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.

I have not read this author before, but loved the synopsis on the cover…(and the cover!)
I also love historical fiction…
However, I had a hard time with this one. There are A LOT of characters…
Also, they go back and forth between the 1940’s and 1950’s…Pre-war, during the war, and the remnants left after the war… and somehow, I kept losing track of the characters…😬

That being said, the storyline was incredible!
And, I loved Vivien and her group! Loved too how actual movie stars were interspersed in the scenes (Ava Gardner, Sophia Loren, Gina Lollobrigida).
And loved how they show the roles of the women who helped in the war under the guise of innocence…

Found it interesting how she painted the scenes of the Vatican, and how significant a role they played in the movie-making scene (in Italy) …and how they were not ALLOWED to do anything even a bit risqué! (Or the big guy would come and hunt them down!). 😮

But again, found some of it just a bit confusing. 🤷🏻‍♀️
Not sure if it was the amount of characters, the span of years, or just me??

Had me laughing at times, but then also had me crying…real tears.
And dealt with some very difficult subjects,including war time, and the horrific things that were done… and the burden left on the families…

Thanks to #NetGalley and #MacmillanAudio for an ARC of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

#EveryTimeWeSayGoodbye by #NatalieJenner and narrated nicely by #JulietAubrey. Due out tomorrow, 5/14/24.

3 1/2 stars for me, rounded up to 4.

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Review

Every Time We Say Goodbye
by Natalie Jenner

4 🌟🌟🌟🌟

If you know me, then you know how I love a good historical fiction novel, especially one that compels me to dig deeper into the topic at hand and do my own research. Natalie Jenner succeeds once again as she brings her vast cast of characters to life in her latest novel, releasing May 14, 2024. A dual-timeline story, set in Italy during and after WWII, Jenner introduces us to the cinematic scene of 1950’s Rome, as well as the aftereffects of war and the Vatican’s influence in the region and its industry. Because I had previously read and LOVED Jenner’s Bloomsbury Girls, I was eager to find out more about Vivian and what had become of her.

I was fortunate to have been given both an advanced audio copy as well as a printed ARC of the novel, and I found it much easier to listen to the story as I read. Juliet Aubrey helped tremendously with characterization and pronunciation, allowing the book to flow much more smoothly. I am also appreciative of the Cast of Characters listed at the beginning of the book, as it helped me to keep track of everyone, especially the New York, London, and Hollywood celebs. What I appreciated most about Every Time We Say Goodbye is Jenner’s observation, insight, and perspective into the human psyche and the driving forces behind actions taken. - “Our secrets are who we really are” was just one of my favorite quotes, and provoked a lot of thoughts, musings, and conversation, especially in our book club. Another quote that begged highlighting and discussion – “With some people, the past did not exist because they had not been changed by it.”

Though Every Time We Say Goodbye is supposed to function as a stand-alone novel, I was in the minority in my book club when it came to the ease of connecting with Vivian. I do think more background information was needed, especially to keep track of all the other characters that swept in and out. And with those characters came more subplots and side stories that ate away at the main two storylines, making it hard for me to give a full 5 stars.

Without spoilers, I will say that I did not see THAT ending coming! :) Overall, I enjoyed the novel, and anxiously await Jenner’s next one. ~ "How lucky the world was for those survivors willing and able to tell their own story, and how imperative that such stories be shared to the greatest extent possible." And how lucky are we that we have an author willing to research and bring to life with passion and originality another part of history not often exposed or portrayed.

3.5⭐️s rounded up. I didn’t realize when I picked this up that it’s technically part of the Jane Austen Society series. I read the first one awhile ago and barely remember it but this stood on its own for the most part without an issue, though some things make more sense with that first book.

There were a lot of peripheral characters that kept popping in and out that I sometimes had a hard time keeping track of who was who, but for the most part it didn’t affect the story too much.

I liked the progression of Vivian and Tabitha trying to find lost loved ones, while Vivian was also trying to find herself. It was slow, sometimes too much so which made me glad I was listening to the audiobook. But it was still interesting and just different with a film and screenplay as the theme and trying to fact find in post-WW2 Italy. Overall I liked it and thought it was interesting.

Thanks to Netgalley for the advanced copy of this book. All opinions are mine.

5.0 stars
HIGHEST recommendation

I received a complimentary audiobook in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own. Thank you to Natalie Jenner, Allison and Busby, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

This is the beautiful conclusion to the Jane Austen Society trilogy - I would definitely recommend reading the previous two books first to fully appreciate this final book. The narration by Juliet Aubrey is a wonderful addition to this beautiful story.

The novel is primarily about Vivien who travels to Rome after a theater disaster in London. She is a playwright who is hired to tighten up a screenplay that needs a lot of work. There are two timelines - 1943 with the resistance fighting the Nazis for Italy and 1945/1946 Rome. The two timelines are connected and are so important to be told together.

