Wow! This story was something very special. Botticelli is one of my favorite artists so I just had to read this. It really reawakened my love for books set in the Renaissance and Italy. Both have always been favorite topics of mine to read about, especially Florence. I devoured this book in less than two days, which I didn't think I'd be able to but I just couldn't put the book down.

The Most Beautiful Woman in Florence by Alyssa Palombo

I've been flexing my historical fiction muscles lately, and since I minored in art history and love Botticelli I thought I'd give this one a shot. I know Alyssa has written another book about Simonetta Vespucci, and I'm super excited to read it after reading this one! This novel was nothing short of stunning. Each page was filled with beautiful descriptions and details that brought history to life for me. I know the author took a lot of artistic license with this, but I really loved what she did. I loved the Renaissance culture and all the tidbits of Italian and art history I learned. Highly, highly recommended. I'm speechless.

Born in Genoa in 1453, Simonetta Cattaneo became known as "The Most Beautiful Woman in Florence" when she entered Florentine society at the tender age of 16. The new bride of Marco Vespucci, an intimate of the ruling Medici family (see 'Beyond the Book'), Simonetta was introduced to poets and painters alike, including Sandro Botticelli, a young artist just beginning to make a name for himself. It is Simonetta and how she came to pose for Botticelli's masterpiece, The Birth of Venus, that are at the heart of Alyssa Palombo's novel, The Most Beautiful Woman in Florence.



Although not much is known about the real-life Simonetta beyond the basic details of her life such as birth, death, and marriage, Palombo has sculpted a beautifully detailed work of historical fiction. Simonetta becomes a living, breathing presence as the novel vividly recreates her life. She grows from child to muse in just a few short years, and her attitudes on marriage and a woman's place in it grow and mature realistically.

Palombo seamlessly inserts tiny details about the life of a noblewoman in 15th century Italy, many aspects of which may be unknown to her audience. Simonetta, for example, talks in one place about her first dinner in Florence where she was introduced to a "curious, pronged implement that was all the rage among Florence's well-to-do set" – the fork. In another, she mentions that when they sat outside they would wear "wide-brimmed hats to shield our faces from the sun, yet with the crowns cut out so that our hair could be pulled through and left to fall down our backs, that it might lighten to a dazzling shade of gold." These details are minor, but will appeal to avid fans of historical fiction, because the book informs as well as entertains.

The author's descriptions of the streets and buildings of Florence, many of which still stand today, are another highlight. Readers travel through the marketplaces and down the cobblestone streets to Botticelli's workplace, as well as to the magnificent Medici Palazzo and several cathedrals such as the Santa Maria del Fiore topped by Brunelleschi's dome, an architectural marvel.

The entire structure was enormous, not just the great dome. Up close I was able to admire the intricate marble detailing on the outside, completed in not only white stone but also in strips and blocks of green and pink. Tall, narrow windows were set into the sides, framed with the elaborately carved stonework. Beside the cathedral stood its campanile, nearly as tall as the dome, built in the same multicolored stone as the cathedral itself. The bells rang an urgent yet melodious toll, calling worshippers to mass.

Brunelleschi's domeAlthough I felt as if I were on a tour of Florence at times, the city comes across as the metropolis of today and not the Renaissance. Despite the author's exceptional ability to describe what her heroine would have been seeing and experiencing, I somehow never got the sense of time. One of the reasons is that the characters often seemed too modern. After Simonetta's wedding night, for example, a friend asks her, "How did it go?" I'm not a linguist, but I feel that phrase, and many others, seem too idiomatic to 20th century America as opposed to the era being captured in the novel. There were other times when the dialog seemed straight out of Jane Austen's 18th century England and not 15th century Italy (lots of "indeed!" and "how so?" are interjected, for example). And finally, as Simonetta is introduced to others, the very first words from every single individual she meets is praise for her beauty. It not only seemed implausible, but got tiresome after the first few times.

