Book Review & Giveaway: Lake Como

**Giveaway is now closed**

Hallie Elliot has a perfect life. She is an up-and-coming interior designer in one of San Francisco’s most sought after firms, and has just recently become engaged to Peter, a brilliant young journalist. But when she stumbles upon Peter and her boss in what seems to be a compromising position, her trust in her perfect life is shaken.

So Hallie escapes to Lake Como, Italy to spend time with her half-sister, Portia Tesoro, an Italian blueblood dealing with the scandal of a public estrangement from her cheating husband. While staying in the Tesoro villa, Hallie falls in love with the splendor and beauty of Lake Como, and finds work designing the lakeside estate of a reclusive American tech mogul. The caretaker of this beautiful estate is a handsome man named Angus, and Hallie finds herself drawn to his charm and kindness, despite hints of a dark secret in his past.

But just as Hallie is beginning to find her footing on Italian soil, she uncovers a family secret that upends all the truths she’s believed about herself, and calls into question the new life she’s built in Lake Como.

Sisterhood, family, career, and sumptuous descriptions of Italian life fill the pages of this newest offering by Anita Hughes. Lake Como is a heartbreaking and heartwarming story of love, self-discovery, and the quest for truth. (Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads.)


Amy Bromberg:

Anita Hughes takes the reader on a decadent, beautiful, and unforgettable journey to the vibrant and beautiful Lake Como. I've never been to Italy (or anywhere in Europe for that matter), but after reading this book, Lake Como is definitely on my must-travel-to list.

Anita is a master in developing characters and the relationships between them. Even though Hallie's mother didn't act like a "mother," it must have been wonderful to have her and her grandmother there to raise her. I love the special relationship Hallie has with her grandmother, a lady who has a great dry sense of humor. She made me laugh several times. It felt as if I was right there with Hallie and Portia when they went to the fancy parties in the beautiful villas. It reminded me of dressing up to go to the prom or high school dances, but of course their dresses and gowns were much fancier and more elegant. And of course I can't not say something about the romance and heat between Hallie and Angus. From Anita's descriptions of him he seems like a pretty dreamy guy.

Lake Como will take the reader outside of their everyday life and into a fairy tale of scrumptious tasting and salivating foods, gala parties and beautiful settings that one will only find in Italy.

The only complaint I have is that it wrapped up a little too neatly. But other than that it's definitely a beautiful and quite romantic read.


Melissa Amster:

As with her other books, Anita devises a life of decadence for her characters, in terms of location, food, and fashion. While it's so far beyond my own means, it's nice to delve into this world and soak up all the richness she provides. The visualizations are outstanding and I feel like I'm standing right next to her characters.

Lake Como was an enjoyable story, full of mystery and intrigue. There were so many secrets that Hallie had to uncover during her stay in Italy. My favorite part was reading about her mother, Francesca's past and finding out new truths that she didn't tell Hallie in person. The characters and plot were very strong and interesting throughout.

As far as Hallie goes, I found myself getting frustrated at her for overreacting sometimes. While her reactions were warranted at times, I felt she usually made too big a deal about things or acted too impulsively. I wanted to tell her to take two steps back, breathe deeply, and really think before speaking. Also, I am hoping this will not be made into an audio book, based on how often the characters mumble or murmur throughout the story. It would be very hard to understand what was going on if I had to listen to them speak that way.

Overall, Lake Como was a great summer (or any time of year) escape read and provided a delectable armchair adventure. I look forward to what Anita will be coming up with next!

Movie cast suggestions:
Hallie: January Jones
Peter: Tobey Maguire
Portia: Alessandra Mastronardi
Angus: Michael C. Hall

Thanks to St. Martin's Press for the book in exchange for an honest review. They have TWO copies for some lucky US readers!

How to win:
Since it's happiness month, please tell us a travel experience that made you really happy.

One entry per person.

Please include your e-mail address or another way to reach you if you win. Entries without contact information will NOT be counted.

US only. Giveaway ends September 22nd at midnight EST.

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