Dear Reader, ••• D O W E E V E R T R U LY K N O W O U R M O T H E R S ? Or are they forever
trapped within the complex gilded cages children place them in? In our quest to understand ourselves, do we allow a mother to claim her own shaded past, lost loves, and mistakes made along the way? And if so, are we brave enough to accept them without judgment?
These are the questions explored within my newest book, The Secret Love Letters of Olivia Moretti. I have always been fascinated with the complex relationships between women, especially within family. There is something special about the blood bonds shared between mothers and daughters, and the constant struggle not only for love and approval, but for a deep understanding of one another. The Secret Love Letters of Olivia Moretti brings readers on an adventure set amidst the backdrop of the stunning cliffs of Positano, Italy. When three estranged sisters discover a hidden trunk after their mother’s death, and find love letters with a deed to a house in Positano, Italy, they realize they never truly knew their mother’s heart. They travel to Italy to track down their mother’s secret lover, only known as R, and begin to unravel a hidden past as they gather clues and slowly heal their own fragmented relationships with one another. At the beating heart of this book lies an epic love story that lasts a lifetime and forces readers to question the complex and richly textured layers of all relationships. Is love truly enough? Or can timing and too many choices wear away at the foundation? I hope you’ll be swept away by the beauty of Italy and the magic of love in all its forms. I hope you enjoy the book and want to share it with others.
Thank you,
JENNIFER PROBST
A C O N V E R S AT I O N W I T H
Jennifer Probst Tell us about The Secret Love Letters of Olivia Moretti! This is a novel that explores love in all its mysteries—romantic love, first love, parental love, and sibling love. It’s also a sweeping, emotional journey as three sisters discover a hidden trunk after their mother’s death that contains love letters and a deed to a house in Positano, Italy. They decide to travel to Italy to track down her secret lover and figure out her past, but they also find a way to slowly heal their fragmented relationships with one another. After the death of their mother, Olivia Moretti, three sisters discover that she had been holding on to some big secrets from her past. The sisters also continue to surprise one another over the course of the novel. What inspired you to write this story? How well do you think we can ever know our closest friends and relatives? I’ve always wanted to write a book with a love story that spans over time, and that shows how a mother can sacrifice
Photo of author © Matt Simpkins Photography
so much for her children without anyone ever knowing. I wasn’t looking to write about a martyr, but to break down how an ordinary woman makes choices every day for her family, and how those choices can change over time. I’m also fascinated with the power of love letters, and how words have a way of burrowing deep into our souls. I find that words spoken or written are harder to forget than a picture. The fun of being a writer is to consistently people watch and eavesdrop! I’ve learned a lot over time, and the most shocking secrets are from the ones you never expected. We have so many different layers, and what we show the world sometimes is just a tiny part. Especially as a parent. Most children don’t know who we really are because we are a label and neatly put in a box. I think we all have secrets. Some we’ll end up sharing, and the others will remain a private part of us. Dev, Bailey, and Priscilla are sisters who are very different from one another. Which character was most challenging to write? Who did you relate to most? I loved how different the sisters are, which truly reflects a family. I’m always shocked at how one family can produce so many different personalities! I found Pris the most difficult to write because she was the most reserved and kept her secrets close. It took me a while to delve into her character to find her real motives and fears beneath her surface personality, where she’s always telling people she’s fine. Bailey was the easiest to write—she free-flowed on the page for me—but Dev was the one I related to the most. I’m not sure why—I’m not a middle child—but I got her and enjoyed the prickly complications of her personality. She wasn’t easy, and I think I loved that about her. The Secret Love Letters of Olivia Moretti is your second women’s fiction novel. Did your writing process change from your last women’s fiction release? How is writing women’s fiction different from writing romance? I love including romance in my women’s fiction because I think love shows up in all aspects of our lives. A romance focuses mainly on the development of a romantic relationship between the hero and heroine. Women’s fiction may include romance, but the focus of the story is the women’s relationship and how they change over time, within themselves and with each other. I think a writer’s process changes from book to book depending on what the story requires. I trusted myself with this book a bit more, and allowed my characters to really guide me rather than try to control the story. It was a joy to write.
