A Sicilian Affair

by Susan Lewis

Catie returns home from a stint in prison desperate for a fresh start. But her empty house, the secrets within its walls, and the family no longer there are a reminder of everything she has lost. Buried lies always find a way out… and when a visit to Sicily begins to stir up painful memories, Catie knows she can’t outrun them forever…

Genres: Romance, Fiction, Book Club, Family, Italy, Contemporary, Love

384 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 11, 2024

About the author

Librarian Note:
There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.


Susan Lewis is the bestselling author of over forty books across the genres of family drama, thriller, suspense and crime. She is also the author of Just One More Day and One Day at a Time, the moving memoirs of her childhood in Bristol during the 1960s. Following periods of living in Los Angeles and the South of France, she currently lives in Gloucestershire with her husband James, stepsons Michael and Luke, and mischievous dogs Coco and Lulu.

Reviews

[LindyLouMac · Rating 5 out of 5]

Susan Lewis is the best selling author of over fifty novels that span the genres of romance, crime, thrillers, suspense and family drama. I have to confess that I have only read a tiny percentage of them. This needs to be rectified!

The main character Catie Mac at the age of sixty three has come to a difficult time a crossroads in fact. She decides to travel to Sicily to take some private alone time to reevaluate her life. It turns out to be a perfect place for Catie to recuperate and come to terms with her past and maybe her future. The author tells us her story within a story set over forty years with a wonderful cast of characters and beautiful locations. Both of which come alive on the pages of this gripping read.

A Sicilian Affair really hit the spot for me, as I found it a captivating read. Recommended to readers that not only love Italy but like a novel with depth that will warm the heart with plenty of conflicting emotions along the way.

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[Sue Plant · Rating 5 out of 5]

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this exceptional book

you can always expect a good read when its a susan lewis book and though this is a slow burner its full of intrigue and may hit a few nerves but man when you get caught up in the storyline it wont release you till the end

a family drama that keeps on giving and the shocks that are revealed as you read will astound you

catie returns home...... shes just finished serving her prison sentence......

and so the storyline begins at the beginning and though you start to feel frustrated at the pace it all comes together and all is revealed and what a story it is.....

cannot wait for the next susan lewis book

[Candy · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little bit different than her usual books, I felt it lacked somehow, there wasn’t the usual edge of the seat moments or a twist at the end.
A bit disappointed really.
3⭐️’s

[Sophie · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was not for me. I just didn’t care about the characters at all and really struggled to get through it.

[Kayleigh (BookwormEscapes) · Rating 5 out of 5]

AD/PR - I went into A Sicilian Affair expecting a standard summer destination book. You know the one… finding yourself in the sun, light/fluffy, usually 3-3.5*, a bit of depth. What I wasn’t expecting was a 5* summer stormer! Oh. My. Word. Family drama, life story, confession… what a read! I started physically but wasn’t feeling too well. However, I felt so compelled by Catie’s story that I had to get the audiobook. I tore through it in less than 24 hours!! I paused more than once to sob, I gasped out loud and shouted “NOOOO?!” sooo many times. Seriously, if you read one book this summer make it this one.

We meet Catie as she’s leaving to travel to Sicily for space to reflect and work through her life story. It’s a dual timeline, where Catie’s history unravels alongside her experiences in Sicily. It spans 45 years from when she’s 18 to 63 and it’s one hell of a ride! Family drama, memoir, cathartic purging, secrets, first love, last love, bad deeds, good times… it’s ALL here and in the centre is her marriage and music career. Urghhhh, it was so REAL. I felt every emotion with her and like I said, she broke me and had me sobbing!

A Sicilian Affair is a book of LIFE. Of joy, heartbreak, love, tragedy, healing. It’s supported by fantastic characters with unique personalities and rich voices. There are twists galore and a running mystery as we know Catie has been in prison but not what for. There’s also a heartwarming new romance blossoming amid mouth-watering descriptions of food and wine in the Sicilian sunshine. Fans of Evelyn Hugo type stories will LOVE this. I lived every single one of those 45 years with Catie, I was sad to let her go, but in my mind she’s on a terrace with Giancarlo watching the sunset 🌅🥹.

[kelly coombs · Rating 2 out of 5]

disappointing

Such a disappointing and predictable book

Susan Lewis books are normally such a brilliant and exciting read - this is almost as though it was written by someone else

[Shirley King · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed the way the present and the past were woven together. Kept me hooked throughout.

