The Temptation of Gracie by Santa Montefiore

How good it was after a long time to read something easy. True, the title of the book, in my opinion, does not reflect the book itself at all. I even checked if the original was also named – after all, everything is in translation. Still translated correctly.

Santa Montefiore’s books are not one-story. Yes, they always contain love stories (and in whose life do they not exist?), but they also have some mystery, transformation of heroes.

And here it abounds. Like wise messages. The further away, the more I find those messages in everything: in the dance of the clouds, in the rain, and in every person, and, of course, in the books. Even in such – about love and secrets.

It is still a lot of fun when the book describes two stages of the same person’s life – youth and maturity. Here, Gracie is both a 68-year-old woman from a small town in England and a young, talented, loving artist.

One day, one woman decides to allow herself to experience perhaps the last adventure of her life – to return to Italy, where her youth has passed. That cry of her soul is like a reminder to each of us – be determined and do what the Heart really longs for.

She is determined. Gracie’ daughter, who is drowned in work, and her granddaughter, who has no connection with her mother, are traveling together. It is amazing that Journey changes both of them

I have been in Italy a few times, the country of my dreams, and there is no doubt that profound transformations are indeed possible there. Not only there – maybe anywhere, when we pull ourselves out of the usual environment and find time to face ourselves, to hear ourselves, and our lives as if from the side.

Gracie tells her granddaughter a story of her youth that no one has known about for 44 years. The door to the Mystery is slowly opening. Step by step we are guided through the labyrinths of History. Meanwhile, under the hot Tuscan sun, not only memories warm up, but also all the characters in the book… but this is not only the case with books .

By the end of the book, it becomes clear that some of the implied truths are only in our minds. The reality is quite different. A long-loved man doesn’t recognize her not because a woman has changed a lot. The answer is another. When the truth is revealed, it liberates and allows you to finally experience the long-dreamed Happiness and Love. Yes, even for a lover of 68! By the way, who said that over the years, the ability to love another person decreases. Maybe just growing?

Another truth to be revealed is that you can feel guilty for many years about an event that turns out  to have happened for a completely different reason. Again, fear pushes her forward and prevents her from looking in the eye of her fear.

After all, we often live like this – we create explanations that may be light years away from the real truth. And asking another person is scary … I know what it is … It’s not always easy to find courage and communicate openly …Well, once again I was convinced – The writer is really capable of creating stories … Good stories.

© Fortune, 2020