Smart Bitches Trashy Books | All of the romance, none of the bullshit.

Loretta Chase’s new book, Your Scandalous Ways, is supposedly set in Venice.  I haven’t read it yet but it’s supposed to be really good.

Lydia Joyce’s Music of the Night is also set in Venice.

The Savage Garden by Mark Mills is more of a literary mystery than a romance, but it’s definitely worth checking out.  It’s set in Tuscany in 1958.

Wings of the Falcon by Elizabeth Peters is great - set in Italy in the 1880s, during unification.  It’s suspense/romance, really; give it a try!

It’s supernatural rather than straight-up historical, but Lois McMaster Bujold’s The Spirit Ring is set in Renaissance Italy.

http://www.amazon.com/Spirit-Ring-Lois-McMaster-Bujold/dp/0671578707

Is WWII too modern?  The Wedding Officer by Anthony Capella is a lovely novel, set in Naples.

Amanda McCabe’s A Notorious Woman is a Renaissance Venice-set book that is very, very good.

Elizabeth Amber has a trilogy of historical erotic paranormals set mostly in Tuscany. This Kensington Aphrodesia series is about three Satyr brothers, Nicholas, Raine (not for the faint-hearted), and Lyon, who guard the gates between the human and fey worlds while locating and marrying the three half-human daughters of the king of the fey.

The major appeal, to me, of this series is that I haven’t met these characters or read this story a thousand times before. I like it a lot.

http://www.elizabethamber.com/backcoverblurb.html

Here’s another vote for The Wedding Officer.  I adored that book. Madeline Hunter’s excellent Lessons of Desire is a historical (Regency era) mostly set in Italy.

Try Lord of Night by Susan Wiggs.  An excellent historical set in Italy.

I’ll second the Lydia Joyce recommendation, and also Colleen Gleason’s Gardella Chronicles are set in Italy in books 2 & 3.

I adore Susan Wiggs’ historicals, and I’m not really into historicals.  I’m going to have to try that one out. I found it on Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Lord-Night-Susan-Wiggs/dp/0061080527/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1211980453&sr=1-1

But you have to buy it from private sellers, Amazon doesn’t have it. Her writing is so fabulous, it’s worth reading anything of hers. The two reviews give you a feel for the book and are raves.

Michelle Jaffe had two historical romances set in Renaissance-era Venice, The Stargazer and The Water Nymph. Both were pretty enjoyable! Plus she has a Ph.D from Harvard, so the historical accuracy was really impressive.

I adore Wiggs’ Lord of Night, so I second that. Up with Unusual Historicals! Now back to my Venetian pirate WIP…

Okay, I’m going to go HABO. I read a book I loved years ago, probably in the 1980s. I thought it was actually by Alexandria Ripley, but now I can’t find it. It was set in Florence and was about Lorenzo de Medici, Lorenzo the Magnificent. It was told through the eyes of the woman who becomes his lover. I can’t remember if she was originally a serf or what. But it captures the time and place beautifully. I know that it talks about him having terrible arthritis. I know it also delves into the artists of that era, especially Botticelli.

It’s a historical romance novel, sort of in the style of Sharon Kay Penman, but not her either. Darn it, I wish I could remember it, I read it several times.

death36??? Wow. I’m way beyond that.

Laura Kinsale‘s For My Lady’s Heart (set in mostly England, but with very Machiavellian-ish goings-on) and especially its sequel Shadow Heart, which is set mostly in Italy.

I don’t have enough caffeine in me yet to seduce you into the delights of the Kinsale universe, but seriously, read these books.

Heh. Spamword: europe58

I’m not normally an Anne Rice fan, but Cry to Heaven was a good book (about a castrati and not very romance-like, but good historical fiction).

If you want classic romantic comedy (which is only partially set in Italy) A Room with a View is lovely.

The Palace by Chelsea Quinn Yarbro is historical fantasy with a shot of romance--a vampire living in Italy during the time of the deMedicis and that nutty priest Savonarola. I’m not fond of how Yarbro tends to demonize Christian characters, but I enjoyed the book nonetheless. Last I saw, it was in print and available at libraries.

I was about the recommend that book, Robin!

And a series that’s not Romance but fabulous all the same--The Lindsey Davis historical mysteries set in ancient Rome. Marcus Didius Falco is the protagonist. Full of meticulously detailed facts delivered with humor and richness, I recommend these to anybody, on any level. They bring Rome and the ancient Italians to life.

