BLOG TOUR: The Less Unkind - Rosaria Giorgi

At the tender age of twenty-one, Pico’s world is one of linguistic puzzles and academic pursuits. A student at the University of Copenhagen, she is thrilled to get a summer job working for enigmatic antique dealer Antonio Bartram. When Antonio suddenly disappears leaving behind nothing but a series of cryptic messages, Pico decides to use her linguistic prowess to decode the clues – with fateful consequences.

As Pico investigates, she uncovers a labyrinthine plot that stretches back decades to the theft of a priceless Caravaggio from a church in Sicily. Caught in the crosshairs of an obsessive art collector, a police murder investigation and a Mafia-sanctioned vendetta, her quest takes her across Europe: from the shadows behind the veneer of Copenhagen’s Nordic serenity, down the sun-kissed streets of the Italian Riviera, and even along the secretive corridors of the Vatican.

As she fights to uncover the truth and witnesses the lengths one will go to protect the secrets of the past, Pico confronts the moral quandaries that emerge when the pursuit of art eclipses the bounds of right and wrong.

 

What did I think?

I don't have an interest in art so I nearly didn't pick up The Less Unkind and what a travesty that would have been as I thoroughly enjoyed it.   It's like a cross between The Sopranos and The Da Vinci Code with a Mafia boss trying to locate a stolen work of art and a student who may hold the key to its location.

The pacing is quite gentle at first as Rosaria Giorgi paints a vivid scene of Copenhagen with her beautiful words.  Pico is an Italian who is studying at the University of Copenhagen and her friend Leo recommends her for a summer job at A. Bartram Antiques.  Pico doesn't have any experience in art or antique dealing but she speaks several languages so she is a very useful assistant for Antonio Bartram.

When Antonio goes missing, Pico must use both her language and problem-solving skills to uncover Antonio's hidden past, which will give her the clues to discover his current destination.  I was completely drawn into the web of intrigue that the author had cast around me and the pacing rose to a crescendo as I raced towards the breathtaking conclusion.  

Based on a true story, Rosaria Giorgi weaves fact with fiction to create an intelligent, intriguing and multi-layered mystery in her breathtaking debut novel.  A recommended read for crime fiction fans and unmissable for anyone with a love of art.

I received an ARC to read and review for the blog tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from:

UK.Bookshop.org

Amazon

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BLOG TOUR: The Little Shop of Hidden Treasures - Holly Hepburn

 

Originally published in four parts this is the full story in one package. 

When Hope loses her husband, she fears her happiest days are behind her. With her only connection to London broken, she moves home to York to be near her family and to begin to build a new life.  

 

Taking a job at the antique shop she has always admired, she finds herself crossing paths with two very different men. Will, who has recently become the guardian to his niece after the tragic death of her parents. And Ciaran, who she enlists to help solve the mystery of an Egyptian antique. Two men who represent two different happy endings.

 

But can she trust herself to choose the right man? And will that bring her everything she really needs?

What did I think?

This gorgeous book is as stunning inside as out.  Just look at that amazing cover, perfectly encapsulating the narrow, charming streets of York with the famous minster in the background.  Don't worry if you've never been to York, just let Holly Hepburn take you there through her wonderfully vivid and huggably warm writing.

I simply adored this book from start to finish.  The setting of The Ever After Emporium is to die for.  If I ever found such a shop, I'm sure I would be lost in there for days never mind hours, especially when I discovered the book room.  I warmed to the main character of Hope immediately; she is so likeable and friendly, despite being in terrible pain following the untimely death of her husband.

A chance discovery at the antique shop brings two very different men into Hope's life: jeweller Will and Professor of Egyptology Ciaran.  It was Will's niece, four-year-old Brodie, who completely stole my heart though.  Holly Hepburn brings this wonderful little girl (and her other characters) to life with such breathtaking descriptions that they virtually leap out from the page.  The thread of which man will win Hope's heart is woven throughout the book and I was most definitely rooting for one over the other.  You'll just have to read the book to find out which one, if any, she ends up with.

The Little Shop of Hidden Treasures was originally digitally published in four parts so this novel is the full collection of those four ebooks.  You do, therefore, get a little bit of repetition at the beginning of each part as the reader is reminded about the characters and the story.  It did interrupt the flow of my reading a little as I didn't take a break between parts, however, I'm sure that any slower readers won't even notice.

I love Egyptian history so that's what initially drew me to the book but I got so much more than I expected from this delightful novel.  It's both a heartwarming romance and an Egyptian mystery rolled into one.  I loved it so much that I plan to read it again.  

The Little Shop of Hidden Treasures is a big warm fluffy hug in a book and it's the perfect book to snuggle up with over the winter months.  Grab a blanket and a hot chocolate, curl up in your favourite reading chair and let Holly Hepburn whisk you away to the charming streets of York.  I adored it and I can't recommend it highly enough.

I received an ARC to read and review for the blog tour and all opinions are my own.

My rating:

Buy it from:

UK.Bookshop.org

Amazon

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PUBLICATION DAY BLITZ: The Little Shop of Hidden Treasures Part One: Starting Over - Holly Hepburn

I'd like to take this opportunity to wish Holly Hepburn a fabulous publication day!  Today doesn't just mark the publication of a new book, it's also the start of a brand new series and I think it sounds absolutely brilliant.  It's set in York which is one of my favourite places to visit and I also love Egyptian artefacts which are mentioned in the book so I really can't wait to read it.  If you're as eager to read it as me, I'm delighted to be able to share the first two chapters of The Little Shop of Hidden Treasures Part One: Starting Over.  Scroll down to pay a visit to York and have a little browse inside the Ever After Emporium.

When Hope loses her husband, she fears her happiest days are behind her. With her only connection to London broken, she moves home to York to be near her family and to begin to build a new life.  

 

Taking a job at the antique shop she has always admired, she finds herself crossing paths with two very different men. Will, who has recently become the guardian to his niece after the tragic death of his parents. And Ciaran, who she enlists to help solve the mystery of an Egyptian antique. Two men who represent two different happy endings.

 

But can Hope trust herself to choose the right man? And will that bring her everything she really needs?

Purchase link:

Amazon UK

Click HERE to read the first two chapters of The Little Shop of Hidden Treasures Part One: Starting Over.

Doesn't it sound great?  You will definitely want to buy a copy after reading the first two chapters so here's that purchase link again: Amazon UK