I thought that the format of Joanna and Harriet narrating their own chapters worked really well in this story. For one thing, it highlights how perceptions can be so different (which lead to misunderstandings!). There is another narration that adds more mystery and intrigue – even though I hoped I knew what was coming – how exactly did this tie in? What was the link?

Joanna’s travels as she undertakes to write a tourist guide with a difference has the underlying mystery of Emmy and where she belongs in the family history. I loved this aspect of trying to trace her and wondered who would have the key that would bring it all together. I had no idea! The experiences Joanna has in Venice, Lisbon and Prague are sprinkled with magic … There are some things in life that can’t be defined or explained and this theme of the intangible plays out beautifully in this story.

Harriet is carrying the burden of a promise made which has skewed her perception, not only of herself but the life she is living. I’ve enjoyed watching her blossom and finding her place in the world. I’ve felt very protective of her!

Both sisters’ situations lead to introspection and we become a part of those musings and realisations.

The settings are amazing. I really felt myself there. It was great to be striding along those Dorset hills, seeing old architecture mixed with the new, sitting outside near the mulberry trees or walking across the bridges. At a time when travel is restricted it was great to be able to experience other places vicariously.

Not only is there the mystery of Emmy but also the intrigue about the prowler. What did he want? Why was he spying on them? The answer is a world away from what I thought. It explains so much.

From Venice with Love is a story about the search for self, no matter what age you are. Sometimes you need to lose yourself to find your way back to that centre of calm and balance. It’s about the importance of family and the bonds that hold even when the secrets are laid bare. It’s about repairing and renewal and beginning again. And love in all its shapes and sizes. 🙂

Don’t miss this one!

Joanna returns home to rural Dorset where at Mulberry Tree Farm Cottage she hopes to come to terms with what's been happening in her broken marriage. Her arrival at the cottage is viewed with apprehension by Joanna's sister, Harriet who has been coping alone, running the farm, as well as caring for their elderly mother who seems traps in a world of her own.

What then follows is delightful family drama, which this talented author does so well. There are some really lovely moments, I especially enjoyed the rather fraught relationship, Joanna has with her sister, both of them have resentments, but Harriet particularly feels aggrieved and envious of Joanna's more successful life style.

However, From Venice with Love isn't just about family angst, it's also a wonderful travelogue, the descriptions of which really bring the story to life. I especially enjoyed travelling to Venice, Lisbon and Prague with Joanna as she seeks to find answers to a tantalising family mystery, there's even a little bit of magical realism thrown in for good measure, which was an absolute joy to read.

Whenever I pick up a Rosanna Ley story I know that I am in for a very good read and From Venice with Love is no exception, in fact, I rather think that this is one of my favourite of her novels to date. It had everything I wanted, and so much more, from a summer story, sibling rivalry, friendship, family secrets, travel and a hint of romance, all are at the heart of this lovely family story which entertained me from beginning to end. I was even a little bit sad when the story ended as I didn't want to say goodbye to any of the characters

This book had me intrigued from the outset! A tantalising blend of themes which weave naturally into the narrative, this is a tale of family bonds and relationships, love and heartache and explores how history can sometimes repeat itself without you even realising it.

Despite the title, only part of the book is set in Venice. The author takes the reader, and two of the main characters on a journey to the Italian city, Lisbon and Prague as Joanna attempts to uncover the mystery behind the painting which has always hung in her room in Mulberry Farm Cottage.

The rest of the book is centred in the Dorset countryside and author Rosanna Ley does an excellent job of creating a feel for each of the locations with her vivid descriptions. I loved how the Mulberry tree became central to the story as it unfolded too.

While I was able to predict some of the storyline as it developed, the ending came as a delicious revelation! I need to know what happens next now!

I was expecting from the title that the book would centre around Venice. Venice is, of course, featured and brings back many memories, but you get three for the price of one in this story as the reader is taken to Lisbon and Prague. I love Rosanna Ley's ability to take the reader on a journey and in this book, the focus is at first on the relationship between two sisters when Joanna returns to the family farm following the breakup of her marriage.
I loved the journey both spiritually and physically that Joanna goes on to discovers Emmy's story and the impact her guide has on a fellow traveller. The ending is brilliantly done and I must confess to a tear in my eye. Fabulous read.

