I enjoy historical fiction taking place in almost any time period.
This one takes place during world war 2.
Very descriptive book about experiencing war during it and the aftermath affects on the mind and body. Some just aren't right in the mind after they experience war.
Very powerful book that will definitely make you feel as though you are there experiencing the war ,hearing the cries of pain,feeling the hunger in your stomach with the lack of food to be had,cowering in fear as the shelling shakes the earth.
There is light shining upon the darkness though in the form of love both romantic and parental love.
The book really pulls you in.

Published September 24th 2020
I was given a complimentary copy of this book. Thank you.
All opinions expressed are my own

it’s 5.30 am and I have just finished reading the stolen letter and am in the wonderful stage of book hangover, where I wish there were more left to read and I have no inclination to move on to the next book and away from all the characters I have come to know and love in this one.

This is an extraordinary book, that slowly but surely pulls you in and devours you. The imagery is amazing, the story both enticing and heartbreaking, while being beautifully crafted.

I love story’s set in the war, and seeing people overcoming the most devastating circumstances, their spirit and determination never fails to amaze me and Stella is no exception, as we shadow her life, page by page watching her grow from a frighten, naive young girl to a strong and determined young woman.

Her story is heartbreaking and invigorating, and she meets a whole host of interesting and well developed characters along the way, from the evil and twisted Marius, who marries her, merely to torture and terrorize her, to Beatrice, sharp and distrusting, but ultimately kind and compassionate underneath.

Clara builds realistic, believable characters, perfectly flawed, as we all are and weaves a historical novel that has you convinced you have actually step back in time, and are witnessing the real happens of world war 2 in all us gruesome reality.

I cannot recommend this book highly enough and will definitely be looking for more books by this author in the future.

I receive this book in return for an honest review from NetGalley. As always I apologize for any errors in spelling or grammar and ask for your forgiveness. Due to my Crohn’s disease I often get terrible brain fog and forget how to spell the simplest of words as well as mixing up words and names and such. Unfortunately there isn’t a whole lot I can do about it, except as for your understanding.

I’ve made no secret of how much I like to learn from historical fiction novels. I would be willing to bet that most people who read the genre do so for the same reasons. There’s just something about learning while enjoying a good story as well.

I’ve been fortunate in this regard, especially lately, because I particularly like learning about aspects that are usually overlooked. Oddly, this is the second book in a week that centered on an English woman in Italy during the rise of Mussolini in the early days of WWII.

I actually like it when this happens, because (as I have mentioned before) I love to learn from historical fiction. When I find (even by accident) books that have similar themes, I feel like I gain a deeper understanding of the period and the issues. That’s certainly the case here.

I thought the set-up was a grab, and it drew me in right away. I mean, any time you are in WWII fiction and you have Nazis in the opening scene, you know that there is going to be some hidden meanings or events.

As much as I liked the story, the premise was a tad shaky. A 19-year-old English female traveling to Italy in September 1938 seems foolish, especially if anyone at the time had been paying attention. But that relocation was vital to the plot, and Stella did seem pretty sheltered, so I was able to overlook it for the most part.

I could tell right away that Monica and her brother were up to no good. But the intrigue was certainly well-written. At times I felt more like I was reading a mystery, which made me that much more invested in figuring out what was really going on with the dynamics.

And yes, there were times that I wanted to yell at Stella to stop being so naïve. Thank goodness Ted was there to do that for me! I think he was my favorite character, only because most of the time he seemed to just “get it.” He was aware when others weren’t and seemed to be a voice of reason.

I particularly liked the motivating factors behind the entire plot. I have always found the plundering of art by the Nazis to be a particularly fascinating psychological study, largely due to their (illogical) reasonings and excuses for their actions in this regard. I thought the author handled this very well with both facts and speculation (for the purpose of the plot).

Another strength was the author’s descriptions of Florence. I know that there were many changes over the years, especially having to rebuild after the war, but I was there in the 90s, and there were several locations that were familiar. That was a nice stroll down memory lane for me.

