The House by the Sea
When Edie’s mother-in-law, Anna DeLuca, dies, she is relieved. Edie blames Anna for the accident that destroyed her family. So, when her will lures Edie to Sicily and the long-abandoned Villa della Madonna del Mare, she sees through Anna’s games.
Suspecting Anna is meddling from beyond the grave to try to reunite her and her ex-husband Joe, Edie is determined to leave Italy as soon as possible. But before she can, the villa starts to shed its mysterious secrets.
Who are the girls beside Anna in her childhood photos, and why has one of them been scratched out? Why does someone, or something, want them to leave the past untouched? The villa is a place where old ghosts feel at home, but does their legacy need to be laid to rest before Edie and Joe can move on…
It's a fairy tale and nothing more. At times it is quite a good read, but so far fetched as to be ridiculous at times.
The beginning of the book draws you in and the next half is repetitive and drags on. The last quarter is where the “action” is but is overdone at times.
A good chick lit/holiday read but not a serious book
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in return for an honest review.