What do you think?
Rate this book
The Counts of Calvani #1
يوم سقط القناع
Venice: a city of secrets and passion!
Dulcie Maddox is in Venice to work--but she finds herself wanting to spend every day with a tall, handsome gondolier....
Guido Calvani is no gondolier--he's actually one of the wealthiest aristocrats in Venice. He hasn't told Dulcie that, though; it's refreshing to be wanted for himself, rather than for his money. Only, now he's falling for Dulcie. He'd like to make her his bride--but she has no idea who he really is, not even his real name. Then Guido discovers he's not the only one hiding a secret. And Dulcie's secret turns his world upside down....
Dulcie Maddox is in Venice to work--but she finds herself wanting to spend every day with a tall, handsome gondolier....
Guido Calvani is no gondolier--he's actually one of the wealthiest aristocrats in Venice. He hasn't told Dulcie that, though; it's refreshing to be wanted for himself, rather than for his money. Only, now he's falling for Dulcie. He'd like to make her his bride--but she has no idea who he really is, not even his real name. Then Guido discovers he's not the only one hiding a secret. And Dulcie's secret turns his world upside down....
158 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2003
12 people are currently reading
230 people want to read
About the author
Lucy Gordon
692 books90 followersChristine Sparks was born in England, UK. She wanted to be a writer all her life, and began by working on a British women's magazine. As a features writer, she gained a wide variety of experience. She interviewed some of the world's most attractive and interesting men, including Warren Beatty, Richard Chamberlain, Charlton Heston, Sir Roger Moore, Sir Alec Guiness.
Single life was so enjoyable that she put marriage, and even romance, on the back burner, while she went about the world having a great time. Then, while on vacation in Venice, she met a tall, dark handsome Venetian artist, who changed all her ideas in a moment, and proposed on the second day. Three months later they were married. Her friends said a whirlwind romance would never last, but they celebrated their 25 anniversary, they are still married, still happy and in love.
After 13 years on the magazine Christine decided that it was now or never if she was ever going to write that novel. So she wrote Legacy of Fire which became a Silhouette Special Edition, followed by another, Enchantment in Venice. Then she did something crazy gave up her job. Since then she has concentrated entirely on writing romances for Mills & Boon, Harlequin and Silhouette and has written over 75 books. Her settings have been European and her heroes mainly English or Italian. Christine now claims to be an expert on one particular subject. Italian men are the most romantic in the world. They are also the best cooks.
A few years ago she and her husband returned to Venice and lived there for a couple of years. This proved the perfect base for exploring the rest of Italy, and she has given many of her books Italian settings: Venice (of course), Rome, Florence, Milan, Sicily, Tuscany. She has also used the Rhine in Germany for Song of the Lorelei, for which she won her first RITA Award, in 1991. Her second RITA came in 1998, with His Brother's Child, set in Rome.
Eventually Christine Fiorotto and her husband returned to England, where they now live. She write and he paints, they have no children, but have a cat and a dog.
Single life was so enjoyable that she put marriage, and even romance, on the back burner, while she went about the world having a great time. Then, while on vacation in Venice, she met a tall, dark handsome Venetian artist, who changed all her ideas in a moment, and proposed on the second day. Three months later they were married. Her friends said a whirlwind romance would never last, but they celebrated their 25 anniversary, they are still married, still happy and in love.
After 13 years on the magazine Christine decided that it was now or never if she was ever going to write that novel. So she wrote Legacy of Fire which became a Silhouette Special Edition, followed by another, Enchantment in Venice. Then she did something crazy gave up her job. Since then she has concentrated entirely on writing romances for Mills & Boon, Harlequin and Silhouette and has written over 75 books. Her settings have been European and her heroes mainly English or Italian. Christine now claims to be an expert on one particular subject. Italian men are the most romantic in the world. They are also the best cooks.
A few years ago she and her husband returned to Venice and lived there for a couple of years. This proved the perfect base for exploring the rest of Italy, and she has given many of her books Italian settings: Venice (of course), Rome, Florence, Milan, Sicily, Tuscany. She has also used the Rhine in Germany for Song of the Lorelei, for which she won her first RITA Award, in 1991. Her second RITA came in 1998, with His Brother's Child, set in Rome.
Eventually Christine Fiorotto and her husband returned to England, where they now live. She write and he paints, they have no children, but have a cat and a dog.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
August 27, 2011
Opening Line: “Guido Calvani took another turn along the hospital corridor, trying not to think of his uncle, lying behind the closed door, desperately ill.”
Ah Venice, what a beautiful character you portrayed in this book. Actually you may have been my favourite part of this book. The romance and mystic of Venice is captured perfectly here, bringing to life the maze of streets and canals, the language, food and music. Throw in a handsome gondolier, a parody of secrets, a jilted P.I and you’ve got yourselves a great escape, all without leaving your house.
