It’s official: New novel coming out this fall!

I am thrilled to officially announce that my new novel (and my first solo book), The Virgins of Venice, will be published by HarperCollins Canada in November 2022!

Here’s how it’s being described: “Gina Buonaguro’s THE VIRGINS OF VENICE, historical fiction in the vein of Philippa Gregory and Laura Morelli, is set in Renaissance Venice. It follows two daughters from a noble family, sacrificed to the convent and a strategic marriage to pay off their father’s debts – including to the most infamous courtesan in the city – who decide to push back against their fates.”

I started researching this novel nearly ten years ago (egads! not on purpose for that long). A lot happened, my coauthor and I amicably parted ways, and I realized this time place and setting continued to intrigue me. What most interested me was the role of women in that society. One of the most comprehensive records we have of the era was written by patrician diarist Marin Sanudo (basically a Venetian Pepys), who provides meticulous detail about life and government in Venice, writing almost daily diary entries from 1496 to 1533. What I found most remarkable is that in the 58 volumes he wrote, he never mentioned a woman by name.

Who were the women of Venice? What were their lives like? That’s what my novel explores. I can’t wait for you to read it.