The Sinking of the Leonardo da Vinci

By: Deborah Jeanne Weitzman

Narrated by: Deborah Jeanne Weitzman

It is 1976, in New York. Joanna, a dreamy and sensitive young woman, suffers deep loneliness and a sense of never belonging. The world of music, of songwriting, draws her toward something deeper, if only she had permission to enter that world. When she meets Luca, onboard The Leonardo da Vinci, her wildest dreams come true. He-the young navigator of the ship, rebellious and passionate-gives her that permission. They fall hopelessly in love, and against all odds, she travels to Rome to be with him. When she arrives, he has drastically changed. Never knowing what turned him so callous, this dark seed contaminates the rest of her life.

Back in NY, she runs into her former professor, Stuart, a visionary environmentalist, and they marry. Older than Joanna, he is her anchor and benevolent father figure. To never be burned again, she vows to stay far from the rocky shoals of passion. To keep that vow, she buries her creative soul, her real voice, and her music. When Stuart unexpectedly dies of a heart attack, her unlived self awakens with a vengeance. Hoping to heal, she travels to the walking trails of Cinque Terre, where she unexpectedly reawakens both passion and comfort in her relationships, finding herself along the way.

©2025 Koehler Books (P)2025 Deborah Jeanne Weitzman

Italy

Music, Italy, Romance abounds. I listened to this book, at first concerned it was read by the author. By chapter 8, she had calmed down, settled into a more natural cadence. Image-rich and brimming with sensuality, I so enjoyed these trips - one on a cruise, one to Italy, really. I was a bit confused at first by the 2 sections in each chapter, wishing there were 2 seconds on either side of the chapter titles and subtitles. But I adjusted. The community of ex-pats felt very real and familiar to me, having been one myself. All in all, this was a passionate, romantic trip to Italy.

The drama

Drama is not my typical choice, but this was engaging. The back and forth in time also was a nice device to keep interest