I really enjoyed this book and it’s duel time storyline . I can tell that these books are well researched and you end up learning so much by reading them . It’s a throughly enjoyable read .
Thanks to the publisher for letting me review the book

Every Time We Say Goodbye
Natalie Jenner
May 14, 2024
St. Martin's Press
Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
The bestselling author of The Jane Austen Society and Bloomsbury Girls returns with a brilliant novel of love and art, of grief and memory, of confronting the past and facing the future.
This was a bit darker than I expected. It was a tear jerker but it was slow going for me.
3 stars

A bit darker than I was expecting. Tearjerker ending.

While I enjoyed the history of film making it did slow the story down a bit. I'm looking forward to listening to audiobook when it is released. There was a lot going on and I think a second read would help wrap my mind around the story.

Every Time We Say Goodbye is another heart penetrating novel by Natalie Jenner. When I read one of her books, I cannot help but write copious amounts of notes. There are numerous lines of profound wisdom, complexity of thought on societal issues, poetic and literary insight, intense interactions and behavioural observations on the pages. Natalie makes me think and dig deeper to grasp the truths that are often hidden under layers of facades. In Every Time We Say Goodbye, I was moved by the complexity of the characters, their situations and lessons learned. And even though this is a fictional world, the astute realism is unforgettable and far-reaching.

Natalie’s stories, like with Jane Austen’s, focus on the importance of friendships and family. And Every Time We Say Goodbye is no exception. In fact, her current novel takes us through the horrors of war and how it affects those important relationships. The sense of loss is truly felt through Vivien and others. Whether from known deaths on the battlefield or of loved ones gone missing in action. It awakens in us core emotions and makes us wonder how we would react in the same situations.

This story poses the question: how do we move forward after war has invaded our lives? Especially since it can change a person—not always for the better. Finding closure for the living can be hard. Tabitha has experienced the loss of freedom and her home. Not something Vivi had suffered but ‘she did understand the unique pain of not knowing what has happened to someone you love.’ As she says: ‘There is nowhere for the grief to go; there is nothing to move on from.’ These two women’s experiences are different but they both share the outcome: 'How could she trust anyone or rely upon the appearance of things that could vanish.’

Too often people get stuck in a cycle of grief and anger. This is a big part of Vivien’s journey. And the message that Sister Justina delivers to Vivi forces her to look at her beliefs. Does she really need to change to survive? And what has it changed her into? War has affected her deeply but the nun says don’t change so much you lose your own self. Those who fought in the war ‘lived and died as they believed. There must be faith…’ Changing because of anger serves no good purpose. Vivi has felt the horrid effects of war and it has made her angry because of all she lost: including a marriage to a man she loved profoundly. As she said to Claudia: ‘We would have been married but for the war.’

War can make a person feel helpless. Unable to control the narrative. ‘The blame fed her (Vivi’s) anger and the anger fuelled her writing...’ She could control the story and outcome on paper-–exact revenge and ‘she could write a complete, if not happy, ending.’ Vivi as a writer, is also a woman of observations. The people she encounters in her search to find answers of what happened to her fiance, David, leave her with more questions and meanings to sort through. I found Sister Justina’s conversations very moving and certainly her advice to Vivi very helpful. And her friend, actress Claudia, throws a few curve balls that also contribute to her awareness of the effects of life choices and learning to be true to yourself. What is the secret ingredient missing in their lives? Vivi eventually learns once she understands Claudia’s choice and what it really means. And how she herself has forgotten a simple truth on her journey of survival. Although Vivien has learned much about the horrors of war and how it can rob you of hope and trust, she wants to honour David’s eternal optimism, his thoughtful and generous heart. And so, her journey leads her to turn a corner…

There are many comments in this novel on war— that it is ‘a fearful following of destruction’. Even a great loss of trust between people. And people are forced to make difficult decisions—never knowing what is the best solution. As Levi states: he ‘didn’t feel there was much choice at all.’ Who could he trust? There is a repeat of this question throughout the novel. And there are so many harbouring secrets of the past. Levi, like many, tried to save casualties along the way. In this case, he was trying to save a baby who lost a family. He became this baby’s protector so when the child is taken from his arms to safety, it hits him hard. It’s that need for the human touch, connection and family preservation that bursts through during the battles. Keeping siblings together. Maintaining the bonds. All the important things ‘that tether us together’, when threats come fast and hard.

