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The Rebel Girls of Rome: A Dual-Timeline Historical Mystery of Holocaust Survival and Identity
From the author of The Paper Girl of Paris comes Rebel Girls of Rome, a thrilling and heartfelt dual POV novel about Lilah, a girl looking to reconnect with her grandfather over his mysterious past during a trip to Rome, and Bruna, a queer Jewish woman who escapes the Nazis in Italy and joins the resistance during World War II.
NOW:
Grieving the loss of her mother, college student Lilah is hoping to reconnect with her ever-distant grandfather who refuses to talk about his past. When a fellow student in Italy brings a long-lost family heirloom to her attention, Lilah travels to Rome with her grandfather in the hopes of unlocking his history as a survivor of the Holocaust once and for all.
But as they get closer to the truth—and the possibility of healing through new connections—she begins to realize that some secrets may be too painful to unbury . . .
THEN:
It’s 1943, and nineteen-year-old Bruna and her family are doing their best to survive in Rome’s Jewish quarter under Nazi occupation. When the dreaded knock comes early one morning, and Bruna realizes her youngest brother, Raffa, is missing, her desperate search to find him separates her from the rest of her family irrevocably.
Overcome with guilt at escaping her family’s fate in the camps, Bruna joins the partisan efforts against the Nazis and Italian Fascists. When her missions bring her back to her childhood crush, Elsa, she must decide what it really means to live and love—and if fully embracing herself might be her greatest act of resistance of all. But just as she starts to find light in the darkness, an attack that ends in unspeakable tragedy leaves Bruna questioning her fortitude to survive more than ever before.
Part historical mystery, part sweeping romance, Jordyn Taylor brings Bruna and Lilah’s stories to brilliant life in this compelling, emotional read in the vein of The Paper Girl of Paris. With dual historical and contemporary POVs—where heartbreak, hope, and finding light in times of darkness are inevitably intertwined—this is perfect for readers of Ruta Sepetys and Monica Hesse.
NOW:
Grieving the loss of her mother, college student Lilah is hoping to reconnect with her ever-distant grandfather who refuses to talk about his past. When a fellow student in Italy brings a long-lost family heirloom to her attention, Lilah travels to Rome with her grandfather in the hopes of unlocking his history as a survivor of the Holocaust once and for all.
But as they get closer to the truth—and the possibility of healing through new connections—she begins to realize that some secrets may be too painful to unbury . . .
THEN:
It’s 1943, and nineteen-year-old Bruna and her family are doing their best to survive in Rome’s Jewish quarter under Nazi occupation. When the dreaded knock comes early one morning, and Bruna realizes her youngest brother, Raffa, is missing, her desperate search to find him separates her from the rest of her family irrevocably.
Overcome with guilt at escaping her family’s fate in the camps, Bruna joins the partisan efforts against the Nazis and Italian Fascists. When her missions bring her back to her childhood crush, Elsa, she must decide what it really means to live and love—and if fully embracing herself might be her greatest act of resistance of all. But just as she starts to find light in the darkness, an attack that ends in unspeakable tragedy leaves Bruna questioning her fortitude to survive more than ever before.
Part historical mystery, part sweeping romance, Jordyn Taylor brings Bruna and Lilah’s stories to brilliant life in this compelling, emotional read in the vein of The Paper Girl of Paris. With dual historical and contemporary POVs—where heartbreak, hope, and finding light in times of darkness are inevitably intertwined—this is perfect for readers of Ruta Sepetys and Monica Hesse.
316 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 8, 2025
40 people are currently reading
6753 people want to read
About the author
Jordyn Taylor
7 books332 followersJordyn Taylor is a New York City–based writer and journalist, currently the deputy editor at Men’s Health magazine; her work has appeared in the New York Observer, Mic, and Glamour.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 79 reviews
July 21, 2025
5 ⭐
Wow. I can’t remember where I first heard about this book, but I am so glad I found it.
The Rebel Girls of Rome by Jordyn Taylor is a dual timeline book about Lilah, a university student in the USA, who travels to Rome with her grandfather to discover their family’s mysterious past, and Bruna, a queer Jewish young woman who escapes the Nazis and joins the resistance. The Rebel Girls of Rome is a gripping yet heartbreaking story that kept me reading chapter after chapter, and will surely do the same for you.
That should be enough to convince you to read it, but I know it won’t be. So, here’s a breakdown of the things I love about this, which, let me just say, was practically everything.
📍🇮🇹 THE SETTING 🇮🇹📍
The Rebel Girls of Rome is set in, well, Rome. But for me it’s not the setting itself that made me like this so much, but rather the way Jordyn Taylor describes Rome. Of course, it was also super cool to understand the snippets of Italian that were in the book!
Seriously though, this was likely the first WWII book I read that wasn’t set in Eastern Europe. That in and of itself was interesting to read. But what intrigued me more was how I got a glimpse into what my Nonni’s life would have been like. Of course, we are not Jewish, but I have still heard stories from my Nonno about hearing bombs being dropped and being scared for his life.
