The Echoes of Love

A story of secrets, tragedy and haunting love in Venice

Amazon reviews

 4/5

Seduction, passion and the chance for new love. A terrible truth that will change two lives forever.

Venetia Aston-Montagu has escaped to Italy’s most captivating city to work in her godmother’s architectural practice, putting a lost love behind her. For the past ten years she has built a fortress around her heart, only to find the walls tumbling down one night of the carnival when she is rescued from masked assailants by an enigmatic stranger, Paolo Barone.

Drawn to the powerfully seductive Paolo, despite warnings of his Don Juan reputation and rumours that he keeps a mistress, Venetia can’t help being caught up in the smouldering passion that ignites between them.

When she finds herself assigned to a project at his magnificent home deep in the Tuscan countryside, Venetia must not only contend with a beautiful young rival, but also come face to face with the dark shadows of Paolo’s past that threaten to come between them.

Can Venetia trust that love will triumph, even over her own demons? Or will Paolo’s carefully guarded, devastating secret tear them apart forever?

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Selected reviews

This is a story that plays with every human emotion possible… I found myself laughing, heartbroken, swooning and so much more… If you are in the mood for a swoon worthy romance set in beautiful Venice… this is for you. – The Cubicle Escapee

I absolutely adored the depth of the love story… Fielding encapsulates the overwhelming experience of falling deeply, completely, utterly in love beautifully, and the glorious backdrop of Venice, eloquently described throughout, is the perfect setting for this romantic novel… It reads like a film, indeed I can totally imagine it as a Baz Luhrman epic with glorious costumes and elaborate settings. – Books with Bunny

Throughout the novel it is the mesmerizing background of Venice that took my breath away… The charm, the history, the Carnival season, and all that water, make this city one of the destinations I desire to visit one day, and through her wonderful storytelling skills, Fielding takes her readers there through her words. I absolutely enjoyed this story and highly recommend it to those who enjoy unusual locales for their romantic reading. – Sharon’s Garden of Books

Extract of the book

Venetia tightened the belt of her coat around her slim waist and lifted the fur collar snugly about her neck. The sound of her footsteps echoed off the pavement as she hurried towards the Rialto Bridge from Piazza San Marco, a solitary figure in an almost deserted street. She was on her way to catch the vaporetto waterbus that would drop her off at Palazzo Mendicoli, where she had an apartment. A few huddled pedestrians could be seen on the opposite pavement, and there was not much traffic on the great inky stretch of water of the Grand Canal.

Suddenly Venetia saw two figures spring out in front of her from the surrounding darkness. They were enveloped in carnevale cloaks, with no visible faces, only a spooky blackness where they should have been. A hand materialised from under the all-encompassing wrap of one of the sinister creatures and grabbed at her bag. Chilled to the bone, Venetia tried to scream but the sound froze in her throat. Struggling, she hung onto the leather pouch that was looped over her shoulder and across her front as she tried to lift her knee to kick him in the groin, but her aggressors were prepared. An arm was thrown around her throat from the back and the second figure produced a knife.

Just as he was about to slash at the strap of her bag, an imposing silhouette emerged from nowhere and with startling speed its owner swung at Venetia’s attacker with his fist, knocking him off balance. With a grunt of pain the man fell backwards, tripping over his accomplice, who gave a curse, and they both tumbled to the ground. Then, picking themselves up in a flash, they took to their heels and fled into the hazy gloom.

“Va tutto bene, are you all right?” The stranger’s light baritone broke through Venetia’s disoriented awareness, and he looked down anxiously into her large amber eyes.

“Yes, yes, I think so,” she panted, her hands automatically going to her throat.

“Are you hurt at all?”

“No, no, just a little shaken, thank you.”

“You’re shivering. You’ve had a bad shock and you need a warm drink. Come, there’s a caffetteria that serves the best hot chocolate in Venice, just a few steps from here. It’ll do you good.” Without waiting for a response, he took Venetiaís arm and led the way down the narrow street.

Venetia’s legs felt like jelly and her teeth were chattering. “Thanks,” she murmured, still trying to catch her breath, her heart pounding, as she let herself be guided by her tall, broad-shouldered rescuer, who seemed to have taken the situation into his hands.

Thus does Fate cast her thunderbolts into our lives, letting them fall with a feather-like touch, dulling our senses to the storm they would cause should we realise their devastating powers.

They sat in silence at a table in a far-off corner of the crowded caffetteria. There was too much noise to talk and Venetia was exhausted, so she concentrated on appraising the man sitting opposite her as she listened to the music playing: Mina’s nostalgic 1960 love song, “Il Cielo in una Stanza”, the unashamedly romantic hit that was so Italian, and therefore still frequently played as a classic all over the country.

