# Belladonna by Anbara Salam (Paperback)

**'A beguiling whirlwind of love and obsession' _Elle_**  
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It is summer, 1956, when fifteen-year-old Bridget first meets Isabella. In their conservative Connecticut town, Isabella is a breath of fresh air. She is worldly, alluring and brazen: an enigma.

When they receive an offer to study at the Academy in Italy, Bridget is thrilled. This is her ticket to Europe and - better still - a chance to spend nine whole months with her glamorous and unpredictable best friend.

There, lodged in a convent of nuns who have taken a vow of silence, the two girls move towards a passionate but fragile intimacy. As the year rolls on, Bridget grows increasingly fearful that she will lose Isabella's affections - and the more desperate she gets, the greater the lengths she will go to keep her.

_Belladonna_ is a hypnotizing coming-of age story set against the stunning and evocative backdrop of rural Northern Italy. Anbara Salam tells a story of friendship and obsession, desire and betrayal, and the lies we tell in order to belong.  
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**'An enthralling tale of race, secrets and the desire to belong' _i_**

**'Lush and languid**, this **sultry coming-of-age tale captures a fractured friendship and the yearnings of girlhood'** _Daily Mail_

'**Raw and tender . . . this searingly honest coming of age story will steal your heart'** _Sunday Mirror_  
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'_The Virgin Suicides_ meets Patricia Highsmith's _The Talented Mr Ripley_, this unputdownable and lush novel had me entranced'** Sharlene Teo, author of _Ponti_

## Details

- **Price:** 18.49 GBP
- **Vendor:** Penguin Books, Limited
- **Tags:** All Books, Historical Fiction, Romance

## Variants

| Variant | Price | Available |
|---------|-------|-----------|
| Default Title | 18.49 GBP | In stock |

## Images

- Belladonna by Anbara Salam (Paperback)

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> Source: [Somiibooks](https://somiibooks.com/products/belladonna-anbara-salam-9780241986745)
> Updated: 2026-09-18