👥 THE CHARACTERS 👥
I’ll start with the characters in the present day: Lilah, her grandfather Ralph, and Nonna Carla. Jordyn did a great job developing Lilah, whose motivation to uncover what happened in her grandfather’s past was fueled by her late mother. I won’t spoil too much of that, but let’s just say that she has a lot of character development that was well done! I also love her determination and persistence, and how she finds the courage to comfort [REDACTED] at the end of the book.
Moving on to Ralph and Nonna Carla, who both carry deep trauma from their childhoods. Their survivor’s guilt was incredibly realistic and understandable, given everything they went through. As much as it was sad to read about Ralph’s past alcoholism and how both of them were distant, it really makes me reconsider the extent to which WWII caused pain for people. Clearly the pain does not affect just the people who got sent to concentration camps, but also their families that had to learn how to live life when they were the only ones left.
⌛ THE DUAL TIMELINE ⏳
I’ll be honest: I was a little concerned about the dual timeline because I just assumed that, unlike in a traditional book with alternating POVs, there would be too many different characters and plots and I would be super confused as to what was happening. And yes, I had a bit of trouble placing the relationship between characters in Bruna’s and Lilah’s story during the first bit of the book. However as the story progressed, it fell into a neat, back-and-forth pattern that gradually made everything click into place.
What that means is that we (aka Lilah) learn something in the present day, and then the next chapter would be Bruna’s story which helps explain and expand on that. So it was really not confusing at all, rather really interesting. Plus it kept me reading because it would naturally switch POVs at a cliff-hanger moment.
💘 THE ROMANCE 💘
Lilah and Tomasso: I feel like it would be just as good if they were just friends, but they ended up together so 🤷♀️
Bruna and Elsa: these two are so good for each other! (Beginning of Spoilers) I am actually surprised Elsa didn’t die because that would have been a really good chance for Bruna’s character development. But I suppose she already has to deal with so much grief for her family that it would have been cruel to kill off the love of her life. (End of Spoiler)
🏳️🌈 LGBTQ+ REP 🏳️🌈
The Rebel Girls of Rome had so much great queer rep! I loved when Lilah, the main character in the present-day POV, comes to the realization that the Pride Parade she went to is more significant than she thought it was, considering Italy’s right-winged government is limiting queer rights. It was also cool to see that Bruna and Elsa were activists for queer rights in Italy. All in all, there is a lot of great rep in here for people in the LGBTQ+ community!
✨ THAT ENDING ✨
Honestly, I probably would have cried a bit if I hadn’t been reading the ending of The Rebel Girls of Rome in public. It was so bittersweet, and truthfully was really well-written. I especially liked how Jordyn ended the book off with (kind of a spoiler?) a letter from Lilah to her mom.
✍🏻 THE AUTHOR’S NOTE ✍🏻
The author’s note at the end of Rebel Girls was really interesting to read cause I had no idea that stuff like Syndrome K was actually a thing.If When you read this, I do encourage you to read the author’s note :)
I very much recommend reading The Rebel Girls of Rome, especially for those looking to read a dual timeline WWII book with great LGBTQ+ rep and an awesome plot!
Many thanks to Harper Collins Children’s Books for granting me an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Wow. I can’t remember where I first heard about this book, but I am so glad I found it.
The Rebel Girls of Rome by Jordyn Taylor is a dual timeline book about Lilah, a university student in the USA, who travels to Rome with her grandfather to discover their family’s mysterious past, and Bruna, a queer Jewish young woman who escapes the Nazis and joins the resistance. The Rebel Girls of Rome is a gripping yet heartbreaking story that kept me reading chapter after chapter, and will surely do the same for you.
That should be enough to convince you to read it, but I know it won’t be. So, here’s a breakdown of the things I love about this, which, let me just say, was practically everything.
📍🇮🇹 THE SETTING 🇮🇹📍
The Rebel Girls of Rome is set in, well, Rome. But for me it’s not the setting itself that made me like this so much, but rather the way Jordyn Taylor describes Rome. Of course, it was also super cool to understand the snippets of Italian that were in the book!
Seriously though, this was likely the first WWII book I read that wasn’t set in Eastern Europe. That in and of itself was interesting to read. But what intrigued me more was how I got a glimpse into what my Nonni’s life would have been like. Of course, we are not Jewish, but I have still heard stories from my Nonno about hearing bombs being dropped and being scared for his life.
👥 THE CHARACTERS 👥
I’ll start with the characters in the present day: Lilah, her grandfather Ralph, and Nonna Carla. Jordyn did a great job developing Lilah, whose motivation to uncover what happened in her grandfather’s past was fueled by her late mother. I won’t spoil too much of that, but let’s just say that she has a lot of character development that was well done! I also love her determination and persistence, and how she finds the courage to comfort [REDACTED] at the end of the book.
Moving on to Ralph and Nonna Carla, who both carry deep trauma from their childhoods. Their survivor’s guilt was incredibly realistic and understandable, given everything they went through. As much as it was sad to read about Ralph’s past alcoholism and how both of them were distant, it really makes me reconsider the extent to which WWII caused pain for people. Clearly the pain does not affect just the people who got sent to concentration camps, but also their families that had to learn how to live life when they were the only ones left.
