In the twilight of Renaissance Florence,

a forbidden love ignites. Veronica Danti,

 meets the man foretold in her Tarot cards.

Returning from exile, Antonio di Fabiani

is caught in a deadly power struggle between the corrupt Borgias,

and the zealous Savonarola,

whose  Bonfire of the Vanities incinerates even the beauty of Botticelli.

But the lovers’ desire defies every threat.

Insurrection,

assassination,

even accusations of heresy.

In a time of peril love may be the most dangerous rebellion of all.

 

From Publishers Weekly

Life in 15th-century Italy was no slice of panforte, at least as Feyrer portrays it in this strong debut romance. Reading her tarot cards, Mama Lucia tells her great-granddaughter Veronica not to worry: times may get tough (murder, betrayal, attempted rape), but there’s a tall, dark Prince of Cups in her future. So, despite all manner of Machiavellian intrigue (some provided by Machiavelli himself), everything will turn out well. Red-haired Veronica, a wild gypsy who loves books (and is clairvoyant to boot), is forced to wed an impotent simpleton. Her lascivious father-in-law keeps trying to deflower her, and followers of the Dominican reformer Savonarola threaten to stone her unorthodox family (including her Uncle Daniele, a homosexual painter). Meanwhile, courtier and self-made merchant, Antonio di Fabiani, is making his way from Lucrezia Borgia’s bed to Florence in order to sort out his various family tragedies. While dallying with a courtesan who doubles as a hit woman for Cesare Borgia, he spies Veronica, who’s disguised as a boy. Antonio fights against it, but Veronica is his destiny. There’s a long way to go, filled with decadent historical characters and lots of local color, before the lovers can ride off into the tramonto.