Sasha GouldReseñas

A nice historical tale that mixes intrigue, the treatment of women and romance to create a story that pulled me in and allowed me to 'watch' it as it unfolded. Laura is an appealing main character, her father a complete self-absorbed lout and Roberto, a dashing and nicely-flawed paramour.

This book was by far better than [b:Cross my Heart|10801027|Cross My Heart (Cross My Heart, #1)|Katie Klein|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1327886049s/10801027.jpg|15714317]. When I read Cross my Heart I felt like something was lacking in the story--I liked it an everything, but it was just missing that umph that would make it a 5 star book. This book, Heart of Glass had it all.

Overall, I'd say this book took the first one up a level. I really like the character we have in Laura now. She has really grown from the naïve convent girl in book 1 and has become a strong, intelligent and independent woman. More-so in this book than the last book I see the connection between her and Roberto.

I really liked the plot of this book. I was constantly guessing and re-evaluating my theories as I read. It wasn't totally predictable which was great!

I'm not sure if there will be a third book, but if there is, it is going to have a tough act to follow with this one!

Check out more book and series reviews (including this one!) on my blog SERIESous Book Reviews as well as book recaps!

Read my overall review of the whole series here! Spoiler Free!

I read this book as soon as it came out but before I started the second book, [b:Heart of Glass|18667292|Heart of Glass|Christy Hayes|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1381714109s/18667292.jpg|16801498] I decided to reread it because I couldn't remember what exactly had happened.

I have to say that I enjoyed reading this book. The mystery element is a nice feature and I find I don't often read books that are mostly a mystery plot so it was a nice change.

As you can see from my overuse of the word "nice" that's all I can really think to summarize the book as: it was a "nice" easy and quick read. While I think there is enough going on plot-wise, it still felt like something was missing from the book. I don't know what it is but I think it is just missing that little something that would make it a 5/5. Perhaps it was a little rushed in how the plot progressed? But I'm not sure if that was really it.

I also think the romance is a little lackluster--I don't really get their connection so I would have appreciated a little more romance there.

Overall: A decent start to a series that was fun to read but needs just that little bit more. It's sequel on the other hand is a completely different story!

Check out more spoiler-free book and series reviews on my blog SERIESousBookReviews.com as well as read book series recaps!

Cross My Heart by Sasha Gould is a historical fiction/mystery and is perfectly styled towards its target audience of ages twelve and up. While I enjoy historical fiction with a lot of historical details, I am not convinced that a younger audience is always looking for the same thing in that area, so I find this nicely balance. The setting is historical, but Sasha Gould has done a wonderful job in creating characters and a suspense story line that are more in-depth than the historical piece itself. She manages to keep a nice writing style while keeping it MG/YA. I am always happy to read a book for a younger reading audience that isn't trying to eek out good reviews by writing for their adult reviewers.
The beginning of the story lays the groundwork for the protagonist, Laura, where the reader gets familiarized with her circumstance of living in the convent, her family relations, and then the tragedy that changes everything. From that point on, the suspense builds and romance buds.
This is a mystery, so the suspense element is built better than the romance piece, but I would have liked to have seen a few more real and intimate moments between Laura and her love interest before love was declared. I did love the suspense portion, it is done in a way that leaves the reader unsure of which characters can be trusted until the end, and plenty of unexpected turns that keep the pages turning, which is why I enjoyed this read as much as I did.
I found a lot of pleasure reading about all of the interesting characters that are involved here. One minute I was sure that the Segreta, the secret society, was responsible for the death of Laura’s sister, and the next minute I thought that it could be Laura’s love interest, who is full of his own secrets. I am not going to give anything away here, so if you enjoy MG/YA suspense, give it a try. I hope that you enjoy it.

Set in Renaissance Venice, this is a book filled with romance and intrigue. Laura is a strong protagonist, refusing to marry the old man her father has chosen for her. Instead she falls in love with Giacomo, an ordinary painter. Of course he is stunning to look at, but in my opinion rather one dimensional and I guessed his story early in the piece. Their romance is rather ho hum, although I did enjoy the murder and mystery that are woven throughout the book. It took quite a while to really become engaged with the story, which is why I only gave it three stars, but it did end well.

One issue I have with YA fiction at the moment is that every book written seems to be part of a series. "Cross My Heart" is a stand-alone book until the very last page. If there is a sequel I hope it has new characters - Laura's story has been told and it doesn't need to be dragged out in another book.

