This is an excellent read combining a tightly written storyline with an interesting and less well known moment in history.It tells the story of Costanza who became the lover of renowned sculptor Lorenzo Bernini and who little fault of her own suffered for being so. I found Costanza to be both a credible and likeable character with plenty of spirit and compassion .Equally,the depiction of the depth of Berninis feelings were also well drawn. I liked the descriptions of seventeenth century Rome with its hustle and bustle -everything was richly evocative. This was a highly enjoyable read and I will look out for future titles from this author.
My thanks to Net Galley and Renegade books for this arc.

‘Costanza’ drew me in from the first sight of its cover. Once I made my initial, tentative steps into the suffocating, claustrophobic warren of 17th Century Rome’s streets I knew that there was no escape.
Rachel Blackmore’s skills as a researcher and storyteller are sublime. Every nuance of expression, every intention, gesture and craving are intricately woven into this sublime tapestry of desire and destruction.
Costanza Piccolomini’s journey from neglected wife to feted muse to pariah is not the tale of everywoman but the poisonous passion of Gianlorenzo Bernini is instantly recognisable to us all. Blackmore tells us in the notes that her inspiration came from an offhand comment about Costanza by art critics discussing Bernini’s genius but that the spark of rage which ignited and initiated her writing was the vile rape and murder of Sarah Everard. Championing a victim of coercive control allowed Blackmore to wrestle back Costanza’s story from the detritus of history’s rubbish heap and fashion it into as great an artwork as that of Bernini himself.
I so look forward to following Blackmore’s writing journey as this first novel is an impressive springboard from which to launch a stellar career.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and author for this opportunity to read this book. I couldn't wait to get reading after reading the blurb, and I was not disappointed! An instant 5 stars from me, this is a gripping historical fiction and a wonderful debut from Rachel Blackmore. The author weaves rich storytelling and beautiful prose into a gripping book which I couldn't put down.

If you’re a fan of Madeline Miller’s “Circe,” Rosie Hewlett’s “Medea,” or any works by Jessica Saint and Natalie Haynes, you will love this book as much as I did! Set against the backdrop of 1636 Rome, “Costanza” delves into themes of fierce female friendship, sisterhood, jealousy, and betrayal. The suffering endured by our protagonist, particularly the abuse inflicted by the Bernini brothers, resonates with a painful authenticity—one that persists even in our modern world. It’s a stark reminder that history’s patterns repeat themselves relentlessly.

Blackmore’s vivid descriptions transport us seamlessly to that tumultuous time period. Her meticulous research shines through, breathing life into both characters and the city itself. As we follow Costanza’s journey, we witness assertive women defying societal norms, feminine rage in its rawest form, and the delicate balance between vulnerability and strength.

Based on a true story, this beautifully written, character driven debut is a fictionalised deep dive into the life of Costanza Piccolomini and how it is shaped by her relationships with, and the abuses of, the men around her, particularly the famed sculptor Gianlorenzo Bernini.

I found the character of Costanza and the city of Rome were brought vividly to life, and the story and writing felt authentic and well researched. It was a little slow to start and I struggled a little to become invested in her relationship with Bernini as he was clearly a 'bad guy'. Despite that I truly enjoyed getting the female perspective of society during this time and many story elements felt current and relevant, especially the male on female violence, its impact and effects. History keeps repeating itself it seems and the consequences of the affair for Costanza echo down through history and are still experienced by women today.

Lorenzo and Luigi Bernini are classic villains made of pure ego and selfishness under the guise of artistry and passion and of no surprise to any reader both men essentially end up with the equivalent of a slap on the wrist for their actions - it's infuriating and all too realistic.

Despite that frustration, for me, these elements are what made this book really work. It's historical fiction but its accessible and paints a picture that could fit into a 21st century setting. Costanza is at once a traditional female character for that era, having little agency and could easily have been very one dimensional in lesser hands, but she is also complex and current, drawing power from the women around her and her own inner strength and will to survive.

I found the author's note to be particularly effective at adding context and additional insight into the writing and highly recommend reading it, potentially even first, depending on your feelings about spoilers, as it could enhance your overall reading experience with that knowledge in mind.

