The Books

A family torn apart by secrets, reunited by marriage

When William Valentine returned from the war, as a testament to his love for his beautiful Italian wife Lucia, he opened the first Bella Lucia restaurant in London.

The future looked bright, and William had, he thought, the perfect family. Now William is nearly ninety, and not long for this world, but he has three top London restaurants with prime spots throughout Knightsbridge and the West End. He has two sons, John and Robert, and grown-up grandchildren on both sides of the Atlantic who are poised to take this small gastronomic success story into the twenty-first century.

But when William dies, and the family fight to control the destiny of the Bella Lucia business, they discover a multitude of long-buried secrets, scandals, the threat of financial ruin – and ultimately two great loves they hadn’t even dreamt of: the love of a lifelong partner – and the love of a family reunited…