Very good love story set in 16th century Venice. Love action and secret societies!

There are, to my mind, two basic kinds of historical fiction: those that endeavor to be historically accurate and those that really don't, merely using the lavish historical backdrop to entertain. Personally, I like both kinds. The only time the latter's not good is when it has pretensions to being history as well as historical fiction, and teaches readers a bunch of incorrect information. Heart of Glass falls into the latter camp, and, from what I can tell, the political maneuverings of the novel have no bearing on reality. However, it's also a fun, engaging story and written to uphold the power of women, so I really don't mind that I'm not learning Venetian history from its pages.

Sasha Gould built this series around an awesome historically inaccurate idea she had:Venice run behind the scenes by a secret society of women. While there may not be a historical basis for this, I am all kinds of behind this kind of alternative history endeavor. All throughout history, there have been women behind the scenes affecting the course of history through their husbands, but, here, Gould is bringing them together and making them a more independent force.

These women endeavor to keep rocky Venetian politics more stable and less affected by the changes in power. They aim to be more fair and to help Venice, rather than an individual's political aims. I love that the Segreta are shown as powerful in many ways: physically skilled with weaponry, clever, and influential. Laura herself is a perfect example of this, determined, caring and strong. I like that's actually intelligent and puts thought into her actions, not always reacting solely with emotion.

However, much as I love this uplifting of women, I did think that Laura was a bit too powerful. She's engaged to the Doge's son, so she is very high in society, but I still doubt that the male councillors would ask her opinion on things. Certainly they would not with a bunch of other men in the room. The amount that even men respect her at her tender age seems rather out of place.

The only other drawback for me was the villains. Much of the mystery is very obvious and the villains have no real motivations other than grasping for power or unclear revenge. I prefer there to be a bit more depth to a villain. They ought to be somewhat understandable at least, if not relatable. Heart of Glass could have been more nuanced and had a better impact were that the case.

Heart of Glass is engaging from beginning to end, and I never found myself bored or my attention wandering. It's a very quick read, and those who enjoyed Cross My Heart will certainly want to read this one as well. The ending left room for another book, and I suspect I'll be reading that one too!

As the second daughter, Laura is shut up in a convent while her beloved sister Beatrice is living a life of luxury, engaged to a wealthy, powerful man named Vincenzo. When Laura is suddenly summoned to her father's house in Venice, she thinks that all her prayers have been answered. But when she arrives in Venice, she learns that her sister is dead, and she is set to marry Vincenzo in Beatrice's place. When her bridegroom turns out to be a disgusting old man, she is approached by a secret society of women who promise her they can take her of her husband to be, in exchange for a secret...

This was a quick read. I finished it in about 2 hours. But I wish it had been longer. I liked the concept, and the setting. The Venice of the period was quite vivid (I'm not surprised to see that the author lived there are a child) and I thought it was the perfect setting for a story revolving around secrets, vendettas, and murders. But I wish that things had been fleshed out more. I would have loved a more dense narrative, and a more complex plot. I found the reveals to be a bit simplistic. The romance felt a little rushed. I think all these problems could have been fixed if the book had been longer. As it was, it felt a bit unsatisfying which is disappointing, because I liked the characters, and the concept, just not the execution.

As the second daughter, Laura is shut up in a convent while her beloved sister Beatrice is living a life of luxury, engaged to a wealthy, powerful man named Vincenzo. When Laura is suddenly summoned to her father's house in Venice, she thinks that all her prayers have been answered. But when she arrives in Venice, she learns that her sister is dead, and she is set to marry Vincenzo in Beatrice's place. When her bridegroom turns out to be a disgusting old man, she is approached by a secret society of women who promise her they can take her of her husband to be, in exchange for a secret...

This was a quick read. I finished it in about 2 hours. But I wish it had been longer. I liked the concept, and the setting. The Venice of the period was quite vivid (I'm not surprised to see that the author lived there are a child) and I thought it was the perfect setting for a story revolving around secrets, vendettas, and murders. But I wish that things had been fleshed out more. I would have loved a more dense narrative, and a more complex plot. I found the reveals to be a bit simplistic. The romance felt a little rushed. I think all these problems could have been fixed if the book had been longer. As it was, it felt a bit unsatisfying which is disappointing, because I liked the characters, and the concept, just not the execution.