War causes division, despair and distrust. As previously mentioned, the novel shows the importance of family (and friends) which is very much a Jane Austen concern. These kind of relationships have a positive impact on the developing individual. Where is it we learn trust first—if not between child and mother or father and with our siblings? Vivi has had no experience with children but when an eight year old asks her how will she know when she can trust someone, Vivien says she will know the more she lives and the more she meets people. Experience and gut extinct will help us identify it. But war can rob individuals of that vital support structure.

Vivi feels such a strong loss when her actress friend Claudia leaves. She tries to reckon this pain. ‘After all, friends (are) not family.’ But aren’t they in some small way when you let them enter your heart, take them into your confidence and trust? I think Vivi is trying to make sense of this. She feels a great loss of friendship as goodbyes are often forever because friends will make choices that take them away. (The book’s title is so apt.) Vivi misses that bond with another. Again, like Jane Austen, the importance of female friendships for women abounds here. Claudia’s honest advice when she tells Vivien ‘whatever you do—do it with your eyes wide open and a little less anger’ is a wonderful byproduct of their close friendship.

We see other glimpses of Jane Austen’s beliefs in Vivien and David’s relationship. That mutual attraction in Marriage is more important than money or position. Vivien experienced the negative effects of social class restrictions in her fiancé’s family. Their engagement would never be accepted. They were twenty one and ‘fiercely in love’ and she resented ‘being made to feel common in any way.’ Vivien was stylish and attractive and a high achiever—graduating at the top of her year on a full scholarship. There was nothing ordinary or inferior about her. David was an Oxford man but he was expected to take over his family’s vast estate. Born to a titled family meant he had limited choices—including who could be his spouse. Ironically, though David’s lineage boasted longevity and their moto was for the ‘family to succeed at all costs’— their restrictive views caused them to miss the most important ingredient—love. (And losing out on their grandchild.)

This novel covers so many things: including the cinematic world. Other great lines are ‘movies are a business’ and ‘No one says no to Ava Gardner’. We meet Sophia Loren and others on the glittering stage. We get a glimpse of the culture of the 1950s. The Prohibition era, American Jazz and speakeasy ambience—these are all sprinkled across the canvas of this literary painting. And not to mention the Vatican. The exploration of good and evil. Natalie covers a lot of territory.

The devastating effects of Hitler’s regime—the countless deaths—the attempted extermination of a race of people, causes Vivi to wonder if ‘this cancer of the mind’ can ever be removed from the world. But there have been brave souls who have resisted. This is a painful and honest portrayal of war and its effects. The loss of trust, hope and happiness. But it also exposes a war closer to home in the social classes. And so there are many battles between the heart and head.

In Every Time We Say Goodbye I was taken by the depth of the characters, their development and their journeys to find the answers in life they sought. Many of the cast were memorable and although punctuated with human frailty, possessed heroic hearts. Vivien finds her answers and those revelations are quite different than expected. There are surprises and sorrows and healing and grace… The engine that runs the story is found on this line: ‘Nothing could be created from the emptiness of scorn—to create, there had to be hope.’ ‘Hope that we as humans, could be better—could do better.’ Vivien realises in that moment ‘what she, Levi, Curtis, Nino—all of them at work with tales false and true—were really searching for.’

I highly recommend Every Time We Say Goodbye that I could not pull away from—even when the drama seized and shook my heart. A brilliant story that should not be missed. 5 Big Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thanks to St Martin's Press and Netgalley for a review copy.

