House By The Sea, The

The irresistible new novel set between 1960s Tuscany and present-day Devon, from number one bestseller Santa Montefiore Ten-year-old Floriana is captivated by the beauty of the magnificent Tuscan villa just outside her small village, and dreams of living there someday. When Dante, the son of the villa's owner, invites her inside, she knows that her destiny is there, with him. But as they grow up they cross an unseen line, jeopardizing the very thing they hold most dear... Decades later and hundreds of miles away, a beautiful old country house hotel on England's Devon coast has fallen on hard times. Its owner, Marina, hires an artist-in-residence to stay the summer and teach the guests how to paint. The man she finds is charismatic and wise and begins to pacify the discord in her family and transform the fortunes of the hotel. However, it soon becomes clear that he is not who he seems... From the Italian countryside to the English coast, The House by the Sea is a moving and mysterious tale of love, forgiveness and the past revealed. This book has been published in the US under the title The Mermaid Garden. Review: 'This is Santa Montefiore at her best - an enchanting read overflowing with deliciously poignant moments. If you love a heartfelt, epic trilogy this is for you. I loved it and can't wait for more' -- Dinah Jefferies, author of The Tea Planter's Wife, on Songs of Love and War 'Nobody does epic romance like Santa Montefiore. Everything she writes, she writes from the heart' -- Jojo Moyes 'A multigenerational banquet of love: falling in, falling out, rediscovering,rekindling. The Beekeeper's Daughter features sophisticated, irresistible backdrops and brilliantly drawn characters that made it one of the most engrossing reads of my year' -- Elin Hilderbrand, author of The Matchmaker, on The Beekeeper's Daughter 'I raced through this feel-good romantic story, which spans continents and decades' -- Fanny Blake * Woman & Home on The Beekeeper's Daughter * 'This deeply romantic saunter is an ideal summer read. Laced with secrets and forbidden liaisons, it is sure to keep you turning the pages' * The Lady on The Beekeeper's Daughter * 'Santa Montefiore is the new Rosamunde Pilcher' * Daily Mail * 'A superb storyteller of love and death in romantic places in fascinating times' * Vogue * 'A gripping romance . . . it is as believable as the writing is beautiful' * Daily Telegraph * 'Anyone who likes Joanne Harris or Mary Wesley will love Montefiore' * Mail on Sunday * 'One of our personal favourites and bestselling authors, sweeping stories of love and families spanning continents and decades' * The Times * 'Engaging and charming' -- Penny Vincenzi Author Biography: Born in England in 1970, Santa Montefiore grew up in Hampshire. She is married to writer Simon Sebag Montefiore. They live with their two children, Lily and Sasha, in London. Visit her at www.santamontefiore.co.uk.