[Sue Pook · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fabulous absorbing heartfelt and beautiful , I loved this book

A wonderful story full of emotions , transporting you to a beautiful place and truly captivating atmosphere brilliantly written and totally absorbing

[Jackie · Rating 2 out of 5]

2-2.5 stars. Predictable. More than enough cheese to keep Wallace & Gromit happy.

[Bookshortie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Catie needing a break from her life decides to travel to Sicily where she meets Giancarlo. As Catie spends time in Sicily she finds herself recalling events in her life and starts to open up to Giancarlo about her past. But can Giancarlo be trusted with Catie’s secrets?

I always look forward to reading new books by this author and this one didn’t disappoint. I absolutely adored this book and found myself reading one chapter after another as I became transfixed by the location and Catie’s life. I was invested in the story and in Catie’s journey which is what I would describe as extraordinary.

The storyline was brilliant, filled with intrigue and mystery. At the beginning we meet Catie who is leaving her home for a short break in Sicily but the way that Catie leaves her home felt very cloak and dagger. It felt like Catie was trying to escape from something but it wasn’t clear what that was.

I loved that the story was set in Sicily. I was drawn in by the setting and the picturesque surroundings. It also sounded like the perfect place for Catie to recuperate and process everything that’s happened in her life without people that she encountered knowing who she was. As the reader learns Catie has led an eventful and unique life. The story is told from Catie’s perspective and in some ways it did feel like a story within a story. The timeline moves between the past and the present. In the past we meet 18 year old Catie who is a budding singer, follow her journey to meeting her husband, pursuing a music career, becoming a mother and other events that follow. In the present Catie starts to write down everything that's happened in her life and after meeting Giancarlo also starts to narrate her life story to him. I wasn't sure of Giancarlo to begin with because he seemed very interested in Catie and her life. But as the story progressed I did warm to him and quickly it became evident that like Catie Giancarlo too was hiding a secret. What became clear about Catie and Giancarlo was that they connected on a deep level because despite the fact they were strangers Catie felt comfortable enough with him to speak openly and frankly about her life.

Catie is someone who I would describe as strong and resilient but ultimately she is a survivor. Her life has been like a rollercoaster ride filled with ups, downs, drama, emotion and truly heart breaking moments. Many people in Catie’s position may have given up but Catie didn’t despite the many setbacks and her strength of character shone through. I found myself rooting for her character and wanting things to turn out well for her because she certainly deserved a happily ever after.

A story that follows the life journey of an extraordinary character.

[Nicola Hancock · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had to read this book after travelling to Sicily myself with my partner. I loved the now and flicking back to the past, from the age of 63 all the way back to Catie’s 18th birthday. I adored the joy of music and the recognition of classic songs. I really enjoyed the mystery of what happened to Catie in her past with being in prison and I was hooked to the pages finding it impossible to stop, as one chapter turned into the next.

There’s a lot of emotion on how hard relationships are and can be. How painful it is to lose someone you love so dearly. The Italian was perfection and made me appreciate how beautiful the language is. There is a crazy amount of character from Lawrence’s mother, absolutely horrible woman to Jude the crazy stalker, Mac and Patty, Catie’s doting parents, Lawrence, Caties childhood romance turned husband, Giancarlo new will it won’t it be Romance in Sicily.

This book isn’t my usual type of go to read but the descriptions throughout are beautiful including the love of wine and food. It’s a complete pull on your heart strings type of read. The twists, turns and reveal of secrets are incredible.

[Kerrie Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

In A Sicilian affair we follow Catie Mac as she revisits her past to lay her ghosts to rest.
Catie travels to Sicily to the town of Toarmina as she tries to put to rest her past mistakes and forgive herself and others for their part in it.
Catie made a decision to go away and clear her head, she chose a random place and sets off alone. While there she begins to write her life story in a bid to release herself from the pain and guilt she has carried for many years.
During her stay she meets a handsome stranger and after spending time together they begin to fall for one another. He reads her newly written stories and helps her to heal. But what secrets is he keeping?

This was a slightly different Susan Lewis book to others I’ve read. It was a love story, and slowly unfolded

I enjoyed reading this and learning more about Catie and what happened to her. It was a little slow at times and slightly predictable.

Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this title

[Jane Bridger · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read and review The Sicilian Affair by Susan Lewis. Having read many books by Susan Lewis I found this one up there with the best. It had me hooked from the start, I found the characters believable and was intrigued to know more about Catie Mac’s life; I found the need to do this almost addictive. Catie had come to a point in her life where she needed to get away to write her life story, a story she didn’t envisage sharing until she met the enigmatic Giancarlo. She spins a globe and lands on Sicily telling only one other person where she was going and what she was there to do. Having read the descriptions of Sicily it has made me want to visit.

[Anja Leeves · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book 82 for 2024
Rated 4.5

This is the life story of Catie& Lawrence and their relationship.

It starts with Catie going to Sicily to recharge. She meets Giancarlo and tells him the story of her life, chapter by chapter.

I really enjoyed her story and the nice relationship she forms with The wonderful Italian.

It’s a nice holiday read. Not a thriller or murder so greet as a detox from high octane reading.

[Jayne Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fabulous escapism, this is one of those novels which takes you by the hand and drops you right into the plot alongside strong characters, a well woven story of families & friendship set mainly in Sicily ….all the evocative Italian scenery, hospitality and language will have booking your next holiday there!

[Sammy Jackson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Been reading Susan Lewis for many years and don't think I've ever read a bad one, and again this didn't disappoint

[Laura Friars · Rating 5 out of 5]

I cried, I laughed, I cried again and I fell totally in love with Sicily!

[Maxine · Rating 4 out of 5]

8.5/10

[Louise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rounded up to 4 stars, was a good read but 100 pages too long

[Jacob Collins · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Sicilian Affair is the gripping new novel by Susan Lewis. It is quite different to the novels I usually read, but I really enjoyed it. We follow Catie MacAllister when she appears to be escaping from her home in the UK to Taormina in Italy. But it appears that Catie might be running from something she is keen not to confront. I immediately connected to Catie as we follow her, on her journey from the airport, to the beautiful Italian setting, which Susan Lewis draws on really well. I wanted to know what was behind her decision to travel here on her own, and what it was she was hoping to leave behind.

Things soon take an unexpected turn for Catie when she meets Giancarlo, who agrees to be her guide and takes her around several famous local sites. It helps that it is his hometown and he knows all the best kept secrets and places to visit. But during Catie’s time in Taormina, their growing friendship soon begins to blossom into something more, and Catie begins to open up to this man who has charmed her.

As Catie begins to tell her life story to Giancarlo, I wanted to know all the details. I loved how rich her life was on the page, and I especially liked the talent she has for music and her passion for it really shines through. I was fascinated by this part of her life as she tells it to Giancarlo. As Susan Lewis begins to reveal what happened to Catie in the run up to her trip to Taormina, there are some heartbreaking revelations about her past, and the emotions really do pour out in Susan Lewis’s writing. I really did feel for Catie as I was reading the past scenes. I also wanted to know how things were going to develop between Catie and Giancarlo. The chemistry that there was between them felt so real as I was reading it. I was really rooting for the two of them to get together.

A Sicilian Affair is an addictive, and a completely captivating read that I thoroughly enjoyed reading.

[Consacre Kapongo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow my first Susan Lewis book and honestly I enjoyed reading it. The book starts of slow and honestly I was getting a bit bored and frustrated, but once it picked up, I was instantly hooked. Our main character Clair McAllister went through such beautiful development of character. A Sicilian Affair touches on various topics such as family drama, betrayal, loss of a loved one, the rekindling of relationships and finding new genuine love.

Susan Lewis did a phenomenal job with her descriptive writing of various locations in Taormina, Italy. Having spent time there physically in the various locations, she integrated them into the story beautifully, I enjoyed reading how descriptive, beautiful and impactful these locations were to the story.

I highly recommend giving this book a read you will not be disappointed, I found to to be a lovely read. One of the major points in this book for me is the rekindling of certain relationships and how it's never to late to find love no matter what you've been through. I'm definitely going to miss characters like Catie, Patty, Giancarlo, Toney, Jude, Mac and others. Susan Lewis truly brought these characters to life and they played a significant role in the story she wrote.

A Sicilian Affair was filled with twists, shocks and turns. I honestly did not expect it or see it coming at all, this was a book that definitely exceeded my expectations. My favorite parts of the book were definitely when Catie MacAllister was retelling her life story to Giancarlo. I was filled with an eagerness to know more about Catie and what she went through, and my goodness was it good, painful and uplifting to read and watch her grow, improve and transform into a new women.

[Sarah Wade · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the story, the setting, everything about this book. The family tensions and emotions were so beautifully written they made me cry, and the joyous parts were uplifting. What's not to love?

