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The Girl in Room Fourteen
Striking, raven-haired Cecile produces the finest lemons on the Riviera. Her ice creams, pies, lemonades, sold on her stall at the internationally famous Cannes market, are as renowned as the Mediterranean city itself. Tourists travel from everywhere to meet her.
But Cecile is a woman who no one draws close to, a woman with a secret.
Cecile, when she was nineteen and a shy student, travelled south to a lemon festival on the borders of Italy and France. She was intending to let her hair down, to enjoy two crazy weeks of fun. She was not anticipating the enigmatic Italian who offered her a future beyond her wildest dreams. But at what cost?
The Girl in Room Fourteen is a heartrending love story set on the warm shores of the Mediterranean.
But Cecile is a woman who no one draws close to, a woman with a secret.
Cecile, when she was nineteen and a shy student, travelled south to a lemon festival on the borders of Italy and France. She was intending to let her hair down, to enjoy two crazy weeks of fun. She was not anticipating the enigmatic Italian who offered her a future beyond her wildest dreams. But at what cost?
The Girl in Room Fourteen is a heartrending love story set on the warm shores of the Mediterranean.
47 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 15, 2013
127 people are currently reading
325 people want to read
About the author
Carol Drinkwater
41 books436 followersCarol Drinkwater is an Anglo-Irish actress, author and filmmaker.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 76 reviews
April 30, 2018
I enjoyed this bittersweet story. I was hooked after the first page. The storytelling was clear, and her descriptions of Cannes were vivid. I adored her descriptions of everything from fruits to festivals to buildings to love.
Nothing more to add. It simply was a good story.
Nothing more to add. It simply was a good story.
October 18, 2014
This is a short story and it reads very quickly. It was worth the 99 cents I paid for it. A nice afternoon read.
August 11, 2015
Very nice
It was a nice story....but wish it could have been a bit longer. Felt really bad for her though :(.
It was a nice story....but wish it could have been a bit longer. Felt really bad for her though :(.
November 26, 2017
This is why you should get to know people before you dedicate your life waiting for them while they act shady as all hell...
Maybe I'm just not cut out for reading 'romantic' books, because my thoughts while reading this were:
'Move on Cecile, he's neither reliable and you barely know him, how is this "love" for either of you??' and just generally disliking Roberto for totally leading Cecile on into an obsession about him and owning a damn citrus farm that's taken up her life and was his idea in the first place.
Oh and let's not forget leaving Cecile to raise their daughter on her own on said citrus farm because he's busy being "responsible" elsewhere and deliberately not contacting Cecile.
I thought romance was supposed to be at least a little bit sweet, but I found this as sour as Cecile's lemons.
There's no doubt the author can write in an engaging and fluent way, since I found the overall style and imagery to be pretty good at least, but this plot just wasn't for me.
What a way to end my 2017 reading challenge :)
Maybe I'm just not cut out for reading 'romantic' books, because my thoughts while reading this were:
'Move on Cecile, he's neither reliable and you barely know him, how is this "love" for either of you??' and just generally disliking Roberto for totally leading Cecile on into an obsession about him and owning a damn citrus farm that's taken up her life and was his idea in the first place.
Oh and let's not forget leaving Cecile to raise their daughter on her own on said citrus farm because he's busy being "responsible" elsewhere and deliberately not contacting Cecile.
I thought romance was supposed to be at least a little bit sweet, but I found this as sour as Cecile's lemons.
There's no doubt the author can write in an engaging and fluent way, since I found the overall style and imagery to be pretty good at least, but this plot just wasn't for me.
What a way to end my 2017 reading challenge :)
January 9, 2017
I really liked this book. It wrapped me up in loveliness and sunshine on a very dreary and rainy day. I could smell and see everything describe in the book and it was like a little film playing in my head. Gorgeous!
March 12, 2018
Quaint story
Slightly improbable (in my opinion) storyline, but an enjoyable, sweet, sad, love story.
This story made a refreshing change from the books I usually read, and is well deserving of a 4 star rating. Well worth a read.
Slightly improbable (in my opinion) storyline, but an enjoyable, sweet, sad, love story.
This story made a refreshing change from the books I usually read, and is well deserving of a 4 star rating. Well worth a read.
March 18, 2018
Quick and easy read
Heartbreaking and sweet and I just wanted to keep reading to the end to see the outcome. It probably could have been a novel. I would have liked to read more about some of the characters and some of their history.
Heartbreaking and sweet and I just wanted to keep reading to the end to see the outcome. It probably could have been a novel. I would have liked to read more about some of the characters and some of their history.
