Thursday, 4 November 2021

#BookReview - Death at the Mint (A Wulfstan Mystery, Book 1) by Christine Hancock @YoungByrhtnoth


Death at the Mint
(A Wulfstan Mystery, Book 1)
By Christine Hancock


Publication Date: 1st July 2021
Publisher: Madder Press
Pages: 328 Pages
Genre: Historical Thriller


When Wulfstan swore revenge on his enemy, he expected to die. Now that man is dead.

Far to the south, another body is found in an Essex wood.

Abbot Dunstan of Glastonbury is concerned. The victim ran the mint. Is the king’s coinage in danger of corruption?

Dunstan sends Wulfstan to Maldon to investigate.

Can Wulfstan discover the truth? Is there a connection with his own past?

Having lost everything he held dear; can he learn to live again?



Having lost everything he held dear, can Wulfstan learn to live again? 
 
When Wulfstan swore revenge on his enemy, he expected to die. Now that man is dead. Far to the south, another body is found in an Essex wood. Abbot Dunstan of Glastonbury is concerned. The victim ran the mint. Is the king’s coinage in danger of corruption? Dunstan sends Wulfstan to Maldon to investigate. Can Wulfstan discover the truth? Is there a connection with his own past? 

Death at the Mint is a tantalizing historical mystery engulfing a reader into this 10th-century world of intrigue. Wulfstan, a character from the Byrhtnoth Chronicles, regales his own story in this stunning novel. From the outset you learn of his friendship with Byrhtnoth and Saewen, and his own tragic past which sends him on a quest of revenge against his sworn enemy, Egbert. Along the journey to find the man, the attachment between his loyal dog, Faw, a large wolfhound, and his horse, Sleipnir, truly warms your heart and adds a level of emotion and depth to Wulfstan’s character. I truly enjoyed the addition of these animal companions. I really LOVED the line - “His sins had excluded him from God’s presence, and finally, before the service was over, he had slipped out, back to his horse and his dog. They didn’t worry that he had lost his faith.” - Such a meaty line filled with so much meaning and instantly connects the reader to the relationship between the man and his pets, revealing the necessity of their presence in his life. Brilliant!!

After finding his enemy and exacting his revenge, he is determined to find his way in life and an answer to the questions of a mysterious dream he has one night. Where is his family? What happened to his sister? After travelling to Glastonbury and speaking with Abbot Dunstan, the monk sends him on an assignment to the area of Essex to investigate the death of the mint’s coiner. Wulfstan agrees to go, hopeful he can help the Abbot as well as answer his own questions about his family who lived in the same area.

Hancock’s expertise in story-telling is quite evident in this stand-alone book, and I could not put this book down. I was hooked from the very beginning, and upon reaching the descriptions of Wulfstan’s emotions upon seeing the rising sunlight come across Glastonbury on Easter morning, the song in the air, the gilded rays shooting through the mist, the hand of God touching him... well, the sheer poetry of the words played well to my heart and mind, leaving me enthralled with this story.

Wulfstan’s character is strong, yet vulnerable; clever, insightful, sentimental, and loyal – and Hancock’s words help his character develop in a very satisfying way, even when we reach the climax of the story (which I will not reveal), you are sufficiently rooting for Wulfstan’s ultimate success in all of the avenues he has pursued on his quest to Essex. 

And it is not just Wulfstan’s character that is well-developed, but all of the characters, even the ‘bad guys’, those loyal assailants to Egbert who are bent on killing Wulfstan – the details behind their actions really flesh out the characters and makes each and every scene believable as if you were reading actual historical events unfold before your very eyes. She does not hold back from depicting the brutality of the time period but softens the scenes with Wulfstan’s tenderness towards the memory of his sister and her child – which is very touching and endearing. The scope of Heil’s world-building is very cinematic and I could very well imagine this as a movie.