I’d definitely recommend this book to fans of historical fiction, and even to those who like a little bit of mystery.

Set against the backdrop of WWII, we read about art and how valuable art pieces were affected by politics and the whim of politicians. Also how other characters were affected by all of that.

The details on the war and art were very interesting, but I didn’t feel any connection to any of the characters and did not feel the romance or the troubles.

Stella as the main character started really weak and clueless and a bit unlikable, although she grows as the book progresses, it didn’t make me like her much.

The first part was a bit too long and not a lot was happening that I lose interest in the book for a while.

I did appreciate the details throughout though.

My first by Clara Benson but will definitely not be my last. A historical-fiction book that definitely takes you on an emotional journey and one that I could not put down. Lots of twists and turns which are truly memorable. The story and the characters were terrific, and it covers friendship, violence, unexpected decisions and betrayal. I would definitely recommend this. Many thanks to Clara Benson and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this.

Novels set during wartime are my most favourite historical fiction to read, and thankfully Clara Benson kept that momentum going.

Set in Italy in 1938, Stella can't help but be excited for her promising new life in her beautiful new surroundings. However, unfinished business has a way of catching up with people when they expect it to, and soon enough Stella's new life takes a turn that looks set to be a lot darker than she anticipated.

Stella is such a memorable character to read about and get to know. I felt a lot of empathy towards her because of how she had to mature a lot faster than nature intended her to. I think she surprised herself, and the readers, by flourishing the way that she did. Whilst I applauded her strength and courage, I couldn't help but feel a sense of loss for her and the roads she wasnt able to go down because of certain choices that were made.

'The Stolen Letter' really is a heartwarming read, one which reminded me so much of author Kathryn Hughes 'The Letter'! If you're after a well balanced, detailed and blossoming read, then I highly recommend you get a hold of this.

I’ve been reading a lot of WW2 historical novels of late and The Stolen Letter, like The Wartime Nanny, is a coming of age story of a young girl. Stella is however, an English girl whose wartime experience takes place in Italy.

A lot of the story revolves around the clandestine movement pieces of art during the war, as the Germans sought to acquire masterpieces from all the places they laid siege too. Stella’s late father, her stepmother and her second husband, and Stella’s husband are all in some way or the other deeply involved in art. The story reveals how people were willing to curry favour with the Nazis the greed and sheer callousness that many people displayed.

The story starts with Stella being a naive young girl, heartbroken at the loss of her father and all at sea in Florence where she is visiting at the invitation of her stepmother. She shows sparks of spirit when she ventures into Florence on her own and later when she finds out and keeps hidden her father’s secret. However, her need for love and attention allows her to fall prey to and marry a man who abuses her and gains access to her money.

Stella is forced to grow up and she displays great courage and resilience through the German occupation of Italy and the devastation caused by the Italian Fascists.

Stella’s climb back to a real life, even if it is fraught with terrible pain and hardship, starts when she falls in love with the American journalist, Ted. How the war and other factors keep them apart and how they find their way back to each other is one thread of this story.

Another thread that runs through the story is Stella’s fears about her father being involved in the illegal buying of art and how she discovers the truth about her father.

The story has elements of romance, murder, deception, loss, forgiveness, friendship, courage and the triumph of good over evil. Overall, a riveting read.

Clara Benson is an author that I only discovered this year since her switch to historical fiction with Bookouture and I have to say I am loving her stories. The plots are compelling with characters you will both love and hate and a powerful story is woven within dynamic and interesting settings that really help set the tone for the overall plot and themes being explored. The prologue to The Secret Letter opens in Berlin in 1937 as Hitler is slowly ascending to his full power. A tense and dramatic scene sees a man left dead as officers arrive at his house with numerus accusations spilling forth which may or may not be exaggerated. At the source of this argument are some paintings and this forms the crux of this novel and in turn leads to many twists, turns and mysteries that really have you guessing until the ultimate secret is revealed and connections are made back to the questions that arise in the brief prologue.

