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Sisters of War #2
The Lost Gift to the Italian Island
Italy, 1943. With tears in her eyes, Giulia listens out for the sound of bombers flying overhead and thinks of the baby growing inside of her. Through the fabric of her lace dress her fingers touch the cold bullets carefully sewn into the seams. Luca might never forgive her, but she has to do this…
New York, present day. When Tori Coleman discovers that her mother was adopted, her whole world shatters. Jeremy , her boyfriend, wants to get married, but how can Tori commit when she doesn’t know who she truly is? The only clue to the identity of her biological family is a mysterious postcard with a photograph of an ornate wedding dress her grandmother Giulia made, which she’s told was gifted to a museum on an Italian island…
Tori arrives on Ciani island, surrounded by turquoise Mediterranean waters, with the sweet smell of orange blossom filling the air. She soon finds the museum and learns that Giulia was Jewish, and secretly lived there during World War Two. She thought her grandmother abandoned her mother, but was she forced to leave and give up her child?
Just as she’s getting closer to answers, an unexpected call from Jeremy stops Tori in her tracks. As he passionately urges her to find out the truth, suddenly Tori wishes he were in Italy by her side, ready to propose again.
But then Tori is shocked to find bullets sewn into the lining of one of Giulia’s dresses and a notebook claiming she did something terrible during World War Two. Will the secrets in her family help her follow her own heart, or send her home from Italy with it finally broken forever?
New York, present day. When Tori Coleman discovers that her mother was adopted, her whole world shatters. Jeremy , her boyfriend, wants to get married, but how can Tori commit when she doesn’t know who she truly is? The only clue to the identity of her biological family is a mysterious postcard with a photograph of an ornate wedding dress her grandmother Giulia made, which she’s told was gifted to a museum on an Italian island…
Tori arrives on Ciani island, surrounded by turquoise Mediterranean waters, with the sweet smell of orange blossom filling the air. She soon finds the museum and learns that Giulia was Jewish, and secretly lived there during World War Two. She thought her grandmother abandoned her mother, but was she forced to leave and give up her child?
Just as she’s getting closer to answers, an unexpected call from Jeremy stops Tori in her tracks. As he passionately urges her to find out the truth, suddenly Tori wishes he were in Italy by her side, ready to propose again.
But then Tori is shocked to find bullets sewn into the lining of one of Giulia’s dresses and a notebook claiming she did something terrible during World War Two. Will the secrets in her family help her follow her own heart, or send her home from Italy with it finally broken forever?
304 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 4, 2023
1060 people are currently reading
398 people want to read
About the author
Barbara Josselsohn
14 books251 followersBarbara Josselsohn is a best-selling author known for her captivating contemporary and historical novels, including her latest, The Forgotten Italian Island. This sweeping, multigenerational story delves into the lives of two women bound by a fateful mistake made one night during the Nazi occupation of northern and central Italy. Barbara's work is marked by richly developed characters, intricate emotional landscapes, and immersive settings that transport readers to the heart of each story.
With a talent for blending history and human drama, Barbara’s novels explore complex themes of love, loss, resilience, and the enduring power of secrets. Her storytelling often spans generations, drawing readers into a tapestry of personal and historical struggles. Known for her lush descriptions and evocative prose, Barbara has garnered praise for her ability to bring history to life while crafting deeply emotional, character-driven narratives.
Her books resonate with readers who appreciate stories that combine rich historical details with powerful personal journeys. Currently, Barbara is working on a new World War II novel set in the mountains of southern France.
In addition to her writing career, Barbara teaches novel writing at Sarah Lawrence College and other prestigious venues. When not writing, Barbara enjoys ballet, yoga, reading, and relaxing on the beach. She loves spending time with her family, which includes her beloved rescue pup, Albie.
With a talent for blending history and human drama, Barbara’s novels explore complex themes of love, loss, resilience, and the enduring power of secrets. Her storytelling often spans generations, drawing readers into a tapestry of personal and historical struggles. Known for her lush descriptions and evocative prose, Barbara has garnered praise for her ability to bring history to life while crafting deeply emotional, character-driven narratives.
Her books resonate with readers who appreciate stories that combine rich historical details with powerful personal journeys. Currently, Barbara is working on a new World War II novel set in the mountains of southern France.
In addition to her writing career, Barbara teaches novel writing at Sarah Lawrence College and other prestigious venues. When not writing, Barbara enjoys ballet, yoga, reading, and relaxing on the beach. She loves spending time with her family, which includes her beloved rescue pup, Albie.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 68 reviews
December 8, 2023
EXCERPT: Italy 1943
'They'll be expecting me in New York', she added, her voice low and firm. No matter how nice they'd been, nobody was going to keep her against her will. She watched him looking at her, as though he were deciding how to proceed. And it bothered her, this manipulative, controlling way of his. At that moment she remembered the conversation she'd overheard between him and Luca just before dinner, and what Pietro had said: Her presence can be helpful, but it also puts us at great risk. What was that all about? What was going on?
ABOUT 'THE LOST GIFT TO THE ITALIAN ISLAND': Italy, 1943. With tears in her eyes, Giulia listens out for the sound of bombers flying overhead and thinks of the baby growing inside of her. Through the fabric of her lace dress her fingers touch the cold bullets carefully sewn into the seams. Luca might never forgive her, but she has to do this…
New York, present day. When Tori Coleman discovers that her mother was adopted, her whole world shatters. Jeremy , her boyfriend, wants to get married, but how can Tori commit when she doesn’t know who she truly is? The only clue to the identity of her biological family is a mysterious postcard with a photograph of an ornate wedding dress her grandmother Giulia made, which she’s told was gifted to a museum on an Italian island…
Tori arrives on Ciani island, surrounded by turquoise Mediterranean waters, with the sweet smell of orange blossom filling the air. She soon finds the museum and learns that Giulia was Jewish, and secretly lived there during World War Two. She thought her grandmother abandoned her mother, but was she forced to leave and give up her child?
Just as she’s getting closer to answers, an unexpected call from Jeremy stops Tori in her tracks. As he passionately urges her to find out the truth, suddenly Tori wishes he were in Italy by her side, ready to propose again.
But then Tori is shocked to find bullets sewn into the lining of one of Giulia’s dresses and a notebook claiming she did something terrible during World War Two. Will the secrets in her family help her follow her own heart, or send her home from Italy with it finally broken forever?
MY THOUGHTS: The Lost Gift to the Italian Island is the second book in the Sisters of War series and, if you haven't already done so, I recommend you read Secrets of the Italian Island (Sisters of War series #1) before reading this.
The series is based on the lives of three sisters, Annalisa - who featured in Secrets of the Italian Island, Guilia who is featured in this, The Lost Gift to the Italian Island, and Emilia, the youngest sister whose book is yet to come.
The Lost Gift to the Italian Island is told over two timelines - 2019 with Tori set on unravelling her family history after a shock discovery, and 1943 with Guilia trying to escape from Italy to reunite with her sisters in America.
This is a beautifully written story, with characters who will burrow their way into your hearts, and a plot that will often have that heart in your mouth. It is a story of a family torn apart by war and their efforts to reunite. It is a story of secrets and desperation and living a life constantly under threat.
There is a little repetition and in a few places I felt I was being 'told' the story rather than living it through Guilia's eyes, but mostly it swept me along with the need to know what happens to Guilia and what the real connection was between Guilia and Tori.
This is an interesting family saga/wartime drama/ mystery that has me waiting eagerly for the the next installment.
