Last Voyage of the Valentina

by Santa Montefiore

Set in London during the swinging sixties and Italy’s Amalfi coast after Word War II, The Last Voyage of the Valentina is an epic romance with a dark uncercurrent of suspense from an author the Daily Mail (UK) has declared “is the new Rosamunde Pilcher.”Exotically beautiful but desperately unhappy, Alba lives on a houseboat on the Thames, where she enjoys a life of leisure and entertains an endless and unfulfilling succession of lovers. But then she discovers a portrait of her dead mother, Valentina—a woman she'd hardly known, whose story has been kept from her by her still grieving father. Determined to learn the truth about Valentina, Alba returns to the olive groves of the Amalfi coast of Italy. There she uncovers a mysterious tale of decadence, deception, murder, and betrayal involving partisans and Nazis, peasants, and counts. Alba's journey leads her not only to the truth of her mother’s hidden past but to the possibility of happiness in her own future.

Genres: Fiction, Romance, Italy, Historical Fiction, Chick Lit, Roman, Contemporary

416 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 28, 2005

About the author

Santa Montefiore is the number one bestselling author of over thirty novels and has sold over eight million copies worldwide. Her books have been translated into twenty-five languages and she won an RNA Award for The Temptation of Gracie in 2019, which is currently in development for film. Born in England in 1970, she grew up in Hampshire and now lives in London with her husband, writer Simon Sebag-Montefiore, their daughter, son, and dog Simba.

Shadows in the Moonlight is the first novel of a trilogy following the character Pixie Tate, with Secrets of the Starlit Sea following in summer 2025. Santa loves to hear from readers and you can find her at www.santamontefiore.co.uk.

Reviews

[Tea Jovanović · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, I really like how Santa Montefiore writes, and since I was her Serbian editor for years, I am not sure that I am not biased when her books are in question... :)))) Good story, although a bit slow at the beginning... Those who love Maeve Binchy will love Santa Montefiore as well... Good A class female contemporary fiction...

Srpsko izdanje je katastrofa, nažalost, sam prevod može da prođe (nije vrhunski ali nije ni katastrofa) ali zato knjiga nije videla korektora, katastrofa! Ceo tiraž od 36.00o! Bruka i sramota za izdavača koji se busa u prsa da je ugledan... Autorka zaista nije zaslužila da joj knjiga ovako katastrofalno izgleda... :(

[Yoda · Rating 3 out of 5]

The writing style reminds me a lot of Jojo Moyes , I enjoy when two stories entertwine into one. However I struggled to like the main character. Which made this one a tough read. When I spend more than a week on one book I know it wasn´t a match for me. But I will definitely try something else by Santa Montefiore .

[Sven · Rating 4 out of 5]

Santa Montefiore, getrouwd met Simon Sebag Montefiore, is reeds goed gekend onder de feelgood lezers. Ze debuteerde met Onder de ombu-boom waarmee ze internationaal een groot succes boekte.

Valentina’s laatste reis werd uitgebracht in 2005. Een feelgood die zich afspeelt in Engeland en Italië.

Het verhaal

Alba Arbuckle voelt zich niet meer goed in haar vel. Dit gevoel wordt versterkt waneer ze een portret vind van haar overleden moeder, Valentina. Haar vader en stiefmoeder hebben nooit echt vermeldt wat er met haar gebeurt is. Hierdoor gedraagt Alba zich wat opstandig tegenover hen. Ze woont dan ook alleen op de Valentina, de boot genoemd naar haar moeder. Terwijl ze een redelijk losbandig leven leidt blijft het gemis van haar moeder knagen aan Alba. Met de hulp van de brave Fitz komt ze iets meer te weten over haar moeder. Na een ruzie met Fitz vertrekt ze moederziel alleen naar Incantellaria. Een dorpje aan de baai van Napels waar haar moeder van afkomstig zou zijn. Daar komt ze meer en meer te weten over haar moeder. Maar vooral wat er nu effectief met haar gebeurd is.

Mijn gedacht.

