Product Description

Do you have enough romance in your life? Journalist Kirsty Bailey would have to answer no. She has the essential starter kit - a boyfriend - but somehow Joe seems to have skipped the vows of for better/for worse and gone straight to for granted. But then just as she's on the verge of settling for a swoon-free existence, Kirsty's magazine sends her to a majestic Venetian palazzo to attend the much gossiped-about Love Academy...Her undercover mission? To prove her editor's theory that this 'school for singles' is nothing more than an escort agency with a sexy accent and fancy glass chandeliers. But what if her editor is wrong and their promise of true amore is for real? Will Kirsty be able to resist the kind of moonlit temptations she's been dreaming of for years, or is her relationship with Joe going, going, gondola? If you think Casanova was a bad boy, just wait until you see what Cupid has in store for Kirsty...

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #79378 in Books
• Published on: 2007-07-19
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 400 pages

From the Back Cover
Do you have enough romance in your life?

Journalist Kirsty Bailey would have to answer no. She has the essential starter kit - a boyfriend - but somehow Joe seems to have skipped the vows of for better/for worse and gone straight to for granted.

But then just as she's on the verge of settling for a swoon-free existence, Kirsty's magazine sends her to a majestic Venetian palazzo to attend the much gossiped-about Love Academy... Her undercover mission? To prove her editor's theory that this 'school for singles' is nothing more than an escort agency with a sexy accent and fancy glass chandeliers.

But what if her editor is wrong and their promise of true amore is for real? Will Kirsty be able to resist the kind of moonlit temptations she's been dreaming of for years, or is her relationship with Joe going, going, gondola?

If you think Casanova was a bad boy, just wait until you see what Cupid has in store for Kirsty...

Praise for Belinda Jones:

'A wise and witty read about the secret desires within us' Marie Claire

'This is definitely worth cramming in your suitcase' Cosmopolitan

'As essential as your SPF 15' New Woman

About the Author
Belinda Jones's first paid job was on cult kiddy comic Postman Pat. Since then she has written for a multitude of magazines and newspapers including Sunday, Daily Express, Empire, FHM, heat, New Woman, and more! magazine where she was a staff writer for four years. Belinda's widely acclaimed first novel, Divas Las Vegas, was voted No. 2 in the New Woman Bloody Good Reads Awards in 2001 and On the Road to Mr Right - a non-fiction travelogue love quest was a Sunday Times top ten bestseller. The Love Academy is her sixth novel.

Customer Reviews

Disappointing.
I was first introduced to Belinda Jones by a friend who decided to force me into reading two of her books - Divas Las Vegas and The Love Academy.
After reading Divas Las Vegas and finding myself completely engrossed in the lives of Jamie and Izzy, I moved on swiftly to The Love Academy for more charming, funny (albeit unbelievable) and romantic adventure . . . boy was I disappointed.
The whole premise of the main character Kirsty being a writer for a womens magazine and being sent on a mission to Venice to infiltrate the infamous Love Academy and expose it as just a "an escort agency with an Italian accent and fancy glass chandeliers" seems wholly believable and quite an interesting concept for a story - add in Kirsty's feelings on her relationship with the boyfriend she left at home, Joe and her disillusions about love, romance and fairy tale endings - you can see why it starts off promisingly.
However, thats where the good stuff ended for me. I couldn't bring myself to like any of the characters involved at all - particuarly Kirsty, who being the heroin should have made me want to be her BFF and love her to pieces. Instead, I found her to be completely shallow, unfunny and boring and couldn't find it in myself to feel any sympathy for her or anyone else for that matter.
The relationships between Kirsty and her brother Kier, proved to be the most tiresome - in fact, through most of the book I quite easily forgot that they were even related. I know they were supposed to be having a few communication problems and Kier, broken hearted and a little distant - but throughout the saga, they seemed like complete strangers.
A lot of the reviewers on Amazon didn't like the amount of detail on Venice, but I must admit that I didn't have such a problem with it. Without it, I don't think I would have made it through the book.
Add in a few cliches and a happy ending and The Love Academy is the final result.
This has not put me off Belinda Jones for life though. Like I said at the beginning, I really enjoyed Divas Las Vegas - so I'm willing to read more. But this one isn't her best.

Romance isn't dead
This is an essential holiday read if you're heading off to somewhere equally as glamorous as Venice, or if, like me you are just living vicariously whilst snuggled up on the sofa (good old british summer).

It is beautifully written (the sensory descriptions of Venice itself are lovingly crafted and feel authentic) and I personally enjoyed the often cliched characters within the Love Academy.

The clever tie-in with previous novel I Love Capri towards the end of the book is unexpected and delightful - a thoughtful nod to Belinda Jones' fans who were wondering just what had happened to the star-crossed lovers.(I will admit to cheering out loud at this point - I was so excited!....aherm)

All in all, a lovely romantic dance through Venice - schmaltzy yes, but truly fabulous too!

Boring.......
I have really enjoyed Belinda Jones previous books and was looking forward to reading The Love Academy.
I found it very boring and dull.
The writing lacked depth and there was alot of unneccessary detail about Venice.
Not one I would recommend I'm afraid!