Being stuck at home during a pandemic, Under A Siena Sun is the perfect summer read to give you that much needed break from life right now.

Lucy Young has been in war torn Africa working for Doctors Without Borders/medicine sans frontier for a few years and after being rescued from a conflict zone she decides to hang up her MSF hat and take a job in the beautiful Siena. Italy has long me on my bucket list, and TA Williams did a wonderful job of not only bringing the characters to life but the amazing Italian culture and scenery.

The beginning of the book was quite intense so you can see why Lucy would find the peaceful idyllic life of Siena a welcome break, she takes a job at a prestigious clinic that is a stark contrast to what she worked in in Africa which leaves her feeling a little conflicted, it does make you think how money and privilege brings you better healthcare. The story moves at a leisurely pace building the characters and the relationships between them.

This was a feel good clean romance, with great characters and an amazing setting I really enjoyed this story and I can't wait to delve into TA Williams other books!

4 stars

This is the second novel I've read by T.A.Williams and again I'm blown away by the descriptive narrative and the gorgeous Italian backdrop.

After her dramatic rescue from her medical clinic base in The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Lucy Young's relief to be safe and sound is palpable. As a busy doctor, she badly needed a holiday after her gruelling workload in DRC, but knew it would only take a few days before she'd get itchy feet again. After visiting her parents in the UK, she flew to Tuscany to attend her friend's wedding. Meeting up with her childhood friends leads to an unexpected job offer. The position conflicts with her personal views but she acknowledges it would allow her to fulfil some personal goals. After much soul-searching she accepts the job and buys a home, only to discover she's already met her mysterious neighbour… 

The author has a wonderful way of incorporating enticing descriptions of the featured locations as well as introducing us to dynamic and intelligent protagonists. As a doctor who has worked for Medicin Sans Frontieres for many years, Lucy is both passionate and compassionate about her work and the patients she treats. In comparison, David Lorenzo has earned millions as a professional tennis player, who is struggling to accept his injuries can't heal sufficiently to resume his career. For two people from differing backgrounds and unlike views of the world, I enjoyed how they interacted to find common ground and how both had to compromise to find a solution to keep their relationship intact.

The secondary characters surrounding Lucy and David add to the ambience of Siena and the surrounding Tuscan countryside as does the inclusion of the mouthwatering meals and drinks enjoyed by them all. Boris the black Labrador and his numerous siblings are an adorable inclusion and highlight how animals are an invaluable asset in forging friendships between their owners….eh, humans!

Overall, Under A Siena Sun is a delightful novel allowing the reader to escape to a beautiful part of the world. If you enjoy reading thought-provoking romances between intriguing characters, you'll love this and other books written by T.A. Williams.

***arc generously received courtesy of the publisher Canelo via NetGalley***

Catapulted from the war torn fields of Africa to the beautiful hills of Siena our kind, caring leading lady Dr Lucy Young is finding it difficult to adjust and finds it unjustifiable how life fairs so differently for many.

Lucy is now in Tuscany receiving some much needed R&R after a physically and mentally demanding time working in extreme situations for the Medecins Sans Frontieres. She’s quickly gained new employment at a private clinic but isn’t sure how long she can cope working for the privileged. However, Lucy soon falls in love with Siena; it’s history, it’s landscape and it’s very friendly neighbourhood dog. All this beauty surrounding her gives her much joy and peace.

Lucy starts to grow more than platonic feelings for her reclusive neighbour and soon learns they share a love of history and their friendship blossoms. However, Lucy’s old woes of principles keep fighting with her conscience and she doesn’t know if she can fit in this new lifestyle.

Whenever I read a book by T.A. Williams he peeks my fascination with his locations. I appreciate and relish the extensive research he has taken for his storylines and can feel the author’s love of the history of a location emanating from the pages. I long to visit many of T.A. Williams book locations to sample the local delicacies, visit the beautiful area but mainly walk the paths of our ancestors.

