A fun sweet read! Highly recommend.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for my ARC.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my digital copy in exchange for an honest review. I requested this one because I will literally read pretty much anything having to do with Italy. Throw in a word like island and I feel like I have to read it lol. And I'm not going to lie...books like these tend to be my favorite because they start with a mission...in this particular case, Annie's dad dies and it is basically his last request that she go to Italy and discover who they are...all she has is a bracelet and a name and the island to go on...and I have to say I was hooked from the beginning...I loved the story line, I loved the characters, most of them, and I obviously loved the location. I was looking up so much to see if they were real places...because it would have been added immediately to my list of places to travel to one day. There was also quite a bit of personal growth and I love that...If you are a fan of contemporary romance, I would highly recommend this one. :)

A beautifully written and exquisitely told, The Italian Island is one not to miss. Twenty-year-old Annie arrives on the Sicilian island of Galatea carrying nothing but grief for the father she just lost in her heart and the weight of the mystery she just inherited on her shoulders. All she knows about her grandmother is that she died in a concentration camp during World War Two. But when handsome local fisherman Salvo’s sea-blue eyes sparkle at the sight of the delicate gold band around her wrist, Annie knows she’s come to the right place.

Lovely feel good book to read. It was a joy to read. Lovely characters. Great plot. The book was charming. Very well written. I’d definitely recommend this book

Another fantastic book by this author! This is a dual time novel where Annie relives the life of her grandmother to find out the true story what happens to mira before she went to the concentration to camp. A beautifully written story but I didn't want to put down.

I fell in love with this author with her first book I read! Each book I enjoy more and more! Being whisked away to beautiful Italian places with beautiful stories to go with them is always a pleasure. If I could rate this book a million stars, and the author, I would!! Definitely always a must read author for me!!!

I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by NetGalley

The Italian Island was advertised as "An absolutely heart-wrenching page-turner about how the catastrophic consequences of war can echo through generations, and the power that true love has to save us all"

This is another time-split novel that tells the stories of two different girls during two different time-frames. When Annie's beloved father dies he leaves her a letter telling her not to make the same mistakes that he did and to go find her roots on a tiny Italian island. The only thing she knows about her grandmother is that she died in a concentration camp after having given birth to Annie's father. When she arrives on the island she meets Salvo, her landlord and off-course prospective love interest, and with his aid she starts discovering the island and its history. While doing so she has a couple of visions in which she discovers her grandmothers history. In the mean time Salvo and Annie are getting on really well and their romance develops into something deeper.

It is a really nice read and although it is advertised as a war story the war really stays at a far distance during the majority of the book although there is a surprising plot turn at the end of the book. Well, if you read carefully, you might see it coming as did I.

Nice read and the characters are likeable, except for Mira's family, but that's quite the point of this book. 3,5 stars, but I'll round it up to 4 because the book brought me in a happy mood.

I want to thank Netgalley and Bookouture for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This mesmerizing story is about three young women who try to find their rightful place in the world. The chapters are told through alternating perspectives between Mira in the past and Annie in the present. Mira Goodman is an upper-class English girl who is sent by her family to the island of Galatea in the Sicily region after a scandal. She makes the acquaintance of a young island woman named Mimi and the girls become close friends. During her time on the island World War II is raging on the mainland, but Galatea is a beautiful oasis. In the present, twenty-year-old Annie is devastated by the death of her beloved father. She discovers a letter he left for her prompting her to travel from America to Galatea to learn about their family history. Once Annie reaches the island, she feels a calm that she has never felt before. With the help of a young island man named Salvo the two begin to piece the story of Mira and Mimi together and how Annie fits into the picture. The island itself is a magical place and the women of the island hold a special power that no outsider will ever understand. I thought this story was so beautifully written and the characters had amazing depth. I loved getting to know all three woman and couldn't read fast enough to find out where their stories went. The Italian Island is the perfect read for a vacation while lounging on the beach sipping a refreshing drink. While Galatea is an imagined island, I would like to believe there are islands such as this that do exist. The community of the island and the descriptions of the architecture and customs were amazing. I also must mention the food described in the story. Perfenzione! This is my first Daniela Sacerdoti novel, but it certainly won't be my last. She is a gifted writer who knows how to draw her audience in. Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture, and Daniela Sacerdoti for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. All reviews are my own and do not reflect any brands I may represent.

Transporting in its seamless transition between two generations (WWII and the present), Sacerdoti proves again why she is a master of women's fiction - love, adventure, and just the right mix of mystery and suspense, this had me gripped.

This book is exactly what I needed - to be taken away to an isolated Sicilian island, and Annie was great company to share it with. Will definitely continue to read Sacerdoti's work.

