Wonderfully loving story of a woman chasing down bits of a ersons prior history in an old community. The characters bring you right into their lives

A beautiful, dual timeline story with relatable characters and a mystery that kept me turning the pages. Another lovely story from Anita.

Firstly, thank you to Bookouture, NetGalley and Anita Chapman for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for honest feedback.

I was mainly intrigued by this book due to the title as I recently visited Florence & absolutely loved it! It's a beautiful city and a perfect setting for part of this story.

It was an enjoyable & easy ready, even though I'm not a huge fan of historical fiction.

I really enjoyed this book and the way the story went between the characters and how it all wrapped up finally. Well written and I loved the settings. Would recommend, thank you.

I loved the way the dual time-line worked so well together. The story just flowed along and I was fully immersed in it. Very interesting to read about the people present day as well as during the war. My thanks to netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

#TheFlorenceLetter #NetGalley. This is the first book I have read by this author, my usual genres being crime fiction and thrillers but anything to do with Italy grabs my attention. A romantic saga told through two different women - Margaret mostly during the second world war and Claire in more present day of 2015. A story or love, deceit, relationships set in a background of war torn London/Surrey and the enchanting Tuscan city of Florence, and I don't mind admitting had me hooked from the start. This was a lovely read and I will be certain to look out for more by this author.

I have been following Anita Chapman on Social Media, as an aspiring author for some years. Just last year she had her debut novel The Venice Secret published, which I throughly enjoyed. So I am delighted that The Florence Letter has followed quickly.

A dual narrative with two female protagonists, Margaret during WWII and Claire in 2015. Their stories are a delightful romantic tale with some fabulous characters that together uncover some intriguing family secrets. To add to my reading pleasure both settings Florence and Surrey are familiar to me. I happen to have very fond memories of the property that the fictional Gatley Hall is partly based upon.

The author has certainly established herself as a writer of captivating stories with her first two novels. If you are a fan of historical fiction I can recommend you add her to your favourites list of authors.

It is with thanks to Bookouture, NetGalley and Anita Chapman that this title was made available for me to read and review.

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The Florence Letter by Anita Chapman is a compelling and highly immersive dual narrative/ dual timeline based predominantly during WWII. The first thing that really captured my attention was the meticulous and illustrative descriptive strengths of Chapman, setting a scene that draws the reader deep into a different world, a different time and place

The storyline is authentic, well-researched and compelling, capturing the different personalities and sensibilities of the FMC's. I absolutely loved this book which I read along with the audiobook and I am very much looking forward to the next in the series

Thank you to Netgalley, Bookouture Audio, the author Anita Chapman for this compelling ARC. My review is left voluntarily and all opinions are my own

The Florence Letter by Anita Chapman was a a beautifully written book and written from the heart. It was just a wonderful read from start to finish especially as it is the first book I have read by this author and it will not be the last.

I highly recommend this book. It just took my breath away.

Big thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for my ARC

The Florence Letter by Anita Chapman is a beautifully written dual timeline novel where the past collides with the present in a romantic saga that once started you will not want to put down.

I love a book with a dual narrative and this one did not disappoint. We have two main characters: Margaret (Mags) during World War 2 and Claire in 2015. The narrative moves seamlessly between the two, both timelines holding my attention equally as the author weaves a gorgeous tale of romance and devastating family secrets.

In 2015 Claire is working as a researcher at a grand country house. After suffering from a recent heartache, Claire throws herself wholeheartedly in to her work. But then she finds a letter, written in an elegant hand that tells the story of Lady Violet, who had a secret affair with an Italian prisoner of war that ended in tragedy.

Enthralled by the story, Claire promises to track down Violet’s daughter, Tabitha, to reunite her with a piece of her mother’s jewellery. With the help of handsome neighbour Jim, Claire travels to Florence, Tabitha’s last known location.

As the beauty of Florence and the warm sun on her shoulders begins to weave its magic, Claire finds herself losing her heart to Jim, whose piercing blue eyes seem to look deep within her soul. But then they find Tabitha and the meeting isn’t anything like she thought it would be, leaving Claire reeling as she discovers a devastating family secret…

In the second timeline, Mags is Lady Violet’s maid and her story is every bit as fascinating as the one in the present day. And then, as the past collides with the present, there is finally an ending to Lady Violet’s story. But is it one that will bring happiness or only more pain?

