Seventeen-year-old Concetta and her family leave their hometown of Sicily for the brave new world of America. She is forced to leave behind her secret boyfriend Gaetano. But she vows to write to him and return to his arms one day. America is full of challenges for the new immigrants, and they are faced with prejudice and unemployment. Her father Enzo struggles to obtain work so Concetta supports the family by working in a clothing factory, foregoing her dreams of becoming a teacher. She writes to Gaetano planning to return to him when she has saved enough money. Then Italy declares war on America and Concetta's dreams are dashed. Suddenly, the Italians are the enemy and Concetta fears she will never see Gaetano again.
Faced with personal crises and forced to choose between loyalty to her family and her love for Gaetano, Concetta is caught up in an emotional battle. Can long-distance love overcome the many obstacles thrown at Concetta and Gaetano?

The Last Letter From Sicily is a love story that reveals the reality of wartime with a strong focus on loyalty. As the main protagonist, Concetta has our sympathy as she is forced into changing her life, as a dutiful Italian daughter should. The struggle of Italian immigrants settling in America is realistically represented - arriving with basic belongings, no English and no job. The bravery of all immigrants during the 30's and 40's cannot be understated. Concetta and Gaetano both face many challenges in their separate lives across the sea and when the war prevents further correspondence, they are forced into getting on with their lives while still wondering if their own love story is now at an end.
This is a sensitively written story. The author has created characters we can empathise with in their various struggles. The war setting is well-researched and a true snapshot of both sides' perspectives. I felt there could have been more correspondence between the two lovers. The stakes did not feel quite as high as they could have been when the letters stopped. I also felt that some of the conflict between certain people in Concetta's life in America could have been taken even further to add to the drama of the story.
The Last Letter From Sicily is an enjoyable love story and will take you on a journey from Sicily to America during a significant time in world history

Concetta Balistreri is seventeen, in love with Gaetano Alioto and living in Porticello, a fishing Port in Sicily.
Concetta’s world is changed when her father moves the family to Milwaukee in the USA.
Concetta decides she will earn enough money to return to Gaetano and Sicily, but her attempt to do that is thwarted by war.
Will she ever see Gaetano or Sicily again?

From the beginning I found this a very engaging and interesting book. Life in Sicily and the USA, two totally different experiences for Concetta and her family. A love story at the heart of the book, with life in the late 1930’s and 1940’s depicted. Well written and very descriptive.
I very much enjoyed reading this book.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Publisher for an advanced e-book copy. Opinions about the book are entirely my own.

Lindsay Marie Morris is a new author to me. I stumbled across her book, and I was captured by the description. I’ve been drawn to historical fiction lately, and this filled that need.

We travel from Italy to the US and see things through Concetta’s eyes. She is determined to figure out what happened to her love, Gaetano, even though they don’t always agree on things like a woman’s place. Their story loves through their separate experiences.

This was an immersive read into the portrayal of WWII and what it was like for two characters on different sides of the ocean. Where this read was more detail oriented, it works in terms of the story. I couldn’t help but be pulled into their stories and had to keep going to see how it all ends.

Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the copy.

The Last Letter from Sicily by Lindsay Marie Morris is about two young lovers not only torn apart by WW2 but also by family and immigration. Both setting of Sicily and Wisconsin were well detailed and I felt I was taken back in time. I think the beginning was missing the connection and love between both characters, I felt I couldn’t really invest in their love. Some of it did come out during the letters. I thought the immigration was a great part and the feelings and experience of it was heartfelt. I do believe an epilogue was needed to finish the book. 3 stars
I would like to thank the author, Storm Publishing and NetGalley for my free copy of this novel, in exchange for my honest review.
#TheLastLetterFromSicily #NetGalley

I received an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review. The Last Letter From Sicily didn't necessarily stand out as a piece of WWII fiction for me, but did shine when it came to telling an immigrant's story. In its best moments Morris's writing reminded me of Adriana Trigiani. She created a lush sense of time and place. The actual plot was a little all over the place at various moments. I could have done without the viewpoint of Concetta's sister; it felt distracting and random. Overall though, it was a charming read, that I was excited to continuing reading.

