Book Review: The Peacock Room at Sammezzano Castle by Merryn Corcoran

Today I am heading back to my favourite destination in the world – Italy. Will it be as beautiful as I expect? Find out in my latest book review.

Blurb

The Peacock Room at Sammezzano Castle* by Merryn Corcoran is based in Tuscany, where the castle actually exists in real life. It is visited by Allergra, an English woman who, after being suck by her husband’s infidelity and the death of her grandfather, sets out to discover what happened her great-grandfather when he went missing all those years ago. Along the way, she meets handsome Italian policeman Massimo and, well, love blossoms.

Review

I was so excited to discover that Sammezzano Castle is a real place because this history retold is by far the best part of this story. I could tell by the breathtaking descriptions of the castle, Tuscany, and Florence that this was an important area for the author. The passion and research that went into The Peacock Room knew no bounds and, of course, made the book a much more enjoyable read for me.

This book turned out to be much more light-hearted than and I thought. I was disappointed at the beginning but by the end, I was glad it was written how it was. So, don’t be put off if the blurb comes across as a bit too deep at the beginning. Sad things do happen in this story but it is the good things that are focused on more.

However, I have to admit that some areas of the book were a bit too light-hearted for me, sometimes bordering on cheesy. Sometimes the dialogue was a tad unnatural. This happened to me with Massimo also. He is a great character and an absolute gentleman however, there was a cynical part of me which believed he was too good to be true. Thankfully, this didn’t happen with the other character. Allegra, her mother, her children, and especially her ex-husband, all had their faults so the real elements of life kept things balanced.

I appreciated that The Peacock Room has an epilogue. I love knowing what happens to the characters once the main story is complete. I was satisfied by the ending for all characters although there was one bit that was a little unrealistic for me. Sorry, I can’t discuss it here because Joyful Antidotes is a spoiler-free zone.

Overall, for Italy-lovers like me, I totally recommend this book. I’m looking forward to seeing what else the author has to offer.

I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

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