Cover Image: Christmas Secrets at Villa Limoncello

Christmas Secrets at Villa Limoncello

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Member Reviews

Great to be back at Villa Limoncelo for more festive fun and intrigue, I have loved this whole series and all of Daisy James's books they are always so light and warm with great characters

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I absolutely adored this book and love Daisy James. Highly recommend any of her books. Wonderful writing, Perfect for the holiday season.

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This book was a brilliant read and one that is perfect to escape for a few hours and loose yourself.
Characters that fall out of the pages of the book and make you fell apart of the story, the setting is lovely and captured well with words.
A great read. that I would highly recommend.

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This is a winning combination of festivity, fabulous food, romance and mystery. Add in fascinating characters, a beautiful setting and a clever, captivating plot and you just can’t ask for more.
The book is the third in a series but it works fine as a standalone as we’re quickly given all the information we need to know what’s what.
The author writes beautifully. The words dance off the page and sweep you along. There’s humour, tension, mystery and romance, all superbly handled.
This is a Christmas parcel of perfection.

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4☆ A Scrumptious Festive Romance

Christmas Secrets at Villa Limoncello is the third book in series, but my first book.
I only wish I had read the previous books as this would of been an amazing series.
I'm a big fan of Daisy James books so I'm surprised I haven't yet read the previous books, but they are definitely going on my TBR pile.

As this is the third book and incase like me you haven't yet read the others I won't go into any detail about the plot, as i don't want to risk giving anything away.

My only niggle with the book, was that It took me a while to get into the story and build any relationships with the characters, largely because I hadn't read the previous books. So I do recommend reading the whole series.

Christmas Secrets at Villa Limoncello is a wonderfully compelling Story full of Festive warmth, intrigue, secrets, a dash of mystery, drama, plenty of mouterwatering delicious delights, and a sprinkle of romance.
So i definitely recommend not reading this Gorgeous Book on an empty tummy!

So if you are looking for a fabulously Festive Foodie Delight, that is Uplifting, Heart Warming, full of intrigue, with a dash of Romance then you will enjoy Christmas Secrets at Villa Limoncello.

Thank you to Rachel Random Resources and Canelo this copy which I reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

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Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher. What a nice easy feel good read. Perfect for the run up to Christmas

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A lovely fun, romantic, frothy read. Not much to dislike with the cooking, Christmas and scenery! A lovely ending to the series that I don’t mind admitting tugged on the heartstrings.

Thank you Netgalley.

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Daisy James’ novels are the literary equivalent of a mug of luxury hot chocolate on a cold winter’s day and this talented writer is back with a joyous and irresistible romantic read that touched my heart and made me roar with laughter: Christmas Secrets at Villa Limoncello.

Christmas is fast approaching and Izzie Jenkins is putting the finishing touches to her new course at the Villa Limoncello ‘Snowflakes and Christmas Cakes’. Izzie has her hands full with the course and she mustn’t let anyone or anything distract her – not even chef and business partner, Luca Castelotti, who makes Izzie feel things that are far from professional! However, Izzie has vowed to throw herself into her course and not even Luca’s charm will deter her from giving her hundred and one per cent to her latest venture.

However, one calamity after the other seems to befall the guests who have come to Villa Limoncello and with the villa’s good name in jeopardy, Izzie will need to put her thinking cap on and go all Miss Marple if she is to find the reason behind all the nasty accidents which have befallen their new clientele. Poor Izzie has got enough on her plate and she certainly cannot cope with any more stress, however, fate has got other ideas in store for her as she discovers when she is offered the job of a lifetime – only it is as far removed from the Villa Limoncello as it is possible to get! If Izzie gets the job, she will not only have to leave the Villa which has come to mean everything to her, but also the country as she will need to relocate to Cornwall and leave all the things that have come to mean the world to her- including Luca…

What will Izzie do? Will she end up leaving Tuscany for good? Or will the magic of the season make her realise that the only way she can be happy is if she spends the rest of her life with Luca at the Villa Limoncello?

I had a great, big smile on my face while reading Daisy James’ Christmas Secrets at the Villa Limoncello. Feel-good romantic fiction does not get any better than this and I laughed, cried and fell madly in love once again with Izzie, Luca and the Villa Limoncello.

You simply cannot go wrong when picking a Daisy James romantic comedy and Christmas Secrets at the Villa Limoncello is another winner by this wonderful writer.

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Firstly I have to say that I haven't read the first two books in the Tuscan Dreams series, but now I definitely want to. Having enjoyed it immensely, I can most definitely say that you can read Christmas Secrets at Villa Limoncello as a standalone as Daisy James covers enough of Izzie's back story in this instalment. What it did for me though, is made me want to find out more about Izzie and Luca. I usually don't like jumping in mid-series but I might not have found the Tuscan Dreams series otherwise; reading book 3 has definitely made me more intrigued to go back to the start of the story.