⭐⭐⭐.7
#TheLostGifttotheItalianIsland #NetGalley #Bookouture
I: @barbara_josselsohn_author @bookouture
X: @barbarajoss @Bookouture
THE AUTHOR: Barbara Josselsohn grew up on Long Island and lived for several years in her beloved New York City before moving to the northern suburbs. She began her career as a business journalist and then turned her attention to her first love, fiction. Barbara teaches writing at the Sarah Lawrence Writing Institute and other venues, and is the founder and coordinator of the Scarsdale Library Writers Center, which supports and promotes local writers. She and her husband live in Westchester, N.Y., and have three children.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Bookouture via NetGalley for providing a digital ARC of The Lost Gift to the Italian Island (Sisters of War #2) by Barbara Josselsohn for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
'They'll be expecting me in New York', she added, her voice low and firm. No matter how nice they'd been, nobody was going to keep her against her will. She watched him looking at her, as though he were deciding how to proceed. And it bothered her, this manipulative, controlling way of his. At that moment she remembered the conversation she'd overheard between him and Luca just before dinner, and what Pietro had said: Her presence can be helpful, but it also puts us at great risk. What was that all about? What was going on?
ABOUT 'THE LOST GIFT TO THE ITALIAN ISLAND': Italy, 1943. With tears in her eyes, Giulia listens out for the sound of bombers flying overhead and thinks of the baby growing inside of her. Through the fabric of her lace dress her fingers touch the cold bullets carefully sewn into the seams. Luca might never forgive her, but she has to do this…
New York, present day. When Tori Coleman discovers that her mother was adopted, her whole world shatters. Jeremy , her boyfriend, wants to get married, but how can Tori commit when she doesn’t know who she truly is? The only clue to the identity of her biological family is a mysterious postcard with a photograph of an ornate wedding dress her grandmother Giulia made, which she’s told was gifted to a museum on an Italian island…
Tori arrives on Ciani island, surrounded by turquoise Mediterranean waters, with the sweet smell of orange blossom filling the air. She soon finds the museum and learns that Giulia was Jewish, and secretly lived there during World War Two. She thought her grandmother abandoned her mother, but was she forced to leave and give up her child?
Just as she’s getting closer to answers, an unexpected call from Jeremy stops Tori in her tracks. As he passionately urges her to find out the truth, suddenly Tori wishes he were in Italy by her side, ready to propose again.
But then Tori is shocked to find bullets sewn into the lining of one of Giulia’s dresses and a notebook claiming she did something terrible during World War Two. Will the secrets in her family help her follow her own heart, or send her home from Italy with it finally broken forever?
MY THOUGHTS: The Lost Gift to the Italian Island is the second book in the Sisters of War series and, if you haven't already done so, I recommend you read Secrets of the Italian Island (Sisters of War series #1) before reading this.
The series is based on the lives of three sisters, Annalisa - who featured in Secrets of the Italian Island, Guilia who is featured in this, The Lost Gift to the Italian Island, and Emilia, the youngest sister whose book is yet to come.
The Lost Gift to the Italian Island is told over two timelines - 2019 with Tori set on unravelling her family history after a shock discovery, and 1943 with Guilia trying to escape from Italy to reunite with her sisters in America.
This is a beautifully written story, with characters who will burrow their way into your hearts, and a plot that will often have that heart in your mouth. It is a story of a family torn apart by war and their efforts to reunite. It is a story of secrets and desperation and living a life constantly under threat.
There is a little repetition and in a few places I felt I was being 'told' the story rather than living it through Guilia's eyes, but mostly it swept me along with the need to know what happens to Guilia and what the real connection was between Guilia and Tori.
This is an interesting family saga/wartime drama/ mystery that has me waiting eagerly for the the next installment.
⭐⭐⭐.7
#TheLostGifttotheItalianIsland #NetGalley #Bookouture
I: @barbara_josselsohn_author @bookouture
X: @barbarajoss @Bookouture
THE AUTHOR: Barbara Josselsohn grew up on Long Island and lived for several years in her beloved New York City before moving to the northern suburbs. She began her career as a business journalist and then turned her attention to her first love, fiction. Barbara teaches writing at the Sarah Lawrence Writing Institute and other venues, and is the founder and coordinator of the Scarsdale Library Writers Center, which supports and promotes local writers. She and her husband live in Westchester, N.Y., and have three children.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Bookouture via NetGalley for providing a digital ARC of The Lost Gift to the Italian Island (Sisters of War #2) by Barbara Josselsohn for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
November 16, 2023
Two dressmakers - one with a secret and one with a secret past!
I was so excited to hear that Josselsohn had a second book in her Sisters of War series! I’ve loved reading about three sisters - Annalisa, Giulia, and Emilia - who become separated when the Nazis invade Italy.
This book centers around one of the sisters, Guilia Sancino, and is set partially on an island in the Mediterranean during the darkest days of WW2. It’s a dual timeline and hops between 1943 Italy and present-day New York.
I was engrossed in a heartwarming story about a single mom, Tori Coleman, with too much on her plate who had her life changed by a single postcard. I couldn’t put the book down because Josselsohn masterfully wrote to pull Tori’s past forward to her present. Josselsohn knows just how to mobilize and energize her characters by giving them new challenges and opportunities. It was wonderful to sit back and watch the growth.
The setting is so vividly described it was as if I was visiting it alongside Josselsohn’s characters.
I was completely engrossed in a wonderful novel featuring love, family dynamics, secrets, abandonment, and bravery. Josselsohn’s timelines meshed seamlessly, and she left me needing more to the story.
You’ll be pulled in different directions as the author gives you different perspectives and challenges you to see how each woman’s history played a part in the truth.
I’m hoping for a third book in this series!
I was gifted this copy by Bookouture and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.
I was so excited to hear that Josselsohn had a second book in her Sisters of War series! I’ve loved reading about three sisters - Annalisa, Giulia, and Emilia - who become separated when the Nazis invade Italy.
This book centers around one of the sisters, Guilia Sancino, and is set partially on an island in the Mediterranean during the darkest days of WW2. It’s a dual timeline and hops between 1943 Italy and present-day New York.
I was engrossed in a heartwarming story about a single mom, Tori Coleman, with too much on her plate who had her life changed by a single postcard. I couldn’t put the book down because Josselsohn masterfully wrote to pull Tori’s past forward to her present. Josselsohn knows just how to mobilize and energize her characters by giving them new challenges and opportunities. It was wonderful to sit back and watch the growth.
The setting is so vividly described it was as if I was visiting it alongside Josselsohn’s characters.
I was completely engrossed in a wonderful novel featuring love, family dynamics, secrets, abandonment, and bravery. Josselsohn’s timelines meshed seamlessly, and she left me needing more to the story.
You’ll be pulled in different directions as the author gives you different perspectives and challenges you to see how each woman’s history played a part in the truth.
I’m hoping for a third book in this series!
I was gifted this copy by Bookouture and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.
December 6, 2023
Does Giulia Sancino have the secret to how Tori and her daughter’s life have been playing out?
We go back-and-forth in time from Italy with Giulia during WWII to present day 2019 when secrets about Tori's family are revealed after seeing a wedding dress in a museum in Italy.
Could this dress designer really be Tori’s grandmother?
A beautiful story about family and Italy.
You will feel as though you are there on the island sharing the delicious food with Giulia and with Tori in present day with the characters struggling with their lives and the information they have found out.
You will fall in love with all the characters.
Ms. Josselsohn has written another heartwarming book that you won't want to end because you will want to stay in Italy with Giulia and find out all the secrets of why Giulia did what she did and why Tori never knew this famous seamstress was her grandmother. 5/5
Thank you to the publisher for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
We go back-and-forth in time from Italy with Giulia during WWII to present day 2019 when secrets about Tori's family are revealed after seeing a wedding dress in a museum in Italy.
Could this dress designer really be Tori’s grandmother?
A beautiful story about family and Italy.
You will feel as though you are there on the island sharing the delicious food with Giulia and with Tori in present day with the characters struggling with their lives and the information they have found out.
You will fall in love with all the characters.
