This was a brilliant read. As soon as I started reading this book I just knew I was going to love it. Highly recommended

As I have read a Debbie Rix book some time before, I was looking forward to read another book by her. I also liked the premise of "The Silk Weaver's wife".

I really enjoyed the start into the story and I liked that it was set in two different times with two very different characters. I also liked the author's descriptions of the setting and the area. It gave me a very good impression of the setting and the time. More and more into the story, I found these descpriptions a little bit too much and I got bored with the repetive descriptions.

In the beginning I found the two women very interesting and was looking forward to find out more about their lives. But soon I had the feeling that the two women remained very distant to me and I couldn't really connect with the stories. Surprisingly I had more difficulties with the part in the past, which I usually enjoy more.

The story was entertaining after all but remained a bit shallow unfortunately and couldn't completely hold my attention.

A lovely dual time line novel featuring Anastasia and Millie (and Lorenzo!). I loved the setting and learned a bit about the silk business. A good read.

I love the cover of this book and was immediately attracted to the premise of the story. I read about a quarter of the book when I decided to stop, primarily because their is conjugal violence and it just made me sad reading what was happening to Anastasia, first with her father and then her husband. I liked the dual timeline, though, and the history of silk weaving, but the relationships between the characters wasn't compellng enough for me to continue reading.

The Silk Weaver's Wife feels like a very well researched novel. Debbie Rix is an author that gives attention to details and makes you feel like you are there on Venice. It has its ups and downs for me and as a whole, it was pretty much okay thing for me.

The story follows the alternating points of view of Millie who went to Italy to write a story and later on falling in love with its owner and Anastasia who wanted to get away from her father and went through many things in her life which really made the story for me. I LOVE reading Anastasia's story and see her interest in her art develop. The connection between the two characters also had me thinking quite a bit while reading this which was a great motivation.

Not my type of historical read, The Silk Weaver's Wife, however, is strongly recommended for people who enjoy reading intricately described novels. It's one of those reads who'll give you things about silk weaving and really put you in the places the characters are in. The story was also wonderfully written and quite enjoyable to read although it's not something that kept me wanting to read it non-stop.

Sorry guys, not the book for me. I have a tricky relationship with historical fiction and couldn’t get very far on this one. I am becoming more picky so it’s prob just me. As always, thanks so much for the opportunity!

I love books that are more than just simple boy meets girl romance and this one is way more than that. It involves history, a beautiful setting and characters that are heart warming and captivate the imagination. I fell in love with various aspects of this book and loved both the past and the present portions of the novel equally.

This is the kind of book where you end up feeling like you know the characters personally. You laugh when they laugh, hurt when they hurt and get absorbed into the story and take it all personally as if it were happening to you. I don't find books like this often enough that I connect with on such a deep level.

I really enjoyed learning about the silk trade and especially the differences between Chinese and Italian silk thread. This book was educational as well as entertaining and I found myself thinking about it after I had finished it.

I am happy to recommend this book to anyone that wants a heartwarming book that will stay with you long after you finish reading it.

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher, provided through Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

I didn't finish this book. It was good but just didn't really grab me and when I put it down I wasn't in a particular rush to pick it up again. I've rated it 3 stars because I have to rate it and because what I read was OK and therefore deserving of at least 3 stars.

I like historical fiction and usually read it when I need a break from the usual crime fiction. Whilst this is definitely a historical novel I would also categorise it as romantic fiction and this is a genre that I don’t usually read.

The two narrators are Anastasia in the 1700s and Millie in modern-day. It was Anastasia whose tale I enjoyed the most. She didn’t have the happiest childhood, her father ruled by tyranny, regularly beating his wife and children. When he loses everything gambling he offers Anastasia as an alternative to his business. It doesn’t take her long to realise that her new life is just as bad as her old. But she is clever and has people who are willing to help.

Millie is a journalist who is in Italy to research a storyline regarding silk. She has recently broken up with her partner and soon gets close to Lorenzo and his daughter Bella. Whilst most of the novel concerns Anastasia, Millie is also important to the storyline, it is her who first becomes aware of Anastasia was.

I thought Anastasia was an amazing character. Very independent, and after what she goes through she is determined to put herself first. But she is also loyal to friends and family and those who helped her when she needed them. I liked Anastasia’s desire to succeed as an artist and use her skill to help her family prosper. Considering the time it is set she must have been strong-willed. A lesser character, Veronica, was also one that I liked. She was somebody who was prepared to lose everything to do the right thing.
I struggled to like Millie as much. I felt I needed to know more about her than her relationship with her ex Max, and her feelings for Lorenzo. I would have liked to see her connect Anastasia to Lorenzo but that is probably due to my interest in genealogy.
The section at the back of the book that listed the characters who were real and who were fictionalised was helpful. I had no idea that some of them were real people. Italy sounds an amazing place, especially Venice. I could picture the grandeur in all areas of the novel.
I always enjoy reading about the past, and even though this book wasn’t entirely how I expected it to be I did enjoy it. It’s rare that I read romance novels but maybe I do need to broaden my choice of reading.

With thanks to the publisher for the copy received.

Perfect read to curl up warm and snug with, a brew to hand and get swept away into a beautiful story.

