Softcover

ISBN 10: 034076953X ISBN 13: 9780340769539

Publisher: Coronet Books, 2002

Federica Campione adores her father. No matter that Ramon, a distinguished traveller and writer, spends months away from their home on the exotic Chilean coast; as soon as he's back, his daughter has eyes for no one but him. When he gives her a magical box from Peru she believes he will always be there for her. Devastated when her parents' marriage falls apart, Federica is forced to set up home in Cornwall with her mother - the butterfly box is the only part of her beloved father she is able to take with her to sustain her during painful times. Embraced by the eccentric Appleby family, she loses her heart to their son Sam, who barely notices the little girl until it is too late. As she grows to womanhood, Federica attempts to recapture that long-forgotten sense of security in the arms of the debonair Torquil Jensen. From the sanctuary of a seemingly perfect marriage, she embarks on a painful journey of self-discovery. It takes Federica years of heartbreak to escape her gilded cage and learn the true lesson of the butterfly box.

About the Author:

Santa Montefiore was born in England in 1970 to an Anglo-Argentine mother, and read Spanish and Italian at Exeter University. After a year teaching English on an Argentine estancia, she spent much of the nineties in Buenos Aires. She lives in London with her husband, the historian Simon Sebag Montefiore, and their daughter, Lily.

Review:

'Absorbing.' - Vogue 'Thoroughly readable... with old-fashioned romance' - Evening Standard 'Refreshing... imagination, charm and delicacy. Santa is the new Rosamunde Pilcher. Delightfully written.' - Daily Mail '[An] escapist, passionate romance' - Dorset Evening Echo 'This is a good, old-fashioned saga with all the classic ingredients. Federica has genuine pathos and charm, and those qualities permeate the whole book... engaging and charming.' - Penny Vincenzi, Mail on Sunday