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Twenty-five-year-old Tulia Rose is traveling alone in Europe, at her boyfriend Ethan’s expense, in an effort to clarify their relationship. She hopes she will also overcome a severe case of writer’s block. She meets a handsome sidewalk artist in Paris whose name is, or may be, Raphael. Using a story he tells her as a starting point, Tulia begins a new novel -- the first writing she’s done in months.
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Tulia is attracted to Raphael, but is leery of starting a relationship while traveling on her boyfriend’s money. But is Ethan still hers? Emails from him increasingly mention Tulia’s friend Jasmine.
When Tulia flies to Venice, she is surprised to find Raphael there waiting for her. She is pleased to see him again, yet becomes angry and afraid when she discovers he followed her purposely. Is he a stalker? Or worse?
As Tulia’s novel about the Renaissance painter Raphael and his secret lover develops, even her dreams become entwined with the book.
I read THE SIDEWALK ARTIST in one sitting, ignoring everything else until I’d finished the book. Excerpts from Tulia’s novel add interest and suspense, especially when the two love stories seem to merge. The authors’ descriptions of settings (Paris, Venice, Florence) are well drawn, and the dialogue is so “real” that it’s not dialogue, it’s conversation. I will definitely look forward to reading more from Gina Buonaguro and Janice Kirk.
Reviewed by Marie DisBrow
for The Road to Romance
March 14, 2007
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