Romance novel set in Vernazza, CINQUE TERRE, Italy

26th April 2020

The Lemon Tree Hotel by Rosanna Ley, romance novel set in Vernazza, Cinque Terre, Italy.

Need a bit of sultry escapism right now? If you have already come across Rosanna Ley’s novels you will know that she is the Queen of literary wanderlust writing. We featured her novel The Little Theatre By the Sea as our first ever #TFBookClub choice, back in 2017, and have always had a fondness for her brilliant portrayal of setting.

In The Lemon Tree Hotel the reader meets three generations of women in one family. Grandmother Chiara, daughter Elene and granddaughter Isabella (Bella). Together they run the former convent, which they have spectacularly renovated to create an oasis of calm and beauty for the guests who pass through their doors.

Each woman has her own function and in the novel, each is dealing with personal issues. A former lover of Chiara arrives in the hotel, without warning – theirs was truly an unrequited love. His presence puts into sharp relief the problems in Chiara’s marriage to Alonzo. Coupled with a couple of discoveries about Alonzo’s business operations, she now has to decide where her future lies.

Young Isabella has caught the eye of Ferdinand Bauer, a German architect who has checked in. He clearly has an agenda, in addition to enjoying the beautiful scenery. She is determined to find out what his quest might be. Remember that Italy was occupied by the Germans during WW2 and she senses there may be history that underpins her suspicions.

Elene is the chef at the hotel and seems quite embittered, compared with her mother and daughter, stuck in between two more out-going and sunshine-radiating personalities. The other two are life’s radiators and she appears to be one of life’s drains.

The book is firmly set in 2011 and beautifully brings to life this colourful and fabulous part of the world. Walk with the characters through the olive groves, smell the lemons, enjoy Bisto Kid moments, as wonderfully described and flavourful foods waft off the pages (OK, OK, I am showing my age – see left – I totally identify with Chiara 😉 ). The author mentions places to eat and things to see and it is wonderful to experience the location through this author’s eyes.

At a time when escapism is a balm to the soul then Rosanna Ley’s books totally fit the bill for some literary wanderlust. Enjoy.

Tina for the TripFiction Team

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