This is the fourth book I read by Melissa Muldoon, and once again she succeeded in transporting me to another time in history. 

One can’t live such an extraordinary life without having stories to tell, and tell them Sofonisba does to Sir Anthony Van Dyke, who comes to visit her toward the end of her life. During their meeting, she agrees to reveal her secrets but first challenges the younger painter to find the one lie hidden in her tale. In a saga filled with intrigue, jealousy, buried treasure, unrequited love, espionage, and murder, Sofonisba’s story is played out against the backdrop of Italy, Spain, and Sicily. Throughout her life, she encounters talented artists, authoritative dukes, mad princes, religious kings, spying queens, vivacious viscounts, and dashing sea captains—even a Barbary pirate. But of all the people who fell in love with Sofonisba, only one captured her heart. 

The painter may have many secrets but the truth of her life is crystal clear from the beginning. Always a strong, passionate woman with a dream, she was an intelligent artist who knew her self-worth and in the end, as Michelangelo had done for her, Sofonisba passed her brush to a new generation.

Reviewed by Laura Fabiani

This is the fourth book I read by Melissa Muldoon, and once again she succeeded in transporting me to another time in history. Her books just keep getting better and better! This time, under Muldoon's deft penmanship, 16th century Italy and Spain came to life as she brings forth from obscurity yet another strong female historical figure. If there is one thing I can be certain of when I pick up one of Muldoon's books is that I will learn more about the world of Renaissance art.

This time Muldoon writes a fictionalized tale (based on known life events) of Sofonisba Anguissola, the first female painter to achieve fame and respect in the 16th century. Her father recognized her talent, encouraged it, and let her study under the tutelage of several painting masters. She became known for her portraits and went on to become the court painter to Spanish King Philip II. This allowed her to forge a friendship with Elizabeth his queen whom she taught to paint too.

Muldoon succeeds in taking these facts from Sofonisba's life and weaving a good story filled with art, court intrigue, love, murder, and adventure. I enjoyed reading this story very much and was motivated to do more research on this feminist historical figure who put her painting career above marriage and children. She was intelligent, talented, ambitious, and an inspiration to other artists. The author brings her to life beautifully with a story that flows well and gets better as it unfolds, especially in the last third of the book. I couldn't wait to see how it would all end.

If you love stories with strong female characters based on real historical figures, The Secret Life of Sofonisba Anguissola is sure to please. This medieval tale set in Renaissance Italy and Inquisition Spain kept me turning the pages until the satisfying end.

Meet the Author:

Melissa Muldoon is the author of four novels set in Italy: Dreaming Sophia, Waking Isabella, Eternally Artemisia, and The Secret Life of Sofonisba Anguissola. All four books tell the stories of women and their journeys of self-discovery to find love, uncover hidden truths, and follow their destinies to shape a better future for themselves. Melissa is also the author of the Studentessa Matta website, where she promotes the study of Italian language and culture through her dual-language blog written in Italian and English (studentessamatta.com). Studentessa Matta means the “crazy linguist” and has grown to include a podcast, Tutti Matti per l’Italiano and the Studentessa Matta, YouTube channel, Facebook page and Instagram feed. Melissa also created Matta Italian Language Immersion Programs, which she co-leads with Italian schools in Italy to learn Italian in Italy. Through her website, she also offers the opportunities to live and study in Italy through Homestay programs. Melissa has a B.A. in fine arts, art history, and European history from Knox College, a liberal arts college in Galesburg, Illinois, as well as a master’s degree in art history from the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana. She has also studied painting and art history in Florence. She is an artist, designer, and illustrated the cover art for all four of her books. Melissa is the managing director of Matta Press

Once again, Laura Morelli transports us to Italy, this time to medieval Florence where Michelangelo sets to create the splendid David sculpture. The topic and the book cover attracted me instantly!

Reviewed by Laura Fabiani

Once again, art historian Laura Morelli has written a stunning novel that easily transports us to Florence in the early 1500s when Michelangelo gets the commission to create a sculpture from the giant rectangle of marble that has been sitting idle for more than forty years.

As I started reading the novel, I realized the story was going to be told by Jacopo Torni, a childhood friend of Michelangelo, and that he was the main character and not Michelangelo. Jacopo was somewhat of a tortured soul. He was a gambler, a joker, an irresponsible older brother, but most of all, an insecure talented artist. There were times when I just wanted to shake him, when I was puzzled by his behaviour, or when I wondered when the story would gain some momentum. But as I kept reading, I began to have a better picture of this man who I think could have had bipolar disorder.

