No-smut romance with some passionate love scenes but no graphic content. If you like to be transported in a world of glamorous settings (Italy, Paris, Amsterdam, a remote Scottish island, California, the Caribbean) with likeable, realistic protagonists and an optimistic ending, perhaps these stories will appeal to you. There is a character in the story “Villa d’Este” who is based on a real life movie star I had the pleasure of meeting. Can you guess who it is?
Robertson Tait has endeavoured to write in a classic, evocative style, taking his inspiration from the work of F. Scott Fitzgerald and Oscar Wilde. You are invited to visit the author's website and blog.
Here is the Amazon description:
A collection of romantic short stories set in glamorous locations from Italy to the Caribbean, passing through Scotland and Santa Barbara. Nine fairy tales for grown-ups.
Villa d'Este: A handsome TV personality is bewitched by a mysterious young beauty.
Amsterdam: Walking home from his night-shift through the red light district, the last thing he expected was an offer of eggs and coffee.
Santa Barbara: “He landed in Tokyo, Japan with a great California tan, a lot of fitness and no shoes.”
Rain in Rome: The slippery slope of love in the Eternal City.
Barra: A remote Scottish island casts its spell on a troubled American movie star.
Florence – La Certosa: “In the distance a church bell peeled, perhaps from the Certosa itself, and the atmosphere seemed somewhat surreal ... It looked so old, so ancient. It was not hard to imagine oneself to be back two or three hundred years, drinking wine and watching the dying sun burn the clouds into every kind of crimson.”
Montmartre: He pitched his song in Paris and found he made a hit.
Amalfi Coast: Poor but hopeful, two young lovers find joy and upset on the beaches of Southern Italy.
Tobago – Having Lost The Boy: Down and out on a tropical beach, there was one more thing he could salvage.
Here is what some readers had to say: “... enjoyed the sensual, poetic style of the language”
“Some would kill for such elegance” “The writing is stellar” “... charming and bewitching ...” “... velvety language”
“This story is delightful and romantic. I was sold by the second paragraph.”
“Your storyline is so shamelessly, grandly romantic ...”
“the dialogue is fabulous, and the action/romance/everything is pretty inspired.”