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MaryAnn Clarke
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The Art of Enchantment: A fast-paced romantic escape to Tuscany (Life is a Journey) Kindle Edition

by MaryAnn Clarke (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.0 out of 5 stars 72 ratings
Clio is a shy art history student determined to do her family duty. Guillermo is a sexy, reckless architect with the power to tempt her to follow her heart.

Can these opposites fight their simmering attraction or will they answer the allure that will bring them bliss?

Ecstasy is the only thing on Clio’s mind. Specifically, ecstasy as portrayed in the Renaissance art of Italy. She's clinging to her last chance at achieving the college degree of her father’s dreams, when she meets fast-living, handsome-as-sin Italian architect Guillermo. They come from two different worlds, but share a deep passion for history and beauty.

Clio can’t resist being drawn into Guillermo’s problems when his family’s beautiful ancestral villa is at risk of being sold to a rich celebrity who will carelessly destroy its rich history. She tries to keep it professional and fights the urge to surrender to Guillermo's smouldering seduction. Can Clio juggle her PhD thesis, a too-hot-to-handle romance, and rescue a priceless piece of history or will everything end in disaster?

Chatelaine Grand Prize winner.
Next Generation Indie Award finalist.

Steamy and romantic, the Art of Enchantment is a beautifully written, evocative love story of art, history and passion set in Romantic Tuscany, about having the courage to answer the call of your true nature and finding family and home where you truly belong.
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  1. Part of series
    Life is a Journey
  2. Print length
    336 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publication date
    March 20, 2017
  5. File size
    3.0 MB
  6. Page Flip
    Enabled
  7. Word Wise
    Enabled
  8. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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From the Publisher

opposites attract, armchair travel, italy, tuscany, renaissance villa, art student, architect,
family drama, family saga, romcom, contemporary romance, travel adventure, history, art history
good girl, bad boy, opposites attract romance trope, italian villa, travel romance, sexy alpha hero

Editorial Reviews

Review

**Grand Prize Winner of the CBR 2106 Chatelaine Prize for Women's Fiction & Romance**Chanticleer 5 Star Review
M.A. Clarke Scott's The Art of Enchantment starts at a low simmer but rises to a body-searing burn as Clio and Guillermo find themselves pushed together repeatedly by both fate and the desire to save Guillermo's family villa. Clio, however, must also cope with her own family legacy, one of academic excellence. Satisfying her dominating parents seems to be an uphill battle, however. And to complicate the situation, Guillermo mistakes her intense desire to meet with her thesis adviser as evidence of a deep love of scholarship.
Clarke Scott delivers fine, white-hot love scenes along with the opportunity to pick up some random Italian swear words that are fun to say, like stronzo! Aside from sex and swearing, Clarke Scott uses archetypes to woo her audience: the destructive rock star, the sexy, bold Italian, the shy, studious American attempting to please her parents. And these archetypes work well in this story, giving readers much of what they come looking for in romantic fiction.
M.A. Clarke Scott is an artist with words and paint. She writes women's fiction as well as steampunk and science fiction, screenplays, novels, and essays. White walls, blank canvases and the empty page are all invitations for her to fill them with her exceptional creations.
A well-paced escape for those hungering for art, history and a hot ride with a handsome Italian hero.

From Readers' FavouriteAwesome characters.... A masterpiece, this is! Loved it, loved it. Excitement, pure delight, and an emotional adventure await the reader in this thrilling contemporary romance, The Art of Enchantment by MA Clarke Scott. Clio wants only one thing: to complete her PhD program, hence fulfilling one of her father's greatest wishes for her. But then Guillermo, the hot and charming Italian architect, happens. Two powerful souls with a great and refined appreciation for beauty and art and history! They are from two different backgrounds, irrevocably drawn towards each other. Things get even more complicated when Guillermo's ancestral home risks being sold to an American pop star who may not value the historic significance of such an investment. Can Clio pursue the exciting romance, help Guillermo save his home, and still succeed in getting her PhD?

