A brilliant summer read just right to lift your spirits and transport you to an Italian idle
It is a story of hope and of finding ones self.
It has all the elements of a real feel good story with David a rich millionaire tennis player who has had his greatest love ripped from him by a terrible accident and finding it difficult to come to terms with and Lucy a doctor who has spent her working life treating underprivileged people.
When their worlds collide it is anyone’s guess where it will end up and who is willing to compromise.
One thing is for sure it’s a great read and you just can’t put it down.

I know that a T. A. Williams book is going to be a good read, and this one was no exception, except that for me the magic of some of his earlier work wasn't there. It's still a good story though, and if you're looking for a light, easy summer read, this book fits the bill. As usual Williams' descriptions of places take you to the scene. I loved Boris, a black Labrador. We've come to know and expect dogs in Williams' books. In fact, he treats us to multiple black Labradors in this book. I really liked David, the love interest, but I struggled with Lucy, the protagonist. I didn't feel any strong emotion from her, nor did I see her character evolve over time. Everything - major life changes - happened so easily for her. There was a slight bit of angst over David being a millionaire. This irritated me. I understood she felt uncomfortable surrounded by luxury, but I felt she was holding his millions against him (he earned a lot of money due to being a tennis champion). In the end, and without revealing too much, Lucy wasn't required to change at all, but David was. I didn't think that was fair.
With thanks to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

During lockdown, I have found escape through reading and this book took me to Tuscany and what a trip! With the wonderful descriptions of places and food, I felt like I’d enjoyed a wonderful mini break.
Under a Siena Sun centres on the adventures of Lucy; emotionally scarred after a narrow escape whilst working for Médecins Sans Frontiers, she heads to Tuscany for her friend’s wedding. Here she reunites with the handsome Bruno who she had a crush on but now sees purely as a friend.
It’s Lucy’s friendship with Bruno that proves to be lifechanging as she’s introduced to the lucrative world of private medicine and the lives of the rich and famous. I steer away from spoilers but, as the blurb suggests, she does encounter the smoulderingly handsome David Lorenzo, a tennis star who is fighting to recover from injury.
T.A. Williams is a new author, to me, I enjoyed reading his style which I found to be totally satisfying. The descriptive language made it easy to imagine sitting in the sun or enjoying the wine from the local vineyards.
A special mention has to be given to Boris, the black Labrador and his alliterative siblings.
If you fancy an evening watching the sun set over the sea, then this is the book for you. I will certainly be watching for the rest of this series.

“...remember, they’re still people who’re sick, who need your help. The fact that they can pay for it doesn’t reduce their need.” Under the Siena Sun by T. A. Williams

2.5, maybe almost 3 stars. The title should’ve cued me. But I liked reading about living in Tuscany, or in that part of the region. Sigh.

And that quote sums up Lucy’s dilemma. In a rather annoying way. She’s a doctor who cut her teeth helping out the people in Africa who don’t have medical help. After escaping from a war-torn area, she decided to recharge and take a break in Siena, Italy. Part of that is working for an upscale clinic. Her patients are no longer those who pay her in kind, but the rich and famous. Then she meets David, formerly a pro tennis star who is on rehab for an injury. They fall in love etc, but she can’t reconcile herself to living with someone who is so rich and has a different perspective, never mind he earned that wealth.

I rolled my eyes at Lucy so many many rimes. After Peter Mayle’s Provence and that book-turned-movie Under The Tuscan Sun, this held so much promise for me. Lucy keep getting in the way. And how convenient thT David solves the problem for her. Wait, have to say this: 🙄🙄🙄. She sure had no problem enjoying his house and it’s amenities. Anyway, Lucy is ok, except when she’s in her moments. That part got old really fast.

Thank you NetGalley abd Canelo publishing for the copy of this book.

A book for staycationers this summer. This is an immensely readable and believable book set in rural Italy. The countryside is portrayed beautiful, and the love story brings a happy conclusion to this light, warm story.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this book

Under a Siena Sun is like a gentle breeze. It lightens your mood, caresses your emotions, and puts a smile on your face.