A year later Stella Cockburn is accompanied by a chaperone as she journeys to Italy. She is being sent to stay with her only guardian of sorts, her father’s wife Monica Carminati who lives in Florence until she comes of age and will receive her inheritance. Stella’s father had been killed in a car accident and since then Monica has remarried to an Italian Count who is a senator in Mussolini’s army. Right from the beginning it was obvious that Monica had no real interest in her stepdaughter at all, that in fact all she really wanted was something from her. Over time it became obvious that Stella was a pawn in a much bigger game and that there were many forces at work. That people should not be taken at face value as they really weren’t all as they seem. But Stella saw none of this when she arrived in Florence. The darker side of the country was yet to make itself known to her but given she was so young at the time and so naïve I don’t think she was really ready to see it even if it had become visible.

Monica is trying to find records of paintings that Stella’s father Raymond had bought in Berlin before he died. Will Stella hold the key? To be honest there wasn’t a significant amount that happened in the first part of the novel. There was a lot of setting up with information that I didn’t think was adding much to the story and as for Stella her infatuation with Monica’s brother Marius just seemed a bit too far fetched and even more so when she accepts his proposal. I just couldn’t help thinking that she is far too young for any of this to happen but it’s only as the story progressed that I realised that in fact it was all really crucial and these little scenarios were forming a small part in the overall brilliant plot.

I really enjoyed how the story didn’t stay stuck in the same year, that in fact it moved forward through the war years. Part two sees a very different Stella to the girl we first encountered arriving at a young age in Italy. She is now living in Geneva in 1943 and marriage to Marius is not all she had envisaged in fact it is the total opposite. Marius was a brilliantly written character. To everyone else that is featured in the book he is charm personified and he is a supreme art dealer at the top of his game especially in Nazi Germany but behind closed doors Stella sees the real Marius and it’s not one you would like to have to live with. Yet for me this was the turning point in how I felt about the character of Stella. Yes, she was experiencing a horrific time but it made all her innocence and naivety disappear. I thought she really needed to grow up and admittedly the events making this happen were not nice but still they were the catalyst for change that started an even bigger series of events that had me rapidly turning the pages keen to discover what was awaiting me as everything in the later half was so well laid out. It was like Stella was jumping on stepping stones in order to solve the mystery that surrounded her and I was enjoying every moment journeying with her.

Stella was treated abhorrently but it gave her the impetuous to do something about her situation and she then showed such bravery and maturity and in fact treated people with such respect who really didn’t deserve it. The scenes set in Florence during the height of the war were real, raw and honest as the bombs rain down and Mussolini’s power begins to fade as Stella finds herself involved in something she never deemed possible. I have failed so far to mention American journalist Ted, a man Stella first meets at Villa Bruni where Monica lives. At first he just seemed to be a passing guest but as the story went deeper he stepped forward to play the most pivotal of roles under several guises.

I loved Ted, he was the complete opposite to Marius. He was wise, clever and always had his investigative head on. It was evident that there was a connection between himself and Stella but given her predicament, and one of her own making it has to be said, and also what happens to Ted in the later war years one wondered could either of them ever find happiness? Together I thought they made a great team as Ted’s inquisitive, investigative nature combined with Stella holding the key to unlock an even bigger story than what she at first comprehended the power between the pair would only grow greater. Although circumstances did their best to stop Stella seeking the truth and finding out did her father actually care for her at all or was he a man the total opposite to what she had always been led to believe?

Similar to how I felt about the first book that I read by Clara Benson, In Darkness Look for Stars, the first part of The Stolen Letter I found to be very slow. But don’t put this book down that easily, if you find the same problem, persist with it and you will be richly rewarded. The remainder of the book had a much better pace and it was like a completely different book from what I had initially been reading. The lead into the actual war beginning was too long. I understood it was to give some backstory to Stella and her situation and the main plot and clues were dropped or some little piece of information that seemed inconsequential at the time but everything really made sense and was more than surprising at the end. But for me the first part was just too drawn out with other bits of information that I wouldn’t deem strictly necessary.