Daisy James has an uncanny knack of bringing her locations to life in her books with sights, sounds and smells. There is plenty of opportunity to get the reader's senses buzzing with Izzie running a fabulously named 'Snowflakes and Christmas Cakes' course at Villa Limoncello. I think I had a few smell and taste hallucinations while reading this book; I could certainly not get the smell of lemons and the taste of limoncello out of my mind, that's for sure.

Izzie's guests are a community choir from York who have come to Tuscany to rehearse for a singing competition. With such a colourful array of guests, there are quite a few secrets and whispering in corners as passions run high and tempers fray. Izzie tries to keep everyone's spirits up but she has enough to contend with as she tries to work out how villa owner, Luca, feels about her. Izzie has been offered a job back home in Cornwall, which holds both happy and sad memories for her, but she really wants to stay in Italy. If only she could pin Luca down and talk to him; it seems like they are passing like ships in the night but Izzie might be setting sail for the horizon if Luca doesn't open up to her.

I was a bit worried about reading a Christmas book in October but it's not overly festive at all, which is great! With gorgeous blue skies and the glorious scent of lemons, it got me in the mood for limoncello rather than egg nog. You always get a bit more than you bargained for in a Daisy James book as she does like to add a bit of mystery, intrigue and skullduggery to her romantic fiction. You just never know what to expect and that's what makes the book such a good read.

Christmas Secrets at Villa Limoncello was the perfect book to be reading as the temperature dropped in October; it warmed my heart, left me with a smile on my face and an unmistakable thirst for limoncello. Speaking of which, I also have to say that Daisy James includes several recipes at the end of the book, including a recipe to make your own limoncello - I almost dropped my kindle in excitement!! I have to try this although I'm sure I'll have difficulty leaving it for 30 days without having sneaky little tasters.

You don't need a passport to escape to Tuscany this winter, pick up a copy of Christmas Secrets at Villa Limoncello and let Daisy James transport you to Italy from the comfort of your favourite chair with her fabulous sparkly (and mouthwatering) new book.

I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

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A lovely light read that has all the usual Christmas elements but with an Italian twist. I loved the descriptions of the Italian Christmas specialities as well as the English foodie treats and, as a bonus, there are some recipes at the back of the book to try out.
There are some delightful characters on the course that Izzie has been asked to help run but are the things that keep happening really accidents or is there something more sinister afoot?
It seems everybody has a secret and some people would rather their secrets stay that way. So, not only does Izzie have to ensure all the guests are happy, she also has to figure out what's going on. This doesn't give her much time to pursue her relationship with Luca and when she hears indirectly that Luca is thinking os selling the hotel, her future plans might be in jeopardy. I really loved the ending and how everything came together. A lovely read.

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I was so excited to return to Villa Limoncello once more, after adoring my previous visit i was so excited to be asked onto this tour for a repeat. Christmas is just around the corner and Izzie is ready to return to Tuscany once more for the Snowflakes and Christmas Cakes course ( that is my kind of course right there!)

Izzie cannot wait to return once more, especially to see Luca. However Izzie is facing her own dilemma she has been offered the job of a lifetime - a job that she always wanted. Luca has given her some space to consider her options but meanwhile these seems to be a lot of secrets and accidents flying around the villa once more.

I really enjoyed this, it was wonderfully festive with once more - beautiful food, craft classes i wanted to go along too and i was just so glad to be back. I mentioned before that i was rooting for Izzie and again - i was backing her wherever her heart lay, she is just a wonderful leading lady.

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The beautiful setting in Tuscany has dominated all three of the novels in the Tuscan Dreams series and certainly has given the stories an idyllic atmosphere. You can really visualise Luca's villa and it fabulous vineyard. When you add to that all the excitement and sparkle of Christmas, then you get a brilliant, festive read. Izzie is such a likeable character and although I did get frustrated with her and Luca at times, you are willing her to make the right choices throughout.

I loved the mixture of Christmas crafts and seasonal recipes which are showcased at the villa. The guests who are spending the week on the course add to the interest and are a good source of humour at times. Some, of course, have their own secrets to uncover and there is a surprise towards the end. This is a warm, uplifting read which wraps around you and invites you in. The whole series is certainly worth a read.

Thanks to the author for a copy of the book.

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I have to admit that I’m a newcomer to this series, however that didn’t stop me from really enjoying Christmas Secrets at Villa Limoncello.

This time Izzy returns to Villa Limoncello in Tuscany just before Christmas. She is there to run a cooking and crafting course for a group of choir singers who are rehearsing for their next concert. Izzy is excited to see the gorgeous Luca again and rekindle their romance. However, she finds that he is distant and evading questions, leaving Izzy confused. With a big job offer on the table back in England, what should she do?

