Oh my gosh, I just loved this book so much. It was witty, fun and just plain wonderful. It made me feel all warm inside and happy. How is that for a recap? Really it did though.


Suzie Cartwright has a PhD in English and is in between jobs. So what harm would it be to help Lord Tedburn out and travel with his daughter to Verona for a couple of months? She understood that she would be keeping Alexandra out of trouble and reporting back to her father. Earning herself a cushy free place to stay and a generous salary why not? Then he drops the bomb that his daughter is 26. Whattttt????! Instantly Suzie wants to back out from this deal. Why on earth would a 26 year old need a babysitter? Nothing good could come of this.....yet she agrees to do it. You may be surprised at what happens next.


Whisked away to Verona, Italy was a dream come true for Suzie and I can see why. Home to the timeless love story of Romeo and Juliet, she loved the history of Verona. The beautiful setting and the wonderful people. Would she find her true love there too?


Ohhhh I could just gush talking about this book...I guess I am...there was nothing NOT to absolutely love. I won't reveal much more because there are so many surprises in this book that need to reveal themselves to you, instead of me stealing that away. Suzie met so many wonderful people, that I was truly kept in the dark the entire time as to if she was going to find her Romeo in one of them or not. It kept me hanging on until the end and I must admit I did get a bit emotional at the very ending. Yes I may have teared up a bit.



Let's talk about the dog...OMG the dog is awesome. I did not know this until recently, but the author always includes a Black Labrador in all of his books as a tribute to his late dog. As a fellow dog lover this just stole my heart. I love that he does this and even though I loved all the characters in this book, Dogberry made my heart happy.


This was in fact my first T.A. Williams book and I can't recommend it enough. I loved the easy writing style, the witty humor and just everything about it!

The plot is a fun one - Suzie in an unemployed student who is given the chance to accompany a girl to Italy. She’s the daughter of a local Lord and he will pay all their expenses. Suzie, is a vicar’s daughter so has a very different view of life and intrigued to see what the girl will be like. How will this girl, Alex, see Suzie and what will their time in Italy reveal?
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Dreaming of Verona is the latest in the dreaming of series of novels set in the most fantastic of places around Italy and it’s like going there in real life. There’s always a cute story along with a setting to die for. You’re always sure of an author who knows and deeply loves the cities he writes about. He loves Italy In every sense of the word and that comes across loud and clear. There’s culture, history and much much more in every novel.

This time we’re in Verona and what a city! Most well-known of course for its Shakespearean links of course (something which is obviously referenced in the story) but T A Williams brings a really interesting way of seeing the city in a new light. I honestly feel as if I’ve strolled around Verona with Suzie but I’ve never actually been in real life.

I’m not very sporty but now I want to go windsurfing on Lake Garda as characters do in the book. There’s also a very cute dog that I quite want to adopt.
It’s a lovely addition to the series and a fun story to delve into. Romance in Italy? Why not? And then I suggest you travel around more cities with this author. He’s a very interesting Italian tourist guide!

As always a gorgeous read from T A Williams. He is almost singlehandedly adding to my bucket list with every book I read. I have a yearning to visit the setting from each book. Venice and Verona were high on my list- and I now feel as though I have visited through the pages of this book.
The characters are always wonderfully drawn. Suzie is hired to keep an eye on a rich 'society girl' whilst she is on holiday. Her dad is a little over protective and until they get to know each other, Alex comes across as a spoilt rich girl. But they soon get to know each other better and enjoy sightseeing and spending time with Alex's friends. Suzie takes time to figure out what is troubling Alex and making sure that she keeps her happy.
I loved the windsurfing element- and that introduced us to some further characters. She also meets a professor and enjoys spending time with him. A lovely black Labrador makes an appearance and he is also a lovely character to get to know.
I could just imagine myself there, choosing the same meals, spending time with their new friends and enjoying the sights.
I can't wait until his next book is released and we travel somewhere equally exciting.

"Dreaming of Verona" was a delightful read. Once again the author brings a city to life, showing his tremendous love and knowledge of italian history, culture and life. I could almost see myself walking around Verona along Suzie. After reading the synopsis I was ready myself to hate Alex so much, but she redeems herself early on the story so it was nice seeing their friendship develop while both of them have to deal with their love lives. My one criticism is that I find it hard to believe that not only one, but two adult characters, found it so hard to go against their father's wishes.