My heart went out to Laura from the beginning. How could I not feel for all of the poor girls that were thrust into convents for such awful reasons, regardless of the girls' own inclinations. Laura's narration was rather heartbreaking. As you start reading, it's just so evident that she is completely without hope for her own life; she has given up entirely. So young and her life is already effectively over. Although she is not the brightest (and she lacks worldly knowledge because she spent so many years in the convent), Laura does the best that she can, and, because of this, she made a good heroine. The hero was pretty great, too, but I'll leave him a surprise.

Secret societies aren't generally my cup of tea. This one, though, I found much more scintillating than usual. What I loved was that it was a group of women, marginalized in society, but controlling Venice behind the scenes. No one is safe from the actions of the Segreta, even the Doge, the ruler of the city. Of course, they're just as corrupt as male political groups, but I do like to see women getting revenge on the patriarchy.

I also found myself doing a lot of thinking about courtship in that time period. Of course, I knew already that fiancees were regularly swapped to a different child, as though they are interchangeable, and that marriages were arranges after only a handful of meetings. So, none of it was new, but, for some reason, I found myself really thinking about the reality of living that life. Even the guy she gets a crush on, she only meets him a couple of times before they begin an illicit relationship of exchanging letters and talking when they catch a moment alone. Given the limited freedom women had, relationships escalated so quickly.

Cross My Heart is well-written and entertaining. If you love young adult literature or historical fiction, you'll want to get your hands on this one. I know I'll be reading more novels by Sasha Gould! Plus, look at the pretty cover!

3.5 stars

From the initial sentence of, "His gondola slips through the water like a knife cutting into dark silk," I knew I was in for an atmospheric historical read. I love when settings are strong, vivid and alive almost (see: Constantinople in Theodora: Empress. Actress. Whore; Prague in Daughter of Smoke and Bone; Prague again in The Book of Blood and Shadow, etc.) and my hopes were set high for Venice and for Cross My Heart itself. The cover is pretty apt for the novel as well: showing both the light and dark sides to the fabled Italian city and foretelling a dangerous future for our intrepid heroine. Laura della Scala's tale didn't enrapture me as much as I'd anticipated from the eerie first sentence but instead grew on me slowly, involving me more and more as each chapter drew to a suspenseful close. A slow-burner rather than an instantly engrossing read, Cross My Heart should definitely be given the benefit of the doubt and read to the end.

Laura, a likeable if not totally remarkable teenage protagonist, was consigned to a convent at an early age. With an older sister to marry off ("through nothing but an accident of birth, she remains free, while I languish") and a spendthrift father Laura is nothing but a burden on her family. So once thrust from the convent, Laura is generally and genuinely unlike most girls her age of Venice: she is sheltered, naive and trusting - that is to say weak in a city of sharks above water. Laura's subsequent enrollment into the secret society of La Segreta exposes her to dark elements in her own hometown she never suspected. Going from under the thumb of the dictator-esque Abbess to the supervision of her father, Laura is never the one making the decisions about her own life: a situation many teens reading this will find easy to relate with and similar to their own modern-day lives. With that act of quiet rebellion that is simultaneously the first time Laura chooses something for herself, Laura eventually realizes she has only exchanged the convent's reins for her father's and her father's for the mysterious women in the society. There was only ever an illusion of control once she joined them, and Laura's life gets unpredictable and dark in the streets and canals of Venice.

The style of writing is elegant and feels entirely natural. I enjoyed Sasha Gould's consistently smooth writing and simple but steady style. Her style lends itself well to the tone of the book as well as to the city of Venice itself. I did wish for more detail and life from Venice the city; I loved what was there but I just wanted for more about the city and less about the colorful pageantry and parade of the noble class and their balls. There were several side plotlines threaded in with the mystery of Laura's sister's death that seemed slightly generic and fully predictable. The teenage romance with the painter, the "reveal" . . even the decades-long feud that was ended with a whimper... all seemed slightly underdeveloped. What kept me going and interested was Venice itself, as well as the original mystery of what happened to Beatrice and why she was murdered. That compelling plotline was pulled off marvelously well: I was genuinely fooled by many a red herring placed by Laura's suspicions/the author and the eventual villain surprised and delighted me with what it meant for the storyline. In a slowly paced novel, I just wished it had felt less rushed at the conclusion and more in pace with the meat of the story.

