One Good Thing: a World War II story of friendship, hope, courage and the fight to survive

One Good Thing by Georgia Hunter is a World War II story of hardship, hope, courage and resilience. Lili has been friends with Esti since meeting at university. When Esti’s son, Theo, is born, they become as close as sisters. As the war rages in Germany and France, Lili and Esti must deal with Mussolini’s Racial Laws, and while difficult, life seemingly goes on as usual. Until Germany invades northern Italy and life becomes much more dangerous. At first, they flee to a countryside villa to help hide Jewish orphans. Then fleeing to Florence, finding in a convent as nuns and becoming a part of the Underground network of forgers and couriers. When Esti can no longer protect Theo, she asks Lili to take her son and protect him. Now Lili finds herself on a journey through Allied territory, Nazi-occupied villages and finding ways to survive, not only for herself, but for a promise she made to her best friend. 

World War II still fuels amazing stories eighty years after it ended. While most stories take place in France or Germany, I find it very refreshing that authors are finding stories to tell from other areas of the world. One Good Thing is an engaging story from start to finish. I loved the character of Lili. Lili is the worrier at the beginning and while she is filled with doubt at every turn, but her determination to fulfil her promise to Esti, she finds the courage and strength to keep moving forward. I also loved the character development of Esti from a skeptic to a fully committed to the underground resistance. I loved the sister-friendship between Lili and Esti. One Good Thing is a great story of how the love for another person is a reason to keep going despite the darkness and hopelessness. If you love stories of friendship, motherhood and survival, I highly recommend One Good Thing. 

One Good Thing will be available March 4, 2025 in hardcover, eBook and audiobook

One Last Shot: a marriage pact and a second chance at romance

One Last Shot by Betty Cayouette is a friends to lovers, marriage pact romance. From the moment Emerson and Theo met freshman year of high school, they were inseparable best friends. As they expressed their true feelings for each other, their lives went on different paths, not before promising each other that if they were not married by twenty-eight, they would marry each other. Emerson is an in-demand supermodel nearing her twenty-eighth birthday. When a calendar reminder pops up on her phone of her marriage pact with Theo. She realizes that this is her shot to rekindle the only love she really wanted. She learns where Theo, now a photographer, is shooting next and orchestrates her way to be a part of it. A four-day shoot in the romantic setting of Cinque Terre, Italy, Emerson and Theo find their feelings being tested as roadblocks after obstacles get in their way. Is this their last shot at love or their final goodbye? 

One Last Shot is the debut romance from Betty Cayouette and I love a good second chance, friends to lovers romance. I hemmed and hawed about reading this story as I do not care for fashion or supermodel world. But I decided to give it a chance anyway. Unfortunately, I couldn’t get into it. The main issue with this story was the miscommunication. The miscommunication trope is one of my least favorite romantic trope. Their roadblocks and obstacles could have been avoided if they just talked about it! They dance around their marriage pact, something they are both aware of as they reunite, and yet pretend they had forgotten about it. The constant flashbacks to their high school years took me out of the present events and bogged the story down. Overall, the story was okay. I think I am not the right audience for this book. If you think you may enjoy this story, I recommend giving One Last Shot a try. 

One Last Shot is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

These Tangled Vines: a story of deep, dark secrets

These Tangled Vines by Julianne MacLean is a tale of one woman’s journey to a lush Tuscany vineyard and dives into the depths of her family’s deepest, darkest secrets. One thing Fiona knows is how to keep a secret. She is the only person who knows about her late mother, Lillian’s affair in Tuscany thirty years earlier. A deathbed confession and a plea to keep it a secret, Fiona intends to keep the secret tucked away. One day a lawyer calls with shocking news. Her biological father has died and left her a piece of his estate. She must come to Italy for the reading of the will and sign papers accepting…or refusing the inheritance. When she arrives, his ex-wife and his two children, Connor and Sloane, are shocked to learn of her existence and desperate to contest her share of the estate. While she searches for the truth behind her mother’s affair, Fiona must also navigate her new tricky family relationships and tense sibling rivalries. With both fear and excitement, Fiona embraces a new future as she discovers the truth about that summer, her mother and the father she never knew. 

