Raffaella Moretti, by far the most beautiful girl in the southern Italian town of Triento, is about to marry the only boy she has ever loved. It seems that nothing but happiness lies in store for her. Yet, just one year later, she is a widow, and has taken a job as housekeeper in the Villa Rosa, working for a young American. As Raffaella struggles to recapture her lost happiness she starts looking for ways to help those around her to do the same. There is Silvana the baker's wife, her passion barely hidden; Carlotta the gardener's daughter with her mysterious grief, and the kind and gentle owner of the Gypsy Tearoom who offers Raffaella friendship. As the lives of these villagers interweave, Raffaella is pulled into a conflict that threatens to divide Triento and destroy all she holds dear. Filled with love, delicious food and wonderful characters, SUMMER AT THE VILLA ROSA is like taking a seat in a sun-drenched piazza and absorbing yourself in the sights and sounds of Italian life. ****** Readers are loving Nicky Pellegrino! 'I could smell the fresh pasta, feel the sunshine, smell the sea breeze and feel my worries wash away. It was lovely to stumble down the cobbled paths and stroll along the beautiful scenery' 'Through Italy, through food, through heartbreak, through love, through family. Add in a pinch of karmic justice and you have the perfect read with a joyful ending!' 'Once again Nicky Pellegrino had me captivated with this amazing story. It made me laugh, made me cry. I read it in one afternoon' 'I will say that if you are a woman on the cusp of discovering who you are and what your heart desires...then you will devour this book as I did' 'Such a great escapism read, full of emotions and family drama with love'

A wonderfully atmospheric, touching and sumptuous novel about a young widow's search for happiness in a small Italian village, from the author of the internationally successful debut, DELICIOUS.

From the time of the cave dwellers to the sprawling habitat of modern men, the structure that encloses, protects, and defines the lives of men and women, takes on an identity of its own. An ancient Villa in the Tuscan countryside has a different significance for the many people of this story. An enchanted fairy land of childhood dreams, a setting of beauty for the passion of first love, a bitter symbol of prestige, a prison, a refuge, when its surroundings became the battlegrounds of invading armies.

If you're a fan of classic detective tales in the vein of Agatha Christie's work, give A.E.W. Mason's novels a try. At the Villa Rose is a tightly plotted, fast-paced mystery, centering on a puzzling murder that eventually unravels under the methodical analysis of Inspector Hanaud, the wryly witty protagonist. As part of our mission to publish great works of literary fiction and nonfiction, Sheba Blake Publishing Corp. is extremely dedicated to bringing to the forefront the amazing works of long dead and truly talented authors.

Two feuding families, two love stories - and a lot of delicious Italian food. Pieta Martinelli's sister is getting married. Since she is a bridal designer it falls to her to make the wedding gown. But Pieta is distracted by a series of unanswered questions. Why is her father feuding with another Italian in the neighbourhood? Why is her mother so faded and sad? And could the man she's always held a torch for really be getting married to someone else? As Pieta stitches and beads her sister's wedding gown she uncovers the secrets that have made her family what it is and that stand between her and happiness. THE ITALIAN WEDDING is a feast of food and love. It's about discovering who your parents really are. And who you really want to be.

In a luxurious villa in southern France, the exotic Merle presides over arcane rites of submissive contortion performed by Sian and Helyn. And secret photographs reveal the erotic education of Lesley, a married Venus with a boyish crop and a preference for her own sex.

A recipe for life should be a simple thing: love and happiness, family, friends and a little food. But life is rarely straightforward. Alice wants to make the most of life and she never feels more alive than when she's cooking. Babetta has spent a lifetime tending the garden of her house on the Italian coast. One summer these two women are brought together in a crumbling Mediterranean villa. There, under the heat of the Italian sun and in the shade of the pomegranate tree, secrets are spoken and fears shared - but life's lessons are not easily learnt...