Another way the author draws in a reader is through her skill at setting the scene. For example: “Every hedge or ripple in the land produced a shadow, stretching towards him. As the view expanded, it appeared as if some giant had scrawled a message across the landscape, shadows black as ink standing out from the silver page. Wulfstan stood for a while to catch his breath and attempted to read the message.” You can FEEL the movement of the shadows, and see the character’s eyes scanning over the scene. This is just magical and shows great skill in the author’s use of words.

Death at the Mint is a true success for the author and the reader, with incredible character and story arcs, and a storyline that moves ever forward as if you were riding next to Wulfstan on his horse. This is a great read that I will not soon forget, and one that I highly recommend to anyone seeking a historical mystery. I hope there are more adventures to come for Wulfstan, more mysteries to solve, as I, for one, am a sworn fan of his detective work and his character.

Review by D.K. Marley
The Coffee Pot Book Club.


This novel is available on #KindleUnlimited

I was born in Essex and moved to Rugby, Warwickshire when I married. I have a husband, two sons and two lovely grandchildren.

I am a long-term family historian, leader of the local history group and town guide.

I had never thought of becoming an author – I just wanted to write about some of my ancestors. In 2013 I joined a writing class. The class turned out to be about writing fiction. Before I knew it, I was writing a novel.

Byrhtnoth was a real warrior who died in the 991 Battle of Maldon, made famous by the Anglo-Saxon poem of that name. Growing up in Essex, I visited Maldon often, and attended the 1000 year anniversary of the battle in 1991.

I wanted to find out what made Byrhtnoth such a famous warrior.

I finished the book but found it had become a series – how long, I have yet to find out.

Social Media Links:





Posted by at No comments:

#BookReview - Empire's Heir (Empire's Legacy Book 6) by Marian L Thorpe @marianlthorpe


Empire's Heir
(Empire's Legacy Book 6)
By Marian L Thorpe


Publication Date: August 30th 2021
Publisher: Arboretum Press
Page Length: 458 Pages
Genre: Historical Fantasy


Some games are played for mortal stakes.

 Gwenna, heir to Ésparias, is summoned by the Empress of Casil to compete for the hand of her son. Offered power and influence far beyond what her own small land can give her, Gwenna’s strategy seems clear – except she loves someone else.

 Nineteen years earlier, the Empress outplayed Cillian in diplomacy and intrigue. Alone, his only living daughter has little chance to counter the Empress's experience and skill. Aging and torn by grief and worry, Cillian insists on accompanying Gwenna to Casil.

 Risking a charge of treason, faced with a choice he does not want to make, Cillian must convince Gwenna her future is more important than his – while Gwenna plans her moves to keep her father safe. Both are playing a dangerous game. Which one will concede – or sacrifice?



“As an adult, as the heir, you can choose to agree with my thinking, or not. If you decide not, you will have information that could destroy many people. An extraordinary power, Gwenna, and one that will affect not just others’ lives, but yours. I will ask a promise of you, a vow, when you are adult, that you will never use what you learn to hurt anyone.”

It would not take much for Ésparias, Varsland and Linrathe to once again rage war on each other, and that was the last thing that Gwenna wanted. All the sacrifice, all the suffering that her family had gone through would be for nought. But it was a difficult balance to keep the alliance together, for each eyed what the other had hungrily. Gwenna knew that for the alliance to work, then they would need trade deals and treaties. And if all else failed, a marriage to unite the kingdoms may save them all from a bloody conflict—although it would not be possible for Gwenna to wed a prince of Varsland and Linrathe at the same time. It would be a difficult decision, but Gwenna is determined that what happened in her parent’s lifetime will not happen again. She wants peace, and she is determined to do everything within her power to keep the kingdoms from each other’s throats.

Marian L Thorpe has done it again. She has given her readers another enthralling instalment of the Empire’s Legacy series. Empire’s Heir (Empire’s Legacy, Book 6) was everything I had hoped it would be and then some.

