Change of Heart: An uplifting and escapist love story (Beneath Italian Skies Book 2)
£1.49
Two families at war and Alice finds herself caught in the middle. Can she re-write a story as old as time?
When cutbacks force Alice out of her assistant manager role at a Devonshire stately home, she turns her sights elsewhere: the picturesque hills above the historic city of Parma. An aristocratic Italian family are looking to open their medieval castle to the public, and Alice is just the woman for the job.
Four years ago, a life-changing accident pushed Alice into depression, but the beauty and charm of the Italian countryside works its magic in brightening her days. Especially when she keeps bumping into handsome Luca… But rivalries run deep in the town, and Alice’s work – not to mention her potential love life – are caught in the middle of a long-standing feud between two families.
With her job and future happiness in peril, can Alice save the future of the castle, and bring two warring families together?
A gorgeous and uplifting romance, for fans of Rosanna Ley, Sue Moorcroft and Lucy Coleman.
Praise for Change of Heart
‘The characters are strong, well developed, and truly relatable. The plot moved along quickly and the description of the setting once again left me with a desire to go back to Italy.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader review
‘I loved the character of Luca and I could picture the beautiful scenery with the turn of each page. A great read!’⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader review
‘I loved the strong and clever heroine. The plot is lovely, fast-paced and made me root for the characters. A well plotted, poignant, and compelling story that I strongly recommend.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader review
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Additional information
| Publisher | Canelo Romance (2 Nov. 2023) |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| File size | 4337 KB |
| Text-to-Speech | Enabled |
| Enhanced typesetting | Enabled |
| X-Ray | Not Enabled |
| Word Wise | Enabled |
| Sticky notes | On Kindle Scribe |
| Print length | 260 pages |
by Mrs Christine Firth
very enjoyable
by Amazon Customer
Well written and an amazing story line. A real feel good novel that kept me turning the pages. Can’t wait for the next one!
by micheller1967
I loved this book from the very start, as always the characters and scenery are so well described. The story is well balanced, clearly a lot of research has been done to ensure accuracy and you really feel part of the story as an unseen onlooker.
Oh of course there’s Frank the black Labrador, it wouldn’t be the same if there wasn’t a black lab involved.
Can highly recommend this book and all of TA’s other books not read a book of his I didn’t enjoy.
by Venice 42
Once again this is a beautiful romantic story. But, unlike other books it is not like just like other books. Here the romance includes,food,wine beautiful countryside,until you’re are there enjoying the food, wine taking in the fantastic surroundings and taking part in Italian life. But unfortunately, the dream dies on the last page. Can’t wait for the next dream. Keep writing!
by Kate
I don’t often read women’s fiction, but I always make an exception for TA Williams. Change Of Heart is set in Parma, and although I’ve never been there myself, I love how the author’s description of the historical buildings (particularly the castle that Alice is enlisted to restore), the nature and the delicious food can take me to Italy and I can lose myself in the story for hours. I read Change Of Heart in a single day, which emphasises how engaged I was in this story.
The protagonist of Change Of Heart is Alice, and it’s obvious from quite early in the novel that she has been through some difficulties in her life. I felt that TA Williams approached these with great sensitivity and it really made me root for her as she tried to overcome these difficulties. I really hoped that Alice would find the happiness she deserved.
Change Of Heart is a really well plotted story, and I love how the author has developed the feud between the Varaldo and Montorso families. I enjoyed the edge it gave to the romantic elements of the novel and the drama and tension it created throughout the novel, which kept me hooked from beginning to end.
by Karen
Whilst this is shown as being the second in a series, the book is a standalone and can be enjoyed as such. My review copy was supplied via Netgalley.
I do enjoy this author’s books. They are a glorious mix of Italian culture and romance – and the food! I swear I was drooling for much of the book!
Here we meet 31 year old Alice, who after a change of circumstances accepts a job working for the Varaldo family who have aspirations to open their castle to the public. Alice had previously lived in Italy, spoke the language fluently and would seem the ideal person if she could conquer her inner demons and confidence crisis following her accident. The Varaldo family finances are diminishing and although significant restoration will be required, they need to get the project underway. The fly in the ointment is the local Mayor, who can either assist or obstruct their plans. With a feud between the two families going back generations, it is clear which camp he will be in.
Set in Parma, northern Italy, A Change of Heart is an uplifting and heartwarming story of romance and drama. I adore Italy and the vivid descriptions of the locations makes me want to be back there. Of course there is also the obligatory black labrador, a trademark of his books.
With well drawn (and mostly) engaging characters this is overall a story of positivity and how being brave and opening yourself to new challenges and opportunities can pay dividends, in all manner of ways. The romance element was charming and although the path to love was not always smooth, I was rooting for our characters all the way and hoping there was a happy ending.
If you haven’t read any books by T A Williams before, do give them a try. I have no hesitation in recommending them. A Change of Heart is a lovely escapist read and one to lose yourself in for a few hours.
by BabsW
I think that this may be my favourite of all this author’s books. Yes, it’s a wonderful romantic story, but the female protagonist has restricted mobility and I found myself feeling a common bond with her. Alice is a wonderful character, and I took to her immediately. The fall out from her accident did more damage than simply rendering her with mobility issues, it broke her heart and ended her life in Italy, so it’s not an easy decision to take the job in Parma.
As expected, I now feel that I know more about this region and it’s proximity to Tuscany. I’m once again craving an opportunity to explore so many parts of Italy. Alas, work and bank balance are colluding to restrict my plans.
The sweeping countryside around the ancient castle was described so beautifully that I also wanted to take a horse and explore the area. I’d make a beeline to visit the Alpacas and look in their gorgeous eyes.
Each character was enjoyable, and I loved meeting them. I definitely had a soft spot for Luca as he and Alice became closer. I must also mention that he, and his brother, brought the aforementioned Labradors into the story, along with descriptions of soulful eyes and opportunistic snacking and swimming.
I found that the feud was delivered excellently, and I could almost feel the tension as things began to reach their conclusion. There was no escaping the Shakesperean theme of the star-crossed lovers and felt that it fitted perfectly into the story.
Trevor Williams has an excellent style of writing, and I cannot wait to read his next romantic novel.