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Love's Glittering Web Book Summary and Study Guide

Detailed plot synopsis reviews of Love's Glittering Web


Nando and Amy start out as competitors as co-owners in a lucrative Italian vineyard, and Amy is determined not to let Nando buy her out. But Nando might just become her biggest ally, and her true love, as a real threat lurks in the shadows. Amy is a petite red-head who lives in the Lower East Side of New York, earning a living as a freelance writer, when one day she arrives home to see a tall, dark, distinguished looking man in a black overcoat at her door. He snaps at her that she shouldn't have kept him waiting and she immediately dislikes this stranger. He turns out to be vineyard owner from Lombardy, Italy, named Nando. He's suave and immaculately tailored and authoritative.
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Nando informs Amy that she has inherited part ownership in the Bonavia vineyards in northern Italy. Amy realizes that she inherited this from her Italian uncle Joe, who spent the last two decades mainly between Florida and Italy. Seeing an end to her financial struggles, Amy is thrilled with this news, except that Nando informs her calmly that he wants to buy her share and that she will give it to him. Infuriated by his high-handed manner, Amy immediately refuses and decides to keep her share just to spite him and assert her independence. He is unperturbed though mocking, which makes her dislike him more, and they fly back to Italy to view the vineyards on Nando's private jet - turns out he is also a businessman. Nando is seductive but they are opposing sides now, so she keeps her guard up and dislikes him. But Amy cannot help but notice Nando's exquisite taste in wine, food, clothes, and art, and despite herself admires this and wants to learn from him.

They arrive at the vineyard and there Amy meets the other shareholders in the business. Unce Joe's one-time business partner Niccolo is an owner, as is a small, timid man named Luca. Niccolo is too charming and pays a lot of attention to Amy in a paternal way and she thinks he is much nicer and more pleasant than horrible Nando. Luca meanwhile returns to Milan, having little say in matters and existing just to provide the funds to run the vineyard as part of his share. Niccolo takes Amy on a tour of the grounds and teaches her how to drink and evaluate wine. Nando and Niccolo are frosty with each other and Amy later criticizes Nando in private for making himself unpleasant to Niccolo. He tells her darkly to be careful. Annoyed at his high-handed manner again, Amy goes ahead and does just what she wants, which is to spend more time with Niccolo.

Nando keeps driving up to the vineyard every weekend during the two months or so that Amy spends there, and takes her away from Niccolo, riding with her, drinking with her, and trying to convince her that she would not be fit to help run the vineyard. Amy is torn between hating him and enjoying his intelligent and assertive company when they are together, and is pleased at the grudging admiration in his eyes when she starts to prove how much she is learnng about wine production. However, she suffers a riding accident and is bed-ridden while out with Nando, and when Nando inspects Amy's saddle, he grimly reports to her that a needle was placed under her saddle to drive the horse berserk. I WINCED HARD when I read that because I felt so bad for the poor horse. He reveals to her that Niccolo was the original buyer of the vineyards from Nando's grandfather, who was bankrupt and desperate, many years ago. The vineyards had been the in Bonavia family for generations. Niccolo had engineered Nando's grandfather's bankruptcy and then bought the vineyard from him at a fire sale price. Nando has been trying to buy back the vineyard ever since and also prove Niccolo's crimes. He also suspects Niccolo killed Amy's Uncle Joe through poison and wants to kill Amy so that her sizeable share will pass to him. He has let Luca live because Luca has no mind of his own and is easily intimidated, and it would not be worth the suspicion.

Amy is horrified but Nando reassures her and orders her to leave it to him. For the first time his high handed manner does not grate on her so much and she is grateful that he is there to take charge. Nando pays Niccolo's servants to eavesdrop on Niccolo's phone conversations and spirits Amy away to his own house in Milan, where his servants take care of her. When Niccolo's valet reports that Niccolo angrily phoned a man about being "careless" taking care of "the Florida target" and to be more careful this time, Nando knows he almost has the man. Niccolo comes to Milan to visit Amy in her sick bed with flowers and offers to take her shopping for the day. She agrees without telling Nando and when they are crossing a street, Niccolo gets separated from Amy apparently by accident and a car careens towards her and nearly kills her - but Nando pulls her off the street and onto the curb at once. He yanks open the door of the car that nearly hit her and drags out the man, and tells him if he doesn't spill all under a stern interrogation by the Milanese police, he will be in jail for the rest of his life. Niccolo, seeing that the game is up, tries to flee, but days later the police hunt him down as Nando and Amy have gathered evidence to prosecute him for murder and attempted murder. Shaken, Amy thanks Nando and Nando replies that he would have been shattered if she had been hurt and that he will never allow that to happen. They kiss and consummate their love - which was surprising - and live happily ever after.
Best part of story, including ending: The characters were actually quite interesting this time, or at least tolerable despite being formulaic, and that was pleasant. The scenes set in the Italian countryside were fun too.

Best scene in story: When Nando makes a clever joke about the triumvirate of Joe, Niccolo and Luca and says Luca was Lepidus.

Opinion about the main character: I liked that Amy took the initiative to learn about wine-making and took it seriously and responsibly.

The review of this Book prepared by Princess Peach a Level 10 Peregrine Falcon scholar

Chapter Analysis of Love's Glittering Web

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Plot & Themes

Time/era of story    -   1980's-1999 Lovers are competitors    -   Yes competing in    -   business arena

Main Male Character

Profession/status:    -   business executive Age/status:    -   20's-30's

Main Female Character

   -   20's-30's Profession/status:    -   writer

Setting

Europe    -   Yes European country:    -   Italy

Writing Style

Accounts of torture and death?    -   generic/vague references to death/punishment How explicit is the sex?    -   descript of kissing    -   touching of anatomy Focus of story    -   equally on him and her How much dialog    -   roughly even amounts of descript and dialog

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Kate Bowe Books Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s).
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