Debbie Rix

I received an e-arc of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

I have been to Pisa several times over the years, and I absolutely love the city and, of course, its wonderful monuments. So, when I read the blurb for this book, I was at once delighted and scared to see it was set in one of my favourite cities. But, to be honest, I was mostly scared, because in my experience, foreign writers setting their books in Italy tend to get our country very, very wrong. I often find myself reading books set in Italy, or featuring Italian characters and thinking "That would just never happen!". So I was very relieved when I found that Debbie Rix's Pisa is actually very realistic, as are her Italian characters. There is no stereotypical nonsense, but real, relatable characters who act and talk like real human beings. And I think no one mentions eating pasta throughout the book, so HURRAH for an author who finally recognises that there are other foods in Italy beyond pasta!

The story itself was captivating. Starting from the present-day question of who built the Tower of Pisa, the book moves back and forth in time to show us both the modern research and what actually happened in the past. Of course, most of it is fiction, but still the author put in an amazing amount of research to make all the historical bits feel realistic. And it really pays off. If I didn't know that the story of Berta and Gerardo probably didn't go quite like it is told in this book, I may just have believed it completely. I loved getting to know the characters, especially Berta. I adore strong, independent women who challenge their predetermined role in society, so Berta, with her desire to become a patron of the arts and leave her mark on the city of Pisa, was right up my alley.

There were a few things that didn't quite work for me, mainly the love triangle. Even though this one was constructed pretty well, it just bothered me that it existed at all, and just made me really angry with the characters involved, especially Gerardo. A few times, I wanted to shake him and shout "Just make up your mind already!". I also had a bit of trouble connecting with Aurelia, as I failed to see her role in the story for most of the book, except as a rival in love for Berta. I'm not sure if she could have had any other role though, so maybe my dislike for her was only due to the fact that she made the love triangle a reality. Mmm, I still have to make up my mind on that one. I also liked the way snippets of the present were inserted to show us the research that Sam carries out in modern Pisa to unearth the mystery of the Tower. I was definitely more invested in the story of Berta than in that of Sam though, but that may just be because I had more time to get myself attached to the character, since the past is given considerably more space than the present.

Overall, this is a really solid read, perfect for those who like a good historical mystery with interesting characters and a beautiful setting. And if you're anything like me, it might prompt you to do a little bit of your own research into the history of the Leaning Tower of Pisa (READ: I googled it) and find out more great trivia about this architectural masterpiece, which can then be used to dazzle your friends with your knowledge at the next dinner party (I know I might just do that).… (mais)

Perfect read to curl up warm and snug with, a brew to hand and get swept away into a beautiful story.

I love this type of book, dual layer stories in different time spans and this book didn’t disappoint 🙂
Set in 2017 and 1704 and centers around 2 women, Milly and Anastasia. Decades apart and yet their paths cross in a stunning way.
1704 Anastasia was planning to elope with the love of her life and escape her abusive father, the owner of a mill and has set up an arranged marriage to a wealthy silk weaver in exchange for wiping his gambling debts. Her forced marriage takes her to a villa in Venice where she discovers her husband is possibly worse than her father. She is kept locked up in a bedroom for months and each night her husband forces himself upon her in hopes of siring an heir.
2017 Milly has been in a relationship with a married man, who just happens to be her boss as well. When he decides he wants to end things with Milly she jumps at the opportunity to travel to Italy to research the silk weaving business for an article in a magazine.
There she meets Lorenzo, owner of the beautiful country villa near Venice where she is staying. She finds herself drawn to a painting of a beautiful young woman and sets out to find out who the woman was and how she came to be on Lorenzo’s wall. She also finds herself drawn to the handsome Italian himself.
This book is a voyage of discovery for both women as they struggle to find away to heal themselves and gain their independence.
The story takes us from Spitalfields in London through France, Amsterdam, Verona, Lake Garda to Venice on a journey of discovery full of passion, love, heartbreak and self-discovery.
Beautifully written blending fact with fiction and the lives and times of the two women immersing you into their worlds.… (mais)

I've read other novels by Debbie Rix which I have enjoyed but I found "The Silk Weaver's Wife" slow and difficult to get into. I did enjoy the Italian story and learning about silkworms and the silk-weaving industry but I struggled to connect with either Ana or Millie. They both felt distant, especially Ana, which surprised me as I usually like the historical story more than the modern one when there is a dual timeline. It was obvious the author had done her research and it was an interesting read, just not a particularly entertaining one.… (mais)

The Secret Letter by Debbie Rix is based on real events and has two stories in one. Magda, a German girl living on a farm with her family, courageously joins the White Rose Movement. The next character is based on the author's mother. Imogen is one of the children evacuated to the countryside by their parents. She becomes a WREN and does her part for the war effort.

It's an intriguing story of courage and love. The characters are what made me keep turning the pages in this book. I wanted to know what happened to them, especially how they were connected. We cover a large time period of their lives so you get to know each of them very well. It's a well written coming of age story that's emotional and heartbreaking.


… (mais)