The Erratic Flame

Anne flees the chaos of Bohemian New York for a secluded Italian mountain cabin, seeking refuge from her own ghosts. She finds something else entirely: Alexis, a young violinist careening toward ruin, his brilliance burning him alive from the inside. He's retreated to the same isolated village, either to disappear or to be found. Their first meeting crackles with cynicism and unspoken recognition. She's weary of the world; he's desperate to feel anything before it's too late. What begins as guarded curiosity deepens into something neither knows how to name. Set against the stark beauty of the Alps, this is a novel about two people searching for redemption in the spaces where society's expectations dissolve, and about whether love can bloom in the shadow of an early death. De Teresa captures the particular ache of artistic temperament and the terror of finally letting someone see you.