This is such a perfect choice for a light, yet engaging summer read. This is the first time I have read Rosanna Ley and I have to say she has a wonderful lightness of touch with her storytelling. I absolutely loved visiting Venice, Lisbon and Prague with Joanna, a travel journalist who appears to have it all in the eyes of her sister Harriet. As the saying goes, the grass is often greener on the other side. Harriet, I found rather cold and bitter but the reasons become apparent as the story unfolds. Both sisters have their crosses to bear and finding their peace and happiness isn’t always straight forward. With a slightly eccentric mother who seems to be struggling with her faculties and a family home that is literally falling down around their ears, you wonder how on earth they will come out of it.

Joanna discovers some letters in an abandoned trunk in the attic written by Emmy to Rufus. They are love letters and describe her visits to Prague, Lisbon and, of course, Venice. Joanna is compelled to follow Emmy on her journeys and in doing so might just uncover some family secrets that impact everyone at Mulberry Farm Cottage. Will a lifetime of heartbreak finally be healed?

I very much enjoyed this delightful novel. I didn’t feel compelled to rush through the pages but rather enjoyed a slower paced amble as I let myself be swept along for the journey. I loved the slight ghostly presence of Emmy in the background as she uses her past mistakes to bring peace and happiness to the present.

This is the story of two sisters. One lives on a farm with her mother and the other lives in London.
This book looks at family dynamics and self discovery.
The description of the characters and the places in the book make you feel part of the story. The book is a slow burn but this fits in well with the storyline and location.

A perfect holiday read.

I was fortunate to receive a copy from NetGalley, and then be invited to join the Blog Tour.

The book is about two sisters and their differing approaches to life, which are challenged when they start living together again. There are also visits to Venice, Lisbon and Prague, although not as much time spent there as I would have liked. I found some of the language, particularly Harriet's quite old fashioned and found it hard to warm to her overall. I enjoyed Nicholas's chapters, although we didn't find out the connection until right at the end.

This is an enjoyable summer read set primarily in Dorset.

⭐⭐⭐.5/5

This was a lovely story to read, it had all the elements to make it a feel good book. Venice, in the sunshine, love and romance and a mystery all the things I look for in a good book. I’ve read Rosanna Let’s books before and have always enjoyed the different settings she writes about. I read this book very quickly as I found I couldn’t put it down. More please Ms Ley.
My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

This is a story I thoroughly enjoyed and I read it as fast as I could because I wanted to know what would be next.
I loved the descriptions of Dorset that made me wish to be there and I was happy to travel to Venice, Lisbon and Prague.
The book is well written and the plot is told by multiple POV helping you to connect to the well rounded characters and their stories.
It's a story about bridges, connections and relationships: sister to sister, mother to daughters, lovers and friends. Some of them are in the present and some of them are the past but all are relevant and engrossing.
It was an excellent reading experience and I highly recommend it.
Many thanks to Quercus and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

Really loved this book and would highly recommend it! To begin with, it is set not that far from where I live (well, the next door county but still somewhere I know!) which has amazing scenery and I felt the author captured this really well. The wonderful descriptions given enabled me to picture the farm with its mulberry tree and I thought the characters involved were great. I loved the way that the relationships changed as we learnt more and the story unfolded. There were some things I expected / guessed but also some very unexpected twists..... The book travels across Europe to some places I have been lucky enough to visit and those sections of the story really took me back to my time there. Standing on Charles Bridge, Prague or watching the gondolas in Venice - the only thing is that I now want to go to Lisbon too! If you are looking for a lovely story of family relationships, set not only in the beautiful West Country but also in some wonderful European cities, you won’t go far wrong with this book!

Thank you to Net Galley & the publishers for allowing me to read this in exchange for an honest review, which is what I have given.

I enjoyed reading this book. The descriptions of Venice Prague and Lisbon and historical references to Venice were very good. The characters were well described. I would recommend this.

I had such high hopes for this book. I love Venice and that was what drew me to this book. Unfortunately I could not get interested in the characters.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

Lovely book with intertwined stories, genuine characters, enjoyed every minute of it. I would definitely pick this author up again.

Joanna returns home to Mulberry Farm when she separates from her husband. She discovers a pile of love letters in the attic and is entranced by them. She wonders who the writer Emmy is and if her family are related to her.