With a realistic historical fantasy backdrop and a narrative that entices, enchants and enthrals, Empire’s Heir has an awful lot to recommend it. There is an authenticity to the atmospheric backdrop which makes the world that Thorpe has created come to life. This vividness, this sense of realism, draws the reader into the story. The writing is phenomenal and the story shines with its own light of brilliance. This novel is next to impossible to put down. This is the kind of book that one would happily forgo sleep to finish. 

There are so many wonderful characters in this series, but this story is told through the narrative of two of them - a father and his daughter. I thought this gave the story a depth that there just would not have been if it had been told from a single perspective. 

Gwenna was a character that really came into her own in this novel. Her extensive education and the steady guidance and influence of her parents and Lord Sorley meant that, despite her age, she is a confident negotiator and has a keen understanding of trade and how it works, and more importantly, how it can work well so everyone’s interests and concerns are addressed. She understands tariffs and economics, and how to negotiate complicated trade details. Her extensive knowledge holds her in good stead and means that she comes as, not just an equal, but someone with authority to the table.

Gwenna’s relationship with Lynthe is thwart with difficulties and obstacles to overcome. In one way, their relationship mirrors that of Gwenna’s father and Lord Sorley. And like her father, Gwenna must weigh up all the options. Peace was only achievable after a long and bloody campaign, but now peace is once again hanging in the balance. Gwenna is duty-bound to marry with the hope of keeping the alliance together. There is no room for love between Gwenna and Lynthe in such a politically unstable world. But the irony of this is that the Empire's Legacy series is, when it comes down to it, a desperate and unforgettable sweeping love story. Gwenna has grown up in a home where there is a collective and very passionate love shared between four people. This love has, in a way, made Gwenna wary. Also, and despite how she may feel and what her heart truly wants, Gwenna must look at the bigger picture. The Empress is powerful and has the means to condemn to death those who she might consider traitorous. There is, therefore, an uncomfortable undercurrent that runs through this novel, that the Empress will, if she is displeased, release her fury, and that is something that Gwenna can not allow to happen. Gwenna is therefore trapped, and the city's high defence walls begin to take on a more significant and sinister role. Whatever she decides, someone, somewhere, is going to suffer the consequences of her actions. I thought Gwenna’s depiction was utterly sublime. Her character drove this story forward. 

Although many of the actions and decisions throughout this novel are male-dominated, the women in this story can also wield a great deal of power and influence. Gwenna knows that to be an empress and to be respected and treated with the same reverence an emperor would receive, would be an uphill battle. The easy option would be to forget her own wishes, and marry a prince, although that too would have implications on the peace between the nations. However, Lena reminds her daughter that she must take into consideration her own feelings and she must do what is right for her.

Lena is a very strong woman and has been throughout this series. And although in this novel Lena has suffered, as they all have, a terrible loss, there is still that sharpened edge of determination to make sure that her daughter understands exactly what is at stake. I adored Lena from Book 1 and I continued to love her in this novel.

Although this book could stand on its own, I would think you would be giving the story a grave disservice if you did not start with Book 1. This is the kind of series that deserves not only a place on your bookshelf, but also your heart. It is an impressively dramatic series and one that I cannot praise enough.

I Highly Recommend.

Review by Mary Anne Yarde
The Coffee Pot Book Club


My books are historical fiction of an imagined world, one that is close to Britain, Northern Europe, and Rome, but isn't any of them. A world where a society evolved differently after the Eastern Empire left, where one young fisherwoman answers her leader's call to defend her country, beginning a journey into uncharted territory, in an Empire on the edge of history.

The first trilogy in Empire’s Legacy was awarded the Silver Medal for Historical Fantasy (Box Set) by the Coffee Pot Book Club in 2019, with its third title, Empire’s Exile, winning the Gold Medal for Historical Fantasy as well. In 2020, Empire’s Reckoning joined it with its own Gold Medal for Historical Fantasy. Empire’s Daughter, Book I, was a finalist in the 2020 Eric Hoffer Book Awards. Empire’s Heir is the sixth title in the Empire’s Legacy series, with two more books planned.

