That being said, I did enjoy this story. There are parts that are predictable and parts that are not. There are parts that are possibly unreal and others that are more likely to have occurred. There were times I felt it was going into too much detail and other times when I was nervous for the characters. The plot has Englishwoman Juliet Browning visiting Venice with her aunt in 1928 and then she visitsagain in 1938 and 1939. Each time, she meets and spends time with wealthy nobleman Leonardo Da Rossi. Leo is an Italian count with whom Juliet has an affair. Unfortunately, he is unhappily married to a wealthy Venetian girl. They cannot marry, even after Juliet becomes pregnant with Leo’s child. Plus, because of her father’s financial losses and untimely death, she cannot achieve her dreams of attending art college.

Sketchbook by Rhys Bowen | Goodreads The Venetian Sketchbook by Rhys Bowen | Goodreads

everywhere. So if you were drafted into the army, you went. You chose to look away when Jewish businesses were trashed. It became a matter of survival and in times of survival people will do anything to protect their loved ones. I found it harder to understand why British aristocrats could want to help Hitler invade England. (The story behind In Farleigh Field, another of my novels). A misguided sense of wanting to save the country from worse suffering, I decided.If you've ever been to Venice, or wished to go, this book will teleport you there immediately! It's obvious that Mrs. Bowen has extensive personal experience with the city, as she knows the ins and outs as only someone who has lived there could. Her characters come to life in a world on the brink of, and living through, WWII. Their connected story is at once sad and resilient, forcing us to think about what sacrifices a mother will make for her child. A must-read for WWII historical fiction fans! Do you have any personal experience with a "deathbed confession" where you learned something startling or unraveled a family mystery at the behest of your loved one's last wishes? Do tell!

The Venice Sketchbook by Rhys Bowen - The Real Book Club Queen The Venice Sketchbook by Rhys Bowen - The Real Book Club Queen

So Caroline goes to Venice to learn what she can, in hopes of figuring out what compelled Lettie, and to take the opportunity to figure out where her own road will lead her next. I definitely recommend this book and I know that I have found one more all-time favourite historical fiction novel.

This is not a genre I read very often (historical/WWII fiction) or even enjoy very much but there are exceptions, and the fact that it was largely set in Venice called to me. The Venice Sketchbook is that rare book, both epic and personal, and utterly compelling. Two women, decades apart, escape to Venice, each forced to grapple with the influence of world events on her own life. This is a tale brimming with secrets, romance, and possibilities, cast against the colorful setting of irresistible Venice. I was utterly captured." - Barbara O'Neal Q: You've written over 40 books, many of them mysteries for which you've won multiple awards -- Congratulations on your success as an author! What made you switch over to stand-alone historical fiction? One piece of Caroline’s story that I felt a great deal of resonance for was the way that it intersected with 9/11 and its aftermath, both in the portrayal of how countries outside the US both viewed the tragedy and moved on, and the way that it impacted people who were not remotely close to the event. It echoed for a while for all of us, and that was captured well.

The Venice Sketchbook – The 52 Book Club The Venice Sketchbook – The 52 Book Club

Love and secrets collide in Venice during WWII in an enthralling novel of brief encounters and lasting romance by the New York Times bestselling author of The Tuscan Child and Above the Bay of Angels.Ich habe das Buch in einem Rutsch gelesen so gefangen war ich von der Geschichte. Tiefgründig, spannend und hoch emotional. There is sadness, but it does end on a bright note so you're not horribly depressed. Of Rhys Bowen's recent historical novels, I'd say I like this one the best. Juliet's "voice" seems so melancholy throughout her story and she has reason to feel that way. After her 1928 visit to Venice, Juliet's plans to attend art college are cut short by her father's financial losses and she must take a teaching job to support herself and her mom, after her father's death. In 1938 and then 1939, Juliet is able to travel to Venice and each time she runs into Leo. It's on what should be her year long visit to Venice in 1939 that Juliet knows she is in love with the married Leo. War is coming closer and closer but Juliet refuses to return to her home where she would be safer. A: I have often wondered how seemingly decent men could work in concentration camps and then go home to their families. I spent a lot of time in Germany as a young woman and realized that most Germans had no say over taking part. Any hint of opposition to the government and you were rounded up and taken away. Hitler’s spies were

The Venice Sketchbook by Rhys Bowen | Goodreads The Venice Sketchbook by Rhys Bowen | Goodreads

A: I’ve known Venice since my family used to spend time there when I was a child so it all feels familiar to me, but each time I go I discover something new. Obviously favorite parts of the city are some of the popular tourist spots. Standing on the Accademia Bridge and looking down toward Rialto is magical. Having coffee in St. Mark’s Square is perfect (but really expensive these days. My parents did it every morning!) I love attending high mass at St. Marks and listening to the sound of the choir soaring up to that dome. I love visiting La Fenice opera house and going to concerts in the churches. Georgie and Darcy are finally on their honeymoon in Kenya's Happy Valley, but murder crashes the party in this all-new installment in the New York Times bestselling series. A woman determined, in her last moments, that it was time for someone she loved to uncover her truth. Bowen’s vivid storytelling style holds readers enrapt…Bowen has written a tender, poignant story balancing dark and light.” —Historical Novel Society Readers will enjoy the detailed descriptions provided by Bowen. She brings Venice to lifewith its amazing gondolas and canals, vaporetto, narrow streets, festivals, churches, art exhibitions, food, the colorful people, culture, and family ties.So this is a story I’m kind of on that painful fence about. I liked Caroline a lot, I ended up seeing Julietta as both heroic and incredibly naïve at the same time, and I wanted the 21st century story more than I did the historic one. Your mileage may vary, especially if you’ve not experienced the same kind of WW2 historical fiction fatigue or you’ve not read much about that period in Italy as opposed to the more usual settings of France or Britain.. Questions are invoked, questions that open up the past and uncover some startling events that have had long term consequences.