Book Review - A Match Made In Venice by Leonie Mack

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Title: A Match Made In Venice

Author: Leonie Mack

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Boldwood Books

Publication Date: 9th November 2021

Rating: 4 Stars

Escape to the breath-taking beauty of Venice – The City of Love.

When pragmatic, sensible and resolutely single Deirdre York (Didi to her friends) is sent to Venice for work she is determined not to be taken in by the romantic clichés. Winter in the floating city may be breathtakingly beautiful, but she’s here with a clear purpose and will not let the magic of Venice distract her.

Piero Zanetti is the epitome of the handsome yet tortured artist. Heart-broken by the end of his love affair with a glamorous opera singer, he has lost his ability to work, and his inspiration has drained away, along with his zest for life.

But Didi needs Piero working – she has been tasked with commissioning him to do a glass centrepiece for a luxury department store Christmas display – some how Didi has to cheer Piero up or at least find him a new muse…

As Didi and Piero slowly become friends, and as Venice starts to melt Didi’s heart and gently nudge Piero out of the blues, something special begins to happen. Can Venice – the City of Love – work a Christmas miracle and help Didi and Piero to find their happiness at last…

With every book I'm reading from Leonie Mack, my overwhelming feeling is that I want to read more. I am loving this author and her writing. 

And what better setting than Venice, and although it has hints of Christmas, this is not a Christmas book not in the way I'd think. It is all about designing a massive window display for a department store for the following Christmas, and the season is present but it's not at the heart of the book. 

What is, is a clear love of Murano Glass, the techniques, and traditions of it, the island of Murano and a rather troubled but genius glassblower Piero Zanetti.  He is at the start struggling, but when Didi comes to him with a proposition well he's not keen but Didi herself seems to re-ignite Piero generally! 

And there is a theme of family relationships, and healing rifts and misunderstanding between family members, both for Piero and for Didi.  It was wonderful seeing how their stories and personal journeys developed over the course of the book. 

Then some of the descriptions of Venice made me feel as though I was there alongside the characters, And I thought it made a nice change to have a main character with diabetes and seeing how that can affect your day to day considerations. 

A really entertaining story that transported me to the island of Murano, and to Venice in winter, and gave me a new view of the place when it isn't drowning in tourists!  And a romance that will delight and frustrate in equal measure! 

Thank you to Boldwood Book and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.