What I Liked

I enjoyed the beautiful setting of Siena, Italy. The village is described in such exquisite detail that if I closed my eyes, I found myself transported across the Atlantic. The rolling hills, fragrant olive trees, and even the lumbering porcupine are delightfully immersive.

My favorite character is David. He experienced significant struggles and transitions in the last few years, but he pulled them through and is ready to make a difference. He enjoyed the glitz and glamor world in the past but realizes that’s not the type of lifestyle that feeds his soul. He teaches Lucy to understand this fact too. She needs to learn that just because a person is wealthy doesn’t mean they don’t help those in need - that lifestyle is a choice – to lead a superficial life of wealth or lead a philanthropic life of wealth.

The characters are well-developed, quaint, and fun, and the dialogue flows with a natural ease of a chat between friends. The inclusion of the struggles in Africa are eye-opening and evoke so many emotions.
The decision of medical workers to go to these war-torn areas is amazingly heroic.

What I Wish

I wish that Lucy being judgmental had been a more critical, more progressive learning lesson and that she had not gotten so preachy at times. There is an abruptness to these thoughts that just don’t fit into the story for me.

To Read or Not to Read

If you are looking for a nice light read in a beautiful setting, then this is the story for you.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I read this ARC for an honest review
All thoughts and opinions are mine

Ahhh, Italy - love it - will always pick up books related to it

This is a new author for me and the cover and the title did draw me in initially.
Loved the beginning, a great way to draw in the reader

I've been to Siena so really got lost in the imagery

With everything going on in the world, it will be a while before I see Siena again but this was a great alternative!

This started really well and I thought it might be an introduction to a new author, however it descended into the sort of writing that you find in a Mills & Boon. Maybe that is intentional but it just became a bit trite for me..

After the unusually dramatic and gripping opening comes the sunny escape to Siena. I always enjoy T.A. Williams' books and this was no exception. I was transported to beautiful Siena through the sumptuous setting. I liked all the characters, though lead character Lucy's wrangle with her conscience made me question the depth of her commitment and feelings for David at times. I adored Boris the Labrador - it wouldn't be a T. A. Williams read without a gorgeous dog to make you smile!

Overall, it was a lovely, escapist read, that will transport you to Siena. Great for all those who like a female lead who will stand up for her beliefs, no matter what the stakes.

Lucy is a doctor, who had to flee war torn Congo. She had been working with the poorest of the poor, and now she is offered a job at a private cushy clinic in Italy. Big change, from extreme violence against the poor to working with the rich and pampered. Meeting David, a tennis star, and a few sparks fly, but is it enough? I have enjoyed several books by this author, including this one. Highly recommend this book and author. The descriptions alone of Italy makes me want to travel there.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this eARC
A romantic story of Lucy who for 4 years worked in Africa as a doctor helping sick and injured people. After a close call with rebels Lucy returns home and attends a friends wedding in Italy. Whilst there she is asked to help out at a medical clinic for the rich and famous when tennis ace David turns up with a gunshot wound. Lucy impresses the owner of the medical clinic and is offered a job. Lucy is not ready to return to her previous job and decides to take the offer. She purchases a house from none other than her patient David who although she is attracted to him is a grumpy recluse. David has lived in the village for two years undetected but that changes when he is spotted at Lucy’s by the local journalist.
Lucy finds that she and David have a shared love of history and start to explore the origins of the ruins on David’s property and feels her attraction to him deepening.
I enjoyed this story although the cheating aspect of the side characters did make me uncomfortable. Great light hearted read.

If you enjoy a rich and detailed description of each scene then this is the book for you. It was to wordy for me and I found myself skimming the book. I give this a 2.75.

********************I received an ARC from NetGalley for my honest opinion.*********************

Lucy has been running a clinic in the war torn Congo until she is forced to evacuate rapidly. She goes to the Tuscan countryside to recuperate in an area where she often vacationed as a child. There she finds a position that she enjoys but she is treating the privileged and rich instead of the poor and needy. She is torn. Does she go back to where she is needed, but afraid to go? Does she stay and compromise her principles? What about the man she is falling in love with?