Jacopo and Michelangelo had a love/hate relationship, but in the end they were friends. The best part of the novel for me was seeing Michelangelo and his artistry through Jacopo's eyes, especially as the majestic David sculpture was unveiled and then slowly wheeled to where it would stand on display in Florence. I could feel the excitement, the awe and the pride the people felt displaying this masterpiece, this genius work of art. What a time in history that was.

Morelli, of course, brings Renaissance Florence to life. Its people, their way of life (with their lack of washing!), their art, and their political and cultural issues. Jacopo was an artist, a painter of frescoes, with this particular art technique brought to life. I went online several times to look at photos of the art mentioned in this book, especially Michelangelo's David. I now want more than ever to travel to Florence to see the David, the frescoes and all the beautiful art of the Renaissance.

I was in the mood for a good time travel story so I dug this one out of my book stash on Kindle.

Reviewed by Laura Fabiani

I've had this book on my Kindle and have wanted to read it for quite a while. So when I was in the mood for time travel and pure escapism, I decided to read it. Although its original book cover paints this book as a romance, and yes, there is romance, it's truly more the story of the imagined life of Llywelyn, the last Prince of Wales. So this new book cover is better suited to the story.

I enjoyed Daughter of Time very much, especially Meg and her toddler Anna's journey through time. Actually, little Anna was one of my favorite characters. She and Meg end up traveling to the 13th century and get found by Llywelyn. Yes, Meg and Llywelyn fall in love but a lot of the romance is off-screen so this makes it different from most time travel romances out there. 

The medieval politics, as expected, was filled with treachery, land wars, and a battle-scarred hero. Sometimes, it was a little hard to follow. But lovers of medieval historical fiction will enjoy learning about Welsh history. The ending was unexpected, not a cliffhanger, but certainly, an exciting segway to the next book in the series.

For fans of time travel and chivalrous medieval tales, Daughter of Time is a great start to a fun series set during a pivotal period in English history.

Book Details:

Book Title: The Chef's Secret by Crystal King
Category: Adult fiction, 352 pages
Genre: Historical Fiction
Publisher: Atria/Simon & Schuster
Release date: Feb 12, 2019
Tour dates: Feb 11 to 28, 2019
Content Rating: R (for a couple of explicit, but loving, sex scenes (no abuse or rape) and minor curse words)

Book Description:

A captivating novel of Renaissance Italy detailing the mysterious life of Bartolomeo Scappi, the legendary chef to several popes and author of one of the bestselling cookbooks of all time, and the nephew who sets out to discover his late uncle’s secrets—including the identity of the noblewoman Bartolomeo loved until he died.

When Bartolomeo Scappi dies in 1577, he leaves his vast estate—properties, money, and his position—to his nephew and apprentice Giovanni. He also gives Giovanni the keys to two strongboxes and strict instructions to burn their contents. Despite Scappi’s dire warning that the information concealed in those boxes could put Giovanni’s life and others at risk, Giovanni is compelled to learn his uncle’s secrets. He undertakes the arduous task of decoding Scappi’s journals and uncovers a history of deception, betrayal, and murder—all to protect an illicit love affair.

As Giovanni pieces together the details of Scappi’s past, he must contend with two rivals who have joined forces—his brother Cesare and Scappi’s former protégé, Domenico Romoli, who will do anything to get his hands on the late chef’s recipes.

With luscious prose that captures the full scale of the sumptuous feasts for which Scappi was known, The Chef’s Secret serves up power, intrigue, and passion, bringing Renaissance Italy to life in a delectable fashion.


Crystal King has creatively written a novel loosely based on the mysterious life of historical figure Bartolomeo Scappi, one of the most famous chef of the Italian Renaissance. Not only was this an interesting story with twists and turns that kept me captivated, but the sumptuous decadent feasts and food descriptions made my mouth water.

What happens when a margrave realizes he's fallen in love with a servant?

The Margrave of Thornbeck has to find a bride, fast. He invites ten noble-born ladies from around the country to be his guests at Thornbeck Castle for two weeks, a time to test these ladies and reveal their true character.

Avelina is only responsible for two things: making sure her deception goes undetected and avoiding being selected as the margrave's bride. Since the latter seems unlikely, she concentrates on not getting caught. No one must know she is merely a maidservant, sent by the Earl of Plimmwald to stand in for his daughter, Dorothea.

