I very much enjoyed this novel. It is set in two different eras: present day and during the time of Venice's heyday. The diary was written by an artist in Venice and the characters in the present day are restoring and reading it. There are love stories in both times. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

The Renaissance is one of my favorite time periods, particularly for art, so my interest was piqued by The Lost Diary of Venice. And while, as a dual timeline storyline, the present day storyline sounded less compelling and potentially more troublesome, I was willing to give it a chance for the sake of the historical storyline.

And the historical timeline is the highlight of the book. I didn’t know anything about Giovanni Lomazzo prior to picking up this book, but I found it heartbreaking how he faced the threat of losing his sight and thus his livelihood, and later falling into an impossible relationship with the courtesan Chiara. And while that relationship is the center of that arc, I love how it fleshes out the society of the time through the inclusion of the conflict between Venice and the Ottomans.

But the modern timeline…apart from anything that has those characters looking back at the past, I wasn’t particularly moved. I wondered what the justification would be for William to pursue a relationship with Rose in spite of being married, and after reading it, I’m not buying it. There just aren’t the same stakes in modern times when divorce is an option.

The transitions between timelines were super jarring as well…they would alternate between chapters, so I never felt like I spent as much time as I would have liked in Renaissance Venice before being forced back to modern day with insufferably boring, unsympathetic characters.

This book is all over the place, and I kind of wish DeRoux had dispensed with the “lost diary” concept in the present timeline and worked on fleshing out the historical one more. I can recommend picking this book up for the sake of the Venice bits, with the caveat that that’s my own personal opinion and it’s possible there are people out there who will enjoy it in its entirety more than I did.

This book didn't do it for me, but I could see it being successful for someone who likes romance more than I do. The premise was intriguing, but the plot ended up being pretty thin. No one or no thing was particularly compelling. The descriptions of settings were well done, but the writing for the characters' thoughts left a lot to be desired. A lot of "their arteries touched" type language.

Thanks to #NetGalley for an advanced copy.

Fans of the dual time line novel will like this one for it's fascinating depiction of Venice in the 1570s. It starts in present day New Haven, when William brings a book he found in his grandmother's things, to Rose, who restores books. Giovanni Lomazzo was an artist who, in 1571, was commissioned to paint a portrait of Chiara, a courtesan. He's struggling with his eyesight but he definitely sees her, and falls in love, defying convention and the fact that her patron, Sebastian Venier, is a powerful man. William and Rose fall in love too but he's married. This hangs on the relationships but I was equally fascinated by the history Deroux has wrapped in-a looming war between the Venetians and the Ottomans as well as the politics of the time. Many of the characters were real people- I found myself googling not only them but also various events, something I only do when I'm fully engaged. This one pulled me in and kept me reading. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. For those who enjoy historical fiction.

I chose to read and review this book because I love all things Venice; it's my ultimate travel destination. The Lost Diary started a little slow for me, but it really started moving about halfway. It's set in 2 time periods, which I love! It's based on true events, so I actually learned a few things, too. Overall, I thought it was pretty good.

4 stars

Immediately after reading the title, I was intrigued. My favorite genre is historical fiction and The Lost Diary of Venice by Margaux DeRoux didn’t disappoint my dreams of Venice.

This novel follows two forbidden love stories connected by the trial of history recorded in a long lost diary. One in late-Renaissance Venice and the other in present-day America. The story begins with Rose, a book restorer and bookstore owner, getting contracted to restore William’s family heirloom.

As the reader unfolds, the reader learns about the dark Venican history, the war between religions, and the way some love stories end tragically. The novel has several themes woven in the plot: religion, infidelity, war, love, and sexism.

I want to thank Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group for the ARC version of this novel. I truly enjoyed this book, and would recommend it to a friend.

1500's painters in Venice,this is the account of the life. Received from Net Gallery,it goes back and forth from present day to the 1500's,a fictional story. It's hard to go back and forth from one century to another's and Margux DeRoux did a very good job in not getting you confused. Restoring a book she reads the diary of what happened so many many years ago. I struggled with this story so many times,I would lose my concentration and then have to reread. It may be a story for those interested in the period of and subject,it wasn't for me.

It took awhile to connect the story and characrers. Lots of historical details that I appreciated at the end. Well written!

The Lost Diary of Venice is a historical fiction book that tells a story through a dual timeline, present day Connecticut and late 1500 Venice. The story begins in the present with bookshop owner and restorer, Rose. William, an artist, walks into her store with an old document, found while cleaning out his grandmother's home, in search of answers and restoration. From here the story travels back to 1571 Venice and artist Giovanni Lamazzo's current commission to paint Chiara, the daugter of a very powerful military leader. Both Giovanni and Chiara find themselves in a difficult romance due to the impending war with the Ottoman empire.

