51-5se2HS+L._SL500_Book Synopsis: “Caroline Grant is struggling to accept the end of her marriage when she receives an unexpected bequest. Her beloved great-aunt Lettie leaves her a sketchbook, three keys, and a final whisper…Venice. Caroline’s quest: to scatter Juliet “Lettie” Browning’s ashes in the city she loved and to unlock the mysteries stored away for more than sixty years. It’s 1938 when art teacher Juliet Browning arrives in romantic Venice. For her students, it’s a wealth of history, art, and beauty. For Juliet, it’s poignant memories and a chance to reconnect with Leonardo Da Rossi, the man she loves whose future is already determined by his noble family. However star-crossed, nothing can come between them. Until the threat of war closes in on Venice and they’re forced to fight, survive, and protect a secret that will bind them forever. Key by key, Lettie’s life of impossible love, loss, and courage unfolds. It’s one that Caroline can now make right again as her own journey of self-discovery begins.“

My Review

I loved this audiobook, it transported me to Venice and made me want to visit again sometime.

The story is told by Caroline in 2001, and through Juliet’s dairies in the 1920s, 30s and 40s. It was a wonderful historical fiction novel full of romance and secrets, that all come together perfectly in the end.

I really liked Juliet and Caroline, they were wonderful characters who I believed in. Sometimes I didn’t agree with the way they behaved, and sometimes their inner dialogue annoyed me, but I wanted the best for them.

I love novels set in Italy, especially Venice and ended up Googling whilst listening to find out about places and events that were mentioned.

Unfortunatley I had a few problems with Barrie Kreinik’s narration, possibly because she’s an American doing a British accent. Some of her pronunciation didn’t sound natural, and irritated me. It didn’t spoil the audiobook for me though as the story was wonderful.

Highly recommended if you enjoy historical fiction set in Italy.