Social Media Links: 



Posted by at No comments:

#BookReview - The Book of Uriel: A Novel of WWII by Elyse Hoffman @Project613Books


The Book of Uriel: A Novel of WWII
By Elyse Hoffman


Publication Date: 26th January 2021
Publisher: Project 613 Publishing
Page Length: 317 Pages
Genre: Historical Fiction


In the fires of World War II, a child must save his people from darkness...

Ten-year-old Uriel has always been an outcast. Born mute in a Jewish village known for its choir, he escapes into old stories of his people, stories of angels and monsters. But when the fires of the Holocaust consume his village, he learns that the stories he writes in his golden notebook are terrifyingly real.

In the aftermath of the attack, Uriel is taken in by Uwe, a kind-hearted linguist forced to work for the commander of the local Nazi Police, the affably brutal Major Brandt. Uwe wants to keep Uriel safe, but Uriel can't stay hidden. The angels of his tales have come to him with a dire message: Michael, guardian angel of the Jewish people, is missing. Without their angel, the Jewish people are doomed, and Michael's angelic brethren cannot search for him in the lands corrupted by Nazi evil.

With the lives of millions at stake, Uriel must find Michael and free him from the clutches of the Angel of Death...even if that means putting Uwe in mortal danger.



“…the Angel of Death will confront you if you search for Michael. Are you prepared for that? Are you still willing to go through with this?” 

Uriel paused and looked towards his beloved Zingdorf, now nothing but a graveyard of bodies and buildings. He had nothing else to do, no other purpose, and if he met his end, he could at least join his family and friends. 
He nodded. 
 
The village of Zingdorf may not be incredibly large, but the sound of the choir is a sound that could very well have been the song of angels, and many would travel near just to hear the sound. In such a village, Uriel doesn’t fit in. Born mute, he could not join in with the songs, nor could he vocalise his prayers. However, he never blamed God for forgetting to give him a voice, for God makes no mistakes and there was clearly a reason Uriel was born silent. Instead, he puts down the words he cannot speak into his notebook, filling it with stories.
 
When Zingdorf is consumed by fire, blood, and ash, Uriel is the only one to escape with his life. However, it is not of his own doing. The angels Gabriel and Raphael are shocked to find a small boy, who is not only still breathing, but can see them both. When Raphael attempts to heal him, the will of God is clear as Uriel’s injuries heal themselves. The angels know without a doubt that this child must be special, and they explain the situation that they find themselves in—the archangel Michael is missing, and no angel can get anywhere near the sins of the Germans without feeling intense pain. There is no doubt that Michael has been taken by Samael, the Angel of Death, and hidden somewhere close to the Germans, somewhere the other angels cannot venture near. However, Uriel is a mortal, and the presence of evil would have no physical effect on him. 
 
Full of horror, fear, and the necessity to find Michael before the entirety of the Jewish population is wiped out, The Book of Uriel by Elyse Hoffman tells more than just the story of a religious quest, but also masterfully builds relationships while sowing mistrust and doubt among those capable of seeing the inhumanity of such destruction.
 
The angels give Uriel a hamsa that renders him invisible to all but the righteous while he wears it, and he sets off on his quest, quickly finding himself at the manor of Major Günter Brandt of the Ordnungspolizei, the Order Police. With the protection of the hamsa, Uriel has no problem with entering the manor, not without making some faces at the Major first, though. What he doesn’t expect is the linguist, who had been taken from his home and family to put his language abilities to use, to spot him and rush him up to his room to keep him hidden and out of sight. The linguist, Uwe, knows the risks of harbouring Jews, no matter how young they may be, but he can’t bring himself to abandon the boy. Uwe is a kind and caring man in the middle of a world full of brutality, and his compassion gets him into trouble more than once. How could he just stand by and simply translate when men are being tortured for information? How could he let a young, mute boy out into the dangerous world, with so many Germans around who would have no thoughts against murdering him?
 