Natalie Jenner writes beautifully, and this is the third book that I have read by her. I truly hope to read more books by her as I have enjoyed them all so much!

A fantastic historical novel. I loved The Jane Austen Society and this one was just as great. Complex characters and an interesting plot kept my attention from beginning to end.
Thanks to the publisher, author, and Macmillan Audio for the alc to read and enjoy. All opinions are my own.

Natalie Jenner has written two previous works of historical fiction, The Jane Austen Society, and Bloomsbury Girls. I enjoyed both of these very much. Her new novel, Every Time We Say Goodbye, is also worth the reader’s time.

I have read many works of WWII fiction that were set in Britain, France or Germany. I was less familiar with the impact of the war in Italy. Ms. Jenner brings the repercussions of the war and the internal conflicts in Italy to life in these pages. There were the Axis powers, but also Mussolini and the partisan resistance making for a complex existence for the Italians.

One part of the novel tells the story of a woman assassin and her fate. This brings the war and the risks of resistance to life. Other parts of the novel take place post war in the 1950s.

In the 50s, readers experience the world of the movies in post WWII Italy, specifically at the Cinecitta Studios. There are the many movie stars, the directors, and more but also the strong presence of the Catholic church. The characters in this time period include Vivien (a character from Bloomsbury Girls), who is a writer working on scripts. Readers learn much of her backstory, the absence of her fiance David, her attraction to John Lassiter, her connection to the adopted Margarita and many more. Her friends include DuMaurier and Peggy Guggenheim. They also follow Levi who is Jewish; what did the war cost him?

Jenner creates a broad canvas of intertwined lives. Readers will care about the people in this story and will be turning the pages to find out how they fare. Here is very good historical fiction. I recommend this one.
Juliet Aubrey's narration is spot on. She brings the book to life for the reader.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this title. All opinions are my own.

I unfortunately could not get into this book. I tried hard to focus and process what was happening but the narrator was just a miss for me. Maybe it was the heavy accent or the subject matter, I’m not sure.

Typically I’m very interested in historical fiction and maybe at a different point I would feel differently towards this book. I did enjoy the main character and her journey through this book but I just couldn’t get invested.

Everytime We Say Goodbye
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I really enjoyed the characters, the story & the book. It kept me turning the pages wanting to know what happens next. It was different & very good. Thank you NetGalley!

Every Time We Say Goodbye
By: Natalie Jenner
Narrated by: Juliet Aubrey
Macmillan Audio

This audiobook is number three in the Jane Austen Society series by Jenner, but can be read as a stand-alone novel. Narrator Juliet Aubrey provides just the right voice to tell the story. The plot involves main character Vivien, a playwright in London in 1955. When her play is not a hit, she goes to Rome's Cinecitta Studios to work. She also explores the mystery of what happened to her late fiancé. Jenner is a talented writer, and draws readers in with interesting characters and history in rich settings.

I received an advance listening copy from Macmillan Audio through Net Galley. My review is my own.

The audio was okay but I just didn't enjoy this story at all.
Thank you for the advancded listening copy.

I enjoyed this story and particularly enjoyed the narration. It did take a bit to get immersed into the plot. Vivien seems comes off as a superficial character initially and it took a while for me to form a connection to her. I did enjoy the sub plot with the Italian resistance fighter/assassin. Her POV was much more exciting initially than Vivien’s. It was not necessary to read the previous novels in this series, the plot was stand alone.

Vivien goes to Rome in 1955 to help doctor scripts for an Italian movie studio, surrounded by glamorous stars and directors she is romanced by a post war Italy and by a movie financier. She comes against the Catholic church who is not a fan of the story her studio is trying to tell. Through flashbacks of WWII we learn about what those around her endured during the war as well as her own past, including the son she had to give up.

I did find the beginning of this novel very confusing and I am not sure if it is because it is part of a series (and I didn't realize) or because I started with the audio (or a combination of the two). Either way, it was then a bit hard to ever really get engrossed in the story. I did for certain parts, but was never really fully engaged. I did appreciate the author's descriptions of the war and the twists that the story took as well as the cameos of fabulous names from the 50's. And while the audio was a bit confusing because of the time jumps, the narrator's voice was wonderful. I'm not sure what this one was missing for me or if it was my mindset at the time, but it just didn't grab me. Maybe if I had read the first two novels I would have been more invested. If you have read the author's other works - please let me know if you enjoyed this one.

3.5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmiilan audio for the ARC

I absolutely love the narration on this story, it was so well done.

I loved the premise of the story, and the mystery surrounding Vivien.

Where I struggled, however, is just how long the book took to setup. I like a bit of background, but this felt like too much.

I like this book, I just didnt love it.

