Thank you NetGalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book follows a mother looking for her lost daughter, who she was forced to give away at birth. I liked the premise of this book, and there was quite a lot of emotional depth in the characters. The plot for me could have been slightly more exciting, but that is just because I like very eventful plots. Overall, this was quite an enjoyable and relaxing read.

Rating: 4.5 Stars

Award-winning author Charlotte Betts is on dazzling form with her latest romantic historical novel, The Lost Daughter of Venice.

Phoebe Wyndham was shocked to her core when she received a letter from her Aunt Lavinia begging her to return to the Palazzo degli Angeli in Venice. The two women had been estranged for a very long time and her aunt’s urgent missive had prompted Phoebe to leave everything behind in New York and to make the journey to Venice. Having parted acrimoniously, Phoebe isn’t sure what sort of reception she will get, however, she is heartbroken when she realizes that she’s arrived in Venice far too late and that the Palazzo degli Angeli is getting ready to bury their chatelaine. Phoebe cannot believe that her aunt is dead, however, she quickly discovers that there is another shock coming her way when it transpires that she’s been left the Palazzo in Lavinia’s will.

Phoebe’s sister Evelyn is absolutely furious. Having lived with Lavinia and been a constant in her aunt’s life, she had assumed that the Palazzo would come to her so she is incandescent with rage when she finds out that she’s been left with nothing. She cannot believe that her sister has stolen her inheritance right from under her nose. Yet, little does Evelyn realise that there is a very good reason why Lavinia wanted Phoebe to carry on the family legacy. A reason that is going to set in motion a series of shocking events that will have devastating repercussions for them all…

Phoebe had only planned on a quick visit to Venice; she never imagined that she would find herself having to attend her aunt’s funeral and that she would be left the Palazzo. When her hopes for a quick sale are dashed, Phoebe soon finds herself entangled in a web of lies, secrets and deceptions that will test her mettle and compel her to face up to some uncomfortable truths about her family. As she tries to separate fact from fiction, Phoebe grows close to two different men. But she needs to be careful whom she can trust as it transpires that her aunt might not have died of natural causes and if she doesn’t watch her step, Phoebe could end up suffering a similar fate…

Charlotte Betts writes beguiling, sweeping and enthralling historical novels that once you started reading, you simply cannot put down and she has done it again with her latest novel, The Lost Daughter of Venice. A captivating tale that takes you back in time to the beginning of twentieth century, this evocative and enjoyable historical novel is full of atmosphere, tension, jeopardy and passion and kept me glued to its pages until the very end.

A spellbinding novel from a master storyteller, The Lost Daughter of Venice is another surefire winner by Charlotte Betts.

I really wasn’t sure what to make of this book at the outset, but as it progressed I got drawn into the mysteries of the aunt’s death, the two Italian ‘gentlemen’ vying for her attention and the mystery of Phoebe’s falling out with her aunt and her sister.

Intriguing setting in Venice and makes me want to understand more about how on earth they build houses in water!!!

Thought the premise of this sounded really intriguing, and I did enjoy the mystery elements, but unfortunately it felt like it was trying to add everything into the mix, with a love triangle and the sisters resentment, and it was all maybe a bit too much.

I want to start by saying a big thank you to Little Brown Book Group and Netgalley for sending both an e-arc and physical copy in exchange for an honest review.

Now, let’s get into it!

The premise of the book captivated me right from the start (with a synopsis opener like ‘Come to Venice. Please, Phoebe, do not fail me,’ it was bound to be intriguing) and the various elements that the author brought into the plot were key in keeping me hooked. We had love triangles, resentful siblings, and lost daughters…(figuratively and literally) what more could one really ask for. Hence it had a lot of promise.

But the drawback of this was that it often times fell short in delivering on these highly anticipated elements. Some of the intriguing plot points felt rushed and could have benefitted from further exploration and development. At times, there were instances of info-dumping, which hindered the flow of the story. Additionally, the dialogue between characters lacked the authenticity necessary for me to establish a strong connection with them, which made me less invested in their stories. The first-person narrative only seemed to worsen this.

Overall, I found this to be an okay read, which I’m certain others can find enjoyment in. However, I felt that the execution did not meet my expectations.

