Margaret Hayes has spent five years building walls around her heart. Since her husband's death, the Chicago architect has channeled all her energy into her work, creating a life of order and control. She tells herself she is fine. She tells herself she doesn't need anything more. But when her best friend Susan invites her to restore a crumbling villa in Tuscany, something shifts deep inside her.
"I've been hiding long enough, Maggie. It's time to live again."
Arriving in the Tuscan countryside, Margaret is captivated by the villa's beauty and its potential. But the owner, a stubborn and traditional winemaker named Luca Santini, is not what she expected. He is skeptical of her methods, resistant to change, and determined to preserve every stone of his family's history. He is also the most infuriating and intriguing man she has ever met.
As Margaret works to restore the villa, she and Luca clash over everything, from the kitchen design to the meaning of tradition. But beneath their arguments lies a shared grief that neither of them has fully faced. Luca lost his wife fifteen years ago and has never allowed himself to love again. Margaret has spent five years avoiding the pain of her own loss. Together, they must learn that building walls around your heart is not the same as healing.
Set against the breathtaking backdrop of the Tuscan countryside during the autumn harvest, The Tuscan Autumn is a story of second chances, healing from grief, and the discovery that it is never too late to begin again. This emotionally rich romance will leave readers believing that love can be found at any age.