Gaelen Foley’s Ascension series is set in a fictional Italian kingdom, called Ascension, off the Southern Italy coast. They’re pretty good books, I’d say B material. The first one, The Pirate Prince, is the best one.

Isn’t Loretta Chase’s Captives of the Night set partly in Italy?

I also recommend the Michelle Jaffe books. I really enjoyed that series, including the two other books Lady Killer and Secret Admirer.

How about paranormal historicals?  Susan Squires’ two most recent books, One With The Shadows and One With The Darkness both take place in Italy.....

The Wind Dancer, by Iris Johansen takes place in 16th century Italy. I own that one and its sequels, which I don’t think take place in Italy at all.

I definitely second Johansen’s “Wind Dancer” and Jaffe’s “Stargazer”.  The Alexandra Ripley is called “The Time Returns”, and is definitely worth hunting up-- Lorenzo de’ Medici is the hero and various key Renaissance figures put in cameo appearances.  Rosalind Laker’s “The Venetian Mask” is also fun, and I think it’s been reissued recently.  I’d also recommend Laurel Corona’s “The Four Seasons”, set in Venice in the early eighteenth century.

Robinjn, I was going to mention that Alexandra Ripley book, too.  I found it on Amazon: The Time Returns.  It’s kind of in the family saga mould, but fascinating in its detail.

How about ancient Italian history?  There are probably some Roman-set romances...didn’t Harlequin have a couple recently?

The Borgia Bride is a good historical with romantic elements, although I wouldn’t classify it as a romance per se.

p.s. this is modern, rather than historical, but Susan Elizabeth Phillips’ “Breathing Room” always makes me want to run away and move to Tuscany.  It might make a nice counterpoint to all the Renaissance-set stories.  : )

spinsterwitch, I thought of Where Angels Fear to Tread (also by EM Forster) instead of A Room with a View and didn’t even realize it until I saw your comment.  I don’t know why that would be since Room was made into one of my favorite movies, ever. 

I quite enjoyed The Birth of Venus; it’s set in historical Italy.  It’s not really a romance, though a love story is a feature of the book.  Sarah Dunant really brings the historical period alive and makes it interesting, which counts for a lot for me.

[And to close out this random comment, a part of Captives of the Night is set in Italy, but it’s a pretty small part.  I’d recommend the book, just not on the strength of the Italy connection since the greater part of the story takes place in England.  If that was the only reason a person picked it up, they might be disappointed.]

fiveandfour - Captives of the Night almost put me off Loretta Chase for life. Thank goodness I read Lord of Scoundrels and cleansed my brain.

I would recommend the Stravaganza series by Mary Hoffman, starting with Stravaganza: City of Masks.  This is YA and fantasy series, but I thoroughly enjoyed it.  The plot features British students who can travel to a parallel world based on Renaissance Italy.  There’s lots of Machiavellian intrigue, as well as an amazing amount of detail about Italian culture (I learned more about Venice from reading this book than any book set in the real city).

If you enjoy fantasy, you might also like Shadow of the Lion by Mercedes Lackey.  It takes place in Venice, but in an alternate reality (in this world, the Great Library did not burn and magic and demons exist).  There are a lot of characters and side plots to keep track of, but there is also a lot of Venetian color to the story.

Finally, I would agree with everyone who has recommended Michelle Jaffe, Loretta Chase, and Laura Kinsale.

You might want to try Gayle Feyrer’s Prince of Cups if you can find it.  It is set during the Savonarola, Machiavelli, and Borgia (15th Century) time in (I believe ) Florence.  You can usually find used copies of it on Amazon.

One thing about the book I suggested.  It is a little cut up.  Sometimes it takes a little bit to figure out whose interaction you’re reading.

Slightly off the point, since they are neither romance nor historical, but are most excellent, well-written books: Donna Leon’s series (13 or 14 by now) of detective novels set in contemporary Venice. 
These have the total authenticity that comes from an observant and intelligent author who commands a perfect balance of the foreigner’s objective eye and the local’s inside knowledge (she has lived and worked in Venice for many years).  I would recommend Donna Leon to anyone who is visiting Venice in reality as well as imagination, because the tourist will feel a sense of familiarity and confidence that no guide-book can convey.

