High Tide by Livia Franchini

 1992: Mary Godwin, feeling lost and despairing about her university course, falls madly in love with up-and-coming artist Peter Shelley. They marry quickly, but chased by the police over an exhibition in a squat, they run to Italy. There they lead a bohemian sun-soaked life in beautiful surroundings. When they are joined by Lord Byrne, Tereza and the strange Ed Trelawney, however, they descend into a mess fueled by drugs and fraught relationships until the dramatic final climax.

2022: Mary, now a widow and hiding her real identity, receives a message from Ed. The dark past has come back to haunt her. It’s going to take much courage and resilience to handle this situation…

As you’ve probably guessed, this is a rewriting of the always fascinating Mary and Percy Shelley’s love affair in the present day, except that Peter is a painter instead of a poet. Beautifully written, it asks profound questions about love, friendship, guilt and dealing with the past.

I received this free ebook from NetGalley in return for an honest review.