Prologue (1460): Gianetta is born in a farmhouse in Fiesole. Her mother dies in childbirth. The unnamed father is distraught but leaves her in the care of her grandmother and returns home.
The Story (1478): Gianetta grows up and moves to Florence, where she is in service to a wealthy family of textile merchants - the Rosini. They are friends to and supporters of the powerful Medici clan. In the small, tight-knit group of staff, we meet Eleonora (cook), Luigi (Signor Francesco Rosini’s private assistant), Antonio and Lucia and our hero, Matteo. Gianetta and Matteo are in love and have a happy, peaceful life with the kind and generous Rosini family. They enjoy entertaining at Palazzo Rosini, where the Medici and Botticelli are frequent visitors.
Following the suspected poisoning of Lorenzo de’ Medici and near death of Giuliano de’ Medici, both within the Rosini family home, there is suspicion that there is a traitor in the house and speculation as to who it might be.
In Botticelli’s workshop (where Matteo worked previously), there is discussion about unrest in Florence with rumours in the city that Medici days in power are numbered, and there may be trouble at Easter.
The Rose of Florence by Angela M Sims
Genre: Historical Fiction / Romance / Renaissance / Thriller / Suspense
Published: Early 2023
Paperback ISBN: 9781739117382
Hardback (Casebound) ISBN: 9781739117306
eBook: Amazon HERE Apple Here KOBO HERE SCRIBD HERE
Price: £9.99
About the Author: Angela M Sims
Angela’s background is in healthcare, and she has been a university lecturer since 2010. Her writing experience was limited to a master’s dissertation, purely academic, but the research skills she learned during that process were soon used in researching her favorite topic, the Italian Renaissance. It didn’t take long before the seeds of a story began to germinate, and The Rose of Florence her debut novel blossomed.
Praise for: The Rose of Florence
This enchanting début novel takes the reader deep into the heart of the beautiful Renaissance city of the title. The Medici are in charge, but there are rumbles of discontent, rivalry and jealousy of their rule. The book starts though in a remote farmhouse, with a birth, a death and a motherless child with a tiny birthmark. This baby grows up to be the lively, resourceful and intelligent Gianetta, the heroine of this novel. A servant in the house of a well-to-do, cultured merchant who is close to the city's ruling family, she falls in love with Matteo, but the ominous times in which they live conspire against their happiness, as does the mystery of Gianetta's birth. Katherine Mezzacappa
Raves for: Angela M Sims
''Clearly possessing a huge knowledge of and affection for mediaeval Florence. The result has a charm of its own and will please many readers of historical fiction.'' ⭐⭐⭐⭐ HNS Review
‘’This is a book that will appeal to the intelligent and curious visitor to Florence, not least for its culinary interludes. Take this book to a shady bench in the Boboli Gardens and turn off your phone.’’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Katherine Mezzacappa
‘’ In the Foreword to this novel, the author writes that ‘a good story should be very like a good meal and should be just as satisfying’. The Rose of Florence is indeed a veritable feast.’’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Helen Lucitt
‘’ Angela’s delightful story takes us into the heart of renaissance Florence – we are immersed in its sights sounds and smells – its magnificent architecture - the din of the streets - its pungent cookery - its characters - all brought vibrantly alive in her rich and colourful writing –conjuring the very life of the city at this dangerous time.’’ Angela Minoli
‘’Always keen to read debut novels, 'The Rose of Florence' did not disappoint. I found myself fully engrossed in the story even though it's set in a period I knew very little about. I had to keep turning the pages to the novel's satisfying conclusion.’’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Jan Baynham
''The Rose of Florence is a beautifully written novel, full of vivid description that will whisk you away and draw you in from the start.'' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Helga Jensen Author of 'A Scandinavian Summer'
Watch the promotional video here