Bij Montefiore is het een beetje als thuiskomen. Ik voel me volledig thuis in haar manier van schrijven. Ze omschrijft alles op een zodanige manier dat je het boek als een film voor je ogen kunt gaan afspelen. Ze omschrijft de omgevingen op een schilderachtige manier. Deze manier zorgt ervoor dat ik het boek redelijk vlug kan uitlezen zonder ergens met haperingen te zitten.

Altijd zit er wel een liefdesverhaal in Montefiore haar boeken zonder dat het te wordt. Ik kan dit wel lezen maar ben geen fan verhalen waar alles enkel en alleen maar rond die liefde draait. De balans tussen liefde en verhaal zit zeer goed in dit boek.
Het verhaal is er eentje van een zoektocht. Het zoeken naar waarheden en de redenen van halve waarheden. Met mondjesmaat leer je Valentina beter kennen. Dit wordt ook gedaan door nu en dan te switchen tussen heden en verleden. Naarmate het einde van het boek nadert komen deze twee tijden meer en meer samen.

De personages vind ik zeer aannemelijk. Volgens mij kunnen ze wel in het echt bestaan hebben. De broodnodige band met de personages is er in dit boek al redelijk snel. Alhoewel de band met Alba iets minder sterkt is dan die met Fitz. De onderlinge dynamiek tussen al de personages zit steeds goed in elkaar.

Het slot brengt het grootste deel van de waarheid volledig naar boven. Er is maar één vraag die aangehaald wordt maar geen duidelijk antwoord krijgt. Montefiore heeft er voor gekozen om ons in het laatste deel nog te verwennen met wat verrassingen.
Haar laatste deeltje maakt de cirkel perfect rond met de start van dit verhaal.

Conclusie

Een feelgood boek waarbij je je echt wel goed voelt bij het lezen. Goeie personages met genoeg diepgang om het verhaal op gang te houden. Een fascinerende zoektocht naar de waarheid waar je als lezer meer en meer betrokken bij voelt. Schilderachtige omschrijvingen van omgevingen waardoor je het als het ware als film voor je ogen kunt gaan afspelen. Ik ben en blijf voorlopig fan van haar schrijven.

[Reagan · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was one of the most disappointing books I have read in a long time. The outdated Woman's Day magazine I flipped through at the doctor's office had more originality and depth. The only reason I continued reading this book to the end is because I wanted the author to solve the mystery of the protagonist's mother, for the book jacket promises "a mysterious tale of decadence, deception, murder, and betrayal involving partisans and Nazis, peasants and counts." Perhaps if the author had spun such a tale, rather than just a few vague, unsatisfying paragraphs and way too much focus on the self-absorbed and annoying protagonist, this book would have been more enjoyable. For the most part, I found the characters one-dimensional, the dialogue insipid and melodramatic and the pace of the plot completely unbelieveable.

[Natasa · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story itself is good, but it wasn’t developed well enough. I didn’t think the characters were developed as well as they could have been. Yes, there is a murder mystery, yes there is a great love story, but it didn’t touch me the way I was hoping it would.

[Analia · Rating 5 out of 5]

5/5 estrellas

"Él le habló de su vida en Inglaterra. De la hermosa casa en la que vivirían algún día y de los niños que tendrían juntos. Le dijo cuánto la amaba. Que era posible, después de todo, perder el corazón en un instante, rendirlo jubilosamente."

