Happy Birthday We’ll Always Have Venice

It’s been one year since my fourth book, We’ll Always Have Venice, was published! It’s been my favourite book, so far (A Taste of Italian Sunshine might take over that title, but I’m not quite sure, yet).

In some ways, it’s difficult to have favourites, because there have been things I’ve loved (and obsessed over) in all my books and I wouldn’t choose just one to have written, because all of these obsessions have lived wildly in me for a time and they all stay with me, but We’ll Always Have Venice was just such a fun book and all the elements fell into place while I was writing it: the tropes, the banter, the setting. I was so proud of it, when it came out.

And then it didn’t sell very well. I mean, I can’t complain much because my publisher actively markets all of our titles and it got advertising budget and all the possible support, so it didn’t do badly, either, but it just didn’t sell as well as my previous books and who knows why.

The review statistics back up my opinion that it’s my best book (so far), with a higher proportion of five-star reviews than for any of my other titles. For some reason, people didn’t pick it up and that’s largely out of my control. But I do love when someone stumbles across it and leaves a lovely review, because there are still so many people who haven’t read it! Others will follow, I do hope.

I’m still super proud of Norah, my tough scientist who’s had it a bit rough lately and is getting out there her own way, and Gianluca, who’s knocked off his feet by her and finds a way for them to be together without her sacrificing her career. It’s a sweet, swoony book, gentle like a still summer day on the Venice lagoon, but with the heat of a friendship with potential for something more.

And of course there are three only-one-bed situations! The first was entirely intentional and the other two just sort of happened and I went with it!