[Liz T · Rating 5 out of 5]

I haven’t read a book by Susan Lewis for some time but was pleased to be given a copy of A Sicilian Affair by NetGalley in return for an unbiased review. I realise what I have been missing as this story drew me in and as it unfolded I couldn’t put it down, just needing to know more about Catie’s life.
At the very start the reader finds that Catie has recently been released from prison, a shocking fact when it is clear that she is a talented singer who has had an amazing life and performed all over the world. What could she possibly have done to have served a prison sentence?

The story is told from beautiful Taormina in Sicily which is where Catie has run away after her release to think about her life and to write her own story on the advice of a therapist. She needs, for her own sake, to make peace with life events as there have been some incredible low points of loss alongside her successful career. In fact, it is clear that she has sacrificed a lot to have that career and there are regrets that need to be faced before she moves on.

I really loved how the story started right at the beginning when Catie was taken to gigs by her musician Father, Mac and from an early age was encouraged to share her singing talent alongside his band. At the age of eighteen, while singing at a wedding, she sees Lawrence watching her across a crowded room and the pair fall in love. It seems that they are a match made in heaven but will their love story have a happy ever after ending?

As the story gathers pace, it was so difficult to put this book down. As Catie starts to tell her story, she meets the enigmatic Giancarlo who shows her around the island and becomes a party to her story. As the two become closer it becomes clear that Giancarlo may be shocked at her story but equally so Giancarlo may have secrets of his own.

A Sicilian Affair is family drama at its best told over a sweeping time frame of more than forty years with a brilliant cast of characters. Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this wonderful book.

[Annette · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my first Susan Lewis book and having just finished it I’m absolutely certain it won’t be my last.
This lovely book transported me from a wet and cold English Spring day to beautiful, sunny and warm Sicily. What’s not to like?
Catie has decided to take a holiday in Taormina to reassess her life as she has come to some sort of crossroads. She has many demons and an extremely complicated story which is gradually revealed by flashbacks in the book as she attempts to write down her history on the advice of her therapist.
However, whilst trying to sort out her difficulties she meets the charming Giancarlo who has a few secrets of his own. Will the two get together or will their complicated pasts clash?
I really enjoyed getting to know Catie and discover her passion for music. The author has made her a well rounded character and readers are able to build a picture of her in their minds as she is described as both a teenager embarking on her first love as well as an adult who has suffered much loss and tragedy in her life.
The one thing that is a constant in her life is her love of music.
I also liked the other characters in the novel and the fact that they were able to mature , recognise their own mistakes and change accordingly. Everyone deserves a second chance. Some of the people who are Catie’s biggest comfort as she moves through her later life are those people she could not rely on when she was young.
This was a novel with such a great plot that I was in a complete rush to know how it would all pan out hence the fact I could barely put the book down! That and the beautiful setting of a sunny Mediterranean island!
If you like a romantic novel with a hint of mystery this is definitely the book for you.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for my advance copy.

[Nichola]

I received this as a pre approved because it is probably not my normal kind of book - I am normally a thriller and crime kind of reader but I have read some Susan Lewis previously so was happy to give it a go.
I have to say that once I got into it I was hooked. Catie Mac is a retired jazz singer and we find her travelling to Sicily for a break or a clean start without knowing why she is telling nobody where she is going, or why she has been in prison.
The fact that she stays in Taormina was lovely as I have visited it previously and could visualise where she was going as I was reading. We learn through flashbacks the story of Catie's life - beginning her career singing in her Dad's band, meeting her husband who she thought was the love of her life, a career in America, a difficult family, her post natal depression after the birth of her children and a really challenging time when she finds herself on her own after her husband begins a new life under shocking circumstances.
In Sicily, she meets Giancarlo who she falls for - I did find this aspect quite difficult to "get", how quickly they because so closely entwined and I was sure there was something he was hiding to do with Catie.
No spoilers, but it was not what I was expecting and I found myself smiling through the resolution of the story.
Love Susan's style of retelling Catie's life story through flashbacks and I found myself desperate to find out the next part of Catie's life.
A really lovely read in the end, gentle, emotional, heartfelt and full of mystery,

[Tracey Dyson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Free courtesy of Netgalley

Wow what another amazing book by Susan Lewis, it is no secret she is one of my favourite authors but I absolutely loved this book. I have spent all weekend reading it, instead of doing Uni work 🙈

Following the story of Catie Mac, a fantastic Jazz singer, she has left home and gone to Scilly to write down her memories about her life, it has been suggested by her therapist that this would be a good way of facing her past and moving on.

