Heidi (yes, named after the little Swiss girl - I loved this touch!) heads off to Italy to find the family she never knew.  Alone in the world, she is looking to belong, but is cautious because her father was estranged from his family since before she was born, the result of an argument over his choice of wife.  Stefano is her cousin, but only by adoption.  Being an orphan, he is committed and protective of his adopted family and determined to steer the family bakery business to a secure and successful future.  As Heidi overcomes her misgivings about being part of the family and discovers her growing attraction and love for Stefano, the intrigue and tension within the family grows, exacerbated by what appears to be deliberate sabotage on the business.  Is Stefano the culprit?  Can Heidi trust in her love for him and in his seeming generosity, gentleness and sincerity?  Or will he prove to be the villian, despite her desire to trust him and help him find the real culprit.

Holiday in Bologna is a delightful and fairly short read from an outstanding author.  Lindsay Townsend, as is to be expected, captures the essence of Italy - its smells, atmosphere, the small details that bring the setting to life - in vivid word-colour.  The art of breads and pastries is woven into the story, adding a wonderful dimension.  It is very easy to identify with the hero and heroine, and the book moves at an easy pace which makes for entertaining reading.  The support cast contains some well-created characters, who fill out the book well.

My only reservation - being a lover of romantic suspense, and hence a little greedy for more! - was the shortness of the book.  I would have liked to have seen the intrigue developed a little more, the villain a little less hard to identify, and the motivations explored further.  But, though I felt at times that some moments were rushed through, it certainly didn't detract from the quality of the read, or the sense of actually "being there" that the writing evokes.  It is refreshing to discover characters brought to life so vividly, and to visit a destination through the vivid description to the point that you actually walk the streets and "own the place".  Lindsay Townsend is an outstanding writer, and Holiday in Bologna didn't disappoint.  It's well worth a spot on your bookshelf.