The Thai Secret to a More Joyful Life – THAILAND
Novel set in ITALY and ANGLESEY
8th January 2026
The Infinite Terrace by Lindy Viandier, novel set in Italy (Amalfi, Naples and Rome) and Wales (Anglesey)
I hesitate to classify The Infinite Terrace by Lindy Viandier as a romance – even though it is – because it is so much more than that. Rather it is a novel that tells of self-realisation and an awakening for the protagonist. The author skilfully depicts the settings – Italy’s Amalfi coast and Anglesey in Wales, making it a great recommendation for anyone visiting either place.
Illustrator Elinor Edwards has lost her husband in the prime of his life and is coming to terms with widowhood. Her relationships with her mother and two daughters aren’t always ideal and she relies on her best friend, Rhiannon, for wise counsel. Elinor decides to return to the Amalfi region of Italy, where she had spent her honeymoon with Huw, in the hope that it will soothe her broken heart. Taking a holiday alone is an act of courage for a woman who has identified as half of a pair, rather than a woman in her own right, for so long. Nonetheless, she takes on the challenge.
Once at her hotel, Elinor soon finds herself the object of the attentions of not one but three men. There’s romantic and temperamental Georgio, a young local man who she fears might be a gigolo, and Paul – a wealthy American widower, who is keen to lavish his love and money on Elinor. Then there’s Lorenzo, an ex-patriot Italian based in Paris, who is quietly intense in his admiration. Surprised and conflicted, Elinor must decide how to handle these admirers. Can they be taken at face value or does one (or more) of them have an ulterior motive for the affection he offers? Without spoiling the story, the path of true love certainly doesn’t run smooth for any of Elinor’s prospective loves.
The Infinite Terrace is both easy to read and highly rewarding. I loved the characterisation, particularly the difficult relationships Elinor has with her own family, which really ring true. It’s not just romantic relationships that prove tricky, either. The women she meets are also on a scale, from offering selfless friendship at one extreme to downright hostility at the other. Elinor’s experience in handling delicate situations like these is the rock on which she builds trust and friendship with the people she meets in Italy. It just takes her a while to trust her own judgement. The character arc shows Elinor developing and coming into her powers as the story progresses, and the book ends with a truly satisfying flourish.
Anyone who is a lover of Italy will relish the descriptions of the settings, from the vertiginous roads of the Amalfi coast and the crashing waves and stormy weather of Wales to the mixed blessing that is Naples, and the history of places like Pompeii. In addition to the geography, Viandier also includes the sights and sounds (even flavours) of the natural world for each location. All wonderfully depicted without overshadowing the clever plot and the skilled characterisation.
The Infinite Terrace is definitely a book that is worth reading, and even re-reading, especially if you plan a trip to Italy or Anglesey. It is due to be the first in a series, so I hope that Lindy Viandier will come good on her promise and that the next volume will be available soon. This is Book 1 in The Italian Interlude Series.
Sue for the TripFiction Team
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