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Our Darkest Night – a tale of how one young Jewish woman survived and thrived in WWII Italy – had me riveted from the first page to the last.

Antonia Mazin’s father had been a famous doctor but by Autumn of 1943 the racial laws had stripped him of that title. Now the two of them live in a ghetto, trepidatious about what the future holds, and anxious about her mother who suffered a stroke, is severely disabled and lives in a full time care facility nearby. Their hope is that their erstwhile Nazi allies – now invaders – will not enact in Italy the horrors they have heard from Poland, France and Germany.

Family friend Father Bernardi thinks that is unlikely and urges the duo to flee to Switzerland. Antonia’s father, initially, is reluctant to do so. He believes the tide of the war is turning against the Germans and is unwilling to leave his helpless wife behind. Two months later he hears disturbing news and realizes that imprisonment and deportation are just around the corner. There is no hope of getting his wife to safety and he refuses to leave her but he insists on Antonia accepting the priest’s aid.

Nico Gerardi had been an unusually bright and gifted child and so was sent from his small, impoverished farming village to study for the priesthood, the most honorable vocation available to him. Then his elder brother died and he was needed to help maintain the family farm. His father and sister speak of his returning to his education when the war is over, but that was a path chosen for him and he is increasingly certain it is not one he wishes to pursue. A man of integrity and courage, he has been helping Jewish families to flee the Nazi occupation. When Father Bernardi approaches him for help with Antonia, he gladly complies. However, circumstances prevent them from sending her on a perilous trek through the mountains to safety, and instead, she finds herself posing as Nina, Nico’s new bride, and settling into the hardscrabble life of his small family farm.

It is not an easy adjustment. Antonia is a soft city woman, well-educated but with nary a callus on her smooth hands. She’s determined to make this work however, and within weeks she has built the muscles and learned the skills necessary to make herself an asset to those who have taken her in. Antonia finds herself fast falling in love with the family; the kind, gentle father, the gruff eldest sister with the heart of gold, and the three young children. And Nico, especially Nico, whose kindness, innate goodness, intelligence, and compassion make for a heady combination that any woman would be hard put to resist. (I didn’t even try. He had me by the heartstrings within a few pages of my ‘meeting’ him.) He seems just as fascinated with her and they quickly find themselves developing deep feelings for each other.

There is only one fly in the ointment – but rather than a mosquito, it is a giant killer wasp of a problem. A local Nazi officer was at school with Nico and is still resentful of the fact that Nico had outshone him in every regard. He has a lot of questions about why a man who would so clearly have made an excellent priest has married and resigned himself to a life as a humble farmer. The more time he spends looking for answers to those questions, the more ‘Nina’ and Nico fear he will stumble on their secrets and bring ruin upon them all.

I loved everything about this book. The pacing was perfect – I was on the edge of my seat the whole time, wondering if Antonia/Nina would be discovered, worried that Nico’s continued work with smuggling Jewish families to safety would get him caught and killed, terrified that the evil Nazi officer would do something to the family as an outlet for his jealousy. And yet into that anxiety the author weaves threads of joy, love and beauty that give the narrative a wonderful balance.

The prose is lovely. Ms. Robson gives us such a luminous picture of life on a small Italian family farm that it felt like I was watching a movie of the events because I could picture everything so clearly. Even though the life described was hard she imbues it with the love the people who lived it feel for it and that made spending time in the environment so wonderfully enticing. I could see why Nina and Nico, both of whom could aspire to a much wealthier existence, had a deep affection for where they were.

The characters are marvelous. As I said, Nico is a to-die-for hero. He is brave and kind and good and just darn near perfect. Nina is the same, and watching them fall in love was as sweet and romantic as I could have wished.

The plotting here is excellent. The author moves us briskly along our story path, giving us a rich, detailed look at occupied Italy and how the denizens came to hate their former allies. She takes our hero and heroine on their perilous route through this war torn landscape, holding out the hope of their finding a peaceful future but always reminding us that there was no guarantee for such a thing in their situation. There are some truly gut-wrenching, horrific moments in the story but the ending makes it all worthwhile.

