The Enchanted April

Drawn by a promise of "wisteria and sunshine," four English ladies exchange their damp and dreary surroundings for a month on the Italian Riviera. They're different from each other in age and attitude, but all are bewitched by their rented medieval castle and the natural beauty of the Portofino peninsula. Their holiday not only refreshes their spirits but also reintroduces them to their true natures and reopens their hearts to love and friendship.
Hilarious and romantic by turns, the novel provides a piquant satire on British society of the 1920s as well as the human foibles of every era. It's also a tale of women coming into their own and finding the courage to be true to themselves and others. This bestselling tale of self-discovery ― recounted with warmth, wit, and charm ― was adapted several times for stage and screen. Not everyone can spend a month in the Italian countryside, but the spell cast by The Enchanted April offers the next best thing.

British novelist Elizabeth von Arnim (1866–1941), born Mary Annette Beauchamp, wrote more than 20 books, many of them autobiographical in nature. The Enchanted April, inspired by a month-long visit to the Italian Riviera, is her most popular work and has served as the basis for several movies and plays.