Ms. Gould's keen eye for setting and atmosphere provide an excellent - and darkly alluring - setting for a murder-mystery with a splash of teenage romance. Though it was not a perfect outing and better than my first impressions lead me to believe, Cross My Heart ended with me keen on getting my hands on the as-yet-unnamed sequel set in the same beautiful and deadly city. Keep an eye out for this one later in the year: it's scheduled to hit the shelves March 13, 2012.½

This YA historical fiction mystery/romance is set in 16th century Venice. After her sister's mysterious death, Laura is removed from her convent to take her place as the bride of a wealthy, elderly gentleman. Desperate for escape from the marriage, she accepts the help of a secret society of women -- though as the story progresses and she finds herself in more dangerous situations, she wonders if her trust in them may be ill-founded.

This book is chock full of drama, danger, and secrets. The plot moves quickly with dangerous revelations and startling events throughout the entire novel, which makes it a really excellent quick read. Though some of the minor characters (and perhaps a few of the major characters) are a bit one-dimensional, they serve their purpose in the plot well nonetheless. At first, I had a bit of trouble keeping track of which characters were related to or married to which ones in Laura's social circle, but found it easier to follow as the story went on. As with many YA novels, the love story aspect progresses in fast-forward compared with real-life relationships (I think they had met only four or five times before they expressed their undying love for one another), but the author didn't go too overboard with the romance aspect of it; it was only one thread of the whole story.

Overall, I enjoyed the story, and it definitely did hold my interest and make me want to keep reading to find out how it all resolved.

I have come to realize over the years, especially after starting this blog, I tend to judge a book by its cover. Well, that might not necessarily be true, but a unique cover will definitely draw me into a book faster. So, after requesting this book because of its awesome cover, I found that I enjoyed what was inside almost as much as the cover.

After spending the past six years of her life living in a convent in her beloved city of Venice, 16-year-old Laura, is suddenly released back into her father’s care without any word or explanation. After returning home, she comes to realized the reason for her sudden return: her sister has been found dead in the canals outside her family’s villa. Laura’s father, a once rich and powerful man, now begins on a search for suitors to marry Laura to bring back his power and wealth. When Laura is betrothed to a wizened old man who already has grandchildren, Laura thinks her options have run out. That is until she discovers the Segreta. This powerful and secret society of Venetian women promise to help her out of her horrible situation and all they want in return is a secret. After revealing her secret and betraying the most powerful man in the city, Laura soon finds that the Venice she knew as a young girl was a fantasy. The streets and canals she knows as home are full of power struggles, political intrigue, and secrets…

I really did enjoy Gould’s story. The back drop of old Venice really set this book apart from other historical romance novels I’ve read in the recent past. After just finishing GraveMercy by R.L. LaFevers, I liked this transition into a second historical piece set in a different time and place. Gould’s writing is simple and beautiful although I wish she had gone into more detail about the city itself, rather than the balls and gatherings of the rich because in this story, Venice is almost a character in the book, along with Laura and her friends.

The plot that Gould created was as rich and detailed as the dresses that Laura wears. There is of course darkness that Laura becomes aware of in her city and as a reader, we really see Laura grow up from the girl she was in the convent. With her sister’s death, she begins to learn that life is not as simple as it may have seemed while she was hidden away.

There were some parts of the story that I thought could have been done better. I thought that the dialog was a little flat. Meaning that it could have been a little more detailed and complicated. I sometimes found myself a little bored reading conversation between characters and wishing that there were a little more detail in their speech. It was also disappointing that Laura’s romance with a young artist became part of the story only halfway through and I felt it was a little rushed at the end. Perhaps if the romance was quicker to be introduced and more budding it would have been more interesting to read.

I also found that I didn’t fall for our heroine, Laura, as much from the start. This could be because I’ve been reading a lot of novels with a main character whose prominent characteristic is that she is consistently kicking butt and taking names. While I didn’t love Laura at first, she did grow on me throughout the story and I did find myself really liking her in the end.

Overall, I thought this was a fun book that a lot of people will enjoy. With it’s Romeo and Juliet like romance and the ever present mystery surrounding the historic city of Venice and its’ inhabitants, it’s a book that’s hard to put down.

6 out of 10

To be honest, I wasn't crazy about Cross My Heart.

It wasn't bad, not in the slightest. This book and I just didn't click. Despite being relatively short, Cross My Heart seemed to drag on for me. While I knew it was a murder mystery, secret society type book, I was looking for more romance than I got.