For those wondering, Nina stays true to her faith and her roots. The idea that she do anything beyond posing as a Christian before the Germans is never entertained. Also worth noting – there is an attempted rape scene at one point, and numerous scenes of wartime violence throughout.

Our Darkest Night was a glorious start to my 2021 reading. I would recommend it to anyone looking for a great, emotional read.

I love Jennifer Robson’s books so I was extremely excited to read an advanced copy of her newest release — Our Darkest Night out today. A novel of Italy and the Second World War. Within it’s pages it shares the journey of a young Jewish woman Antonina / Nina who in order to escape the Holocaust hides from the Nazis in the countryside pretending to be married to a Catholic farmer.

There she finds a new love, a new family, and a new life. A life much different from her own upbringing in Venice as the only daughter of a well loved Jewish doctor.

Our Darkest Night I find is reminiscent the authors previous novels where your instantly wrapped within the story and it’s settings — in Venice and Mezzo Ciel. But, it’s the characters within it’s pages that grab you and don’t let go. I simply adored Nina and Nico and was instantly taken along with them on their journey from strangers to lovers. I also adored Nico’s large family and through the authors clever writing I could see the farm life in great clarity.

In the end I found this novel to be both gripping and poignant, sharing the resiliency of the human spirit, a most epic of love stories and a reminder that love concurs all.

To add to the experience Jennifer Robson also shares research photos and maps on her website. I definitely recommend having a look.

Thank you to @harpercollinsca for sending me this e-copy of Our Darkest Night to enjoy and to provide a honest review.


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I couldn't stay away from these characters. I was so immersed in their story that when I wasn't reading it I couldn't wait to get back to it. An unconventional wartime love story where faith and hope prevail, this book will make you feel grateful for all that you have and will have you hugging your loved ones just a little bit tighter. An outstanding book to start off the new year.

Thank you, Netgalley, for this arc.

Ms. Robson takes us along a heart-rendering journey as a young Jewish woman named Antonia Mazin or Nina as her family calls her, escapes her Nazi occupied home town of Venice to start her life over. Leaving behind her family and the only life she knows, Nina is taken in by Nico Gerardi who pretends to be her husband back in his own hometown. Through all of these adjustments, Nina never lets her character falter. She is strong and brave and adapts to life on a farm and the Catholic faith. As time goes on Nina and Nico grow fonder of one another and their love for one another is no longer an act, but true love itself. Each passing day neighbors of this small Italian community grow in suspicion of Nina and her story. An old classmate from seminary, who has a grudge against Nico, closes in on their family. This classmate is now a German officer and holds nothing back.
I won't give anything away, this is just a small overview. I love these characters and hope you do too. Clear your afternoon. Find a comfy spot in your house and a box of tissues. This story is extraordinary. The writing has beautiful character development and depth.

A beautifully written, heartbreaking story of love and family, of survival and hope during the dark times of WWII. The depiction of life in an Italian village during the war was vivid and the character development was well-done where you feel the characters’ emotions, the love they had for each other, the strong family bonds, but also the fear and terror of living under the Nazi occupation. What Antonina and her family went through was terrible and heart-wrenching. I was moved by her strength and her perseverance and couldn’t stop reading until the end of the book, until I knew what happened to Antonina and to those she loved. This is the second book I’ve read from Jennifer Robson and I enjoy her writing style. Looking forward to reading more from Ms. Robson. Thank you very much to NetGalley and to William Morrow for this ARC.

What would you do for a friend of a friend? Would you go to great lengths to save that friend of a friend's life? Especially if that friend of a friend is Jewish and the Nazis are torturing Jews.

What a fabulous story this was. Jennifer always gives us a good tale and because of that, I chose this for my January book pick with my book club. Jennifer dug deep into my feelings about things, she made me think and she may have made me cry.

Antonia is a Jewish woman living with her dad in Italy. The time has come to get Antonia safe, her father cannot go with her due to other family obligations, but she must go, now. Her father and his friend have created a plan, she will pose as Nico's wife, a Christian, and live in rural Italy instead of the city. Not only will she have to stay under the radar of the Nazi army but also adjust from living in a busy city to the middle of nowhere.

I don't like to give anything away so I am going to stop here. Just know that there will be lots of emotions in this read; hate, love, fear, hunger, devotion, death, resistance....all those things we experience in a WWII book. Have a box of tissues handy.

In the fall of 1942 Antonina, called Nina by her Papà, daily visited the nursing home to care for her Mamma and then helped Papà with his home visits. Though his ability to work openly as a doctor was stripped away because he was Jewish, Papà still secretly took care of patients. Their peaceful ways ended almost a year later when they received news that The Gestapo was planning to arrest every Jew in Venice. Papà had made arrangements with Father Bernardi, a priest friend, for Antonina to live in his village of Mezzo Ciel if her life was ever in danger. In Mezzo Ciel Papà knew she would be safe pretending to be the wife of a farmer named Niccolò Gerardi.

With a heavy heart Nina set off with Nico for his father’s farm. Once there she had to learn how to do heavy housework and farm work, deal with a sister-in-law who resented her presence, and attend Mass every week. Nico understood her loneliness, and she grew to enjoy his company. It didn’t take long before they fell in love.

Unfortunately the happy life she’d begun to enjoy was interrupted with the arrival of a German officer, a former schoolmate of Nico’s. Once he realized Nico had given up his dream of becoming a priest to marry her, it was the beginning of the end for them. His jealousy of Nico and his overall evilness would combine to forever change their lives.

Nico and Nina’s love story, contrasted with the bleakness of what was happening to the Jews in death camps, kept me turning the pages of “Our darkest night.” I wept profusely, and know others will too. When I read in the Acknowledgments that the book was based on her husband’s family’s stories of their World War II memories, the tears I had shed while reading were even more heartfelt. Thank you Jennifer Robson for sharing a part of your family’s life with us.

Highly recommended for Adults.

In turning to a World War II theme, I’d not seen before, Robson has looked at the Italians for the subject of the story. Antonina has been raised in Venice, the daughter of a medical doctor. A Catholic priest and her father hatch a plan to save her from the Jewish roundup expected soon. She poses as the wife of a farmer, Nico, and joins him and the rest of his large family on their farm. The pretense of love soon turns to real love and of course, it is challenged by the arrest of both Nico and Nina. Nina assumes Nico has been killed because of the Jews he helped rescue. Focusing on Nina, the reader follows her harrowing life after being taken by the Nazis. The ending is a feel-good ending, so tearful readers have hope. There’s so much on the market right now about the Jews and the Nazis, I appreciate the new focus in this book. The story was well-told and I’d love to follow the Gerardi family and see what happens to them in the next 25 years.

*** FIVE STAR REVIEW***

It's no secret that I loved The Gown by Jennifer Robson, so I was thrilled to read an ARC of her new book, Our Darkest Night, that comes out on January 4, 2021.

This book takes place in Italy towards the end of the Second World War. A young Jewish woman, Nina, must pose as the wife of a Catholic farmer, Nico, in order to survive.

Spoiler: I LOVED the book! I don't want to say too much about the story, because i would want the reader to experience the same emotional roller coaster that I felt when I read it. I cannot remember the last time I read a book that made me cry like this one. I woke up early one morning last week and finished it before getting up. I was a teary mess trying to get ready for work! I fell in love with Nina and Nico, and this was a book where I kept thinking about the characters long after I finished. In fact, I would love to read a sequel about Nico's older sister Rosa. I'd like to find out where her life takes her next.

I feel like this might be one of my favourite books of the year! I think I liked it even more than The Gown! Dare I say that? All I know is I liked it a LOT. If you liked The Nightingale, All the Light We Cannot See, or The Alice Network, definitely give this one a read!

Thank you to @harpercollinsca, @williammorrowbooks and @netgalley for an ARC of this wonderful book!

Our Darkest Night by Jennifer Robson

Brief Summary: When the racist laws change in Italy during WWII, Antonia Marzin is no longer safe in Venice. She poses as the new wife of a countryside farmer and leaves Venice. Nico left the priesthood to help his family run their farm during the war. He can’t stand by and watch the Nazis take innocent lives and agrees to take Nina home as his bride. This causes a spectacle in their small town and her life depends on the success of their charade as a Catholic couple in love. This is my first novel by Jennifer Robson by I have heard great things about her writing and I was excited to get my hands on this ARC.

Highlights: As a WWII historical fiction enthusiast, I was a bit concerned about Antonia posing as the wife of Nico to escape the Nazis. He caught his family and community off guard and caused speculation. I held my breath throughout the novel waiting to see if this ploy would be discovered. I was riveted and flew through this book in two days; I could not put my kindle down.

Explanation of Rating: 4.5/5; I thought this premise was unique in a populated genre and I flew through it.

Thank you to Net Galley and William Morrow and Custom House Books for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review

This was an emotional book. One not necessarily character driven, but one that deals with the effects of war on a family, on a life and on one’s ability to hope.

World War II can be a difficult subject matter to write about. It’s a history that’s well known but extremely emotional in its telling. Finding a way to immerse new, fictional characters into a narrative that real people lived and making it believable and memorable is a tough task. While I believe the author did a good job of the first task, I feel the book fell short in the latter. Antonina “Nina” Mazin and Niccolo “Nico” Gerardi were likable characters, but they lacked depth. While I felt for them, sympathized with their struggles and smiled at their joys I never was connected to them. It seemed almost as if I were watching a documentary. To me this is the best way to describe the feeling of reading this book. You see the characters lives, come to know and understand them a little but there’s distance. It isn’t the intimate picture normally given in a book. Nina and Nico’s romance didn’t feel fully developed enough to be as deep as it was portrayed in the book and while I loved his family, I found later in the story that I knew very little about them individually. This kept me separated from the story in the sense that while I cared about what happened to the characters, there was less weight to the moments for me because I felt like I barely knew them.

The impact of this book came from the portrayal of the unfolding war and it’s effect on the Gerardi family. To me that was the main point of the book. To show the perspective of a simple, hardworking life of a family that loved each other and how they were all changed by war. We go through the motions with Nina and Nico as they grow closer, she begins to meld in with his family and then persecution begins, first together and then separately. I think the best part of this book was that it showed war’s slow progression. Things didn’t happen all at once for circumstances to become terrible. Harrowing events stole away piece after piece of the family’s normal daily life until they were confronted with the ugliness and brutality of what they were facing.

Nina’s wrestling throughout the story until the end of keeping hope in the midst of utter despair is one thing I did appreciate about this book. Her ability to look past present pain and be determined to reach towards the future, towards hope, is something I could appreciate about her. One thing I do wish is that the author would’ve shown both sides. We see Nina’s side of the difficulties and while her’s and Nico’s may have looked similar, it felt like the story was missing something when Nico was gone for good portions of the book and then back near the end to wrap things up quickly. But the ending itself I felt like needed to be expanded upon. While this whole book was simply from the perspective of this one woman and her life with this family I would’ve liked more expounding on everything that was going on. The wrap up at the end felt a little too clean cut for all that had happened.

The writing for this book was good, I just felt the author needed to develop the characters themselves more and add even a bit of filler so we can be further invested in their lives. Things like scenes between Nico and Nina after they’re together. They talk of being deeply in love but the jump from stranger to lover seemed quick when it’s read. They needed more small, sweet moments for their strong love to be believable. Also, further detail on the father, Aldo and the siblings. While I know who they are, I don’t know their personalities beyond Carlo and why I should care for them, they’re merely parts of the story to fit as side characters. Fleshing them out would put weight to Nico’s love for his family and their care for Nina. I did like the pacing of the book up until the end as I mentioned above. The book was somewhat laidback until it got to about 60% in and then things started to happen. Unfortunately then there was a lot of peril and plot to fit in until the ending and to me this made a lot of very impactful and weighty material seem to fly by too fast. To me it would’ve been better to either have Nina’s ordeal start earlier or end it sooner and deal with the themes of recovery to finish out the ending.