To me this reads very much like a play, with every character trying to cover up their true identity through a comedy of errors. The romance is sweetly done with some great angst however this is clean romance so nobody gets naked. The real story here is Venice, everything else is just a backdrop.
Dulcie Maddox is a private investigator, in Italy on her latest assignment. It’s a plum job, as she’s to pose as an heiress on vacation in the hopes of catching the lowly gondolier scamming the young daughter of her client. The daughter claims to be in love but Dulcie is set to prove her gondolier is just after the money. However the joke may be on her client because Guido Calvani is no simple gondolier scratching a living but actually an Italian aristocrat heir to the Calvani title. He’s simply helping out a friend and enjoys the life of the canals.
Upon meeting there is an immediate attraction between our couple and as predicted Guido asks if he can show Dulcie the real Venice. Within days they are in love. Guido enjoys being with a woman who wants him for something other then his title and Dulcie is wondering how she is ever going to get out of this assignment with her heart intact.
However all is not what it seems and when Guido discovers he’s not the only one hiding a secret his world is turned upside down with everything coming to a head at what else but a masquerade ball. And that people is amore. Salute
Ah Venice, what a beautiful character you portrayed in this book. Actually you may have been my favourite part of this book. The romance and mystic of Venice is captured perfectly here, bringing to life the maze of streets and canals, the language, food and music. Throw in a handsome gondolier, a parody of secrets, a jilted P.I and you’ve got yourselves a great escape, all without leaving your house.
To me this reads very much like a play, with every character trying to cover up their true identity through a comedy of errors. The romance is sweetly done with some great angst however this is clean romance so nobody gets naked. The real story here is Venice, everything else is just a backdrop.
Dulcie Maddox is a private investigator, in Italy on her latest assignment. It’s a plum job, as she’s to pose as an heiress on vacation in the hopes of catching the lowly gondolier scamming the young daughter of her client. The daughter claims to be in love but Dulcie is set to prove her gondolier is just after the money. However the joke may be on her client because Guido Calvani is no simple gondolier scratching a living but actually an Italian aristocrat heir to the Calvani title. He’s simply helping out a friend and enjoys the life of the canals.
Upon meeting there is an immediate attraction between our couple and as predicted Guido asks if he can show Dulcie the real Venice. Within days they are in love. Guido enjoys being with a woman who wants him for something other then his title and Dulcie is wondering how she is ever going to get out of this assignment with her heart intact.
However all is not what it seems and when Guido discovers he’s not the only one hiding a secret his world is turned upside down with everything coming to a head at what else but a masquerade ball. And that people is amore. Salute
Read
July 1, 2013يوم سقط القناع
غويدو كالفاني بطل القصة رومنسي يواجه الحياة بضحكة
مقتنعا ان بامكانه جعل الامور تسير وفق مايريد.
لكنه حتى ذلك الوقت لم يكن قد التقى بالتحرية الخاصة دولسي.
تلك المرأة التي تعودت ان تمضي قدما للوصول الى اهدافها،
وعندما اكتشفت غويدو انها احكمت الوثاق حول عنقه. كان قد فات الاوان.
تدور احداث هذه القصة في مدينة فينيسيا. تلك المدينة المائية التي لا تكشف اسرارها.
حيث لاشيء يبدو كما هو في الظاهر، بما في ذلك غويدو ودولسي اللذان بدءا باخفاء حقيقتهما.
ليتوصلا بعد ذلك الى التخلي عن الاقنعة بعد ان لقنهما الحب درساً.
فينيسيا
غويدو كالفاني بطل القصة رومنسي يواجه الحياة بضحكة
مقتنعا ان بامكانه جعل الامور تسير وفق مايريد.
لكنه حتى ذلك الوقت لم يكن قد التقى بالتحرية الخاصة دولسي.
تلك المرأة التي تعودت ان تمضي قدما للوصول الى اهدافها،
وعندما اكتشفت غويدو انها احكمت الوثاق حول عنقه. كان قد فات الاوان.
تدور احداث هذه القصة في مدينة فينيسيا. تلك المدينة المائية التي لا تكشف اسرارها.
حيث لاشيء يبدو كما هو في الظاهر، بما في ذلك غويدو ودولسي اللذان بدءا باخفاء حقيقتهما.
ليتوصلا بعد ذلك الى التخلي عن الاقنعة بعد ان لقنهما الحب درساً.
فينيسيا
May 23, 2015
مبدأيا غلاف الرواية مختلف عن الرواية بالداخل، وللأسف الرواية اتغيرت من صفحة رقم 14، ودة خلاني مش فاهمة لحد ما بدأت استوعب.