Me ha encantado, es muy emotiva, con un final que puede sonar "abierto" porque con Alba volvemos a encontrarnos en el libro "Un misterio en Italia". Aquí conoceremos la historia de ella, de Alba que es una joven un poco liberal para los tiempos en los que está ambientada porque ella tiene amantes y son varios. Alba no cree en el amor y es una joven por cuya sangre corre descendencia italiana e inglesa. Alba no conoció a su mamá Valentina y se ha criado con su papá Thomas y su madrastra Margo, en donde ésta NO es mala, pero por alguna extraña razón Alba no se lleva bien con Margo. Podría decir que es un poco malcriada porque nunca nadie le ha dicho que "NO" ni siquiera los hombres porque debo decir que Alba al hacerse adolescente se convierte en una mujer muy hermosa, idéntica a su mamá Valentina, a la cual solo conoce por medio de un retrato. Y es al crecer es que Alba quiere saber sobre su mamá, sobre su familia materna. El problema es que su papá como que se niega a decirle la verdad. Es así que viviendo en Inglaterra decide emprender un viaje al pueblo italiano donde su mamá nació, dejando incluso a su prometido. Y hasta aquí les cuento.
"El último viaje del Valentina" es una novela que recomiendo que lean, bien para un fin de semana porque se deja leer, porque es una historia de amor en tiempos de guerra, con la prosa tan bella que tiene Montefiore que nos narra una historia plagada de secretos, de misterios y de tragedia, pero a la vez, es una historia donde nuestro personaje, Alba puede encontrar un sentido a su vida, hacer un cambio.

[Ренета Кирова · Rating 3 out of 5]

В тази книга имаме една много дразнеща героиня, наречена Алба. Половин италианка, половин англичанка, тя е мургава, красива и със светли очи. Всички мъже са в краката ѝ, а тя не отказва на никого. Води празен, егоистичен и безцелен живот на лодката, наречена „Валентина“ на името на майка ѝ. Цял живот тя моли баща си да разкаже за любовта си към майка ѝ, каква е била тя, но има някаква ужасна тайна там и Томас отказва да говори за миналото си. Това също ме ядосваше, защото така децата отрастват без корени. Така се чувстваше и Алба, понесена от течението, докато не среща Фиц. С негова помощ, подтикнати от общата им приятелка Вив, писателка на книги, те научават, че майка ѝ е от едно китно селце Инкантелария, Амалфи. Алба заминава да търси корените си и да научи истината за майка си. Промяната ще е осезаема.
Докато Алба много ме дразнеше, също и баща ѝ, който отказваше да говори за майка ѝ, Фицрой беше положителен герой. Той много я обичаше и се раздаде за нея, въпреки недостатъците ѝ. Краят ме озадачи, за мен е отворен и не стана ясно кой слезе от корабчето и се влюби в Алба.
Книгата си имаше своите интересни моменти, но някъде беше скучно, другаде пък авторката се разпростираше нашироко, въпреки че точно тези моменти бяха най-излишни. Там, където имаше неясноти, пък липсваха обяснения. Затова и оценката ми не е много висока.

[Alison · Rating 3 out of 5]

3/5 stars and I think I was feeling generous. It's actually 2.5 stars. This book disappointed me. It was so promising and the premise had potential but 1) I felt it was very difficult to warm to any of the characters especially the main character 2) certain scenes were out of context and I thought the author just wanted to put in a sex scene just for the fun of it all 3) some of the plot lines were a tad ridiculous in my opinion. However, I will be willing to read more of the author's other works. I might have not started with her best book. The setting and time periods she uses are wonderful!

[Phyl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Santa Montefiore takes you on a breathtaking journey from the heart of London to a little bay of the coast of Sorrento - Incantellaria. The story starts at the end of the first world war with a murder then jumps ahead twenty years. It is a skillfully woven plot but it is the descriptions of Italy that will intice the reader. The author has complete mastery over the medium and one experiences the many delights of Italy through the eyes of the characters. The characters themselves are complex and the message at the heart of the book is that it is always possibly to love well, if not wisely.

[Leslie · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Santa Montifiore writes, she transports the reader. This time I was in Italy. Gorgeous descriptions, romance, suspense, characters with depth...all the ingrediants of a perfect story. I didn't want it to end.

[Kamilla · Rating 1 out of 5]

It's been a while since I was this disappointed by a book. I really couldn't stand this one and I have no idea why I persevered and why I just didn't put it down. Usually I love family sagas but there was nothing likeable about this book. The characters were bad, the writing was crap, the plot didn't lift off and reach its summit. It was all just bleh. Sorry. It was awful. The whole thing was deplorable. Pfff

[C. (Comment, never msg). · Rating 3 out of 5]

* I would appreciate knowing how you enjoy my reviews with a comment, not an empty ‘like button’ click.