In fact, in the beginning I found Stella to be totally naïve but when I thought about what else could have been only that way given her age and her worldly experiences up until that point. At times I couldn’t believe in her as a character as she was too young for what was unfolding but when she is older and war breaks out, we see a change in Stella. We see her suffer, yet grow and mature, and then I truly began to engage and become caught up in the story as the action kicked off and the web woven began to quickly unravel.

I’m really enjoying the writing of Clara Benson. She writes detailed books set during World War Two with a great mystery behind them. If we got straight into the action right from the first parts I know I would be enthralled from the get go. Despite this The Stolen Letter is another fantastic read from this author and one I would certainly recommend.

“The core of the city of Florence has remained unchanged for centuries. You might take a stroll to the grocery store today and walk exactly in the footsteps of someone like Donatello or Michelangelo in the Renaissance.
For some, that fact is just an amusing thought, quickly forgotten. For others this simple walk becomes a pilgrimage, and you question, what is this magic I feel?
Does it come from the curious worn-out grey stone, or the way the light cuts through a narrow street?
Or the calm rhythm of green shutters of windows on those sun kissed walls? Nah.
It must be the beauty of the Arno, and it’s graceful bridges that dance into the mist.
No… it must be a symphony of those rooftops that vibrate in unison with Brunelleschi’s Dome!
That’s Florence. It touches your very soul, stirs your senses, brings forth your creativity, and before your know it, you are on a threshold of your own personal Renaissance.
It smacks you awake, and your life is changed forever.”

Paola Vojnovic, Art Historian, 2019.

The book begins in 1938, just before the start of #WW2, with setting the scene of illegal #Nazi art deals. The main character Stella, is the daughter of an art dealer, who spent more time travelling the world acquiring art, then he did at home, with her. When her own mother died, her father had married an Italian (a Florentinian), only 10 years Stella's senior.

When her father dies, Stella (young and just out of boarding school), is invited to her "step mother" Monica's estate in Florence, Monica has since remarried a Count named Gerrardo. It is here, on their estate, just over the river Arno, where Stella meets, Ted, an American journalist, Marius, Monica's twin brother, Dora and Beatrice (the "help"), and Mimo and Vittorio (Vittorio is the Count's assistant). Stella, finds herself initially, out of place, being an English woman in Florence, and as well, young and inexperienced. But soon, she learns not only to fit in, but to love the beautiful city of Florence.

I really enjoyed reading this book that took me right back to Florence, (a city I was fortunate to visit a few years ago): the #pontevecchio, the #duomo, the #ufizigallery and #piazas and alley ways of #Florence that have been there for centuries and entertained the presence of the greatest minds and artists in history.

I got wrapped up in Clara's story, and, before I knew it, I finished the book and I was googling pictures of Florence, #Firenze, to take me back there (virtually) once more.

Thank you #netgalley and Clara Benson for an advanced copy of Stella's story, #thestolenletter, in return for my honest review.

The Stolen Letter by Clara Benson is a historical fiction book is set in Italy and Geneva. It begins just prior to the Second World War. We meet Stella, her father has died and she has travelled to Florence to stay with her step mother.Her stepmother has a hidden agenda for Stella's invite, Stella's father was an art dealer and had hidden artwork away. He wrote a letter to Stella telling her where it was but Stella has not received it and her stepmother wants her in Italy to find out what Stella knows. Stella arrives in Italy and she immediately falls for Ted, an american journalist who is arrogant and wild, but she can't help herself. Then war breaks out and Stella finds herself stuck in Italy for the forseeable future.
A story that manages to cover every emotion known to us. We are immersed in broken families, Nazi brutality, resistance fighters, domestic violence. We see what the Italian people had to endure during the war, something I have never really considered in this time.Among all these horrific things the Nazi's continue to make everything worse by trying to strip Italy and the citizens of their artwork and treasures, something they did in every country they invaded, The Netherlands, France, Poland. Stamping their cruelty over Europe.
Such an emotional book with the glimmer of love even in the brutality and tragedy of war. Again, Clara Benson has written a beautiful, riveting stort that swept me to Italy and kept me there until the final page.
Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for this book so I could write this review today.