Set on the Italian island of Galatea near Sicily, this tells the story of three women from different times. All three are linked by a delicate bracelet fastened by a seashell. A delightful WWII romance that was totally enjoyable. My thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to , the publishing house and the author for the opportunity to read a complimentary copy of this book in return for a review based upon my honest opinion.

When Annie’s father passes away, he leaves her the money to finally live her own life; she has been taking care of him during his illness. He leaves her a letter along with mementos from his adoption, in the hopes that she will go to Italy and find their family history. Annie’s mother is cold and uncaring, this makes it an easy answer for her. She puts her fears behind her and strikes out on her own to go to Galatea, a small Italian island to find her fathers past and she ends up finding her future as well.

I would love to go to an island like Galatea and soak up the small town vibes; listening to the birds, smelling the lush foliage and colourful flowers. This was a lovely book, I loved the women of the sea aspect and the surprises that the book held. I love the way this author writes and look forward to more books from her.

Thanks to Netgalley for this book. This story encompasses everything that makes a great story. Romance, mystery, adventure and love. The story is told from two different women in two different time periods. Both Mira and Annie come from families that have not always shown them unconditional love. On the island of Galatea, living in Villa Onda, they immerse themselves into the culture and way of life of the islanders. While they spend their days healing emotionally they are falling in love with themselves and what the island has to offer them. Both Mira and Annie tell their stories in a way that you feel you are on the island with them. I found this book well written and immensely enjoyable,, I am excited to read more from this author.

Traversing between two different generations, one during WWII and the other present day, this book tells the story of life on an island off the Italian coast during the war, the unique matriarchal maritime culture, and a young woman searching for information about her grandmother. To truly enjoy this book, one has to keep track of the characters and their respective eras as the storylines cross back and forth between the years. I found at least one place where even the author mixes up the names of the two main male characters. So, if that sort of dual nature in a book is confusing to you, this might not be for you. However, I thought the book was enjoyable, giving one a different perspective on life in the 1940s in an isolated Italian island, accessible only by boat. There are rich cultural and environmental descriptions, making you feel as though you are there. A very interesting read.

A sun-soaked Sicilian tale of past sins, family secrets and enduring love, Daniela Sacerdoti’s The Italian Island is an emotionally satisfying page-turner from this terrific storyteller.

Twenty year old Annie has come to the Sicilian island of Galatea to fulfill her father’s final wish: to solve the mystery of her grandmother who had disappeared during the Second World War. With her grandmother’s gold bracelet and directions to her old house Villa Onda – House of the Waves – as her only clues, Annie is determined to get to the bottom of this mystery. When her path collides with that of local fisherman Salvo, sparks immediately begin to fly between the two of them and as Annie starts to settle in her new life in Italy, she begins to feel as if she has at long last found somewhere she belongs – not to mention a man who has stolen her heart with whom she can build a future with…

In Galatea, Annie begins to heal and to hope for a better tomorrow, however, when she finds an old gramophone at her grandmother’s house and sets the needle, old secrets come to light that begin to unravel. As Salvo’s mother begins to help her discover the truth about her grandmother’s wartime sacrifice, Annie begins to piece together the fragmented pieces of this puzzle that has haunted her family for decades…

As her feelings for Salvo intensify, Annie wonders whether she can build a life with him in Sicily. Or whether she will uncover shocking revelations that could put paid to any hope she might have had of spending a lifetime with him…

Poignant, absorbing and heart-breaking, The Italian Island is a wonderfully told story from a writer who is at the very top of her game: Daniela Sacerdoti. Written with warmth, flair and compassion, The Italian Island is a tale about courage, sacrifice, hope and love guaranteed to keep readers absolutely glued to its pages.

With characters it is impossible not to care about, searing emotional pathos and tear-jerking emotional drama, Daniela Sacerdoti’s The Italian Island is hard to put down and impossible to forget.

The Italian Island by Daniela Sacerdoti is a women’s fiction story that mixes in several genres. This one has a bit of romance, a bit of mystery and with a point of view in the story looking back to World War Two making it also a historical novel.

At twenty Annie was not ready to loose her father but after his passing she vows to complete his last request. Annie’s father gave Annie her grandmother’s bracelet and asked that she track down their family history and learn her roots.

Annie makes her way to the Sicilian island of Galatea with only the knowledge that her grandmother had died in a concentration camp during World War Two and came from the area. After arriving Annie meets a local fisherman, Salvo, that recognizes the gold bracelet and becomes her guide.

