Exotically beautiful but desperately unhappy, Alba lives on a houseboat on the Thames, where she enjoys a life of leisure and entertains an endless and unfulfilling succession of lovers. But then she discovers a portrait of her dead mother, Valentina -- a woman she'd hardly known, whose story has been kept from her by her still grieving father. Determined to learn the truth about Valentina, Alba returns to the olive groves of the Amalfi coast of Italy. There she uncovers a mysterious tale of decadence, deception, murder, and betrayal involving partisans and Nazis, peasants and counts. Alba's journey leads her not only to the truth of her mother's hidden past but to the possibility of happiness in her own future.

A neglected garden. A cottage that holds a secret. A mysterious Frenchman (handsome, naturally). A family in need of some love. These elements are entwined in this heartwarming novel by the author reviewers consistently compare to Maeve Binchy and Rosamunde Pilcher.

It begins as Miranda and David Claybourne move into a country house with a once-beautiful garden. But reality turns out to be very different from their dream. Soon the latent unhappiness in the family begins to come to the surface, isolating each family member in a bubble of resentment and loneliness.

Then an enigmatic Frenchman arrives on their doorstep. With the wisdom of nature, he slowly begins to heal the past and the present. But who is he? When Miranda reads about his past in a diary she finds in the cottage by the garden, the whole family learns that a garden, like love itself, can restore the human spirit, not just season after season but generation after generation.

Wise and winsome, poignant and powerfully moving, "The French Gardener" is a contemporary story told with an old-fashioned sensibility steeped in the importance of family and the magical power of love.

The enchanting novel from Sunday Times bestselling author Santa Montefiore 'Let the wind take me and the soft rain settle me into the Irish soil from where I came. And may my sins be forgiven.' Arethusa Clayton has always been formidable, used to getting her own way. On her death, she leaves unexpected instructions. Instead of being buried in America, on the wealthy East Coast where she and her late husband raised their two children, Arethusa has decreed that her ashes be scattered in a remote corner of Ireland, on the hills overlooking the sea. All Arethusa ever told Faye was that she grew up in a poor farming family and left Ireland, alone, to start a new life in America as did so many in those times of hardship and famine. But who were her family in Ireland and where are they now? What was the real reason that she turned away from them? And who is the mysterious benefactor of a significant share of Arethusa's estate? Arethusa is gone. There is no one left to tell her story. Faye feels bereft, as if her mother's whole family has died with her. Leaving her own husband and children behind, she travels to the picturesque village of Ballinakelly, determined to fulfil her mother's last wish and to find out the reason for Arethusa's insistence on being laid to rest in this faraway land. 'AN ATMOSPHERIC, MESMERISING READ' My Weekly 'PASSIONATE AND INTRIGUING' Woman's Weekly ***PRAISE FOR SANTA MONTEFIORE*** 'Nobody does epic romance like Santa Montefiore' JOJO MOYES 'An enchanting read overflowing with deliciously poignant moments' DINAH JEFFERIES on Songs of Love and War 'Santa Montefiore hits the spot for my like few other writers' SARRA MANNING 'One of our personal favourites' THE TIMES on The Last Secret of the Deverills 'Accomplished and poetic' Daily Mail 'Santa Montefiore is a marvel' Sunday Express 'One of our personal favourites' The Times

Escape to this bestselling storyteller's world "full of mystery, romance, and suspense"* in this unforgettable and uplifting new novel about family secrets and the triumph of love.

Celestria Montague always spends her summers at Pendrift Hall, the rambling, shabby mansion adorned with wisteria and clematis that has been home to the Montague family for generations. It is 1958, and the family is celebrating her father's fiftieth birthday at a lavish ball. The celebratory night ends in death and tragedy, however, and young Celestria learns that the family may lose Pendrift Hall. Her grandfather urges Celestria to play detective, to solve the mysteries surrounding the night's events, and to save the ancient mansion if at all possible. Her quest takes her to Italy's rugged and beautiful Puglia, and into the dark, cool cloisters of the Convento di Santa Maria del Mare. Here Celestria meets an enigmatic stranger and confronts unwelcome truths about her family -- and herself.

"Sea of Lost Love" is Santa Montefiore at her very best -- sensitive, sensual, and complex.