Under a Siena Sun is a beautifully, fascinating story that is romantic and heartfelt.

Goodness, what a dramatic start – as Lucy, a front-line doctor, is air-lifted from war-torn Congo just in the nick of time. No wonder that she decides she could do with a bit of a break – first her friend’s wedding in Tuscany, and she then takes up an unexpected job offer from a private clinic, deciding to put some roots down for a while. And if the opening drama was a surprise, so was the focus on the inequalities of health provision that recurred through the book – very well done, something that gives a little food for thought, and quite unusual in a lighter romance.

But worry not, there’s plenty of what the author has always done so well too. Lucy encounters David at the clinic – a tennis pro who’s reached the end of his career through injury, who suffers with depression, and who has just had an injury caused by a gunshot. He gets her a little warm under the collar – and then she finds he’s her landlord at her new home, and lives the life of a recluse in the big house next door.

I’m guessing I don’t really need to tell you how things then develop – and I wouldn’t dream of doing so anyway – but I really enjoyed the journey, and found the romance very real and convincing. The whole story’s really well paced, with a few complications from David’s need for anonymity and the interventions of a rather overzealous journalist: there’s another issue with the couple’s very different backgrounds and fortunes, but the whole book is full of the exceptional warmth I’ve come to expect from the author’s writing. I enjoyed too the additional depth to the story through their shared love of history – a quest into the fascinating background to the nearby Castelnuevo.

The setting is as wonderful as ever – the vineyards, the olive groves, the well-described patchwork landscape, and I enjoyed the exploration of historic Siena too (another one for the bucket list). We even have a visit to the Palio, the twice-yearly horse race through the streets – loved it. And, as always, you’ll feel the heat of the Tuscan sun, and salivate your way through the book with the great food descriptions.

And is there a labrador around? As if you have to ask – Boris is just wonderful, muscling in on the action at every possible opportunity, a real character. And he’s not the only canine star – there’s a whole slew of black labradors around, all related, every one such a well drawn individual.

If you’ve enjoyed any of the author’s other books, you’ll love this one every bit as much – and I certainly did. But I did rather enjoy its sometimes slightly harder edges through that focus on social injustice and inequality. Nicely done – and another book from T.A. Williams that I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend.

(Review copied to Amazon UK, but link not yet available)

🌄Great vacation read with idyllic Italian summer living🍷 and romance💕

4.5🌟stars
This was a low-key, minimum drama (after the exciting opening chapter), easy read for me, just the type of story to enjoyably occupy a lazy afternoon. It was my first time reading one of the author's works and I could see quite plainly that Williams loves the Italian food, landscape, cultural and way of living.

Heroine Lucy begins the story stressed out of her mind and her choice to go to Italy to rest and recuperate turns out to be a spectacular decision. Lucy is a character who is so generous and caring she seems to attract good things and people to her. At times, like in her quandary late in the book, she almost seems too good, but, despite her frustration at living in a have versus have not world she never gets preachy; I liked that about her.

I loved the troop of secondary characters (including the ubiquitous Black Lab contingent) and the inclusion of atmospheric descriptions of some of Tuscany's most iconic landmarks and panoramas. Williams did a great job creating a backdrop that was a veritable feast for the senses and I find it hard to believe anyone who enjoys this book does not long to hightail it to Italy to experience the sights, tastes and sounds for themselves.

Thanks to publishers Canelo and NetGalley for providing an advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest review.

Review live at the link below on 27th August.

Happy publication day to the first book in T. A. Williams’ latest sun-drenched series, Under a Siena Sun!

Despite my sorrow that the lovely ‘Dreaming of…’ series is now complete, I was thrilled to pick up this equally heart-warming story, which is a positive start to the ‘Escape to Tuscany’ series of romantic adventures which are all to be set in that area.

T. A. Williams obviously has a great love of Italy, as the settings and people are described in beautiful detail, making you feel as though you’re walking the village streets with the main characters.