I enjoyed this book. It was a clean read and it had my attention from the first sentence and kept me pretty thoroughly enthralled until I finished it a day later. Even though I liked going on this journey with Lucy, I found T.A. Williams style to be more telling that showing. I felt we skipped through Lucy's relationship pretty quickly and I didn't find it to be completely authentic. The hurdles were easily overcome and I was a little irritated by her the last few chapters. I felt like she was having a pity party. "Woah is me, a rich man loves me, but the poor and needy don't have any money and he does, so I need to throw away this relationship and a chance at love." Could be I was having a grumpy day, but this bugged me. Did it bug me enough to not recommend this book No. I recommend it to others and will enjoy having a chance to discuss it with them.

Firstly can we talk about that cover *sigh*. I absolutely loved this cover. TA Williams described Sienna so beautifully that I thought I was actually there . With this book, I want to visit Siena now! The book begins with Lucy being airlifted from DRC for her own safety. She moves to Sienna with a friend and meets David Lorenzo a tennis pro who she has to help with a bullet wound. While there she finds herself and of course finds love. I love a feel-good read with a swoon-worthy location and a love story to keep you warm. I recommend this book for a nice light read.

The perfect summer romance, grab a glass of something nice and lose yourself for a few hours under a Siena sun.
The story follows Lucy and David as they meet in strange circumstances when she is taking leave after a gruelling stint as a doctor overseas. Lucy wants to continue helping those in need and finds herself at odds as she falls for David who has enjoyed a celebrity lifestyle.

I enjoyed this story! It's clean and full of beautiful details of the landscape of Italy.

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

Lucy Young has had to flee the Congo where she's worked for 4 years with Doctors without borders. She goes to live in Siena where has very pleasant memories of past holidays until she decides what to do with her life. She meets Bruno an old friend who is working for a private hospital nearby. She starts working there but isn't sure that's what she wants to do with her life

A lovely story of one woman’s life as a doctor in a war torn country just about escaping with her life and how she eventually let’s go of the vivid nightmares by taking up a job so different and learning to be at peace again by interacting with those around her. A strong woman with morals and romance is included

What an enjoyable book this was, and it makes you think.

... Think about the rich / poor divide and whether wealth can buy happiness, and what happens when people from two widely different experiences come together.

Lucy has been a MSF doctor in the Democratic Republic of Congo for a few years, and we first meet her in an action packed opening, that had my adrenaline pumping, my curiosity raised and eyes opened, while also making me want to read more.

She realises she needs some to rest, relax and reflect on life and heads to Italy for her best friends wedding in Siena. During that time she is offered a job at a private clinic which is worlds apart from what she has been used to, and throughout you can see Lucy struggle with treating elite patients when so much of the world has so little.

I happen to be partial to a medical romance, so found the professional side of Lucy fascinating and would have happily read a whole book of her and her work for Medicin Sans Frontiere. However instead we have a great story in Italy.

And how I loved Boris and Barolo, they are utterly adorable and meant that T. A. Williams will be delighted to see not just one black Labrador, but at least two in the book. And Boris that was see more of is so lovable, I wished he was mine!

Then there is David, I loved everything about his story, from initially very grumpy, into the wonderful person he turned out to be

This is a lovely escapist read, from an author I love reading, and a great way to while away the hours, while taking your mind generally off the pandemic.

Thank you to Canelo and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

Another wonderful escape to a wonderful location- where you can feel yourself relaxing and enjoying the sights and smells of Siena, so vividly described by TA Williams. He is singlehandedly adding to my travel bucket list with every book.
Lucy is taking a break from a medical position with a charity that goes into war torn areas. She had a narrow escape and is taking time to regroup and decide where her future will take her.
She is in Siena to attend her friends wedding and rents a delightful sounding property, with interesting neighbours and one of my favourite characters , as always, a chocolate labrador called Bruno.