Having never read anything by this author, I was just interested to read a different type of WWII story. This one is post-war, set in Italy, in the culture of movie makers of the times. The author did a LOT of setting up the political and cultural climate (too much?) and so I was unfortunately a bit bored at the beginning, waiting to know where Vivian’s story would go. I didn’t feel invested till over halfway, and while the ending had a sweet and satisfying feel, I was left wanting with Vivian’s story. I think others who like the author already could appreciate this more, perhaps, but for me it was just ok.

Natalie Jenner once again brings a little known historical setting to life -- I enjoyed learning more about post-war Italy, and this was a wonderful conclusion to the story started in The Jane Austen Society.

🎧🎧 Book Review 🎧🎧 As the world emerged post World War II, Italy found itself in almost another Renaissance as the Italian filmmaking era is thriving. Every Time We Say Goodbye is a rare and beautiful glimpse into this period of time that seems forgotten already. When Vivian’s professional career as a playwright fails and her personal life feels stuck, she travels to Italy to immerse herself in the culture and film industry. Her personal journey to spark creativity and and heal after tragedy and grief perfectly mirror the milieu of the world around her after the devastation of war and human genocide. An absolutely beautiful escape back to 1950’s Italy provides a breathtakingly moving novel that reminds us of the importance of hope in our world.

Review is posted on Goodreads and final review will be on Instagram ahead of the publication date.

Every Time We Say Goodbye by Natalie Jenner is an ambitious historical fiction novel providing a perspective of post-WWII that you do not see often in books. While the prologue starts in 1943 with a woman fighting for the resistance who secretly lures drunk Nazis to their death, the majority of the novel is set in 1955 Rome and focuses on Vivienne Lowry who is a script “doctor” brought in to help finish a film being shot at Cinecitta Studios. While in Rome and surrounded by movie stars and bright lights, she uncovers many secrets about the Italian film industry, including the influence and censorship of the Vatican in the movie industry.

However, the book is more about recovering from the losses sustained during the war and reconciling what ordinary good people did to survive during that horrible time. It also details the lengths that some survivors went through to find out what happened to some prisoners - non-Jewish mothers, fathers, and betrothed - who disappeared during WWII. As I mentioned, the novel is ambitious and had several different story lines, it was difficult to follow all the different characters and subplot lines.

This is the second book I listened to by this author, with the first being The Jane Austen Society, which I enjoyed very much. Although Every Time We Say Goodbye is listed as the third book in the series, I have no idea how or why it is related to the Jane Austen Society. Therefore, this is absolutely a stand alone book and you do not need to have read or listened to the prior books to understand what is going on this one.


Finally, I listened to the audiobook version of this noel, which was narrated by Juliet Aubrey. Her voice was sweet and rhythmic and I enjoyed it immensely.

I immediately found it difficult to connect with the main character in this story. It seems as if she takes an opportunity to move to Italy in order to find desperately wanted information about a former love, but upon her arrival, little of the story focuses on her initial reason for coming to a new country.
The story quickly gets bogged down with a romantic storyline, which pulls time away from more intriguing characters and in the end seems completely unnecessary. This unnecessary romance sets in motion a portion of the story that appropriately criticizes the Roman Catholic church's role in World War II and the church's moral failings, while also validating the work that individual members of the church were doing to fight against Nazi rule. Unfortunately, this commentary on the Roman Catholic Church does little to enhance what I feel are the compelling aspects of this story, or its emotional heart.
The book does eventually get to a place where our main character is fleshed out enough to understand and empathize with. It also uses multiple additional characters to begin to lean into heavy and emotional subject matter involving victims of World War II and the lasting trauma that the war had on individuals of multiple generations. It beautifully discusses the challenge of the unknown with regards to those lost in war and how that can steadily impede a surviving individual's ability to move forward in life.
The story includes a number of interesting side characters, many of which enrich the messaging of the book and some of which are real individuals (Sophia Loren, Gina Lollobrigida, Daphne du Maurier, etc.). The appearance of these famous historical figures add a hint of excitement, which does save the story from becoming dull and unengaging at times.
This book does contain two timelines, one of which is immediately compelling, exciting, and action filled. It is unfortunately underutilized in this story, which makes the books suffer as a whole. This past timeline does connect to our current timeline in a few different ways, which I found intriguing. In the last moments of this story, the author attempts to make another, more emotionally meaningful, connection between the timelines, which falls flat and would have been better if left out.
While this story does eventually provide our main character with some answers that she came to Italy searching for, I feel this specific storyline wasn't developed enough or paid enough attention throughout the book, dwindling potential emotional impact.
I am thankful for the audiobook of this story, which allowed me to progress through the beginning of this book much more easily than I would have if I had only been reading the physical book. That being said, I found the audiobook to be enjoyable, but not significantly noteworthy.

This one was hard for me to get into. It didn’t have a lot of historical context and wasn’t tied to major historical events so I think that made it more difficult. Overall it was an okay sorry but I just didn’t get a ton out of it.