Venetia’s guardian angel looked more like Lucifer than a celestial being, with his tempestuous blue eyes, curiously bright against the warm tan of his skin, which slanted a fraction upwards under heavy, dark brows when he smiled. They were staring intently at her now with an emotion that puzzled her, and for a few seconds she found herself helplessly staring back into them. It was like gazing into shimmering water.

Strong, masculine features graced his nut-brown face beneath a thick crop of raven-black hair, sleek and shining, swept back from a wide forehead. He wasnít good-looking in the classical sense, his face was too craggy for that immediate impact, but he was a striking man who emanated controlled power, someone used to making decisions who would not be swayed by any argument or sentiment; a hard man. Still, his steeliness was tempered by the enigmatic curve that lifted the corners of his generous mouth into a promise of laughter; this, coupled with the deep cleft in the centre of his chin, gave him a roguish expression that Venetia found appealing.

The waiter brought over a cup of hot chocolate, a double espresso and a plate of biscotti which, he said, were offered con i complimenti della casa. Her rescuer was obviously a regular customer.

Venetia took a few sips of the thick, warm brew. She felt herself revive as it trickled down her throat, becoming a warm glow in her stomach that reflected on her cheeks.

Reviews

An epic love story that is beautifully told… – The Sun newspaper

Full of detail of Italy, with an unpredictable and shocking twist. Fans of romance will devour it in one sitting. – The Lady magazine

Bringing Venice to life like never before, this is a holiday romance in a book, vividly describing all Venice has to offer while keeping you glued to the page with brilliant plot twists and turns. A brilliant taste of pure Italian passion, culture and love. – TNT magazine

This book has all the ingredients of a blockbuster… a beautiful and moving love story with a twist… – Book Pleasures

Hannah Fielding has really captured the essence of romance and also manages to convey a perfect sense of time and place. If you enjoy romantic suspense with a hint of glamour and more than enough high octane passion, then I am sure that you will love this one as much as I did. – Jaffa Reads Too

Good romance set in a truly beautiful place! – A Bookish Affair

What a story… The author enchants you with her storytelling. – Pure Jonel

This tale will mesmerize you completely… with the author’s eloquent words and Italian legends; this story is bound to be etched into your soul forever. – Book Stop Corner

While reading you feel like you are floating down the canals in Venice on a gondola… If you enjoy historical fiction and romance novels then I say you should definitely give this book a try. – Bookloving Hippo

This book was a breath of fresh air for me and revived my will to want to read more romance again… I love love love the twist! – First Class Books

The author is the perfect narrator and storyteller… I still have that feeling that I was there, but I’ve never been in Venice or in Italy. – Books Are My Life

I really enjoyed this book… When I need a really good romantic story and need to travel I just have to go to Hannah FIelding’s books and BAM! – Miss Read-a-Lot

Pure escapism, high romance… magic expertly weaved in exquisite detail throughout the pages… I truly felt immersed in Italy, the food, the scenery, and the architecture. Pure bliss…. The romance is sweep-you-off-your-feet swoon filled and smoking hot… All in all this is a wonderful book that allows the reader to completely step into another world. – Carol Oates, author

What a delightful book to read! The book is filled with suspense and such a remarkable love story… After you have finished the book, you will find yourself a bit distracted, as you daydream about it well after you have read the last page! – Goodreads review

I loved this book… it was brilliant, kept me guessing till the end and bought the next one was that good. – Amazon review

This is my first book by Hannah, and I will certainly be reading all of her books!… I finished the book in one day, though Venetia and Paolo stayed with me since…until the day I will re-read it! – Amazon review

I loved it… It has everything in it for a good read. The details of the places visited and the sights and sounds fill the imagination, so that you are there with them… – Amazon review

A story you will adore… Immediately you are drawn into Italy and mesmerized by the tone and atmosphere. – Amazon review

What a delight!… exciting, romantically moving and uplifting with an unexpected ending. I recommend it to those who love good books for emotional enrichment and learning. – Amazon review

A great book… mystery, betrayal, heartache, adventure, and love. – Goodreads review

A deeply passionate and moving love story that’s worth any sensitive reader’s time… an otherwise fluent and elegant writing style… wonderfully subtle and rich… I enjoyed very much the mystery and secrets that keep permeating the story while the tension between the would-be lovers builds up and up until it becomes deliciously unbearable. – Goodreads review

Sweet and heartfelt… a great story! – Amazon review

Full of turmoil… twisting, turning, tumultuous… I really do recommend the book if you like depth in your romance. – Amazon review

