The Secret of Villa Serena (De Rosa Domenica); Quercus, 2018

A gorgeous, sun-filled novel following one woman's journey from heartbreak to adventure, for fans of Santa Montefiore. An irresistible read that will transport you straight to Tuscany...

Emily looks like she has it all

Living the dream

There's the lovingly restored Tuscan farmhouse, the three beautiful children, the successful husband, the newspaper column detailing her glamorous expat life. But when Emily's husband dumps her by text message, she has to face up to some stark home truths.

The nightmare reality

She has no money, her cleaner hates her, her eldest girl is out of her depth with the local seducer, her middle daughter is dangerously underweight, and her darling baby is fast becoming a brat. She doesn't even have any Italian friends.

But there's hope

Even as Emily admits that she's not living the Tuscan dream, she finds herself drawn into the village of Monte Albano and discovers the genuine Italy, darker and more intriguing than she had ever imagined. If she can get over a lingering obsession with her youthful first love, an attractive stranger might be about to show her the time of her life...