She's offered work writing some travel guides and decides to follow the footsteps of Emmy to Venice, Lisbon and Prague to walk the bridges mentioned in the letters.. While there she sees some things that are unexplained and later finds a connection with a painting in her own bedroom. Meanwhile Nicholas picks up her Venice guide and is mesmerised by what he sees. Randomly he pens an email to Joanna and they begin to correspond.

Harriet meanwhile is struggling with her life at the farm looking after their mother. She thinks Joanna has it all and she's very grumpy and envious of her sister. Little does she know what's round the corner for her!

I found the connections interesting and loved the historical aspects as well as the characters and ultimately all the threads of the story coming together. Would highly recommend.

If you're looking for a romantic journey across Europe's top beauty spots, look no further than this romantic family drama! A small stash of love letters disovered in the attic of her family home sends journalist Joanna Shepherd on trips to Venice, Lisbon and Prague in search of family secrets. On the way, she learn so much about herself, not least what she wants from life now that her marriage is over. Meanwhile, Joanna's sister Harriet struggles at home with life on the farm and care for her elderly mother - but adventure is waiting for her, too, if only she knew where to look! Mysterious strangers at home and abroad add to the suspense of this novel, while vivid visions on Joanna's journeys add a touch of feyness to the whole story. The theme of this novel is connections, both physical and spiritual: in Joanna's explorations of the three cities' bridges; in the relationship between sisters, between daughters and mother, between neighbours and friends, and between lovers, past and present.
The pace of the story is slow, but the prose is very descriptive, evoking the sights, smells and taste of both familiar and far-flung places From the aroma of jam simmering on the stove of the Dorset farmhouse kitchen, to the shades of terracotta, ginger, ochre and dark red of Venetian walls, to the fragrance of Portuguese mulberry trees and the street musicians of Prague, our senses are awakened and we're immersed in Joanna's journeys, and eager to discover her final destination ... or should that be destiny?

Brilliant summer read just right for a.balmy summers day
A love story on many levels entwined with a mystery.
It is one of those books you just cannot put down you just don’t want it to end
Can’t recommend it enough

I had high hopes for this book after enjoying Return to Mandalay from the same author. I also assumed that the book would be mainly based in Venice (from the title) and I was keen to escape and be transported somewhere beautiful but the time in Venice is fleeting as it is in the other locations of Lisbon and Prague. Joanna, the main character, moves around so much that you never really feel settled anywhere.
Once I got into the book, I enjoyed it a bit more but it didn't live up to my expectations. However, it hasn't put me off from reading more from this author.

I enjoyed the tale this book told. Joanna and Harriet, 2 sisters with 2 different paths. Harriet stays behind to look after the family farm and her mother, when their dad dies and Joanna heads to London. Joanna returns when she splits up from her husband and finds love letters in the attic and a painting from Venice, presumably by an ancestor.
Joanna follows in the footsteps of the artist and goes to Venice, Prague and Lisbon to write travel guides as part of her job.in the hope to also solve the mystery of the love letters.
Harriet meanwhile has started online dating in the hope of finding someone to spend her life with.
The book is well written from each of the sister's points of view and tells a good tale. It didn't grab me as much as I was hoping but I did enjoy it and it would be a great holiday read.

It took me a while to get into the flow of reading this book but once I did I was hooked by the past and present storylines that were interwoven throughout the book. I would have liked to have heard more about what happened between Joanna and Nicholas and with Celie’s wedding though!

If it wasn't as long as it was, I would have read this book in one breath. Although, I must admit, it left me sitting till quite late at night trying to find out what mystery Jo was going to discover next reading Emmy's letters and almost following her footsteps; as well as discovering all the mysteries surrounding the family.

The majority of the book is set in Dorset and the picturesque descriptions, make you feel as if you are there, enjoying the view and breathing the fresh Dorset air on Mulberry Cottage Farm, with the occasional trips helpful for Jo's writing starting in Venice.

I really enjoyed how the book intertwined the stories of Joanna, Hariett and later on Nicholas. It almost felt as if I were in all the places at the same time. All the time I was reading, I was looking forward to seeing what would happen to Joanna, until the completely unexpected twist right at the end. The book ends on a cliffhanger, almost wishing there was a sequel I could read straightaway.

Thanks #netgalley #rosannaley for letting me read this lovely book #fromvenivewithlove