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The Gondola Maker by Laura Morelli & Giveaway (International)

May 7, 2014 by Darlene

gondolaThe Gondola Maker by Laura Morelli is a wonderful trip back in time to Renaissance Venice.

Luca Vianello is the heir to his father’s very successful gondola-making business. When a family tragedy occurs Luca’s temper flares at his father and the incident results in Luca not only being on his own for the first time in his life but also fleeing the only home he’s ever known.

Luca is lucky in that he finds a job doing errands for an artist. While there he discovers that the artist has an antique gondola that had actually been built by Luca’s own grandfather and he gains permission to restore it. The process of restoring this gondola is like a balm to Luca’s soul and gives him a new perspective on his life. Even though he was set to inherit his father’s business Luca was never allowed to touch a lot of the materials for building the gondolas because he was left-handed. Back in those days you were considered to be marked by the devil if you used your left hand for writing or anything else. So building this gondola all on his own showed him that he could indeed do it and do it well.

Luca is a great character and narrator of this story. He is young but smart and really only wants to discover what his true destiny in life is. When he sees a painting of a beautiful woman that the artist is working on he is entranced and feels quite sure she is supposed to be a part of that destiny. Yet this woman, Guiliana, is of a completely different class than he so it just can’t be but still Luca strives to meet her. His dream is of one day taking her on a ride in the gondola that he has rebuilt with all the passion and love he carries in his heart.

Renaissance Venice comes alive at the author’s hand and the vivid descriptions of the craftsmanship that goes into the building of gondolas is nothing short of fascinating. The Gondola Maker is a novel of love, loss, and fulfilling one’s destiny. I really enjoyed it and recommend it to all lovers of historical fiction!

 

Other tour stops with iRead Book Tours
Laura’s Links: Website, Facebook, and Twitter
Buy at: Amazon, Amazon Canada, B&N, and Book Depository

 

 

GIVEAWAY DETAILS (Open Internationally)

I have one paperback copy of The Gondola Maker by Laura Morelli up for giveaway.  To enter…

  • Leave a comment entering the giveaway for 1 entry.
  • Tweet, share on Facebook, or blog for 2 extra entries.

Open Internationally
Draw Date May 22/14

iRead

Source:  Digital review copy provided by the publisher.  No compensation was received for this review and all opinions are my own.
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Filed Under: 2014 - 100+ Books, 2014 ARC's, 2014 Book Reviews, 2014 eBooks, iRead Book Tours

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Lisa Brown says

    May 7, 2014 at 5:36 am

    Looks great, thank you for the chance to win it 🙂
    jslbrown2009(at)aol(dot)com

  2. Lisa Brown says

    May 7, 2014 at 5:37 am

    tweet https://twitter.com/LuLu_Brown24/status/464005807214829571
    jslbrown2009(at)aol(dot)com

  3. Lisa Brown says

    May 7, 2014 at 5:37 am

    2nd share https://www.facebook.com/lisa.brown.50364592/posts/10202855598943636
    jslbrown2009(at)aol(dot)com

  4. Diane says

    May 7, 2014 at 9:12 am

    Wonderful giveaway. Thanks for this feature.

  5. Judie McDonald says

    May 7, 2014 at 9:47 am

    You make the story sound so interesting.

  6. Jennifer L. says

    May 7, 2014 at 10:04 am

    I’d love to read this. Thanks for the giveaway.

  7. Rhonda says

    May 7, 2014 at 10:07 am

    Sounds perfect for me.email follower lomazowr@gmail.com

  8. Rhonda says

    May 7, 2014 at 10:07 am

    Will tweet @rhondareads

  9. JJT says

    May 7, 2014 at 10:12 am

    Sounds great. jtretin at aol dot com. Tweeted @readsalways.

  10. Marta ABilingualBaby blog says

    May 7, 2014 at 11:51 am

    Hi! I’d love to read it. Thank you!

  11. Marta ABilingualBaby blog says

    May 7, 2014 at 11:58 am

    I tweeted it
    https://twitter.com/ABilingualBaby/status/464101668125409280
    Thank you!

  12. Carl says

    May 7, 2014 at 12:18 pm

    This book looks so interesting, particularly the details of gondola making. At least that part appeals to me, maybe it’s a bit of a guy thing ;^). Thanks for the chance to win a copy.