Ms. Josselsohn has written another heartwarming book that you won't want to end because you will want to stay in Italy with Giulia and find out all the secrets of why Giulia did what she did and why Tori never knew this famous seamstress was her grandmother. 5/5
Thank you to the publisher for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
December 5, 2023
The Lost Gift to the Italian Island is the second book in the Sisters of War series, and although each book contains the story of one sister, I recommend you read them in order to get the full story. This is a dual timeline story, the past set during the last years of the WWII and the present in 2019, where Tori is looking for Giulia, her grandmother that she knew nothing about. Tori is a single mother living with Marilene, the woman she thought was her grandmother. A picture of a beautiful wedding gown in a museum in Italy attributed to Giulia Parissi finally brings Marilene to tell her the truth. Tori heads to Italy to try and find her and get the truth about why and how she could abandon her daughter, Tori's mother.
The past storyline is told by Giulia. It tells the story of what happened to her when the nazis invaded their island and she was able to escape, not knowing what happened to the rest of the people living there, including her older sister and uncle. It is heartbreaking, yet shows how strong, courageous and ingenious the resistance was at that time. The present storyline is told by Tori, her granddaughter. Tori, not only wants to find Giulia and ask her questions, but she is dealing with a lot of emotional baggage. As the story progresses, we see what an emotional mess she is and why. Jeremy, the man who wants to marry her, Molly, her daughter and Marilene, her surrogate grandmother have no idea how much turmoil she is in. They all see her as strong and independent, knowing what she wants and going after it, but she is frightened and all her decisions are based on that fear. This is a story of family, pain, scars of war, secrets, and more, all set in a dual timeline that meshes well. I enjoyed both of these storylines equally, which is not something an author usually does for me. As we read this book, we now know the fate of the two oldest sisters, and have been told the youngest was killed in 1945. I am assuming that the information Giulia was given is incorrect and we will learn the fate of Emilia in the next book in this series.
The past storyline is told by Giulia. It tells the story of what happened to her when the nazis invaded their island and she was able to escape, not knowing what happened to the rest of the people living there, including her older sister and uncle. It is heartbreaking, yet shows how strong, courageous and ingenious the resistance was at that time. The present storyline is told by Tori, her granddaughter. Tori, not only wants to find Giulia and ask her questions, but she is dealing with a lot of emotional baggage. As the story progresses, we see what an emotional mess she is and why. Jeremy, the man who wants to marry her, Molly, her daughter and Marilene, her surrogate grandmother have no idea how much turmoil she is in. They all see her as strong and independent, knowing what she wants and going after it, but she is frightened and all her decisions are based on that fear. This is a story of family, pain, scars of war, secrets, and more, all set in a dual timeline that meshes well. I enjoyed both of these storylines equally, which is not something an author usually does for me. As we read this book, we now know the fate of the two oldest sisters, and have been told the youngest was killed in 1945. I am assuming that the information Giulia was given is incorrect and we will learn the fate of Emilia in the next book in this series.
December 5, 2023
“Light was better than darkness, knowledge better than secrecy.”
In this dual-timeline story, we learn of Giulia’s story around the year 1943. She was the middle sister to Annalisa and Mia. This story is also set in present day about Tori Coleman and her search for answers about her maternal grandmother.
Tori’s life is going through changes. For one thing, she learns that her actual grandmother might reside in Italy by finding out a connection to a postcard with a very stunning wedding dress that was made decades ago. Tori is in fact a wedding dress designer herself, and she learns that this dress was designed by the woman who is actually her grandmother. That’s not the only thing that Tori is experiencing. A single mother, in a long-term relationship with her boyfriend, she’s not sure that marriage is in the cards for her. For now she wants to find out the history of her past. Learning the history behind Parissi Island just might unlock secrets that Tori is desperate to uncover.
With regard to the past, Giulia barely escapes to Parissi Island with her life and she receives help. However, this help came with a price. Now Giulia is forced to possibly give up her dream to go to America and to reunite with her two sisters. There are the dangers of the Nazi threat as World War II is blazing, all while a slow romance is brewing. Is there the possibility that Tori’s grandmother is actually Giulia, a woman who would be well into her 90s?
Barbara Josselsohn has written a compelling story, one that pulled me in from the very first page. This book contained so much and was impossible to put down. I loved both Tori and Giulia’s story and we’ve had Mia’s story with Secrets of the Italian Island . I am definitely looking forward Annalise’s story with the third book in this trilogy.
Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
July 7, 2025
Wat mij al stoorde in deel 1 vond ik in dit deel nog storender . Er wordt zo vaak onlogisch geredeneerd en gehandeld , bijvoorbeeld wanneer Tori een hele nacht op het eiland gestrand is gaat ze op een bank liggen slapen terwijl ze dan juist de tijd heeft om het archief door te pluizen en wanneer ze aan de hotel eigenaars waar zij verblijft bekend maakt dat zij van de Parissi familie afstamt komt het niet bij hen op om haar te vertellen dat er vorig jaar ook afstammelingen in het dorp en op het eiland zijn geweest , terwijl dit toch een groot gebeuren was .
Ik ga deel 3 nog lezen omdat ik nu eenmaal zover gekomen ben maar ik verwacht er niet te veel van .
Ik ga deel 3 nog lezen omdat ik nu eenmaal zover gekomen ben maar ik verwacht er niet te veel van .
December 5, 2023
The lost gift to Italian island..
Barbara Josselsohn.
A phenomenal story.
This author has a way of bringing to life.
The characters make you feel like you're right there with them.
This is a dual time line story. My favorite kind.
This book is so wonderful. One of those hard put down books.. You feel like you're right they're in the story.
Simply because it's so amazing..
Tori Coleman,
Is living her life in New York. Taking care of her daughter and her grandmother. Things are about to change. A trip is coming up. Things will be revealed. A story like no other.
Sometimes things from the past. Change your whole life and you don't even know it.
Tori is A dress maker. Of the best kind.
Soon she'll find out more family history.
This was an absolutely phenomenal book..
I don't say that about very many books. But this one is at the very top..
Thank you Barbara Josselsohn.
Barbara Josselsohn.
A phenomenal story.
This author has a way of bringing to life.
The characters make you feel like you're right there with them.
This is a dual time line story. My favorite kind.
This book is so wonderful. One of those hard put down books.. You feel like you're right they're in the story.
Simply because it's so amazing..
Tori Coleman,
Is living her life in New York. Taking care of her daughter and her grandmother. Things are about to change. A trip is coming up. Things will be revealed. A story like no other.
Sometimes things from the past. Change your whole life and you don't even know it.
Tori is A dress maker. Of the best kind.
Soon she'll find out more family history.
This was an absolutely phenomenal book..
I don't say that about very many books. But this one is at the very top..
Thank you Barbara Josselsohn.
December 9, 2023
The Lost Gift to the Italian Island is the book second in the Sisters at War series by Barbara Josselsohn. The previous story was the first book that I had read by this author and I was very impressed. Therefore, I was glad there wasn’t too much of a wait for the second instalment. It’s similar in vein in terms of how the plot goes and it does continue on from where the past element of the story previously left off. That doesn’t mean to say that this couldn’t be read as a standalone. It could easily could be but to get the full flavour of the premise and how important Parissi Island is to the sisters I would recommend starting with book one if at all possible.
Again, the story is structured in the dual timeline format which I adore in historical fiction books. The plot moved seamlessly back and forth between Tori in the present and Giulia in the later years of the war. I enjoyed both strands of the story but being truthful I would have loved even more of Giulia’s perspective as I felt at times too much focus was given to Tori and her quest in the present but that’s just my personal opinion and it didn’t detract from my overall enjoyment and excitement at continuing on the story of Giulia and her family.
May 2019 and we are introduced to Tori who lives in New York state with her daughter Molly and her grandmother Marilene. Tori is a manager of a homestore but designs and bridal wear on the side. Her longterm ambition is to open her own designer shop but money is tight and her aspirations are on hold. She has been in a relationship with musician Jeremy for the last five years and things are serious with Jeremy proposing but not definitely not receiving the reaction or answer she he had hoped for. Tori is a complex character who having been brought up by Marilene since the death of her parents, has had an awful lot to deal with and still does.