May 21, 2017
Easy read
Very quick easy read. You come to understand the feelings and thoughts,but had really hoped for a different ending for the story.
Very quick easy read. You come to understand the feelings and thoughts,but had really hoped for a different ending for the story.
August 6, 2017
And
Lamsme soekemsmee sole sp elxkdo so,e,elxeoe elepeo eee d d d d e e e e e e e e d d r r r r r r r r r r r rlspsoeand me d
Lamsme soekemsmee sole sp elxkdo so,e,elxeoe elepeo eee d d d d e e e e e e e e d d r r r r r r r r r r r rlspsoeand me d
August 13, 2017
very short read. Good book.
October 4, 2017
Good short read
A quick read but definitely captivating. Easy to pick up and read in one sitting. I would have liked a little more detail.
A quick read but definitely captivating. Easy to pick up and read in one sitting. I would have liked a little more detail.
December 13, 2017
Quick read
Nice little romantic tale. Nicely written and easy to read, left wanting more so I will look for other titles from this author
Nice little romantic tale. Nicely written and easy to read, left wanting more so I will look for other titles from this author
January 7, 2018
A nice, short read full of great descriptions and emotion.
January 21, 2018
A wonderful emotional little read. Well worth a read.
February 3, 2018
Quite good
Quite good , nothing amazing but a nice little love story , a bit different I suppose , good holiday read
Quite good , nothing amazing but a nice little love story , a bit different I suppose , good holiday read
March 11, 2018
I'm sad there wasn't more, it was an easy pleasant read. Engaging, charming and bittersweet. I was hoping for a happier ending, and would have liked to have heard it from Roberto's perspective.
July 21, 2018
Sweet
Sweet story. Overall an enjoyable read. I was quickly caught up in the mystery of Cecile's secret life. Did not want to put down. Unexpected ending.
Sweet story. Overall an enjoyable read. I was quickly caught up in the mystery of Cecile's secret life. Did not want to put down. Unexpected ending.
April 2, 2020
A fine romance
I enjoyed this rather short book. It was easy reading and had a lovely story line. Just the thing for a quick bedtime read.
I enjoyed this rather short book. It was easy reading and had a lovely story line. Just the thing for a quick bedtime read.
May 10, 2020
Terrible!
A badly written book with a ridiculous, unbelievable plot. The only saving grace was that it was short. Definitely not worth reading.
A badly written book with a ridiculous, unbelievable plot. The only saving grace was that it was short. Definitely not worth reading.
July 5, 2020
Excellent
Great book to read by the pool
Can wait on next book to read by the pool very soon. Excellent
Great book to read by the pool
Can wait on next book to read by the pool very soon. Excellent
July 7, 2020
Great story
This is a short read. It's a good romantic interlude for a hot summer day. I enjoyed reading it while waiting for my car to be serviced.
This is a short read. It's a good romantic interlude for a hot summer day. I enjoyed reading it while waiting for my car to be serviced.
May 19, 2021
Beautifully written, and captivating! I felt like I was there in the story. I enjoyed this short story! It was sad and hopeful, and felt like a classic. Highly recommend!
November 11, 2021
Meh
nice little read I guess, about a young love encounter that forever lusted after one another but nothing but an okay read to pass the time
nice little read I guess, about a young love encounter that forever lusted after one another but nothing but an okay read to pass the time
January 14, 2024
This was a sweet but very sad love story. It was a quick read, and the descriptions of the area were beautiful. It was good as a story and fleshed out would have been a great novel as well.
January 21, 2017
Promising at first but rapidly spiraled down this boring tele-novella type hole. It's a nah from me.
August 14, 2019
Why was this under romance on Amazon? In no way is this a romance.
She has a fling with a guy who buys a house and puts it in her name, gives her no way to contact him, she has his kid and sends a letter to the address she has to demand off him the second time they meet (to sign the papers) and he ignores them. Her kids 16 or something and turns out he ended up raising his nephew with his brothers wife and he refused to open her letters so he could cut ties with her and he once rang their house and talked to the daughter and found out he had a kid and told her to keep it a secret from her mum and he’d see them soon. But he never does because he died of the same illness his brother had. His nephew contacts them and gives her his notebooks talking about her which she shows her daughter and finds out about the call etc, and then they go visit his family.
There wasn’t a relationship to consider romance and I’m super annoyed. I also disliked the writing.
