Friday, February 23, 2018

REVIEW...The Tuscan Child by Rhys Bowen

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… 

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.

Add to your MUST-READ list on Goodreads
Purchase your own copy at AMAZON or BARNES AND NOBLE





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