As usual Ms. MacLean dives into the complexity of human nature, love and relationships with heart and honesty. These Tangled Vines is a beautiful and moving story about the true meaning of family. Told between two alternating timelines, Fiona in 2017 and Lillian in 1986, it is a journey through the romantic and breathtaking landscape of Tuscany as readers are on a roller coaster of emotions. From the opening chapter, I was hooked into Fiona’s story and her journey. She learns that all she created in her mind about her biological dad was very wrong. She also learns that her saintly mother was not so innocent and made decisions that affected everyone’s life. I enjoyed Connor, the “villain” as he is determined to contest the will and Sloane as the conflicted half sister who is caught in her own guilt about her relationship with her father. There were some aspects that seemed “too convenient” and implausible, like who would jump on a plane at a moment’s notice for a man she didn’t know and didn’t care for; however, overall they did not affect my enjoyment. I highly recommend These Tangled Vines. 

These Tangled Vines is available in paperback, eBook, and audiobook. 

Here's to pizza!

Pizza. A savory Italian dish of a round flattened base of leavened dough. In Italy, a formal restaurant setting, a pizza would be eaten with a knife and fork. In a causal setting, it is cut into wedges and eaten by hand, which is the way most of us usually eat it. A favorite food among many people around the world. It enjoys a wide variety of crust and toppings depending on regions. October is National Pizza Month. Started by Gerry Durnell, publisher of Pizza Today magazine in 1984, October has become a month to celebrate this delicious food from its humble origins to the crazy debates about which region has the better pizza and even what toppings are acceptable.

There have been foods like the pizza found throughout the Ancient World. In the 6^th century BCE, Persian soldiers of the Achaemenid Empire, during the rule of King Darius I, baked flatbreads with cheese and dates on top of their shields. Ancient Greeks would use oil, herbs and cheese on their flatbreads. The term, pizza, was first recorded in a 10^th century in a Latin manuscript from southern Italy. According to legend, the modern pizza was invented in Naples in the 18^th to early 19^th century. The popular story goes, in 1889, the Royal Palace of Capodimonte commissioned the Neapolitan pizzaiolo (pizza maker) Raffaele Esposito to create a pizza in honor of the visiting Queen Margherita (1851-1926). He created three pizzas and the queen preferred the pizza which represented the Italian flag: red (tomatoes), green (basil) and white (mozzarella) which became the pizza Margherita. Pizza was brought to the US by Italian immigrants in the late 19^th century. The first US pizzeria, Lombardi’s, was opened in New York City in 1905 and it is still open today. The demand for pizza would skyrocket after World War II when servicemen were returning home from the Italian front and asked for this dish.

There are many variations of pizza. In Italy, the pizza napolitana remains a popular style which contains San Marzano and mozzarella di bufala.  Pizza is extremely popular in the United States in which 13% of American eat pizza on any given day. There are regional pizzas which developed in the US. Everyone is familiar with the New York style which is a hand tossed crust with a light layer of tomato sauce with mozzarella cheese and toppings such as pepperoni. New York pizzas usually measure between 18-24 inches in diameter and cut into eight large pieces. You may also be familiar with the popular Chicago style deep dish pizza. However, were you familiar with the other regional styles. First, the California style which is a thin crust and topping which unusual toppings such as chicken and goat cheese. This style was popularized by California chefs, Wolfgang Puck and Ed LaDou. Second, the Detroit style is a rectangular pizza with a thick crisp crust topped with sauce, cheese, pepperoni and mushrooms. Lastly, the St Louis pizza, which is a very thin, cracker like crust commonly topped with Provel cheese, which is made with cheddar, Swiss, and provolone cheeses, and cut into squares instead of wedges.

The world record for the largest pizza was in Rome in December 2012 which measured 1,261 square meters (approximately 13,570 square feet)! And the world record for the longest pizza was in Fontana, California in 2017 which measured 1,930.39 meters (approximately 6,333.3 feet)! That’s almost a mile and a quarter long! Of course, with the popularity of pizza, there are many debates which occur. New York will always claim their pizza is better than other regions. While style of pizza is dependent on region and personal taste, one topic sparks a large and louder debate: toppings. More specific: is pineapple an acceptable pizza topping? Most people will state that pineapple does not belong on a pizza because it is not an Italian ingredient. However, this argument is week as many different styles use toppings which are not Italian. I personally love a pizza with pineapple and Canadian bacon. However, that is the only combination I will use with pineapple. Pineapple does not belong on a pizza with pepperoni or other toppings. According to Debate.org, 59% of respondents said yes, pineapple is an acceptable topping while 41% said no. And the debate goes on.