Uwe and Uriel become the support that the other needs. Taken from his family, and with love to spare, Uwe takes Uriel under his wing. He may be hesitant to grow fond of the boy at first, but to Uriel, having lost everyone he has ever known, Uwe is the father figure that he so desires. Their relationship, although beautiful, is heartbreaking to read about, for they remind each other of what they do not have, yet they also grow incredibly close. Uwe would much prefer to be at home with his wife and children, and Uriel would do anything to see his parents again, yet neither can have what they want. Uwe’s protectiveness over Uriel is depicted with such brilliance that it was wondrous to behold. Their relationship is a rose among the thorns as Uwe tries to keep himself and Uriel safe, and Uriel, unbeknownst to Uwe, tries to find Michael to end the horrors and destruction. 
 
The various aspects of Jewish stories and religion mixed into this book were masterfully portrayed. Uriel’s mission puts in his path many different sacred items from the old stories. He needs these sacred relics if he is to save Michael and the Jews. The ignorance of the others, with some of the items passing through the hands of the Ordnungspolizei to get to Uriel, is shocking, although it is obvious that no one but Uriel is completely aware of the importance or power that these items hold. 
 
This is not a novel simply about a religious quest, but one that also portrays the horror that the Jews faced at the hands of the Poles and the Germans. Uwe has no choice but to help the Ordnungspolizei, but their treatment of the poor people that are being hounded out of their homes, their possessions broken and their beloved Torahs destroyed, is enough to turn anyone’s stomach. Sitting down in the evening to read out Uriel’s stories to the boy is not enough to wipe the scenes of destruction from Uwe’s mind, and he wants nothing more than to take Uriel and go home. 
 
The Book of Uriel by Elyse Hoffman is a novel that is almost impossible to put down and will entrance you from start to finish. Hoffman has penned a novel in which all light has gone from the world, and the one being that could help put things back together has been locked away, somewhere no angel can find him. The historical detailing, combined with Jewish scripture and a young boy’s determination to save his people, has produced a story wherein hope is prevalent during even the darkest of times, as long as there is trust in God and faith that he will fix what is broken.
 
I Highly Recommend.
 
Review by Ellie Yarde
The Coffee Pot Book Club

This book can be found on your favourite online store. 
Click HERE!

This book is available on audio.


Elyse Hoffman strives to tell historical tales with new twists: she loves to meld WWII and Jewish history with fantasy, folklore, and the paranormal. She has written six works of Holocaust historical fiction: the five books of The Barracks of the Holocaust and The Book of Uriel.

Stay up to date with: Facebook, Twitter, BookBub, and Goodreads.






Posted by at No comments:

#BookReview - Izar, The Amesbury Archer: A Pioneer Metal Smith By Michael E Wills @MWillsofSarum


Izar, The Amesbury Archer: A Pioneer Metal Smith
By Michael E Wills


Publication Date: 1st June 2021
Publisher: Independently Published
Page Length: 248 Pages
Genre: Historical Fiction


Amesbury, just two miles from Stonehenge, is regarded as one of the oldest towns in Britain, with evidence of habitation for over 5000 years. In 2002 a male skeleton was discovered in there. It had lain undisturbed for almost that length of time. Archaeological research showed that the man was born almost a thousand miles from where he died. He had lived in the period when the Stone Age was ending and the age of metal was dawning.

The numerous items buried with him give tantalising clues about his way of life. In addition to archery equipment there was evidence that he had been a pioneer metal worker.

This is the story of how he could have lived and died.



“Before I leave may I see the work you do here with the copper?” asked the visitors’ spokesman.

The leader hesitated for a moment, considering the request and then said, “Izar will show you what he makes, but he will not tell you of the way it is done, for he alone knows this. He has it as a gift from the Sun God.”

