Dr. Suzie Cartwright is paid a generous salary to accompany Lady Alexandra Tedburn to Italy. Lord Tedburn is tired of his daughter’s behavior, she has a reputation of being a party girl and he wants her to settle down and get married. Suzie agrees to travel with Alex and report back to her father and they will spend a month in Italy.

Suzie is currently in-between jobs, she recently completed her PhD in English literature and her thesis is about William Shakespeare. Suzie and Alexandra arrive in Verona, the City of Love and it’s famous for it’s connection to Romeo and Juliet. The couple are supposedly buried in the vaults of the Abbey of San Francesco in Verona and Suzie can’t wait to visit all the historical sights.

Suzie discovers that underneath the make-up and designer clothes, Alexandra is a nice person and one whose life is controlled by her domineering father. Alex is a talented artist, a pursuit her father thinks is an utter waste of time and Suzie is determined to help Alex explore her options.

Suzie bumps into painter Michael Turner, he’s a widower and he hasn’t got over the loss of his wife. Suzie hangs out with Alex’s friends, James’s father owns Villa Magnolia on Lake Garda and the group go windsurfing. Suzie meets her idol Professor Dennis Macgregor-Brown and they have so much in common.

I received a copy of Dreaming of Verona by T. A. Williams from NetGalley and Canelo Publishing in exchange for an honest review. The book is full of interesting details about living in present day Italy, Verona, Romeo and Juliet, the historical places to visit with links to the famous couple and of all things windsurfing. It’s a story about Suzie and Alex and how the women become best friends and Suzie gives Alex the support she needs to question her father’s attitude towards her and escape his controlling ways. Both women follow their dreams and hearts, this book took me by surprise, a very enjoyable read and five stars from me.

Another lovely book by this author in yet another fabulous setting, making you want to jump on a plane and go there..... if only! Good storyline and characters and of course the trademark labrador to steal the show. Perfect light easy escapism.

I love reading about destinations I want to travel to. That’s why this book caught my attention. Unfortunately, the book didn’t catch my attention in the same way. I found some parts of it to be slow reading and harder to get through. It just wasn’t what I was expecting and hoping for.

Liked this book - was an easy read, but had some substance and made me want to book a trip straight away!

Another beautiful book by TA Williams set in a beautiful location. He consistently makes me feel like I’ve been on an amazing vacation when I read his books.

This book is very well written and the descriptions of place such as the Ritz or Verona are detailed enough for you to believe you have been there. By the time you have read a few chapters you can tell that Alexandra’s Dad is very over protective. So this factor makes things interesting and gives you background to why Susie is needed.Overall I enjoyed this book. However I did have trouble getting into this book. This comes at no fault of the author, just that I found it hard to get stuck in.

I’ve never been to Italy but whilst reading Dreaming of Verona I certainly felt as if I was travelling on Suzie and Alex’s journey as they made their way to the beautiful Italian city of Verona. Charged with keeping an eye on society girl Alex, Suzie, although only slightly older than her charge, seems to have her work cut out in keeping Alex under control, I especially liked the Prosecco incident!



There’s such a warm and lovely feel to the story that it’s been a real pleasure to immerse myself in this romantic adventure and I have enjoyed getting to know two interesting female lead characters. Suzie and Alex, although very different, seem to find a way to co-exist, and I really enjoyed watching them both progress as characters. It must be said that I didn’t much care for Alex initially but she grew on me, and I got to like her and appreciated her zest for life. I loved Suzie’s love of literature, especially Shakespeare, and hoped that she would find her heart's desire in Verona!



Dreaming of Verona is a delightful love story, not just between some special people, but it’s also a lovely tribute to Italy capturing the country's warmth in the descriptions of its beautiful people, delicious food and glorious places, particularly around Lake Garda and Verona. There’s definitely romance aplenty in Dreaming of Verona but it’s also about friendship between two very different women who are brought together in strange circumstances, but who, ultimately, discover more about themselves in the process.

No doubt about it, this is another brilliant story from this highly talented author, I loved escaping into it and I’m now dreaming of visiting Verona myself! My advice is get yourself a copy to read of this and any other book by this author and read them rather than my review….

This story has fantastic settings in and around Venice and Verona, lots of mouth watering, tasty Italian food, plenty of twists and turns and more than one romance. It is an enthralling read and some of the descriptions of windsurfing brought back happy memories to me – I met my husband whilst learning to windsurf! I love how the characters develop as the story progresses, it really feels like you get to know them and empathise with them. There are dilemmas, mysteries, potential romances and new opportunities for the brave to take. There is, of course, a lovely Labrador, too! The people, places, meals, events and activities are brought vividly to life making it to imagine being there and seeing it all unfold. I have absolutely no hesitation in highly recommending this book (and any others by this author). I confess that he is one of my go to authors whenever I want to read something that will take me away from reality to a fantastic setting, have lots of tasty food descriptions, keep me engaged throughout and leave me feeling good when I finish it – and this story is no exception.

