"Juliet" Virtual Book Tour & Review - Author Anne Fortier

Juliet
Author: Anne Fortier
Publisher: Random House
ISBN: 9780345516107
Genre: fiction, romance, suspense

About the Book: (from publisher)

"Twenty-five-year-old Julie Jacobs is heartbroken over the death of her beloved aunt Rose. But the shock goes even deeper when she learns that the woman who has been like a mother to her has left her entire estate to Julie’s twin sister. The only thing Julie receives is a key—one carried by her mother on the day she herself died—to a safety-deposit box in Siena, Italy.

This key sends Julie on a journey that will change her life forever—a journey into the troubled past of her ancestor Giulietta Tolomei. In 1340, still reeling from the slaughter of her parents, Giulietta was smuggled into Siena, where she met a young man named Romeo. Their ill-fated love turned medieval Siena upside-down and went on to inspire generations of poets and artists, the story reaching its pinnacle in Shakespeare’s famous tragedy.

But six centuries have a way of catching up to the present, and Julie gradually begins to discover that here, in this ancient city, the past and present are hard to tell apart. The deeper she delves into the history of Romeo and Giulietta, and the closer she gets to the treasure they allegedly left behind, the greater the danger surrounding her—superstitions, ancient hostilities, and personal vendettas. As Julie crosses paths with the descendants of the families involved in the unforgettable blood feud, she begins to fear that the notorious curse—“A plague on both your houses!”—is still at work, and that she is destined to be its next target. Only someone like Romeo, it seems, could save her from this dreaded fate, but his story ended long ago. Or did it?

From Anne Fortier comes a sweeping, beautifully written novel of intrigue and identity, of love and legacy, as a young woman discovers that her own fate is irrevocably tied—for better or worse—to literature’s greatest star-crossed lovers."

My Thoughts:

What a fantastic story! I found it difficult to put the book aside. It held my interest from the first page all the way to the end. Being a "chunky" read of over 450 pages, it wasn't a quick read, but the way the story pulled me in and I found that I had finished it in no time.

The story goes between past and present, so one could probably consider this a historical fiction. It deals with a lovely character, Julie Jacobs (Giulietta) who has a mystery dropped in her lap. After her Aunt dies, she leaves her estranged twin sister and goes to Siena, Italy - following her aunt's "last wish". There she finds secrets of her past, along with danger and a very interesting puzzle to put together.

This is a wonderful story that will keep you on the edge of your seat! For those that love romance, history, and mysteries, this is a must read. I've heard it said the storyline is like "Romeo and Juliet" meets Dan Brown. I love the story of "Romeo and Juliet" and I enjoy Dan Brown, so I guess it was perfect for me.

About the Author

Anne Fortier grew up in Denmark and emigrated to the United States in 2002 to work in film. She co-produced the Emmy-winning documentary Fire and Ice: The Winter War of Finland and Russia and holds a Ph.D. in the History of Ideas from Aarhus University in Denmark. The story of Juliet was inspired by Anne Fortier’s mother, who always considered Verona her true home … until she discovered Siena.You can visit Anne Fortier’s website at www.julietbook.com.

This book was supplied through the Pump Up Your Book Program for me to honestly review.