Official Review: The Girl Who Loved Caravaggio by Belle Ami

[Bluebird03]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Girl Who Loved Caravaggio" by Belle Ami.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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The Girl Who Loved Caravaggio begins with Caravaggio (a painter) and Ranuccio (an abusive pimp) fighting a duel in Rome, Italy in 1606. Tired of seeing Ranuccio torment his muse and lover, Fillide, Caravaggio has initiated the duel. While intending to slice the testicles of Ranuccio, Caravaggio accidentally gnashes the femoral artery instead. What was meant to have been a “fight to first blood” ended in Ranuccio’s death. Now Caravaggio would be forced to flee Rome and Fillide to live in exile.

Fast forward to the present, where Angela Renatus and Alex Caine are planning to meet one another’s parents. During sleep, Angela dreams of a duel in the streets of Italy. The timing appears to be near the Renaissance era. One of the faces is hauntingly familiar, and suddenly she dreams her lover, Alex, has just killed a man. Once awake, Angela researches paintings near that era. When her eyes land on a picture of Caravaggio, she knows at once he was the killer in her nightmare. But why had Angela seen the killer “morph into Alex”? Are she and Alex bound to one another in yet another past life?

Once again, in this installment, they are called upon to locate a missing masterpiece (this time by Caravaggio). In their attempt to solve the mystery behind the stolen artwork, they will both have visions of their previous life as Caravaggio and his muse, Fillide. However, Angela’s visions will take a turn and also become predictive of the future. If this isn’t enough to captivate you, toss in that Angela’s mother (formerly a spy for the KGB) had supposedly died giving birth to Angela. But did she die?

Having read Belle Ami’s previous installment in this series, The Girl Who Knew da Vinci, I was already familiar with both Angela and Alex. While I do recommend reading the books in order, I can tell readers that this installment is perfectly capable of standing on its own. Also, at the end of this book, all plots are resolved. Once again, Ami did a thorough job of alerting the reader to time changes from one century to another and letting the reader know which era was being featured. As a result, the storyline was an easy one to follow.

I liked that Ami portrayed the characters thoroughly. Readers will come to know both Angela (and her love of food almost as much as her love of Alex) and Alex (a former SEAL and playboy turned detective). Also, the secondary characters were well-developed and relatable in their portrayal. I especially liked Oliver (Angela’s dad), as he came across as very concerned for Angela and her safety, but also immediately accepted, liked, and trusted Alex.

There was nothing I could find to dislike about this novel. Additionally, with only a couple of errors, the book was well edited. I award The Girl Who Loved Carravagio by Belle Ami 4 out of 4 stars. This fast-paced story will appeal to fans of romance and mystery thrillers. Those fascinated with the elements of past lives and reincarnation will not be disappointed.

Due to the coarse language (f**k, and s**t) used numerous times in the story, I cannot recommend this book for young adults or those offended by these words. I can tell you that while I am not fond of this language, I was able to quickly identify them, note them for the review, and easily move on with the storyline. Also, there are a few sexual scenes that will deem this book inappropriate to those sensitive to such. However, they were not to the point of being explicit.

I highly recommend this exciting novel and look forward to Belle Ami’s release of her third installment in the Out of Time series, The Girl Who Adored Rembrandt.

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The Girl Who Loved Caravaggio
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[Cecilia_L]

This is a series I am interested in reading. The blending of genres and fast pace appeals to me. Thanks for the recommendation.

[Magnify3]

Sounds interesting! I have my own takes of the visions but of course I have to read the book to find out if my idea is correct! Thanks for the review!

[kdstrack]

I have read the first book and am glad to see Alex and Angela working together on another mystery. Your review presents the characters and the story line in a motivating way. Great review. I am anxious to read this novel.

[Bluebird03]

This is a series I am interested in reading. The blending of genres and fast pace appeals to me. Thanks for the recommendation.

I hope that you do read this series, Cecilia. There is just so much going on in each of the two books I've read so far- never a dull moment. Thank you for commenting!

[Bluebird03]

Sounds interesting! I have my own takes of the visions but of course I have to read the book to find out if my idea is correct! Thanks for the review!

Yes, you will definitely have to check out the book to find out about your visions theory! Thanks so much, Magnify3, for stopping by and commenting!

[Bluebird03]

I have read the first book and am glad to see Alex and Angela working together on another mystery. Your review presents the characters and the story line in a motivating way. Great review. I am anxious to read this novel.

If you liked the first book, you will definitely love this one! Thank you, kdstrack, for your insightful comments and for your kind words!

[danielleamy]

Thanks for recommending this series! I've read the sample for the previous book and I'm definitely interested reading these. Fab review!

[c4bersg1rl]

I like that this book, "The Girl Who Loves Caravaggio" by Belle Ami is a stand alone novel. I like that the characters are well developed and the story seems involving. It is interesting that the main characters Angela and Alex tend to have visions. I have heard a lot about this book and I am interested in reading it. I hope that it lives up the hype. I want to thank you for your review.

[Bluebird03]

Thanks for recommending this series! I've read the sample for the previous book and I'm definitely interested reading these. Fab review!

I hope you do get the chance to read the series. Thank you, danielleamy, for stopping by and for your kind words!

[Bluebird03]

I like that this book, "The Girl Who Loves Caravaggio" by Belle Ami is a stand alone novel. I like that the characters are well developed and the story seems involving. It is interesting that the main characters Angela and Alex tend to have visions. I have heard a lot about this book and I am interested in reading it. I hope that it lives up the hype. I want to thank you for your review.

This is definitely one of my favorite series. I hope that you do find time to read it and that you enjoy it as much as I did. Thank you for your kind words!

[Dragonsend]

Angela and Alex just can't stay out of trouble. Thank you for the review and of course I will be reading this book of the series sometime soon.

[Bluebird03]

Angela and Alex just can't stay out of trouble. Thank you for the review and of course I will be reading this book of the series sometime soon.

No they cannot. And I'm looking forward to reading more of them in the third installment. Thanks for stopping by and commenting, Dragonsend!

[Bluebird03]

Angela and Alex just can't stay out of trouble. Thank you for the review and of course I will be reading this book of the series sometime soon.

No they cannot. And I look forward to reading about more of their escapades in the third installment of this series. Thank you for stopping by and commenting, Dragonsend!

[Stephanie Elizabeth]

This sounds quite intriguing; a romance that spans over hundreds of years? I am in! I love that the book weaves love and mystery into an exciting plot. As someone who loves art, I like how the book exposes paintings from that time. Thanks for the wonderful review!