I requested and was gifted a copy of this book and couldn’t wait to read it!

I thought that this book was very well developed and I really enjoyed it, the author has a brilliant way with words and his stories are divine – and this one was no different – I loved it!

The plot was great and I liked the scene setting. I have visited Italy a few times but never been to Verona so I loved being able to travel there with the characters – it is certainly on my list of places to visit now though!

I liked the characterisation and their interaction was great, I thought that they were lovely, well rounded, genuine and believable characters and they were perfect for this story!

It is 5 stars from me for this one, I thought it was well written and well developed, it was a lovely story and it had a relaxing easy read feel to it too – very highly recommended!

The synopsis for this book sounded fabulous and right up my street. Just after I finished it I hopped over to Goodreads so I could mark it as being “Read”, and had a look at the other books by this author. I was delighted to find quite a few that I will be adding to my TBR in the very near future. It is the first time I have read one of Trevor’s books and he is now well and truly on my ‘reading radar’.

Dreaming of Verona was a book that when I began I felt right at home with. I met the ‘rich girl’ Lady Alexandra Tedbury and she came across as aloof and spoilt. I also met the lady that was to accompany her on a holiday to Italy, the Vicars daughter Suzie. The author did a brilliant job with these characters and had me thinking that my slightly stereotypical views were right, by the end of the book I was so way off with what I had initially thought about them!

The story was a stunning read, the sights and sounds of the area were such a pleasure to read and I liked the contrast between how the wealthy live and also the delights of the back street cafe’s and restaurants. It was a mesmerising picture that was built up through words.

The story line flowed very easily and it made for a very difficult book to put down once started. The initial chilly first meeting between the two girls was not great and even the start of the holiday led to the odd dramatic moment, but gradually as the girls got to know each other things mellowed.

I was gutted to turn the last page of this book as it had been such a wonderful read, there were surprises aplenty, some giggles, some heartwarming moments as well as some indecision as to how things would pan out. I have to say that from when I first read the synopsis to the completion of the book I was very pleasantly surprised.

The auhtor managed to weave a lot of other things int the story and they fitted in so well. There was some history, Shakespeare (well it is Verona after all), food, wine, items of interest and then there friendships, a touch of romance, art, more wine and food and , well I think you get the picture.

This was a book that I thoroughly enjoyed and I am looking forward to read more by the author. Ideal for fans of romance, rom-com, women’s fiction, and those who like me would love to visit Italy and also for those who like to disappear into a really good escapism read. I highly recommend it.

This was a wonderful story. It was a romance, a story about friendship, standing up for yourself, following your dreams and a bit of a travelogue on Italy. All put together, this made for an interesting, sweet and happily ever after story. There were parts of this story that were quite sad and affected me personally due to things in my own life, but it was also humorous and fun at times.

I loved both Suzie and Alex. Alex is a misunderstand young woman who was dealing with a lot in her life, especially her overbearing father. When he hired Suzie to accompany her to Italy and to let him know if there were any issues, he had no idea what he was up against. Suzie was a wonderful character. She was patient, caring, loyal, smart and understanding. Once she realized what Alex was up against, she was able to support her and encourage her to follow her dreams. Suzie was lucky that things in her life seemed to be working out for her in most areas, but not in the area of love. Her road to her happily ever after had several bumps, not all metaphorical, but she gave it time. I do not want to give away this story, but suffice it to say, it was totally enjoyable and I read it in a day as I did not want to stop. Throw in an amazing setting, Verona and the surrounding area, and I was captivated. I loved learning about the area, the history, the tourist things, the food, the wine, and the people. I can't believe I waited this long to read a book by T.A. Williams. I can guarantee, this won't be my last.

I only discovered the wonderful books of this author recently, and they really are a delight.

In this novel, we are transported to beautiful Verona. The setting is marvellous, it sounds like such a beautiful city, and we meet a host of fabulous characters.

I got caught up in this book straight away. The prologue is an instant attention grabber! I really liked Suzie as a character, and in spite of not expecting to, I warmed to Alex too. I do have to admit to my favourite character being Dogberry though, he reminded me in so many ways of my own labrador!

There’s so much to love about this book, it’s very well written, with a flowing plot and its gorgeous setting, and so captivating with its excellent characters, and the little snippets of information about both Verona, and Shakespeare.

Such a gorgeous read to lift your spirits, and to inspire you to want to go visit Italy. Immensely enjoyable.