This was a nice read. I love historical fiction and liked the vivid descriptions. This story is set in WWII and is told in 3rd person POV. I think that 1st person POV would have been better as you are more emotionally connected to the main characters. I liked the dual setting; Sicily and America. The world-building was good and I could easily picture myself in both settings. The characters were relatable, but I found myself wanting more backstory to fully understand them and relate on a deeper level. The ending could have been done a lot better. There were still loose ends and I still had questions. An epilogue might have helped. Overall it was a sweet read that I enjoyed and if you like romance and historical fiction, you might like this one.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you, NetGalley, and Storm Publishing for this copy.

The Last Letter from Sicily shares so many different issues about World War Two. Many were things I frankly never thought about. I didn't hear about them so I didn't think about them. That has changed.

The story is an emotional rollercoaster. The reader is exposed to different cultures where beliefs are different. Glimpses are given to what it might have been like to travel from Scicily, or Europe in general. They gave up so much hoping for a better life.

Grab the tissues. It isn't always a better life. To experience such stuggles was heartbreaking. To see some try to fit in while others hung to tradition brought tears. The attitudes of so many stirred anger. The authors words painted a picture I can't stop staring at. Although this story has a happily ever after I can't help but think that they will always carry the hardships of the war.

Sicily, 1939. Concetta is seventeen and in love with Gaetano—a fisherman’s son.
Then overnight she is told that the family is moving to America. Gaetano offers to marry her but her father refuses to let her. They vow to write to each other and meet after the war.
She tries to start anew life working in a dress making factory but their letters are a lifeline. Then America is drawn into the war and ultimately Italy and then the letters stop.
She is then under relentless pressure to forget her old life and find a new love and settle down but she refuses.
Will her and Gaetano ever be together again ?

I love stories about WW2 and this didn’t disappoint. Young love in a small Sicilian village. A family relocate to America, promises made and then war. Will they survive, will they end up together that’s the premise of the story.

Pur two main characters fall in love as children but never get to be together due to her fathers choice. They are torn apart as concettas family leave for America. But on their last time together G gives her a pen
And so a long and loving connection through love and letters continues. And continues their bond and forges their loves.
We learn of the times through each pov. The war was horrific for all involved. To varying degrees. But I'm stunned with every part I read and learn about. All stories break my heart and shatter my faith in humanity. This wasn't even that long ago! And it makes you worry so much about the state of our world. How it truly can go wrong with awful people allowed to reign free. So watching and reading of such brave people as our characters, even if it's just continuing to love is astounding. And inspiring.
This is a love story. And I was desperate for a happy ending. Many points, too many points I feared it wouldn't or could not happen.
There's alot of really tragic subject matter here. Do e with the sensitivity they deserve.
I adored this book. Historical fiction is one of my favorite. And this adds to why.

This was a very good book interesting to read about Italy at this time.

Concetta lives with her parents and sister in Sicily and she is in love with Gaetano her best friend’s brother. She gets devastating news that her family are moving to America she wants to stay but is not allowed. Concetta ends up working in a factory it wasn’t what she wanted to do but to support her family she does. When War comes Gaetano ends up drafted he continues to corresponds with Concetta. Will they see each other again.

The book was good and flowed nicely. I liked the characters they worked well together.

An enjoyable book.

Last Letter From Sicily was a really sweet, beautifully written, very enjoyable historical fiction novel (with a dash of long-lost-lovers romance) set around WWII in Italy (specifically Sicily) & the US (specifically Milwaukee WI - I had no idea so many Italian immigrants went there in the 1900s!). Oh and the novel was based on the author's grandparents' story - how sweet is that!?

The WWII time period is probably my top favorite historical fiction time period to read about, but this was the first one I've read from the Italian/Axis perspective, and I found it absolutely fascinating and I definitely learned new things (I know more about Mussolini now than I did before!) . Honestly I couldn't put the book down, it was a gripping story! I loved all the Italian phrases and the beautiful descriptions of Sicilian scenery and life. It was interesting to read about immigrants coming to the US from an Italian perspective too (not to mention heartbreaking; what a tough time so many people went through!).

