This novel is a beautiful love-tangle tale, set in Sardinia, with vivid description of the lovely surroundings and atmosphere. A young local woman, feeling trapped and suffocated with her options, finds true love in complicated circumstance. Set in the past, and across generations, this romantic, scenic novel, was wonderful with had an excellent ending. Thank you NetGalley for the e-reader copy for review. All opinions are my own.

Great story by Sara Alexander. Really good story, location, characters...just everything works for this story. Must read.

That was such a beautiful story. The descriptions made me feel as if I were truly in 1950s post war. Mina, is a travel writer and wants to get down and uncover family secrets. In doing so, she opens up a whole beautiful world where we get to meet Carmela. A beautiful seamstress who falls in love with an American soldier.

So romantic, right? It is but there is one problem. Carmela is engaged to marry a good looking and wealthy man where she lives. Joe Kavanagh, the soldier, is married. The more and more she sees of Joe, the more she sees that her fiancé, Frank, isn't right for her. There starts a story is forbidden love, jealousies, and more important than anything, the love of family.

The author writes a rich and captivating story that feels more like a slow burn then anything else. I was engrossed with the words, the story, the characters, and the way I felt throughout the book. Poetically beautiful, I think I found a new author to read.

*Thank you to the publisher for providing a copy for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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Sara Alexander's Under a Sardinian Sky is an emotional journey in 1952, post-World War II Sardinia. Carmela is a farmer's daughter who's a very talented seamstress engaged to the most sought after man in her town. They were childhood sweethearts so I was just a natural progression. Life is good. Carmela wants more, but it's just not part of her future. Until an American soldier shows her there's more to the world than her little town. There's more to love than just a little attraction. Passion for each other. Passion for life. Passion to live. Will Carmela give up everything for true love? Or will her love cause her to lose everything? This story was not a fast, fun read. It's a slow story with immense detail. The daily life of Carmela and her town. The food, the smells, the tastes. I enjoyed this story and wanted to call my family in Italy and talk about food and life.

The room emptied, as if her friends and family had been smudged out of a wet watercolor sketch. All that remained was the presence of two bodies, the air alive between them.

Very much enjoyed the detail on the characters and the setting. This book kept me reading to the end to find out what happens to Carmela.

A sweeping beautiful debut novel ! A must read . The reader is instantly transported to 1950's Sardinia . The rich descriptions of the people, the culture and especially the food are divine.
I loved the cooking scenes, many and so very richly described in detail-- it's impossible to read this story on an empty stomach. A well structured, narrative and pleasing journey through Sardinia, with appealing and very complex characters. Such a beautiful debut, and I look forward to more from this author with great anticipation. I absolutely loved every aspect of this book and highly recommend it for your reading enjoyment.

What a wonderful read this is! Alexander has carefully crafted a novel that is both plot driven and character rich. Mina's quest to understand Carmela is written with a sense of place and time that's not always present in this sort of tale. Loved the Sardinian setting not only for the "scenery" but also the beautifully written lifestyle parts (i.e. the food!). Carmela's story spools out slowly but purposefully; you'll be guessing til the end. Thanks to net galley for the ARC. I'm definitely going to look for more from Alexander. This would make an excellent beach book!

Lovely story with rich descriptions and beautifully written. Hoping for more from the author!

When I picked out this book, I thought it would transport me to Sardinia, have great characters, and an engaging story. What I've gotten through thus far isn't that. Parts are confusing and you don't really start to care about the characters the way truly great books do. Don't bother with Under the Sardinian Sky.

This was a wonderful story! I don't want to give away the story, but it will hook you right from the beginning. This is the story of Mina and how she uncovers the mystery of what happened to her Aunt Carmela. The ending is the best-so satisfying, but heartbreaking! I highly recommend this book!

Honestly, did not finish this book. It was a little too slow for me and did not grab my interest. I am sure this would be a very enjoyable read for many, but just not for me. I wanted to read it because of the absolutely beautiful cover!

Under a Sardinian Sky is a flavorful find. The writing is vivid and colorful. It is a family saga as full of secrets as it is of food; My Big Fat Greek Wedding meets Kristin Hannah's The Nightingale. With that said, I found it a slow read, and had trouble staying interested. Perhaps the fault falls with me, I wanted to approach it in greedy gulps, and it wanted to be savored slowly. Either way, while I appreciate that Sara Alexander has produced a quality novel, it just wasn't my cup of tea.

