Nick and Julia O’Connor’s dream trip to Venice collapses when a haunting voice reaches out to Nick from Tintoretto’s Paradise, a monumental depiction of Heaven. Convinced his delusions are the result of a concussion, Julia insists her husband see a doctor, though Nick is adamant the voicewas real.
Blacking out in the museum, Nick flashes back to a life as a 16th century Venetian peasant swordsman. He recalls precisely who the voice belongs to: Isabella Scalfini, a married aristocrat he was tasked to seduce but with whom he instead found true love. A love stolen from them hundreds of years prior.
She implores Nick to liberate her from a powerful order of religious vigilantes who judge and sentence souls to the canvas for eternity. Releasing Isabella also means unleashing thousands of other imprisoned souls, all of which the order claims are evil.
As infatuation with a possible hallucination clouds his commitment to a present-day wife, Nick’s past self takes over. Wracked with guilt, he can no longer allow Isabella to remain tormented, despite the consequences. He must right an age-old wrong – destroy the painting and free his soul mate. But the order will eradicate anyone who threatens their ethereal prison and their control over Venice.
About Rob
In addition to being a novelist, Rob Samborn is a screenwriter, entrepreneur and avid traveler. He’s been to forty countries, lived in five of them (including Italy) and studied nine languages. As a restless spirit who can’t remember the last time he was bored, Rob is on a quest to explore the intricacies of our world and try his hand at a multitude of crafts; he’s also an accomplished artist and musician, as well as a budding furniture maker. A native New Yorker who lived in Los Angeles for twenty years, he now makes his home in Denver with his wife, daughter and dog. For more information visit http://www.robsamborn.com.
Reviews on his Debut Book
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 30 November 2021Set partly today and partly in late 16th century Venice this is an intriguing story. Tintoretto’s ‘Paradiso’ is conceived as holding souls in torture sent to the canvas by a group of religious fanatics of his time. The present-day couple, Nick and Julia O’Connor, have come to Venice for a holiday and to try to develop a career in photography for her. Nick hears a voice from the canvas, collapses but then continues having flash backs to the lost love of his life, calling him from the paint. The description on NetGalley is true to the book. The descriptions of life both now and in the past make one feel as if one was in Venice. I felt more sympathy with the 16th century characters than with Nick and Sarah though. She seems more interested in her career, as well as flirting with Italian men, than her husband although does keep trying to get him to see a doctor, again. Nick is suffering a lot and I had more sympathy with him. The story did get rather convoluted at times but the author used language well to help the reader, giving different accents/social aspects between the two time periods and this worked neatly. Although most ends were tied up there is sufficient to leave room for another book – maybe without Nick and Sarah though? Thanks to NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.
Stacy5.0 out of 5 stars Utterly brilliant Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 27 November 2021I was kindly supplied an Advance Review Copy of this book. Not my usual genre and i am currently still reading this wonderful book, but felt i needed to add a review as i continue reading. i will update this as i read on and finish.
“The Prisoner of Paradise” is an eloquently written book, i confess i felt i was actually in Venice. The Prisoner of Paradise is full of intrigue. I love a story that keeps you wondering what will happen next and speculating what might happen, it keeps me entertained and reading Rob has done this wonderfully, you feel for the main characters as the book unfolds in front of you, Robs use of language and description helps you actually visualize the book. I have finished this book and it is breathtakingly brilliant. Nick and his wife away on a combined business & pleasure trip and considering if Nick is going crazy. The book flows wonderfully and the I do confess switching between the historic events to present day adds depth to an already interesting story. Love, murder, intrigue, and more praise to Rob on an excellent novel. As a review of books for some years I can safely say one of the best I have had the private to review of you like Dan Brown books then read this you will not be left wanting. 5 Stars
If you look Rob up on Facebook you can will be able to see a FB chat he did where he talks about his new book it was live yesterday 30/11/2021 on release day.
Book Reviews Stacy Townend 