Laura's a pretty forgettable main character. 10 days after finishing, I really can't tell you much about her. I know she was in a convent but she didn't really fit in and I can tell you she frequently lost patience with her day, the Segreta, her love interest...all of them. She was just a vehicle to tell the story.

The writing was good, but it never really caught my attention. I was never drawn into Cross My Heart, despite all the little plots weaving into the one story. None of the story lines really intrigued me the way I needed.

I'm sure some people will love this book and the setting and everything about it, but this book wasn't for me for a variety of reasons, none of which I can really place on the book. I strongly recommend giving Cross My Heart a try or, at the very least, going to pet the cover in person because it's gorgeous.

When 16 year old Laura is recalled from the convent, she learns that her oldest sister Beatrice has drowned in the canals of Venice. Her father demands that she marries Beatrice's fiancé, an older unpleasant man. At the last moment, the Segreta, a secret society of women, come to her aid, arranging that her fiancée leaves the city in disgrace. However, Laura is now beholden to the Segreta, who may be more dangerous than she ever imagined.

This book was very engaging. It was faced paced and the characters were very interesting. The book was filled with surprises and twists and turns. Overall, I thought the author did a wonderful job. I highly recommend this book to adult and teenagers alike.

3.5 of 5 stars.

Thank you to Random House Children's Books and Delacorte BFYR (via NetGalley) for the e-galley of Cross My Heart.

Laura della Scala was sent to a convent when she was ten years old, when her father decided he couldn't raise both her and her sister after their mother's death. Several years later, she's been recalled to her father's house, where she finds out that her sister, Beatrice, has died, and it's now fallen to Laura to marry Beatrice's fiance, Vincenzo, in order to save their father from ruin. Vincenzo, however, is a disgusting old man, and Laura despairs over the turn her life has taken. She is therefore surprised when a group of women known as the Segreta approach her and tell her they can save her from Vincenzo, if she can provide them with a worthwhile secret. And thus, Laura is launched into a new life where no one can be trusted, and she must learn to find her strength and stand up for herself if she's to have the life she wants.

I really enjoyed this book. I felt like Laura was a sympathetic character who goes from being thrust from one situation to another as she tries to adjust to her new life outside of the convent (with no help from anyone) to a heroine with a definite backbone who stands up to her father and tries to figure out the truth behind her sister's death. She doesn't know who to trust, because while she realizes how powerful the Segreta are - they do manage to get her away from Vincenzo, after all - she starts to suspect that they may have played a role in her sister's death. There's also a handsome painter who ensnares Laura and has his own secrets, and her sister's best friend who is perhaps hiding some things as well. I really liked Laura's journey in this story; I was really pulling for her happily-ever-after. The atmospheric prose was also first-rate, especially that describing Laura's night-time wanderings and gondola rides. All in all, this was a really engrossing, engaging read that I enjoyed from beginning to end.½

I’ve always wanted to visit Venice so I’m a sucker for novels that take place there. There’s nothing like a little armchair time traveling. When I read that Cross My Heart by Sasha Gould is a YA thriller taking place in 16th century Venice, it sounded like a winning combination to me. In addition to teens and tweens, this YA novel is likely to appeal to mystery and thriller buffs of all ages. Read the rest of my review at http://popcornreads.com/?p=3356

1585 Venice, secret societies, a drowning that may have been murder rather than an accident. Sounds as if this book has everything one could wish in a historical thriller.

I love Italy, especially Venice and it's history. It's my love of Venice that initially drew me to this book.

The characters are not quite believable. Everyone is a bit too dramatic and over the top. Laura, the main character, is naive and child like, although she spent many years in a convent, perhaps her childlike personality it intentional.

This is a good historical fiction book. A bit slow, but still a good story. I did enjoy reading it and I would recommend this book to others who enjoy historical fiction

Cross My Heart is set against the backdrop of beautiful Venice, Italy. But that beauty is not always what it seems. Mystery, intrigue and even murder abound in a city with more secrets than one can imagine. Those secrets are collected by the Segrata, a group of society women that may be more powerful than the men who run their city. Somehow, Laura della Scala has found herself entwined with these women and she is unsure if that is a good thing…or the worst mistake of her young life.

