A wonderful WWII story full of romance and mystery. A dual time story that brings back Holocaust memories.i loved it!

I absolutely loved The Rebel Girls of Rome! This historical fiction novel pulls you in with its split perspective—one following a young woman searching for the truth about her aunt’s past, and the other bringing that past to life during WWII. The way these two timelines weave together makes for a compelling and emotional read.

One of the things that stood out to me was how immersive the writing is. I felt completely transported, whether I was walking through modern-day Rome or experiencing the fear and resilience of the Jewish community during the war. The book also sheds light on a lesser-known part of WWII history—the Jewish experience in Italy—and the lasting impact on families today. It’s both eye-opening and deeply moving.

If you love historical fiction that’s rich in detail, full of heart, and beautifully written, this is a must-read. Highly recommend! Thank you to netgalley for the free ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I liked that this was a Holocaust book set in Rome, and that the narrator in the historical timeline, Bruna, is both Jewish and queer. The choice to set the story this way made it rather unique in the field of Holocaust YA, and the author clearly did the research as it pertains to the Italian partisan movement. I did, however, find myself wishing as I was reading that this was just a historical novel, and that there wasn't the dual "present" timeline. The historical story was more interesting and compelling than the present day one, and devoting more time to Bruna's story would have allowed for the author to "show" us more, as it stands the pacing is rather odd and some of the most interesting details about the Italian partisan movement are told in info dumps in the present, when I wanted them to be experienced (or experienced in greater detail) in "real time" with Bruna instead. I also wanted more substantive details about Roman Jewish life/history, especially because Roman Jewish culture quite famously has a very interesting history and distinctive traditions, but there wasn't much apart from a passing reference to fried artichokes when Layla in the present day goes to the Roman Jewish quarter. Ultimately this is a quick and engaging read that pulls on some interesting historical threads.

A gripping, dual-POV story about Lilah, an American teen who, with her grandfather, visits Italy to discover their family's story, and Bruna, a young queer Jewish woman living in Rome during the Holocaust. I appreciated that the book revolves around Jewish Holocaust stories that aren't Eastern European, but I also would have loved to see a bit more Jewish history/identity/culture throughout, especially as there is so much Jewish Italian history and culture that could have been integrated into the book.

Some of the pacing felt a bit off to me, particularly the romance set in the present-day—I think the author may have been trying to do too much in a relatively short book. But I largely enjoyed both the historical and contemporary plot lines, and I didn't want to put it down. 4 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.