Part romance, part thriller, but more than anything a novel about human nature in all its glories; of compelling, forbidden, life changing love; of the pasts that haunt us; of dangerous secrets.

Christmas is exactly the time of year for a reliable romance; a time-honoured trope, relatable characters, super-cute children and more mince pies and mulled wine than you can shake the proverbial stick at.

Poring over photographs, videos, and maps reminded me just what a little gem Lumbarda is with its rural setting, surrounded by olive groves and vines, its sparkling sea and tiny harbour.

My first Fiona Valpy and it certainly won’t be my last – I’m so excited to have discovered this wonderful writer at last.

I love books about friendship, and this must be up there among the best. Although it took me a while to settle into it, once the cast of characters began to build around ‘Average Jo’ I was enthralled, and wanted to know more about them.

Where do I start with this wonderful novel? With the sense of place and time, I guess, because it was so brilliant and what drew me in.

Oh my, what a book. I felt that tingle almost straight away, the one only a really special book gives you.

I’m a big fan of Rosanna Ley’s books and this was no exception; in fact, it’s one of my favourites. The characters are instantly believable, the descriptions sumptuous and the whole story is perfectly tensioned.

There is no doubt that Korcula makes the most of its ties, real and imagined, to Marco Polo. Even though it is almost impossible to separate the facts from the myth, the part Venetians in general played in the island’s history is indisputable.

My fascination with pastries probably stems from the fact I can’t eat most of them because of the gluten, but being able to do so is a fantasy I play out with the characters in my books.