Every Time We Say Goodbye by Natalie Jenner tells a story of the film industry in Italy in the 1950s. Vivien Lowry goes to Italy to work on scripts after her latest play is met with bad reviews in London. She has learned that her fiancé did not die in World War I like she was told but was a POW. She is searching for answers about what happen to him, rewriting scripts to meet the Vatican’s strict approval and finding what she hopes is love. As Vivien is sorting through her life, Jenner will go back to the 1943, to tell the story of La Scolaretta , a young female resister who assassinates a German Commande. Vivien reads her story through a script that will never meet the Vatican’s approval.
Natalie Jenner paints the scenery so well that the reader feels like they are walking the streets and countryside of Italy. She brings to light many topics that are often not discussed about World War II including the Vatican’s role and the resisters impact. Many of the story lines could have been novels on their own including Leo finding the baby. I found myself getting overwhelmed on many occasions trying to remember who is who and what their role in Vivien’s life was. The dual timeline connected well but I would have preferred more about La Scolaretta. There were many times that it seemed that storyline was forgotten.
Thank you NetGalley and St Martin’s press for ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This is a dual timeline novel set mostly in Italy, during WW!! II in 1943. In 1955.we find the protagonist, Vivien Lowry who is a British playwright and whose current play is being thrashed by the London critics. Receiving a letter from Rome, she’s told that her fiancé may not have been killed during the war. It was at that moment she decides to go to Rome to see if that’s true and perhaps to find him. While there she becomes a script writer to help with a script for the latest film at Cinecitta Studios. It is interesting to read how much is controlled by the Vatican. Both the Cardinal and the Pope have a firm hand on what is allowed and what isn’t. It’s a hard hand on censorship. While in Italy Vivien becomes involved with two men, an Italian prince and a married American film financier.
The 1943 account is of a young female resister La Scolaretta who assassinates a German Commander, one of several assassinations of German officers she carried out during the war in German occupied Italy. While in Italy, Vivien encounters some of the individuals who were involved in La Scolaretta’s resistance activities.
This story brings together the emotions of politics, deceit, and trauma. The characters are well developed and the research brings you to a country heavily involved in WWII and how it affected its citizens during the war and after.
My thanks to NertGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

"Every Time We Say Goodbye" is an incredibly well-researched, moving, inspiring, and beautiful book written by Natalie Jenner. The setting is described richly and with detail that helps the reader to clearly envision the setting, locations, buildings, characters, clothing, and what is happening in the story. This makes following these characters on their respective journeys a very immersive experience for the reader and also makes it easy to connect with the characters and feel invested in them and their story. Each character feels three-dimensional along with their own personalities, thoughts, emotions, and struggles as well as their respective ways of dealing with the impact of WWII and the subsequent pain and trauma. The speed of the plot is perfect and the author's writing style is smooth and full of heart and beauty. This is a story that is heartbreaking, hopeful, inspiring, and beautiful. I cannot recommend it highly enough! 5 very well deserved stars. This is a must read! Thank you very much to AustenprosePR, author Natalie Jenner, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for the wonderful opportunity of being a part of the cover reveal and for providing me with digital and physical copies to read and review honestly.

I have been following Natalie Jenner from the beginning. I received an ARC of her first two books: The Jane Austen Society and Bloomsbury Girls and I loved both. I loved the feel-good vibes of both of those books, the quaintness feel of them, the relatable and heartwarming characters, and the general UK countryside ambiance overall. When I saw that she released a third book, as usual, I was eager to see what she was going to narrate us next. What a disappointment this was. Every Time We Say Goodbye is world apart from what she offered her readers so far, and I could not read past half of the book. The storyline is not appealing, the characters are ugly and superficial, I have zero interest to get further into this story. I was beguiled by the setting first; Rome in 1950s, the cinematographic world, the spraying of historical facts throughout,.. I was even taking notes of locations she was describing so I could visit them next time I am in Rome. But the story is not strong enough, the buildup is lacking, I gave up.

I enjoyed the story but too many characters too remember to actually enjoy the book.

Thanks Netgalley and publisher

All thoughts and opinions are my own and aren't influenced by anyone else

Thanks for an advance copy of this book for review.

I had just finished Bloomsbury Girls when I saw this book on the Read Now. I found it was very slow and gave up after about 40%. I just didn't look forward to reading more about the situation.

