Two love stories, one heartbreaking secret.
1975
When seventeen-year-old art student, Dolly Davinci’s fiancé goes to work in Australia for a year, she moves to the quaint market town of Bramblewood for a summer job in a hotel. But when she meets Tom, her boss’s dangerously handsome son, sparks begin to fly and Dolly’s destiny is irrevocably changed forever.
2018
Gracie Hart is devastated to find her fiancé has been lying to her, denying her the one thing she wants most in life. Whilst looking after his children for the past ten years, Gracie has lost sight of who she is.
When she receives a mysterious bunch of keys from her late friend and mentor Dolly, she heads to Bramblewood to search for the address engraved on the keyring.
Whilst exploring Dolly’s favourite haunts, Gracie meets gorgeous blue-eyed engineer, Finn and with the help of a cassette player and Dolly’s paintings, found in her old canal boat, they unravel the hidden truths in Dolly’s past.
Will they be able to piece together the fragments of Dolly’s heart and will Gracie find the inspiration to paint the future of her dreams with Finn?
Title: Dining at Davinci’s
Author: Annette Hannah
Published by: Book Angel Publishing
Publication Date: 3rd August 2026
Link: UK: Amazon
Welcome to Sincerely Book Angels blog.
Thank you so much for having me.
What inspired you to write this book?
I was walking along the river near where I live one day and as I went past the boats that were moored up I had a thought pop into my head, what if? (I can’t tell you what the thought was because it’s a major spoiler.) But like a snowball gets bigger and bigger when you roll it in the snow, this idea began to roll around in my mind with lots more what if’s and the story just grew from there. Also, like Dolly in the book I went away for a summer job when I was seventeen.
Did you always want to be a writer?
Yes ever since I was little but I always kept it to myself really, I never really thought it would happen.
What other jobs have you had?
I’ve been a barmaid, a chef and a waitress in the summer job I mentioned earlier, an assistant refectory manager, an accounts assistant and a marketing manager.
How did it feel when your first novel was published?
I was ecstatic, although I burst into tears when I got the email and my poor daughter was asking me what was wrong. It was an amazing moment.
Can you please tell us a little about your publishing story.
I’ve always been a fan of Milly Johnson and one day I saw a post on facebook asking if anyone wanted to be part of #TeamMilly. So I put my name forward and was one of the lucky ones to get picked. It was an amazing time, we got sent all sorts of gifts from Milly and invited to the best places. For example we went to Afternoon tea at the Grosvenor house hotel and I was also invited to a Spring Blogger Event at Simon and Schuster headquarters by the fab Sara-Jade Virtue. I met some other fab authors that night too such as Jane Costello and Heidi Swain who was making her debut. After meeting such lovely bloggers and authors I decided to make a blog with my daughter and my life changed dramatically from then on. I was invited to so many gatherings and book launches, it was amazing and the people I met were lovely and are still great friends now. When I heard that Heidi had got her contract from the Simon and Schuster One day submission event I decided to have a go and wrote three thousand words of a story which I sent into them. I then panic wrote the rest of the book in three months just in case they wanted it, spoiler alert they didn’t but I did find the process useful and used it as a deadline to have a book ready every year after that, I even got asked for a full for my third one.
One of my blogger friends, Vicki Bowles told me abut the Romantic Novelists’ Association and their New Writers Scheme so I joined that and at one of the conferences I saw that Orion had a new imprint out so I submitted to them and have now got four books published with them.
What other books have you written?
Wedding Bells at the Signal Box Café
Have you ever had writer's block?
I don’t think I’ve had writer’s block because I’ve usually got loads of ideas buzzing round my head but sometimes I get what I call writers’ paralysis where I don’t want to open my laptop.
If so how did you overcome it?
I found if I go and do a little job on the laptop like maybe writ a blog post or something, it gets me back into writing gently.
What motivates you to keep writing?
The stories that keep on popping into my head and the enthusiasm my readers show me for the stories.
Where is your favourite place to write? ( can we please have a picture)
Lately I’ve been writing on my lap on the couch because with people now working from home and studying I find I’m running out of places to go.
Do your characters moods ever affect your mood and vice versa?
Yes, getting into their mindset can really make you laugh and cry, I usually get hungry as well when they are having delicious food.
What three pieces of advice would you give to an aspiring writer?
Write as much as you can whether it be with a pen and paper or on your laptop, or kindle scribe which I’ve been using lately. Just get the words down on the page. You don’t have to show the first draft to anyone and it certainly doesn’t have to be perfect.
Read as much as you can and try and work out what works in a story and what doesn’t.
Lastly I would say join an organisation like the Romantic Novelists’ Association, writing can be quite lonely so it’s lovely to have a network of like minded people who understand the trials and tribulations of being an author. You will meet some amazing people and I’ve made friends for life there. You also learn so much too whether it be at the conference or a chapter meeting or a passing conversation over coffee. I always find that there’s always new information even if it’s just a snippet.
Which authors inspire you?
Jackie Collins and I love Milly Johnson, Heidi Swain, Dorothy Koomson, Carrie Elks, Sarah Shoesmith, Ian Wilfred and so many more.
What are you reading at the moment?
I’m about to start Falling for You by Heidi Swain.
If your book was made into a film what song would you choose for the opening credits?
I think it would have to be When will I see you again by the Three Degrees because the name of the boat in Dining at Davinci’s is called Precious Moments.
Who would you choose to play your favourite character in the film of your book?
Maybe Julia Roberts could play Dolly is she can do a scouse accent. Also my daughter Lydia could play Gracie, everyone thinks the character on the cover is her.
What is your next book about?
It’s once again set in Bramblewood and it’s a Christmas book featuring Gracie’s step daughter Ellie who comes back from travelling and we find out what she’s been up to.
Thank you so much for joining us on our blog today and good luck with the book.
It’s been an absolute pleasure to be the one answering the questions for a change.
Thank you so much
Sincerely Aurora x
About the Author
Annette Hannah is a Liver Bird who relocated to leafy Hertfordshire in the 80’s and now lives near a river with her husband, two of their three grown up children and a crazy black cocker spaniel. She writes Romantic comedies in settings inspired by the beautiful countryside around her and always with a nod to her hometown.
She worked in Marketing for many years as a qualified Marketeer which she loved as it tapped into her creative side.
As an avid reader, she began to review the books she read, became a book blogger and eventually plucked up the courage to fulfil her life long dream of writing a book.
For four years she was a member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association’s new writers’ scheme, during which time she wrote a book a year.
After signing a two book deal with Orion Dash in 2020 she graduated to full member of the organisation and is also their Press Officer.
She loves long walks along the river, travelling to far flung places and spending time with her friends and family.
You can follow her on
twitter @annettehannah
www.sincerelybookangels.blogspot.com
www.annettehannah.com
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Sincerely Aurora x