The year that Izar has a dot on the finger of each hand, with four of his fingers showing two dots, is the one when his life changes forever. Separated from his father and brother by fog, and with dogs from an unfriendly tribe on his heels, Izar’s path takes a new turn when he tumbles from a cliff and lands heavily at the bottom.

When the tribe finds him, the tribe’s leader, Rab, and his woman, Stin, decide to try to heal Izar’s injuries. Stin must remove the broken pieces of bone from Izar’s leg if the boy is to have any hope of surviving, but the break and the procedure leave Izar crippled, and what use is a cripple to a tribe? However, Izar grew up making arrows, and his carving skills are quickly noticed by Rab. With the tribe’s secrets about melting the stone in need of a new process to mould the new metal, Izar may be able to earn his keep and save his own life.

Izar, The Amesbury Archer: A Pioneer Metal Worker by Michael E Wills is a novel that is as rich in historical detail as it is in story.

Izar is an incredibly brave character, who not only has to contend with the pain and difficulties of breaking and subsequently losing his kneecap but also of finding a way to show his worth to the tribe that took him in. If he was no use to them, he was simply an idle mouth, taking their food and giving nothing in return. As he starts his healing process, he is given the task of looking after the very same dogs that scared him into falling off the cliff. While the dogs may start to regard him as a friend, not a foe, the other members of the tribe are not as easily persuaded. Being unable to walk properly, Izar quickly becomes the subject of amusement and bullying from Rab’s sons, who see him as expendable and a threat to their tribe.

The idea that the injured or physically disabled were useless is explored in great detail in this novel. Alongside Izar, there is a young boy in the tribe, known as Lin, who has an arm he cannot use. This means that, unlike the other children in the tribe, he cannot work and he is, therefore, treated as inferior. Unfortunately, despite the friendship Lin forms with Izar, he does not have the unique skill that Izar does to carve objects and create arrowheads, which means that he also has no way of earning his keep. The way that both Izar and Lin are treated is appalling. In the world that Wills has depicted, it is imperative that everyone can pull their own weight. If they cannot, then they are nothing more than a burden.

The Stone Age, or indeed, the start of the Bronze Age, was a time very different from the modern-day. Human lives were seemingly worthless, and if a person was a threat or could no longer be an active participant of the tribe, then they faced either leaving the safety of the tribe, or execution. Izar is very aware of this, and he constantly attempts to demonstrate how important and how useful he is to those around him. However, as Izar grows older, the need for respect and to be necessary to others becomes not so much about survival but instead he basks in his accomplishments. Izar can create something that many tribes do not have—copper.

Izar’s ability to not only extract copper from the rocks, but also to mould it into knives, takes him on a great journey—one that began with him, once again, running for his life, and transforms into a trip across the water, far from his home, towards the Duran tribe. The differences between the tribes Izar is used to and the Duran tribe are stark. The Duran tribe, and the Duran Master’s chief warrior, Radan, are not the kind of tribe to peacefully accept shelter and a meal, but a people who took what they wanted with little care for the consequences of those who found themselves in their path. Izar is disgusted when Radan shows him around this new home and discovers that the tribe uses slave children to dig holes for their construction, and sacrifice young children to the spirit of the sun. Nevertheless, the tribe is desperate for Izar’s copper creations to further develop their status and homes, and Izar quickly finds his place among the strange new tribe.

The historical detail in this novel has to be commended. It is clear that Wills has put hours of research into making this novel as historically accurate as possible, and that is a feat in itself with the lack of historical resources for the era. This book is based on the life of a man found in an early Bronze Age grave, exploring what his life may have been like and the reasons for the objects in the grave. The writing of this novel required the use of logic and imagination, as well as a passion for the era, to weave together the story of Izar, and how his life played out, and this has been accomplished exceptionally well.

Izar, The Amesbury Archer: A Pioneer Metal Worker by Michael E Wills is a novel that not only explores the processes of working metal in the early Bronze Age and the uses that different tribes would have had for copper, but it is also an intensely enthralling tale. Izar’s life has been moulded around what little is known about him, and the result is a novel full of intense detail with a gripping narrative.

