4.5 stars - the blurb gives away way too much, basically tells the whole story! It is an interesting tale set in historical Sicily. A true storyteller can write in any genre and Scottoline's first foray into historical fiction proves that she is a true storyteller. My only complaint is that it is a bit too long and could've been cut down.

Thanks to NetGalley and publisher for advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Unfortunately, this one didn't work for me. I didn't finish. I got about halfway. I wasn't prepared for such a departure from Lisa Scottoline's normal books. I just wanted a domestic mystery. Too much history. But too hard to follow.

Mofia, Madhouse, and Mysterious.

I absolutely love Lisa Scottoline books. This was my first chance to read her historical fiction. First off, LS provides a beautifully painted picture of Sicily. I absolutely loved reading her breath taking descriptions. When it came to the plot and characters, I really struggled. There are several different storylines, and keeping track of each of the characters seemed like a chore for me.

I want to thank NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam, G.P. Putnam’s sons for sharing this book with me for an honest review!

I can’t wait to get my hands on another Lisa Scottoline mystery!

Well written and beautifully descriptive writing. From the scenery, the smells of authentic foods of Sicily , the family loyalty and lemon groves.
It takes you on a journey of a man's desire to be upper class and he won't stop at anything to get it. It is a historical fiction story with lots of twists, crime and a secret group that tries to end it.
The story does get a little complicated in the beginning while getting to know all the characters and how they fit in the story. It's a long story . Sad, intense and violent moments almost make it hard to keep reading, but the Author brings it all together to be a very interesting story.

I’m a picky historical fiction reader, so much of the past is filled with war, hatred and despair, it leaves me despondent. But I do love history and believe we can learn from those events. I’ve read many of the author’s suspense books but this is the first of this genre. There are many character names and she was thoughtful enough to include a very helpful listing. Some of the chapters are quite lengthy but read easily. The time period is set in the 1800s and impeccably researched. The setting around Palermo and Sicily has long been high on my list of places to see. Both the time period and beauty are expertly portrayed. I was transported to where you could smell the lemons and feel the poverty. A simpler era perhaps, but constructed of a class system with nobles and common laborers. Many Italian words are used and I did a lot of translating. It didn’t distract for me, just a learning experience. The plot adeptly used the fictional characters to lay out the beginnings of the Mafia, how and why it evolved. I became deeply invested in the lives of several of the people. The story weaves a tapestry of events, families and individuals into a fascinating glimpse of what life would have been during these times.
This story has something for everyone including murder, kidnapping, bandits, evil and honor, rich and poor, a love story and justice. I was blown away by the depth of this wonderful book and highly recommend. It is expected to be published March 28, 2023.
Many sincere thanks to NetGalley for providing the digital advance reader copy of “Loyalty” by Lisa Scottoline, published by G. P. Putnam’s Sons. These are all my own honest personal thoughts and opinions given voluntarily without compensation.

This book is unique. The story takes place back in the 1800's in Sicily, at the beginning of the mafia. It's the story of an absolutely horrible man, a saint of a man, a few outcasts, a lot of followers and a brilliant housekeeper. It describes the environment of the times, social interactions and status, food, smells, and much more. Some people in the book existed, but most are fictional. It's an immersive story that is likely to stay in your mind after you finish the book.

The reader should be prepared for violence as this the fictional story of the first mafia family.

The story starts slowly, with multiple character story lines, It builds and the end is brilliantly wrapped together.

Lisa Scottoline should only write about Italy from here on out. Period. End of story. Her words are such a love story to the country, the people, and the culture. This was a stunning book!

I loved the journey through this book. During a cold winter day, it was wonderful to escape to Italy. I learned a lot about the beginnings of the Mafia. The setting descriptions are absolutely lovely! Told in multiple perspectives, and through many years, this was a beautiful journey. There were moments I was wondering how this was all going to come together but Scottoline pulled it together and it was a lovely conclusion. I loved my time with this book! 4.5 stars

I was a fan of Scottoline’s Rosato and Associates series, but I don’t think there has been a new one in about 5 years. Lately, the author has branched out into writing other genres, including this piece of historical fiction.

Featuring a wide cast of characters, Scottoline presents a fictional account based on the real story behind the rise of the Mafia in Sicily. Among them, there is Franco who will never be accepted by the upper class, but will do anything at their bidding until he develops his own army to “protect” the lemon growing industry on the island. He is ruthless in becoming capo di tuti capi.” Dante is one of a number of boys kidnapped from their families in Palermo; Gaetano an attorney who risks all to try to find the missing children; Lucia the Albino child whose rare condition results in her mother being cast out from her home. There is also a man hiding his Jewish roots because Jews have been expelled from Sicily; townspeople attribute magical properties to the cheese he makes and claim he is a wizard!

