Quick Facts
- Release Date: June 1, 2019
- Page Count: 252
- Publisher: Tema Merback
- Kindle Unlimited? Yes
I enjoyed the historical scenes and art history references but felt Alex and Angela’s romance was severely lacking. At its heart, this book is a romance novel, although it is described as a thriller. I fear many readers will pick up this book looking for a thriller and be similarly disappointed by a lack-luster romance that takes center stage.
Synopsis
The Girl Who Loved Caravaggio, by Belle Ami, is the second book in the Out of Time Thriller Series, following The Girl Who Knew Da Vinci. Angela Renatus and her fiancé Alex Caine are recruited to recover the Nativity, one of Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio’s most famous paintings, that was stolen from a church in Italy during an art heist in 1969.
Angela, who is able to see into the past via ghosts of her previous lives, begins having dreams and visions of Caravaggio, as well as Fillide, the Roman prostitute with whom he fell in love. When Caravaggio and Fillide are revealed to be yet another of Alex and Angela’s previous lives, it puts Alex and Angela on a path to retrace Caravaggio’s life through Italy in their search for the painting.
Review
The Girl Who Loved Caravaggio mixes classic romance with historical fiction and suspense, making it suitable for those looking for just a bit more than your typical romance. As this is not a stand-alone novel, it is highly recommended that The Girl Who Knew Da Vinci is read first.
The aspect I found most appealing was the flashbacks into 17th century Italy. The book begins with a dynamic and captivating prologue, introducing Caravaggio and Fillide and setting the tone for the rest of the novel. Unfortunately, it goes downhill from there.
As a romance reader, I was surprised to find myself most disappointed with Angela and Alex’s relationship. Both characters are seemingly one-dimensional, each defined by two or three key traits that are explicitly provided to the reader at the beginning of the book. Neither Angela nor Alex experience growth or character development of any kind. I also found many of the scenes between them to be overly sappy, lacking sexual tension which normally draws me into a scene.
Summary
Overall, I am giving this book a 2 out of 5 stars. I enjoyed the historical scenes and art history references but felt Alex and Angela’s romance was severely lacking. I don’t feel 3 stars is appropriate because, at its heart, this book is a romance novel although it is described as a thriller. I fear many readers will pick up this book looking for a thriller and be similarly disappointed by a lack-luster romance that takes center stage.
Readers should also be aware that there is profanity in the book.
Link to Author’s website: https://www.belleamiauthor.com/
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