Beautifully written by Anita Chapman, The Florence Letter is a captivating historical novel that’s filled to the brim with interesting characters, romance and family secrets. I loved it!

Highly recommended.

The Florence Letter is a split time novel. It tells the story of a young woman Margaret (Mags) who is forced to leave her job in London as a “shop girl” and all her dreams of independence behind due to the Blitz. Her Aunt finds her work as a Lady’s Maid at Gatley Hall. We then read of Claire in 2015, who has also moved from the bright lights of the city to the countryside, to the Gatley estate, where she is to set up an exhibition about the history of the Hall.

The letter of the title is the one found by Claire, one of several written by Margaret asking for help searching for a woman named Tabitha. Claire finds out who Margaret is, manages to meet with her and much of the rest of the story is Claire’s as she recovers from her own broken heart and learns of others broken all those years ago. We travel with the characters in both timelines, from the beauty of the English countryside to the beauty of Tuscany. The lush descriptions making the reader long to see the same sights and feel the warmth of the breeze in the two very different locations.

It is always interesting reading of how different things were for women in the past . Neither Margaret nor her Lady Violet seem to have much freedom to choose their own paths. The pressures of society and class hold both of them back but in different ways. Their friendship borne out of loyalty and trust is a fascinating one that is the pivotal point of the story.

I really enjoy reading dual timeline novels. In this one I found I was more invested in Claire’s story than the historical one. Margaret has had a long life mixed with heartbreak, misery and joy her story is told briefly and we learn of her first love and their link to Tabitha and Florence but it is really the mission to find Tabitha that had me reading on rather than the historical storyline. I was particularly keen to read about events in the present, discovering what became of the few whose lives were changed so significantly, in September 1940 when Margaret arrived when passions were roused and love, loyalty and secrets were held tight.

On the journey of discovery that Claire takes, hearts are mended and ultimately it is the unravelling of the mystery and a present day love story that had me reading on and smiling.

This lovely dual timeline book captured me from the start. With the story taking place primarily in Surry England at Gatley Hall, and touching upon a family in Florence, the author wove together a wonderful mystery, a little romance, and secrets - with happy ending.
The story began when Margaret writes a letter to Gatley Hall in 2013 searching for information about Tabitha, a girl who lived there when she did during WWII. As a shop girl in London, saw her place of employment destroyed in the Blitz and her mother suggested she go to her Aunt Edith's in the country where she might find employment and safety. Margaret (Mags) becomes a lady's maid to Lady Violet and moves into Gatsby Hall. While there , she meets Luca, an Italian POW who works at the adjacent home farm and falls in love with him.
The second story takes place in 2015 when Claire moves into a cottage on the Gatley estate following the recent death of her father, and a break up with her partner. Claire works as a researcher who is helping to prepare an exhibit about Gatley Hall when she comes across a drawer filled with correspondence about the place, as well as a diary of Mrs. Fields. In order to make the exhibit interesting, she works to trace Tabitha and other people mentioned in the letters and diary. This project brings her to Florence which the author describes in beautiful terms, even describing the gorgeous sunsets in this special city. The romance was predictable but it worked well into the story.
I am so pleased that NetGalley and the author offered me an ARC of this book and I thoroughly enjoyed revisiting one of my favorite places (Florence) through it. The opinions expressed are my own.

This was a beautifully written dual timeline, dual POV story set from the 1940s until the present day.

I loved both Claire and Margarets stories, which were interwoven across the years and came together beautifully at the end. Gatley Hall and the colourful streets of Florence provided some deliciously well described locations that transported me there in my imagination.

The storyline itself was full of scandal and mystery that kept me captivated.

Two stories in one, this novel feels like a rewarding investment of your time! Set in the same village, it narrates the parallel tales of Mags during the war and Claire in the present day. Eventually, these two stories converge, seamlessly fitting together like pieces of the same puzzle to reveal the poignant journey of our protagonists.