This book has all the things that lovers of historical fiction look for: an author who loves description, a mysterious document with a hidden layer, an ancient war that is about to erupt, art and some romance.

Sadly, I found myself unable to connect with the characters. I also found the story to lag at times, and wished there had been more dialogue. I did find the book intriguing with a wonderful concept and interesting along with a good ending.

I still believe that this book is definitely for some.

I would like to thank NetGalley and Ballantine Books for giving me an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I am in the minority here, it seems. Unfortunately, I had a very difficult time connecting to this story. I think the overall concept is great, but I struggled with the pace of the book and just could not make a connection to the characters. This was a DNF for me. I stopped and started and stopped and started several times before finally realizing this was not the book for me. I think many readers will enjoy it; it just wasn't a hit for me personally.

That said, the cover is GORGEOUS and the overall idea is intriguing.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishers for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Lost Diary of Venice by Margaux DeRoux is a historical fiction novel that takes the reader on an adventure back and forth between 16th century Venice and a present day city. The events in the story are expressed through a historic book that needs restoration.

Rose Newlin, a book restorer, meets William Lomazzo who desires to learn more about an ancient book he found in his late grandmother's chest. The heirloom book was written by Giovanni Lomazzo in 16th century Venice. As Rose restores the book, a story unfolds about how Giovanni Lomazzo is a commissioned artist called to draw Chiara, who is Venier's courtesan. Lomazzo is taken aback at Chiara's beauty and soon they find love. Their love must be kept secret.

As Rose continues with her work, she becomes better acquainted with William. In time, an attraction begins to form although William is already a married man. Will their scandalous love grow like the relationship between Giovanni Lomazzo and Chiara's from so many years ago or will pressures from society and conscience force them apart?

DeRoux intricately crafted each sentence to portray a beautiful image to the reader. I love how she was able to paint a picture in my mind. Although, she created intricate imagery, sometimes it seemed like the sentences were too verbose. Through her word choice, it is evident she is not an amateur writer. As a reader, I always enjoy when an author includes a character who loves books. In the Lost Diary of Venice, the entire novel is based on restoring an ancient book.

Like so many other historical fiction novels that I have read previously, I expected "The Lost Diary of Venice" to volley between Rose's story set in the present day and Giovanni's story in the 16th Century. As the title implies, it was necessary to chronicle the religious persecution and events in and around Venice during the mid-1500's to understand Giovanni's story. The chapters dedicated to the telling of these times, including details of the Battle of Lepanto when the Ottoman fleet made a play to take Venice, were challenging to follow. The book may have flowed smoother if I had been more familiar with this period in history, but instead, I admit that I struggled during those chapters.

On the flip side, I appreciated the deep love between Giovanni and Chiara, and was captivated by Rose's story and the book restoration process. The development of Rose's character was well-plotted, and I couldn't have asked for a better conclusion.

Historical Fiction is a favorite genre for me. I’m usually entertained and always learn something about the era and locations. The historical details and references to actual events and characters taking place in Venice captured the essence of the Renaissance era. Both relationships of artist and muse depicted in modern day and 1500s Venice reveal many contrasts and parallels. At times this book really held my interest, at other times I kept wishing for the book to end.

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley.

This story is a blend of historical fiction and romance. Like many other current books, it spans two different time periods: modern-day Connecticut and Renaissance Period Venice. At first, I felt that the modern romance part was somewhat unnecessary. However, as the book progressed, I realized that the author was drawing interesting parallels between the two stories. Margaux Deroux does an excellent job of using Venice as the focal point of the tensions in that time period. The characters are well drawn and interesting. In an afterword, she tells us about the backgrounds of the actual people involved in the story.

William brings an ancient manuscript into the bookstore that Rose owns. Her real love is restoring old books and other documents. In reading this book, I learned about the skills required to bring these ancient works back to life.

In the Venetian story, Giovanni is an artist who is hired to paint a portrait of Chiara, the courtesan of a high-ranking military commander who is preparing for war with the Ottoman Empire. Chiara and Gio fall in love despite the impossible barriers between them. The reader learns about the religious relationships among the Christians of Venice, the Jews in the Venetian Ghetto, and the Muslims of the Ottoman Empire.