Being someone who loves to visit exciting places around the world of course I was intrigued by The Italian Island by Daniela Sacerdoti. This one does take you to a wonderful location but for me the story seemed to get off to a rather slow start and didn’t pull me in until further down the line. Since I did eventually become more engaged in the story I did find this one an OK read overall growing to like the story and characters by the end.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

This is a new to me author but with the description of the book I just had to try it out and am I ever glad I did.
A woman in her 20's still living at home feels the need to prove her worthiness to her mother after her father's death.
Her father left her a letter explaining his unhappiness in life and asking her to find his family because he had never done so.
Setting out for Italy you will fall in love when you reach the island with it's tropical breezes and delightfully delicious foods.
This time slip novel has our main character falling into a trance and being able to experience what her past relative did which answers a lot of answers and brings her grandmother's life into the light.
Family secrets come to light as we see the love experienced and feel the betrayal deep in the soul. You will be swept off your feet in this stunning Italian romance.

Pub Date 11 Jan 2022
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

This is my first book by this author. It is part romance, part mystery, part fantasy. I found it to be both well written and fast paced. The main character in each of the dual timelines displays a strength beyond themselves in order to survive. Both Annie and Mira are forced to accept unusual circumstances but in doing so each find a way to persevere and find love. There were some elements of the story that could have used some more clarity. Annie's mother's animosity towards her and her inheritance from her late father are huge elements in Annie's life. Mira's mystery illness and the factors that led to the dismal relationship with her family. While enough is written on these factors to catapult the storyline it left me wondering why further details weren't included. Overall the book is very enjoyable and the characters were well crafted.

I received a copy of this title via the publisher via NetGalley.

In this complicated story, a young women goes to a smaller Italian island to try to learn the fate of her grandmother. She feels a connection and is able to experience her grandmothers life in snippets. Secrets and twists abound.

It was Annie’s father’s last wish that she discover her heritage, and a small scrap of paper directs her to go to Galatea, so she sets out to the Italian island. Does she speak Italian? Not really. Does she have any idea what to expect? Not really. But she knows she may find out more there about her grandmother Mira, who disappeared after World War II.

Annie wears a bracelet that belonged to Mira. Not only is it a physical object connected to Annie’s grandmother, but it also causes Annie to have visions. Mira’s story is told through Annie’s visions, and as Annie learns more about her grandmother, she also learns some unexpected things about herself.

The imagery in the book is wonderful! I can envision the island and its beauty, the creepy hillside cave that Annie and Salvo explore, the fishermen and the water and the cliffs. The writing is lyrical and easy to read, and since the book isn’t terribly long, it just flew by as I was reading. And the sea reads almost as a living being, vital to the events of both past and present.

The story has a little something for everyone. There is suspense and tension as we see Mira’s brother Gabriel bringing nothing good to the island, and as we wait to see if Annie will have the strength to break from her mother’s suffocating negativity. There’s romance – Mira and Lupo in the past, Annie and Salvo in the present. Annie and Salvo are just adorable. Annie’s connection to Mira through the bracelet brings a touch of the paranormal and mystical to the story, as does the special bond shared by the Ayala women (is Annie one of those women? Read and find out).

And it’s a dual timeline story! Y’all know I love those, and this one is nicely done. My only disappointment was that Mira’s story seemed to take up so much of Annie’s timeline. It felt like there was more to Annie than what we saw in between her visions of the past. But still, it was quite a good read, and the beauty of the words made up for me wishing I could have known more about Annie herself.

This is a solid four-star read, and it was nice to have a World War II historical fiction that didn’t focus almost exclusively on the war and the events thereof. That was an unexpected and refreshing twist!

Annie arrives at the beautiful Sicilian island of Galatea, and her father’s final request is that she solve the mystery of her Grandmother’s disappearance during World War II. The only items she has of her grandmother’s is a gold bracelet and the directions to Villa Onda, House of the Waves where her grandmother once lived. Then Annie meets local fisherman Salvo and he recognizes the gold bracelet on Annie’s wrist. She finds herself falling in love with Salvo and his family. But then Annie finds an antique gramophone under an old sheet in her grandmother’s bedroom. When she plays the gramophone, she uncovers a secret of her grandmother’s. Then with the help of Salvo’s mother, Annie begins to piece together the truth about the gold bracelet and the heart breaking wartime secret of her grandmother’s sacrifice. This heartwarming romance is a wonderful time-slip story that brings the war torn past into the presence of a new romance. I thoroughly enjoyed this story from beginning to end. The mystery was captivating and kept me completely immersed in the story, while the detailed description of the Sicilian Island was a wonderful escape.

Thank you Daniela Sacerdoti for such a wonderful time slip novel. I absolutely loved this wonderfully written story, and I completely enjoyed the escape to Italy. I enjoyed this is story and I highly recommend it.