Your story transports readers to Positano. Why did you choose to set the novel in Italy? How did you bring the setting to life? There is something about Italy that awakens all of my senses. From the food and the language to the stunning views, it’s a place I’ve traveled to many times but I always crave more. I chose Positano because of its glamorous history and the stunning spill of houses embedded in the cliffs. It was a place where I could imagine falling in love for the first time, and also showing the journey of forgiveness and change between the sisters. I needed a background to match the emotional power of the story. I like to match personal growth to certain settings. This is clear when the sisters hike the Path of the Gods, and with each step, Pris comes closer to an emotional breakthrough. I wrote the book during lockdown and felt as if the story and Positano helped get me through those difficult times. What kind of research was required to write this book? It was important to know everything about Positano on a personal level, so I did this by speaking with many people who have stayed there. I also pored over pictures, maps, restaurant menus, videos, and various blogs. I delved into the history and balanced current times with the seventies, when Olivia’s story took place. I researched ballet so I could understand Pris and what it would take to make it in the world of competitive dance. I learn my characters as I write the book, so with each detail I uncovered about them, I would do the required research to make sure they came to life. What do you hope readers will take away from The Secret Love Letters of Olivia Moretti? My greatest hope is a reader who will have experienced the full gamut of emotion—from laughter to sadness to a deep understanding of the complications of love and female relationships. I write for escape and to touch a reader’s heart. If I’ve made a reader smile, and think about things in a new way, I’ve done my job.
A Day in
P O S I TA N O H A V E Y O U E V E R D R E A M E D O F G O I N G T O I T A LY ? I’ve been there many times, yet my mind still burns with vibrant memories of the setting, food, and people. My heart still longs to return. Positano is a jewel in the crown of the Amalfi Coast. When I wrote The Secret Love Letters of Olivia Moretti, I incorporated love letters to detail a budding, then everlasting romance that would never be forgotten. But there is also an ode to Italy and the beauty of Positano. Throughout the story it becomes not only the setting but the catalyst of change between three sisters who have lost their way with one another— and with themselves. Join me on an adventure from the comfort of your armchair. Here are some highlights to experience in Positano along with the characters from the book.
Riding Vespas along the Amalfi Coast and fighting with your sister over who got the cool color
Orange was too flashy anyway. If Bailey wanted to act like a toddler, let her. Dev was the grown-up.
Experiencing the magic of the Grotte di Suppraiano in Praiano
As we entered the cave, the dank, earthy scent rose around me, and I gasped at the vast space. A quiet, almost reverent energy pulsed around us. We didn’t speak as we sailed around the circumference, and I leaned over to study the strange gleaming turquoise of the water. It was like the liquid was alive, glowing with an eerie presence that sent shivers down my spine. Shadows played across the rock from the weak strains of light that managed to penetrate the opening. It was as if we’d sunk into a whole new world untouched by people. Bailey reached over the side of the boat and dipped her hand in the water. It closed around her skin in silky smoothness, and she thought of her mother, picturing her face. Had she experienced this same moment so many years ago? Had she tried to swim in, her lover by her side? Had she felt the same way Bailey did, surrendering to the power and beauty of nature, yet overwhelmed by an unknown future that yielded no promises?
Change your life as you hike on the Path of the Gods She spilled every last horrible secret on the rock climb that had her on hands and knees, and confessed she was lost as she walked on the side of a steep, sharp cliff where one false move would have her tumbling.
Bonding for the first time during an Epic Shopping Trip “Oh. My. God.” Bailey gasped and pointed. “Moda Positano! We are so getting our jam on—let’s go.”
Dance the night away at Music on the Rocks Hawke stood up and held out his hand. “I think we both need to lose some excess energy. What do you think, Dev?” All her shyness about being a bad dancer faded away. After all, did she really care? She was with an interesting, gorgeous man at a club in Italy. So, she sucked. Dev doubted he—or anyone else on the floor—would notice. She reached out, and his grip was warm and strong around her fingers. “Let’s do it.” They danced. They lost their seats, but it didn’t matter, because the music kept luring them back, along with the energy of the crowd, the gorgeous view, the echo of waves hitting rocks, the sultry night air beckoning them to lose control just this once. Dev did.