A good historical fiction set in Venice after the WWI, a compelling story that mixes family saga, secrets, miscommunications, old and new loves, and a lot of surprises
I was hooked since the first pages and I liked Phoebe, the girl who went away, and the atmospheric description of Venice.
There’s a story and there’s the big history in a moment when everything is changing and nothing what used to be.
Phoebe discovers her long estranged aunts left her Venice palace to her.
It’s a beginning of a story that goes back in time and makes us know what Phoebe’s she was past and how became a famous photographer. The eye of the photo machine is a way to discover things and It will play a relevant role in the story.
The characters are fleshed out and lively, I felt for Phoebe and found the other characters interesting.
The historical background is well researched even if there’s some details that made me wonder as I think it could have been very hard even if not impossible, the religion choice at the beginning for instance
That said I thoroughly enjoyed this story, and I will read others by this author as I always liked her story
It’s strongly recommended if you want to read a well plotted and intriguing historical fiction.
Many thanks to Piatkus for this ARC, all opinions are mine

This is one of those books that pulls you in from the first page and makes you forget about the whole world. This story completely captivated me. And I can honestly say that it has everything I like most about historical fiction. It beautifully described the place of action, Venice, just after WWI. Very clearly characterised characters. The action is full of drama but also emotions and romantic feelings. I must admit that I enjoyed the style in which this story was written. Simple, picturesque and captivating. There are many references to the post-war reality, but it is so well integrated into the action that it enriches and adds an additional dimension. The characters are authentic in their actions, concerns and decisions—especially the main character, Phoebe, who won my reader's heart. The plot is quite simple. Estranged, Phoebe arrives in Venice after receiving a disturbing telegram from her aunt. Meanwhile, it turns out that her aunt is dead, and she, contrary to expectations, inherits the Venetian Palazzo. Of course, the first thing she wants to do is sell the run-down building and go home, but when Phoebe discovers the truth about the painful events that resulted in her being cut off from her family, she decides to stay. If you like stories where love, family, betrayal and the thrill of danger come together, I can highly recommend this book for a quiet evening.

“Come to Venice. Please, Phoebe, do not fail me.”

My thanks to Little, Brown Group U.K. Piatkus for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘The Lost Daughter of Venice’ by Charlotte Betts.

Venice, 1919. Following a plea from her estranged aunt, the Contessa di Sebastiano, Phoebe Wyndham returns after seventeen years to the grand Venetian Palazzo degli Angeli. She is shocked to discover that her aunt is dead and the palazzo now belongs to her.

Phoebe has recently been widowed in the Great War and her initial plan is to sell the property and return to London and her career as a photographer. Yet when she uncovers a dark family secret, she vows not to leave without discovering the truth. No further details to avoid spoilers.

While the main story is set in 1919, the narrative returns to 1901 and the events that led to Phoebe leaving Venice and how the estrangement from her Aunt Lavinia and sister, Eveline, came about.

This is my first experience of Charlotte Betts writing and I found it an engaging read that not only presents an intriguing mystery but explores the relationship between mothers and daughters. She also writes evocatively of Venice during the early 20th Century.

I read this ARC for an honest review
All thoughts and opinions are mine

I'd not read this author before and the cover was what drew me in

Its just lush

And so is the book?

So my genre

I absolutely loved this and was immersed totally from the beginning
The writing style is so evocative

I shall certainly be looking out for more from this author

A great read, set in the early 20th Century in Venice the story follows two sisters Phoebe and Eveline.

Phoebe and Eveline were orphaned at a young age when their parents died in India, and were collected by their Aunt the Contessa di Sebastiano and taken to her home in Venice.

In 1902 she had a liaison with a young Venetian, they planned to elope, but he didn't turn up as his mother had found out all about it. Phoebe finds out she is pregnant and is disowned by her Aunt and her husband the Count and married off to an architect who sadly dies in the war. The marriage is not a love match, more of one of convenience.

In 1919 as a widow, Phoebe receives an urgent telegram from her Aunt begging her to come to Venice, by the time Phoebe arrives her aunt has died, at the reading of her Will, her sister Eveline finds out that everything is left to Phoebe.

Many twists and turns, with two men vying for Phoebe's love and attention.

You can see and smell in your mind the Venice of the early 20th Century and the effect it had on everyone's lives.

This is a really enjoyable read. A well crafted plot even if I predicted the outcome in the first few chapters. I hasten to add that this did not spoil the book for me and there were plenty of twists and turns as you progressed. The main character is a strong, independent women who confounds expectations of her. There is a thoughtful exploration of the morals and expectations of women at the turn of the last century, When a couple fall in love, and a pregnancy ensues, it is the woman who is expected to take the blame and fall into disgrace. While the man does not escape shame, the consequences are not nearly as bad. The book then explores the nature of loss and love the mother and daughter experience. All in all, a well spun story.