This is a story of love, lust and betrayal. It's epic and intimate and comes highly recommended especially for fans of historical fiction.

4.5*

Thank you to NetGalley and Dialogue Books | Renegade Books for a digital review copy of "Costanza" in exchange for my honest and voluntary review.

This is a largely slow-paced, fictionalised account of Costanza Piccolomini’s relationship and abuse at the hands of famed sculptor Gianlorenzo Bernini. I would recommend it to people who are interested in feminist historical fiction and explorations of how women suffer within systems that excuse male violence.

My biggest issue with this book is that it kept telling me it was about complicated relationships, and about Costanza navigating the conflict between her roles as wife, daughter, friend and mistress, but I felt like hardly any of that conflict actually happened on page. Even Costanza’s relationship with Bernini, which was obviously given the most space out of them all, didn’t feel… meaty enough? I don’t quite know how to put it. I guess I didn’t feel like I was deep enough in her interior experience for a book that is ultimately driven by that.

A stunning historical fiction debut, this is a beautifully written, epic tale of love, lust and betrayal. The character of Constanza is modern enough to be relatable without being anachronistic for the period and environment. Not having heard of her before reading the book, I loved the twists and turns of her life story, and was rooting for her all the way in spite of her tragic flaws.
This is a thought-provoking, stirring novel which will stay with me. The dynamics of Costanza’s relationships with her family, with her husband, lover and friends are fascinating and completely plausible. I found the final chapters surprising and highly satisfying.
As a history fan, I love a good author’s note and this one was particularly good. It was a treat to gain insights into the truth underlying the fiction, and the author’s creative decisions, as well as the passions driving her to tell the story.
Highly recommended for fans of historical fiction.

Thank you to Dialogue books, Renegade books and NetGalley for providing an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

As a lover of historical fiction, especially Renaissance era Italian historical fiction, I was incredibly excited to read Constanza. Based on the real life story of 17th century noblewoman Constanza Piccolomini, this book did not disappoint. I sincerely appreciated the author's dedication to the known historical accuracies and the carefully curated construction of the fictional story woven around the facts. Blackmore has done a spectacular job at giving us all the goods with a yummy side serving of the goodies, which made this read super enjoyable for me. From one history buff to another, thank you. The story itself starts as a bit of a slow burn, but once it got going it really had my attention. I loved the female perspective, the camaraderie, and, of course, the drama! Constanza's story both in history and in fiction is one writhe with passion, scandal and violence. I read this in one sitting and honestly, couldn't put it down. Great debut by a clearly passionate storyteller. You have a fan for life.

Firstly thanks to NetGalley and publishers for the advanced copy of this book in return for my honest opinion.

Really enjoyed the story was transported to 17th century Rome and felt the writing was really immersive .

Was a bit of a slow start but picked up in the middle . Would recommend if you enjoyed historical fiction .

I did enjoy the book but it was a little long so I did skim read the end.

I really liked Costanza and her characterisation was done really well. I also liked her relationship with Lorenzo. I did lose interest in the book when their relationship came to an end. I don’t think the rest of the book was bad but it just wasn’t for me at this moment.

I would recommend this book to readers who really enjoy historical fiction. I think it was a really important book as Costanza’s story should be written about. It really highlighted feminist issues of the time and how unfair women’s treatment was. I also adore that she was able to rebuild her life.

4.5⭐️ This has been on my Netgalley shelf for a while and I’m so mad at myself for not reading it sooner! A beautifully written story full of friendship, desire, love, scandal and revenge. A well paced and truly fabulous historical debut (I can’t believe it’s a debut novel) that I physically could not put down. Also loved the authors notes at the end which gives even more of an insight into who the real Costanza was. Really enjoyed!

