First published 2016
In the marble halls and shadowed streets of Rome, four artists find their lives intertwined by mystery and desire. Miriam, a painter haunted by her secret past, attracts the devotion of Donatello, the young Count of Monte Beni whose uncanny resemblance to an ancient marble faun suggests he may be descended from mythical beings. When a sinister figure from Miriam's history threatens to destroy her peace, the innocent Donatello commits an act that transforms him forever. Hilda, a gentle copyist who witnesses the crime, struggles with the burden of knowledge that conflicts with her pure moral nature. Kenyon, a thoughtful sculptor in love with Hilda, watches as guilt and secrecy poison the bonds between them all. Set against the backdrop of Italy's art treasures and ancient ruins, their story explores how sin enters paradise and whether redemption remains possible after innocence is lost.
Genres: fiction, art, romance, historical-fiction, 20th-century, 19th-century
Vibes: atmospheric, dark, emotional, thought-provoking
Tropes: redemption, sin-and-guilt
Setting: Italy, Monte Beni, Rome
Period: 19th-Century
220 pages · Paperback · CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform