Giacinta and Serena, both proxy brides from Palmi, Italy, set sail for Australia in 1939, aboard what was dubbed the "bride ship" heading for men they barely knew, if at all, married already by proxy, to be united with their Italian grooms already settled in Australia. The ship docked in Brisbane where all the brides departed to their various destinations, preparing for a life in a strange country, never to see their families again. Gia's husband was Taddeo, whom she'd known as a boy, but certainly not as the man he was now, and as she settled in the rickety old Queenslander in Stanthorpe, where the farms surrounding the area were all that kept them in food, Gia knew she would work beside her husband, to make the farm successful.

When sixteen year old Sofia arrived at her Nonna Gia's farm in 1984 for her summer holidays, she had no idea about Nonna's past. All she could dwell on was her mother at home in Brisbane, and the father she knew nothing about. Her father had died before she was born but no one would talk about him. Soon though, Nonna talked to Sophia about being a proxy bride, about her past and the journey to where she was now. Nonna Gia's cooking was legendary and gradually Sophia learned that this was who Nonna was - her cooking and her past. But would she ever find anything about her father? She didn't understand why no one would talk about him...

The Proxy Bride by Aussie author Zoe Boccabella is based on fact and the stories of the proxy brides between Italy and Australia in the war years, and learning to live with a virtual stranger. The hatred by some Australians of the Italians once WWII started, the internment of Italians (mostly men) in the prisons around Brisbane (and other parts of the country) built for the purpose, for the duration of the war, the stoic strength and determination of the women left at home trying to care for their farms, pruning the fruit trees when needed, picking the fruit and loading it on trains, all the while against the brutality of the men left behind, doing all they could to make it hard for the women. The Proxy Bride is a brilliant read, and one I highly recommend.

The twelve recipes at the end of the book, after the author's notes, sound delicious!

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.

This is a beautiful story set across two timelines and mostly in Stanthorpe Queensland we get to meet young Sophie and her Nonna Gia, as Gia opens up about her past and how she came to Australia, is there a reason Nonna is finally talking to Sofie, could it be something to do with what Sophie wants so badly to know, a must read story.

It is 1984 and Sofie has gone to spend the summer holidays with her Nonna, Sofie is not overly happy as she thinks she is old enough to be at home on her own when her mother is at work, Sofie is really wanting to know more about the father she never met and Nonna and Sofie are locking horns about many small things this holiday and Nonna starts to tell Sofie the story of how she arrived in Australia back in 1939 on what was known as the bride ship.

Sofie learns about Nonna Gia being a proxy bride about leaving her family in Palmi Calabria, arriving in Australia with a number of proxy brides all who settle in Stanthorpe about meeting their neighbour Keith, about how their lives moved on and what happened when World War 2 broke out and how her grandfather Nonno Taddeo was put in an internment camp and how Gia and the other wives worked the orchards so as they could live and how the people of the town treated them and how they coped with life.

Sofie is shocked to learn about her Nonna’s past and then she meets a young local boy Tim, she is drawn to him and Nonna is not happy that she is, is there a reason for all that she has learnt this summer? Is Nonna helping Sofie so as when she discovers things that she has wanted for so long it will make her understand? They have cooked together and both have opened up about so many things, and Sofie has learnt so much.

This really is a fabulous story, one that I would highly recommend, I loved it from the start, and learning about what it was like to be an immigrant when times were hard, to cope with the prejudices and learn to get on with life with what it throws at you, I loved Gia such a strong woman and Sofie she is a lovely young girl who wanted answers and got them. And then there is the food oh my, what awesome food and the recipes are in the book, don’t miss this one.

My thanks to the publisher Harlequin AU for my copy to read and review.

