A Veil of Vines
by Tillie Cole
Release Date: November 29, 2016
Review by Rachel
Synopsis
To
most people, princes, princesses, counts and dukes are found only in the pages
of the most famous of fairy tales. Crowns, priceless jewels and gilded thrones
belong only in childhood dreams.
But for some, these frivolous fancies are truth.
For some, they are real life.
On Manhattan’s Upper East Side, people have always treated me as someone
special. All because of my ancestral name and legacy. All because of a
connection I share to our home country’s most important family of all.
I am Caresa Acardi, the Duchessa di Parma. A blue blood of Italy. I was born to
marry well. And now the marriage date is set.
I am to marry into House Savona. The family that would have been the royals had
Italy not abolished the monarchy in 1946. But to the aristocrats of my home,
the abolition means nothing at all.
The Savonas still hold power where it counts most.
In our tight-knit world of money, status and masked balls, they are everything
and more.
And I am soon to become one of them.
I am soon to become Prince Zeno Savona’s wife…
… or at least I was, until I met Achille.
And everything changed.
Review
A
Veil of Vines is a beautifully written, classic love story. Think back to your favorite fairy tales as a child; Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Snow White, those are what this novel reminds me of.
Tillie Cole paints an indelible picture of the Italian countryside and posh
lifestyle of the rich and famous blue-blood families of Italy. She weaves such intricate detail that showcases the untainted beauty and richness of the winery and estate, without going
overboard and becoming mundane. A lot of times with other novels, I feel lost in the details. This time I truly felt as though I was traveling
there myself.
While none of us, (at least not me), live like the royalty and personas that are spoken of in A Veil of Vines, there are many true to life situations that arise and
secrets that are unearthed that brings everything down to a "real life" level. It felt as though everything was perfectly aligned
and I loved seeing the story unfold through the eyes of Caresa and Achille.
These characters are unwaveringly solid, with strong morals and family ties that run deep.
A Veil of Vines was a breath
of fresh air to read! Truth be told, I am not a fan of wine
(gasp!), but even I began to second guess myself throughout this book!
I thoroughly enjoyed
this timeless story of deep, unadulterated true love. There is such an undeniable connection between Caresa and Achille, and that is hard to come by! I didn't roll my eyes one time. Not once!
That's rare for me. While I wasn't blown out of my socks by this novel, I enjoyed it immensely and do highly recommend it! I will definitely be purchasing a signed copy to display on my bookshelf!
Excerpt
I opened the window beside
me and stared at the illuminated entrance. I swallowed hard and placed my empty
glass on the bar. Metal groaned, breaking through the twilight, as the massive
black wrought-iron gates began to open. The limo slowly pulled onto the
property’s lane, and I drank in the thick forest that shielded the estate. I
inhaled the freshness of the lush green trees. The unpolluted sky was thick
with stars—not a single cloud in sight.
A few minutes later, the thick woods cleared, and I gasped. Acres and acres of gold and green vineyards covered the landscape. The scents of plump grapes and damp soil permeated the warm air. I closed my eyes. It reminded me of being a child. It brought me back to the days before I was taken to New York. I could still feel the heat of the Emilia-Romagna sun on my face, the deep smell of olives, grapes and flowers drifting in the breeze as I ran around our Parma estate.
I smiled a nostalgic smile and allowed my eyes to drift open again. I rested my arms on the window and leaned my chin on them as the limo drove on. There were several small villas peppered over the landscape, their lights twinkling in the distance. They must have been the winemakers’ residences. It was not only the Bella Collina merlot that was made on this land; other reds were too—particularly the Chianti from the region’s finest Sangiovese grapes. The Bella Collina olive oil was also up there with the best. But nothing compared to the famed merlot.
The limo turned right, and my breath caught in my throat. I lifted my head and stared disbelievingly at the property ahead. Bella Collina was a veritable Palace of Versailles tucked away in the Umbrian wilderness.
“Mio Dio,” I whispered as I took in the imposing stone structure, the sweeping steps and the vast number of windows set in the building’s walls. Large pillars of red-veined marble flanked the entrance. Cypress trees framed the estate as if it were the shining star of a fine Renaissance painting. Sculptures of famed Savona monarchs of old stood proudly on the manicured lawns, and strategically placed lighting illuminated the sheer perfection of every piece of topiary.
As a child, I had been to the Palazzo Savona in Florence. It was widely regarded to be one of the finest estates in all of Italy, if not western Europe. But this . . . this . . . there were no words. It was perfectly placed, as if it had always been there. As if it had grown naturally from the Umbrian earth just as sure as the vines and woods that kept this architectural treasure hidden from view.
A few minutes later, the thick woods cleared, and I gasped. Acres and acres of gold and green vineyards covered the landscape. The scents of plump grapes and damp soil permeated the warm air. I closed my eyes. It reminded me of being a child. It brought me back to the days before I was taken to New York. I could still feel the heat of the Emilia-Romagna sun on my face, the deep smell of olives, grapes and flowers drifting in the breeze as I ran around our Parma estate.
I smiled a nostalgic smile and allowed my eyes to drift open again. I rested my arms on the window and leaned my chin on them as the limo drove on. There were several small villas peppered over the landscape, their lights twinkling in the distance. They must have been the winemakers’ residences. It was not only the Bella Collina merlot that was made on this land; other reds were too—particularly the Chianti from the region’s finest Sangiovese grapes. The Bella Collina olive oil was also up there with the best. But nothing compared to the famed merlot.
The limo turned right, and my breath caught in my throat. I lifted my head and stared disbelievingly at the property ahead. Bella Collina was a veritable Palace of Versailles tucked away in the Umbrian wilderness.
“Mio Dio,” I whispered as I took in the imposing stone structure, the sweeping steps and the vast number of windows set in the building’s walls. Large pillars of red-veined marble flanked the entrance. Cypress trees framed the estate as if it were the shining star of a fine Renaissance painting. Sculptures of famed Savona monarchs of old stood proudly on the manicured lawns, and strategically placed lighting illuminated the sheer perfection of every piece of topiary.
As a child, I had been to the Palazzo Savona in Florence. It was widely regarded to be one of the finest estates in all of Italy, if not western Europe. But this . . . this . . . there were no words. It was perfectly placed, as if it had always been there. As if it had grown naturally from the Umbrian earth just as sure as the vines and woods that kept this architectural treasure hidden from view.
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About the Author!
Tillie Cole
hails from a small town in the North-East of England. She grew up on a farm
with her English mother, Scottish father and older sister and a multitude of
rescue animals. As soon as she could, Tillie left her rural roots for the
bright lights of the big city.
After graduating from
Newcastle University with a BA Hons in Religious Studies, Tillie followed her
Professional Rugby player husband around the world for a decade, becoming a
teacher in between and thoroughly enjoyed teaching High School students Social
Studies before putting pen to paper, and finishing her first novel.
Tillie has now settled in
Austin, Texas, where she is finally able to sit down and write, throwing
herself into fantasy worlds and the fabulous minds of her characters.
Tillie is both an
independent and traditionally published author, and writes many genres
including: Contemporary Romance, Dark Romance, Young Adult and New Adult novels.
When she is not
writing, Tillie enjoys nothing more than curling up on her couch watching
movies, drinking far too much coffee, while convincing herself that she really
doesn’t need that extra square of chocolate.