I always enjoy TA William's books. Always well written, well paced and in a gorgeous location.This time we were whisked off to Verona, home to Romeo and Juliet. A lovely easy to read story of female friendship, love, loss and self-discovery. My favourite character had to be Dogberry the gorgeous Labrador- as I dog lover, I adore books with dogs as important characters. I have never visited Venice or Verona, but would love to go now.

A lovely story for a Sunday afternoon on the sofa.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review

Delightful romance with enough twists and turns to keep your interest.
With such an eclectic cast of characters get ready for a fun ride.
Thank you T.A. Williams, Canelo and NetGalley for allowing me an advance copy for my honest feedback.

A great book especially if you havent made it to the tourist cities in Italy, a boo set there is just what you need.
This is set in the beautful city of Verona... theres also other places they visit such as lake garda, another wish of mine.
The story is well developed and the author writes so well, it flows easily and i really enjoyed the plot, the setting, the writting, it was magical. Theres a black labrador that made me so happy reading about,
I just loved it, thank you to canelo and netgalley for my copy.

T.A. Williams writes the most uplifting and escapist contemporary romances that sweep readers away and his latest novel, Dreaming of Verona, is an enthralling and enjoyable read that is as invigorating as a winter break in the sun.

Most people would jump at the chance to go on an all expenses paid holiday to Verona, Italy. But most people haven’t read the small print and realised that they will have to accompany a spoilt, difficult and impossible charge who gives a new meaning to the word exasperating. Suzie hasn’t left for Verona and she already knows that the trip will be a disaster and she is not looking forward to all the tantrums and diva strops that Lady Alexandra Tedburn is going to subject her to. But Suzie has no choice, she must accompany Alex to Verona, so she crosses her fingers and hopes for the best. However, on arrival, Suzie realises that she should not have been so hasty in dismissing Alex as a brat and this trip as a write-off. Determined to ensure that Alex reaches her full potential away from her domineering father, Suzie soon realises that Alex isn’t as spoilt as she had initially thought her to be.

In a city founded on love and romance, Cupid’s arrow soon finds its way to Suzie’s heart as she finds herself drawn to local artist, Michael. Still mourning the death of his beloved wife, Michael’s past continues to exert its hold upon him. Suzie has made him experience emotions he hasn’t felt in a very long time, but is he ready to move on? Or will he continue to be condemned to a lifetime of loneliness with his wife’s ghost holding him hostage to the past?

Is a happy ever after possible for Michael and Suzie? Or will theirs be a relationship that will end in tears, like literature’s greatest lovers and Verona’s infamous residents, Romeo and Juliet?

A wonderfully readable tale of love, grief, renewal and fulfilment set against the most sumptuous of locations, Dreaming of Verona is a fantastic page-turner that will bring a tear to your eye and make you smile. T.A. Williams is a terrific storyteller and Suzie and Michael’s love story is one that will lift your spirits and touch your heart.

A must-read for fans of warm and witty contemporary romance, Dreaming of Verona is just the ticket to cheer up a dull cold February afternoon.

TA Williams always delivers a gorgeous romantic read and this one is no exception. You can absolutely visualise the beautiful setting in Verona, with its restaurants and piazzas, not to mention the stunning Lake Garda. What I particularly like about this book is the character progression which you can see. Lord Tedburn and his family all have to come to terms with changes and decide what they really want to do. Michael is struggling to come to terms with a huge loss in his life.

Suzie turns out to have lots of courage and enterprise, although at first, it seems to be hidden. At times, she lacks confidence and you get to see how events encourage her to reappraise her low self esteem. Of course, I was waiting for the inevitable black labrador to make an entrance and I wasn't disappointed. Dogberry is as adorable - and hungry- as ever.
Thanks to the author for a copy of the book.

I am always reluctant to try new authors, especially Male authors but this definitely hasn’t disappointed.

I have never been to Verona, so this book allowing me to go there has been utterly fantastic. I have absolutely adored the development of the plot, I have been completely unable to put this one down.

You know you have a good author when you devour the book in a matter of hours. I am definitely a fan of TA Williams after reading this and will definitely be adding more books by this author to my TBR list.

This is an easy rating to give for this book-

Gorgeous cover ✅

Beautiful setting ✅

Likeable characters ✅

Interesting plot ✅

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

There's just something about these wonderful books that make time just melt away and you are in the story, every single time.

The things that I adore about TA Williams books are
* the settings, perfectly described and they just make you want to go now.
* the food and drink talk, just yum 😋.
* the romance, we all need to feel a bit of love sometimes.
* always the black labrador, can't help but smile at his food antics.

Just lovely.

I'm huge fan of T.A Williams and he never fails to deliver and engrossing and enjoyable story.
This one was no exception and the plot/setting/characters were excellent and interesting.
It was a fun read, highly recommended.
Many thanks to Canelo and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.