Gracie leads a tranquil and lonely life in a small town in Devon. Her husband died eight years earlier and she barely sees her daughter and family who are busy with their lives in London. Carina is a successful woman with her own PR company, but her job means that she doesn’t have much time for her daughter, her husband, or her mother. Seventeen-year-old Anastasia knows that her mother doesn’t have time for her and that’s why she was sent to boarding school.
When Gracie decides to travel to Italy for a week-long cooking course, Carina and Anastasia decide to accompany her. This is the chance for the three women from three generations to finally spend some time together, reconnect, and bond, but Gracie is hiding the real reason why she decided to suddenly come to the small town in Tuscany. Between delicious food, hot Italian men, and a beautiful setting, Gracie’s past is slowly revealed as she tells her granddaughter of a past she has kept secret for the last forty years.
This novel is heartbreaking and heartwarming at the same time, with many emotional moments, but also happy scenes. I liked the three women at the centre of the story, I found them realistic and warm. Beautifully written, atmospheric, and completely engaging, The Temptation of Gracie is certainly another book to add to your reading list. (NP)