Ciao tutti:
You have hit on a subjet dear to my heart. I’m Italian and love talking about Italy/Italians. Thanks, Carrie, for letting me know about this thread.

I happen to write Italian Medieval romances. I had one out in 2000 with Kensington Precious Gem. Unfortunately, NYC editors are leary of publishing a newcomer in a location they feel will be a hard sell. Avon had been interested, but they told my then agent that they’d buy it only if I had a readership. At the time, I didn’t. THE LILY AND THE FALCON was the Gem book. It’s set in 15th century Florence (in the time of Cosimo de’ Medici) and is the first book of a 4-book series.

I also had a romantic-suspense set in the U.S. and Italy out in 2001. It’s no longer available, but you can read the first chapter on my website: http://www.jcortipetska.com

At the moment, I have an ebook short story set in 14th century Piemonte, Italia. It’s published by The Dark Castle Lords.

Jannine

Not fiction and not even a romance - but Under the Tuscan Sun by Frances Mayes is a lovely book about her experiences renovating an old villa in Italy.

Captives of the Night is great, but it’s not even a small part that’s set in Italy. It’s just the prologue. Chase’s The Lion’s Daughter, which is set mostly in Albania, has more Italian-set scenes (IIRC). I second the recommendation for Birth of Venus.

I just read The Devil in Music by Kate Ross. It is the fourth Julian Kestrel Mystery. It is set almost entirely in Northern Italy in 1821 & 1825. It is an historical mystery with romantic elements. It may be difficult to find, but it is more than worth the time and expense.

Kay

I’ve seen other comments on the negative side about Captives of the Night which makes me think I’m on an island, practically alone in liking that one.  I liked it more than The Lion’s Daughter, which I know is probably the thing that puts me in the skiff, rowing my way to said island in the first place. 

Lord of Scoundrels is also terrific, and I love how there are elements of homage to Devil’s Cub (Jess shooting Dain being the most obvious thing) sprinkled through the story.

Now that I’m thinking of these (and other Loretta Chase books), I have a feeling some re-reading is in my near future…

How about Prince of Foxes by Samuel Shellabarger? It’s a classic, with lots of sword fights and Borgia badness. It was written in the 1950s, I think, but it’s still a great story.

Ciao bella!
I spent a few months in college studying in the city of Ravenna, which was temporarily the capitol of the Byzantine Empire.  I studied up on this awesome empress named Theodora.  I’m not sure if you’ve ever heard of her--she was around 3 AD--but I always told myself that I would write a romance based on her life.  She was ahead of her time because her husband Justinian I made her his equal and she supported abortion (she had one!), the rights of women to own property and made laws protecting prostitutes!

So guess what?  You just HABO, because you made me remember my idea.  Thank you!

Here’s a link to the very unreliable wikipedia site:

http://www.orthodoxwiki.org/Theodora_(wife_of_Justinian)

Just like to third the recommendation of The Wind Dancer. It’s one of my all time favourite books. Parts of it just destroy me every time I read it (in the good way), and the H/h are both strong, real, and yet so wary and full of hope...gah, LOVE IT. READ IT!

Not romance, but Death of a Duchess, a Italian Renaissance -set mystery by Elizabeth Eyre is very very good.

Ciao bella!
I spent a few months in college studying in the city of Ravenna (hour south of Venice on the Adriatic coast), which was temporarily the capitol of the Byzantine Empire.  I studied up on this awesome empress named Theodora.  I’m not sure if you’ve ever heard of her--she was around 3 AD--but I always told myself that I would write a romance based on her life.  She was ahead of her time because her husband Justinian I made her his equal and she supported abortion (she had one!), the rights of women to own property and made laws protecting prostitutes!

So guess what?  You just HaBO, because you made me remember my idea.  Thank you!

Here’s a link to the very unreliable wikipedia site:

http://www.orthodoxwiki.org/Theodora_(wife_of_Justinian)

I’ll add an amen to Patricia’s recommendation. I loved that Wiggs’ book. Really fantastic.

Iain Pears has a mystery series set in Italy, though it’s not romance, it has a male-female sort-of-romantically-involved crime solving duo. Art History Mysteries might be the series name.

Constace O’Banyon’s “Sword of Rome”; “The Remedy” and “The Floating Book” by Michelle Lovric. Michelle Styles might have some ancient Rome tales.