I have mixed feelings about this book. There are aspects of the story that are interesting from a historical point of view, exploring decisions that were made by various countries, organizations (such as the Vatican) and individuals with respect to WWII and protecting or persecuting the Jewish population and refugees. There are some very profound and poignant moments, when characters discover things about their pasts, their selves, or missing losing ones, and gain a better understanding of the sacrifices people made, including morally questionable decisions, and the inherent goodness that manifests in some people in times of great stress and turmoil. However, there are other moments where it feels like the author threw together a bunch of famous people, who may or may not have had close business and/or personal relationships in real life, just because she could, and created drama for the sake of drama. Overall, the better aspects of the story outweigh the lesser aspects of the story. However, I found this book to be less appealing than the previous books by Ms. Jenner that I have read.

Every time We Say Goodbye is set in 1950’s London and Paris and London. Vivian Lowry is a playwright whose Play was shut down by reviewers on the London stage. She takes a job in the Italian Cinema working on a controversial film, becoming embroiled in Vatican politics and censorship. A very large cast of characters kept me turning back to the Cast of Characters as listed in the front. Several of the characters making appearances were from Ms Jenner’s earlier books, the Jane Austen Society and The Bloomsbury Girls. While Every Time We Say Goodbye is listed as a stand alone book, I felt at a disadvantage because it had been awhile since I read the previous books and I couldn’t recall much about the reappearing characters, thus adding so some confusion. There sometimes seemed to be enough action, plots and characters to fill more than one novel!
#EveryTimeWeSayGoodbye

This is my first book I have read written by Natalie Jenner. I intend to read her other books very soon. I liked that this novel was based in post war Italy. I haven't read many historical fiction books taking place in Italy during and after WWII. I learned a lot about how much politics and the church are combined there. The church really seemed to have their hand in everything at the time. Learning about the film industry in Italy was pretty cool. The first part of the novel was a little slow for me but I loved it by the end. Characters were very well written. It was so good but so heartbreaking in some parts. I will never forget the story of La Scolaretta. That story will stay with me for a long long time. I highly recommend giving this a read if you enjoy historical fiction. 4.5 stars !!

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the digital arc copy in exchange for my honest review.

I am hesitant about fiction that weaves real, known people into a novel, as is often difficult to separate what is real from what is not. But this author touches lightly on the actual people while maintaining to story focus on the fictional ones. I'd never heard of her previous books. Yes, it works as a stand-alone novel, but I do wish I'd read them first, mainly because now I'm very interested.

She has a literary writing style, yet it's quite accessible and has a rhythm that's easy to follow.

I was engrossed by both the story and the lives of the characters, but I think what most impressed me was the author's insights into the subject at hand. Whether I was reading about screenwriting, Italy or post-WWII challenges, it "felt" genuine. This is true for offhand observations about life itself. Here are some quotes that I was moved to annotate:
"Such was the power of awe to ennoble and inspire, to subdue and control-something both the film and church were founded on."
or concerning post-war Italy:
"...the sun was setting ... above the sea and beaches where young men had once landed to rescue a country from itself ..."
or
"Our secrets are who we really are."
one last one-
"With some people, the past idd not exist because they had not been changed by it."

I am not saying I totally agree with these observations, but they were nicely thought-provoking!

There are many, many characters and the author wisely added a "who's who" type of preface. Had she not, I probably would have given up early on.

And finally - yes, this book really touched me. But as with all art, there is no way truly break down why - it simply did.

Looking forward to reading more of Jenner's work.

Natalie Jenner writes the most beautiful historical fiction novels. I really enjoyed her other books, THE JANE AUSTEN SOCIETY and THE BLOOMSBURY GIRLS, so I'm pleased to say EVERY TIME WE SAY GOODBYE was another fantastic offering from an author making a name for herself in historical fiction.

Set in the post WW2 1950s where Vivien Lowry travels to Italy to become a script-writer during the boom of Hollywood. It's here the novel diverges into two timelines, as we learn the effects the war has had on Vivien and the host of characters she meets, including her own love story. While her previous books had a sort of cosy happiness about them - think the The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society - ETWSG felt heavier, but no less enjoyable to read. I think avid fans of the genre will embrace this one, and I'll always anticipate what comes next from Jenner.

I am a huge fan of Natalie Jenner's previous books, The Jane Austen Society and Bloomsbury Girls. But in my opinion, Jenner missed the mark with Every time We Say Goodbye. Jenner acknowledges that she'd had a request to write about a fan's family story and this book was the result. It's a post WW2 story about Americans making films in Italy during the McCarthy era. Fans of film making in the 1950s will no doubt enjoy this novel, but I found it read more like a dry history lesson than a story. Jenner is a talented writer so I look forward to her next novel which I hope will be more like her first! Thanks NetGalley for this arc, I hope the book does well!

An interesting look at postwar Hollywood and how stars were made. Vivien Lowry decides to move to Italy, she becomes a script writer at the Cinecitta studios in Rome. With her fiance listed as missing in action during the war, Vivien feels she can make some headway and discover where he might have died while she is in Italy. Passing through the story are Gina Lollobrigida, Sophia Loren and Ava Gardner. Colorful look at film making in the 50s..

Thank you to Net Galley and St. Martin's Press for providing an early copy of Every Time We Say Goodbye by Natalie Jenner

Every aspect of Natalie Jenner's newest novel, Every Time We Say Goodbye is a testament to the time frame it has created. From the famous actors, actresses and directors of the 1950s, the Vatican and Italy's own misguided and soulless alignment with the Nazi regime of World War II, there is something to learn on each page of this beautiful telling of both the good and the evil of the times it portrays.

The story centers around Vivien Lowry, a character in Jenner's previous novels, and her journey to discover what happened to her husband, David, who disappeared during the War and is presumed dead. Her time in Rome will be the backdrop for an unforgettable meeting of fact and fiction as she gravitates to the theatrical set. After all, Vivien is an actress and writer herself. and is personally involved with a man in the film production industry. The film industry in general is under attack by the HUAC committee in America which is hunting down presumed Communists at every level of movie-making.

Some of the most poignant moments in the book revolve around real persons such as Sister Josephine Bakhita, now a saint, and Milko Skofic, World War II doctor and later husband of actress Gina Lollobrigada . Their presence in the story along with other real people will make readers head to Google to learn more.

Every Time We Say Goodbye turned out to be an unexpected gift as it did not center around the bookshop of the previous novels. Unexpected but completely immersive.

"I'm going to eternity with two suitcases. One contains my sins and the other, much heavier, the infinite merits of Christ." - Josephine Bakhita, a former slave from the Sudan, a nun and a saint

I was excited for a chance to review Natalie Jenner’s latest novel, “Every Time We Say Goodbye.” I had traveled to Italy this year so was excited to read about a story that centers around post-war Italy during WWII and its aftermath. .

In the mid-fifties, we meet Vivien who has escaped London for Rome to write. She also seeks to find information about her fiancé, who might have been held in Italy as a prisoner of war. The novel also introduces members of the resistance—flashing back to the war. The novel draws a connection between those flashbacks and Vivien’s current narrative.

I found the characters to be full fleshed and intriguing, especially Vivien. I did not know much about Italy’s perspective during WWII and appreciated this introduction. In a fiction market with way too many WWII novels, I think this book can still find a place. Fun fact: I did not know this book was part of a series but will certainly go back to read the first two novels.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing me an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the eARC.
What a beautiful book: sad, moving and ultimately hopeful, I tore through it deserting all my chores. I loved it!
It can definitely be read as a standalone. It features Vivien Lowry, still mourning her lost love, who disappeared during the war. Her stage play was an audience success but the critics slaughtered it. She decides to go to Rome, where she starts as a writer fixing a script at Rome's Cinecitta Studios.
The story features many young actresses who became famous in the 1960's, which was fun for me...I remember them fondly.
The descriptions of the war were painful and beautiful in the way they were written. The ending was one of hope - great book!