Our Mom kept no secrets. She told us of hard times so we could appreciate our power to overcome them and felt that facts are owed to genealogy. Anyone would urge a hesitant parent until they opened up. Therefore, authors who think readers will believe stories about children not demanding facts from whomever knows them, are bonkers. It is the weakest trope. The sooner people know the worst, the sooner they grow healthy identities around it. A mystery lacks verve if Alba’s Dad and Uncle Falco could tell her everything.

“The Last Voyage Of The Valentina” in 2005 was Santa Montefiore’s fifth novel and I enjoyed it a great deal. However, some heavy moral dispensing felt amateurish. It worked well for external characters, like the wonderful authoress Vivian and her loveable publisher, Fitz to remark on Alba being a slut, empty of personal goals. However, Alba’s big girl revelations had the suddenness of a television movie. She apparently acted out because she yearned to know her Mother, Valentina. It is tragic for a Mother & baby to lose each other and I could understand her Dad’s wariness about horrible postwar details.

I disbelieve anyone feeling distant from the Stepmom and Sisters with whom you did grow up. Her whole childhood playing and growing was with Margo and her paternal Grandma, who is a hoot.

I imagined this was an adventure about a ship that sails for the last time to Italy, for a wedding with Alba’s true love. Not receiving this glorious ending and worse, leaving readers to guess whom the lady chooses, does not make romance novels shine!

I must rebuke the synopsis writer for referring to content that was not there. I would never read a novel about nazi spies and am glad I ignored the back cover.

[Gwen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well, it gets 2 stars because I enjoyed reading it, but it was terrible actually. The trope of the scandalous woman was way too present. So Alba is a woman with multiple lovers, enjoying sex but not intimacy. What is more she is spoilt and has a quite the temper. Hates children, loves shopping and likes her city life in which she does not do anything useful. So at first I thought: well, this is a refreshing heroine! But listen here come the problematic tropes: she is Italian, so that’s where the temper is from... And the whole book is about Alba learning a lesson. Alba learns this lesson by discovering that her saintly mother was a trollop just like her and she was murdered (on account of her being a trollop) and so Alba changes her tune . In the end, she does not want to sleep with multiple men anymore. She even changes the way she dresses: because she looked like a tart. She apologizes to everyone for being such a trollop. She does not want to live in the city anymore, but she wants to live a proper life in the Italian country life and take care of children, being an amazing cook🙄. I know romance novels aren’t the books to find strong feminist ideas, but honestly this was too much of a problematic message! The judgement of Alba’s sexual life! And let’s not forget that her father was just the same (as is sketched quite elaborately during the flashbacks), but he is the victim of the femme fatale.
And one more thing, Alba doesn’t end up with Fitz (the man who says he loves her right at the start, when she still lived her scandalous life) infuriates me.

[Sheryl Hornblower · Rating 1 out of 5]

Thanks goodness for my fabulous book club otherwise I would have wasted more of my valuable time trying to read this dribble. As recommended by them "it was just not worth finishing" not an engaging novel, bland and predictable about a young girl searching to find answers about her mother - this could have been so much more - shame.

[Nadette · Rating 3 out of 5]

This started out as a fun read, then turned out boring, then was exciting, and the ending was then uninspiring. I'm not quite sure how the story ends, and although I did enjoy it, I was quite disappointed at how it all turned out.

[Laurissa · Rating 1 out of 5]

Premise seemed fun, I only made it 10 pages in and quit. Not for me, I found it distasteful and the main character unlikeable.

[Oana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Este primul roman pe care îl citesc de la Santa Montefiore și pot afirma ca am rămas cucerită de acuratețea cu care autoarea redă frumusețile țărmului Coastei Amalfitane, îmbinate cu o poveste care transcende granițele timpului.
În Anglia aniilor ‘70, Alba este măcinată de povestea de dragoste dintre tatăl său, un fost ofițer englez și mama sa, Valentina, o italiancă superbă pe care aceasta nu a avut ocazia să o cunoască, din cauza unui accident teribil care a marcat trecutul tuturor.
Deși Alba a crescut alături de Thomas, tatăl său, acesta nu i-a dezvăluit niciodată misterul ce planează asupra morții mamei sale.
Mânată de curiozitatea descoperirii adevărului aceasta se avântă într-o excursie menită să îi schimbe percepția asupra trecutului și să se regăsească pe sine într-un peisaj de basm.