The book is based on a true story through the eyes of Costanza. The men ruled the 1600's in Rome where women were married young, and expected to be mothers, wives, and lovers....
This beautiful young woman is in a marriage that is not what she expected, she is eventually lured into a wealthy man's bed, becoming his mistress, but this is where her life goes wrong, becoming a scapegoat to protect the male ego
Fully immersed in the book I could not put this down, a tale of love, lust, and danger. what a book and what a woman Constanza was. I felt every emotion in this story.
A definite five stars and very highly recommended

Rome, 1636. History calls her a Muse. Temptress. Fallen woman. This is her story.

This is based on the true story of Costanza who is married to Matteo and is a respectable young wife. That is until she meets famed sculptor Gianlorenzo Bernini who has a temper but from the moment they meet the attraction is immediate.

Whilst Costanza's reputation is at stake due to their affair , Bernini has a vision in mind to make Costanza his muse and sculpts a statue so that she is immortalised in marble. When the statue is unveiled it also condemns Costanza as she is exposed to be his lover and this causes an almighty scandal within the Roman society. This could be the undoing of Costanza but whilst others believe this is the end for her will she show her resilience and rise above it all.

I will be honest with you I had never heard of Costanza or her story but what I will tell you is that this book had me hooked from the first chapter. I felt for Costanza as from the start she did not have it easy and whilst cheating is never a good thing she had reasons behind it, which are explained within the story. The Bernini family are unlikeable especially Luigi. Overall this story is so very well written and just cements the fact that historical fiction is becoming a firm favourite of mine and this book is worth every one of the 5 stars I have rated it.

Rachel Blackmore has written an historical epic in "Costanza". It is truly engrossing, and it's based on fact! The characters are amazing and Bernini's obsession with Costanza is believable, in the way it develops for him, but also for her. Previously, having not visited Rome, I had only really come across Bernini in Dan Brown's "Angels and Demons". This book brings alive that period of history in Rome when the Popes were all powerful and great works of art were being commissioned, to build on those already produced during the Renaissance.

This book is a must for all lovers of historical fiction. Thanks to Net Galley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book.

This is historical fiction at its very best. Rachel Blackmore achieves that rare thing of truly transporting the reader so that they are living and breathing 17th century Rome. Not only that, we see it, feel it and think it via the protagonist of this somewhat tragic tale of Costanza Piccolomini, muse to the great (Gian)Lorenzo Bernini, renowned and respected sculptor to the pope.
Costanza is a victim of patriarchy and, sometimes, misogyny but is so much more than that. She is strong, reinventing herself time and time again. Her downfall is falling in love and trusting the wrong people. I like the way that the author explores different sexualities in the context of the era and place, exposing vulnerabilities and adding to the rich context of the plot rather than detracting from it. Without wanting to give much away, Costanza is driven into the arms of Bernini who becomes totally obsessed with her, much to the annoyance of his jealous younger brother who triggers the spiral that results in Costanza’s fall from grace.
She finds a sisterhood in her fellow ‘prisoners’ at the convent and through them she is lifted and learns to be a better person. Her husband, Matteo, stands by her throughout and you can’t help but have empathy with them both.
The ultimate ending is a bit of a ‘sails of into the sunset’ one and after the well paced lead up does feel a bit rushed but not enough to lose a star over! I was sad to finish this book and miss Costanza already.
I was very interested to read about the association with the Sarah Everard tragedy at the end and learn a little more about the ‘birth’ and ‘growth’ of this story from Rachel Blackmore - thank you.

Costanza is beautifully written. The story is about the hardships of women and giving women in history a voice, and I absolutely love that. At times it is difficult content but the prose is lyrical and balances this out. The ending is very much about rising up and this was needed after the heavier elements. The complexity of relationships is explored and portrayed as true to life fully immersing you into Costanza’s life. The characters are vivid and engaging, some infuriating. I always love a book that makes me mad. The setting is another beautiful element that needs mentioning. The pacing is on the slower side but this did not deter me from Costanza’s story. A great piece of historical fiction and I will definitely be checking out this authors future work. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC. This is a voluntary review of my own thoughts.

Costanza Rachel Blackmore

4 stars
I do enjoy historical fiction especially when it is based on a true story and this book ticks these boxes.