When it comes to relationships, she fails to completely put her trust in anyone else and this has prevented her from moving forward to the next stage with Jeremy. He is gutted and thinks then they are better off without each other. I couldn’t fathom how Tori loved Jeremy so deeply but her fears, anxieties and personal issues made her refuse to commit to something which would be brilliant for both herself and Molly who I could see longed for a permeant father figure in her life given the absence of her biological father. Tori can’t give into Jeremy and it wasn’t actually a case that he was demanding but it was frustrating she couldn’t see past her barriers and envisage what a good thing she had going.
Tori receives a postcard from a client who has been visiting Italy. It shows a wedding dress in a museum on Parissi Island and when Marilene sees it her reaction is very neagtive.This spurs on Tori to find out why her grandmother reacted in the way she did. I began to think would Tori regret asking Marilene so many questions when it is revealed that her mother was in fact adopted and therefore Tri has a family that she has known nothing about. Somehow it is all connected back to Parissi Island. There is something wrong, not in the medical sense, but more on the emotional front in how Tori, Marilene and Molly all deal with change. They don’t speak about things that have affected them or things that matter, the more important the event the more crucial it seemed to stay quiet. They are people who don’t have it within them to confront issues and personal problems. But now with this news of her family Tori may just have to do the very thing she has feared the most in her life.
Tori wants answers and she wants to know what happened to the owner of the dress, Giulia who turns out to be her biological grandmother. I’m not giving anything away by saying this as it this is revealed within the first few chapters and therefore the quest to discover the truth forms the basis of the remainder of the book. Tori needs clarity in order to navigate her future and also she hopes that if she learns the truth it will enable her to understand her mother more. She was a woman who was tormented throughout her life but what were the exact reasons for this? A message board on the Parissi museums website provides another astonishing revelation and one which means Tori can’t linger around. She boards a flight to Italy hoping to that the feeling of being lost and not knowing who she is will abate but what she learns how will it affect and will it change her life for the better or worse? As she navigates her way to the island and meets Emilio, the owner of the hotel where she is staying who is also a security guard at the museum, the tension is heightened as he tries to help her find some conclusive answers as to what happened to Giulia.Tori needs the answers but I felt even more so did Marilene. After all she made so many sacrifices and was admirable for doing so and surely she deserved to know exactly what happened all those years back in time in Italy?
September 1943 and Giulia washes ashore on an island not far from the one she has left as the Nazi’s invaded. Parissi had been her home for five glorious weeks alongside her sisters Analisa and Emilia. But their ideal has been shattered and the fate of her sisters and her uncle remains unknown. The descriptions of the island and the surrounding Italian landscape are fantastic and really help the story come to life. Giulia is determined to reunite with her sisters in America as planned but the residents of the new island she has found herself on known that times are dangerous and the wishes of Giulia may not be granted. Marilene’s father Pietro works for the Italian resistance and he knows that for Giulia to leave would be dangerous. She is a wanted woman as she knows so much about the comings and goings on Parissi island.
War, genocide and brutality rage on around them and Giulia fears that she will never see her family again. As she recovers from a wound sustained on her journey a visitor to the island, catches her attention but yet there is someone else who has a firm place in her heart. Can they be reunited or has fate already dealt them a cruel blow? When Pietro gives Giulia no choice but to help with resistance work she is torn whether to aid him or dealing with the other long term plans on her mind. Does she wish to remain on the island or should she move on and when a surprising event occurs this throws her decision into even more doubt. As I have previously mentioned, I felt there wasn’t enough from Giulia’s perspective and it was left to Tori to fill in the blanks of her story. I wanted more detail from Giulia’s chapters as at times events were glossed over and it was only in the present that sufficient explanation was given. But apart from this, I loved Giulia’s story and it filled in the gaps from what we had previously learned from Annalisa in book one.
The Lost Gift to the Italian Island was a worthy follow up to Secrets of the Italian Island. Yes, the ending may have been just that bit too perfect and I felt it was all dealt with very quickly and I wanted that little bit more. Given the time that had gone into Tori’s journey and investigations I wanted some more in-depth analysis and explanation as to what happened exactly in the later part of the war that eventually led to Tori discovering a whole new side to her family. So in my mind the ending was slightly rushed and given this ended a bit after the 90% mark (I was reading this on my Kindle), I definitely think there was room for more at the end even though things were wrapped up neatly that point of specific revelation I wanted some more. But look, that makes things sound negative and I don’t mean it to at all. I really enjoyed this story and was fully invested in Giulia’s story more so than Tori’s and I think that’s because I really enjoying reading about the past. What I really want to know now is what happened to sister number three, Emilia. So I hope the author is hard at work writing book number three as I can’t wait to see what happens next in this series which so far has been engaging and emotional with such vivid imagery and lots of life lessons learnt.
Again, the story is structured in the dual timeline format which I adore in historical fiction books. The plot moved seamlessly back and forth between Tori in the present and Giulia in the later years of the war. I enjoyed both strands of the story but being truthful I would have loved even more of Giulia’s perspective as I felt at times too much focus was given to Tori and her quest in the present but that’s just my personal opinion and it didn’t detract from my overall enjoyment and excitement at continuing on the story of Giulia and her family.
May 2019 and we are introduced to Tori who lives in New York state with her daughter Molly and her grandmother Marilene. Tori is a manager of a homestore but designs and bridal wear on the side. Her longterm ambition is to open her own designer shop but money is tight and her aspirations are on hold. She has been in a relationship with musician Jeremy for the last five years and things are serious with Jeremy proposing but not definitely not receiving the reaction or answer she he had hoped for. Tori is a complex character who having been brought up by Marilene since the death of her parents, has had an awful lot to deal with and still does.
When it comes to relationships, she fails to completely put her trust in anyone else and this has prevented her from moving forward to the next stage with Jeremy. He is gutted and thinks then they are better off without each other. I couldn’t fathom how Tori loved Jeremy so deeply but her fears, anxieties and personal issues made her refuse to commit to something which would be brilliant for both herself and Molly who I could see longed for a permeant father figure in her life given the absence of her biological father. Tori can’t give into Jeremy and it wasn’t actually a case that he was demanding but it was frustrating she couldn’t see past her barriers and envisage what a good thing she had going.
Tori receives a postcard from a client who has been visiting Italy. It shows a wedding dress in a museum on Parissi Island and when Marilene sees it her reaction is very neagtive.This spurs on Tori to find out why her grandmother reacted in the way she did. I began to think would Tori regret asking Marilene so many questions when it is revealed that her mother was in fact adopted and therefore Tri has a family that she has known nothing about. Somehow it is all connected back to Parissi Island. There is something wrong, not in the medical sense, but more on the emotional front in how Tori, Marilene and Molly all deal with change. They don’t speak about things that have affected them or things that matter, the more important the event the more crucial it seemed to stay quiet. They are people who don’t have it within them to confront issues and personal problems. But now with this news of her family Tori may just have to do the very thing she has feared the most in her life.
Tori wants answers and she wants to know what happened to the owner of the dress, Giulia who turns out to be her biological grandmother. I’m not giving anything away by saying this as it this is revealed within the first few chapters and therefore the quest to discover the truth forms the basis of the remainder of the book. Tori needs clarity in order to navigate her future and also she hopes that if she learns the truth it will enable her to understand her mother more. She was a woman who was tormented throughout her life but what were the exact reasons for this? A message board on the Parissi museums website provides another astonishing revelation and one which means Tori can’t linger around. She boards a flight to Italy hoping to that the feeling of being lost and not knowing who she is will abate but what she learns how will it affect and will it change her life for the better or worse? As she navigates her way to the island and meets Emilio, the owner of the hotel where she is staying who is also a security guard at the museum, the tension is heightened as he tries to help her find some conclusive answers as to what happened to Giulia.Tori needs the answers but I felt even more so did Marilene. After all she made so many sacrifices and was admirable for doing so and surely she deserved to know exactly what happened all those years back in time in Italy?