[Belinda Vlasbaard · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 sterren - Nederlandse paperback
Heb reeds verscheidene boeken gelezen van Santa Montifiori en vindt dat zij zeer goed kan schrijven. Wanneer je haar boeken leest kun je je heel gemakkelijk de situatie voorstellen waarin het verhaal zich afspeelt.
Je ziet het bij wijze van spreken voor je.
De karakters en de tijds-lijn in dit boek zijn weer subliem. Wat kan ik toch genieten van haar romans. Ze zijn niet altijd makkelijk te lezen maar hebben altijd een diepgang en schoonheid die ik zeer waardeer.

[Redfox5 · Rating 3 out of 5]

I previously really enjoyed 'The French Gardener', so I was disappointed when I first started this and found it really hard to get into. I just didn't like Alba, she was a spoiled little bitch.

However it really picked up halfway through and I couldn't put it down. I loved the flashbacks with Thomas & Valentina. I wouldn't have guessed in a million years about what happened to her and why.

I still think Thomas would have saved his relationship with his daughter by just telling the truth about her mother, even though I understood by the end of the book, why it would have been so painful.

Once Alba started living in Italy, the transformation in her personally made me like her. The ending surprised me, as the book had been leading up to something else. Good chick-lit read. One to chuck in the suitcase.

[Nina Draganova · Rating 3 out of 5]

Трудно ми е да формулирам мнение за тази книга. На места ми беше интересна, но като цяло е много объркана. Шизофренна даже на моменти. Не възпроизведе никакви чувства в мен.А и стила отново не ми хареса, не мога да си кривя душата. Като че ли има добри истории авторката,но някак не ги поднася на ниво, което на мен да ми хареса.

[Rafaelle St-Hilaire · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bon livre, assez long avant que les péripéties commencent, donc je n’accrochais pas au début. Vers le milieu du livre, je l’ai lu d’un seul jet.

[Beatrix · Rating 3 out of 5]

Szeretem az írónő könyveit, de ebben az esetben a hősnőt egyátalán nem tudtam megkedvelni. Értem én, hogy hiányolta fiatalon meghalt édesanyját ( szegény gadzag kislány), de az életmódjára ez nem mentség. A II. világháborús szál érdekes volt, inkább abból kellett volna több.

[LindyLouMac · Rating 3 out of 5]

http://www.bookcrossing.com/journal/4...

I am not surprisingly, considering where I currently live, drawn to novels set in Italy. This turned out to be not as atmospheric as one might have hoped, but it was still a reasonable easy read for a sunny afternoon.

Romantic escapism set in England and Italy in the 1940’s and the 1970’s, the novel starts with a Prologue telling us about an honour murder committed at the end of WWII. This mystery behind this murder is finally solved in the 1970’s when Alba, the young female protagonist of the story, goes to Italy seeking the truth about her heritage.
Her father Thomas Arbuckle had fallen in love with Valentina an Italian during WWII. After the war ended he returned to England with a babe in arms, Alba, but no Valentina as she is dead.
In the 1970’s Alba is now a young woman who does not get on with her step-mother or step- siblings and hates country living. Thanks to her father’s generosity and desire to keep her happy, whilst refusing to ever mention her birth mother she lives a selfish life full of fun on her father’s houseboat in London. The only concession ever made to her Italian roots was encouraging her to learn Italian. As a young woman who has never met any of her mother’s relatives, or even been to Italy, she yearns to learn more about her Italian roots.
It is the discovery of a portrait of her mother that finally makes Alba travel to Italy on a journey into the past which changes her future and her for ever.
Although I think I understand what the author was saying in the Epilogue, I still found the ending a disappointment. Not the ending I had hoped for or expected!