She tells the story of how she first met her husband, right up until present day, with all the heartbreaks and secrets that come with that. Her relationships with her beloved dad, and her difficult mother, her husband and all the drama he brings with him, her children and her friendships.

She meets some of the locals of Taormina, especially Giancarlo, who is very keen to hear her stories.

I could not put this book down, the descriptions of Scilly makes me want to go there, the second book that has made me feel this way. The characters were believable and the book is so well written, with enough secrets to keep you guessing. I didn't want it to end. A full 5* review from me, this is a must read book for this summer. Thank you Susan for another amazing book

[Wendy Dewhirst · Rating 2 out of 5]

Unfortunately I feel this only deserves 2 stars. I’ve read a couple of her other books and I’ve given them higher ratings, which is why I thought I’d give this one a go!

This one felt like it was just a variation on a theme. I could see a lot of similarities to the plots in her other books and to be honest it was somewhat corny. Although the story doesn’t necessarily need a twist, it needs something to keep you intrigued. As there were so many similarities to other books, which I won’t list, it had no intrigue for me at all and I found myself groaning at the predictability of the plot. The only slight twist was ‘the other family’, which had also put in an appearance in the last book of hers that I read, so not really a twist, and I guessed who it was long before it was revealed.

The music references were pedestrian, so for someone who enjoys a wide range of music, it felt like the author had a music dictionary at hand and just reeled off as many names in relation to jazz without any real connection to the singers or the songs.

To be fair, the story might have got 3 stars if I hadn’t read any of her other books. I always finish a book I’ve started, but was pleased to get to the end of this one!

[Lynda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not my normal read but I thoroughly luxuriated in it. I love that it was partly set in my home town of Bristol, and being of a particular age I knew all the places mentioned, and Taormina a place I’ve visited - I felt like I was Catie’s shadow walking with her as we followed her life story. Catie MacAllister needed to get away from home. She picked a place at random and ended up in Taormina in Sicily. This author really is so good at immersing you in a place and I was completely engrossed in the story within a few short chapters.

Briefly, Catie just intended to rest but when she meets Giancarlo it’s clear there is a mutual attraction and they start to spend time together. A lot of time. Although he does keep disappearing and she starts to think he might be hiding something from her. Gradually, she starts to open up to Giancarlo telling her life story, her love of singing, her parents, her husband and children…

I loved Catie’s story. Full of emotion. Love and hate, laughter and tears, family and friends and romance all wrapped up beautifully in a bow and delivered to the reader in a well written and easy reading style. A very entertaining and enjoyable read.

[Angi Plant · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a different read for me to usual. I really enjoyed it. The pace was slow but there was enough tension from the beginning of would she/wouldn’t she go and just what had she done?
Catie has been in prison and she goes to a new place determined to write her story and start again. She meets Giancarlo when she arrives and they strike up a gradual friendship and Catie thinks she’s found someone to trust.
Giancarlo keeps disappearing and Catie needs to know what the reason is. The suspense and romance between the two build throughout the book and it’s a book that you need to commit to spending a little time with.
I didn’t tear through it as it felt like a book I needed to savour and enjoy slowly. This was brilliant pacing by Susan Lewis. I’m sure she could have written something much more fast paced but entirely forgettable. This isn’t. It’s a novel to make you think about people, new starts and secrets. Very much a recommendation from me if you’re interested in a slow burner of a book. Perfect summer reading.
With thanks to Anne Cater, the publisher and the author for the advanced reading copy of this book.

[The Book Elf · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book that I have ever read by Susan Lewis and I thoroughly enjoyed it . The characters are developed well and the story moves along at just the right pace to keep you immersed in what is happening at all times. You will find yourself questioning the motivation of some of the characters and at times you will be proved right, whilst at others you will be proven to be wrong. Whichever it is this is an excellent story centred around relationships and how they change, for whatever reason, over time and how we deal with the aftermath.

This is a compelling story of love, that will touch many of you as you read it and there will be some aspects you may relate to. For me, Catie Mac is a lovely heroine and she is portrayed beautifully by the author to show how the fragility of life and relationships can affect you. Yes there are times when some of it does sound too good to be true and yes, I was wondering if the mafiosa might be a part of it at one point. However, this is very simply a tale of love and loss told in a beautiful way.

After reading A Sicilian Affair I will now be finding more books to read by Susan Lewis.