I do wish there had been character names at the top of each chapter, as occasionally we got the story from Concetta's dad (Enzo) or little sister's (Giuseppina) pov. I also wish that since we WERE getting multiple characters povs that we had been able to dive a little deeper into their characters. I think Enzo got a quick ending and resolution to all his character flaws, but we were left hanging a little bit with Giuseppina...what happened to her? Was the baseball guy a good thing? An epilogue might help tie up some of the lose ends!

The Last Letter from Sicily by Lindsay Marrie Morris is a beautifully written and emotionally charged novel which captivate readers from start to finish. Lindsay Marrie Morris has crafted a memorable story that is both heartwarming and thought-provoking. The themes of love, loss, and self-discovery are expertly explored throughout the novel. Morris delves into the complexities of human relationships and the impact of past events on the present and the emotional depth of the story leaves an lasting impression on the readers. Thanks to NetGalley and to the publishers of this book for giving me a free advance copy of the book to preview and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This was an engaging historical romance, with the young lovers separated by war.

Concetta and Gaetano live with their families in a Sicilian fishing village in 1939. Concetta’s father, wary of Benito Mussolini and the political similarities that led to WWI, decides to relocate his family to America in a bid to get away from what he sees as a bad situation. He also does not approve of Gaetano’s proposal of marriage to Concetta, and familial duty forces her to go with her family to America. The two lovers promise to stay in touch via letters, and Concetta vows to return to Gaetano. As Concetta navigates her new life in Minnesota and tries to save enough to buy passage back, Gaetano is drafted into the Italian Army and then all correspondence stops as the US declares war on Italy. Each of them has to deal with both the memories of the other and their new life circumstances.

I really enjoyed how immersive this book was. The author did a really good job of painting realistic, immersive settings, whether in Sicily, Milwaukee, or Catania. I also enjoyed the author’s note at the end, where she describes that the story is based on her own grandparents. It gave the story an extra level of authenticity as it was clearly a labor of love. Most of the characters were well-rounded and interesting, but there was one in particular that showed up early on, disappeared for an enormous chunk in the middle of the book, and then reappeared at the end. It might not have been as noticeable except that the character was Concetta’s best friend, who introduced Concetta to her brother Gaetano. It seemed clear that the character was introduced early on to serve a purpose later in the story, but it seemed off that once Concetta moved to America that she would write Gaetano but not her best friend. Also, Concetta’s younger sister at times felt stuck as a younger age than she actually was.

This book would make a good beach read. Or if, like me, you like to read novels about the places you visit when you travel, then this is the book to read if you’re heading to Sicily.

This is an honest review based on the book provided by NetGalley and Storm Publishing.

I enjoyed The Last Letter from Sicily, particularly the depiction of family dynamics and the heartfelt relationship between Concetta and Gaetano. The first love element was beautifully captured, and I appreciated the sense of adventure and the emotional depth of their connection. However, I struggled with the character of Enzo, Concetta's father—his sternness and selfish decisions were difficult to empathize with, and I found the mystery surrounding his departure from Sicily a bit frustrating.

The book does an excellent job of vividly describing the Sicilian countryside and nature, which was a true delight to read. However, I found some of the war-related sections, particularly Gaetano's chapters, to be somewhat repetitive and slow, which made parts of the story drag.

Overall, while the novel had its captivating moments, the pacing and certain character dynamics left me feeling a bit disconnected.

This novel is different in that the historical facts are beautifully interwoven. Some books of a similar genre can be too history-heavy. It was a totally engrossing read. I literally read it in hours as it was too good to put down. A marvellous account of Sicily's involvement in WW2.

I enjoyed this emotional story that covers a six year period that begins in Sicily, 1939 and ends in the same locale in 1945 with sections set in a few locations in the United States. As noted by the dates, this is a World War Two novel but one that focuses on parts of history I have not read about as often in Historical Fiction. Although Concetta and Gaetano, who tell the story from their viewpoints, are fictional characters, they were inspired by the author’s grandparents by the same names. It was lovely to read that The Last Letter from Sicily is motivated by family history as these types of stories are often extra special because they are written with such passion and care. This is truly a touching tribute that certainly honours the Sicilians who suffered and sacrificed much in the Second World War but even more so, highlights a tender romance that stood the test of time, distance and war.