The individual characters who attend the courses are intriguing and an element of mystery arises when accidents begin to happen. I loved all the mouthwatering recipes and Christmas crafts and the breathtaking location made me want to hop on the next plane to Tuscany. I really liked Izzy, she was always there with a sympathetic ear when anyone around her needed it and she seemed to be able to sense when someone was hiding pain.

The book is really well-paced, with surprises around every corner and the sparkling romance made this a Christmas read to remember.

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This was my third trip to Villa Limoncello and as with the other two books in the Tuscan Dreams series, it really did not disappoint. The charm of the previous two books in the series continued but with a very Christmassy feel. It really made me want to bake and make crafts!

Daisy’s books always make me feel hungry, there is just so much attention to detail when it comes to the food that is so vital to the creation of the Tuscan atmosphere. It truly is a sensory experience reading this series of books! I also think that the cover artwork for all three books is absolutely stunning, and compliment one another perfectly.

I loved the theme of the course, and the new characters who were attending the course at Villa Limoncello. The book deals with a number of secrets, which by the end are all revealed, and as for the ‘Will they? Won’t they?’ aspect of the relationship between Izzie and Luca, which has developed through the three books, my lips are firmly sealed! What I will say is that I was happy with the way the series has concluded, although I would absolutely love to see another return to Villa Limoncello, which has become a very special literary location for me.

I never expected Tuscany, which is normally evoked by lemon-scented sunshine, to feel quite so evocative of Christmas, and if like me, you enjoy reading Christmassy romances in the winter months, please put this on your list!

Many thanks to Canelo and Netgalley for the ARC of this book, in exchange for an honest review.

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Christmas in Tuscany and in a Villa - what else would you want? I thoroughly enjoyed this read so much for the wonderful writing style and description of the beautiful Tuscany, the foods, and the characters. There is the right amount of mystery and suspense and a feel-good Christmas read. This read was truly a fun escape where dreams do come true. I highly recommend this read to get into the Christmas spirit and for those who love an amazing story filled with the magic of the season.

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Book three in the Tuscan Dreams series is also my first visit to the delights of Villa Limoncello and can be read as a standalone novel.

Preparing for her return to Villa Limoncello, Izzie Jenkins' trial run of recipes for the upcoming Snowflakes and Christmas course are a disaster. Thankfully, with a bit of confidence mixed with excitement and nervousness, she flies to Italy hoping all will be well. On arrival, she's delighted Luca Castelotti has taken time from his busy schedule to pick her up from the airport. Only, it isn't long before it becomes apparent there's something Luca isn't telling her and the new guests turn up with a range of challenges...

Unfamiliar with the author's writing style, I liked her ability to wrap the scenes around the beautiful Italian backdrop and incorporating delicious food to drool over and equally charming idea about Christmas decorations and traditions. Even better, she's included some recipes for us to try… I know I need to have a go at Izzie's interpretation of Limoncello!

I enjoyed the light-hearted and fun narrative but would have liked for there to be more focus on Izzie and Luca. Despite not reading the previous novels in this series, I quickly became invested in their relationship and felt the other dramas at the villa outshone them too much. However, the little mystery and the surprise near the end are satisfying. The mix of secondary characters added an abundance of humour to create an enjoyable page-turning novel.

Overall, an action-packed Christmassy finale for fans of the series, full of love and happy endings.

***arc generously received courtesy of the publisher Canelo via NetGalley***

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When I saw the cover of this book, I knew I had to read it, it is gorgeous. I should have taken a minute to check it out better, because it is the final book in a trilogy. As I began reading this book, I was a bit lost as to all that had happened to bring the couples in this book together and what had happened to bring financial issues to Villa Limoncello. The more I got into the story, things cleared up and I was able to just read and enjoy the story.

Isabella, Izzy, Jenkins has been offered her dream job in England and she has a tough decision to make. Luca Castelotti, a handsome, chef who she just happens to love, lives in Tuscany and owns not only a Trattoria, but Villa Limoncello. Izzy has headed off to Italy to assist Luca with the latest group that is staying at the villa for "Snowflakes and Christmas Cakes" a five day course of Christmas cooking and crafts, as well as rehearsals for upcoming Christmas concerts. As the title says, there are so many secrets, it is hard to tell who is being honest or who is not sharing something they should be sharing. This is a romance, spearheaded by Carlotta, the village matchmaker. She has brought many people together, including Izzy and Luca and she knows they are meant to be. Both of them are trying not to hurt the other, so are not telling each other what they are thinking and what they need to know. With someone trying to blackmail members of the chorus, an attempt to harm the conductor and some love in the air, will the concerts go even go on? Will Luca and Izzy finally sit down and tell each other what is in their hearts? Be prepared for a surprise at the end that adds just a touch more angst to the story.