القصة لطيفة للغاية وشبيهه بقصة عودة الغائب لـ بيني جوردان قرأتها مسبقا
القصة لطيفة للغاية وشبيهه بقصة عودة الغائب لـ بيني جوردان قرأتها مسبقا
January 10, 2023
One of my favorite ways to transport myself to another destination is reading books, and if you’re addicted to “the boot,” it doesn’t get better than these romantic novels set in Italy
May 19, 2008
Salah satu pengarang yang saya sukai adalah Lucy Gordon. Mungkin karena pemilihan lokasi yang membuat saya jatuh cinta pada buku2 yang ditulisnya.
Seperti buku pertama dari The Calvani Brother, lokasi yang di pilih adalah Venesia, kota cinta.
Diawali dengan Guido sang pewaris, yang panik karena pamannya tiba-tiba sakit, jika terjadi sesuatu yang tidak diinginkan, dia akan menjadi Count, dan itu yang tidak dia harapkan.
Jiwa romantisnya, menurut sang paman tidak akan membaca dia hingga berusia 70tahun karena akan mati di tembak oleh suami yang cemburu. Sang Paman sangat berharap ketiga keponakannya segera menikah, tetapi kelihatannya tidak bersedia.
Perjumpaan yang menurut Guido adalah takdir dan tidak menyadari bahwa sebenarnya disengaja oleh Dulcie, akhirnya membawa kepedihan. Dan Dulcie yang tidak menyadari siapa Guido sebenarnya merasa bahwa Guido mengkhianati Jenny sang kekasih, padahal dia sudah mulai jatuh hati pada Guido.
Ada bagian yang menarik dalam buku ini, yaitu saat Guido menunjukan koleksi topeng yang dia miliki, dan menceritakan tentang tokoh Columbine dan Harlequin, dimana Harlequin selalu membutuhkan Columbine untuk membimbingnya karena Harlequin terlalu bodoh.
Seperti buku pertama dari The Calvani Brother, lokasi yang di pilih adalah Venesia, kota cinta.
Diawali dengan Guido sang pewaris, yang panik karena pamannya tiba-tiba sakit, jika terjadi sesuatu yang tidak diinginkan, dia akan menjadi Count, dan itu yang tidak dia harapkan.
Jiwa romantisnya, menurut sang paman tidak akan membaca dia hingga berusia 70tahun karena akan mati di tembak oleh suami yang cemburu. Sang Paman sangat berharap ketiga keponakannya segera menikah, tetapi kelihatannya tidak bersedia.
Perjumpaan yang menurut Guido adalah takdir dan tidak menyadari bahwa sebenarnya disengaja oleh Dulcie, akhirnya membawa kepedihan. Dan Dulcie yang tidak menyadari siapa Guido sebenarnya merasa bahwa Guido mengkhianati Jenny sang kekasih, padahal dia sudah mulai jatuh hati pada Guido.
Ada bagian yang menarik dalam buku ini, yaitu saat Guido menunjukan koleksi topeng yang dia miliki, dan menceritakan tentang tokoh Columbine dan Harlequin, dimana Harlequin selalu membutuhkan Columbine untuk membimbingnya karena Harlequin terlalu bodoh.
May 19, 2008
Buat saya, cerita awalnya rada membingungkan... Ada beberapa kalimat yang bikin saya gak mudeng, sepertinya gak nyambung sama jalan ceritanya. Tapi setelah di bab 4 or 5, baru bisa enak lagi ikutin alur ceritanya.
April 11, 2013
Guido bana hiçte Venedik çapkını gibi gelmedi nedense.Kitabın adı öyle ama...neyse.
Yer olarak Venediğin olması ayrıca yemekler,gondollar ve ıssız küçük sokaklar tam romantik bir ortam.Okurken çok zevkli bir şekilde okudum.
Yer olarak Venediğin olması ayrıca yemekler,gondollar ve ıssız küçük sokaklar tam romantik bir ortam.Okurken çok zevkli bir şekilde okudum.
October 24, 2008
Playboy yang menemukan pasangan hidupnya.. Cerita yang ga disangka kedua belah phak. satu sama lain menyembunyikan jati diri mereka masing - masing.
walaupun akhirnya saling jatuh cinta..
walaupun akhirnya saling jatuh cinta..
November 18, 2011
Lucu saat Guido harus menutup-nutupi jati dirinya
October 17, 2012
Cerita awalnya agak sedikit membingungkan.. ga tau karena terjemahannya atau emang karena aslinya... karena di seri ke-2 makin ok, dan sepertinya seri ke-3 paling dapet feelnya...
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews