Hardcover, 352 pages
Expected publication: February 20th 2018 by Lake Union
Publishing
From New York Times bestselling author Rhys
Bowen comes a haunting novel about a woman who braves her father’s hidden past
to discover his secrets…
In 1944, British bomber pilot Hugo Langley parachuted from his stricken plane into the verdant fields of German-occupied Tuscany. Badly wounded, he found refuge in a ruined monastery and in the arms of Sofia Bartoli. But the love that kindled between them was shaken by an irreversible betrayal.
Nearly thirty years later, Hugo’s estranged daughter, Joanna, has returned home to the English countryside to arrange her father’s funeral. Among his personal effects is an unopened letter addressed to Sofia. In it is a startling revelation.
Still dealing with the emotional wounds of her own personal trauma, Joanna embarks on a healing journey to Tuscany to understand her father’s history—and maybe come to understand herself as well. Joanna soon discovers that some would prefer the past be left undisturbed, but she has come too far to let go of her father’s secrets now…
In 1944, British bomber pilot Hugo Langley parachuted from his stricken plane into the verdant fields of German-occupied Tuscany. Badly wounded, he found refuge in a ruined monastery and in the arms of Sofia Bartoli. But the love that kindled between them was shaken by an irreversible betrayal.
Nearly thirty years later, Hugo’s estranged daughter, Joanna, has returned home to the English countryside to arrange her father’s funeral. Among his personal effects is an unopened letter addressed to Sofia. In it is a startling revelation.
Still dealing with the emotional wounds of her own personal trauma, Joanna embarks on a healing journey to Tuscany to understand her father’s history—and maybe come to understand herself as well. Joanna soon discovers that some would prefer the past be left undisturbed, but she has come too far to let go of her father’s secrets now…
My Thoughts…
The Tuscan
Child is set in WWII Italy and the 1970’s.
While the story goes back and forth between the two eras’ there is no
confusion as to what is happening.
WWII is told
from a pilot, Hugo, whose plane has been shot down and he has landed in enemy
territory where he is hidden in a monastery that had been destroyed by bombs
and taken care of by a local woman whose husband is off fighting in the
war. The 1970’s centers around the
pilot’s daughter, Joanna, who is searching for the beautiful boy who is
mentioned in a letter she finds after her father’s death. The beautiful boy is assumed to be the pilot
and the woman’s son so she is looking for her brother.
Rhys Bowen is a
talented author. She describes the
scenery, the food, and the local is such detail that I could easily picture the
story as I was reading. I could smell
the wonderful dishes the Italian woman, Paola, makes. I could hear the men at the restaurant
telling their tales. I was picturing
the monastery where Hugo stayed, the mountains surrounding the town, and washed
out mud roads that had to be travelled to get around.
The Tuscan
Child is amazing. I fell into the
story, got to know the characters, and loved every minute of my time
reading. I recommend picking up your
own copy.
Thank you Katie
Olsen of Little Bird Publicity for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest
review.
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