Initially, I felt the plot to be all over the place and the dialog a bit simplistic. In time, though, the storylines did come together, revolving around themes of justice, revenge, loyalty. While I wasn’t enamored of the writing, I did enjoy the fast pace, the suspense and learning the historical basis for the Mafia (and the meaning of the term, mafiosi).

Be sure to read the author notes at the conclusion of the book.

Thanks to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam Sons for this advance reader copy of Loyalty in exchange for a fair review. This review will appear immediately on Goodreads. Amazon usually rejects my reviews but I know Lisa Scottoline is watching because she said she reads ‘every.single.one’ (reviews) when I last attended a book preview and author visit from the comfort of my library office. Hi Lisa!
Set in Palermo Italy and full of fantastic characters – we see good and evil, wealth and poverty, and of course loyalty to family, faith and a just cause. It’s the beginnings of the Mafia in Italy, and it’s a fun ride.
There is so much goodness in this book. From the descriptions of Sicily to the food. Oh the food! From the pasta with ricotta and pistachio pesto to the magic goat cheese and fields of pungent lemons, to the common prickly pears. What author describes food in such detail? One who wants to juxtapose the wealthy families and their rich kitchens to the poor or those in jail who get only the scraps. Even if you haven’t been to Italy, you can see it. You can taste it.
You know what Scottoline gets? A book that is nearly 500 pages long better move well. When a person picks up a book and the chapters are unusually long, there is no ‘one more chapter’ at bedtime. You count the pages and wonder if you will hold up. Scottoline’s chapters are just the right length and move well. When you count 4 pages, that ‘one more chapter’ impulse is strong – until you’ve read 10 more. You get to know the characters and what makes them tick. You want to know more – to taste the wine and smell the lemons. You root for the characters. You are anxious to see how it turned out. Was this really close to 500 pages??
I can see the whole thing in front of me, and I totally read it with an Italian accent. My Italian family, the Ventres, would approve of this book and so do I. Now I want to visit the Ventre's in Italy!
For book club folks, I think this is a good pick. Of course there is murder, child kidnapping and all that goes with it. It’s a Historical Fiction and it’s a mystery/thriller. 4* but I always round up for those preview books – so 5*! Pick up this soon-to-be NYT Best Seller.

Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Group Putnam for this advanced reader copy. Are you loyal? Do you think you would be to your family? Pick this one up. It is a fast read with a story that makes you feel like you are right there.

Thank you for my ARC of Lisa Scottoline’s Loyalty.
This one didn’t do it for me. I enjoy Lisa Scottoline, but I could not get into this. The storyline was too slow, there were so many characters that there was a list in the beginning of the book. I should’ve known then. It was extremely long. I knew the plot, Mafia, Sicily, a kidnapping. I had no idea it took place in the 19h century. I found myself skimming over the last 1/4 of the book or so, right when everything exciting happens. Mostly because I just wanted to be done with it.
I will give it 3 stars because it was well written and I did actually like how the millions of characters were tied together.

You can almost smell Franco's lemons ripening on the tree in this character-driven historical account of the rise of the mafia in Sicily in the 1800s. It's about power, loyalty, justice, and identity. Franco, the owner of a lemon grove wants to get ahead and will do anything to show his boss that he is ready to join the family.
Dante becomes the victim of these actions and is thrown into a madhouse where he is mercilessly tortured (trigger warning here as this is quite brutal).
Gaetano is the lawyer determined to save him and right the injustices that are occurring as bribery and corruption take over the city.
Lucia meets Dante and is determined to help him find his real family.
There are many more characters in this 400+ tome that contribute to the setting and mood of the time. It's amazing how the author weaves their stories together and comes to a conclusion with minimal loose ends. As with all long books, there are parts that drag, but the payoff is worth it.
I'll be looking for more of her books in the future to delve into!

📚Book Review📚
Loyalty
Publish date: March 28, 2023
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“Loyalty can save a soul—or destroy one.”

Lisa Scottoline does it again! But this time, she embarks on historical fiction, proving that she can write so well across multiple genres!

This book was filled with love, loss, choices, consequences, and of course, loyalty. Such a wild ride about the rise of the first mafia family in Sicily during the 1800s. I loved the writing style, jumping from story to story, as characters come together throughout the journey. It kept this book moving at a great pace and interesting all the way through.

The author’s note at the end was great where Lisa describes which parts of her book were truly fiction and which were based on facts. Super cool!

I think even people who don’t normally read historical fiction will love this action-packed adventure which is just full of emotion!