Overall this was an enjoyable read. The book was easy to get through and I believe the author really did her work on the background of the war and its effects on the community of Italian Jews. A good read for someone who likes World War II fiction, suspense and stories about the bonds of family, love and hope.

There are so many WWII books available to readers and it is hard to imagine that an author would have anything new to contribute. Jennifer Robson once again lets her talent shine in this
story. The book is all emotion. It provides readers with a glimpse as to what the impact of the war was like on those families who were just struggling to maintain a livelihood. It is a reminder of how everyday people became everyday heroes. The reader is immediately immersed into the story. One cannot help but feel for Nina from the onset. Robson guides the reader through the complexities of Nico's decisions and how they not only affect the people he is trying to help but his family as well. This is a story of self-sacrifice, love, determination, acceptance and strength. A beautiful and powerful read.

Great story and well written. Set in WWII Italy, which was a nice change of pace. Most WWII historical fiction is set in Germany or France. An unlikely pairing turn into a love story you saw coming, but want anyway. Even though you can pretty much see where the plot is going, you don't even care. I wanted to keep reading to see how it was going to play out. That is the mark of a great writer. Perfect for any Historical Fiction lover.

I could not put down this well written and moving piece of historical fiction. The setting is Italy, starting in the early years of WWII. When the Fascist laws were enforced, Jews were not allowed to practice their professions. Nina’s father, a doctor, saw the horrors that were coming as far as roundups and deportations, sending his daughter off in the care of his good friend, Father Bernardi, a priest in a small village. Nico was the young man who brought her back to his village, under the pretense that she was his new wife, hiding her religion. The story unfolds as the war progresses, and things take a horrible turn. I loved the characters, including Nico’s sister, Rosa, and Father Bernardi. The risks taken by gentiles to help hide Jews put them at risk, but Nico explained that if he didn’t help he would be as bad as the oppressors. I highly recommend this story, and thank NetGalley for the ARC.

This was a new author for me as I have been really getting into historical fiction books this year. Robson is already well established, but this was my first book of hers and I really enjoyed it. Our Darkest Night follows the life of Antonina who, being Jewish, must flee the Jewish area of her town in Venice once the Nazis are closing in. Her mother, having suffered a stroke and being in a care home is unable to follow and her father, an esteemed doctor whose license was revoked for his Jewish heritage will not leave her, so he arranges for Antonina to become Nina, and pose as the wife of a Catholic farmer in a more remote village. Forced to leave less than a day after she is told the plan, Nina struggles with her new life, learning how to help on the farm and maintaining the fiction of her marriage to Nico, even with his immediate family in order to protect them. In sharing a life with Nico however she soon falls in love with the man who had agreed to pose as her husband, despite her being a complete stranger, in order to save her life. But their relationship and cover story is soon to be tested.

Robson writes well and creates characters that the author genuinely connects to and feels a vested interest in. Robson also injects a good deal of Italian history of WWII and the Nazi occupation that I was unaware of and I enjoyed learning so much along the way. It was of interest to me that Robson draws a veil over intimate scenes and has a only a few cuss words - mainly spoken by Nazis which is necessary for realistic dialogue. It made me wonder if I was at first reading Christian fiction, but checking the publisher it wasn't. Not sure if that is Robson's style in general or just for this heroine, but I enjoyed the style and thought she did a great job fleshing out her characters such that real dramatic tension was created whenever one was in danger. An enjoyable read.

My thanks to the publisher for sending me an advanced copy via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Our Darkest Night
A Novel of Italy and the Second World War
by Jennifer Robson
William Morrow and Custom House
You Are Auto-Approved
William Morrow Paperbacks
General Fiction (Adult) | Historical Fiction | Women's Fiction
Pub Date 05 Jan 2021 | Archive Date 02 Mar 2021

Yes!! Read this!! I had heard a lot about the Gown so I was eager to read this new author to me. Thanks to William Morrow and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. It was excellent! I will recommend it to our patrons.
5 stars

Our Darkest Night is the latest release from historical fiction author Jennifer Robson. This story is that of the horrors of WWII, but from a new perspective. The setting this time is that of occupied Italy, 1943. The main character, Nina, a young Jewish woman, is arranged into a false marriage to our resistance fighter, NIco. Nina is not in love with her match at first, but it does not take long for that to change. Nina and Nico soon became madly in love. We learn of Nina's adaptation to NIco's large, and at first quite unwelco9ming, family. NIco goes on to continue his efforts aiding the Jewish refuges to safety. Everyone seems genuinely convinced of this couple and the legitimacy of their love and marriage. Except, for one powerful Nazi officer, who happens to dislike Nico.