The cast of characters was charming, endearing and quirky (now I want my own Dogberry!). Light but atmospheric prose that will take you straight into the italian city of love.

Thanks to Netgalley and Canelo for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Suzie's new job will bring more than she thought.

It was such a pleasure to read another T.A. Williams book because I knew I would be transported to another place comprehensively, that somewhere I'd find a black Labrador and there would be challenge and romance along the way. I wasn't disappointed. In Dreaming of Verona there's the flowing, engaging style I've come to enjoy from this author so that I felt relaxed and confident that my expectations would be met.

In Dreaming of Verona T.A. Williams has created the perfect setting. I've never had any desire to visit the area before reading this book and now I'm desperate to go. His attention to detail and the use of the senses is exemplary so that I was completely immersed in Italian culture and geography. My only complaint is that I was desperately hungry throughout my reading. The descriptions of food are wonderful and actually made me salivate.

The plot is engaging and interesting, but especially enhanced by the Shakespearean themes and references. However, a reader doesn't need to be able to make the links in Dreaming of Verona, to enjoy this story completely. Universal themes of parental dominance and control, friendship, education, grief, love, ambition, a sense of personal identity and self-worth give layers to Dreaming of Verona that elevate it above a simple love story, although it can be read in that way too.  I also loved the wind surfing element of the book. It felt vivid and real giving added depth to the action and also to Suzie's character.

And I thoroughly enjoyed meeting Suzie, Alex and the others. I felt every single person in this story developed and changed so that it was as if I were reading about real people who have to learn to deal with what life throws at them. The concept that money cannot buy happiness and that you have to be your own person and shape your own future in spite of your past, that Alex learns in particular, resonated with me profoundly. 

Dreaming of Verona is a lovely book. It's romantic with dynamic action and vivid characters. It draws in the reader and entertains them royally. I really recommend it.

My thanks to NetGalley and publisher Canelo for the ARC.
I liked this book; although not my immediate go-to genre, the cover and description intrigued me and I'm so glad I took the plunge so to speak!
In rural Devon, twenty eight year-old Suzie Cartwright, a currently unemployed PhD English scholar - and the local vicar's daughter - is made an offer she just cannot afford to turn down. Lord Tedburn wants her to accompany his 26 yr-old daughter Alexandra on an all-expenses-paid trip to Italy for a month. Lord Tedburn is wealthy and over-protective as well as over-bearing when it comes to Alexandra. She has all the money in the world, is spoilt and has no life-direction. He needs Suzie to be his eyes and ears whilst abroad, reporting back to him on any indiscrete liaisons his daughter might effect. His friend Lord Witchampton, owning an ostentatious villa on Lake Garda, has a son James; he intends there to be a suitable marriage there. However, Alexandra has different ideas - she and James have known each other since childhood - could there be any possibility of romance?
Rather than being the spoiled brat she assumed Alex to be, Suzie begins to see another side to her. She's also a talented artist. In the midst of the glamorous and glitzy world she finds herself in, in Italy she finds Michael - mourning the premature death of his wife. He's a sought-after portrait artist but seemingly to hurt to embark on another relationship - or is he? Will Suzie find love in Italy - love in Verona?

This is a well-told story, emotional and uplifting. The only criticisms I have are that I found the Very detailed descriptions of food, as well as the Very detailed technicalities of windsurfing, really quite distracting. Just a little of each would add to the lovely atmosphere the author created - but sometimes I felt it was too much.

I have loved every book by this author.

Suzie is a bit lost, no current job to go too when she applies for a job with Lord Tetburn. He wants her to accompany his grown up daughter to Italy for a month. Alex is a bit of a princess, stays in the best hotels, wears the best clothes, all on daddys credit card, but not everything is as it appears, Alex is ruled quite tightly by her father who controls her entire life by controlling her money.

In Italy however, things start to change for both Alex and Suzie, they learn about and from each other, and both of their lives fundamentally change.

I was beginning to wonder when T.A. Williams was going to release another novel, and as soon as I saw this cover I immediately dropped what I was going to read next and decided to read this next! I adore T.A. Williams' style of writing. It's elegant, uplifting and draws you in. I love how all of his novels are gorgeously classy and gives you an insight to how the other half live!