In conclusion, pizza is as simple or as complex as consumers wants. Regardless how you enjoy your pizza, it is a food which has had a long and successful history. From early forms in the Ancient world to the legendary beginnings in Italy, pizza will continue to be favorite around the US and around the world. So next time you enjoy your favorite pizza, remember its humble beginnings to its worldwide success. May even try a type of pizza you have never had before. You never know, you may find a new favorite. Here’s to pizza!

From Sand and Ash: a new story about a sad period in history

From Sand and Ash by Amy Harmon is a World War II love story about Angelo Bianco, an Italian priest and Eva Rosselli, the Jewish girl he grew up with. The story starts in 1929 when Angelo came to Italy from America after his mother died. He lives with his grandparents and meets Camillo Rosselli and his daughter, Eva. The two children quickly became friends despite their religious differences. Fast forward to 1938, the Anti-Semantic laws are slowly coming into play as the lives of the Jewish community are being restricted. The Italian Jews still live a relative peaceful life, despite the racial laws and they hear of the terrifying events which are occurring in Germany. They know it’s only a matter of time before it happens in Italy. By 1940, it happens. Arrests are being made and communities around up and sent to the German concentration camps. Angelo is determined to hide Eva and as many Jewish families as possible. He becomes a part of a Catholic underground organization which hides and even helps Jewish people out of the country. But too soon their network is discovered and Angelo and Eva are placed in harm’s way. Will they survive the war? Will they be able to full express their love for each other? Can they even be together?

From Sand and Ash is a haunting story of a cold, dark time in history. The callousness of the German and Italian fascists against the Jews gives the story its drama. The love story between Angelo and Eva give it its hope. The reader will cheer for Angel and Eva and their friends as they work against the Gestapo and free as many Jews as possible. The reader will cry as the horrors are experienced by the Jewish communities. I enjoyed this story as I have never really read about the experience of the Italian Jews during the war. Most historical novels of WWII focus on Germany. I recommend From Sand and Ash.

From Sand and Ash

is available on Amazon

in paperback and on the Kindle

The Girl from Venice: a mystery set in war torn Italy

The Girl from Venice by Martin Cruz Smith is a World War II drama set in Italy as a simple fisherman is pulled into a world of spies and wartime suspicions. Innocenzo “Cenzo” Vianello is a fishing one night in the lagoon of his village when he finds the body of a female, Guila, floating in the water. After a moment’s hesitation, he pulls her on his boat and from that moment, his life is never the same. He is pulled into a world of espionage, half-truths and mysteries as to who this woman is and what the Germans and the Italians what with her. She soon goes missing. With the addition of his family obligations and his resistance to do what is expected of him, Cenzo is pulled by the desire to rescue Guila. Will he find her in time? Will he discover why she’s so important to the Germans? Is there someone else after her?

The Girl from Venice is a fast paced drama with twists and turns, suspense which will leave you holding your breath. I enjoyed this book from the first page and I eagerly turned each page waiting to see if Cenzo finds Guila before the Germans do. I enjoyed reading a World War II story featuring Italy and the attitudes of the Italians toward Mussolini, Hitler, Americans and the war itself. There is so much I enjoyed about the book but I can’t really talk about finer points due to spoilers. However, if you enjoy a love story hidden in the suspense of World War II, you will enjoy this book. I highly recommend The Girl from Venice.

If Girl from Venice

will be available October 18, 2016

on Amazon and Barnes and Noble

in hardcover, audiobook and eBook

If you were me and lived...Italy: another great addition to an amazing series!

If you were me and lived in…Italy by Carole P. Roman is another addition to this great series. This book follows the same format as the titles before.

In this book, children will learn about Italy and its residence. They will learn about its history as the home of the Ancient Roman Empire and how at its height covered an area which includes almost 48 modern day countries. The book also covers the uniqueness of the city of Rome, Italy’s capital. Vatican City is the home of the Roman Catholic Church and is its own independent country with the city. Readers will explore the common sites, food and festivals which Italians celebrate.

I’ve reviewed the other titles in this series and this book, exploring Italy, is a great addition to an awesome learning tool for classrooms and families. I highly recommend the book on Italy as well as the other titles in the If you were me and lived in… series.

If you were me and lived in…Italy

Is available on Amazon

on the Kindle for $1.99 and free with Kindle Unlimited

and in paperback for $9.99