If you’re interested in films, “Enchanted April”, about a group of English ladies who vacation in Italy, is a great movie.

In nonfiction, Andrea Di Robillant’s (sp?) A Venetian Affair, a fascinating account of a real 18th-19th century love affair. In fiction, Frances Murray’s The Heroine’s Sister — fairly old but sweet, with a heroine six feet tall.

I have to second the recommendations for The Devil in Music by Kate Ross (absolutely wonderful and intriguing and heartbreaking and everything) and I have such fond memories of Laker’s The Venetian Mask. One of the first books that made me fall in love with Venice without ever having been there—later I went and haven’t fallen out of love yet. ;)

Also, Sarah Dunant, In the Company of the Courtesan, is wonderfully evocative. And there’s a historical novel I read ages ago that might be difficult to find nowadays, but is also very atmospheric and feels real to me, for what that’s worth—Duchess of Milan by Michael Ennis. I read it for the first time when I was in school and it jumpstarted my obsession with late C15 Italy.

It’s not romance, and is actually based on fact. Galileo’s Daughter, by Dava Sobel.

This is also a topic near and dear to my heart. I spent one tremendously happy summer living in Rome with a family as part of my studies for my Italian degree. Love the language, love the country, love the culture. There are many wonderful books set in Italy, of course, but I notice a few of my favorites did not make it onto the list.

May I first recommend Dascia Maraini. La Maraini is a contemporary writer and rather well known in Italy. You can find her books translated into English. The on historical I am thinking of is The Silent Duchess or La Lunga Vita di Marianna Ucria. It is so rich in historical detail and really an engaging story. It is not really a romance but I do recommend it.

Also, there is a book about Italy, one that I give to everyone I know going to visit, that I would be remiss in not mentioning: Italy Out of Hand by Barbara Hodgson.

For a little fantasy and a little romance (hot sexxoring with Micheal Angelo) I recommend The Stars Compel and The Stars Dispose by Michaela Roessner.  These are out of print but usually findable via Amazon or your local used bookstore.

Finally, for whimsy, romance, and lovely lovely language, may I recommend Italo Calvino’s The Baron in the Trees or Il Barone Rampante. This is one of the books that made me really excited about learning the language, and really it is quite charming.

By the way, I wish you much luck in making it over to Italy one of these days. There are many wonderful adventures to be had around almost every courner.

If you don’t currently speak Italian, may I suggest picking up a little big. Not that you absolutely need Italian to get around and enjoy yourself, but it is amazing how much more you will discover, do, hear even if you can only say, “Ciao, mi chiamo… et non parlo molto Italiano.” There are groups all over the country meeting for free Italian conversation and some minor instruction so don’t think you have to stay in school to pick up that littlest bit of Italian.

In boca al lupo e buona fortuna!

And my apologies for the typos. How gauche!

Theodora has been done before a couple of times. One is by Guy Gavriel Kay in The Sarantine Mosaic books (not quite romances, but certainly novels with Romantic elements) in his not quite Byzantine Empire books.

Wow, thanks Bitches for all these recomendations!  Looks like I have a busy night ahead of me, looking up summaries and chapter previews, I bet you all just provided me with a whole summer reading list!  I havent read any paranormals or series romances before, but this looks like a great place to start.  And thanks also for the non-romance recomendations, now I can have a summer of multi-genre Italy!

One Knight In Venice by Tori Philips

Elaine Coffman has The Fifth Daughter and The Italian, both of which are decent historicals. I like The Italian more.

If you can find a reasonably priced copy, you might want to try The Silver Devil by Teresa Denys

Paula Marshall wrote at least 3 novels set in Renaissance Italy (though set in invented rather than real city states). They’re The Falcon and the Dove, The Lost Princess and Rinaldi’s Revenge.

I second the recommendation for ‘Breathing Room’ and also add ‘The Sailor’s Bride’ by Miranda Jarrett.  The latter is one of three shorter works appearing in ‘Christmas Wedding Bells’ (the other two are set in England).

‘The Sailor’s Bride’ is set in Naples in 1798, focusing on a British couple (he’s an army Lieutenant; she’s cataloging the ambassador’s collection of antiquities).