I must admit, I am a sucker for historical fiction. The beauty and pageantry of the 1500s to the 1700s fascinates me. The fact that this book is set in 1585 was an immediate draw for me. Another draw: it is set in the one country in the world I am dying to visit—Italy. So, Cross My Heart had a lot of expectations to live up to right off the bat. Luckily, it did not disappoint. It gives the reader a strong plot and great characters. It has a good, strong plot—after spending six years in a convent, Laura is suddenly summoned home after the death of her sister. Sadly, the death of her sister is not the only difficulty Laura must overcome. Cross My Heart also has some wonderful characters, ones I came to really like and care about. Laura is a wonderful heroine, searching for who she really is and finding her way in a world that is completely foreign to her. Despite the time period the book is set in, Laura is a strong female character with a mind of her own. And my new book crush has to be Giacomo. Granted, I do tend to melt when it comes to those Italian boys (after all, I married one), but Giacomo stole my heart. He is so sweet and sensitive, I just adored him.

Perhaps the best part of this story was the mystery of Beatrice’s death and the Segrata. I cannot really say too much about it as I could give away integral parts of the story, but suffice to say that this book will keep you guessing. I swear every time I thought I had it all figured out, I turned out to be completely wrong. And I mean completely wrong. That is part of what makes this book so good. I don’t want to read a book that I figure out early on, I want it to keep me guessing right up until the end. Cross My Heart did just that.

Finally, I absolutely loved the fact that Cross My Heart is a stand-alone book. It is not “Book 1” or “Part 1.” I actually liked that, because I am getting a little weary reading books that leave me hanging. Being able to sit down and read a book from beginning to end and not have to wait another year for any kind of resolution was wonderful! That is not to say that I wouldn’t enjoy reading more from Ms. Gould or reading more about Laura della Scala or the Segrata, I just enjoyed reading a book that had an actual end.

All in all, Cross My Heart is a great read. It is filled with mystery, intrigue and beauty. I really enjoyed it and I will be recommending to my librarian and teacher friends, as well as my daughters.

You can't trust anyone in Venice, as Laura finds out in Cross My Heart. Sasha Gould proved these words to be true. When I thought that I had finally figured out the truth, something popped up and baffled me yet again. Inexperienced with politics after having spent the last six years of her life in a convent, Laura struggles to understand what she has gotten herself into as she is swept into the mysterious world of the Segreta. Initially, it seems that Laura may have done an incorrigible wrong in giving up the secret that she possesses, and I found it cowardly of Laura to betray the Doge's trust, but it is in truth a stepping stone into greater intrigue. And I can't blame her desire to get out of a marriage with a sleazy old man with bad breath.

Even as Laura's father uses her as a tool in his quest for greater power at the same time that she finds herself falling in love with a painter, strange events take place in Venice, and she learns never to believe anything is an accident. When she learns that her sister Beatrice was murdered after meeting with the Segreta, Laura suspects the women have another agenda in mind. I admire Laura's courage in the face of incomprehensible danger to protect the man that she loves.

Have I mentioned how hot the painter is? Not only is he good-looking, he is sweet, caring, and far above the men embroiled in politics. Laura's first meeting with him is at night when she flees from a party after discovering the identity of Beatrice's fiancé, to whom she is now engaged. From that moment, he captured both Laura's heart and my own. I knew that either there had to be more to him for the two to have a happy ending, or she would elope with him. The mystery of how they would achieve their happy ending kept me guessing as more truths came to light, new obstacles emerged, and the plot climaxed.

In the end, I still do not understand the intention of the Segreta other than to wield power over men from the shadows. The politics of the time confuses me. Seemingly kind people will turn on you the moment you threaten to take political power away from them; friendship means nothing. Then again, this book takes place in another century. Overall, Cross My Heart is an enjoyable read that I will definitely recommend to those who love a good historical and/or mystery book.

Cross My Heart is a book I kept wanting more from. I wanted more background information and more detailed description of anything and everything since it’s a historical fiction novel. Maybe if the book was longer this information could have been included…it’s a rather short and fast read.

Cross My Heart is about women and secrets in Venice in the 1500s…loved the setting. This whole aspect of a secret society of women was good in thought, but it wasn’t pulled off, in my opinion. None of the secrets which were revealed were all that shocking…I already figured or assumed some of those. The protagonist in Cross My Heart was scared of these women…I didn’t find them scary.

