A letter from the present opens up a mystery from the past....
Revelations from it will cause changes that will last!

Shared from two timelines - the Second World War and the present, too,
Family dilemmas and secrets kept for decades revealed anew.

An inherited property in Tuscany is where it is set
Where folks remember the history they'll never forget.

But what really happened in those days so long ago?
And how will they affect her, Annie wants to know!

A story where assumptions impact falsely on what is true
And a hidden diary with missing pages starts to give the clue.

A moving story of tragedy, resistance and espionage, too,
As well as a modern romance seeking to discover what is true.

For my complementary copy of this book, I say thank you,
As I share with you this, my honest review.

This story is told in two dual timelines. The first one begins in the present with Annie Reynold's father passing away. The last thing her told Annie was to read the letter in her father's desk. The letter stated she inherited a villa in Tuscany called Villa Rosa. Annie travels to Tuscany only to find out there was another person living there.

The second story dates back to Tuscany in 1944. During World War II, the Nazis had taken over Italy and the Germans took most the food, leaving the villagers starving. The person residing in the village at the time was named Contessa Evelina Messina. Evelina lead a life in luxury but shockingly took a German in as her lover, When the rest of the village found about this, she was shunned by all.

This story was riveting and left me wanting more. So much answers were needed for Annie regarding her past. What does she find out? Will she ever return back to the United States? Loved the characters and also the Historical Fiction of WWII.

Thank you very much to NetGalley and author Ella Carey for the ARC. I look forward to reading more of her work in the future!

Emotional and touching WW2 historical fiction.

A dual timeline between Annie Reynolds in present time and Contessa Evelina Messina who’s the owner of Villa Rosa in the wartime 1944 in Tuscany.

The story started with Annie was losing her beloved father. She was told that she’s adopted and she was now inherited the magnificent Villa Rosa in Tuscany. Annie decided to fly to Tuscany to search for her real identity.

Sandro Messina met Annie. He told Annie he was the real descendant of the Villa and his renovation plan to change this historical Villa to an entertainment venue. Annie now needed to fight for her ownership of Villa Rosa. Luckily she found lots of secrets of Villa Rosa in a diary..

Back to 1944 in Tuscany, Contessa Evelina Messina, the owner of Villa Rosa was somehow suspected having affair with a high-ranking Nazi. There’s a rumor that she’s pregnant…

Annie urgently needed to find her connection between Contessa Evelina Messina.

The author smartly weaving both timelines very well together, without any confusion. The detail, the link and the relationship were cleverly plotted. The twists were unexpected. The characters were likable. some romances involved too!

I can’t wait to read her next book of this series.

Annie Reynolds and her two siblings were devastated when their father died, but it was the brief words he said to Annie just before he passed that changed everything she'd thought about her life. The letter she found in her father's desk, as directed by him, sent her to Tuscany, to the beautiful Villa Rosa, which had been deserted since not long after the war. Annie felt like she'd come home - but the presence of another person, who said the Villa Rosa was his inheritance, stirred feelings of resistance in Annie. Her father had told her the Villa Rosa was hers, now it seemed like she had to prove it...

Tuscany in 1944, and the Nazis had taken over. The villagers were starving as the Germans took most of the food, and whenever the partisans attacked German strongholds, the reprisals on the villagers was horrendous. Contessa Evelina Messina owned the magnificent Villa Rosa with Cara as her secretary, plus a cook and gardener lived in. But her son Raf was a partisan, running the groups in the hills and mountains, while his mother had no idea. And when she took a German in as her lover, she was shunned by all.

What would Annie discover about the past? Her searching was arduous, and nothing seemed to come to the surface. Would she give up and head back to her home in America? Or would she find the truth, unpalatable though it may be?

An Italian Secret is the 1st in the Daughters of Italy series by Aussie author Ella Carey and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Excellent characters, great pacing, both heartwarming and heartbreaking scenes - I love this author's work, and this one is no exception. Looking forward to #2 already! Highly recommended.

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

This is a dual timeline novel with events taking place in Italy both in the present and during WWII. The author writes in an engaging way, and is able to spin quite a tale. There are many different facts, events, and suspicions which make you wonder how it will fit together. It definitely plays out differently than I expected! I feel it is difficult to engage with the present day characters, one doesn't really get to know them. However, the passion and strong convictions of the WWII characters, Cara and Rafaeli, come through loud and clear. Add to that darling Alphonso. To get to peek into life as it was among the partisans, as well as under the German occupation in Italy, is very interesting. I appreciate the research that has obviously been done and the credit given to those who lost their lives in the fight for freedom. Intriguing story, without a doubt, but you have to be o.k. with characters that aren’t completely fleshed out to fully enjoy the book.

Many thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for an ARC. All opinions are my own. I was not required to leave a positive review.

An Italian Secret was an enjoyable read. It was a lovely journey to take with Annie as she discovered her family's history in Italy. Cara's experiences were a bit heartbreaking but interesting at the same time.

A wonderful story which I couldn't put down. Having read the others 5his was easy to get into and I read it quickly. Very interesting. My thanks to netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

An Italian Secret by Ella Carey is a simply marvellous dual timeline novel. It is the first book in the Daughters Of Italy series which promises to be fabulous.
The action is set in present day and in Northern Italy in 1944. 1944 was naturally a time of great unrest as the partisans were fighting against the occupying Nazis. All around was great danger as one was not always sure where sympathies lay. It was a time of great risk and extraordinary bravery. Rumors existed but where did the truth lay?
In present day a deathbed letter throws a character into confusion. Has her whole life been a lie? She travels from America to Italy in search of the truth.
Since 1944 there have been rumors about a baby existing whose father was a high-ranking Nazi. A branch of the family is seen as originating from a black sheep. Will the truth ever be known?
There are beautiful bonds between fathers and daughters in both time periods. The love radiates through the pages.
Secrets and lies have been formulated in order to protect the innocent and for lives to be lived out in peace and quiet.
As a family villa is crumbling and in the process of renovation, an old family diary comes to light. Will we finally learn the truth from long ago?
The beauty of Italy comes to life under Ella Carey’s marvellous pen. This beauty contrasts with the danger and ugliness of war in Italy in 1944.
All the characters were delightfully drawn and sprang to life in both time periods.
I thoroughly enjoyed An Italian Secret. It was a mesmerizing and powerful read.
I received a free copy from the publishers. A favourable review was not required. All opinions are my own.

First off, Thank you so much for the ARC. This was right up my alley- i looove a good historical fiction novel. I really enjoyed Daughters of Italy and am looking forward to book two in the series. The split timeline and dual point of view were 👌 The descriptions of Tuscany were so vivid that it felt like I was there in the story. Annie was definitely my favorite POV and I loved digging through her family history with her. Thanks again!

I thought this was a good dual timeline story. Cara’s story is set during WW2 and Annie’s is present day. Annie finds out she’s inherited an Italian Villa and heads to northern Italy.
I liked both stories but liked Annie’s more. I wasn’t quite ready for it to end. Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the early copy

The ravages of Nazi occupation of Tuscany and a woman in search of her birth family’s identity combine to create a story of fear, loss, love and secrets. Told in two time frames, the story pulls you into a time of fear and horror caused by the Nazis and into a search for truth cloaked in lies and rumor.
A very entertaining novel.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I love Ella Carey novels and this one did not disappoint. There were two main characters, Cara from 1944 and Annie, present day. The chapters would alternate between characters and both had such interesting stories. About two thirds of the way through this book, I was so anxious about the progress of each story, I wanted to read all of Cara's chapters and then all of Annie's. But I didn't. It was a great story! I did get a little confused towards the end when all the pieces fit together. I almost needed a chart to "see" how all the ancestors were connected. I will be anxiously awaiting for the next book in the Daughters of Italy series.

Thank you Net Galley for the ARC of An Italian Secret by Ella Carey in exchange for my honest review.

Excellent addition to the series. A heartbreaking read about how women had been treated, and links back to the first two books. Did take some time to get to grips with who was who but once that was sorted, the pages flew by.