I'm addicted to World War 2 fiction as it shows how ordinary people survived in extraordinary times. Add in that this book is set in partially set in Italy, and it became a must read for me.

Ohhh I just loved it. From the beginning, I felt huge empathy for Stella, she has just left school and has no family. Alone in the world, she travelled to spend time with her distant Step Mother's new family (sounds like family I know, but there was zero emotionally attachment).

With world events spiralling around her, Stella has to mature fast. And I love watching her character development, as she grew into a brave, resilient woman, who had to endure many hardships.

The romance sucked me right in and I felt very emotionally attached to the characters. With a strong sense of Italian setting and some glorious rich detail about the art world, it whisked me away entirely while reading.

Tender-hearted, compelling and very addictive, I highly recommend The Stolen Letter to you.

Thanks to Bookouture for giving me for giving me a copy of this book for review consideration. As always, no matter what the source of the book, you get my honest, unbiased opinion.

Title: The Stolen Letter
Author: Clara Benson
Publication Day: 24/09/2020

Description:

The longer her imprisonment went on, the more she cast her mind back to the stolen hours they had spent together. His love had blown in like an unexpected breath of warm summer air, giving her the promise of life and joy. But now they had been torn apart and she was tormented by the thought that they might never be reunited.

Italy, 1938: When Stella arrives in Florence, it’s love at first sight. She is wowed by the rolling hills dotted with olive trees, the buttermilk villas with shuttered windows and terracotta roofs that glow gloriously in the sunlight. Even the breeze holds the scent of freedom – freedom from England, where the shadow of her past haunted her.

Then there is Ted, an American journalist who is wild and mischievous, with an arrogance bordering on rude. Stella is infuriated by him – but she cannot deny the lure of the danger and excitement he promises.

But there is something dark under the bright surface of this beautiful country, with unspeakable tragedies just around the corner. When the Nazis take control of Italy, Stella and Ted – and whatever dreams the future held for them – are ripped apart. As bombs descend, destroying everything in their wake, there is nothing to do but sit in darkness, praying to see tomorrow.

And it seems that even in Italy, Stella’s past has found her. Somewhere in the winding streets of Florence there is a letter that could change the course of her fate. Unknown to her, it holds a secret with the power to rewrite her past, and everything she has been running away from. But will she live to find it? And with the odds stacked against her, will she ever see Ted again?

This beautifully spun and stirring tale is about the impossible tragedies of war and the miraculous possibilities of love. Fans of Kristin Hannah’s The Nightingale, Rhys Bowen’s The Tuscan Child, and The Letter by Kathryn Hughes will be utterly captivated by this spectacular historical page-turner.



Readers absolutely love Clara Benson:


‘Amazing… One of my favourite stories… A brilliant story that is full of twists and turns… I felt like I was on the edge of my seat the whole time while reading… A must-read.’ Chells and Books, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Oh my word, this was definitely an emotive and additive read, and then some… I felt myself well up… I fully immersed myself in the story and I knew that nothing much would be done for the rest of the day as I would be too busy reading!... I was too hooked… Superbly written… I became so emotionally involved with certain characters that every time they felt pain, I felt pain…The author uses such vivid and realistic descriptions that I actually felt as though I was part of the story myself.’ Ginger Book Geek, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Amazing… I truly loved this book… Clara Benson does a masterful job of bringing her characters to life.’ Historically Yours, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Stirring, captivating and electrifying… So poignant it could sever readers’ heartstrings.’ Bookish Jottings, ⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘A beautifully devastating book. Highly emotional and utterly captivating from the first page to the last.’ Loopyloulaura, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

BLOG TOUR REVIEW

Review for 'The Stolen Letter' by Clara Benson.