Readers should be advised that the book can safely be shelved in the "Romance" section of their local bookstore. In real life Botticelli asked to be buried at Simonetta's feet when he died—his wish was granted. Palombo uses this incident to speculate not only that the artist loved his subject, but that a passionate affair developed between the two. Much of the book involves Simonetta's growing fascination with Botticelli as she becomes disillusioned with married life; there are many scenes describing smoldering looks, accidental contact and verbal foreplay between the two. While well done, it may be more overtly romantic than some would prefer in a historical fiction novel. In addition, the book does contain several rather graphic sexual scenes; they're not Fifty Shades of Gray, but probably more detailed than some readers would be comfortable with.

Regardless, The Most Beautiful Woman in Florence will likely be very satisfying for most historical fiction fans, particularly those interested in Renaissance Italy and novels that revolve around great works of art. Palombo's attention to detail and her ability to bring Simonetta to life make the book well worth any reader's time.

The Most Beautiful Woman In Florence by Alyssa Palombo certainly does scratch that historical fiction itch. Fans of The Girl With The Pearl Earring will definitely enjoy sinking right into this book. I appreciated how it brought the Medicis as well as Botticelli to life for me.

The Most Beautiful Woman In Florence is set during the Renaissance, of course. It is about Simonetta Vespuci – the young woman who was the muse for Botticelli’s The Birth Of Venus. The book starts out with Simonetta in Genoa with her family, then she marries Marco Vespucci in Florence. There, she charms her way into the social circle of the Medicis. She’s at this dinner where she meets Sandro Botticelli and he decides he wants to paint her. And well, that’s really the gist of how Simonetta becomes a muse.

What happens next is a lot of posing and the building of this rather intense attraction between Simonetta and Botticelli (which although these are both real people, it’s hard to know for certain if this actually happened in history. Based upon the author’s note at the end, I think Palombo makes a good argument for it.

Read this book for a tale of forbidden romance set against the Renaissance and a look into a woman who might as well be a historical footnote.

Review on my blog: https://thebookishdeer.wordpress.com/2017/04/24/blog-tour-the-most-beautiful-woman-in-florence-by-alyssa-palombo/

First line: It was a large canvas, big enough that it had taken two men to carry it into Il Magnifico’s chambers.

Summary: Simonetta, a new bride to Marco Vespucci, is considered the most beautiful woman in Florence. When she meets that rising star, Sandro Botticelli at the home of Lorenzo de Medici, she becomes the muse for the artist. He uses her as the model for one of his most famous works, The Birth of Venus.

Highlights: I really enjoyed the story. I love the time and the history of the Medici family. They were leaders of the Republic of Florence as well as supporters of the Renaissance in Italy. I had never heard of Simonetta Vespucci before reading this but since I have Googled her to see the paintings done by Botticelli. The writing was well done and flowed nicely. This is a good example of historical fiction. It has just enough history to learn from but is not filled with facts. I plan to read the author’s debut novel soon.

Lowlights: I got tired of the repetition of her being the most beautiful woman and being used to having people stare at her. It is the title of the book. It was too much. I did not need to be reminded.

FYI: Check out the artwork of Botticelli. It is amazing!

I am a sucker for a historical fiction novel that centers around artists so this book immediately caught my eye. In reading through this novel, I discovered that the subtitle is actually a bit of misnomer because while Botticelli is in this book, the real star of this tale is Simonetta Vespucci-Botticelli's muse. The book follows Simonetta as she marries, moves to Florence and embraces her new life surrounded by people who value all the things she does-art, culture, and learning. I also love books with female heroines who chafe against the confines of societal expectations. I found myself really liking Simonetta and sped right through this story. I did find the pacing picked up quite a bit in the latter half of the book. My only complaint is I would have liked to see Botticelli featured more prominently as this was supposed to be a story of Botticelli and I could also do without so many mentions of how beautiful Simonetta is. The constant reference to her physical appearance seemed excessive. I really did enjoy this story and will definitely be scooping up the author's first book on Vivaldi shortly.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1659077354

I have submitted my review for publication in Ambassador, the magazine of the National Italian American Foundation. It will be published in the next few months. Thanks for the opportunity to review!