This is an intriguing and immersive historical fiction straddling two timelines - current day in New Haven, Connecticut and 1571 in Venice, Italy. Rose Newlin owner of a bookstore, she’s also a book restorer. In walks William Lomazzo, an artist, who brings with him an old document found at the bottom of his great-grandmother‘s trunk. The document turns out to be a palimpsest dated Venezia 1571. Back in the late Renaissance, Venice is bracing itself for the onslaught of the advancing Ottoman army. Giovanni Lamazzo, a well-known brilliant artist of the day, has been commissioned to paint Chiara, a favorite courtesan, of powerful military commander Sebastiano Vernier. But love cannot be put in a box and Giovanni and Chiara find themselves in dangerous waters as Venice simmers with intensity and desperation as the Ottoman army advances imminently closer. Back to present day, the Rose-William connection threatens to take shape...but clearly plays second fiddle to the first, for all the right reasons. This was a very enjoyable read that kept me immersed and engrossed in the storyline, particularly the sixteenth century one. Intrigue, a bit of mystery, history, culture, and a bit of romance all swirled together for a nice interlude. I’d definitely recommend it. This was a perfect book to distract one from the realities of everyday life - current day COVID-19! Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

The blurb for this book reads: "Two impossible love stories are fatefully connected by one artistic legacy in a stunning debut that leaps between the mysteries of late-Renaissance Venice and the dramas of present-day America."

And that is EXACTLY how i like my historical fiction -- gorgeously rendered and equal parts history, romance, and mystery. The two romances belong to Chiara and Gio (16th century Venice) and Rose and William (modern day New Haven, CT). I don't want to give too much away, but the way these couples' stories intertwine is amazing and evocative and will stay with you. I highly recommend this book.

Two time frames, linked together by one ancient book; a book that needs to be restored.

Present day, New Haven Ct. William Lomazzo, while going through his deceased grandmother's belongings, finds a book written by Giovanni Lomazzo. He takes it to Rose Newlin, a book store owner and book restorer. She begins to restore it and obtains translation. As a result of this restoration and its review, William and Rose are attracted to each other. Rose is single, but William is married... ah, an unfortunate complication.

Late 16th Century, Venice, Italy. Giovanni Lomazzo, a real person who existed, is commissioned by Sebastiano Venier (also a real person) to do a portrait of Chiara, Venier's courtesan. The artist and the courtesan fall in love and must keep their liaison as secret as possible.

The dual timeline is educational and entertaining. Present day CT bookstore vs Venice of the 1570's. Real people are named with real events. Battle of Leponto is at least one of the real events. The battle was engaged to free a colony of Venetians on Cyprus from the Turks. The book is slow reading for me because I keep stopping to look things up on Wikipedia.

The author provides a Note from the Author when the book is complete. It is a beautifully written note and explains very clearing the author's motivations in writing this book. It also makes some sense of what is historically happening in 1571 and also why she picked an Ivy League college city (Yale is the college) in which to locate the present day story.

The product of my research revealed the following: Venier was married to a woman named Cecilia. His marriage is never mentioned in Deroux' book. But Deroux did cleverly include Cecilia as the maid servant of Chiara.

I did have a problem with some of Deroux' similes. She just seemed to be trying too hard to impress.

I did like the book and treasure what I have learned both about book restoration and the Venice of 1571.

4 stars

I really enjoyed this book. It’s a period of history in which I’m not well versed, so I learned a few things. The sense of place was outstandingly conveyed. I could easily picture Renaissance Venice. The two love stories complemented each other perfectly. I will definitely recommend this to patrons looking for historical fiction,

The Lost Diary of Venice was beautifully written. The author has such a way with words, and she was able to interweave both stories seamlessly. The fact that William and Giovanni were related and shared such similar love stories was so clever.

At times, I wished there was more dialogue but that's just my opinion. Overall, I thought the story was well written. My favorite part was definitely the ending! I absolutely loved how the author wrapped up the story for all of the characters.

Four and a half stars for this novel that bounces between the 1570s in Venice and modern-day New Haven, Connecticut. The bouncing back and forth is why I didn't give it a full five stars - it is a common enough framing device, but I always find it jarring. Just when I'm "getting into" one story line, the author pulls me out of it and back into the other one. Luckily, in this instance, both story lines were quite compelling, which I've found is often not the case for the modern-day framing story.

I was fortunate enough to have visited Venice many years ago and I could picture the places described in the book. Reading this in the middle of a pandemic, staying at home so much, really made me want to revisit that amazing city.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for providing me with an advance reader copy of this delightful book in exchange for my honest review. Highly recommended, especially if you like historical novels and/or the history of art.