I Highly Recommend

Review by Ellie Yarde.
The Coffee Pot Book Club.


This book can be found on your favourite online store. 
Click HERE! 

This book is available on audio.


Michael Wills was born in Newport on the Isle of Wight and attended the Priory Boys’ School and later Carisbrooke Grammar. He trained as a teacher at St Peter’s College, Birmingham, before teaching mathematics and physical education for two years at a secondary school in Kent.

After re-training to become a teacher of English as a Foreign Language he worked in Sweden for thirteen years. In 1979 he returned to UK with his wife and young family to start a language school, the Salisbury School of English.

From small beginnings the school developed into substantial business enterprise. Michael retired in 2008 after over forty years in the field of education. Along the way, he was President of Salisbury Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Co-Chair of English UK, the national association of English language training providers.

Currently, Michael is employed part-time as Ombudsman for English UK. He divides his spare time between indulging his life-long interest in medieval history and enjoying his grandchildren, writing, carpentry, amateur radio and sailing.

Social Media Links: 




Posted by at No comments:

Book Review: The Girl from Venice by Siobhan Daiko @siobhandaiko


The Girl from Venice
By Siobhan Daiko


Publication Date: 29th June 2021
Publisher: ASOLANDO BOOKS
Page Length: 300 Pages
Genre: Romantic Historical/Women’s Fiction
Trigger Warnings: Death, Miscarriage, PTSD and Rape.


Lidia De Angelis has kept a low profile since Mussolini's racial laws wrenched her from her childhood sweetheart. But when the Germans occupy Venice in 1943, she must flee the city to save her life.

Lidia joins the partisans in the Venetian mountains, where she meets David, an English soldier fighting for the same cause. As she grows closer to him, harsh Nazi reprisals and Lidia’s own ardent anti-fascist activities threaten to tear them apart.

Decades later in London, while sorting through her grandmother’s belongings after her death, Charlotte discovers a Jewish prayer book, unopened letters written in Italian, and a fading photograph of a group of young people in front of the Doge’s Palace.

Intrigued by her grandmother’s refusal to talk about her life in Italy before and during the war, Charlotte travels to Venice in search of her roots. There, she learns not only the devastating truth about her grandmother’s past, but also some surprising truths about herself.

A heart-breaking page-turner, based on actual events in Italy during World War II.



The sound of heavy machine guns echoed and tracer bullets flew towards the barn. Seconds later, flames licked through the hay and set the building alight, cows bursting through the open doors.

‘Stop looking,’ David grunted. ‘It’s slowing you down.’

In 1938, Lidia De Angelis is following in her father’s footsteps, studying at university as a medical student. But when she shows up for a new school year, her sweetheart, Renzo, meets her on the university steps with a somber message—all Jews have been expelled. 

With the threat of war settling over them, the lives of Lidia and her friends hang in the balance. Mussolini’s blackshirts patrol the streets, and they are itching for someone to step out of line. Lidia must make a difficult decision. Her father does not want to leave Venice, it is his home, and he does not believe that his and Lidia’s lives are in immediate danger. Lidia cannot bear to leave him, but Renzo and his family already have plans to leave. Should she follow her head and get out before it is too late, or should she listen to her heart and stay with her father?

In 2010, Charlotte feels lost. She has broken up with her boyfriend, Gary, and is alone in her house in England. She doesn’t feel like she belongs, nor did she when she was growing up in Hong Kong. She is incredibly close to her Gran, Elena, but her Gran is lying in a hospice, barely holding onto life. When the inevitable occurs, Charlotte and her mother start clearing out her Gran’s house. While doing so, they come across some unexpected surprises. Elena had never spoken about her life before she had come to England, refusing to drag up memories that would be better left in the past. So when Charlotte and her mother uncover an old photograph, showing a young woman almost identical to Charlotte, and three unopened letters from Italy, Charlotte is desperate to know more about her Gran’s past. A trip to Italy might help her uncover her roots, might explain why her Gran wouldn’t speak of the past, and might help Charlotte finally feel a sense of belonging.

