The Smile

Hers is the most famous portrait in the world. Here, in prose as rich as the high Renaissance, is Mona Lisa’s tale—a story of passion, loss, and, above all, love. Elisabetta longs for romance, though she thinks she’s too plain. Then, on a visit to Florence, she catches the eye of the great Leonardo da Vinci, and falls for a boy, Giuliano de’ Medici. It’s a dangerous time to be—or to be involved with—a Medici. As tragedy and chaos threaten their happiness, Elisabetta faces the bittersweet truth of love.