THE FLAMES OF FLORENCE:

Da Vinci’s Disciples Book Three

(Extended Edition coming Soon)

Il Magnifico, Lorenzo de’ Medici, is dead, and his now-exiled son, Piero, has brought ruin upon Florence. War and famine have tarnished and dulled the glittering city. Yet, the glory that is Renaissance artistry grows more magnificent, as does the work of the women known as Da Vinci’s Disciples. Now, they face their most dangerous challenge thus far, one shrouded in the cloak of a monk.

From the ashes of war, Friar Girolamo Savonarola rises. Some call him a savior and a prophet, a man willing to overthrow tyrannical rulers and corrupt clergy, the Borgia Pope among them. Fra Girolamo is determined to remold Florence from an avaricious, secular culture to a paragon of Christian virtues.

Many call Savonarola a delusional heretic, incapable of anything but self-serving fanaticism. When he sets out to destroy all secular art forms―literature, sculpture, paintings―Da Vinci’s Disciples call him an enemy…most, but not all of them.

Savonarola divides the people of Florence; neighbor turns on neighbor. Within the Disciples―within their families―fissures slash them when Viviana devises a dangerous plan to save whatever they can of the city’s art from Savonarola’s bonfires.

Who will reign triumphant? Will their families―plus their loves, friendships, and their art―survive the treacherous threat? Will the Disciples themselves―and all they’ve fought for and achieved―burn…in THE FLAMES OF FLORENCE?

“If you enjoy historical fiction, romance, superb character development, and stories where characters seek to make a difference in their world, you need to read the Da Vinci's Disciples series by Donna Russo Morin. I personally can't wait for the conclusion to this thrilling trilogy."
―The Book Connection

REVIEWS:

“A glittering Renaissance gem of a novel. Donna Russo Morin, a master of her craft, has penned an intricate story full of lush historical detail with a plot that will leave you breathless."
—Tasha Alexander, New York Times bestselling author of Death in St. Petersburg

“Like a glorious Italian fresco-richly textured and vividly portrayed … Highly recommended for lovers of history, art, and courageous women."
—Anna Lee Huber, bestselling author of the Lady Darby Mysteries

“Donna Russo Morin renders one of the most tumultuous periods in Florence's history in bright colors and with vivid descriptions. This tale of a group of determined women standing up for what they believe in … will absolutely resonate with modern readers."
—Alyssa Palombo, author of The Most Beautiful Woman in Florence

“I love to see a historical fiction author succumb to her personal obsessions, and this is what Donna Russo Morin has done with great style, erudition, and passion in Flames of Florence. She is clearly compelled to illuminate the most horrific and terrifying events of the Florentine Renaissance - Savonarola's brutal, despotic, utterly mad reign, one that seduced so many citizens into joining the insanity. This five hundred-year-old story is shockingly contemporary."
—Robin Maxwell, bestselling author of Signora Da Vinci and Secret Diary of Anne Boleyn

“In fifteenth-century Florence, artistic competition was a blood sport. Donna Russo Morin brings all the drama of this period to life in The Flames of Florence. Richly painted yet rooted in the strange truth of the world of Girolamo Savonarola, Donna Russo Morin weaves together characters real and imagined, against the backdrop of fear, ambition, and lust for artistic achievement that characterized the last decades of fifteenth-century Florence. A must-read for those who want to experience the pulsing heart of the Italian Renaissance."
—Dr. Laura Morelli, Art Historian, author of The Gondola Maker