Dark secrets and hidden sorrows abound in Santa Montefiore’s spellbinding new novel set in war-torn Italy and the streets of New York.

New York, 1979. It is Thanksgiving and Evelina has her close family and beloved friends gathered around, her heart weighted with gratitude for what she has and regret for what she has given up. She has lived in America for over thirty years, but she is still Italian in her soul.

Northern Italy, 1934. Evelina leads a sheltered life with her parents and siblings in a villa of fading grandeur. When her elder sister Benedetta marries a banker, to suit her father’s wishes rather than her own, Evelina swears that she will never marry out of duty. She knows nothing of romantic love, but when she meets Ezra, son of the local dressmaker, her heart recognises it like an old friend.

Evelina wants these carefree days to last forever. She wants to bask in sunshine, beauty and love and pay no heed to the grey clouds gathering on the horizon. But nothing lasts forever. The shadows of war are darkening over Europe and precious lives are under threat…

A beguiling new novel from the internationally bestselling author of "Last Voyage of the Valentina"

When an elegant French antiques dealer dies in her adopted hometown of New York City, her son, Misha, is astonished to learn that she owned a priceless, uncataloged Titian known as "The Gypsy Madonna." Misha wonders how she could have kept such a secret from him, bonded inseparably as they were since his childhood in German-occupied France. Now with the discovery of the Titian masterpiece and the loss of his mother, he must at last journey back to Bordeaux to uncover the truth about "The Gypsy Madonna" -- and himself.

When Pixie Tate is summoned to the wild Cornish coast to unravel a curious mystery at the stately St Sidwell Manor, she knows that something quite extraordinary must be hiding in its shadows.

Over one hundred years ago, in the dark of night, a child vanished from his bed never to be seen again - and Pixie must now discover the truth of those final moonlit hours.

As she loses herself in the past, secrets are revealed, love affairs exposed and, ultimately, Pixie will be forced to make a devastating choice that will change her life forever...

Rupert promised he was going to come back. All Florence had to do was wait.

Cornwall, 1944. When Rupert Dash is declared missing, presumed dead during the Battle of Arnhem, his wife, Florence, is devastated. She can’t accept that he has gone from her life forever, and so when she finds a poem called ‘Wait for Me’ hidden in an old book, she believes it’s a sign from her husband. A promise that he will return to her.

London, 1988. Since childhood Max has suffered from a recurring nightmare. Surrounded by the horrific chaos of war, he has an urgent mission he knows he must complete. But time after time, the dream ends with him awaking in terror, his heart pounding from the horror of the battlefield. Desperate to understand why he is haunted by such terrible visions, Max embarks on a journey that leads him to Cornwall and a man named Rupert Dash.

Melbourne, 1995. Florence receives a letter from someone she has never met, who lives on the other side of the world. This stranger says he remembers a life that belonged to another before him. Could this be the one person Florence has waited fifty-one years to meet again?

The emotional new novel of enduring love and devastating secrets, sweeping from England during the Second World War to Australia five decades later, from the bestselling author of An Italian Girl in Brooklyn.

Pure escapism on every page, The Distant Shores tells the story of a family torn apart, and the woman who will bring them back together. 'Nobody does epic romance like Santa Montefiore' JOJO MOYES 'An irresistible confection of family secrets, vengeful ghosts and near-fatal accidents in which love eventually conquers all' Daily Mail Margot Hart travels to Ireland to write a biography of the famous Deverill family. She knows she must speak to the current Lord Deverill - JP - if she is to uncover the secrets of the past. A notorious recluse, JP won't be an easy man to crack. But Margot is determined - and she is not a woman who is easily put off. What she never expected was to form a close bond with JP and be drawn into his family disputes. Shouldering the blame for running up debts that forced him to sell the family castle, JP is isolated and vulnerable. With help from his handsome son Colm, it seems as though Margot might be the only one who can restore JP's fortunes. Will the family ever succeed in healing rifts that have been centuries in the making? Don't miss the new Santa Montefiore, An Italian Girl in Brooklyn - paperback edition available for pre-order now!