I love this type of book, dual layer stories in different time spans and this book didn’t disappoint 🙂
Set in 2017 and 1704 and centers around 2 women, Milly and Anastasia. Decades apart and yet their paths cross in a stunning way.
1704 Anastasia was planning to elope with the love of her life and escape her abusive father, the owner of a mill and has set up an arranged marriage to a wealthy silk weaver in exchange for wiping his gambling debts. Her forced marriage takes her to a villa in Venice where she discovers her husband is possibly worse than her father. She is kept locked up in a bedroom for months and each night her husband forces himself upon her in hopes of siring an heir.
2017 Milly has been in a relationship with a married man, who just happens to be her boss as well. When he decides he wants to end things with Milly she jumps at the opportunity to travel to Italy to research the silk weaving business for an article in a magazine.
There she meets Lorenzo, owner of the beautiful country villa near Venice where she is staying. She finds herself drawn to a painting of a beautiful young woman and sets out to find out who the woman was and how she came to be on Lorenzo’s wall. She also finds herself drawn to the handsome Italian himself.
This book is a voyage of discovery for both women as they struggle to find away to heal themselves and gain their independence.
The story takes us from Spitalfields in London through France, Amsterdam, Verona, Lake Garda to Venice on a journey of discovery full of passion, love, heartbreak and self-discovery.
Beautifully written blending fact with fiction and the lives and times of the two women immersing you into their worlds.

When I read a historical book I hope to be transported to a time and place that I usually know little about. Reading the Silk Weavers Wife was like strolling through Italy in 1704 - a genuine trip to the past. She managed to evoke all the sights and smells I imagine would actually be there! It was well written with an emotional but touching story to go with it. I also found that I learned a lot which I wasn't expecting, but was an added bonus. A lovely story and Debbie Rix is someone I would read again for sure.

I enjoyed the multiple timelines in this book. I normally enjoy historical fiction but this boook had a bit to much romance for me. However, overall it was an okay read.

I voluntarily read the advanced sneak peak of this book and I loved it. I need more ASAP, I can not wait for this book to come out!

I received this ARC from netgalley.com in exchange for a review.

The story is told in two timelines, 1704: Anastasia and 2017: Millie. Anastasia desperately wants to break away from her abusive father to marry her love. Millie just got dumped and goes to Italy to heal her heart, then she finds the love of her life.

This is not a historical fiction novel but so much more a historical romance novel, heavy on the romance. Not my favorite genre. The writing is ok, but a bit sophomoric.

3☆

The Silk Weaver's Wife by Debbie Rix is a novel about two women who lived 300 years apart in Venice.

In 1700 Veneto, Anastasia Balzarelli's father forces her to abandon Marco. the man she attempted to elope with in order to wed a wealthy man in the silk industry. He takes her to his home in Venice and locks her up an upper bedroom for months. Each night he rapes her, hoping to beget a child. Deprived of her freedom, she spends long hours each day drawing insects.

In contemporary times, Millie is a journalist in love with a married man who has just dumped her to return to his wife. Heartbroken she is sent from her home in the UK to Italy to report on the country's silk industry. She is booked into a beautiful country villa near Venice and is escorted about by the handsome owner, Lorenzo. Millie finds joy and contentment - that is until her ex-lover shows up repentant and ready to lay claim to her again. An old portrait of a beautiful young woman haunts Millie and she sets off to discover who she was and how her portrait came to hang in Lorenzo's villas.

Both of the women's stories kept me enthralled and turning pages. The novel is rich with plot twists, secrets, and ever evolving characters who intrigued me. Author Debbie Rix has done a great job in researching the Veneto region (my family's own roots) with accurate descriptions that lent a great deal of atmosphere to the story's setting. Definitely a must read!

This book sets itself quite a task- to tell the story of two women, both 300 years apart. There is so much content within its pages and the details about the silk weaving industry never jar but are an intrinsic part of the stories and the characters. The narrative spans both centuries and locations, taking in Lake Garda, Venice, Amsterdam, London, and the writing beautifully evokes life there.

Usually when I read a book which features two plotlines and sets of characters, I find myself drawn more to one than the other, but in this case, I found both equally interesting. I think that the gradually evolving connections between the two helps. I have to admire how the author has kept a tight hold on the plot. You really feel you are in safe hands.

Both women start off in unequal relationships. Anastasia's situation is heart breaking as you find her trapped into marriage by her controlling father. Some characters show development and change, none more so than Anastasia who discovers a talent within herself and sets out to nurture and perfect new skills. The victim at first, we see her gradually change and gain independence. The modern day Millie undergoes some changes too, as she steps away from a situation where she has to hide her relationship with her boss and just as Anastasia did, travels away in order to discover new opportunities.

In short: historical fact meets fiction- full of sparkling detail and rounded characters.

Thanks to the publisher for a copy of the book

A wonderful and interesting novel.
From the first page I was transported into the story of Anastasia and Millie. Dual time novels are a particular favorite. I was compelled to keep turning the pages to find out the fate of Anastastia.
Add to that the settings in Italy including Venice and you have the perfect combination of an engosiing read.
I loved it.

I really had a hard time getting through this book, it just wasn't my thing.

Debbie Rix has meticulously crafted the parallel lives of two women from different centuries in search of self, love, purpose and passion. Anastasia and Mille are unknowing kindred spirits on similar quests, one set in present day, the other in 18th century Europe. The Silk Weaver's Wife is a well-researched, riveting story of two strong women shaped by different historical times that richly evokes a sense of place and tells the fascinating back story of silk industry in Italy. As a design journalist, I found the novel both intriguing and informative.

In 2017 Millie has just split up with her lover Max, a married man who is also her boss, and so when offered she jumps a the chance of writing an article on the silk trade in Italy, and as her host is the handsome Lorenzo who knows what will happen.

In 1704 Anastasia is trying to escape her horrible father - she is in love with Marco and plans to elope with him against her father's wishes. Her father however, a violent man who promised her to a silk merchant in exchange for his gambling debts, is determined to bring her back to carry out his contract. Forced into the marriage she is kept locked in one room and her husband forces himself on her every day so how will she ever be able to escape this prison?

A great story with fascinating details about the life in Italy and the silk trade, there were plenty of twists to keep you interested and the dual time line worked well - highly recommended