The Art of Enchantment is exciting and I enjoyed the themes of art, romance, history, and family and how they are masterfully written into the engaging plot. Clio and Guillermo are interesting characters. While Clio is shy and composed, Guillermo is boisterous and outgoing, two opposite personalities that perfectly complement each other. The prose is equally exciting, composed of descriptions that are absorbing, and great dialogues that read like natural conversations. It is wonderful to note how the characters evolve throughout the story. The external conflict is evidently developed throughout the story, but the one that arrested my attention was the internal one taking place within the minds of the characters. It was fun watching Clio faced with multiple dilemmas. MA Clarke Scott has become my new master of the romance. Can't recommend this one enough.
Reviewed By Christian Sia for Readers' Favorite
.If you love romance, art history, and family - this is a must read. The plots twists and tension kept me reading well into the night. The Author M. A. Clarke Scott gives the reader a run for their money. And if you love Italian then you are in high heaven... The passion, literally and figuratively in this book [have to read it to understand that statement best] is well written. The plot crafted in a way that has a grip on your heart, tears in your throat and laughter on your lips. Strong realistic characters fill this novel from beginning to end. LibraryThing reviewer tlm6860

From the Author

Welcome to the Life Is a Journey series of Romantic Women's Fiction!
The Art of Enchantment is the first full-length novel in the Life Is A Journey series is about young women traveling abroad who discover themselves and fall in love while getting embroiled in someone else's problems.

Each standalone story in the series can be read in any order--and ends happily! 
Book 1: The Art of Enchantment
Book 2: A Forged Affair

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B06XFX4B7C
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Nymphaea Press (March 20, 2017)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ March 20, 2017
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 3.0 MB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 336 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.0 out of 5 stars 72 ratings

About the author

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MaryAnn Clarke

MaryAnn Clarke

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*Please click FOLLOW if you'd like to be updated about latest releases.* USA

Today Bestselling author MaryAnn Clarke is a Chatelaine Grand Prize winner and

Next Generation Indie Book Award finalist for The Art of Enchantment, first in

the Life is a Journey series about young women on journeys abroad who discover

themselves and fall in love while getting embroiled in someone else’s problems.

Her Having it All series is about professional women struggling to balance the

challenge and fulfillment of their careers with their search for identity, love,

family and home. First in the UNLIKELY Series, The Reporter's UNLIKELY Reunion

was First Runner Up in the Indie Writer's Project Contests Romance Category

2024, and her 2025 release Secrets at the Aviary Inn is a Finalist for the CIBA Somerset Award.

Always eager to fill blank pages and empty canvases with ideas swirling in her

head, MaryAnn set out to write emotionally engaging stories that walk a

tightrope between intelligent Women’s Fiction and heart-warming Romance.

A socially awkward polymath with ASD who studied Fine Arts, Urbanism,

Architecture and Gerontology at university on both coasts of Canada, she turned

to her first love, writing stories, when she realized she could have more fun

with fewer rules to follow. When not writing, she meditates while hiking wooded

mountain trails, does yoga and Pilates to fend off decrepitude, reads

eclectically, contemplates wormholes, experiments with painting abstract

expressionism, unalives plants and tries not to burn dinner while solving her

next plot problem. Now that her chick has flown the coop, Clarke lives on

beautiful Vancouver Island, Canada with her husband and cats. Although she knows

she lives in Paradise, she still loves traveling the world in search of romance,

art, good food and new story ideas.

Get MaryAnn's newsletter and never miss a new release! Receive Single Dad in

Studio 7D FREE by signing up on her website. Download today! Stay in touch to

hear about special deals and her next release.

Connect and follow on social media too!

Find me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Youtube, Threads

Join MA's FB "In Crowd" for book chat & video

If you enjoy her books, please rate them and leave reviews on Amazon.

Customer reviews

4 out of 5 stars
72 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book well-written and engaging, with one mentioning it kept their interest from the first page. The romance receives positive feedback, with one customer describing it as a fast-paced romantic escape to Italy featuring a hot ride with a handsome Italian hero.

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3 customers mention "Readability"3 positive0 negative

Customers find the book readable, with one mentioning it kept their interest from the first page and another noting it will make readers swoon.

"...the opportunity to pick up some random Italian swear words that are fun to say, like stronzo!..." Read more

"...An enjoyable read. Highly recommend reading this book. I am looking forward to reading the next book..." Read more

"A very well written book that kept my interest from the first page to the last one...." Read more

3 customers mention "Romance"3 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the romantic elements of the book, with one describing it as a fast-paced escape to Italy featuring a hot ride with a handsome Italian hero.