Fall in love with beloved bestselling author Santa Montefiore's epic tale of romance, secrets, family and friendship. It is 1925 and the war is long over. But much has been lost and life will never truly be the same again. Castle Deverill, cherished home to the Deverill family in the west of Ireland for hundreds of years, has burned to the ground. But young and flighty Celia Deverill is determined to restore the sad ruin to its former glory. Celia married well and has the wealth to keep it in the family... and she cannot bear to see her beloved home stand neglected. But dark shadows are gathering once more, as the financial markets start to shake. And everything that felt so certain is thrown once again into doubt. The second novel in the beloved Deverill Chronicles, perfect for everyone who loves Jojo Moyes, Rosamund Pilcher and Victoria Hislop. ***What readers are saying about Santa Montefiore*** 'Nobody does epic romance like Santa Montefiore. Everything she writes, she writes from the heart' Jojo Moyes 'I have a tendresse for sweeping and epic romantic sagas set around huge houses and aristocratic families and Santa Montefiore hits the spot for me like few other writers... Lush, vivid storytelling' Sarra Manning 'An ideal summer read. Laced with secrets and forbidden liaisons, it is sure to keep you turning the pages' The Lady on The Beekeeper's Daughter 'One of our personal favourites and bestselling authors, sweeping stories of love and families spanning continents and decades' The Times

'Packed with fun, fantasy and the sort of adventure guaranteed to have sticky little fingers hungrily turning the pages' The Mail on Sunday 'The Royal Rabbits is sweet, funny and beautifully illustrated' The Times The adventure begins for brave little Shylo, and his Royal Rabbit friends in this charming series from bestselling authors Santa Montefiore and Simon Sebag Montefiore and illustrator Kate Hindley, that proves even the smallest rabbit can be the biggest hero. Life is an adventure. Anything in the world is possible - by will and by luck, with a moist carrot, a wet noise and a slice of mad courage! Shylo has always been the runt of the litter, the weakest and quietest of all of his family. His siblings spend their days making fun of him for not being like the rest of them. But when Shylo stumbles across a band of ratzis and overhears their evil plan to take a photo of the Queen in her nightie, it's up to this unlikely hero to travel to London and inform the Royal Rabbits of London about the diabolical plot! The Royal Rabbits have a proud history of protecting the royal family and now the secret society need to leap into action to stop the ratzis... But can a rabbit as feeble and shy as Shylo convince them that Queen is in danger?

FROM THE SUNDAY TIMES TOP FIVE, MILLION-COPY BESTSELLING AUTHOR - be swept away by the Deverill Chronicles. It is 1939 and peace has flourished since the Great War ended. But much has changed for the Deverill family and now a new generation is waiting in the wings. Martha Wallace came to Dublin from her home in America to find her birth mother. But instead she has lost her heart to the impossibly charming JP Deverill. Then she discovers that her mother comes from the same place as JP, and her fate seems sealed. Bridie Doyle, now Countess di Marcantonio and mistress of Castle Deverill, is determined to make the castle she used to work in her home. But her flamboyant husband Cesare has other ideas. And as his eye strays away from his wife, those close to the couple start to wonder if he really is who he says he is. Kitty Deverill has come to terms with her life with her husband Robert, and their two children. But then Jack O'Leary, the love of her life, returns to Ballinakelly. And this time his heart belongs elsewhere... ***What readers are saying about Santa Montefiore*** 'Nobody does epic romance like Santa Montefiore. Everything she writes, she writes from the heart' Jojo Moyes 'I have a tendresse for sweeping and epic romantic sagas set around huge houses and aristocratic families and Santa Montefiore hits the spot for me like few other writers... Lush, vivid storytelling' Sarra Manning 'An ideal summer read. Laced with secrets and forbidden liaisons, it is sure to keep you turning the pages' The Lady on The Beekeeper's Daughter 'One of our personal favourites and bestselling authors, sweeping stories of love and families spanning continents and decades' The Times