This dynamic storytelling captivated me; much like a detective gathering clues, I found myself constantly surprised by the twists. I particularly enjoyed the immersion into the worlds of the two protagonists, which highlights the evolution of women's conditions over the years. The romances depicted in the book are also touching and charming. All in all, a wonderful discovery.

Thanks to Boukouture, NetGalley, and Anita Chapman for a chance to read this book for free. I'm leaving this review of my own accord.

As someone who absolutely loved my brief visit to Florence I was drawn in by this book cover and the hope of beautiful descriptions of Florence. Those did not disappoint. The city is lovely and the book did a good job of capturing that spirit.

This is a dual point of view story, Claire in present day and Margaret in the late days of World War II. Despite the name and the cover the majority of the book takes place in the countryside outside of London.

This is an easy read with both women having interesting stories. There were parts where it dragged a bit but then it would pick up the pace again.

Overall, this is a quick, easy read and fans of historical fiction especially those with a little romance will enjoy it.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher, Bookoutoure, for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

When I saw this title on NetGalley, I had to get it. For those of you that don’t know, I truly believe Florence is my second home. I’ve travelled there multiple times and it’s one place on this earth where I truly feel at ease & like I belong. I don’t know how to explain it, but my heart lives and lies in Florence.

I didn’t read what this book would be about … I know I know but what can I say, I like going in blind and raw dogging it. Again, I’m so pleased that I did because WHAT A STORY!

The Florence Letter is a beautifully written book that’s set in dual timelines of England during WWII & present day England (well 2015). We follow two MC’s Mags (Margret WWII) & Claire (2015) during their stay in Surrey at Gatley Hall. Mags was a lady’s maid to Lady Violet during the war, what a time it was for her … drama, sadness, scandal & a secret that Mags at 91 is desperately trying to fulfil, through Gatley Hall & Claire.

Claire is charge of putting together an exhibition called ‘below stairs’ which she is tasked to bring to life. In her office she find a drawer, which is full of letters that have been shifted aside due to lack of staff. In here, she find Mags letter, to which makes the dual timelines make sense and intertwine. Claire’s had a difficult past and is looking for a fresh start in Surrey.

I 100% loved the chapters set in Florence, Anita did a marvellous job on setting the scene and taking you there. She was beautifully descriptive and truely transported me to Florence and Surrey. All in all, this was a gorgeous written novel that encapsulated England during the war, what life was like and then honouring & remembering that time period in present times with also a splash or romance, scandal & drama!

The Florence Letter is the first book that I have read by Anita Chapman but it certainly won’t be my last. As soon as I started reading I quickly became engrossed in the dual timeline story that was unfolding which was full of twists and turns right until the very end. The comparisons to the writing of Lucinda Riley are very worthy and I could see echoes of this throughout and dare I say it Anita Chapman might just be the author that I have been searching for ever since I knew we would no longer have any books from one of my favourite ever authors. The title suggests that a lot of the story would be set in Florence but that wasn’t the case. This occurred more so towards the end but that didn’t disappoint me in the slightest as the story within the pages was strong enough that I wasn’t overly focused on the Italian aspect of the story as what was occurring was holding my attention and it had me rapidly turning the pages.

The book opens with a brief prologue. It’s March 2013 and Margaret is making one last effort to write a letter in order to fulfil a request to a friend. She has tried unsuccessfully several times before to complete this bequest. She is looking for someone called Tabitha who lived in Rose Cottage at Gately Hall during World War Two. Instantly, my interest was piqued. Who is Margaret and why is she so insistent that she must find this woman named Tabitha? What happened during the war and would this one final chance prove fruitful? These questions stayed with me as I delved deeper into the story and I was hoping to find firm and solid answers for them all.