September 1943 and Giulia washes ashore on an island not far from the one she has left as the Nazi’s invaded. Parissi had been her home for five glorious weeks alongside her sisters Analisa and Emilia. But their ideal has been shattered and the fate of her sisters and her uncle remains unknown. The descriptions of the island and the surrounding Italian landscape are fantastic and really help the story come to life. Giulia is determined to reunite with her sisters in America as planned but the residents of the new island she has found herself on known that times are dangerous and the wishes of Giulia may not be granted. Marilene’s father Pietro works for the Italian resistance and he knows that for Giulia to leave would be dangerous. She is a wanted woman as she knows so much about the comings and goings on Parissi island.
War, genocide and brutality rage on around them and Giulia fears that she will never see her family again. As she recovers from a wound sustained on her journey a visitor to the island, catches her attention but yet there is someone else who has a firm place in her heart. Can they be reunited or has fate already dealt them a cruel blow? When Pietro gives Giulia no choice but to help with resistance work she is torn whether to aid him or dealing with the other long term plans on her mind. Does she wish to remain on the island or should she move on and when a surprising event occurs this throws her decision into even more doubt. As I have previously mentioned, I felt there wasn’t enough from Giulia’s perspective and it was left to Tori to fill in the blanks of her story. I wanted more detail from Giulia’s chapters as at times events were glossed over and it was only in the present that sufficient explanation was given. But apart from this, I loved Giulia’s story and it filled in the gaps from what we had previously learned from Annalisa in book one.
The Lost Gift to the Italian Island was a worthy follow up to Secrets of the Italian Island. Yes, the ending may have been just that bit too perfect and I felt it was all dealt with very quickly and I wanted that little bit more. Given the time that had gone into Tori’s journey and investigations I wanted some more in-depth analysis and explanation as to what happened exactly in the later part of the war that eventually led to Tori discovering a whole new side to her family. So in my mind the ending was slightly rushed and given this ended a bit after the 90% mark (I was reading this on my Kindle), I definitely think there was room for more at the end even though things were wrapped up neatly that point of specific revelation I wanted some more. But look, that makes things sound negative and I don’t mean it to at all. I really enjoyed this story and was fully invested in Giulia’s story more so than Tori’s and I think that’s because I really enjoying reading about the past. What I really want to know now is what happened to sister number three, Emilia. So I hope the author is hard at work writing book number three as I can’t wait to see what happens next in this series which so far has been engaging and emotional with such vivid imagery and lots of life lessons learnt.
December 4, 2023
I love the Sisters of War series by Barbara Josselsohn. It has a gripping historical plot line and an emotional current-day plotline, and it is so full of family love that it just wrapped me in its warm embrace starting with page one. I don’t think I could ask for any more of a story than what it delivers naturally and effectively.
The historical plot line - Italy during WWII (mainly focusing on the islands off of the mainland) - is so compelling. It’s the story of three sisters who go through so much together and apart, all in the name of love - love for each other, their parents, and those special people in their lives. I loved learning more about what happened in Italy during that period.
The current plotline involves the sisters’ grandchildren and the consequences of what the sisters went through during the war on the current generation. How the war reverberated through the generations in one way or another. It was easy for me to get completely caught up in Tori’s - the main character - challenges and need to know more about the past. I especially loved the mystery angle of the plight to find her birth-grandmother.
I can’t rave enough about this series. You are just going to have to pick up the first book. Find out the secrets of the Italian Island for yourself!
The historical plot line - Italy during WWII (mainly focusing on the islands off of the mainland) - is so compelling. It’s the story of three sisters who go through so much together and apart, all in the name of love - love for each other, their parents, and those special people in their lives. I loved learning more about what happened in Italy during that period.
The current plotline involves the sisters’ grandchildren and the consequences of what the sisters went through during the war on the current generation. How the war reverberated through the generations in one way or another. It was easy for me to get completely caught up in Tori’s - the main character - challenges and need to know more about the past. I especially loved the mystery angle of the plight to find her birth-grandmother.
I can’t rave enough about this series. You are just going to have to pick up the first book. Find out the secrets of the Italian Island for yourself!
August 27, 2024
I'm glad I read Secrets of the Italian Island first, although you could read this novel as a standalone. The family saga will be more compelling if you read them in order. I enjoy stories that hop back and forth from characters in the present day to the historical past. In this case, Tori Coleman and the grandmother she doesn't know, Giulia. Both are dressmakers with amazing talent. Tori's quest to find her grandmother distracts her from the mess her life is in, and the feeling that everything is falling apart.
December 8, 2024
4 sterren, wat minder dan het eerste boek, ik denk met name omdat de zoektocht een wat negatieve ondertoon had. Ook waren de flashbacks naar t verleden wat minder uitgebreid naar mijn idee.
February 6, 2025
Great book, very enjoyable. Two pov, one in the present and one in the past, during WWII.
September 26, 2024
This was my least favorite of the trilogy. Love the authors rich history and the tone of each book. The characters have such a strong past that continues to haunt them, until the world gives them signs to confront their questions.
November 9, 2023
Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. I am a fan of historical fiction, especially dual time line stories, so I was excited to read this book and I was not disappointed. The story of Tori, a single mom living in New York trying to grow her career as a seamstress and designer of wedding gowns while supporting herself, her elderly grandmother and her daughter is jolted when she discovers a part of her family history is a lie. The story reverts back to a small island in Italy during World War II, where Giulia lives with a family who rescued her when she was escaping from the Nazis from another small island nearby. The book alternates between the dual time frames and the connection ultimately is revealed . I have always learned new information about the tenacity, courage, determination and horrors that these people had to endure during the war, and I always have so much respect and gratitude for all that these people lived through. I enjoyed this book, I liked all the characters, at times I was frustrated with Tori, but it was a learning experience for her throughout this story and it has a satisfying ending.
November 2, 2024
Zodra ik het tweede deel van Het Italiaanse eiland gelezen had, wist ik meteen dat ik dit verhaal nóg mooier vond dan het eerste! Dit boek voelt als een prachtige, romantische ontdekkingsreis tussen heden en verleden en is perfect voor lezers die dol zijn op familiegeheimen en meeslepende liefdesgeschiedenissen.
Het verhaal begint in 1943, wanneer de jonge Giulia op een bijna onbewoond eiland aankomt. Daar wordt ze liefdevol opgenomen door een vriendelijke familie. Dit mysterieuze startpunt zet de toon voor wat nog gaat komen. We springen dan naar het heden, waar Tori Coleman – een alleenstaande moeder die bruidsjurken ontwerpt – samen met haar oma Marilene en dochter Molly een rustig leven leidt. Dat verandert wanneer ze een ansichtkaart ontvangt met een afbeelding van een prachtige trouwjurk. Tori ontdekt dat haar familiebanden verder teruggaan dan ze dacht, en dat ze verwant is aan Giulia, de vrouw die in die oorlogstijd verdween.
De hoofdstukken wisselen soepel tussen Tori's en Giulia’s perspectief, waardoor je in beide levens wordt ondergedompeld. Josselsohn weeft hun verhalen naadloos samen en onthult langzaam wat hen verbindt. Beide vrouwen – krachtig, liefdevol en vol doorzettingsvermogen – worden zo beeldend beschreven dat je hun vreugde, verdriet, en kracht haast zelf kunt voelen. Terwijl Tori steeds dieper graaft in haar familiegeschiedenis, ontdekt ze niet alleen verborgen geheimen, maar ook een prachtige liefdesgeschiedenis die het verhaal een romantische, hartverwarmende twist geeft.
Wat Josselsohn hier neerzet, is een kunstwerk op papier. Ze geeft beide tijdlijnen een eigen charme en diepgang en laat de levens van Tori en Giulia op een manier naar elkaar toegroeien die haast magisch aanvoelt.
Het lezen van dit deel zonder het eerste boek is prima te doen, maar geloof me – je wilt deze geschiedenis van begin tot eind beleven. En nu kijk ik zeker uit naar het derde deel, om nog meer te ontdekken over deze betoverende zussen en hun verborgen verleden.
