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Description edit
The internationally bestselling authorof The French Gardener presentsa complex and irresistibly compelling novel that confirms the remarkablepower of love to heal and transform. Ten-year-old Floriana is captivated by the beauty of the magnificent Tuscan villa that overlooks the sea just... read more
Ridiculously Simplified Synopsis edit
Characters/People edit
- Marina Turner: beautiful, passionate about keeping her hotel, married to Grey, whom she rescued from the despair of his failed marriage to his first wife. Her greatest sorrow in life has been her inability to have children. Little is known of her past.
- Floriana: young, spirited, abandoned by her mother and left with her drunken father, she dreams of escaping her lonely life and finding love.
- Dante Massimo: The only son and heir of Beppe Massimo. He falls in love with Floriana and wants to marry her but is afraid of his father.
- Rafael Santoro: handsome, charismatic Argentinian who arrives at the hotel as a artist in residence to boost business. He appears to have an ulterior motive.
- Grey Turner: Marina's loving and supportive husband. He has a son, Jake and daughter, Clemintine from his previous marriage.
- Costanza: Best friend of Floriana-she is upper class and her mother thinks she is better than Floriana.
- Dante: upper class boy who takes a liking to Floriana
- Harvey Dovecote: is 75yrs old but still employed by Marina as an odd job man. He and Marina share a special friendship as she sees him as a father figure.
- Bertha: Marina's housemaid.
- Sylvia: Clementine's friend who's looking for love.
- Costanza Aldorisio: Floriana's rich friend. Her mother disapproves of Floriana's place in Costanz'a life as she see's her as low class. Costanza refuses to give her friend up and is even at times envious of her friends freedom to come and go as she pleases. She's oblivious to the pain Floriana tries to conceal.
- Aldorisio: Contemptuos, scheming mother of Costanza, she has high ambitions for her daughter to marry Dante and thwarts any chance that Floriana and Dante have of getting closer.
- Signora Bruno: is like a mother to Floriana and sympathetic to her plight.
- Damiana Massimo: Dante's sister who takes a shine to Floriana and sympathises with her.
- Violetta: Dante's mother who has a soft spot for Floriana and is sympathises over the relationship between Dante and Floriana but knows her husband will never consent.
- Beppe Bonfanti: Dante's ruthless scheming father who is rumoured to have mafia links.
- Father Ascanio: sympahises immensely with Floriana and keeps a special look out for her.
- Marina: Add a description of this character.
- Clementine: Spoiled brat who hates Marina because she feels it is her fault her parents divorced. Evantually she matures and comes to see her behavior is not good for anybody.
- Jake: Grey's more amiable son who supports Marina.
Quotes edit
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“"Don't forget the past, accept it and let it go so it doesn't ruin your present - you can't change what happened, but you can choose to change the way you view it"”
Rafael -
“"Look, we are not caricatures but complicated, flawed human beings. Love is bigger than all of us. Just understand that they had their reasons and make a conscious decision to let them go. They're a great big liner you are pulling across the waves. Cut the rope. Release yourself. You can rise to great heights in spite of the terrible start you had in life.”
Rafael -
“"All human beings are equal in God's eyes - you ARE as precious as everyone else"”
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“"We are all rootless...until we find our soul mate. ... when you do, the world will shift into place and you will no longer feel dislocated"”
- Popular Highlights from Kindle Customers
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So you see, your choices are important. If you choose to hold on to grudges you will create a future that is unhappy, because every decision will be borne out of your resentment.
Highlighted by 5 Kindle customers -
“The point is, nothing you do is in isolation.
Highlighted by 4 Kindle customers -
a belief in our ability to choose our destinies. We come down here to experience life and learn to be compassionate, loving human beings.
Highlighted by 3 Kindle customers
First Sentence edit
The little girls stood outside the imposing black gates of Villa La Magdalena and peered up the drive.
Series & Lists edit
This book is in 2011 Published Books. (community list)
Authors & Contributors edit
- Santa Montefiore (Author)
Classification edit
- Library of Congress: Add the Library of Congress Classification.
- Dewey: 823.92
Subjects edit
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