Can't begin to tell you how refreshing it was to read a young adult novel that was not a graphic novel nor did it contain a werewolf, fairy or vampire. It was instead a very entertaining historical mystery with some romance thrown in and a mysterious society of women called The Segreta. Loved the descriptions of Venice, the clothing, the gondoliers and the canal. A family feud, a sisters death that needed to be solved all added to the enjoyment of this very atmospheric read. ARC provided by NetGalley.

Synopsis:Venice, 1585.When 16-year-old Laura della Scala learns that her older sister, Beatrice, has drowned, she is given no time to grieve. Instead, Laura's father removes her from the convent where he forcibly sent her years earlier and orders her to marry Beatrice's fiancé, a repulsive old merchant named Vincenzo.Panicked, Laura betrays a powerful man to earn her way into the Segreta, a shadowy society of women who deal in only one currency—secrets. The Segreta seems like the answer to Laura's prayers. The day after she joins their ranks, Vincenzo is publicly humiliated and conveniently exiled. Soon, however, Laura begins to suspect that her sister's death was not a tragic accident but a cold-blooded murder—one that might involve the Segreta and the women she has come to trustReview:This book is a wonderfully beautiful read that tells the story of 16th century Venice and all the mystery, intrigue and suspense that comes with it. I've always wanted to go to Venice so for me the descriptions of the canals, the Palazzos and of course dresses and jewels were a delightful insight.Laura is headstrong and from the beginning we understand that she's not entirely happy with her life in the convent. So when she's released she really comes into her own. Her character grows stronger and stronger as the book continues. I loved the idea of a Secret Society for women however I would have liked to learn a little more about them. The concept of a Society brings ideas of initiations and gossip but we neither see much nor hear more about them except for the two head ladies.The romance was a surprise. More of a traditional kind than heart pounding but it was sweet nonetheless.As for the mystery and suspense, well, I couldn't put the book down. It gripped me right from the word, Go! with the families all mixed and intertwined with one another - except for the feud families which the story is based around.The antagonist - well, I didn't see it coming. But I understood exactly how and why. This is a clever story that will have you guessing, and enjoying every minute of it.The reason I haven't given this 5 stars is because I would have liked it to be longer (however it is being published by Puffin) and I didn't like the cover but I see another version is available now too.All in all - a great read!

The cover for Cross My Heart may not look all that snazzy, and I understand if you choose to pass it by for a more colorful selection with a lusty boy or artsy pizazz. Pardon me as I grab your elbows, dear Readers, and pull you back because YOU MUST READ THIS BOOK! Behind this demure cover is a rich and luscious story that will seduce you like a tall, dark Italian lover and make you revel in the darkness.

THE GOOD BITS
{Twisty mystery.} Mio Dio, I thought France was the city of love, but clearly I forgot how passionate Italy can be! After all, it is the home of Romeo and Juliet – and Cross My Heart definitely contains all the familiar signs of heartaches, heartbreaks, betrayals, and vendettas. No one can be trusted with a secret, and it was nail-biting to watch Laura try to figure out friend from foe.

{Laura + Giacomo!} Can there be another delightful pairing that makes my heart swoon? I haven’t felt this smitten since Anna and Etienne – and from the very second that Laura stumbles upon Giacomo, it was instant love at first sight for this reader. Oh, I am a fool for the artistic of male specimen – and Giacomo was absolute perfection.

{Secret societies.} I love all this cloak-and-dagger nonsense like nobody’s business – and a secret society run by women even more so! While I prefer women use their powers for good, I can understand how the Segreta had to be more cutthroat in an Italy that thrive on vengeance. Men may want to believe that all the power rests in their hands, but I love watching women exercise some of their own ingenuity to nudge the world in a different direction.

THE BAD BITS
{Left some storylines unfinished.} Certain plot points never went anywhere. Laura gives up a secret that could definitely destroy the Doge of Venice, but the Segreta does not do anything with it. One of Laura’s childhood friend has made a love match with the Doge’s son, but panicks when a new Segreta recruit reveals that affects his stature as heir. However, this issue does not get mentioned again. I only hope that these unfinished bits and pieces means that there may be a follow-up, although I am half-afraid that it will not bode well for Laura and Giacomo.

THE OVERALL
If Cross My Heart gets a sequel, it may want to get a bouncer because someone will need to reign in my excitement as I try to push myself to the front of the line. I usually don’t get this excited for a historical novel, but Sasha Gould has created such a vivid and provocative Italy that brings to mind all the greatness of Romeo & Juliet.