A real surprise to me for the quality of the writing… there’s much more background and thought and meaning in the book than most romantic novels I’ve read. – Amazon review

I really quite enjoyed the book… thanks in large part to the author’s writing style, which is more literary than genre fiction in feel. – Goodreads review

Chocolate in book form? That’s what this book felt like to me – pure pleasure and comfort. Within a few pages I was hooked, and when I finished I had that sense of sadness you get at the end of a good book. – Goodreads review

This book was really sweet and heartfelt… a great story! – Goodreads review

The book makes the reader want to visit Italy… The descriptions of the sights and sounds evoked such beautiful images. – Associated British Press

Brava Hannah!… I recommend this book to anyone who has a passion for travel and getting a feel of a place with an added bonus of a HEA. – Goodreads review

Strictly for people who love to read literature and beautiful romances… This story ended up leaving me with a fluttering heart and a flipping stomach! – Readers’ Muse

A very well written, and different kind of romance… an exceptionally riveting romance… I would certainly recommend this to fans of the intelligent and suspenseful romance. – Amazon review

Beautiful story and brilliantly written… a dramatic story that should not be missed… a fab weekend read for me, which I will read again and again. – Amazon review

Another Hannah Fielding triumph… intelligent and mature writing… Superb description… A return to high romance… Plenty of intrigue, angst and passion… What more could you want from a romance book? – Amazon review

OH MY GOD Paolo is one of the most seductive and tender men EVER!… He is just the perfect man. Everything he says is deep and meaningful and you either swoon or feel his pain like it’s your own. – Sarah Loves Yah book blog

Classic romance fiction… with all the right “s” ingredients – seduction, shall-we/shan’t-we, secrets, steaminess. – Amazon review

A stirring romantic read that will take you out of your armchair and plunge you into the world’s most romantic setting… pure romance that tugs at the heart strings… I got thoroughly immersed in the fictional world. – Amazon review

Breath of fresh air!… This is a book you’ll remember after you finish it and want to have on your shelf. This is an author who works hard – who’s done her homework, who knows how to write, who’s edited well. – Amazon review

A haunting, poignant romance… Beautifully written… immerses you in a truly heartwarming and stirring tale of deep passion, love, forgiveness, and healing. I can guarantee that your heart and soul will be touched and that the jaw-dropping ending will touch you in ways you didn’t think possible. Echoes of Love is a deeply enchanting, moving, riveting, and carefully crafted read. – Book Bag Lady

If you love Italy, this poignant, haunting romance is for you… Hannah Fielding writes in a beautifully elegant style, full of atmosphere and the sights, sounds and smells of Italy. I was transported to a Venice in winter for the Carnival, to the Italian coast, to Tuscany. – Amazon review

Different from the normal, run of the mill romance… with a haunting, melodic thread of romance running through, that grows and becomes a beautiful song by the end… I loved the way they danced around a romance and then when they did get together it was just so… fiery, strong sparks, so complete – it felt so right. – Amazon review

The writing is truly beautiful, each sentence put together so perfectly… The writing was such that I felt as if I was living the story! … Fielding does a great job with pulling emotions from her reader audience. Romance readers will very much enjoy the love lost and found in The Echoes of Love, and those who like suspense and mystery will also find this an intriguing story. – Goodreads review

The Venice tourist board should hand out this book, it makes you want to go to the city so much… I like how Ms Fielding makes more of the who, where, when and why… I like a good, long story, and this book delivers – oh, and the cover is beautiful. – Amazon review

The writing lifts the book out of the usual romance genre… I was captivated from the first lines by the world Ms Fielding created… The author’s beautiful detailed description made me feel I was just there with Paolo and Venetia , living their passionate love story… All in all a beautifully crafted book, the echoes of which will remain with you for a long time. – Amazon review

A stunningly told epic love story… The reader is transported to the wonders, culture and beauty of Venice and Tuscany. I found this to be a remarkable novel and I highly recommend reading it. – Amazon review

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Pat F.

10 years ago

Venice is one of the most beautiful cities in the world as far as I’m concerned. Perfect setting for your exciting book! Looking forward to reading it. The trailer is awesome.

Author

Hannah Fielding

10 years ago

Thank you, Pat.

Luljeta " Lule "

3 years ago

The Echoes of Love

I just finished this book by reading. I love this book, The Echoes of Love make me cry for Venetian and Paolo but makes me happy too because they Loved each other immensely.
I have a question Hannah Fielding I don’t know if this is a true story but if it is can you tell me if they are still Happy each other ?. This is my question.

Hannah Fielding

Award-Winning Romance Novelist