The book then focuses on Claire and it’s January 2015 and she has just started a new job at Gately Hall which is in Surrey. She will live at Rose Cottage and work as a research and exhibition officer. She had worked as a curator in an art gallery but she needed a change following upheaval and stress in her life. Her father has passed away and the day after the funeral she had broken up with her partner Miles. She has no ties now and is eager to throw herself into her new job and curate her first exhibition once she can decide on a subject matter. Coming to Gately Hall was a means of escape for Claire. A chance to reset, reassess and process the grief and the hall offers that peace and comfort that she has been seeking

Claire discovers a book called Mrs. Field’s Diary, a book written as part of the mass observations of the war. This gives her an idea for the exhibition and whilst sorting through documents at the hall she falls upon a letter from Margaret looking for Tabitha. A spark is ignited within Claire and she is determined to help fulfil her quest before it’s too late. Finding the letter gives her a focus and I loved how determined she became. The words within the letter struck a cord within her and she also felt that it would make a good story and promote the hall and attract more visitors.

From this point on the chapters effortlessly move back and forth between the present and the war years and to be honest I found the chapters set in the past were really holding my attention more so that Claire’s developing story in the present. It’s not that Claire’s aspect of the plot wasn’t interesting. It was. I just felt completely caught up in the events of the past and there were so many twists and turns there that had my jaw dropping at some points. I loved Claire as a character for her determination and fortitude. The letter ignited something in her and she wouldn’t rest until she had all the answers even if some of the revelations were very surprising and a bit closer to home which she never would have contemplated in the first place. Claire was the one piecing together the pieces of the jigsaw and she needed to be present in the story to bind together the past and the present but Margaret’s story in the past and how she slotted into the overall picture was fascinating.

At the halfway point if felt to me that potentially the book could have been wrapped up pretty quickly. It needed a big twist but for me it came too early. I would have much rather been kept in suspense for much longer. Therefore the second half felt very different to the first in that it had more of a modern feel to it as Claire ventures to Italy in order to potentially find Tabitha. But the last quarter or so of the book had me falling in love with the story all over again and I realised my assumptions regrading the halfway point weren’t fully correct and that in fact the author had everything so carefully and expertly plotted and it reminded me of dual timeline books that had kept me riveted in the past. I love the element of surprise in that you firmly believe one thing because the writing has made you think and feel that way and then within a turn of the page a curveball is thrown and all you have thought to be correct is thrown out the window and the wool has been pulled over your eyes but in the best of ways.

So, what of the aspect of the story that focuses on World War Two. Well here is where we come to learn of Margaret. A city girl who finds herself jobless thanks to the bombings in London. She is given no choice but to leave London and travel to Surrey where her Aunt Edith resides but adjusting to country life after the hustle and bustle of the city will prove challenging. She soon gets a job as ladies maid to Lady Violet at Gately Hall and Edith urges her to keep her own diary observing what is going on in a wealthy family during the war years. Margaret is like a fish out of water in her new setting and feels that working as a servant is a step backwards for her after all she had achieved as a shop girl. But she soon comes to realise that life is not dull and boring in the country especially with Lady Violet around. A tentative but at times distant friendship is struck between the pair as Lady Violet’s husband is away in London. Margaret becomes accustomed to the rules and regulations of the hall and comes to understand that she will observe things that perhaps some people want secret.

Margaret meets Luca, an Italian prisoner of war, who is working on the farm run by the estate. She falls very quickly for him, hard and fast which seemed a bit unrealistic as they barely knew each other. But the author had a lot in store regarding this aspect of the storyline and to say things took a very surprising turn would be an understatement. I felt Margaret had to bottle up her own feelings and over time she became the conduit to the telling of another story. That she perhaps took a back seat and here is where her observations took over. She had to hide things and sacrifice her own feelings and come to comprehend that this wasn’t about her but rather someone else. The actions of these other person would reverberate for many years right down to Claire. Margaret’s journey goes on a different trajectory to what I would have initially thought it would have paned out to be. There are many layers that are peeled back as Claire ventures deeper into discovering what went on in the past as she tries to complete a quest that was issued during the war.The story started to span several generations and there were numerous unexpected reveals that had me thinking oh this really is a brilliant story and it reignited my passion for reading this genre of books which I had found myself becoming a bit jaded by.

