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The Gondola Maker by Laura Morelli & Giveaway (International)

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.

Comments

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

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

  18. 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

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

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

    lag110 at mchsi dot com

  30. 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.

  32. 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!