Allow food to become a holy experience The buffalo mozzarella was rich and creamy, setting off the tomato and basil salad fragrant with herbs. They dipped crusty bread in pungent olive oil and quickly finished half the loaf. Steamed mussels and clams held the salty tang of the ocean, which danced over her tongue. They ordered a bottle of Prosecco to share and spent the next hour eating and chatting about nonsense subjects while looking over the balcony at the spill of sea and cliff and sky.
Saluti !
While you read The Secret Love Letters of Olivia Moretti, why don’t you sip a cocktail? This popular aperitif served in Italy is a light, sparkling drink to prep your appetite for dinner.
Ingredients:
2 parts Aperol 3 parts Prosecco 1 splash of sparkling water Ice Slice of orange Directions:
Start by adding ice to the glass then pour in the Prosecco, the Aperol, and the sparkling water. Top with a slice of orange. Stir and serve.
Aperol Spritz recipe: How to make an Original Italian Spritz (thefoodellers.com) Aperol is made from herbs. The ingredients in Aperol itself include gentian, rhubarb, and cinchona, amongst others. The ingredients must be added in order or the drink won’t mix properly.
Discussion Questions 1.
Priscilla, Devon, and Bailey are all very different women. Did you relate to one of the sisters more than the other characters? How did their different personalities and beliefs about their mother cause discord between them?
2.
Do you agree with Olivia’s decision to keep her romance and the Positano home a secret from her daughters until after her death? Why or why not?
3.
Olivia makes some difficult decisions throughout her relationship with Rafael. What did you see as the turning point in their relationship? And how did each decision she made about their possible future affect her?
4.
Positano becomes almost an additional character in the story. What were your favorite scenes? Have you ever visited
Italy? To which region would you most like to travel?
5.
When Priscilla takes a walk on the Path of the Gods, the physical hike becomes a personal journey for her. Did you have any strong feelings about the fate of her marriage and her choice to give up ballet?
6.
When Devon meets Hawke, she believes he’s interested in Bailey. Were you surprised he had a stronger connection with Devon rather than Bailey? Why? In what ways were Hawke and Devon well suited?
7.
Devon and Bailey were estranged due to a decision Bailey made years ago. Can you relate to Dev’s feeling of betrayal? Or did you think she should have
forgiven her sister sooner? Did you see Hawke’s arrival as a problem for the sisters?
8.
Which of the sisters did you feel changed the most after their trip to Italy together?
13.
Each of the sisters faces a challenge in her life when she decides to go to Positano. Do their journeys resolve their conflicts? In what way?
14.
Olivia’s love story is interwoven throughout the sisters’ story. Did you like having her point of view included in the story?
The Secret Love Letters of Olivia Moretti has strong themes of love— how many distinct love relationships can you identify in the novel? Did you feel more strongly connected to one relationship than another?
10.
15.
9.
Did you agree with Olivia’s decision to give her husband a second chance? Why or why not? If she had decided to stay with Rafe, how do you think the story would have changed? Would she have been any happier, in your opinion?
11.
What were your feelings about Rafe? Do you agree with him responding to Olivia’s letters? Do you think if he’d met her for her sixty-fifth birthday, they would have ended up together?
12.
Life is a series of both choices and surprises that throw us off our paths. Do you think Olivia and Rafe were soul mates? Or was it just the bond of first love? Discuss.
Olivia and Rafe relied on their written correspondence to communicate with each other. Do you believe old-fashioned letters are more powerful than verbal or digital communication? Have you ever written a love letter? Had one written to you?
About Jennifer Probst Jennifer Probst is the New York Times bestselling author of the Billionaire Builders series, the Searching For . . . series, the Marriage to a Billionaire series, the Steele Brothers series, the Stay series, and the Sunshine Sisters series. Like some of her characters, Probst, along with her husband and two sons, calls New York’s Hudson Valley home. When she isn’t traveling to meet readers, she enjoys reading, watching “shameful reality television,” and visiting a local Hudson Valley animal shelter. Follow her at JenniferProbst.com jenniferprobst •
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