Book Details:
Waking Isabella—because beauty can't sleep forever by Melissa Muldoon Category: Adult Fiction (18+), 271 pages Genre: Historical Fiction, General Fiction Publisher: Matta Press ~ Release date: November 2018 Tour dates: Feb 1 to Feb 26, 2021 Content Rating: PG-13 + M. includes mature themes (suicide, adultery, sexual relations, murder) Book Description: Waking Isabella is a story about uncovering hidden beauty that, over time, has been lost, erased, or suppressed. It also weaves together several love stories as well as a few mysteries. Nora, an assistant researcher, is a catalyst for resolving the puzzle of a painting that has been missing for decades. Set in Arezzo, a small Tuscan town, the plot unfolds against the backdrop of the city’s antique trade and the fanfare and pageantry of its medieval jousting festival. While filming a documentary about Isabella de’ Medici—the Renaissance princess who was murdered by her husband—Nora begins to connect with the lives of two remarkable women from the past. Unraveling the stories of Isabella, the daughter of a fifteenth-century Tuscan duke, and Margherita, a young girl trying to survive the war in Nazi-occupied Italy, Nora begins to question the choices that have shaped her own life up to this point. As she does, hidden beauty is awakened deep inside of her, and she discovers the keys to her creativity and happiness. It is a story of love and deceit, forgeries and masterpieces—all held together by the allure and intrigue of a beautiful Tuscan ghost. Buy the Book: Amazon ~ Audible B&N ~ Bookshop ~ BookBub ~ Autographed from Author ~ Add to Goodreads 
REVIEW by LAWonder10:
Isabella was more disappointed, rather than brokenhearted, when her marriage ended in divorce. Her marriage had been failing for years and now she was feeling numb and at a loss what to do with her situation. She had been working for over a year on a documentary to be filmed. Why not return to the place it evolves to...Italy. There she can complete the task and return to California with a clearer idea of what to do with her life after divorce. This is a story about a woman's search for more meaning in her life and what direction her path should take. She is excited to reconcile with an old friend, plus, create new, various types of friendships. It is also a story of discoveries and mysteries. This is an ideal book, especially, for those interested in history and genealogy. It is intriguing, captivating and romantic, too. There is plenty of evolving action and suspense. The characters are all very believable and the reader can easily feel a part of the story. Although this is very well-written, based on factual events, it is also slightly controversial. At first I had a slightly difficult time in "getting into" the story. There were lot of phrases in Italian, then repeated in English. However, it only took a portion of an hour before it all became clear. The Narrator, Amy Gorden, did an excellent job in both narration and in performance. It was easy for the listener to "live" the tale through her performance, and she was consistent in the use of the various "voices" of which she chose well. I offer a Four and a Half Stars rating. *This audio was gifted me with no pressure to post a positive review. This is my honest review.
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Meet the Author:
Melissa Muldoon is the author of four novels set in Italy: Dreaming Sophia, Waking Isabella, Eternally Artemisia, and The Secret Life of Sofonisba Anguissola. All four books tell the stories of women and their journeys of self-discovery to find love, uncover hidden truths, and follow their destinies to shape a better future for themselves. Melissa is also the author of the Studentessa Matta website, where she promotes the study of Italian language and culture through her dual-language blog written in Italian and English (studentessamatta.com). Studentessa Matta means the “crazy linguist” and has grown to include a podcast, Tutti Matti per l’Italiano and the Studentessa Matta, YouTube channel, Facebook page and Instagram feed. Melissa also created Matta Italian Language Immersion Programs, which she co-leads with Italian schools in Italy to learn Italian in Italy. Through her website, she also offers the opportunities to live and study in Italy through Homestay programs. Melissa has a B.A. in fine arts, art history, and European history from Knox College, a liberal arts college in Galesburg, Illinois, as well as a master’s degree in art history from the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana. She has also studied painting and art history in Florence. She is an artist, designer, and illustrated the cover art for all four of her books. Melissa is the managing director of Matta Press Connect with the author: Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~Instagram ~ Pinterest ~ Goodreads 
Giveaway Details:
Print copy of THE SECRET LIFE OF SOFONISBA ANGUISSOLA plus 1 audiobook (USA only) (3 winners)) (ends Mar 5) 
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