Customer Reviews

Sailing to Capri

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

No one does armchair traveling mixed with romantic suspense better than world-traveler and world-class writer Elizabeth Adler. If you're longing for a bit of respite from the everyday doldrums, you will find this fantasy trip more than satisfying.

Daisy Keene has bottomed out on luck and love when a not-at-all-handsome stranger picks her up at a party and takes her to dinner. She spends the next five years as Bob Hardwick's trusted assistant and friend, only to be devastated when he is killed and aghast when she discovers it was murder.

Enter handsome investigator Harry Montana, hired previously by Hardwick who suspected someone was out to kill him. Per Hardwick's last wishes, a group of suspects is assembled and invited to cruise to Capri for the reading of the will. An extremely generous monetary gift for taking the cruise plus the anticipation of what they might receive in the will lures each of the suspects aboard. The suspects, hand-picked by Hardwick, are: Lady Diane Hardwick, ex-wife; Filomena Algardi, ex-mistress; Charles Clement, ex-friend; Davis Farrell, ex-business partner; Marius Dopplemann, ex-business acquaintance; and Rosalia Alonzo Ybarra, the true love of Hardwick's life.

The sparks fly and personalities clash as secrets are revealed and past sins exposed. Amidst the lush beauty of Sorrento and the fashionable charm of Saint-Tropez, readers are led on a merry adventure and a bit of steamy romance as the fabulous ship moves steadily toward Capri. Adler takes a clue from Agatha Christie as she assembles the suspects and allows the killer to be revealed amdist surprising twists.

I thought this was a charming change of pace for Elizabeth Adler, whose books take me places I've never traveled and describes them in such an appealing way. As with many of her other books, her central character is a decent person that you can sympathize with, but who encounters the affluent and travels to beautiful and exotic locations (at least to those of us living regular lives). As a result, you can relate to the character while enjoying the sumptuous surroundings and shops.

In the span of this book, we were transported from a winter blizzard in England to a cruise with stops at ports like St. Tropez, Monaco and Capri. We have the usual romantic suspense storyline that has the typical Adler happy ending.

While I can't say the suspense had me at the edge of my chair, I read for entertainment and don't always want to be so anxious that I'm tense and nervous.

I found this an enjoyable and light story with enough suspense and varied characters and situations to be interesting but not nerve wracking - a perfect beach read.

If you've enjoyed escaping into Ms. Adler's travelogue romances in the past, you'll be sorely disappointed by Sailing to Capri. The better half of this book is a contrived 'from the grave' mystery with characters that couldn't be more stereotypical if they had been chosen from an updated Clue game box. Gone are the luscious descriptions of shops and restaurants, with the exception of a too brief afternoon at Le Club 55 in St. Tropez. Instead, we get sloppy mistakes - jokey characters named 'Texas' and 'Montana,' baby grand pianos that are white in one chapter and black in another, a songtress that only seems to know two songs - Smoke Get In Your Eyes and Body and Soul - and a blatent pitch for one of Ms. Adler's earlier (and much more enjoyable) books, The Last Time I Saw Paris. Let's hope she gives up aspirations of 'Mary Higgin Clark Wore Prada' and goes back to what she delivers best - in books like Hotel Rivera and Summer in Tuscany.

Amazing, I didn't know there was a romance side to the book when I picked it up. I began it as a "Chapter-a-day" read online, and liked it well enough to get a copy. I was surprised by the romance side, but it was one of those low-stress books that's a nice get-away for those of us without dead billionaires looking out for us. The descriptions were wonderful, and I can't wait to cruise to Capri myself!

"Moonlight on the water, champagne, soft Mediterranean nights..." The French Riviera beckons enticingly in summer to those who travel by private luxury yacht and to those who are armchair travelers. Sailing to Capri aboard the megayacht Blue Boat will spoil the reader with decadent luxury --- a wine cellar, "a glass-enclosed piano bar, which slowly revolved to take in the view," and Picasso and Matisse art enhancing the pale aqua and tawny sand and ivory color scheme.

New York Times bestselling author and world traveler Elizabeth Adler has established a niche of romance novels set in the luxurious destinations along the Cote d'Azur. SAILING TO CAPRI is the latest in her series, including SUMMER IN TUSCANY, INVITATION TO PROVENCE, THE HOTEL RIVIERA and THE HOUSE IN AMALFI.

Sailing to Capri millionaire-style would not be complete without romance, mystery and fine wines. Adler describes lavish suites aboard the yacht with private stewardesses to cater to every desire, a master chef to prepare the freshest catch from the local markets of the ports in Monte Carlo, Saint-Tropez and Sorrento. This cruise, however, has an added bonus of $100,000 for each guest on this invitation only trip to "celebrate the life of Sir Robert Hardwick." At the end of the cruise in Capri, Hardwick's will is to be read at his Villa Belkiss. Each guest has reason to believe he or she will be the recipient of one of Forbes's richest men.

English mega-tycoon Sir Robert Hardwick begins receiving threatening emails and suspects someone from his past may harm him. Before his mysterious and sudden car accident, he leaves instructions with a private investigator and friend, Harry Montana, for six people to be invited on a Mediterranean cruise aboard a private yacht to celebrate his life --- and to reveal his killer. The guests include his ex-wife, his ex-mistress, his first true love, an ex-business friend, an ex-business partner, and an ex-friend. The characters are a diverse group whose secrets and vices have nearly destroyed them. "Each of them has a flaw. And each one resents me, even though I did what I thought best for them." Bob's influence on the people in his life is explored and the effect money plays in relationships, friendships and partnerships.