This one in particular I enjoyed more due to the main character, Suzie. Suzie is an ordinary gal just like you and me and I think that's why I found her so endearing! She sees things for what they are and seemed so down-to-earth. Alexandra on the other hand took a little longer for me to warm to! She seemed exceptionally spoilt and quite snobbish that at first I was hoping that Suzie would turn down Lord Tedburn's offer. However, as the book progressed, I found that Alexandra was not all she seemed at first and I started to like her character a bit more, as well as feel slightly sorry for her.

Another character whom I felt sorry for was dear Michael. He had been through so much that I felt he definitely deserved some happiness. And I really hoped that Suzie would be the one to cause that happiness. I adored the setting of this novel, it sounded so idyllic and I loved the way T.A. Williams' described the food they ate. My mouth was watering on more than one occasion!

Overall, this was another really amazingly written story by the talented T.A. Williams. It was engaging, heartwarming and I struggled to put it down. Thank you to the publisher for a chance to read an advance copy of this novel via Netgalley, which I have reviewed honestly.

This is more of a 2.5-2.75 but I’ll go 3. I enjoyed the story, but so many passages struggled to get off the ground. I’m not even sure how to describe my struggles with the writing. It was almost as if huge chunks of the story were just brain dump, free conscious type of writing exercises with some minor editing to clean it up. I didn’t feel like there was any real character development, but instead just blocky explanations of point A and point B.

I was provided with an ARC of this book by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

T A Williams never disappoints. I have loved every single one of his books. He has the ability to transport you to the book setting, this time it’s Verona. A place I’ve not been to but would love to go. Actually I have now been there in mind. Absolutely loved this one. Thanks for the arc

💕 Thank you to #NetgalleyUK and #Canelo for a copy of 'Dreaming of Verona' in return for an honest review

💕Dreaming of Verona is a literary dream come true. As someone who studied Shakespeare's literature a long many years ago, I found this book well informed, factual and enjoyable. Verona, is indeed the City of Love and I have visited with the same amount of enthusiasm for its culture as Suzie does in this story. I very much enjoyed walking through the city once again with Suzie and Alex, although my visit was not as lavish as their trip was. TA Williams describes the sights so clearly that even if you have never been to Verona before, you will feel like you are there.
The trip to the Lake for windsurfing was another highlight of the book. I've often watched this sport with keen interest, but with little knowledge, so it was lovely to have the finer points explained and this definitely added to the enjoyment of the story.
The thing I most enjoyed about this story, and with it being set in Romantic Verona, was the wonderful relationship between the girl friends. Seldom does Love run smoothly, so it was particularly honest and refreshing to see these young women experiencing the ups and downs of life and discussing their suitors, whilst bonding their fabulous friendship together. Both feeling unsure where their life would lead them, they each make a life-changing decision.
As with all TA Williams books, and in true Shakespearean style, there is a dog. This always makes me smile and I look forward to seeing what scrapes he/she will get into this time. On this occasion, the said Labrador is very well named and his antics are true to the breed.
An absolute pleasure of a read

I've read a few books by T. A. Williams and I always enjoy them. This latest one, Dreaming of Verona, was no exception, except that I didn't enjoy it as much as the earlier books. Don't get me wrong, the description of Verona, Venice, and so on was wonderful. This is something Williams excels at. I enjoyed the development of Suzie and Alex's friendship, and the way Alex asserted her independence. The young men in it, Tommy and James, were a nice addition, as was Dogberry (a friendly Labrador) and the Professor. Then there was the project which the Professor and Suzie eventually worked on together. My big problem was with the romance. In my humble opinion Suzie ended up with the wrong man. She had her heart set on one man, whom she thought was unattainable, whilst another man was in love with her. I thought he was lovely, and I never warmed to the man Suzie eventually ended up with. There was a point when I really thought Suzie was going to change her affections, but no. I'm afraid my romantic heart was rooting for the underdog. Williams wrote his part too well I think. A nice, light read.

I love this author. Every book gets better and better. This one did not disappoint. Another lovely cover draws you in to begin with . The authors style of writing is great. It was well written and flowed well. There is always a lovely location too.

While I’m not often one for fluffy romance novels, I have been reading lots of heavy things lately and wanted to start my vacation off with something light and fun. This story was definitely that. I love stories about people discovering Italy and the richness of culture and emotion there. This story reminded me of stories like The Tuscan Child, Scribe of Siena, Under the Tuscan Sun, Me before You etc. It follows two young women trying to find their place in the world and figure out what and who they want for their lives. It’s fun, it’s touching and is an easy read. Plus the cover is gorgeous!