The story is well plotted with many secrets scattered throughout the story that add some tension and mystery. Is is well written and once I had sorted everything out, it held my attention well. Sometimes I forgot I was reading a romance as the other interesting storylines added much to the story. For me, the setting, the historical and artistic references were another interesting part of this book. It was great for the armchair traveler in me. Overall, it is a wonderful story of following your heart and your dreams to find what you really want, and doing that at Christmas time in Italy is truly magical. If you like a feel-good Christmas romance full of charm, them pick this one up to enjoy.

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First of all, I have to comment on that cover - such a beauty! And the cover matches the warm and enjoyable story that is waiting for you inside CHRISTMAS SECRETS AT VILLA LIMONCELLO by Daisy James.

The season is upon them all at Villa Limoncello in the beautiful surroundings of Italy and a new batch of guests have arrived. Izzie and Luca are ready to teach and tantalise everyone's taste buds but when secrets begin to cause some trouble, they will have to figure out what is happening. But Izzie also has some thinking to do when she gets offered an opportunity of a lifetime back home in Cornwall and when someone from her past shows up unexpectedly. Will the shores of home keep her from Italy and a chance at love?

This book is part of a series so I recommend that you read the others in order to get the most out of this wonderful book. The setting of Tuscany and the Villa Limoncello came alive on every page and I could almost taste and smell the delicious food as I turned each page. The characters are warm and inviting, and I enjoyed getting to know them and seeing their passion for what they love.

CHRISTMAS SECRETS AT VILLA LIMONCELLO by Daisy James is a lovely story that is sure to make you smile and I look forward to reading more from this author.

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I read this as a stand alone romance. I can see how closely related are the lives and loves (and drama) of these three best friends and the men in their lives. I know I need to go back and enjoy the stories of how Meghan and Gianni got together and more about how Izzie and Luca met.

Izzie's life has been touched by deep sadness. The death of her sister sent her spiraling into deep, dark depression with no idea how to move forward in life. This affected her relationships and her work and left her questioning her own creativity and talent. Fortunately, as this book starts, she has recovered some of her spark and joie de vivre. That does not mean all black clouds have blown away.
A wonderful job opportunity has left her with choices to make and changes to adjust to. Izzie has been an obsessive list maker to help her get through each day and to avoid making mistakes.
Life can not be lived without mistakes.

Before she decides upon her career direction, Izzie is committed to a week of teaching classes to a small group of choir members. It is a destination assignment, both for students and instructor. The destination being one of Izzie's favorite spots in the world with her now favorite man.
However, upon arrival, she immediately discovers the air is charged with secrecy ~ EVERYONE seems to have secrets. How is she to relax, enjoy and make life altering decisions under these conditions!?!??

In teaching, as in the fine arts, the show must go on, although there are many times during this book it was almost the last act. A rollercoaster of emotions as we wonder will they, won't they, who will speak first. Whose secrets will be revealed and how will that affect everyone else?

Each chapter begins with a location designation and a color. The room descriptions and inclusion of delicious food (with verbal instructions) appeal to all senses as we read. Tension builds as more secrets are discovered and revealed. Why is Nick being more tyrannical and manipulative than before? What are his ulterior motives? Shadowy yet not too dark, we are kept wondering what the secrets are. There are many parallels in various plot lines.

I found this to be a fresh and enjoyable romantic drama with a comforting ending.

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Having not read the previous 2 books, it took me some time to understand the depths of Izzie and Lucas's love. This book was set in the winter in snowy Tuscany.

Izzie was back at Villa Limoncello to organize courses and to transform the villa to make it into an ideal Tuscan getaway. They were to entertain a choir for the week along with baking courses. Izzie had a career decision to make and Luca wanted to give her the space to decide before going further with their relationship. Meanwhile mysterious things happened to the guests. Izzie and Luca had to investigate that along with their decisions.

My first book by Daisy James, and I felt she was a brilliant writer. Within the first few page, I could feel the story unfolding. Love between Luca and Izzie started working its magic on me from the beginning of the story when the two met at the airport. They wore their emotions on their sleeves. The writing gave me the powerful imagery, I could imagine Izzie's eyes sparkling on seeing Luca.

The book started slow, showing me the different characters and things happening in the villa. The author's writing brought to life the descriptions and events in a most delightful way. Christmas in Tuscany sure was fun. Characters were many, but their emotions were filled with warmth, except for a couple. The story traveled its own path before coming to the end.

Overall, a light fun read where mystery was weaved into the romance which made it a sweet love story.

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