Het verhaal begint in 1943, wanneer de jonge Giulia op een bijna onbewoond eiland aankomt. Daar wordt ze liefdevol opgenomen door een vriendelijke familie. Dit mysterieuze startpunt zet de toon voor wat nog gaat komen. We springen dan naar het heden, waar Tori Coleman – een alleenstaande moeder die bruidsjurken ontwerpt – samen met haar oma Marilene en dochter Molly een rustig leven leidt. Dat verandert wanneer ze een ansichtkaart ontvangt met een afbeelding van een prachtige trouwjurk. Tori ontdekt dat haar familiebanden verder teruggaan dan ze dacht, en dat ze verwant is aan Giulia, de vrouw die in die oorlogstijd verdween.
De hoofdstukken wisselen soepel tussen Tori's en Giulia’s perspectief, waardoor je in beide levens wordt ondergedompeld. Josselsohn weeft hun verhalen naadloos samen en onthult langzaam wat hen verbindt. Beide vrouwen – krachtig, liefdevol en vol doorzettingsvermogen – worden zo beeldend beschreven dat je hun vreugde, verdriet, en kracht haast zelf kunt voelen. Terwijl Tori steeds dieper graaft in haar familiegeschiedenis, ontdekt ze niet alleen verborgen geheimen, maar ook een prachtige liefdesgeschiedenis die het verhaal een romantische, hartverwarmende twist geeft.
Wat Josselsohn hier neerzet, is een kunstwerk op papier. Ze geeft beide tijdlijnen een eigen charme en diepgang en laat de levens van Tori en Giulia op een manier naar elkaar toegroeien die haast magisch aanvoelt.
Het lezen van dit deel zonder het eerste boek is prima te doen, maar geloof me – je wilt deze geschiedenis van begin tot eind beleven. En nu kijk ik zeker uit naar het derde deel, om nog meer te ontdekken over deze betoverende zussen en hun verborgen verleden.
December 1, 2023
*Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.*
The Lost gift to the Italian island is a heartwarming and gripping novel that expertly weaves between fact and fiction. This is the second book in the sisters of war series that follows Giulia after she escaped Parissi island after the Nazi attack and dives deeper into the political and racist tensions that occurred during the second world war. The narrative follows Giulia in 1943 and her granddaughter Tori in 2019 and this keeps the pace moving quickly as Giulia's point of view reveals information that is simultaneously pushing Tori's investigations to initially think the worst of her grandmother, when in fact it is the opposite.
The novel is a heartwarming journey of self discovery of what one can do when thrown into a situation that isn't their choosing. Giulia is faced with the decision to stay the same or face the unknown head on. An over arching theme is found family in a time of strife, where sharing the same blood doesn't always make a family. While Giulia is isolated from her sisters, she finds a home with Marilene and her family on Ciani Island and falls in love with Luca. Then Marilene creates a new family out of her love for Giulia by saving her daughter and raising her. This sensitively articulates the displacement of war and the struggle of carrying on and finding a path to safety when the protective walls of family or normality is crumbling around these characters.
Overall, I really enjoyed this series and this novel in particular because the pacing kept me wanting more and the even balance between Giulia and Tori's narrative showed that while times change, sometimes the need for safety, love and family stay the same. Tori is scared of the unknown and backs away, whilst Giulia embraces whatever is coming her way. This makes the ending even more powerful where these characters find peace.
The Lost gift to the Italian island is a heartwarming and gripping novel that expertly weaves between fact and fiction. This is the second book in the sisters of war series that follows Giulia after she escaped Parissi island after the Nazi attack and dives deeper into the political and racist tensions that occurred during the second world war. The narrative follows Giulia in 1943 and her granddaughter Tori in 2019 and this keeps the pace moving quickly as Giulia's point of view reveals information that is simultaneously pushing Tori's investigations to initially think the worst of her grandmother, when in fact it is the opposite.
The novel is a heartwarming journey of self discovery of what one can do when thrown into a situation that isn't their choosing. Giulia is faced with the decision to stay the same or face the unknown head on. An over arching theme is found family in a time of strife, where sharing the same blood doesn't always make a family. While Giulia is isolated from her sisters, she finds a home with Marilene and her family on Ciani Island and falls in love with Luca. Then Marilene creates a new family out of her love for Giulia by saving her daughter and raising her. This sensitively articulates the displacement of war and the struggle of carrying on and finding a path to safety when the protective walls of family or normality is crumbling around these characters.
Overall, I really enjoyed this series and this novel in particular because the pacing kept me wanting more and the even balance between Giulia and Tori's narrative showed that while times change, sometimes the need for safety, love and family stay the same. Tori is scared of the unknown and backs away, whilst Giulia embraces whatever is coming her way. This makes the ending even more powerful where these characters find peace.
April 10, 2025
“Liefhebbers van de romanseries kunnen hun hart ophalen, want ook dit is weer zo’n heerlijke serie die je niet weg kan leggen”
Een mysterieuze ansichtkaart zet het leven van Tori danig op zijn kop. Het blijkt dat haar moeder Olive geadopteerd is en dat de prachtige bruidsjurk op de kaart door haar biologische oma is gemaakt. Het leven van haar grootmoeder blijkt allesbehalve gemakkelijk te zijn geweest, en Tori doet er alles aan om achter het gehele verhaal te komen, zij reist af naar Italië om het verleden van haar familie in kaart te brengen.
” Emilio, ik ga uitzoeken wat dit betekent – die kogels- het verraad- en ik zal erachter komen waar Giulia is”
De belofte van het Italiaanse eiland is het tweede deel in de Italiaanse eiland serie, gebaseerd op waargebeurde verhalen van een eiland in oorlogstijd. De Amerikaanse journalist en docent Barbara Josselsohn weet dit op een beeldende manier aan de lezer over te brengen. Dit tweede deel is zeer goed los staand te lezen, het is een verhaal op zich over het middelste zusje Giulia, in de andere delen worden de verhalen van Annalisa de oudste zus en het jongste zusje Emilia verteld. De belofte van het Italiaanse eiland is een ontroerende vertelling over de vlucht van Giulia van het eiland Anzalea en de tijd die zij doorbrengt bij de familie Ciani. Een verhaal dat ontroert maar zeker ook kracht uitstraalt, een liefdesrelaas in oorlogstijd waarin de eilanden heel mooi tot uiting komen.
Dit tweede deel doet mij smaken naar meer, en het eerste deel zal ik dan ook heel graag lezen, de manier waarop Josselsohn het verhaal aan het papier vertrouwd voelt geborgen en maakt nieuwsgierig. Tori speelt de hoofdrol net als haar grootmoeder en ook in deze serie komen de vrouwen krachtig naar voren. De fans van de boeken van Lucinda Riley en Soraya Lane kunnen hun hart ophalen, want de Italiaanse eilanden serie zorgt voor dezelfde heerlijke leesflow en is dan ook zeker een dikke aanrader om te gaan lezen.
Een mysterieuze ansichtkaart zet het leven van Tori danig op zijn kop. Het blijkt dat haar moeder Olive geadopteerd is en dat de prachtige bruidsjurk op de kaart door haar biologische oma is gemaakt. Het leven van haar grootmoeder blijkt allesbehalve gemakkelijk te zijn geweest, en Tori doet er alles aan om achter het gehele verhaal te komen, zij reist af naar Italië om het verleden van haar familie in kaart te brengen.