Daisy Keane, Bob's personal assistant and best friend, is to host this luxury cruise along with Harry Montana, the "kind of man you could put in any town in the world and he'd know the best places to go." And because every good beach read is expected to contain sex and sizzle, those "places to go" would include Daisy's cool suite aboard the Blue Boat with "curtains drawn against the afternoon sun." As Adler assembles the characters for the five-day cruise to Capri, including Daisy's best friend Bordelaise, we are treated to the scents, sounds, mist, café's and palazzos of Nice, Venice and Málaga.

The romance between Harry Montana and Daisy Keane sails along slowly but surely. There is no dynamic meeting of the two as in one of Adler's previous novels, THE HOTEL RIVIERA, where Lola Laforęt is privy to a naked man --- the intended love interest --- diving into the cool, blue Mediterranean sea. In a novel with a stop at the port of Saint-Tropez, France, the destination "synonymous with sex, sun, and sand," I would have liked a steamier romance, but Adler chooses to focus more intently on the suspects. "All the suspects were beginning to reveal their true selves. And their motives for murder."

Listed by Concierge.com as one of the World's Sexiest Beaches 2006, and known for topless bathing, leather-skinned Lotharios and pert-breasted starlets, Saint-Tropez is beach chic, the ultimate Mediterranean destination, appropriately spotlighted in SAILING TO CAPRI. Daisy invites best friend Bordelaise for "Beach. Swimming. Lunch. Wine drinking. People watching. Maybe a little light shopping later..." Adler's writing is so vivid that the "ambience of pampered wealth and power" transports the reader to their very own coveted spot on the "umbrella-dotted beach" among the "beautiful people."

Daisy makes a reservation at the infamous Le Club 55, made famous by Brigitte Bardot and her film crew when they were shooting And God Created Woman. Adler provides an insider's experience of what a day on the Riviera among topless Bain de Soleil mistresses and jet-setters at "the classiest and most popular beach club in Saint-Tropez" is like --- pure indulgence mixed with pure sensual pleasure. These scenes were among my favorites.

Equally magnificent is Adler's description of a restaurant in Sorrento. "The inn was swagged in purple bougainvillea, with lemon trees in pots and tables under shady red awnings." The aura, the flora and fauna, and food of the Mediterranean sparkles through the chapters of SAILING TO CAPRI as brilliantly as the sun reflects off the azure waters.

The murderer is an unexpected surprise and the final letters to Bob's guests revealing. As a result of their relationships with Bob, each is given a second chance, courtesy of Bob's will. "Bob was always there with a helping hand when a guy needed it." In the end, a letter from Bob to Daisy affirms the role money can play in a person's life. "Let me tell you what money does. It buys freedom. Freedom from want and freedom from worry. It does not, as they always so rightly say, buy happiness." SAILING TO CAPRI is a sensual beach read, Riviera-style.

--- Reviewed by Hillary Wagy

Sailing To Capri opens at the funeral of Sir Robert Hardwick where we meet his dear friend and assistant Daisy Keane and his PI, Harry Montanta. Daisy is visabally shaken by the death of Hardwick only to learn from a letter delivered by Montana that he could possibly have been killed by one of six people that he listed. Hardwick requests that Daisy and Montana invite each one of the six suspects plus a few "red herrings" to take a Mediteranian cruise aboard a private yaght to the Villa Belkiss on the island of Capri and once they arrive, they will read Hardwicks final will.

The story then moves on to introduce each one of the suspects in the murder, their relationship with Hardwick, why they could have been guilty, and how they react to the invitations.

Once the cruise begins, the attraction between Montana and Daisy picks up only to be side lined by the on going investigation and the truths that begin to surface while on the way to Capri.

By the end of the story, the murderer will be revealed and second chances will be given to the rest of the "friends" of Hardwick.

Sailing To Capri is an enjoyable page turner which has a bit of mystery and romance. If you have not read a book by Adler yet, I suggest you give this one a try and head off to the Island of Capri.

My first Adler book. An easy read in 3-4 days. Enjoyable, held my attention. Ordered more books by her as a result of reading this one. Wonderful characters and a nice love story.

Very well written. Easy to read and gave the feeling that you were actually with the characters in the places they were visiting. A nice read for a sunday afternoon.

I ordered this book because: 1) it had generally good reviews and 2) it was supposed to be about Capri. Actually, reverse the order. We're going to Capri in three months--thought it would be interesting reading a book wherein Capri is the destination.

Enjoyed the book, more readable than I expected, but with three caveats:

1. The final "letter" is strange. It's written past tense to events in which the author could not possibly have knowledge of what happened. I won't elaborate further, but again, the last letter, in my opinion, is flat out strange.

2. The characters are extreme caricatures.

3. It has extremely little about Capri, or Sorrento. Here's what it has about Capri: they get off the yacht, talk about hand made Capri sandals and the botanicals and the cliffs. That's it. the entire book is about a mystery and cruising there. Only the last chapter is on Capri. The sole day at Sorrento talks about lemons and oranges and going to a villa for a great meal and view, and that you can see Vesuvius to the North and Capri to the West. That's about it. For a novel that supposed to be part travelogue, this book doesn't cut it.

But as I said, it was a light, fun read. I'd order another of Elizabeth Adler's books.

A friend reccomended this book so I picked it up at the library. I won't dwell on the storyline except to say EA gives you enough insight into the characters to make them real and alive. I thought Harry Montana was a great character and liked Daisy though she was annoying at times. MS Adler leaves you guessing sometimes at the end of her books as to how it actually ended. She tied it up pretty well this time for all of the characters except for the 2 main characters. I was left with whether they married or just got together when they could or ??? At any rate the story moves along well with no great feeling of romance or mystery. It's all just very light which is fine once in awhile.