She has a fling with a guy who buys a house and puts it in her name, gives her no way to contact him, she has his kid and sends a letter to the address she has to demand off him the second time they meet (to sign the papers) and he ignores them. Her kids 16 or something and turns out he ended up raising his nephew with his brothers wife and he refused to open her letters so he could cut ties with her and he once rang their house and talked to the daughter and found out he had a kid and told her to keep it a secret from her mum and he’d see them soon. But he never does because he died of the same illness his brother had. His nephew contacts them and gives her his notebooks talking about her which she shows her daughter and finds out about the call etc, and then they go visit his family.
There wasn’t a relationship to consider romance and I’m super annoyed. I also disliked the writing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 7, 2015
Another time…another place, love might have been strong enough.
Opening Lines:
For fourteen years, Madame Cecile Berri had been presiding over her lemon stall at the Forville market in the French Riviera city of Cannes.
I want to go to Cecile's shop...
Besides her elegantly packaged, one-kilo bags of zingy organic lemons, Cecile also offered tangy scoops of lemon sorbet in plastic cups as an invigorating refreshment for hot and sticky shoppers, lemon-scented candles, candied lemons, thick-cut orange marmalade, a lemon and lime confiture, bottles of home-made Sicilian-style lemonade, limoncello liqueur and, every Friday morning through to Sunday, 'Cecile's Weekend Special': a freshly baked delectable lemon cheesecake, direct from her own Mediterranean kitchen.
On love...
Love had imprinted a smile on her face, infused it with a glow. It seemed to erase time, before leaving only time....
Opening Lines:
For fourteen years, Madame Cecile Berri had been presiding over her lemon stall at the Forville market in the French Riviera city of Cannes.
I want to go to Cecile's shop...
Besides her elegantly packaged, one-kilo bags of zingy organic lemons, Cecile also offered tangy scoops of lemon sorbet in plastic cups as an invigorating refreshment for hot and sticky shoppers, lemon-scented candles, candied lemons, thick-cut orange marmalade, a lemon and lime confiture, bottles of home-made Sicilian-style lemonade, limoncello liqueur and, every Friday morning through to Sunday, 'Cecile's Weekend Special': a freshly baked delectable lemon cheesecake, direct from her own Mediterranean kitchen.
On love...
Love had imprinted a smile on her face, infused it with a glow. It seemed to erase time, before leaving only time....
October 31, 2013
Carol is a great author who even makes her Facebook updates sound like poetry, so it is no surprise this (like her other books) is incredibly well written. In this book we meet Cecile, the lemon lady who is always to be found selling her citrus fruits at Cannes market, except when she visits the Lemon Festival in nearby Menton, an event that is very special to her. Her story is full of intrigue and mystery, and we learn of a true love never forgotten.
Carol's descriptions of her beloved Mediterranean coast and the passions we encounter in the storyline are bold and vivid. There are sad parts, exciting parts and surprising twists. It is a short story, but I was so engrossed it was a real shock to reach the end. I wasn't ready for it to leave me when it did.
If you are a Provence fan or a Carol Drinkwater fan you will have an enjoyable excursion (or mini break) in this book.
Carol's descriptions of her beloved Mediterranean coast and the passions we encounter in the storyline are bold and vivid. There are sad parts, exciting parts and surprising twists. It is a short story, but I was so engrossed it was a real shock to reach the end. I wasn't ready for it to leave me when it did.
If you are a Provence fan or a Carol Drinkwater fan you will have an enjoyable excursion (or mini break) in this book.
June 2, 2015
This book surprised me with being really captivating. It was reminescing an old love story in a slowly building book, until all the anticipation towards the end just burst and leaves the reader breathless.
I said it surprised me, and I have a few reasons for that. One is that I was not fond of the introduction. It seemed to sudden, too weird of an entry to a new story. Another reason was that it was a different kind of love story, somewhat showing how fairy tale romances can fall apart, or not seem as magical as they did. I liked knowing the back story to the relationship, but also Cecile's point of view about the whole thing. The way that they revealed the other side of the story later on and only had a limited point of view for a while was amazing.
This has been a great read, a fantastic short story. I recommend this story to those who are willing to stay committed to the book.
I said it surprised me, and I have a few reasons for that. One is that I was not fond of the introduction. It seemed to sudden, too weird of an entry to a new story. Another reason was that it was a different kind of love story, somewhat showing how fairy tale romances can fall apart, or not seem as magical as they did. I liked knowing the back story to the relationship, but also Cecile's point of view about the whole thing. The way that they revealed the other side of the story later on and only had a limited point of view for a while was amazing.
This has been a great read, a fantastic short story. I recommend this story to those who are willing to stay committed to the book.
November 7, 2019
This was a sweet and quick listen I enjoyed.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 76 reviews