From the beloved bestselling author Santa Montefiore comes a new novel filled with humour and heart. For fans of The Temptation of Gracie, Flappy now takes centre stage, more charismatic and competitive than ever. 'Fresh, fun and fabulous! Flappy certainly kept me entertained!' Heidi Swain, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Winter Garden Underneath her graceful exterior lies a passion nobody knew about, least of all Flappy herself... Flappy Scott-Booth is the self-appointed queen bee of Badley Compton, a picturesque Devon village. While her husband Kenneth spends his days on the golf course, she is busy overseeing her beautiful house and gardens, and organising unforgettable events, surrounded by friends who hang on to her every word. Her life is a reflection of herself - impossibly perfect. Until the day that Hedda Harvey-Smith and her husband Charles move into the village. Into an even grander home than hers. Taking the front seat on the social scene, quite literally. That simply will not do. Flappy is determined to show Hedda how things are done here in Badley Compton. But then she looks into Charles's beautiful green eyes. And suddenly, her focus is elsewhere. She is only human, after all... Don't miss the new Flappy Investigates - pre-order your copy now! Praise for Flappy Entertains: 'Santa Montefiore is a born storyteller' Woman's Weekly 'A friendly, undemanding read in unfriendly, demanding times' Daily Mail 'A keeping up with the Joneses tale that will lift your spirits in no time' New! 'Another winner from the author who writes about relationships so astutely' Belfast Telegraph 'Packed with wickedly funny insights and throwaway lines and written with an extra-large helping of heart, this is the perfect escape for anyone in need of of a book hug!' Lancashire Post 'With its air of nostalgia, gentle humour and snobbery, this is a super but also surprising read' NFOP magazine

'Packed with fun, fantasy and the sort of adventure guaranteed to have sticky little fingers hungrily turning the pages' The Mail on Sunday 'The Royal Rabbits of London is sweet, funny and beautifully illustrated' The Times The adventure continues for Shylo and his Royal Rabbit friends in this charming series from bestselling authors Santa Montefiore and Simon Sebag Montefiore and illustrator Kate Hindley, which shows that even the smallest rabbit can be the biggest hero. Life is an adventure. Anything in the world is possible - by will and by luck, with a moist carrot, a wet noise and a slice of mad courage! Now that Shylo is a Royal Rabbit, his life is full of adventure and new friends, but he still misses his mother and family. So he jumps at the chance to visit his home warren! As soon as Shylo arrives he finds something strange and dark going on. A mysterious bunny called Harlequin is on the farm, attracting many followers with his crazy singing and loopy dancing. But Harlequin is also digging for the Golden Carrot, which, says an ancient legend, will give him power over over all humans and animals. Harlequin believes it's buried somewhere on the farm. Then as more followers flock to the warren, Shylo wonders if the hunt for the Golden Carrot is a fun game or if Harlequin is plotting world domination... And when the quest turns deadly, Shylo calls in the Royal Rabbits. Can they stop power-mad Harlequin? And who will find the Carrot first?

"Superb storyteller" (Plum Sykes) Santa Montefiore's sweeping and sophisticated international bestseller "Summer House" is "a feel good story, full of exuberance and passion and threaded with hope...an exceptional find" ("Seattle Post-Intelligencer)."""
When Lord Frampton dies in a skiing accident, a beautiful young woman named Phaedra appears at his funeral--claiming to be the Lord's illegitimate daughter. In his will, Lord Frampton has left the priceless Frampton suite of sapphires to this interloper, confirming her claim and outraging his three adult sons and widow. Eventually, however, Phaedra's sweet nature thaws the frosty relationships. She becomes the daughter that Antoinette Frampton never had and a wise and compassionate granddaughter to the formidable Dowager Lady Frampton. But an attraction grows between Phaedra and the eldest son, David. It seems an impossible love--blocked by their blood connection and by the fury of one family member who is determined to expose Phaedra as a fraud.
Filled with the luscious scenery and enchanting characters her fans adore, Santa Montefiore's "Summer House" is an unforgettable story about family, forgiveness, and the power of love.

The irresistible new novel set between 1960s Tuscany and present-day Devon, from number one bestseller Santa Montefiore Ten-year-old Floriana is captivated by the beauty of the magnificent Tuscan villa just outside her small village, and dreams of living there someday. When Dante, the son of the villa's owner, invites her inside, she knows that her destiny is there, with him. But as they grow up they cross an unseen line, jeopardizing the very thing they hold most dear... Decades later and hundreds of miles away, a beautiful old country house hotel on England's Devon coast has fallen on hard times. Its owner, Marina, hires an artist-in-residence to stay the summer and teach the guests how to paint. The man she finds is charismatic and wise and begins to pacify the discord in her family and transform the fortunes of the hotel. However, it soon becomes clear that he is not who he seems... From the Italian countryside to the English coast, The House by the Sea is a moving and mysterious tale of love, forgiveness and the past revealed. This book has been published in the US under the title The Mermaid Garden.