The Florence Letter is a brilliant read and one which I really enjoyed from beginning to end. It’s easy to escape into Claire and Margaret’s worlds and see how they collide. There is a lot of pain for the characters and forgiveness will need to occur before any final resolution will be played out. Overall, this book was very well written but as previously mentioned don’t expect a full blown story set in Italy because this is not the case despite the title. None the less, it is a real page turner and I very much look forward to reading more from Anita Chapman in the future.

"The Florence Letter" by Anita Chapman is a captivating tale that seamlessly intertwines past and present against the picturesque backdrop of Florence. At the heart of the story is Claire, a researcher grappling with a broken heart who stumbles upon a wartime secret hidden within the walls of a grand English country house. This secret revolves around Lady Violet, whose scandalous affair with an Italian prisoner of war left a lasting mark on a village and ended in tragedy.
Driven by curiosity and compassion, Claire embarks on a journey to fulfill a dying wish sparked by a letter penned decades ago. Her quest leads her to Florence, guided only by a bakery's name and aided by her charming neighbor Jim. As she delves deeper into Violet's history, Claire's own life becomes entwined with the mysteries of the past. Chapman skillfully crafts a narrative that evokes the sights, scents, and emotions of both wartime England and modern-day Italy, immersing the reader in Claire's quest for truth and redemption.
The characters in "The Florence Letter" are vividly drawn, each with their own compelling stories and secrets. Claire's determination to uncover the truth about Violet and reunite her family resonates throughout the novel, as does her blossoming connection with Jim amidst the backdrop of Florence's enchanting streets and delectable cuisine.
Chapman's writing effortlessly blends romance, historical intrigue, and the poignant exploration of family dynamics. The revelation of long-buried secrets adds layers of complexity to the narrative, ensuring that readers are kept engaged until the final page. The pacing is well-balanced, with each chapter unveiling new revelations that deepen the emotional stakes for Claire and those she encounters along her journey.
Ultimately, "The Florence Letter" is a testament to the enduring power of love, forgiveness, and the importance of confronting the past. It will appeal to fans of Lucinda Riley and Fiona Valpy, offering a richly satisfying blend of historical mystery and contemporary romance set against a backdrop of timeless Italian charm. Anita Chapman has crafted a novel that lingers in the mind, inviting readers to lose themselves in a story where the echoes of the past resonate deeply in the present.

Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for an advance copy of my review

Novel nerd blog : https://smithareading.blogspot.com/

This novel presents a fascinating dual-timeline narrative. In the present, the story unfolds in a normal way. However, the past is revealed through the diary entries of a woman who chronicled nearly her entire life, and she's now searching for someone in the present.

The tale starts in the early 1940s in the UK amidst the war and relentless bombings. Mags, after losing her job due to a bombing, reluctantly searches for new employment, keen to avoid becoming a servant like her family before her. Yet, circumstances lead her to become a lady's maid for Lady Violet.

Her life takes a turn when she meets Luca, a charming POW working on a farm, and they quickly fall for each other. Their paths cross again during an outing with Lady Violet, where Luca's attention is fixed on Mags alone.

As the story unfolds, we delve into the life of the 1940s, observing how the war's impact varied greatly depending on one's social status.

Fast forward to the present, Claire is working on an 'Under the Stairs' exhibition when she stumbles upon a hidden letter. Her efforts to reach the author lead to a blossoming correspondence that enriches the narrative.

Meanwhile, Claire's growing friendship with her neighbor and colleague, Jim, intertwines with the unraveling mysteries of the past.

It's a beautifully layered story, rich with complex characters and a deep sense of history.

I really enjoyed this. Set in two different times, from two points of views and both link back to a manor estate.
I loved the writting style, but also how gripping the story was. Both timelines interlinked and where seperate and clear when being told, but also loves how both come together towards the end.
I also liked the time spend in florence and reminded me of my time there.
I felt certain parts where very true to the times, and yet mags (WW2) was still able to have a better life, loved how she grew and developed and her determination. Which also claire (present day) also had.
I can't wait to read more by Anita as it was gripping and didn't want to put it down.
This isn't a heavy historical fiction, so if you are looking to try the genre I would recommend this book.