” Emilio, ik ga uitzoeken wat dit betekent – die kogels- het verraad- en ik zal erachter komen waar Giulia is”
De belofte van het Italiaanse eiland is het tweede deel in de Italiaanse eiland serie, gebaseerd op waargebeurde verhalen van een eiland in oorlogstijd. De Amerikaanse journalist en docent Barbara Josselsohn weet dit op een beeldende manier aan de lezer over te brengen. Dit tweede deel is zeer goed los staand te lezen, het is een verhaal op zich over het middelste zusje Giulia, in de andere delen worden de verhalen van Annalisa de oudste zus en het jongste zusje Emilia verteld. De belofte van het Italiaanse eiland is een ontroerende vertelling over de vlucht van Giulia van het eiland Anzalea en de tijd die zij doorbrengt bij de familie Ciani. Een verhaal dat ontroert maar zeker ook kracht uitstraalt, een liefdesrelaas in oorlogstijd waarin de eilanden heel mooi tot uiting komen.
Dit tweede deel doet mij smaken naar meer, en het eerste deel zal ik dan ook heel graag lezen, de manier waarop Josselsohn het verhaal aan het papier vertrouwd voelt geborgen en maakt nieuwsgierig. Tori speelt de hoofdrol net als haar grootmoeder en ook in deze serie komen de vrouwen krachtig naar voren. De fans van de boeken van Lucinda Riley en Soraya Lane kunnen hun hart ophalen, want de Italiaanse eilanden serie zorgt voor dezelfde heerlijke leesflow en is dan ook zeker een dikke aanrader om te gaan lezen.
January 10, 2024
The Lost Gift to the Italian Island, Book #2 in the Sisters of War, follows the plight of Giulia, as she escapes Parissi Island during the Nazi invasion and becomes entangled in the Italian Resistance. Barbara Josselsohn’s dual timeline alternates between 1943, Italy, and present-day New York City with several threads of mystery, betrayal, and secrecy. Josselsohn explores themes of following one’s passion and understanding identity through main character, Tori, a seamstress with goals of opening her own studio. A client sends Tori a postcard from a museum in Italy with a picture of the perfect wedding dress; some would believe this a coincidence, others God’s plan. As the designer and seamstress of my own wedding gown, this was the hook for me. Tori decides a trip to Italy to discover her past is manageable if she treats it as a dress pattern, one step at a time- the perfect analogy. Sensory descriptions of the castle, Parissi Island, and the Mediterranean are the ultimate setting as Tori discovers that mistakes and misunderstandings are the pieces to her past.
While life lessons like choose life-give the future a chance, and the antidote to mistrust is connection, are important, I believe the key to The Lost Gift of the Italian Island is that “love transcends everything.” Tori’s promise from her mother is one that connects us all. “Wherever you go, I will go, and wherever you stay, I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God.”
Memorable historical details of situations with uplifting outcomes. Highly recommended.
While life lessons like choose life-give the future a chance, and the antidote to mistrust is connection, are important, I believe the key to The Lost Gift of the Italian Island is that “love transcends everything.” Tori’s promise from her mother is one that connects us all. “Wherever you go, I will go, and wherever you stay, I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God.”
Memorable historical details of situations with uplifting outcomes. Highly recommended.
December 5, 2023
The Lost Gift to the Italian Island is simply a beautiful book. I love the mysterious feel that is continued from Secrets of the Italian Island along with the strong characters. This book focuses on the middle sister Giulia's story. I recommend you read the first book about the eldest sister before this one, so you get the background of how the sisters ended up on the Island before the Nazis invaded.
Guilia escapes the island but her plans don't go the way she thought and she ends up on another island. With no way of getting off, Guilia gets close to the family who take her in. But sometimes all is not what it seems and this is the very case in this book.
Further on in the book, I found myself quick to judge Giulia, but you cannot imagine what she went through leaving her child. Present-day Tori is finding out lots of info about her long-lost grandmother, but is it true?
I found myself hooked and could not put it down! The way the present-day 2019 is intertwined with the events back in 1943 is excellent writing! Now I'm eager to read the last book in the Sisters of War series, when we are given the story of the youngest sister Emilia.
Guilia escapes the island but her plans don't go the way she thought and she ends up on another island. With no way of getting off, Guilia gets close to the family who take her in. But sometimes all is not what it seems and this is the very case in this book.
Further on in the book, I found myself quick to judge Giulia, but you cannot imagine what she went through leaving her child. Present-day Tori is finding out lots of info about her long-lost grandmother, but is it true?
I found myself hooked and could not put it down! The way the present-day 2019 is intertwined with the events back in 1943 is excellent writing! Now I'm eager to read the last book in the Sisters of War series, when we are given the story of the youngest sister Emilia.
December 6, 2023
The Lost Gift to the Italian Island by author, Barbara Josselsohn is a story that has earned its place in the hands of historical fiction fans and will grab the hearts of those looking to turn the page by delving into a new genre!
Gifting the reader with an emotional journey of the heart within a time where love and war were forced to co-exist, Ms. Josselsohn delivers a narrative of mystery, suspense, and romance you can't help but be mesmerized by.
Set within a dual timeline between Italy, 1943, and New York present day, this story comes alive, enticing its reader with an emotionally driven cast of characters who bring both delicate and heartwrenching details to light without missing a beat.
This passionate story of family history moved me to tears, from its beauty to its tragic, magically mending my heart along the way... and I thank the author for it.
I highly recommend The Lost Gift to the Italian Island, along with the first book within this series~ Secrets of the Italian Island. Two page-turners that captivate.
5 Stars
#TheLostGiftToTheItalianIsland
#BarbaraJosselsohn
#Bookouture
Wild Sage Book Blog
Gifting the reader with an emotional journey of the heart within a time where love and war were forced to co-exist, Ms. Josselsohn delivers a narrative of mystery, suspense, and romance you can't help but be mesmerized by.
Set within a dual timeline between Italy, 1943, and New York present day, this story comes alive, enticing its reader with an emotionally driven cast of characters who bring both delicate and heartwrenching details to light without missing a beat.
This passionate story of family history moved me to tears, from its beauty to its tragic, magically mending my heart along the way... and I thank the author for it.
I highly recommend The Lost Gift to the Italian Island, along with the first book within this series~ Secrets of the Italian Island. Two page-turners that captivate.
5 Stars
#TheLostGiftToTheItalianIsland
#BarbaraJosselsohn
#Bookouture
Wild Sage Book Blog
April 3, 2024
The second book of the Sisters of War Series by Barbara Josselsohn does not disappoint. The author presents a moving story in THE LOST GIFT TO THE ITALIAN ISLAND which shifts seamlessly between New York today and Italy in 1943. Tori Coleman wants to figure out why she makes some of the decisions in her contemporary New York life and tries to find answers by going to Italy to learn the story of Julia, the middle of three sisters, who was thought to have disappeared and abandoned her own daughter years before. In doing so, Tori learns many secrets of her family at a time when Hitler was taking control of Italy and Jews participated in the Resistance movement. I loved this historical novel and was so attached to the characters and their emotional journeys that I read the last thirty pages with watery eyes and cried at the end. The words that Julia’s father and mother spoke to each other throughout the book were unforgettable. “Wherever you go . . .” said so much about the couple’s relationship and were included in the references at the end. I cannot wait to read the third book in the series which tells the story of the third sister. Bookouture 2023
November 9, 2023
ARC Review.
The Lost Gift to the Italian Island by Barbara Josselsohn is a historical fiction. It's the second book from the Sisters of
War series.
This is one of the most heart-wrenching stories I have read this year. It's about a woman who was stuck in life because of her childhood trauma, and how her discovery of her true lineage helped her heal herself and move forward. The story alternates between present and past for the most part. The way it's written enables you to feel all the raw emotions the characters feel. The descriptions of what the people on that tiny island went through during WW2 were heartbreaking.
Tori's character was very interesting and so was her story. At first, her decisions angered me but as I read more about her upbringing everything made sense. In some ways, I could relate to her as well. One of my favorite parts was when she found out the truth about what truly happened in the past.
Even if you don't like this genre I think you should give it a chance. It has beautiful life lessons inside of it.
I will rate it with 4 stars.
The Lost Gift to the Italian Island by Barbara Josselsohn is a historical fiction. It's the second book from the Sisters of
War series.