Set mostly in Stanthorpe, Queensland, The Proxy Bride shines a light on a fascinating but often disturbing aspect of Australia’s rich migrant history that I was unaware of. This dual timeline story takes place partly in 1939 and partly in 1984 with the earlier story told through the eyes of Gia, a proxy bride from Palmi, on Italy’s Calabrian coast, and the later story told by her 16 year-old granddaughter Sofia. This is an intensely emotional read. There are strong cultural threads throughout including fascinating traditions and mouth-watering recipes.
Gia is an incredibly strong character and despite Sofia having a tale to tell as well, Gia is definitely the heroine. While she finds her new husband Taddeo to be a nice man, there is no love between them. I felt sorry for them both that they were denied the opportunity to marry for love, although they were able to reach a level of contentment. I felt for Gia, denied the opportunity to be with her neighbor Keith, whom she loved from the moment they met. I admired her strength of will and the way she and neighbouring women managed to keep going through the war. The level of animosity and prejudice they faced horrified me.
Sofia made me smile. She is the quintessential teenager part of the time, sneaking off to meet heartthrob Tim, who is several years older than her, and a blossoming young woman at others as she prompts Gia to talk about her life. It was interesting to see that even in 1984, prejudice and racism was alive and well, with Australia’s Mediterranean immigrants being lumped together under the unflattering moniker “wog”. Interesting too was the fact that even then, cross cultural relationships were frowned upon.
This story is incredibly complex. It is elegantly written, filled with beautiful imagery, some intensely happy moments as well as sad ones. All this and at the end there is a treasure trove of interesting author notes and Nona Gia’s mouthwatering recipes. I am in reader heaven!

Being raised in a southern Italian home, I was really keen to read this book and it didn’t let me down..
Nonna was so wonderfully Italian but learnt to be an Aussie along the way.
I learnt about their experience during WWII in a foreign country which wasn’t an easy time but their resilience got them through

It’s a great read for anyone, you dont need to have an italian background to enjoy this novel.

In the summer of 1984, Sofie isn’t happy when her mum Elena has to work and she takes her to stay with her Nonna Gia in Stanthorpe, Queensland. Her grandmother is very old fashioned, she’s extremely superstitious and a strict catholic. Sofie feels like her summer is ruined, her friends have made plans and she’s stuck with her Nonna.

What Sofie doesn’t know is her Nonna is a remarkable woman, and over the course of the summer she slowly tells her granddaughter about the past and shares her family history. In 1939, Gia married her husband Taddeo Poletti by proxy in Italy, she and her fellow brides traveled to Australia by ship, and Gia knew she would never see her homeland and family again.

At twenty three Gia spoke only a little English and she had never met her older husband. Taddeo and his friend Pino both sent requests home to Palmi for brides, their properties are near each other and Gia has Serena for company and support.

When the war breaks out, the Italians living in Stanthorpe faced discrimination, animosity and eventually the men are interned in a camp. Gia and her Italian friends Vilma, Serena, Josie, neighbor Edie and two land girls Beryl and Shirley prune trees, pick fruit and look after all the farms. But it’s not easy, the local publican hates Italians, he verbally abuses the women, damages their property and they have no one to help them.

Sofie never knew her Nonna was a proxy bride, many of the women didn’t tell anyone, as arranged marriages in Australia were not common, they already felt different being Italian, and let alone informing judgmental people they married a complete stranger.

I received a copy of The Proxy Bride From NetGalley and Harlequin Australia in exchange for an honest review. Zoe Boccabella has written a interesting and insightful story about proxy marriages amongst the Italian community in Australia during the 1930’s, the challenges the women faced, and not all marriages were happy ones. The terrible prejudice they faced before and especially during the war and I had no idea they were treated so badly by the Australian government. The narrative also focuses on the growing relationship between Sofie and her Nonna, the generation gap, and how Sofie wants to know who her father was. I really admired Gia, how she overcame adversity, her sense of duty, commitment to her family, how she shared her story, and feelings with Sofie.

Five stars from me, I highly recommend this book if you have an interest in Australia’s migrant history, and at the end Nonna shares her favourite recipes.

What a wonderful book. The story of an arranged marriage, a move to a different country and making a life with what you have.

Gia has done all this and now she not only cooks for her grand-daughter Sophie she starts to share her story and her life. This is the story of a strong and brave woman but also of the secrets she keeps. It is also the story of Sophie, her life without a father and why no one will talk to her about it. She wants to know who her father is?!

I loved the characters especially the two main ones Gia and Sophie. They are so real, you feel for them and their plights, you are drawn in to their stories and you just want it all to turn out like it should. The hardships and turmoil of Gia and her life leaving her family to move from Italy to Australia. The differences she had to endure and the life she had to make for herself. She is a strong and courageous woman.