Although this is very firmly a romance novel, it does touch upon quite a thorny subject – that of financial inequality and global poverty. Placing Lucy as an ordinary girl working with Médecins Sans Frontières and giving her strong ethics is a great move as it gives the novel another layer in which it is acknowledged that the world of privilege that Lucy finds herself in is neither inevitable nor the only lifestyle in seemingly magical Italy. It’s rare in romantic fiction to find a heroine with a social conscience, and it was very welcome here.

What would a romance novel be without a dashing hero? In Under the Siena Sun, David Lorenzo is all you would wish him to be as a reader, and reading about Lucy and David finding their way nervously towards love is very sweet.

As ever with a T. A. Williams book, you’ll find a mix of stunning scenery, well-researched historical detail and a certain loveable breed of dog – all the ingredients I have come to love from his other work, and I can’t wait to read more in what promises to be an unmissable series.

Under a Siena Sun is published by Canelo.

To find out more about T. A. Williams and his full range of books, you can check out his website. Alternatively, why not connect with him on Twitter?

This was my first book by this author, It was pretty enjoyable. I would give this book a 3.5 star rating! It was a pretty Quick and easy read!

A perfect summer read: highly enjoyable, engrossing and with great descriptions of places.
I love T.A. Williams' books and this one was no exception.
A great cast of characters and a plot that kept me hooked.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

What a dramatic and unusual opening chapter for a story of this genre - it draws the reader straight into the action and the pages kept turning and turning after that.

I always love Mr Williams' depictions of Italy and this book delivered exactly what I expected. The setting was exquisite and such a contrast to the start of the story, that it certainly made me count my blessings, even though I don't live in Siena!

As for the main reason for reading - the romance - the author kept me wondering who Lucy's love interest was going to be for about the first 50%. Red herrings were popping up all over the place! But when it eventually did happen, I felt Lucy had found a partner worthy of her and her ideals.

Another absorbing story from this great author.

-- Read this review, and others, on my blog at www.hookedbythatbook.com –

I quite liked this story. The prologue was quite gripping and descriptive, and I really felt Lucy and the nurses’ fear. I feel like I have a good grip on who Lucy is. She absolutely loved her job as doctor with the MSF, and it was quite a big jump for her to join the upper-class clinic in Italy. She had a very hard time reconciling the huge wealth difference between the patients in the clinic and the MSF patients.

I had a harder time locking David down. Initially he seemed to be extremely depressed, but that changed, without too much explanation. Lucy definitely played a role in bringing David back to life. But he seemed to be mostly a prop for Lucy’s dreams.

I just couldn’t really identify with Lucy’s dilemma. Yes, as a doctor she makes an invaluable contribution, but imagine how much more she can do as a doctor with access to a lot of money. And even though she seriously contemplated accepting David’s proposal, she still saw herself as a completely separate entity, and never even considered discussing her conflicting thoughts with him.

On a different note, I always enjoy the author’s description of Italy, it really makes me want to go there.

Thank you to Canelo and Netgalley for providing me with an ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This is my first book from T.A Williams and I really enjoyed this perfect summer read.

The story is about who needs a change after a incident at her previous job. Lucy is offered a job by a friends in a clinic . There she meets ex tennis player David and so the story begins about what Lucy truly wants.

This was a very light hearted read and I loved the way it was easy to vision the scenery and where the story was taking place. I can't wait to be able to visit Italy at some point soon. The story flowed well and I will admit I was frustrated a times with Lucy's character but I always think that makes for a good read.

This is a perfect, light-hearted summer read.

Thank you to Netgalley for ARC to read and review.

I just love T A Williams books and my trips to Italy. Devoured in one sitting. Love it, when you can’t get to go in holiday because of Covid 19 this is the next best thing.

I have read several of TA Williams' books now and I love his ability to take the reader to some beautiful places. Under A Siena Sun is another one of these books, and I was immediately transported to Siena. I could feel myself soaking up the sunshine, and looking at the fantastic landscapes. Lucy and her friends also spend a lot of time in local restaurants, and my mouth was watering the whole way through! I also enjoyed learning about the history of the area.