Thank you to @netgalley, G.P. Putnam's Sons, and Lisa Scottoline for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you netgalley for an ARC of this book. It was greatly appreciated.
Loyalty is set in Siciliy during the time of the rise of the Mafia. It follows several people/family story lines, especially at the beginning. It has intrigue and murder as well as love and compassion. It did keep me reading because I wanted to see how everything came together and connected.
This was my third book to read by Lisa Scottoline. I read her last 2 releases and they were amazing. I felt like this one missed the mark a little. Perhaps it was the topic that didn't interest me, maybe I am not terribly interested in the Mafia. The writing was good. But it was a little drawn out and I felt it could have been wrapped up sooner. Again, I do think it's the topic and not the author. And I feel certain there will be people I can recommend it to easily. If I could give 1/2 stars I would have done 3.5

I've read numerous books by Scottoline, and while this was okay, it wasn't my favorite.

First off, it's not my typical read, as it deals with the Mafia in Sicily, but my enjoyment of the author's prior books caused me to give it a try.

I found the story hard to engage with, for a few reasons. There's a large number of characters, and it takes quite some time to figure out how they're connected. The writing is solid (as expected!) and the characters well-crafted, but I never felt a true connection to any of them. The pace was too slow for my preference. I really enjoyed the author sharing as to how she came to write the book.

Loyalty by Lisa Scottoline. The storyline just didn't grab me it was an okay book for me but didn't enjoy as much as past books by author. But I'm glad I got a chance to read it. Not my usual genre it was set in 19th century Italy.

I'm torn on this book. I usually love historical fiction, and I thought this would be a dive into the origins of the mafia. However, there were several different storylines happening and the mafia element wasn't really the primary focus of the book. There was definitely a lot of telling rather than showing, and the different POVs made it hard for me to get emotionally invested with the characters.

So if the mafia isn't the main focus of the story, what is "Loyalty" about? Honestly, it's hard to say. A lot of the book is told from the perspective of the lawyer Gaetano as he tries to track down children being kidnapped in Sicily. He's passionate about his city and pursuing justice but he just wasn't that interesting as a character.

Another POV was from the first missing child, Dante. I personally found his storyline to be the most compelling and exciting. I wish we would have gotten to see more of his development.

The pacing on this was a little strange to me. There's a point where the novel skips ahead by a decade or so that felt out of place. Seeing how the different stories came together at the end was rather anti-climactic. I would have preferred fewer subplots and POVs and more character depth. Overall, just felt "meh" by the end.

Thank you to #NetGalley for the early edition of #Loyalty in exchange for an honest review.

Take a trip to the stunning island of Sicily, where Lisa Scottoline's historical fiction masterpiece, “Loyalty”, is set. With lush lemon groves, mouth-watering cuisine, and a turbulent history of colonization and corruption, this book will transport you to a world where good battles evil in a grand showdown.

In “Loyalty”, Scottoline weaves together the stories of several unforgettable characters, including Franco Fiorvanti, an ambitious lemon grower who will do anything to prove his loyalty to his employer, and Gaetano Catalano, a young lawyer and member of a secret society of aristocrats who investigates crime in Palermo, a city riddled with graft. Their paths cross with Mafalda Pancari, a new mother in the midst of tragedy, and Alfredo D’Antonio, a reclusive goatherd who fears being discovered as a Jew.

As the characters' lives collide, “Loyalty” becomes an epic tale of love, loss, choices, and, of course, loyalty. The book takes us through a twisting and turning plot that explores the importance of loyalty and the consequences of making difficult choices. Along the way, Scottoline masterfully delves into the history of Sicily, providing a rich backdrop to the story and immersing readers in the drama and beauty of the island.

If you're a fan of historical fiction or thrilling tales of good versus evil, “Loyalty” is a must-read. The characters are richly drawn, the setting is vividly described, and the story is both engaging and thought-provoking. Scottoline's decades of experience writing thrillers are on full display in this genre-bending novel that is sure to keep readers on the edge of their seats.

This was very engaging historical fiction, taking place in 1800's Sicily. The story is told from multiple viewpoints, each one completely different from the others. In fact, at times I wondered if and when they would all come together - they do, but pretty late in the story. The journey to this ending is filled with twists and drama and makes for quite an interesting story. I especially liked reading the author's note at the end because it gave insights into how much of the story was based on fact - I will definitely go to her website to see the photos and notes she took while researching this.

This is the second book of historical fiction that I've read by this author, and I have to say she does a great job with it even though it's a departure from her regular writing style. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy.

I was so excited when Net Galley gave me the chance to read this, as I love Lisa Scottoline and own most of her books! In fact, this is the very first thing she's written that I didn't insist on owning the print copy of for my collection. I can't say it wasn't well written but not what I am used to from Ms. Scottoline. There were so many different characters that I found myself getting them confused, and the story kept jumping from one to another. I would find myself getting into the story of one or two of them; then they were gone, and someone else was up. I'm afraid this is one I won't be buying but I do appreciate the chance to read it.