Thoroughly enjoyed this complex and vividly described book. The character development was fantastic. I felt like I was there with them. Don't walk to read 'The Most Beautiful Woman in Florence' run!

Simonetta is the daughter of a Genoese nobleman. One day, a suitor from Florence arrives named Marco Vespucci. Simonetta is excited at the prospect to live in Florence, a city where art and literature thrives. When she arrives in Florence, her beauty is the center of attention. A painter named Sandro Botticelli wishes to paint her. However, Simonetta realizes that being labeled as “the most beautiful woman in Florence” is not as thrilling as it appears to be. Her marriage to Marco has become unstable, and she grows increasingly attracted to Sandro. Can Simonetta defy the expectations of Florentine society and follow her heart?

Simonetta is a really likable character. There were moments in this book that showed that she was a strong and capable woman. She is a lover of literature and wishes that she could have expanded her education. She believes that her beauty is cursed and does not wish to be in the limelight. She also dreams of falling in love and having a happy marriage with her husband. Thus, while she is naive and a dreamer in the beginning, she matures over the course of the novel. She fights for her independence. She is not afraid to stand up to those who have done her wrong. And, even though she suffers periodically from illness, she has a healthy and strong mind.

Overall, this book is about marriage and the expectations within the Florentine society. Simonetta strives to be a good Florentine woman. She wants to be a model wife despite the attentions of men because of her beauty. Yet, her husband only treats her as his trophy wife. I would have liked more character developments from the other characters, especially Botticelli. He did not show much character growth, and there really isn’t any reason why Simonetta was attracted to him except that he painted her portrait. The story seemed rushed at times. The novel also suffered from showing and not telling. As a reader, I didn’t feel captured in that moment. I did not feel their great romance, and instead I was being told that they had a great love for each other. Still, I recommend this for fans of Renaissance art. The Most Beautiful Woman in Florence is perfect for fans of Da Vinci’s Tiger (in which Simonetta is a major character in the novel), The Birth of Venus, and The Botticelli Secret.

Wow! This story was something very special. Botticelli is one of my favorite artists so I just had to read this. It really reawakened my love for books set in the Renaissance and Italy. Both have always been favorite topics of mine to read about, especially Florence. I devoured this book in less than two days, which I didn't think I'd be able to but I just couldn't put the book down.

This book tells the story about Simonetta Cattaneo who was declared the most beautiful woman in Florence. After getting married to Marco Vespucci and moving away from her parents' home in Genoa, she fully embraced her new life in the midsts of Florence's most acclaimed politicians like Lorenzo de' Medici, artists like Sandro Botticelli and many others. When Botticilli asks Simonetta to pose for him, they grow very close and eventually she becomes his muse for his masterpiece, The Birth of Venus.

The story is very character driven. I didn't always like most of the characters all the time but I felt really invested in them. Especially when it came to Simonetta and Botticelli. I knew this book would probably end in tragedy but I still wasn't prepared for that rather sad ending. Still, I think it was written in a rather remarkable way. And the writing was just so stunning. I absolutely loved it.

The book features obviously a lot of historical figures who have actually excisted. Those are my favorite kind of historical fiction novels. Simonetta was unknown to me before I read this book so I'm glad the author wrote about her and Botticelli even though we won't know for sure how and if they truly had some sort of relationship. But it seems very likely to me. Also, I would highly recommend for any readers of this book to read the author's note. It was really interesting to me.

Last year I had the pleasure of being introduced to Alyssa Palombo’s debut novel, The Violinist of Venice, a love story about Antonio Vivaldi. I love how Palombo takes relatively well known and passionate artists (musicians and painters) and crafts a historical fiction novel.

People like Antonio Vivaldi and in this book, Sandro Botticelli, aren’t characters that I would think of in history and decide to write a romantic novel about them which is what makes these books so unique to me.

A girl as beautiful as Simonetta Cattaneo never wants for marriage proposals in 15th Century Italy, but she jumps at the chance to marry Marco Vespucci. Marco is young, handsome and well-educated. Not to mention he is one of the powerful Medici family’s favored circle.