Under A Siena Sun features quite a large cast of characters and I enjoyed getting to know them. Williams does give the reader a lot of insight into the characters and why they behave in the way they do, and this helped me to work out which characters I should root for! The hero and heroine, David and Lucy, are definitely two such characters and I was hoping all the way through that they could find a way to set aside their differences.

Williams writes at the beginning of Under A Siena Sun that, in the midst of the Coronavirus pandemic, he is glad that Lucy is a doctor. It is clear from the beginning that Lucy wants to help people and finds it difficult to fit in in an affluent environment. She has reservations about private health care and is keen that everyone should be treated equally. These issues are not often explored in romantic fiction, and it was interesting to see how Lucy's political views would influence the outcome of the novel.

If you don't mind a rather goody-goody "heroine" and a slightly predictable plot then this could be for you. The setting is idyllic and the book is well written. Escapist romance.

Today I’m pleased to be sharing my review for Under a Siena Sun by T A Williams. Thanks to the publisher Canelo for a review copy via NetGalley and to Rachel from Rachel’s Random Resources for inviting me to join the blog tour. This is the first book I’ve read by T A Williams and I will be looking out for the previous books.

I enjoyed this book, following Lucy, an experienced surgeon, as she escaped war torn Africa and started working in a private hospital in Tuscany, an area she had visited many times before.

This is primarily a romance story, set in the stunning surroundings of Siena in Tuscany. The book is full of colourful descriptions of the area and the food (do not read whilst on a diet!). Lucy needs to decide whether she can justify working in such a beautiful part of the world for wealthy patients after working for a medical charity in Africa, where the patients had no money.

I must admit that my favourite characters were of the four legged variety, all the black labradors beginning with B. This book was a pleasant escape from the global pandemic and I enjoyed my virtual visit to Tuscany.

I love a novel by T.A. Williams. I don't think I've yet to dislike any of his books, and this one is the same. I was so excited when I read that there'd be a new series, this one being the first in the Escape to Tuscany series. The cover is especially summery and looks so beautiful. I love the two coffee cups, bright blue sky and of course the gorgeous view of the town.

This novel started in a very different way to all of T.A. Williams' other books however. We are thrown in the deep end with Lucy as she escapes from a war torn country and to read it, it sounded extremely frightening. When she goes to Italy, it starts getting really interesting and at points I loved reading about the History of the country and separate towns, but as the story went on I got a little bored of reading about it so tended to skip the chapters that was describing the history.

I did like the character of Lucy, she seemed a really lovely and kind person. She also seemed to have a lot of suitors! And at times, it was quite difficult to figure out just whom she was going to set her eyes on and settle down with. I enjoyed reading about her time in the clinic, but most of the time this novel is set in the town she lives in and in her new home. I also loved the involvement of certain black labradors! I don't think it would be a regular novel of the authors without these loveable dogs.

Overall, it's an easy read. Not my favourite of T.A Williams as sometimes it was a bit predictable but still enjoyable all the same. I look forward to reading more novels from this series in the future. Thank you to the publisher for a chance to read an advance copy of this novel via Netgalley, which I have reviewed honestly.

Lucy is a wonderful, kind hearted surgeon who spent the last few years working to help the poor in Africa. When the area in the Conga became too dangerous to continue, Lucy and two nurses were air lifted out. Lucy went to Tuscany where her best friend lives to try to rest and recuperate. While there she was offered a surgeons job in a prestigious clinic catering to the wealthy. She buys herself a small cottage and begins to make a life for herself when she meets superstar David, an injured tennis player hiding out in Tuscany. The two have a whirlwind relationship, but the fact that he is worth millions plays heavy on Lucys heart after spending so much of her life helping those less fortunate. Can Lucy and David find a way to live together when they obviously come from two different worlds?
This was a great story, loved the characters, and all the details of Italy along with the hidden history lessons! Overall a great, feel good read, just dragged on a bit and became repetitive during the middle at times.

