Ardour

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The pain of unrequited love is one of life’s great tragedies, but even more heart-breaking is a love that is taboo: a love that crosses the divide between species. When a lonely olive grower sows seeds of love in search of romance, he cannot know the chaos he will cause. Instead of the voluptuous woman of his dreams, the District Health Authority mule, Gezabel, falls head over hooves in love with him. And, as Gezabel narrates, she is not the only lover to get her stars crossed when Ardour casts its spell over the region. As the villagers throw their love away on those who do not return it, remarkable phenomena add to the fevered atmosphere, and passions surge with the soaring temperatures of summer. When the heat wave ends, as it eventually must, bursting like a blister, the dead come back to life, and jealousy leads to murder, before the various lovers’ eyes are finally opened, and, for some, true happiness is found. ARDOUR is a magical tale of love, hope, and fate, sprinkled lightly with tears, combined with a generous measure of comedy.

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Lily Prior lives in London. A great admirer of Italian cuisine and culture, she has travelled extensively in Italy. She is the author of La Cucina, Nectar and Ardour.