The other two stories in the book are also enjoyable (’The Pirate’s Kiss by Nicola Cornick and ‘A Smuggler’s Tale’ by Margaret McPhee).

I’ve seen other comments on the negative side about Captives of the Night which makes me think I’m on an island, practically alone in liking that one.  I liked it more than The Lion’s Daughter, which I know is probably the thing that puts me in the skiff, rowing my way to said island in the first place. 

Dear fiveandfour,
You are definitely NOT alone; I am right there with you. Captives of the Night is my favorite Chase book.

On another topic, I believe that Jaffe’s The Water Nymph took place in England.

Kay

Fiveandfour--you’re absolutely not alone.  Captives of the Night is one of my favorite books eva.  It’s an awesome mystery, and I looove the Comte d’Esmond.

I also have to echo Juliana’s rec for Wings of the Falcon.  That’s one of my favorite Peters books!  She wrote it under the name Barbara Michaels, though, so you might want to keep that in mind if you’re searching for it in a bookstore.  Another good book of hers set in Italy (mainly Rome) is Street of the Five Moons.

Also, you might want to check out classic novels like Room with a View if you haven’t already.

I second Cry to Heaven--incredible historical detail and atmosphere.  Far from a standard romance, but certainly the best thing Rice ever wrote.

I know what you mean. I live in Europe and the dollar is looww! Ouch! But in the meantime, before you get to Italy, try Kate Ross’s “The Devil in Music”. It’s set in 1820s Northern Italy. Kate Ross only wtote four books before she died of cancer…

I think that Elaine Coffman has written just what fits your criterion: The Italian

I’ll send you to her site with the info. I’m a history instructor and I enjoyed this immensely. It’s about the struggle for Italian reunification

http://www.elainecoffman.com/booklist_pg1.htm#ITALIAN

Ha!  So right, Kukulcan Girl!  I’m not sure how I made that mistake. Street of the Five Moons is also much fun; I adore the Vicki Bliss series, and I’m very excited about the new one coming out on August 19th - The Laughter of Dead Kings, it’s called.  Fabulous title!

Julianna,
There’s a new Vicky Bliss coming out? Oh, that it would be so- just loved that series!

Virginia

Did one of Barbara Samuel’s early (mid ‘90’s pub date) medievals for Harper Monogram take place in Italy? 

I also highly recommend the Wind Dancer and the novels by Wiggs, Chase, and SEP that take place in Italy.

A few years ago I went to Italy for vacation and wanted to read some novels that took place there before I went.  A room with a view was good.  I also really enjoyed a biographical novel about Michelangelo - I believe it was called the agony and the ecstasy.  No romance though.

I’d also recommend A Room with a View, both the book and the movie. Actually, I think i’ts the only movie that was based on a book that I like better than the original. I found the book was good for having more insight into the characters, but the movie had more… magic, I guess. And a beautiful soundtrack:

http://es.youtube.com/watch?v=hEX_oDh_U2g

If I ever go to one of those Tuscan fields and there is no Puccini in the background, it’ll be so disappointing…

Did one of Barbara Samuel’s early (mid ‘90’s pub date) medievals for Harper Monogram take place in Italy?

Yes!  I totally forgot about that one.  It’s called Night of Fire.

Julianna and Viginia--I’m sooooo excited about The Laughter of Dead Kings.  It comes out in August.  It’s been so long since she wrote anything except the Amelia Peabody books (which I never really got into) that it will be nice to read something different from her.

I thought about three more books you might want to try, Elizabeth:  Charmed and Dangerous by Jane Ashford, which I vaguely recall being partially set in Italy; The Scarletti Curse and Lair of the Lion by Christine Feehan; and The Italian and Mysteries of Udolfo by Ann Radcliffe.

The ‘Sigismondo’ series of mysteries, set in Renaissance Italy, by Elizabeth Eyre:

Death of the Duchess ©1991
Curtains for the Cardinal ©1992
Poison for the Prince ©1993
Bravo for the Bride ©1994
Axe for an Abbot ©1995
Dirge for a Doge ©1996

Whoops. I vanished for a while, but I just wanted to come back and address the veered off-topic Captives of the Night issue.  I’m pretty sure I’m the island and one of the few people who loathed it. Between the blond Muslim hero (what’s wrong with a swarthy Muslim, huh?) and the homophobia, I just couldn’t connect to the book.