Concetta’s story begins and ends in Porticello, Sicily with years away living in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States with her family. We see her devotion to her parents but she particularly tries to abide by her father’s wishes. Yet, at what point must she draw the line when it begins to affect her future happiness? In the meantime, through a friend’s recommendation, she gets hired to work in a dress factory (sewing). One of her goals is to save a little money for a ticket so she can return to Sicily and her beloved. But she also takes on extra hours to help support the family while her father, Enzo, tries to find work as a carpenter. He struggles initially to get noticed for his skills but eventually teams up with another man from Sicily who has an established business. Their families get to know each other and Concetta dates this man’s son—even though her heart is still focused on Gaetano. Many issues arise as this fellow’s ideas of a women’s place are different from her own. He believes women should be housewives. While she wants to be a Math teacher.

Meanwhile Concetta battles issues at work: her boss makes advances on her. She is hemmed in by prejudice, harassment and obligation. Dealing with pressure from her father, Enzo, to marry a man she does not love, leads her to an engagement that will surely end in heartache, if she does not get the courage to call it off. For her heart still belongs to Gaetano in Sicily. Will the promise they made to each other be fulfilled? Or will war, distance and her father keep them apart?

The journey for this couple certainly was a difficult one with many challenges. After Concetta moved to Wisconsin with her family, Gaetano is shipped off to war. We follow his movements, the losses of his comrades, his time as a war prisoner, being shipped off to various locations and ending up in a place he would never expect. Throughout this time, he clings to the promise of seeing Concetta again and marrying her—even when he is tempted by another. There are some lovely poetic lines that describe the couple’s favourite Sicilian location. Plus the feelings between them are often displayed beautifully in their letters.

The horrors of war are visible enough in this novel to give us a clear picture of what it was like for the Sicilians but the love that carries this couple across time is quite moving and memorable. I liked the ending when order is restored and dreams are realised. The Last Letter from Sicily is a strong historical fiction novel that many will appreciate. It definitely will pull on readers with sensitive heart strings! 4 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thanks to Storm Publishing and Netgalley for the ARC.

A long but interesting story of love and understanding. It was nice to see the war from the Italian solider’s point of view but it seemed kinda pointless for the main characters to reunite in Sicily only to part and for the girl to go back again. She should have used her money to bring her sweetheart to America.

A young couple in love in Sicily. Her family moves to America. They swear to write each other and be together forever. Italy goes to war and the letters stop. Very heartbreaking.

A young Italian girl and her lover are separated by sea and war when Concetta goes to the USA with her family and Gaetano fights for Italy. While the plot was good, the writing style was not great. I love historical fiction romances (which this is slightly), especially revolving around WWII. The struggle of a foreigner in the USA learning the culture while being unable to talk to her boyfriend due to war politics was new to me which was fun. However, the writing felt very middle grade. Shorter sentences, very basic dialogue, simplistic plot and actions.
Short entries of what was happening between large gaps in time (in addition to the simplistic writing) made it hard to get into while being a quick read. It was difficult to connect to the characters as there wasn't much depth to them. It was very surface level. Much of the story felt like it was more of a retelling of a backstory than the actual plot.
And then when the younger sister's "pov" appeared, the writing turned even more juvenielle making it seem like she was 6 rather than in 6th grade.
I felt like there was a lot of fluff "entries" that did not add to the story but were just there for the page count. and then there were unresolved topics.
One random thing that bothered me was how short the letters were, or at least how short the reader got to see them. They were writing about once a month because everything took so long, but the letters were only a couple sentences to a paragraph most of the time. You'd think they would make the most out of what they could.
The issues and reconnections and forgiveness and everything felt rushed and not in depth, making it hard to care or feel like it was really happening. Resolutions felt too easy.

I think the story had a lot of potential and I am disappointed I didn't like it as much as I thought I would. Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC.