Lead Review (and the author shares her inspiration for setting)

• Book: Love at the Italian Lake
• Location: Malcesine
• Author: Darcie Boleyn

Review Author: tripfiction

(By the way…Malcesine is pronounced: Mal – chez – eenay… I had been wondering!)

This is a lovely, heartwarming novel set in Malcesine on the shores of Lake Garda. It is also a perfect choice for TripFiction because Italy and the little town are beautifully brought to life for the reader within an enjoyable story.

Sophia Bertoni is in dire need of a break. Lee, her boyfriend is a cheat. Enough is enough, and Sophia is soon persuaded to go and stay with her Grandmother – Nonna Katherine Spinoli – in Malcesine, on the shores of Lake Garda. As she arrives in the airport she literally gets knocked sideways at the airport in Verona (physically, but maybe also emotionally, let’s wait and see!) by Joe Lancaster, who as it transpires, is also spending the Summer on the same Lake, in the same town.

Sophia’s Mother and her grandmother have never really been close and it is whilst Sophia is staying in Malcesine that she stumbles upon a family secret which needs quite some emotional processing.

This novel has all the ingredients (and I haven’t even got to the foodie bits yet!) for a wonderful summer read, with a bit of romance and beautiful scenery thrown in. The markets are redolent of Italian groceries and colour – you can almost see them in your mind’s eye. Just how do you choose between all the cakes, whether it is cannoli or zeppole. Or all those vegetables just oozing colour and flavour. Or accompany Joe on the cycle route from Navena to Castelletto di Brenzone; or with Sophia from the harbour to Castello Scaligero. As readers we are taken with exuberance to this beautiful part of the world. Just sit down with a good Espresso and enjoy.

And on this link you can read the full review and Darcie talking to us about setting.

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