Even before her marriage with Marco is set, Simonetta is swept up into Lorenzo and Giuliano de’ Medici’s glittering circle of politicians, poets, artists, and philosophers. The men of Florence―most notably the rakish Giuliano de’ Medici―become enthralled with her beauty.

That she is educated and an ardent reader of poetry makes her more desirable and fashionable still. But it is her acquaintance with a young painter, Sandro Botticelli, which strikes her heart most. Botticelli immediately invites Simonetta, newly proclaimed the most beautiful woman in Florence, to pose for him.


As Simonetta learns to navigate her marriage, her place in Florentine society, and the politics of beauty and desire, she and Botticelli develop a passionate intimacy, one that leads to her immortalization in his masterpiece, The Birth of Venus (summary from Goodreads).

Botticelli was a famous Renaissance painter and it goes without saying that he was probably a very passionate person in order to create such stunning paintings. There is something about composers and painters that just screams ‘passion’ and romanticism so seeing Botticelli as a romantic individual was easy in this book. While I am not personally interested in Renaissance art, the romanticism surrounding the period and painter worked well in this book and made me enjoy reading it!

Simonetta is a very powerful character. At times she was clearly nieve about life but she as smart and I thought the author did the character justice and created a balanced innocent but yet intelligent character. I also loved how the sexual tension and attraction built between Simonetta and Botticelli. It wasn’t like this all consuming attraction but something that steadily grew into something beautiful and I thought the author did a great job with that.

One thing that stood out to me was how much I wanted to know more about Botticelli. I found myself Googling and researching his works and his life. I thought Palombo did a wonderful job creating a believable and plausible story for the characters.

I felt like this book was a fairly fast read, but what took me so long to finish it was my research. I kept getting distracted by things I was reading about the characters on the internet. I thought Palombo did a fantastic job creating a realistic world and realistic characters who were interesting and genuine. I was so absorbed in learning more about the characters in real life which I felt like enriched the novel for me.

The other thing I wanted to comment on was how beautiful the cover of this novel was. It hints at romanticism (which this book has in spades) and mystery. It’s eye catching with the vibrant colors and I immediately wanted to read it because it stood out. The cover did the story justice. It was a lyrical story that brought obscure historical figured to life in a colorful and illuminating way. I would highly encourage readers to check out the author’s historical notes at the end of the book as well….looks of wonderful info to be had there!

Challenge/Book Summary:

Book: The Most Beautiful Woman in Florence: A Story of Botticelli by Alyssa Palombo

Kindle edition, 320 pages
Expected publication: April 25th 2017 by St. Martin’s Griffin
ISBN
125007150X (ISBN13: 9781250071507)
Review copy provided by: Personal collection.
This book counts toward: NA

Hosted by: NA
Books for Challenge Completed: NA
Recommendation: 4 out of 5

Genre: Romance, historical fiction

Wonderful historical fiction! I enjoyed this more for the atmospherics of Florence and Simonetta's life than for the relationship with Botticelli. Keep in mind when you read this that Palombo has imagined and created Simonetta's thoughts, reactions, and day to day experience. Ii's fiction based on a shred of information about a real woman and that's what makes it so special. It's nicely written and the story does clip along at a good pace. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. If you enjoy this genre and want to learn a bit about Botticelli and a lot about the life of a woman in Florence, then this one's for you.

The life of Simonetta Cattaneo is beautifully told by this talented author with historical accuracy and sensitive depth. From previous books, Simonetta's relationship with the artist Sandro Botticelli is familiar to me, but Ms. Palombo brings it all to life again. Inspiration and beauty tied to duty and expectation made Simonetta's life anything but boring. Recommended highly.

On the whole this was a really good read. I loved being able to explore the beauty and art of Renaissance Florence and even though I didn't totally connect with the characters it was interesting to see the lives of real people explored in a complex and engaging way.

Thanks St. Martins's and netgalley for this ARC.