I have to be honest and say that I was initially drawn to reading this book because of its beautiful cover. I know you shouldn't judge a book by its cover but I can't help myself, and often find myself doing this. This is author Sara Alexander's debut novel, and is a book set on the Italian island of Sardinia. I don't personally know much about the location, so was looking forward to finding out much more about this lovely place with a new, exciting cast of characters. I went into this without expectation, and here is my honest review.

This book is the story of a Sardinian native called Carmela, and her family, the Chirigoni's. The book is set in 1952 so is a historical read, and I enjoyed this element of the book very much. Carmela is a traditional young woman, working hard for her family, and living with them all too. She's a talented seamstress, and also is a great cook when working with her sister Piera. She's engaged to a local man Franco, and knows the wedding is something that the whole family is looking forward to. However, when she meets American Captain Kavanagh one day, Carmela's eyes are opened to a world she never even dreamt of exploring, and wonders if she is settling in marrying Franco.

I didn't find the book to be particularly easy reading. There is quite a lot of characters within Carmela's family to keep track of, and in parts, I found it hard to remember who was who, and how they were all related to each other. However, I just tried to plough on regardless, and was soon pretty sure I had an idea on it all, rightly or wrongly! Carmela herself was a great character, one who seemed quite ambitious for a young woman, but didn't seem to know how to break out of her family mold, and their expectations of her. This is particularly prevalent when she is offered opportunities as the book progresses, but doesn't know whether or not to take them due to her family commitments.

I enjoyed seeing how Carmela's world changed when she met the American officer. He was a really fun character to read about, quite straight-laced and trying to do the right thing by everyone, and I can see why Carmela was taken by him. It was a slow-burning friendship, and I very much enjoyed reading it all unfold. There were a few very upsetting scenes in the book, one in particular that I hadn't expected that moved me to tears because it seemed to come out of nowhere, and I have to praise Alexander's writing and how she handled these scenes, as they cannot have been easy to write due to their emotive nature.

For a debut, this is a strong, well written novel, very heavy on the narrative but the descriptions of Sardinia, the local customs and traditions, are brilliant and really bring the whole place to life in my mind. It is definitely somewhere I would like to visit having read this book, and Alexander definitely has succeeded in making Sardinia the centre of this book, an island around which everybody's actions revolve. I will be looking forward to reading more from Sara Alexander. Thanks go to HQ for the review copy of this book.

Title and author: Under a Sardinian Sky by Sara Alexander
Publisher: Kensington
Releases: April 25, 2017
Purchase: http://tinyurl.com/kar2u2k
Genre: Historical
Rating: 4 Stars


Thoroughly detailed scenes and a vast assortment of distinctive characters makes UNDER A SARDINIAN SKY highly engaging. Sara Alexander has created a story filled with emotional issues that are very true-to-life, and I was deeply drawn into the lives of individuals who came alive because of the author’s perceptive writing. I may not have ever been anywhere like the island of Sardinia, but after reading Ms. Alexander’s debut story, I certainly feel as though I am well acquainted with its past citizens plus many of their local traditions.

After her aunt died, Mina decides it is time to learn about a part of her family’s history that has always remained unspoken. Since she writes travel articles for a newspaper, she is going to use some of her skills to hopefully discover the truth concerning Carmela Chirigoni, another aunt who was Italian and lived on the island of Sardinia. Mina knows little about her relative except for the fact the woman went missing back in the 1950’s.

With World War II having been over for several years, those living on the picturesque island are looking forward to better times. Carmela is from a farming family plus she makes fashionable clothing for others. She has been asked to wed a man who could one day be very rich, but she is not too fond of behavior at times. During a big fiesta in her hometown, she comes in contact with an American soldier from a nearby base. They keep meeting at different places, and she ends up becoming an interpreter for Lt. Joe Kavanagh as she speaks some English. This decision will change many lives forever.