Costanza is 22 years old and has been married to Matteo for 4 years. She is happy but feels that there is no real love between her and her husband. Whilst attending a dinner she encounters Lorenzo Bernini, the most famous sculptor of his age, a man favoured by The Pope. There is an immediate attraction between them and when Lorenzo offers to introduce her to the amazing artworks in Rome in the 16th century, Matteo agrees. However there is no impropriety between the two until one day when Costanza arrives home unexpectedly she finds her husband in bed with another man. This is so shocking to her that she lets her passion for Lorenzo show and they become lovers.
Without revealing the story through no fault of her own, Costanza is labelled a slut and her life becomes one of drudgery. However she is still able to rise above her surroundings and live her life.

This story was interesting to me because of the strength of character of Costanza despite the hypocrisy surrounding her. She is a strong woman and lives her life without regard to what the society of Rome demands of a married woman.

I did find the last part of the book not as interesting as the first but I admire the way the author has taken a real person and written a story about her which is mainly based on the truth. I also particularly enjoyed the descriptions of Rome at that time.

Karen Deborah
Reviewer for Net galley

Not my usual style of historical fiction but "Costanza" by Rachel Blackmore definitely grew on me. Set in 17th Century Rome against the backdrop of artists, Costanza becomes the mistress and muse of Bernini. The female protagonist is mainly fictional but the story is based on fact and demonstrates how you can be the centre of a man's universe one minute and cast aside the next. I preferred the section in the nunnery where you really got to know the wronged women who ended up there and heard their stories. Thank you to Rachel Blackmore for breathing life into these women.

I wish I'd had this to read the last time I was in Rome, admiring Bernini's fountains! It's a harrowing story that really highlights the disparity of moral judgement between men and women in Italian society at the time. The Catch-22 situation of funding for the fallen women's own imprisonment was particularly shocking, although the characters of Rosa and Lisbetta provided some respite during this section of the book. All in all, it was a thought-provoking read and an interesting insight into some of the darker potential stories behind the marble sculptures so admired for their beauty.

1636 and Lorenzo Bernini, a famous sculptor has fallen in love with a married woman, Costanza Piccolomini. She is young and beautiful and she becomes his muse and lover. But his brother also desires her. What will be the cost to Costanza living in Rome where the Catholic Church does not approve of adultery?

Brilliant novel based on facts. Well written and well paced. Strong characters with a story to be told. A woman’s life can be hard when men rule all aspects of their future.

Rome 1636: Costanza - respectably married, relatably taken for granted, understandably angry, and hungry for life - catches the eye of sculptor Lorenzo Bernini, a dark, brooding genius with even the Pope at his feet. Costanza risks everything as they are ineluctably drawn together, but dares to believe they can make things work. She doesn’t realise, however, that she’s up against jealousy and pride even more powerful and reckless than the passion consuming her.

It packs an emotional punch (several, in fact) but never feels rushed or melodramatic and moments of strength and beauty, plus wonderful characters, make sure the darkness doesn’t overwhelm it. Kind of ‘Girl with a Pearl Earring’ and ‘Disobedient’ meet ‘Tess of the d’Urbevilles’ (in the best possible way).

I LOVED Costanza herself. She’s a warm, relatable, realistically flawed, believably brilliant, genuine woman who I would happily have a drink with any time. Rachel has done a beautiful job of defining her by her strengths, her resilience, and the threads of solidarity and humanity in her story, rather than the hardships she faces, and she shines brightest in some heartbreakingly dark moments.

Mesmerising sensuality, stomach churning envy, and heartwarming solidarity are all rendered brilliantly. The psychological elements are chillingly well observed, making me want to fight even harder for Costanza. There’s also a wonderful sense of place and period. You feel the coldness of the winter streets just as vividly as the steaminess of a Roman summer.

The historical note at the end is also deeply moving: I felt it was a real privilege to have spent time with Rachel’s Costanza.

Thanks again to @dialoguepublishing and @netgalley for the proof. I was so keen to read this, I’d already pre-ordered, but didn’t have the willpower to wait when offered an eARC.

It’s out on 1 August. I can’t wait to get my hands on the beautiful hardback.