Review: The Italian Girl by Lucinda Riley

Rosanna Menici is just eleven years old when she meets Roberto Rossini, the man who will change her life forever. In the years to come, their destinies are bound together by their extraordinary talents as opera singers and by their enduring but obsessive love for each other - a love that will ultimately affect the lives of all those closest to them. For, as Rosanna slowly discovers, their union is haunted by powerful secrets from the past . . .

Rosanna's journey takes her from humble beginnings in the back streets of Naples to the glittering stages of the world's most prestigious opera houses. Set against a dazzling backdrop of evocative locations, The Italian Girl unfolds into a poignant and unforgettable tale of love, betrayal and self-discovery. From the international bestselling author of Hothouse Flower and The Midnight Rose comes The Italian Girl - first published as Aria under the name Lucinda Edmonds.

Paperback, 594 pages

Published June 1st 2014 by MacMillan Australia (first published 1996)

Terri's Thoughts

Anyone who follows my reviews knows that I am a huge fan of Lucinda Riley as historical fiction is my favorite genre and her writing is exactly what I look for.  This is the only title in her collection of books that I had not yet read (that I am aware of) so I was eager to devour it.  I chose the audio version of this book as I am a big multi-tasker and this allowed me to do more than one thing at a time.

I have to admit that this was not one of my favorite of her titles however even though this is the case, I was still swept up in the storyline.  I was eager to find out what would happen to Rosanna and Roberto and if and when all of the secrets would be revealed.  For those who choose audio books, you know this can be excruciating as you can read faster than the audio version dictates to you.  Alas, I remained patient and waited for all to be revealed.

Without divulging the plot, there have been over 2000 reviews, most likely everything has been said, the reason this story was not at the top of my list is that I just couldn't get on Roberto's side.  As much as I loved Rosanna and her journey, I just found Roberto to be a horrible human being.  It is hard to be 100% on board when half of the characters are not likeable.  I know that this was intentional but it still made me struggle.

At the end of the day, regardless of where a book ranks from top to bottom from Riley's work, you really can't go wrong.  As usual, her writing sweeps you away in to another world until you realize that too much time has passed and you need to re-enter the real world.  I will always be a huge fan and will actively seek out her work knowing that I will never truly be disappointed.  I can't wait for her next work in the Seven Sisters series is released so that I can go back in to the magic that only Lucinda Riley can deliver.

About the Author

AKA: Lucinda Edmonds
Lucinda Riley was born in Ireland, and after an early career as an actress in film, theatre and television, wrote her first book aged twenty-four. Her books have been translated into over thirty languages and sold over ten million copies worldwide. She is a Sunday Times and New York Times bestselling author.

Lucinda’s novels include The Seven Sisters, a seven-book series telling the story of adopted sisters and based allegorically on the mythology of the famous star constellation. The first three books, The Seven Sisters, The Storm Sister, and The Shadow Sister have all been No.1 bestsellers across Europe, and the rights to a multi-season TV series have already been optioned by a Hollywood production company.

When not writing, travelling or running around after her children, she loves reading books that she hasn’t written with a glass or two of Provençal rosé!

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