Read and reviewed via NetGalley for Bookouture publishers and Bookouture anonymous

Publication date 24th September 2020

This is the first book that I have read by this author.

I was originally drawn to this book by its intriguing and beautiful cover and interesting sounding blurb. I also wanted a change from my typical genre of crime fiction and this looked perfect. I must admit I was also biased due to the publisher being Bookouture. I have yet to read a book published by Bookouture that I haven't enjoyed. Hopefully this won't be the first... Watch this space! (Written before I started reading the book).

This novel consists of a prologue and 39 chapters split in 4 parts. The chapters are medium in length so ideal to read 'just one more chapter' before bed...OK, I know yeah right, but still just in case!

This book is written in third person perspective. I enjoy books written in third person as it let's you see the bigger picture of what's going on and you get to know more characters.

This book is based in Italy and Geneva.

Confusing with several characters and storylines.

Part one focuses on Stella and her relationships with Monica, Ted and Marius and Beatrice and her relationships with Mimmo and Vittorio. Part one is based in Italy 🇮🇹 during the start of the war. I found part one to be a very slow burner and confusing at times while getting to know the many characters and their individual backgrounds and storylines.

Part two is based in Geneva in the middle of the war and focuses on Stella and her relationships with Maurius and Ted. This part is much more fast paced with more action and less characters. With less characters I found I could understand more of each one and what was going on.

Part Three is based in Italy and focuses on Stella, Ted, Beatrice, Tina, Dora and Vittorio. During part three the pace of the storyline picked up much faster and you can really see Stella maturing and her character developing. The storyline is also more 'set' and you can understand much more of what is going on.

Part Four. Italy 🇮🇹. In this part we see all the remaining characters from the rest of the book and find out what happens to them.

Once I got to know the individual characters some grew on me and others I could not abide. The character I believe that went through the biggest transformation was Stella who started of as a naive young girl and ended the story as a courageous young woman. I really enjoyed how the author showed her gradual growth in strength.

I think one of the biggest challenges of this book is to write a story from the war from a side that wasn't against the Germans and I believe the author did this well. I struggled at the beginning to read it through this perspective but as I delved deeper into the book and attitudes changed with some of the characters I felt that I bonded with them better.

Overall a very slow burner but one that ends in a roller-coaster ride of love, loss, strength, war and courage. After Part one things definitely picked up for me and that's when I got sucked in.

Genres covered include Saga, Historical Fiction, Coming-of-age story

I would recommend this book to the fans of the above.

423 pages.

This book is £1.99 to purchase on kindle via Amazon which I think is an absolute bargain for this book!!!

Rated 4 /5 (I enjoyed it ) on Goodreads, Instagram, Amazon UK and Amazon US and on over 30 Facebook pages plus my blog on Facebook.

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Author Bio:



Clara Benson is the author of the Angela Marchmont Mysteries and Freddy Pilkington-Soames Adventures - traditional English whodunits in authentic style set in the 1920s and 30s. One day she would like to drink cocktails and solve mysteries in a sequinned dress and evening gloves. In the meantime, she lives in the north of England with her family and doesn't do any of those things.


To find out about new releases and receive a FREE, exclusive Angela Marchmont short story, sign up to her mailing list at clarabenson.com/newsletter.

Author Social Media Links:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ClaraBooks

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ClaraBensonBooks

BUY LINKS:

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This is a wonderful story of friendship, betrayal and love set in war-torn Italy. Although slow to start, the characters develop through the story, and the hardships of war and fighting for the resistance are told in a clear and engaging way.
The story of the stolen letter is intriguing, and is mixed with the mystery of the missing paintings stolen to order by the Germans.