"...Clarke Scott delivers fine, white-hot love scenes along with the opportunity to pick up some random Italian swear words that are fun to say, like..." Read more

"...Four and a half stars, well written, a great storyline, and great characters. An enjoyable read. Highly recommend reading this book...." Read more

"...I could not put it down! Romance,intrigue, pursuits, complications, extravagance…what more would one want?" Read more

3 customers mention "Writing style"3 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the writing style of the book, with one describing the author as an artist with both words and paint.

"...M.A. Clarke Scott is an artist with words and paint. She writes women’s fiction as well as steampunk and sci-fi, screenplays, novels, and essays...." Read more

"...Four and a half stars, well written, a great storyline, and great characters. An enjoyable read. Highly recommend reading this book...." Read more

"A very well written book that kept my interest from the first page to the last one...." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Chanticleer Book Reviews
    5.0 out of 5 stars A steamy, fast-paced romantic escape to Italy with a handsome hero that will make readers swoon!
    Reviewed in the United States on November 28, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    Are you ready to be whisked away to a romantic Italian villa? Seduced by a brilliant – and sexy - architect? Not doctoral candidate Clio Sinclair McBeal. The red-haired beauty is nose down, struggling valiantly to complete her Ph.D. thesis and has no time for a social life – even with a gorgeous Italian lover. But here’s the great news, she finally has a topic for her dissertation, one that will give her project momentum: passion, ecstasy, bliss as portrayed in religious art of the Italian Renaissance.

    Armed with a fresh idea and an adorable Fiat 500, Clio zips down a provincial Italian road anticipating meeting with her thesis advisor to share the updates. Instead, she finds herself in a roll-over accident that leaves her sans car, stuck in the mud and in need of assistance. Readers will swoon at who comes to her rescue, the dashing Guillermo Gabriel d'Aldobrandin. Clio recovers fast but can she resist his charms? How will she be able to handle this interesting and oh-so-handsome man in her life at the same time she’s attempting to complete her thesis? And holy cow - are her parents in town?

    M.A. Clarke Scott’s The Art of Enchantment starts at a low simmer but rises to a body-searing burn as Clio and Guillermo find themselves pushed together repeatedly by both fate and the desire to save Guillermo’s family villa. Clio, however, must also cope with her own family legacy, one of academic excellence. Satisfying her dominating parents seems to be an uphill battle, however. And to complicate the situation, Guillermo mistakes her intense desire to meet with her thesis advisor as evidence of a deep love of scholarship.

    Clarke Scott delivers fine, white-hot love scenes along with the opportunity to pick up some random Italian swear words that are fun to say, like stronzo! Aside from sex and swearing, Clarke Scott uses archetypes to woo her audience: the destructive rock star, the sexy, bold Italian, the shy, studious American attempting to please her parents. And these archetypes work well in this story, giving readers much of what they come looking for in romantic fiction.

    M.A. Clarke Scott is an artist with words and paint. She writes women’s fiction as well as steampunk and sci-fi, screenplays, novels, and essays. White walls, blank canvases and the empty page are all invitations for her to fill them with her exceptional creations.

    A fast-paced escape for those hungering for art, history and a hot ride with a handsome Italian hero.
    6 people found this helpful
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  • Moonreader62
    4.0 out of 5 stars The Art
    Reviewed in the United States on January 1, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. Four and a half stars, well written, a great storyline, and great characters. An enjoyable read. Highly recommend reading this book. I am looking forward to reading the next book...
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Babs
    5.0 out of 5 stars The Art of Enchantment (Life is a Journey Book... M A Clarke Scott
    Reviewed in the United States on December 24, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    A very well written book that kept my interest from the first page to the last one. There is twists and turn through out this book what a way to meet, and the fa milky dynamics was heart warming to read about. This is book one in a series called Life is a Journey I hope there is going to be another book in this series.
    4 people found this helpful
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  • Nonna D
    3.0 out of 5 stars Good, but..........
    Reviewed in the United States on April 10, 2017
    There was quite a bit of sex and foul language that I did not care for, hence the 3.5 star rating. Overall the storyline was good and enjoyable to read. I just think it could have been better without all the descriptive sex and foul language.
    3 people found this helpful
    Helpful
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  • Ellen A. Reagan
    5.0 out of 5 stars An Italian Romp
    Reviewed in the United States on August 4, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    So many convoluted events to arouse a sense of eager anticipation or dread. I could not put it down! Romance,intrigue, pursuits, complications, extravagance…what more would one want?
    One person found this helpful
    Helpful
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  • deb
    4.0 out of 5 stars An Enchanting Tale
    Reviewed in the United States on March 24, 2017
    The Art of Enchantment is an enchanting tale of how a woman's quest to please one man, results in a passion-fueled journey to love found in the arms of another man…

