful, amazing, fascinating historical city that is Rome, was the icing on the cake!

This book is so intriguing and the characters so compelling, I couldn’t put it down. I do love Karen Swan’s stories, they never fail to captivate me and this one is no exception.
This book whisks you off to Rome and along with Cesca, Francesca, introduces you to the rich and erratic world of Elena, Viscontessa Elena dei Damiani Pignatelli della Mirandola. I loved Cesca, she is intriguing in her own right, living a life in Italy as a tour guide and blogger, hiding from her past. I loved her quirkiness, her eccentric taste in clothes and her passion for the truth. Elena is intriguing, totally autocratic and elusive, but you have to like her in a way, for her sheer gumption to get what she wants in life. Her group of friends I loved, I would happily have spent time in the bar with and not to mention Nico!
Karen Swan is such a descriptive author, her words transport you to the places and I could almost smell the coffee, the fresh pizza being baked in the square. I found myself living in Rome, in the sun on a piazza, watching a story unfold.
This story was brilliant, just when I had an inkling that I had worked out the plot, then another twist and turn threw my thoughts into disarray. This author is the master of plot changes and last minute shocks; trust me once you get to the end and you won’t want it to finish.