Thanks to NetGalley, Storm Publishing and Juliet Greenwood for an ARC audiobook of The Secret Daughter of Venice! I got so caught up in listening to this book that I didn't want to stop - at first I thought the pacing was a bit slow, but as the story began to unfold and more and more was revealed, the pace organically increased and I couldn't wait to just find out more. I liked that we learned more about Kate's past at the same she learns, with secrets unfolding and hints of her past slowly piecing together, even though we are occasionally getting Sofia's perspective at the same time. As Kate and Sofia start to circle each other and come so close to meeting again and again, I was gripped by excitement and anxiety - will this FINALLY be it?? I was not expecting a secret heir reveal, and I'm so glad that there was a piece that ended up being unpredictable. The "villains" of the story (Lord Arden, the Contessa) were a bit one-dimensional, but I don't think that they necessarily needed more elaboration. I thought the resolution at the end, with all of the cousins/siblings coming together to manage the Arden estate, was very satisfying. Kate gets to continue to do what she loves, which is paint, and live on her own terms.

Thank you to netgalley for the advanced reader copy of the Secret Daughter of Venice. I love historical fiction and lived in Venice years ago. It remains one of my favorite places which drew me to this story.

I thought Juliet’s descriptions of the Venetian waterways and mystique was quite well done. It transported me there and back in time. I felt for Kate as she grappled with her place in her family and learned more about her history. The parts about Italy were definitely my favorite part and the descriptions of war also pulled at my heart. Parts were a bit repetitive and slower but I did really enjoy her descriptive writing and her mastery of bringing human emotion to light during such a trying time of war.

The paper is stiff and brittle with age as Kate unfolds it with trembling hands. She gasps at the pencil sketch of a rippling waterway, lined by tall buildings, curving towards the dome of a cathedral. She feels a connection deep in her heart. Venice.

England, 1941. When Kate Arden discovers a secret stash of drawings hidden in the pages of an old volume of poetry given to her as a baby, her breath catches. All her life, she has felt like an outsider in her aristocratic adoptive family, who refuse to answer any questions about her past. But the drawings spark a forgotten memory: a long journey by boat… warm arms that held her tight, and then let go. Could these pictures unlock the secret of who she is? Why her mother left her? With war raging around the continent, she will brave everything to find out…

One of the biggest reasons I loved this book was because Kate was such a realistic, well-written character. I love WW2 historical fiction, but there's so much of it that it's hard to stand out. I really enjoy Greenwood's writing, and the ending was beautiful. Wonderfully written gem that I would highly recommend!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy (ARC) in exchange for an honest review!

The Secret Daughter of Venice by Juliet Greenwood was not the historical fiction I would typically read. It was not an action-driven novel. It was, however, a beautiful story.
It is set in England and Italy during WWII. However, it is not a WWII story. WWII is the backdrop. The main focus is the quest of mother and daughter to find each other.
Kate lives in England with the aristocratic Ardens at Arden Court. She knows she is not like the rest of the family and never feels like she quite belongs. Her flashbacks of Venice as a very young child and a book of sonnets led her to believe that Venice might be her real home. Papa refuses to answer her questions or allow her to travel to find out on her own. Unlike anyone else in the Arden household, she has tremendous artistic talent – another factor that sets her apart from the rest of the family.
Her greatest quality was her fierce independence. Papa wanted her married off to a friend of the family. Kate never felt good about him and knew she could not marry him. She came to realize she did not need a man, at least at this stage in her life. This was almost unheard of at this time. Too many books I have read have the woman being rescued by a man. I truly loved that this book did not fall victim to this. This independence would also be her guiding light in finding her mother.
Perhaps, the only small critique I would have is that the first part seemed a little slow in setting up the characters and settings . Some of the passages seemed overly descriptive. Again, I tend to go for action. Others may more fully appreciate that kind of writing.
Once the foundation was established, Parts Two and Three takes the reader on a moving, emotional quest from England to Italy finally uniting mother and daughter. The ending does not disappoint.
I thank NetGalley, Storm Publishing and Juliet Greenwood for the advanced reader copy. As Mother’s Day approaches it is a wonderful reminder of the incredible bond between mother and child—one that even transcends time.

This novel takes place during WWII, but the war is just a backdrop in the story as a young woman tries to find the truth about her identity. The locations, Cornwall and Pompeii, to name two, are the real star

The Secret Daughter of Venice is a historical fiction novel set in the 1940s, during WWII. Although WWII is the backdrop and we see the impacts of war, the story’s focus isn’t on the war itself.

The story is set in multiple locations but the two main locations are Stratford-upon-Avon and Venice. It also features Cornwall, Naples, and even Pompeii. We also have two character points of view – Kate and Sofia – and they are both from the same timeline. We see each POV as time progresses until they both converge.

The story features themes of self-discovery, identity, and family. Art is a strong feature of the story as well and I enjoyed the descriptions of the art.

I enjoyed the audiobook narration by Hannah Curtis. This was my first book by Greenwood and I didn’t realise that it was the second book in a series until after I had finished it! However, in my reading of it, it felt like a standalone and I am now keen to read the first book.

World War II impacted so many areas of the world and it was interesting to have a point of view in this book coming from Italy, which isn’t often depicted. Overall I enjoyed the story. I think the underlying topic was drawn out too long and should have been cut down some to keep the interest of the readers. I was able to predict some of the twists pretty early on which I think caused the length to be more tiresome. I enjoyed the storyline though and the viewpoints.

This lush thriller set in 1941 will leave readers in a world of thrills, heists, and who dun its. A tale about finding out mysteries of the past and how they affect your present, anyone who loves art heists and stories set in the past will love this story. I listened to the audiobook and the narrator was perfectly cast. Her voice set the tone and was brilliant.