Meet Me in Venice

My attention was drawn to the cover of this delicious book, AND because I have been to Venice several times. Had never read any of Adler's books prior to this. Loved "Meet Me in Venice" because it is purely make-believe and it was really grand to sit in the sand, hear the ocean and get taken away from it all. I could not put it down. Since then (3 weeks ago), I have read "One of Those Malibu Nights" - which was equally enthralling, and am now half-way through an Adler paperback (bought at a flea market years ago and forgot about) "Fortune is a Woman". This one kicks butt. Back to my beach chair. p.s. absolutely LOVE how the author describes and writes about familiar places, in Venice, Malibu, and all the other wonderful places.

From Paris to Shanghai to Venice and the Outer Banks of North Carolina, Elizabeth Adler takes the reader on a suspenseful adventure filled with romance, murder, handsome strangers, dowager aunts, and a mysterious treasure. Precious Rafferty is an American expatriate living in Paris. Her small antiques store and close friends are her life until handsome Bennett James walks into her world. At 38, Precious is not as sophisticated as the reader might expect, and this intriguing man sweeps her off her feet in a whirlwind romance that is too good to be true. The fast-paced action is just beginning as we discover Bennett also has a connection with Precious' cousin Lily in Shanghai, a relative she has never met but who is also in the antiques business. Alas, Lily's business is decidedly shadier and most of her deals are done in back alleys and are highly illegal. With the help of her assistant, Mary Lou Chen, an unscrupulous beauty, the two walk a highly dangerous path. Mary Lou has fallen in love with Bennett and his trail of broken hearts from Shanghai to Paris is about to converge in Venice. Adler lets us escape into the luxurious life of jet-setters and those who aspire to be jet-setters. Her trademark skill in recreating the local color of the world's most exotic cities serves the reader well here as we are treated to a costume carnival in Venice, the quaint cafes of Paris, and the underworld of Shanghai. Let yourself get caught up in this gripping tale of deceit and desire and enjoy the trip to some of the world's most exciting places.

This book was a great Summer read. I had a hard time putting this book down and enjoyed this book. I felt sad when I can to the end of this novel, since I really enjoyed reading this great summer book. I have not read a good summer book like this in a long time. I can not wait to read the next book written by Ms Adler

I read this in two days. Fast paced with wonderful characters and locals. Felt it ended abruptly but no matter, another great book by Ms Adler. Thank you. Look forward to the next one.

Thirty-eight years old American expatriate Precious "Preshy" Rafferty loves living in Paris. She especially enjoys owning and running an antique shop, but also frets that she has never met the right one though she has had her lovers. That is until now when she meets American businessman Bennett James at a café; he is visiting the city but is based six thousand miles away in Shanghai. At about the same time in Shanghai, Preshy's cousin antique dealer Lily Song possesses a valuable necklace that others covet. Especially wanting to steal and sell the jewelry is Mary-Lou Chen. Her lover, American businessman Bennett Yuan, is halfway around the world seeking a buyer. Lily warns Preshy that a schemer seeks the latter's necklace and the former's inheritance. The cousins who never met before agree to meet in Venice where they hope to expose the thieves even as Preshy wonders who to trust, her cousin or her lover. Suspense readers will want to meet Elizabeth Adler in Venice as this fast-paced thriller is loaded with fascinating characters who have no qualms about underworld trafficking except apparently the naive heroine. Preshy is precious as she finally finds love, but her cousin raises issues of trust and betrayal. Fans will be hooked from the first encounter in the Happy Bird Teahouse in Shanghais and remain entranced wondering along with the heroine who to trust until the Venice climax. Harriet Klausner