It’s always a pleasure reading an Ella Carey book, and this was no exception. A decent storyline and good characterisation and this book gave a real flavour of Tuscany, both present day and in 1944. If anything, I wanted more from this story. It ended abruptly and certain characters disappeared from the narrative with little explanation of what their fate was. The owner of the villa was a double agent, in bed with a nazi yet giving secrets to the Allies. I would have liked more detail on her experience.this remains though, a satisfying read

Ella Carey has a way with historical fiction. The story is told in a dual timeline, narrated by two women who are both connected to a beautiful home in Tuscany, One in the present day, one during WWII. The plot was interesting and moved along at a comfortable pace. The characters are sympathetic and easy to relate to.

I am looking forward to the next book in this Daughters of Italy series.

Many thanks to Ella Carey, NetGalley and Bookouture for the digital ARC

Thank you for the ARC, I was really excited to start this book. Unfortunately I didn’t enjoy it. The plot and characters had a lot of potential, but I found them both lacking. I was shocked by the abruptness of the ending, I was expecting something a little more fleshed out.

An Italian Secret by Ella Carey is a captivating dual timeline novel that intricately weaves the lives of Contessa Evelina Messina and Annie Reynolds, two women bound by a shared heritage and a hidden family secret. Set against the backdrop of Tuscany during World War II and modern-day Carmel-by-the-Sea, the book explores themes of love, war, and the unrelenting quest for identity and truth.

Contessa Evelina's enigmatic role as a hostess and secret resistance fighter during the war keeps readers guessing about her true intentions, while Annie's journey in the present day is a poignant struggle with grief and the revelation of her adoption. Ella Carey's meticulous research and storytelling finesse create a spellbinding narrative that immerses readers in the beauty and scars of Villa Rosa, ultimately delivering a powerful message of resilience and the enduring power of love and family bonds.

Love Ella Carey’s books and was delighted to receive this new title, the first in the ‘Daughters of Italy’ series, to read and review thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture.
It is a dual timeline with alternate chapters of Annie present time and Cara, WWII time period.
Annie who lives in America has lost her father but he has left her a letter saying she is the owner of a beautiful villa in Tuscany: ‘The Villa Rosa’.
Annie flies to Tuscany but soon discovers there is no documentation to legally entitle her to take ownership of the Villa and Sandro Messina a direct descendant of the Villa is now claiming to be the rightful owner.
We journey through Annie’s search for her link to the Villa through Cara’s story set during the 1940s in Tuscany.
Family secrets, loyalty, love, hope, betrayal and restoration are all themes of this emotional story. Another great read by Ella Carey and I can’t wait for book 2 in this series.

This is book 1 in The Daughters of Italy Series and was an excellent historical fiction novel set in two timelines, during WWII and the present. Told from the POV’s two of the main protagonists, American Annie Reynolds in the present and Tuscan Cara in the past. The author has given us a beautifully written and poignant story in which both parts are centred around one character and the ultimately revealed truth about her life during and after WWII.

Briefly, in Tuscany in 1944 widowed Contessa Evelina Messina consorts with the occupying German Army and is having an affair with one of the senior German Officers. Estranged from her eldest son and with her younger son working with the partisans she only has her servants for company and one of these is local girl Cara who is her secretary. In the present, following the death of her much loved father Annie travels to Italy to claim the house that her father told her on his deathbed was hers by rights. What she doesn’t expect is a member of the Messina family to claim the property as his.

A story full of lies and deceit, both good and bad and the dreadful legacy of the German invasion of this gentle part of Tuscany. As the book progresses the two timelines start to come together and when the long hidden family secrets come to light they meld perfectly revealing the heartbreaking truth. The story set during the war was particularly shocking as the Nazi’s raped, murdered and pillaged their way through Italy. A very enjoyable family drama.

A search to find out who you are takes American born Annie to the picturesque olive groves of Tuscany, Italy. We follow a dual timeline with Annie and an Italian Contessa to uncover a family secret that takes place during WW2 when German occupied a small town, Villa Rosa. An Italian Secret (Daughter’s of Italy Book 1) is a well written, gripping, page turning novel filled with love, loss, and courage, I was unable to put down. I can’t wait to read the next in this series.

I would like to thank Bookouture, NetGalley and the author for the opportunity to read this complimentary copy for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.