Lara Foxleigh arrives in Rome to throw three gold euro coins into the magnificent Trevi Fountain with three accompanying wishes: to ensure her return, bring new romance into her life and to guarantee marriage.

At the fountain an elderly man named Samuel has been unexpectedly abandoned by his carer, so Lara takes him home to Tuscany and ultimately takes over his full-time care. It becomes apparent they both have secrets they are reluctant to share.

Back home in Brisbane, Lara’s sister Sunny is adjusting to raising her five-year-old twins Hudson and Daisy without her sister’s caring influence. The family is blindsided by a chance meeting with Dave, the children’s father who didn’t know the twins existed. Sunny and her mother, Eliza, are terrified by the danger of protecting the children from this manipulative and abusive man. To their horror, Dave pursues his custody rights with a vengeance.

Lara slowly acclimatises to Italy, managing her bipolar condition without family support. She milks goats, creates pasta from scratch and gardens in the surrounds of an ancient villa. She delights when Samuel introduces his grand nephew Matteo, and a blossoming romance develops. Lara doesn’t understand why any of Samuel’s other extended family don’t visit or care for him, until she is sent on a mission to visit Samuel’s brother-in-law. A tragic truth is unveiled, and a heartfelt plea for a reunited family is made. Then horrible news reaches her from Australia, and she has to make a momentous decision.

After settling in for a romantic read set in the beautiful surrounds of the Italian countryside, I was surprised and intrigued when the story turned into a mystery of weightier issues. Domestic violence, mental illness and Australian family law were sensitively handled instead of being sensationalised and were intermingled with delightful visuals of cheese making, Italian feasts and scenic travels. Three Gold Coins packs a mountain of heart, an abundance of tortured soul and a banquet of mouthwatering food.

Reviewed by Esther Perry