    American born Clio is uptight, responsible, and desperate to earn her PHD to please her father, and get him off her back. Italian playboy Guillermo is passionate, independent, sexy as hell, and he would love to get Clio on her back, if only she would let him.

    What starts with Guillermo rescuing Clio after she's involved in a car accident, ends with them rescuing each other's hearts from a complicated web of individual agendas, family obligation, and self-deception. Along the way they salvage a historic villa's future, a man's reputation, and a family's legacy. But most importantly, they learn to let go, and fall in love.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Cat McKenzie
    5.0 out of 5 stars F lall in Love with a Tuscan Sunset
    Reviewed in the United States on August 22, 2020
    Send a wonderful story Written very much like a painting itself.We're in Tuscany and a beautiful but decaying 400 year-old family residence. Along comes a young woman trying to finish her PHD In heritage art. Her 1st encounter with this beautiful home and it's owner is after she was in a severe automobile accident The story is well written very colorful very emotional was a wonderful read and the kind of book you wish you didn't have to put down because you've gotta do the laundry. I really Loved this book !!!
    4 people found this helpful
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  • Sophie Dixon
    1.0 out of 5 stars If you can’t write properly in English or Italian don’t write a book using both languages
    Reviewed in the United States on July 28, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    Signiora instead of signora starts the downhill slide a couple of pages in.
    Per favor is half Italian half Spanish.
    how she “faired” from her ordeal?
    “shear” chiffon?
    “palazzo” instead of palazzi when speaking of multiple buildings?
    When a few lines later the author employs the contraction “it’s” instead of the possessive “its” I gave up. And that’s just at the very beginning of the book. I couldn’t continue.
    It’s an insult to the reader to make so many mistakes when it would have been so easy to get it right. But the author and editor - if there even was an editor - couldn’t be bothered.
    Nor was the story compelling enough to warrant reading. Butchering not one, but two, languages is inexcusable.
    One person found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • susan
    5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful, tantalising love story set in Tuscany.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 26, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    I liked the main characters and the way I discovered more about them as the story progressed. I loved the Italian background to the story and how the ends were all resolved.
    Report
  • Amazon Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Heartwarming inspiration.
    Reviewed in Canada on August 27, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    The Art of Enchantment is a true romance. It oozes passion for Italy, art and above all the human heart as it seeks true love. A great read.
    Report
  • Booksandchinooks
    4.0 out of 5 stars Overall I liked this book once I got into it a bit
    Reviewed in Canada on August 24, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    I received a free ecopy of this book for an honest review. Overall I liked this book once I got into it a bit. I did find the book a bit long. On the positive side the writing is very detailed and descriptive. The author has a lot of knowledge about the art and history of Italy. The story takes place in present day Italy and it is a love story between two people who meet by chance. Clio is in Italy working on her Masters's Degree. She meets Guillermo and they eventually find they have a common bond in trying to save the family villa, where Guillermo grew up, from bankruptcy. The villa has fallen on hard times and the family can't afford to keep it. As Clio and Guillermo work together to plan how they can keep the villa in the family and maintain it, they fall in love. There are quite a few small sub plots - Clio's family and the American rapper who wants to buy the villa help round out the book. Overall a good book with a great attention to detail, good writing, and well developed characters.
    Report
  • Kindle Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars A great read
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 3, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    A wonderful heart warming story set in the beautiful Tuscany area of Italy. Well written and a joy to read.
    Report
  • Alyce
    5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
    Reviewed in Canada on March 24, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    Loved this book.
    Report

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