    I also tweeted a link to this blog post: https://twitter.com/carlrscott/status/464106292777193472

  13. anne says

    May 7, 2014 at 12:19 pm

    I am entranced by this historical. Many thanks.

  14. CassandraG says

    May 7, 2014 at 12:21 pm

    Looks good. Nice trailer.
    email follower and
    Tweeted:

    https://twitter.com/divavixenqueen/status/464107371724144640

  15. Sandra Furlotte says

    May 7, 2014 at 12:46 pm

    I love books on obscure topics.

  16. Nancy says

    May 7, 2014 at 1:20 pm

    I love books that expose a bit on the unknown (to me) in the context of a good story, too. Thanks for the giveaway.

  17. ellie says

    May 7, 2014 at 1:48 pm

    Your review caught my interest. Fascinating novel.

  18. Denise Duvall says

    May 7, 2014 at 6:14 pm

    on Facebook.https://www.facebook.com/denise.duvall.10
    I tweeted.5:09 PM – 7 May 2014@DeniseDuvall2
    Venice is so romantic, San Marco Square, the palazzi and canals,the Bridge of Sighs,and the food. I have always wanted to go to Venice and ride on a gondola, but I have heard the rates they charge are very expensive. Reading this book, would be the next best thing.
    denannduvall(at)gmail(dot)com

  19. Kaye says

    May 7, 2014 at 7:50 pm

    I’d love to win this book, sounds great.

  20. celeste says

    May 8, 2014 at 7:32 am

    Thanks for the giveaway 🙂
    e-mail: celesc23@gmail.com
    tweet:
    https://twitter.com/celescao/status/464397091419070464

  21. Melanie Backus says

    May 8, 2014 at 2:17 pm

    Count me in on this one, please!

    melback at cebridge dot net

  22. Cyn209 says

    May 8, 2014 at 7:45 pm

    sounds like a must-read!!

  23. Cyn209 says

    May 8, 2014 at 7:46 pm

    shared on my FB wall: http://www.facebook.com/cyn209

  24. Mary Preston says

    May 9, 2014 at 3:57 am

    This does sound very interesting. A unique read I’d say.

  25. Kara S says

    May 9, 2014 at 7:51 pm

    Hello, thanks for offering this giveaway opportunity and for featuring this particular intriguing new release! Please include me in the giveaway drawing–
    x1 for comment
    x2 for facebook post (you should be able to see my feed as Dar Elaine account is among my friends): http://www.facebook.com/kara.shamy

  26. Anita Yancey says

    May 12, 2014 at 6:46 am

    It sounds like wonderful story. I really like the character of Luca. Thanks for having the giveaway.

  27. Lisa Garrett says

    May 14, 2014 at 1:57 pm

    I never knew there was stigma re: being left handed.

    lag110 at mchsi dot com

  28. Lisa Garrett says

    May 14, 2014 at 1:59 pm

    Tweeted: https://mobile.twitter.com/lag32583/status/466668880090251265

  29. Pollyanna Takenaka says

    May 15, 2014 at 6:34 am

    Tweeted: https://twitter.com/Pollyanna_/status/466919271365607424

  30. Martha says

    May 18, 2014 at 9:03 am

    I wasn’t sure about this one, but you got me with your final paragraph “Renaissance Venice comes alive…” Just what I want in historical fiction.

  31. Margaret Holvec says

    May 18, 2014 at 9:11 am

    Sorry not sure what happened there. @Margot221: The Gondola Maker by Laura Morelli & Giveaway (International) http://t.co/wHYaxFoy9P

  32. Kara S says

    May 20, 2014 at 7:47 am

    I tried to read the galley a few months back buy I was bogged down by too many commitments and lost my temporary NetGalley access before I read much..what I saw makes me want to add it to my own library!

    Entries:
    1x for comment here email contact is shamy at post dot harvard dot edu if you don’t see that info elsewhere
    2x facebook feature of this book and feature!
    See: my feed for today for two posts on your blog giveaways together — this after the post on the Lady Viper! You should be able to check it out as a friend on facebook…https://www.facebook.com/kara.shamy

    Thanks for great giveaway opportunities for other readers to benefit once agaiN!

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