The Secrets of Villa Rosso: Escape to Italy for a summer romance to remember

The Secrets of Villa Rosso: Escape to Italy for a summer romance to remember
Linn B. Halton

Some places stay with you forever…When Ellie Maddison is sent on a business trip to Southern Italy, she's reminded why she loves her job – set amongst rolling vineyards and rich olive groves, the beautiful Villa Rosso is the perfect escape from her life back home. But what Ellie isn't prepared for is the instant connection she feels to the estate's director Max Jackson, or the secrets they share that are as intertwined as the rambling vines that cover Villa Rosso.It's not long before Ellie finds herself entangled in the history of the place, trying to understand the undeniable effect Max is having on her. As their relationship grows, what will Ellie discover about this idyllic villa and those who have walked through its doors?What started as a simple work trip will change Ellie's life forever.

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First published in Great Britain by HarperImpulse 2017

Copyright © Linn B. Halton 2017

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Cover design © Books Covered 2017

Linn B. Halton asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work.

A catalogue copy of this book is available from the British Library.

This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental.

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Source ISBN: 9780008261283

Ebook Edition © July 2017 ISBN: 9780008261276

Version: 2018-01-29

Dedication (#ucba3ce90-be88-5110-bcbb-841344632e61)

When you have an idea that is like a tiny seed in the back of your head, you dash off some words knowing that one day the story will begin to make itself known to you. That ‘one day’ turned out to be three years later.

I have to thank my lovely husband, Lawrence, for being instrumental in helping me to find the perfect setting in which to unravel Ellie’s tale. Once I had that, the words just flowed until I found myself writing The End.

Over the years we have always found the Italian people to be so very warm and welcoming. The scenery is out of this world and I can still close my eyes and spirit myself away to some memorable evenings dining al fresco, accompanied by the sounds of the singing cicadas.

Love you always and forever.

‘Each life is unique: a series of events on a time line over which you have absolutely no control. You struggle through the low points as best you can and celebrate the highs to remind yourself how good life can be when fate is being kind.

But when I look around at everyone else, it has become clear that my life is a little different. It wasn’t always that way and the question I want to ask the universe is, why me?’

Ellie Maddison

Table of Contents

Cover (#u65b0cc9e-942d-591f-b24b-8a988080471f)

Title Page (#ua6df1e75-4942-5525-9659-794b22a7d6d3)

Copyright (#ucec369de-51a9-5451-be73-7c0a7188022f)

Dedication (#u23e5ff37-3ba6-5d1d-add8-efea8f4866cd)

Epigraph (#u2cd6809e-8070-5991-bff7-d52a811cc06d)

Our Nineteenth Wedding Anniversary (#u7bacb76b-d888-5e92-ae46-b18d3a339ae8)

Chapter 1 (#u95894026-bb19-5329-9b1a-d5181329d524)

In the Beginning (#u8625d57b-9acc-5b7a-92a5-11a26f2db7b4)

Chapter 2 (#u13a7ac23-9f13-5897-b5b4-0c5f956f49bb)

Chapter 3 (#u68bb7b04-6e81-5526-a554-22cd3ee803e8)

Rewind One Year and Five Days (#ua0224bea-baf5-5cf4-82ce-36a83828b59f)

Chapter 4 (#u7b7264d9-cd21-587e-bd3a-21edb4a7b651)

Chapter 5 (#u6c05c7f3-1e7f-5421-aaa8-5d0a2094e315)

Chapter 6 (#u5ed98ab7-8abe-5421-96c2-0e26c5f2d0ef)

Chapter 7 (#u8ad36ace-ca11-5248-941b-b996924b82ad)

Chapter 8 (#uea1eb1d6-601f-51ee-91fc-c579b56db564)

Chapter 9 (#u23b41f74-e9b7-56ea-b013-af782c66f072)

Chapter 10 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 11 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 12 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 13 (#litres_trial_promo)