'Packed with fun, fantasy and the sort of adventure guaranteed to have sticky little fingers hungrily turning the pages' The Mail on Sunday 'The Royal Rabbits is sweet, funny and beautifully illustrated' The Times Shylo's adventures with his Royal Rabbit friends continue in this charming series from bestselling authors Santa Montefiore and Simon Sebag Montefiore and illustrator Kate Hindley, that proves even the smallest rabbit can be the biggest hero. Life is an adventure. Anything in the world is possible - by will and by luck, with a moist carrot, a wet noise and a slice of mad courage! Little Shylo Tawny-Tail is proud to call himself one of the Royal Rabbits of London, a secret order who live under Buckingham Palace and fight evil across the world. But high up in one of London's famous skyscrapers, the horrible Ratzis are plotting to cause chaos during a visit from the President of the United States. And when the Grand Burrow is attacked and Shylo is kidnapped, it looks as though they might just manage it! Can Shylo escape in time to save the day?

Flappy returns in the fabulously fun follow-up to Flappy Entertains from bestselling author Santa Montefiore, and this time something is amiss in the village of Badley Compton . . .  Binoculars at the ready, Flappy Scott-Booth is set to investigate.   Newcomers have moved in, a young couple from London, delightful no doubt but they do need to know their place. Who better to teach them the ways of this close-knit community than Flappy herself? But Flappy has other distractions. An ardent admirer, a New Year’s Ball to organize and manifold appearances to be kept up. How much time and effort it all takes!  Add to the mix the sudden arrival of her son Jasper with his utterly charming persona and total lack of ambition and drive, accompanied by his pretentious wife and their two highly-strung children - and Flappy is on ultra-high alert. Endlessly entertaining and gorgeously gossipy, Flappy Investigates is the perfect escape. Praise for Flappy Entertains:   ‘Santa Montefiore is a born storyteller’ Woman’s Weekly ‘A friendly, undemanding read in unfriendly, demanding times’ Daily Mail   ‘A keeping up with the Joneses tale that will lift your spirits in no time’ New!   ‘Another winner from the author who writes about relationships so astutely’ Belfast Telegraph 'Packed with wickedly funny insights and throwaway lines and written with an extra-large helping of heart, this is the perfect escape for anyone in need of of a book hug!' Lancashire Post ‘With its air of nostalgia, gentle humour and snobbery, this is a super but also surprising read’ NFOP magazine

Set in Ireland on the wild coast of Connemara, this hauntingly romantic novel tells the story of a young woman who goes in search of her family's past and ends up discovering her future.
Ellen Trawton is running away from it all. She hates her job, she doesn't love the aristocratic man to whom she is engaged, and her relationship with her controlling mother is becoming increasingly strained. So Ellen leaves London, fleeing to the one place she knows her mother won't find her, her aunt's cottage in Connemara. Cutting all her ties with chic London society, Ellen gives in to Ireland's charm and warmth, thinking her future may lie where so much of her past has been hidden. Her imagination is soon captured by the compelling ruins of a lighthouse where, five years earlier, a young mother died in a fire.
The ghost of the young wife, Caitlin, haunts the nearby castle, mourning the future she can never have there. Unable to move on, she watches her husband and children, hoping they might see her and feel her love once more. But she doesn't anticipate her husband falling in love again. Can she prevent it? Or can she let go and find a way to freedom and happiness?
The ruggedly beautiful Connemara coastline with its tightknit community of unforgettable characters provides the backdrop for this poignant story of two women seeking the peace and love they desperately need. For each, the key will be found in the secrets of the past, illuminated by the lighthouse.