Interesting storyline. It held my interest. A lot of detail. I grew bored with that. Overall a good book.

Set mainly in Florence during World War II The Stolen Letter focuses on a young english woman named Stella. Stella is lonely and somewhat sheltered and still dealing with the death of he father she wished she had seen more. On the request of her stepmother she visits Florence and ultimately becomes swept up in the war. I liked the character growth for Stella during the book thought she from from a lonely and just out of school to a brave woman who takes risks to save others. The supporting characters are also interesting and add to the story. I liked that this book had some focus on the art world. The theft/value/and in some cases disregard of art by the Nazis isn’t something that I’ve seen dealt with in many WWII Historical fiction stories. I wish we got to see more of this but it was nice for a change to read about this topic in the genre.

Thanks NetGalley for the chance to read this book!

I found this story fascinating. It was really interesting reading about Italy during World War 2. There were some great characters in the story and a good storyline.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

A very enjoyable read, although up to halfway it could be seen as a drama or romance with very little mention of WW2. This in no way detracts from what was a fast but at times very tense novel.
I loved the characters, and Benson stayed true to them throughout.
Thank you NerGalley for this ARC in return for my honest review.

Set in Italy during WWII. 1938: When Stella arrives in Florence, its love at first sight. Her father was dead and she had been invited to stay with her stepmother. Ted is an American journalist who is wild and arrogant. Stella is infatuated with him. But it seems Stella's past has caught up with her. There's a letter that could change the course of ger fate.

What an emotionally twisted book thus us. The book has been researched and it's well written. I wasn't keen on Stella but she grew on me. A story of friendship, violence, unexpected decisions and betrayal. There is also the hardships of the Resistance and Nazi brutality they had to endure. This is a really good historical fiction novel that everyone should read.

I would like to thank #NetGalley, #Bookouture and the author #ClaraBenson for my ARC in exchange for an honest review

I loved this book. Yes it's set during WW2 (And just prior) but more than anything it's about a young woman's journey into adulthood. At first Stella isn't someone to particularly warm to as she's had little life experience and seems quite immature, but as the story moves along she grows on you and she changes in immeasurable ways. The book also gives an interesting insight into the experience of regular Italians during the war and also the devastation wreaked on Florence. I would definitely recommend and thanks to #netgalley and #clarabenson for my arc.

Clara Benson stole my heart from the very beginning with this beautiful story about impossible tragedies of war and the possibilities of love. This novel is truly amazing and one I could not put down. I am honored to have read this prior to publication because The Stolen Letter is not one to miss.

What I liked:
👉 WWII Period Genre
👉 full of twists and turns
👉 takes place in Italy
👉 vivid and real descriptions that get you emotionally involved
👉 masterfully written where the characters leap off the page
👉 both devastating and beautiful
👉 tale about love and war

SYNOPSIS of THE STOLEN LETTER:
Stella arrives in Florence, Italy in 1938 and knew it was love at first sight. The rolling hills dotted with olive trees, the buttermilk villas with shuttered windows and terracotta roofs glowing gloriously in the sunlight wowed her everywhere she looked. Even the breeze held the scent of her freedom from England where the shadow of her past haunted her.

With unspeakable tragedies just around the corner as Nazis close in on Italy, Stella realizes the darkness under the bright surface of the beautiful country she fled to. Her dreams of being with her true love Ted, an American journalist, are shortly ripped apart as bombs quickly descend on Florence and destroy everything in their wake. With nothing to do but sit in darkness and pray to see tomorrow, Stella reminisces on the stolen hours they spent together. How Ted’s love had blown in like an unexpected breath of warm summer air, giving her the promise of life and joy. Now, imprisonment seems to be never ending and she wonders if they will ever be reunited.

As if that’s not enough, Stella’s past finds her in the winding streets of Florence. A letter written to her by her deceased father could change the course of her fate as it holds a secret to rewrite her past and everything she has been running away from. There is just one problem…Stella must live to find the letter.