Yoleen Valai

The Rebirth of Francesca Yoleen Valai

Seventeen-year-old Francesca loses her only friend to a deadly swimming accident. She has no support from her self-centered and verbally abusive single mother, and resorts to locking herself up inside her protective shell, constantly fighting off crippling depression. She wants nothing to do with the summer trip to Italy she's being dragged into, but gives in under the pressure of her mother's authority. While in Florence, Francesca comes across a strange elderly woman. Signora Gagliardi, the owner of an antiquarian bookshop, insists on giving Francesca an old journal, which used to belong to a young Renaissance artist named Rodolfo de Luca over five hundred years ago. The book seems rather creepy; it makes the girl deeply uncomfortable. Terrified, Francesca flees the bookshop, but the journal finds its way to her. This sets off a series of events, which leads to her falling in love with the original owner of the diary while facing the sad realization that they can never be together. However, this is just the beginning. This is not what destiny has planned for Francesca. Miracles do happen- and Fran's amazing journey is only about to begin.