Following the story of two different generations, The Girl From Venice by Siobhan Daiko is an epic novel of love, betrayal, and finding where you truly belong.

Lidia is an especially brave woman. She is so young when her mother’s heritage, and the Jewish prayer book that she treasures, change her life. Her best friend, Marta, urges her to leave Venice, to move somewhere safer because of the increasing threat coming from the German occupation, but Lidia’s father is stubborn. He doesn’t heed the warnings coming from those around him. By 1943, Lidia has no choice and must leave Venice alone. With a new name and fake identification, she travels to live with the Zalunardi family, who welcome her as in to their home and treat her as one of their own. Rosina Zalunardi helps Lidia to become accustomed to the changed lifestyle. When Rosina’s brother, Antonio, announces that he is going to go up Monte Grappa to join the partisans, rather than be conscripted into Mussolini’s National Republican Army, Lidia sees a new option ahead of her. The partisans were not cowards, but individuals with enough courage to stand up against the Fascists, to let their views be known, and let everyone know that they were willing to fight for what they believed in. Reading about the partisans, about Lidia’s involvement when she joins them, thinking of the men as her lupetti, her wolf cubs, the group becoming her family, was inspiring to say the least. Here was a group of people who were strong enough to stand up against the oppressors, who refused to cower and hide, but instead climbed a mountain and held their position against the Fascists, who were too afraid to get anywhere near them. They played their part, ready to help the Allies to take back Italy.

Travelling to Italy, Charlotte begins her search for her Gran’s past, with the help of Alex and Francesca, the siblings running the hotel that Charlotte stays in. Despite swearing off men after Gary, Charlotte cannot deny the sparks that are flying between her and Alex, as he and Francesca become close friends with Charlotte, sharing their knowledge of the area’s history to help Charlotte on her quest. As Charlotte follows in her Gran’s footsteps, over 60 years later, she finds things that she never expected—she finds herself. Charlotte’s mission may seem an impossible challenge, but, like Lidia, Charlotte is not one to give up, to see a difficult road ahead and turn around. She is the kind of person to brace herself and continue down the road, taking what may come her way and forcing her way forward. Like Lidia, I admired Charlotte. She has just lost the one person that means the world to her, yet she pushes on. She has been alone, yet she finds friends and, as she finds out more about why her Gran refused to speak of her past in Italy, Charlotte starts thinking about her future, and whether the handsome Alex might play a part in it.

This is not a romanticised novel of the era—Daiko does not brush over the horrors, the fear, or the death. Not everyone gets a happy ever after, for many did not. Innocent people suffered terribly, and many paid with their lives what was not owed. The methods used by The German Command and Black Brigades to round up the partisans, offering them a pardon to draw them out and turning the offer around when they had the men in their grasp, were horrifying. There is no honour in war, and this story shows that. Nevertheless, love is something that is known to prevail, and as Lidia gives her heart away, her future seems predestined, despite anything she may go through to reach that destiny.

The Girl From Venice by Siobhan Daiko will tug at your heartstrings, and leave you desperate for more, as Charlotte and Lidia refuse to give up, fighting their way forwards, whether they were fighting Nazis or information long since hidden. This is an enthralling read, as both women find their places in the world, figuring out where they, and their hearts, belong.

I Highly Recommend

Review by Ellie Yarde
The Coffee Pot Book Club


This novel is free to read with #KindleUnlimited subscription.




Siobhan Daiko is an international bestselling historical romantic fiction author. A lover of all things Italian, she lives in the Veneto region of northern Italy with her husband, a Havanese puppy and two rescue cats. After a life of romance and adventure in Hong Kong, Australia and the UK, Siobhan now spends her time, when she isn't writing, enjoying the sweet life near Venice. 

Social Media Links:

Posted by at No comments:
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)