Annette Williamson

The Midwest Book Review says “Once Upon the Rhine: A Love Story is romance fiction at its best and recommended for romance readers looking for steamy passages: it builds a sassy, outspoken protagonist who shows real flare and character underneath a seemingly shallow model’s persona, it focuses on an evolving love relationship with all its complexity and challenges, and it offers no easy outs. As she shoots photos, makes new friends, and explores new worlds filled with scenic beauty and puzzling cultures, Alexis finds herself newly opening up to the possibilities of love. The descriptions of these worlds are deftly penned, providing readers with a smooth transition between the protagonist’s emotions and her impressions of her new world, and imparting a staunch ‘you are there’ feel to the novel. The ending is satisfying and serves to reinforce the opening feel: that Alexis is a kind of Cinderella just beginning to open up to the possibilities of real romance in her life against the backdrop of circumstance that turn close-held dreams into reality.”

When a worldwide search chooses gorgeous American model Alexis as the face for their high-profile campaign, she’s whisked off to their castle on the Rhine. There, she meets the gardener Wilhelm who’s smoking hot, brilliant, but a bit of a mystery.

The naive Alexis, fresh off the farm, falls deeply in love with Wilhelm, showing him how to love like he’s never known before. Alexis, in turn, becomes helpless to his erotic ways as he seduces her into a life-altering affair.

Like Romeo and Juliet, their love consumes every waking moment, until a stark reality viciously tears them apart. Upon discovering everything Wilhelm told her was untrue, Alexis reels destroyed. When her world violently comes crashing down, however, something totally unexpected happens, making her believe in love all over again.

Beautiful visuals, sumptuous living, a collection of quirky persona’s, aristocratic circles, and stunning models are all tossed together in quite spectacular circumstances. A light read though brimming with substance, you will fall in love with the characters as they accidentally collide into one anothers lives, reminding us of our own.

Once Upon the Rhine will make you remember what it was like to fall in love for the first time, keeping you guessing until the very last page. It will inspire you to open your own heart as you recall the madness that made you realize life is short– but the road to true love can be long.