I really enjoyed the premise of this book, but ultimately I didn't find the character compelling enough to stick with it.

A magnificent beginning to a delightful new series - I do so enjoy Trevor Williams' novels!

Lucy Young is not only a doctor, she is a surgeon and four the last four years she has been using her skill working for Doctors Without Borders. After a very close call in Africa, she needs to work elsewhere for a while - for the sake of her own physical and mental well-being. Her next position is working in a private clinic in the sun drenched region of Tuscany, Italy; a post she's not really comfortable in, preferring to put her talents to use helping the underprivileged, not the rich and famous. One of the first patients she meets is tennis player David, former superstar whose injury has ended his career. Lucy finds herself very attracted to him, but with millions in the bank and rich lifestyle, can she ever feel comfortable with him?

Having been an avid reader of this author's previous series, I was really looking forward to reaching this one in my list - and I was not disappointed. With a wonderful storyline which successfully encompasses both the richest and poorest of this planet, there is much to be learned. For me, part of the fun of Trevor's books is that he always includes a labrador somewhere in the story; this time round it was a veritable feast of adorable pooches with several dogs and puppies too! They are always a part of each story and I look forward to discovering their names and personalities every time. Also included is a bit of historical information on the area where the story is set, and this novel is bursting with little gems which any would-be traveller can look out for. Add in that I could almost imagine the Italian sun warming my bones (always welcome in Scotland, believe me) and I have had a super time reading this. Collectively, along with excellent writing it all adds up to a very readable and terrifically enjoyable, smooth-flowing book which I'm very happy to give both the highest recommendation and five sparkling stars!

My thanks to the publisher for my copy via NetGalley and to Rachel's Random Resources for my spot on this tour; this is - as always - my honest, original and unbiased review.

Following her dramatic escape from DRC medic Lucy needs a break.

Under a Siena Sun is a perfect example of the romantic stories I’ve come to expect from TA Williams, but this time with a slightly edgier atmosphere created partly by the dramatic opening to the narrative and partly by a clear underpinning social message of wealth versus poverty and privilege versus disadvantage so that I thoroughly appreciated the added depth and enjoyed the narrative all the more.

There’s a super story in Under a Siena Sun that entertains the reader royally. The plot is fast and interesting so that I loved being in Italy with Lucy. Her relationships with different men, her principled attitudes and the glorious Italian settings transport the reader completely. It’s unwise to read a TA Williams book when I’m hungry as his descriptions of food are so mouth-wateringly realistic that they make me desire all kinds of forbidden and out of reach food. I always finish reading TA Williams feeling as if I’ve been taken on a holiday away from the trials of my own life and Under a Siena Sun is no exception, but this time with a glorious element of extra glamour too as I visited vicariously the areas of Tuscany I’ve never been to. The sheer escapism is as much a pleasure of reading Under a Siena Sun as is the entertaining plot.

I thought Lucy’s character was extremely well crafted even if she did make me feel slightly shallow, because I’m not sure I would have maintained such a moral standpoint when faced with a gorgeous romance! Joking aside, I loved the fact that Under a Siena Sun gave me cause to think when I read Lucy’s thought processes and romantic dilemma. Indeed, it isn’t an exaggeration that Lucy, albeit a fictional person, has helped restore my faith in humanity which has been somewhat lacking of late. She is adaptive, feisty and intelligent and it’s so good to have a romantic read where a relationship with a man isn’t the be all and end all for the lead character.

Under a Siena Sun is a lovely new addition to the TA Williams canon. Familiar elements such as a black a Labrador, romance and transporting travel are there so that fans will be reassured that they are getting another super read, but there’s something a little bit more here too with reference to war and difficulty so that the writing feels deeper and more important somehow. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Just wonderful.