After her husband's untimely demise, Marietta Gatti is banished from the family's villa by her spiteful mother-in-law. She returns to her hometown of Venice and her only kin-a father she hasn't spoken to since her forced marriage. Her hope of making amends is crushed when she learns she is too late, for he recently has died under suspicious circumstances. Grief-stricken, Marietta retraces her father's last night only to discover someone may have wanted him dead-and she may be next. When the prime suspect turns out to be the father of the man she is falling in love with, Marietta risks her future happiness and her life to avenge the death of a man she once hated.
My Rating
4
My Review
Although Venice in the Moonlight is a short read, it is also a beautiful one. The language is polished and stunning, and the pacing will keep readers turning pages until the reach the satisfying end. However, what I loved most about the novel was the world it was able to transport me into.
The only thing better than a fiction novel set in Venice is a historical fiction novel set in Venice. The very mention of the city brings to mind an air of mystery and intrigue, both of which set the tone of the novel. Taking place at the beginning of Carnevale with an alleged murder and possible cult? If that does not capture the beautifully mysterious feeling of a Venetian night, I don't know what does. Venice in the Moonlight will transport readers back in time to this wonderful city, and doesn't let you go.
The characters of Venice in the Moonlight are brilliantly developed. Marietta easily grabbed my admiration. She was a strong female protagonist who made decisions of her own, which isn't always found in historical novels. Although she had to deal with a lot, she kept pressing forward, keeping her best interests in mind. Nico was a brilliant counterpart for her. Although he had a disability, it wasn't the focus of him as a character, and he never let it stop him. That being said, his blindness wasn't made light of either. Not to mention, he's a very swoon-worthy character, which is always a bonus.
Speaking of which, what would the setting of Venice be without at least a little romance? And I loved the romance in the novel. Despite the quick pacing of the novel, it didn't develop too quickly, but felt natural and absolutely delicious. But as much as I loved the romance, it made it all the better that the relationship was not the sole focus of the plot.
The mystery of Marietta's father's death is not only intriguing, but offers suspense into the novel. Marietta actively tried to gain the truth of what happened, which added to both the movement of the novel and her character. Although the conclusion seemed to come a bit abruptly, the arc of the story worked well overall.
For all of the reasons above, as well as others, Venice in the Moonlight is a lovely read. A great escape for an afternoon or evening, it's hard to put down and highly enjoyable.
Q&A With Elizabeth McKenna
How did you do research for your book?EM: Years ago, I had traveled to Italy and fell in love with it. When I decided to use Venice as a setting, I hauled out my photo album to refresh my memory. I also read the book, A Venetian Affair by Andrea di Robilant, which is a true love story set in the 18th century. It helped me with historical details. I also, of course, relied on the internet. I found a copy of Casanova's memoirs online, which was extremely interesting.
Do you write every day?
EM: I write every day, but I don't write fiction every day. I am a technical writer for a software company, so my fun writing has to wait until I have my "real" work done.
If you could go back in time, where would you go?
EM: I wouldn't go back too far. I like the Hollywood glamor of the late 1940s/50s. I love to watch the black and white movies where the woman has semi-curled hair and a beautiful evening gown.
Favorite dessert?
It used to be anything with chocolate, but my doctor took that away from me. I love my grandmother's recipe for apple crisp.
What is your next project?
I am working on a contemporary romance titled, First Crush. Here is the description I have been using:
Remember your first crush? How your heart raced and your cheeks flushed whenever you saw him? Jessie Baxter does, and it's happening all over again at her high school reunion. Lee Archer is The One Who Got Away. Despite Jessie's best efforts, he only wanted to be friends. Fifteen years later, things are different. Lee wants more, but first Jessie has to unload some baggage—the
biggest one being a psycho ex-husband. Will Jessie learn to trust again and make her first crush into her last love?
Elizabeth McKenna's latest novel will have you remembering the angst of high school, the grief of a failed relationship, and the happiness of true love.
Elizabeth
McKenna works as a full-time technical writer/editor for a large
software company. Though her love of books reaches back to her
childhood, she had never read romance novels until one Christmas when
her sister gave her the latest bestseller by Nora Roberts. She was
hooked from page one (actually, she admits it was the first love scene).
She had always wanted to write fiction, so she combined her love of
history, romance and a happy ending to write her debut novel Cera's
Place. Her short story, The Gypsy Casts a Spell, is available for free on her website. She hopes you will enjoy her latest novel, Venice in the Moonlight, as much as others have enjoyed her previous works.
Elizabeth lives in Wisconsin with her understanding husband, two beautiful daughters, and a sassy Labrador. When she isn't writing, working, or being a mom, she's sleeping.
Connect with her: Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter
Elizabeth lives in Wisconsin with her understanding husband, two beautiful daughters, and a sassy Labrador. When she isn't writing, working, or being a mom, she's sleeping.
Connect with her: Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter
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