'Packed with fun, fantasy and the sort of adventure guaranteed to have sticky little fingers hungrily turning the pages' The Mail on Sunday 'The Royal Rabbits is sweet, funny and beautifully illustrated' The Times Little Shylo Tawny-Tail and the Royal Rabbits of London are back! The adventure continues in this charming series from bestselling authors Santa Montefiore and Simon Sebag Montefiore and illustrator Kate Hindley, that proves even the smallest rabbit can be the biggest hero. Life is an adventure. Anything in the world is possible - by will and by luck, with a moist carrot, a wet noise and a slice of mad courage! The biggest, most beautiful diamond in the whole world has been stolen from Buckingham Palace! Nobody knows how a sneaky thief managed to take the Siberian Diamond from right under the Queen's nose - but Shylo and the brave Royal Rabbits of London will do whatever it takes to solve the case and return the jewel to its rightful place. Then they discover that Russia's secret-agent minks are in London, could they have something to do with the theft? But nothing is quite what it seems, and the Royal Rabbits soon realise they are going to need a help from an old friend to solve this mystery...

Dark secrets and hidden sorrows abound in Santa Montefiore’s spellbinding novel set in war-torn Italy and the streets of New York. ‘A wonderful story, beautifully told. I absolutely tore through it!’ KAREN SWAN   New York, 1979.    It is Thanksgiving and Evelina has her close family and beloved friends gathered around, her heart weighted with gratitude for what she has and regret for what she has given up. She has lived in America for over thirty years, but she is still Italian in her soul.    Northern Italy, 1934.    Evelina leads a sheltered life with her parents and siblings in a villa of fading grandeur. When her elder sister Benedetta marries a banker, to suit her father’s wishes rather than her own, Evelina swears that she will never marry out of duty. She knows nothing of romantic love, but when she meets Ezra, son of the local dressmaker, her heart recognises it like an old friend.    Evelina wants these carefree days to last forever. She wants to bask in sunshine, beauty and love and pay no heed to the grey clouds gathering on the horizon. But nothing lasts forever.  The shadows of war are darkening over Europe and precious lives are under threat… 'Nobody does epic romance like Santa Montefiore' JOJO MOYES

A sweeping story of divided family, buried secrets and a love that will never die from the number one bestselling author of Songs of Love and War. Ellen Trawton has run away from London to the sweeping landscape of Connemara, hoping to find a place she can cut off all contact with the past. But beneath the wild beauty of the Irish landscape lie secrets which have been hidden for years... Conor Macausland cuts a dark, lonely figure. His young wife, Caitlin, died tragically at the old lighthouse, and her loss has devastated him. But when he and Ellen meet, a connection sparks between them. Ellen soon realizes that Conor's past is not all it seems, and there's more to her family history than she knew too. As the secrets are finally revealed, the truth must be told...

THE BRAND NEW NOVEL FROM THE NUMBER ONE BESTSELLING AUTHOR 'Nobody does epic romance like Santa Montefiore' JOJO MOYES Pure escapism on every page, The Distant Shores tells the story of a family torn apart, and the woman who will bring them back together. Margot Hart travels to Ireland to write a biography of the famous Deverill family. She knows she must speak to the current Lord Deverill - JP - if she is to uncover the secrets of the past. A notorious recluse, JP won't be an easy man to crack. But Margot is determined - and she is not a woman who is easily put off. What she never expected was to form a close bond with JP and be drawn into his family disputes. Shouldering the blame for running up debts that forced him to sell the family castle, JP is isolated and vulnerable. With help from his handsome son Colm, it seems as though Margot might be the only one who can restore JP's fortunes. Will the family ever succeed in healing rifts that have been centuries in the making? Praise for Santa Montefiore: 'An enchanting read, overflowing with deliciously poignant moments' DINAH JEFFERIES 'Santa Montefiore hits the spot for me like few other writers' SARRA MANNING 'One of our personal favourites' The Times 'Funny, sad, poignant and heart-warming' Choice Magazine

A sweeping story of love that stretches across the years.

The war has ended and Rita Fairweather is waiting for George Bolton, her childhood sweetheart, to return home to Devon. She wants their future to be a continuing reassurance of their past. But George comes back as a man changed by the horrors he has experienced.

Unable to settle back into a small-town life, George decides to travel to Argentina. And Rita promises to wait. But George faces irresistible temptation and an agonising choice. As the years pass, Rita keeps her word... but how long should she wait for the love of her life?