Despite Avelina's best attempts at diverting attention from herself, the margrave has taken notice. And try as she might, she can't deny her own growing feelings. But something else is afoot in the castle. Something sinister that could have far worse---far deadlier---consequences. Will Avelina be able to stop the evil plot? And at what cost?

Reviewed by Laura Fabiani

This is the second book I read by Melanie Dickerson and I like that her historical fiction novels are clean and are the perfect escapism books for a light romantic read. Dickerson's writing flows well with a steady pace and a good plotline, although I did find this one predictable. Her characters are well-drawn out, flawed and conflicted. Avelina was a good main character, and I appreciated her humbleness as well as her courageous spirit.

Reinhart, the Margrave of Thornbeck, has to find a bride but he is grumpy and not thrilled with this prospect. I had a hard time warming up to him as he didn't say much for the first half of the book except to grunt and growl. No witty repartee between him and Avelina. It's only in the second half of the book that we get his perspective on things, and he is much more vocal. I also thought he was a little too passive and clueless for a margrave (medieval title for the military commander) when it came to the cunning Fronicka and her scheming father the Duke of  Geitbart. Avelina was doing all the planning and rescuing!

However, I enjoyed the story as it had the message of treating others with respect no matter their station in life and standing up for oneself. Overall, this was a sweet romance with action, secrets and treachery tailored to lovers of medieval historical fiction.

To read more reviews, please visit Melanie Dickerson's page on Litfuse.

Disclosure: Thanks to the publisher and Litfuse for sending me this book for review. I was not compensated in any other way, nor told how to rate or review this product.

Join Melanie in celebrating the release of The Beautiful Pretender by entering to win her Once Upon a Kindle giveaway!


One grand prize winner will receive:

• A copy of The Beautiful Pretender
• A Kindle Fire tablet
• A $25 Amazon gift card
• The choice between a Funko POP Disney Beauty or Beast doll

Enter today by clicking the icon below. But hurry! The giveaway ends on June 7th. The winner will be announced June 8th on Melanie's blog.

Julie Christine Johnson deftly transported me to Southern France with her lush descriptions and keen eye for details. Fans of Susanna Kearsley will surely enjoy this debut novel.

Book Details: 

Available in paperback and ebook

This book is touring with Italy Book Tours from Nov 10 to 21. Follow the tour here.
 
About the Book:

Sir Balduin de Soler gave up long ago on love. He never had the means to support a wife until an unexpected advancement in his fifties allows him to reassess his future just as the lovely Lucianna enters his life.

Lucianna Fabio harbors a secret, painful memory from her past that has kept her unwed, as well. Now in her forties, she thought herself too old to marry until she meets Sir Balduin. Now suddenly their lonely autumn lives feel very much like spring again . . . until Lucianna’s brother appears without warning and threatens to revive the secret that will destroy Lucianna’s second chance at love.


Praise for Joyce DiPastena's Books:

“Illuminations of the Heart was truly superb. I was hooked by the first line, and in love with the hero by the third page.”
  — Donna Hatch, Author of The Stranger She Married 

"Loyalty's Web took me on a journey into the twelfth century that I will not soon forget. A tale of intrigue, manipulation, lust and conflict, this book was exquisitely written and showed how love can defy any evil that comes against it."   
  --You Gotta Read Reviews 

“Every story I read, written by Joyce DiPastena, makes me fall in love with this time period more and more. Medieval France is brought to life again, in this story about the fair maiden, Mathilde, and her handsome knight, Etienne.”
  — Sheila Staley, LDS Women’s Book Reviews

Buy the book:




Meet the author: 

Joyce DiPastena dreamed of green medieval forests while growing up in the dusty copper mining town of Kearny, Arizona. She filled her medieval hunger by reading the books of Thomas B. Costain (where she fell in love with King Henry II of England), and later by attending the University of Arizona where she graduated with a degree in history, specializing in the Middle Ages. The university was also where she completed her first full-length novel…set, of course, in medieval England. Later, her fascination with Henry II led her to expand her research horizons to the far reaches of his “Angevin Empire” in France, which became the setting of her first published novel, Loyalty’s Web (a 2007 Whitney Award Finalist).

Joyce is a multi-published, multi-award winning author who specializes in sweet medieval romances heavily spiced with mystery and adventure. She lives with her two cats, Clio and Glinka Rimsky-Korsokov, in Mesa, Arizona.

Connect with Joyce:  Website  ~  Facebook  ~  Twitter