Unfortunately, Nina and Nico's charade as husband and wife is soon exposed. It is not long before both parties are discovered, exposed, and sadly separated. Will this couple ever see one and other again? Will their love survive their long and dark journeys? This is a tale of love, courage, and hope.

Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this tremendous story.
#Netgalley #ourdarkestnight #jenniferrobson

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. I really enjoyed Our Darkest Night by Jennifer Robson. I don’t think I’ve cried that much while reading in quite a while! Our Darkest Night is told from the perspective of Antonina “Nina” Mazin Gerardi, a Jewish woman from Venice. As the German threat increases, Nina’s father makes arrangements for Nina to be hidden, by posing as Niccolo “Nico” Gerardi’s wife. The first part of the book spends a good amount of time on Nina acclimating to farm life from the city, and the large, loving Gerardi family. Nico, who at one point was in seminary, was aiding various refugees to safety. The German official in Mezzo Ciel, Karl Swerger, was a former seminary classmate of Nico’s, and an all-around bully. He eventually figures out the truth and both Nina and Nico are arrested, though separately. The second half of the book describes the harrowing time Nina spent as a prisoner in various camps.

During the first part of the book, there wasn’t too much action, and so I got comfortable, assuming it would be a tale about provincial life during World War II, and the ways people found to survive. Enter the second half of the book - it was so deep, so emotional, and so very raw, I couldn’t bear to put it down. The hopelessness that Robson depicts is so realistic, I was feeling the hopelessness right along with Nina. The twist at the end will definitely pull at your heartstrings.

Overall, I’m very glad I read this book. Sometimes historical fiction, especially WWII fiction, can get bogged down with unrealistic situations. Our Darkest Night is truly fantastic fiction, and I would highly recommend it to all readers.

Another good book by one of my favorite authors. Her writing draws you into the story immediatley with the characters. The idea of a man, a stranger, stepping in with no questions, to help a young jewish girl be safe, and pretend that she was his wife is just an amazing premise to the story. I felt like it drug a little bit in the last part, but I guess that is because I assumed some things about the story and it led me to believe the story needed to be wrapped up, when in fact it didn't. I love when I read a good WWII story that gives yet another perspective that I had not already read or heard about from the war. Thank you for the opportunity to review the book.

One Darkest Night is a historical novel set in 1940's Italy during World War II. Antonina Mazin is a Jewish woman living in Venice and studying to be a nurse. As danger grows for Jews in Italy, her father arranges with a family friend for her to leave Venice and move to the countryside, where she will live as a farmer's wife with a new name and new identity. Nina, as she is now known, grows close to Nico as they make a new life in dangerous times. But Nico's work rescuing Jews attracts attention from a very dangerous man.

I wanted to read this novel because I love historical fiction and especially am interested in the 1940's. I have read very few books set during 1940's Italy, so the setting was also interesting to me. I have read several books by Jennifer Robson and enjoy her writing.

This is a well told, engrossing story. Nina is a very likable, sympathetic protagonist and I immediately was interested in her story and concerned about her safety. Nico, who had been studying for the priesthood before returning to his family's farm and getting involved with the Resistance, is a fascinating character. I loved Nina and Nico's love story too; it was beautifully written.

The second half of the novel is even darker, as danger grows for Nina, Nico, and their families. Some of the chapters were harrowing and difficult to read. I'm glad I continued reading, though; Our Darkest Night is a sensitively told, unusual story.

I recommend this novel for fans of historical fiction, and especially for anyone interested in life during World War II.