Enlightenment, philosophy, and a maturity beyond her years makes Simonetta stand out from the start. An intimate view of the Medici’s and Florence's power struggle from within it's inner circle gives us a wider view of history. It's all about the people, republic, and how one woman may have changed history.

Thanks St. Martins's and netgalley for this ARC.

Enlightenment, philosophy, and a maturity beyond her years makes Simonetta stand out from the start. An intimate view of the Medici’s and Florence's power struggle from within it's inner circle gives us a wider view of history. It's all about the people, republic, and how one woman may have changed history.

The Most Beautiful Woman in Florence is a fantastic historical fiction rendition of the rich life of one of Florence's most celebrated women, the educated and vibrant young woman who inspired one of the Renaissance's most renowned artists. Simonetta Cattaneo (later Vespucci) left her mark not only on art and history, but also on the men and women in her life, from the powerful to the poor. Though she is remembered for her early and tragic death as much as for her influence as an artistic muse, in Alyssa Palombo's second novel Simonetta comes vibrantly to life.

Alyssa Palombo's novel retells the daily life and loves of Simonetta through her years in Florence, inventing and substantiating where history is unclear or when necessary to connect the various dots. The careful approach the author took to interpreting the known parts of Simonetta's history with her own inventions to facilitate the plot in The Most Beautiful Woman in Florence is both smart and helps create an authentic representation. Her version of Simonetta is a believable product of her times and still understandable and relateable; confined by strictures of society and marriage, Simonetta never ceases demanding respect and her due. With the small amount of choice left to her before and after her wedding, Palombo's slow building of the star-crossed relationship between Boticelli and Simonetta feels like a small window of freedom, rather than a sin.

Though Simonetta is a well-drawn, three-dimensional and the main character, she shares the stage in The Most Beautiful Woman in Florence. The city of Florence itself looms large over the story and the characters. Its history and politics, its atmosphere - all of that is omnipresent and unique and almost tangible. Palombo describes her Italian city-state with detail and a talent for visual imagery; a city on the rise with the ideas of rebirth and art and faith is easy to envision under her pen. The powerful Medici family, ever-associated with Florence and its art, are also key players in many of the dramatic moments of Simonetta's personal life. Both Lorenzo and Giuliano are historically linked to her, as is their associate Sandro Botticelli. The romance between Sandro and Simonetta is emotionally rich and devastating.

This novel was so good it made me immediately go buy the author's debut about Vivaldi, The Violinist of Venice. With her keen eye for detail, fantastic historical characters, obvious knowledge and research about the time and place and people concerned, Alyssa Palombo is able to faithfully recreate and invigorate the life of a fascinating woman. The Most Beautiful Woman in Florence is evocative and entertaining in equal parts; sure to please fans of other Italian-centric historical fiction writers like Sarah Dunant and Marina Fiorato.

This was a beautiful but tragic story about a lady named Simonetta, about whom very little is known ... but we do know she was hailed as "the most beautiful woman in Florence" and legendary artist Sandro Botticelli appears to have taken her as inspiration for his paintings.

Simonetta's marriage falls apart, and the culture in Italy back then becomes more and more real to the reader: husbands take mistresses and their wives, treated as property, are just expected to turn a blind eye. Simonetta, a bright and intelligent woman, finds solace in posing for Botticelli, himself a person of fame in his own right.

I loved seeing the emotions between Botticelli and Simonetta build up and build up and finally culminate. For so long (in this story) they could not let their feelings for each other show; they were limited to just speaking and barely touching.

I read the author's notes at the end of this arc and it was so interesting and revealing. I loved her debut, The Violinist of Venice, too. If you love reading novels where historical figures come alive, then you will love this author and her two novels. Highly recommended.

Thank you, Netgalley, for this arc!

This book was well written, interesting, and a great weekend read. With that said, I feel like it was the abridged version of Sarah Dunant's The Birth of Venus. TBoV was much meatier and longer, taking more time to develop scenery and the plot. There's absolutely nothing wrong with this story, but I felt like I've read it before.