This is one of the most heart-wrenching stories I have read this year. It's about a woman who was stuck in life because of her childhood trauma, and how her discovery of her true lineage helped her heal herself and move forward. The story alternates between present and past for the most part. The way it's written enables you to feel all the raw emotions the characters feel. The descriptions of what the people on that tiny island went through during WW2 were heartbreaking.
Tori's character was very interesting and so was her story. At first, her decisions angered me but as I read more about her upbringing everything made sense. In some ways, I could relate to her as well. One of my favorite parts was when she found out the truth about what truly happened in the past.
Even if you don't like this genre I think you should give it a chance. It has beautiful life lessons inside of it.
I will rate it with 4 stars.
November 22, 2023
This is the second book in the Sisters Of War series by Barbara Josselsohn. It’s a historical fiction set in New York and Italy with alternating timelines.
Tori a single mother lives in New York City with her daughter and her grandmother. Her world falls apart when she receives a postcard in the mail. She decides to go to Italy to find out about her family’s mysterious past.
Readers will enjoy taking the ride with Tori to the beautiful island in Italy. The author has done a great job in researching about the history and has woven a wonderful story around that time period. I learned new facts about the Nazi invasion of the island. The food, the culture and the landscape will fulfill all the senses. It sounds like a good spot to visit. I fell in love with the characters all along this journey and didn’t want the book to end.
Will Tori be successful in finding out the truth and the secrets about her past? To learn more one should not miss this beautiful heartwarming story.
I have come to enjoy reading books by this author immensely and can’t wait to read the next one in the series.
This book was gifted to me by Bookouture and all the opinions are my own.
Tori a single mother lives in New York City with her daughter and her grandmother. Her world falls apart when she receives a postcard in the mail. She decides to go to Italy to find out about her family’s mysterious past.
Readers will enjoy taking the ride with Tori to the beautiful island in Italy. The author has done a great job in researching about the history and has woven a wonderful story around that time period. I learned new facts about the Nazi invasion of the island. The food, the culture and the landscape will fulfill all the senses. It sounds like a good spot to visit. I fell in love with the characters all along this journey and didn’t want the book to end.
Will Tori be successful in finding out the truth and the secrets about her past? To learn more one should not miss this beautiful heartwarming story.
I have come to enjoy reading books by this author immensely and can’t wait to read the next one in the series.
This book was gifted to me by Bookouture and all the opinions are my own.
December 4, 2023
The Lost Gift to the Italian Island is the second book in the Sisters of War Series by Barbara Josselsohn. This is a wonderful addition to a very beautiful series. Told in dual timelines, Ms. Josselsohn takes us back to Italy and you feel like you are there. She brings the story to life and you will not be able to put it down. It is a beautifully written historical fiction that will bring a tear to eye. It is filled with secrets, tragedy, family, love , courage and a whole lot more. The characters are very well developed and you see them grow right in front of you. A heartwarming story you do not want to miss. Kudos Barbara Josselsohn…..this is a wonderful book….and series.
Thank you NetGalley, Bookouture and Barbara Josselsohn for this captivating story to read and review. The opinions expressed are strictly my own.
#netgalley #bookouture. #barbarajosselsohn
#thelostgifttotheitalianisland. #arc
#sistersofwar
Thank you NetGalley, Bookouture and Barbara Josselsohn for this captivating story to read and review. The opinions expressed are strictly my own.
#netgalley #bookouture. #barbarajosselsohn
#thelostgifttotheitalianisland. #arc
#sistersofwar
December 5, 2023
The author absolutely writes from the heart. Her books are so vividly described I could have easily been there watching the story play out. This is a dual timeline and I enjoyed both time periods equally. I have read her contemporary fiction as well and enjoy it just as much. This is an author that is an automatic read for me, I just love her books. When you read a book and you can feel the emotions the characters are feeling you care about them and want only the best. When secrets are revealed, they change a young woman's life and help her to understand who she is as she discovers the importance of family. Family relationships are so important we really don't know how long a person will be in our lives so have those family gatherings and make a lot of precious memories to carry you through. I highly recommend this author's books.
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.
December 6, 2023
This is the second book in the Sisters of War series, the first book is titled Secrets of the Italian Island. Oh my goodness this was an absolutely wonderful read and it completely and utterly gripped me right from the very start. It’s another dual timeline story , each chapter alternating between 1943 and 2019. Admittedly I did enjoy the past timeline a little bit more but that’s because I really enjoy reading historical fiction. Reading about Giulia and all she went through make for a heartbreaking read at times. This is quite an emotional read in parts and the descriptions of the past on the island are really brought to life by the author. As I was reading I could literally close my eyes and imagine being Giulia all those years ago. I would recommend reading the first book in the series as it paves the way for this second book. Another historical fiction read that I highly recommend.
December 16, 2023
This is the 2nd book in a series that focuses on the lives of 3 sisters during WWII. They left for Parissi Island, an island of dreamers and thinkers to find a cure for their father. This is a dual-timeline story that tells the story of Guilia, the middle sister, and what happened to her after she escaped Parissi Island, once the Nazis invaded it. Also, Tori in 2019, after a shocking discovery heads to Italy to uncover the truths about her family history.
I enjoyed the second installment of this story and the mystery behind Giulia's life. I did find Tori to be a bit annoying, even though I understood why she was that way. I didn't care as much about her life. I would have loved to learn more about Guilia, her time on Parissi Island, and what happened afterward. Overall it was an intriguing read with romance, intrigue, secrets, and a mysterious Italian Island during WWII. Definitely a good read. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series
I enjoyed the second installment of this story and the mystery behind Giulia's life. I did find Tori to be a bit annoying, even though I understood why she was that way. I didn't care as much about her life. I would have loved to learn more about Guilia, her time on Parissi Island, and what happened afterward. Overall it was an intriguing read with romance, intrigue, secrets, and a mysterious Italian Island during WWII. Definitely a good read. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series
October 26, 2023
What a wonderful book! The author transports the reader back to 1943 when WW II was being fought and an Italian family separated after living on an island with their uncle. In this book a young single mother finds out the woman she thought was her grandmother is actually not. She goes back to Italy to find out why her grandmother abandoned her child. Through a series of contacts she is able to unite with her biological grandmother and find out what actually happened. I felt compelled to keep reading without much of a break as I neared the end of the book. I had to find out how it played out. This book is full of WW II history and events I was not aware happened. I recommend this book to anyone interested in WW II historical fiction. I received an arc of this book from NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions expressed are my own.
November 19, 2023
A worthy successor to The first book in the series, this novel tells the story of the second of three sisters, and among other things makes one think of the terrible losses that people suffer in wartime. One of the worst must be the uncertainty and the loss of hope as people in your life or family simply disappear and might be dead.
This made me keep turning the pages to discover the truth that has shaped the characters' lives for several decades, and the story rings true. The characters come alive on the page, and the descriptions of Italy, and Italian food, are luscious. You don't have to read book one first, but you might enjoy this one even more if you do. Now we have to wait to find out what happened to the third sister...
This made me keep turning the pages to discover the truth that has shaped the characters' lives for several decades, and the story rings true. The characters come alive on the page, and the descriptions of Italy, and Italian food, are luscious. You don't have to read book one first, but you might enjoy this one even more if you do. Now we have to wait to find out what happened to the third sister...
December 6, 2023
This second book of this series is a dual timeline that takes us back to World War II and then to 2019. Tori finds a newspaper clipping of a wedding dress in a museum in a small Italian island. It sparks memories for the woman she always thought was her grandmother and the woman's truth comes out. The outcome is a trip for Tori to try to find out information about her mother's biological mother. What she unearths will change her life forever.
This was a very engrossing read. Josselsohn is a very talented writer. She weaves the story in a way that touches your heart and makes you ponder the past and what those alive then went through.
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the gifted copy. All thoughts are my own.
This was a very engrossing read. Josselsohn is a very talented writer. She weaves the story in a way that touches your heart and makes you ponder the past and what those alive then went through.
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the gifted copy. All thoughts are my own.
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