My favourite reads by Frances Mayes

 
On recent travels I took with me a book written by one of my favourite authors  Frances Mayes , ‘Bella Tuscany..The Sweet Life in Italy’  is the fourth book that I have read that has been written by this wonderfully talented author.  Each time I start to read another of her books I fall in love with Tuscany all over again.

My love affair with Frances Mayes books started when I first read her book ‘Under the Tuscan Sun’ which is all about her journey of being an American writer who also reviews books. At the book launch of an ex-student who praises her unconditionally, she also runs into a man who’s book she once reviewed on a not so positive scale, with his apparent bitterness and want for revenge he overtly and somewhat pleasingly brings to her attention her husbands recent acts of infidelity.  Struggling through divorce proceedings she becomes depressed and gloomy to be around, thankfully her best friend Patti has her best interests at heart, Patti is recently pregnant and having the baby with her girlfriend, they had planned a holiday together yet with Patti expecting and unable to travel she presents Frances with her ticket to an unintimidating gay tour of romantic Tuscany that she hopes will help turn her depression into some sort of happiness again.

The tour starts off in the beautiful Tuscan town of Cortona which is where she stumbles on an advertisement in a real estate window of a villa for sale called ‘Bramasole’.  After a day spent pondering the local buzzing market in Cortona’s main piazza the bus tour sets off to leave town and on the way out whilst Frances is gazing out the window she notices a rustic iron and sandstone gate with overgrown shrubs and a small plaque with the name ‘Bramasole’.  After disembarking the bus she bravely enters the home and on a whim decides to purchase the house with the money from her divorce.

Following the purchase of the house renovations start with a team of quirky and warm hearted workers from Poland who help to not only strengthen the foundations of the house yet also fill it with warmth and love.  Along with some inviting local next door neighbours, her best friend, the realtor who helped her to buy the house and an eccentric ageing actress called Catherine, Frances slowly starts to rebuild her life in romantic Tuscany in the heart of Italy.  It definitely takes one to get over one and in the arms of Marcello whom she meets when in Rome looking for a shop that sells parts to a chandelier, her beautiful affair begins in Positano where Marcello lives on the Amalfi Coast, she begins to feel human and alive again, and the warm Tuscan tones start to fill the villa and a smile returns to Frances’s face.

Her three wishes come true with the house being filled with love, a family and a wedding is held in the gardens of the villa.  The signs are prevalent from the moment the 300 year old house is transferred into her name.

This is the most wonderful story and since buying this book and then the DVD I have watched the film more times than I can count.  

Enjoy a snippet of the trailer HERE

This inspiring author has published many lovely books that are the perfect holiday read, that individually take me to a place that dreams are made of.  Life in Tuscany and other exciting and adventure filled travel journeys that she takes with her husband all seem to be such wonderful escapism from the pressures of daily life routines.

 
A continuation of her love affair with Italy; deliciously entertaining.

A personal memoir about her current life in Tuscany, the beauty and pleasurable daily experiences.

This book differs and is about the journey with travels she takes over a year with her husband through some very special places in the world like Greece, Portugal, France, Scotland, England, Morocco and Italy.

Thankfully the marathon hasn’t finished with the other books still on my hit list.  Please keep writing Frances Mayes and I promise I will keep buying your lovely books.
 
If you are visiting Italy this year check out our personally selected BEST LUXURY BOUTIQUE HOTELS
 
xmm @ IAT