An Italian Summer

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What to expect

AN ITALIAN SUMMER is a novel about friendship, family secrets and second chances, set against the backdrop of southern Italy.

Sandy is in her fifties, and at a crossroads in her life: she’s a teacher and respected by her pupils, but she feels she is being sidelined in favour of younger colleagues. So when her mother dies, leaving her a sealed envelope addressed to an unknown woman living in Naples, Sandy decides to head to Italy to resolve the mystery by delivering the letter herself. She books herself on to a small sightseeing trip from Rome to Naples and the Amalfi Coast, hoping to meet some like-minded people along the way. Who is the mysterious woman she is searching for? And will Sandy find friendship, or even love, along the way…?

Your favourite authors love Fanny Blake:

‘Fanny Blake has the gift of creating wonderful page turners from very domestic situations; and then making them warm and funny as well’ Penny Vincenzi

‘I love the way Fanny Blake proves that women just become more and more fascinating’ Adele Parks

‘I love that she writes about women our age, and the painful and wise truths we know’ Marian Keyes

‘Warm, funny, wise and relatable. A perfect summer read’ Veronica Henry

Read by Jane McDowell
(p) Orion Publishing Group 2018

Critics Review

  • I adored An Italian Summer… Fanny not only writes beautifully about relationships, but the descriptions of Rome and Naples are so ravishing, that you not only marvel at the scenery but also taste the delectable food and feel the hot sun on your back. A most beguiling read

    Jilly Cooper

  • Intelligent, grown-up and cheering, Fanny has cornered the market in “real” stories told well

    Fern Britton

  • A lovely, absorbing read, gently told, but with an intriguingly dark edge

    Hilary Boyd

  • Likeable and realistic characters in a glorious Italian setting, this is the perfect summer read

    Maeve Haran

  • From the moment the mystery unfolds straight through to the last pages, Fanny wove an engaging, heartfelt and nuanced story in such a beautifully drawn setting. I didn’t want to put this book down

    Michele Gorman

  • I loved this book. Fanny Blake excels at exploring the intricate detail of relationships

    Sarah Morgan

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