While reading UNDER A SARDINIAN SKY, I got a glimpse into what could have easily occurred to someone living in a region once greatly affected by war. Carmela is a spirited yet respectful daughter who plans to obey the wishes of her family, but she dreams of seeing other places and having a rewarding marriage. Her life may be shaped by the wishes of someone else, but it does not stop her thinking about improbable possibilities. People trying to get back to normal after a huge war can find themselves still being influenced by outside forces for years, and Carmela meeting American soldiers deeply changes how she envisions her future. There are many times when her inner feelings battle, as she knows what path should be followed but often would rather not. Her thoughts about her intended husband causes many worries, while sentiments connected to a particular American soldier double her uncertainties. Sara Alexander gives much insight into what leads to the reactions of her characters, thus letting me come to really know these individuals.

The story is told because Mina wants to uncover what actually happened to her aunt, and the author skillfully let me know all the facts through colorful historical descriptions. Italian customs are depicted with much fanfare, while the daily lives of the island inhabitants are also vividly portrayed. From meals to parties to work, I got a sense of what various people experienced while living through these events. Food preparation is especially interesting and often lively. The images visually conveyed throughout UNDER A SARDINIAN SKY cause enthrallment and pure delight.

I voluntarily reviewed the book via NetGalley, and all comments are my honest opinion

The author brings us a detailed story of life on a small island and how a sheltered girl who has promised to marry has her life changed when the Americans come to town. With star crossed eyes, she finds that she now has hopes and dreams of a better, bigger life but yet guilt for wanting something better. With ties to the family and the promise to marry, she feels trapped. Plus, there are underlying issues and more to the story than meets the eye that the author delicately weaves through the novel.

This story crosses many generations as it starts from today. Yet the bulk of the story is based in the past. I classify this as a historical romance, but not in the Regency genre. This is more of a women’s historical fiction that’s based around a romantic story. The rich history of the time blends perfectly with a touching love story.

The author takes us on a trip to the past with such detail and emotion it feels like you are right there with them, tasting food, smelling the air, watching the sea. It is a beautiful story with a lovely ending you don’t expect.

I had a really tough time getting into this book. I think it's just a little too detailed for me. I'll give it a shot at a later time, but I can't get into it right now.

Beautiful cover with a story rich in Italian traditions filled with many descriptions and emotions...

Carmela is the best seamstress in Simius. You show her a dress out of any magazine and she can make it. She is also very fluent in English and used as a translator for many of the townspeople in Simius. Which is why when the American Army wants to rent land from farmers in the area, they seek Carmela.

Carmela is betrothed to Franco. He is the son of the richest man in all of Simius. While they are of age to marry, Carmela and her family, would like to prolong the wedding for different reasons through the book. Problems begin, however, when Franco thinks his soon-to-be wife is spending too much time with her careers and not with him.

The book is rich with descriptions of the scenic landscapes. And, fair warning, don't read this book hungry. These people are ALWAYS eating. I was a little bummed because Kindle translator was not quite working for me. However, the author's vivid details of what went into the dish helped a lot. I really felt like I was there in those kitchens listening to those Italian sisters fussing and smelling the smells.

I enjoyed this book immensely and would like to thank Kensington Books for approving my request. Also, Net Galley for providing me with a free e-galley in exchange for an honest unbiased review.

Brilliant book. Excellent main characters and plot. I would recommend this book.love Italy

I loved Under a Sardinian Sky. The book takes you away to an island in Italy just after WWII, and the descriptions of the scenery and the food (especially the food!) will make you want to plan a trip there immediately.

The story starts with an Italian writer named Mina in London, who is in Sardinia for her aunt's funeral. All her life, Mina has heard stories about another aunt named Carmela, but the stories are vague and cast a cloud over her family. She decides to tell Carmela's story.

Carmela lives with her family on a farm and is a talented seamstress who works for her godmother. She also works as for an English family during the summers, and learns to speak English. She is engaged to a local boy named Franco, but meets a handsome captain, Joe Kavanagh, when she is hired as a translator for the Americans after they come to Sardinia post WWII.

I really enjoyed the stories of the daily lives of the people in the books. The descriptions of the work, the cooking and the eating were so alive. Growing up in her small town world , Carmela thought her life would play out like so many before her until she met Joe. She grows up so much throughout the book, and you share that through her inner dialogue.

The characters in the book came alive for me, and I was sorry when the book had to end. The ending tied the story up well and it was very satisfying.

I highly recommend this book. It's a great summer read!