[Tracey · Rating 4 out of 5]

After a shaky start at the first few chapters, I have to say I loved this book. I picked it randomly off my mums bookshelf when I finished my previous book today , and had nothing else to read with me.
From the moment I was introduced to Alba and her family , I knew this was going to be a book with a mystery buried deep that needed solving.
I must admit that at first I disliked Alba finding her a very selfish person, but on her relocation to Italy she blossomed and became a much better person. Fitzgerald was a fabulous character , however I continually felt sorry for him in the way he was treated by Alba, even though he wasn't an innocent himself and I'm glad their ending happened as it did at the end of the book, it felt truly right as if they had become full circle.
For me my favorite character was Tommy , Alba's father, a gentle yet passionate man in the past, who experienced horrors that affected his life in so many ways. To seem him happy in the last few chapters, made me happy too.
A great book, with an interesting mystery set in the wonderful background of Italy's Amalfi Coast.

[Paula Sealey · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's London in 1971 and Alba is living a promiscuous life aboard her houseboat The Valentina. She discovers a portrait her father had drawn of her dead mother and wants to confront him and her Step-Mother about it. But her father, Thomas, has always been reluctant to discuss her, so Alba ropes in charming literary agent Fitz to accompany her to her father's home for the weekend to try and prise information from him. What Fitz learns leads Alba to a little island in Italy and a voyage of discovery not just for the truth surrounding her mothers death, but for herself.

Set in different time periods and both London and Italy, Santa, as always, does a fine job of depicting a place and time. I didn't feel as engrossed in this book as I usually do though, in part I think to Alba's character. She is of course meant to be a selfish individual, but it made it hard to identify with her or want a favourable outcome. It was a good read, but not one of my favourites by the author.

[Paula Nichols · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've read a few Montefiore books now, and I do enjoy them. They are not sagas, nor romances, nor thrillers, but just good stories.

This story of Alba and her decadent lifestyle suddenly turned upside down after deciding to find out about her dead mother in Italy is an interesting one. the story of her father and his meeting with Valentina is also interesting. Being at the end of WW2 means there is some historical information divulged, but it is less about how a country rebuilds after war and more about how a small village sheltered from much of the devastation was touched by it. Having been to the Amalfi coastline (Sorrento) and Naples, I can see the areas and rugged cliffs in my mind, and this transporting adds to the story.

Alba's transformation is swift, but one can see why it has happened, but it is still a sad story in a way. Without spoiling things, the decisions made are rational but ultimately question the initial choices made.

Not one of the books that was a page turner from the beginning, but I did enjoy the latter half more.

[Sara G · Rating 3 out of 5]

Leftover from the summerathon. Exactly what I expected and wanted it to be, can't really think of anything else I'd want to say.

I'm not exactly sure why I bought this and I think I must have read it before but I did not remember a single thing about it so, hey, allows for rereads (which is always a plus for this type of book).

[Lindsay Danthine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ik heb al heel wat boeken van Santa Montefiore gelezen,en deze vond ik wel één van de mindere.
Ik denk dat het een combinatie van verschillende kleine dingen was. De voornamen Alba en Fitz sloegen niet aan bij mij, het feit dat een deel van het verhaal zich in de jaren '70 afspeelt... Soit, allemaal kleine persoonlijke minpuntjes.

In vergelijking met Montefiore's andere boeken, kwam dit boek ook maar traag op gang. Het was belangen ook niet zo meeslepend.

Het plot daarentegen was briljant. Een zeer aangename en onverwachte wending die mij wel kon smaken.
Ik ben blij dat ik heb doorgezet totdat ik de ontknoping heb ontdekt.

[Cindy Feigert · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story was many things. A mystery, romance and historical fiction. At the center was Alba . A young woman searching for answers about her mother and her roots. I enjoyed Alba's story and the growth of her character. Also the author made the Amalfi Coast sound so beautiful and a little mysterious. Can't wait to visit.

[HM Yates · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book to lose yourself in