⌛ THE DUAL TIMELINE ⏳
I’ll be honest: I was a little concerned about the dual timeline because I just assumed that, unlike in a traditional book with alternating POVs, there would be too many different characters and plots and I would be super confused as to what was happening. And yes, I had a bit of trouble placing the relationship between characters in Bruna’s and Lilah’s story during the first bit of the book. However as the story progressed, it fell into a neat, back-and-forth pattern that gradually made everything click into place.
What that means is that we (aka Lilah) learn something in the present day, and then the next chapter would be Bruna’s story which helps explain and expand on that. So it was really not confusing at all, rather really interesting. Plus it kept me reading because it would naturally switch POVs at a cliff-hanger moment.
💘 THE ROMANCE 💘
Lilah and Tomasso: I feel like it would be just as good if they were just friends, but they ended up together so 🤷♀️
Bruna and Elsa: these two are so good for each other! (Beginning of Spoilers) I am actually surprised Elsa didn’t die because that would have been a really good chance for Bruna’s character development. But I suppose she already has to deal with so much grief for her family that it would have been cruel to kill off the love of her life. (End of Spoiler)
🏳️🌈 LGBTQ+ REP 🏳️🌈
The Rebel Girls of Rome had so much great queer rep! I loved when Lilah, the main character in the present-day POV, comes to the realization that the Pride Parade she went to is more significant than she thought it was, considering Italy’s right-winged government is limiting queer rights. It was also cool to see that Bruna and Elsa were activists for queer rights in Italy. All in all, there is a lot of great rep in here for people in the LGBTQ+ community!
✨ THAT ENDING ✨
Honestly, I probably would have cried a bit if I hadn’t been reading the ending of The Rebel Girls of Rome in public. It was so bittersweet, and truthfully was really well-written. I especially liked how Jordyn ended the book off with (kind of a spoiler?) a letter from Lilah to her mom.
✍🏻 THE AUTHOR’S NOTE ✍🏻
The author’s note at the end of Rebel Girls was really interesting to read cause I had no idea that stuff like Syndrome K was actually a thing.
I very much recommend reading The Rebel Girls of Rome, especially for those looking to read a dual timeline WWII book with great LGBTQ+ rep and an awesome plot!
Many thanks to Harper Collins Children’s Books for granting me an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
August 12, 2025
What a great book taking historical fiction, making it accessible to a YA audience, and including queer representation to highlight a story and perspective we don't often get in this genre. I also really enjoyed the author's note at the end that shared what the author kept true to history, what was fictionalized or added for drama, and what she pulled from real records but made bolder for representation purposes. I'd highly recommend this to fans of Kate Quinn or anyone who is looking for easy-to-read yet still extremely emotional historical fiction in a beautiful setting.
July 28, 2025
One of the best books I have ever read. Perfectly written and deserving of 5 stars.
August 11, 2025
I thought this book was good, however it was almost exactly the same to the paper girl of Paris. I think if you read this for the first time it would be amazing, but I read the paper girl of Paris first and I found this book less enjoyable.
November 16, 2025
Actual Rating: 4.5
This book made me sob so hard and if you know me, that’s an indicator that it’s a book well done. Between the mom grief, generational trauma, guilt for being alive when your family didn’t make it, the characters, the setting, and the queer rep was so beautifully done! I also found the historical aspects of this book to be as historically accurate as possible and I learned so much! Highly recommend this one!
This book made me sob so hard and if you know me, that’s an indicator that it’s a book well done. Between the mom grief, generational trauma, guilt for being alive when your family didn’t make it, the characters, the setting, and the queer rep was so beautifully done! I also found the historical aspects of this book to be as historically accurate as possible and I learned so much! Highly recommend this one!
Want to read
September 23, 2025Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Children's Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
July 10, 2025
THE REBEL GIRLS OF ROME is a remarkable story of tragedy and triumph. Told from the present day perspective of Lilah and the past perspective of her great aunt Bluma in the 1940s Jordyn Taylor’s latest novel addresses
intergenerational trauma and survivor guilt as Lilah travels to Rome with her grandfather to see the family heirloom Bluma wore before Nazi occupation. They encounter Tomaso and his grandmother Carla, daughter of Bluma’s closest friend.
I wasn’t certain I’d enjoy REBEL GIRLS OF ROME, but preordered based on my enjoyment of Taylor’s other novels. Without coming across as teaching a lesson, Taylor shows that people have stories and reasons for their behaviors and reactions of which we are likely unaware and how we can take personally the behavior and words which are about loved one’s past traumas.
intergenerational trauma and survivor guilt as Lilah travels to Rome with her grandfather to see the family heirloom Bluma wore before Nazi occupation. They encounter Tomaso and his grandmother Carla, daughter of Bluma’s closest friend.
I wasn’t certain I’d enjoy REBEL GIRLS OF ROME, but preordered based on my enjoyment of Taylor’s other novels. Without coming across as teaching a lesson, Taylor shows that people have stories and reasons for their behaviors and reactions of which we are likely unaware and how we can take personally the behavior and words which are about loved one’s past traumas.
August 10, 2025
Jordyn Taylor can write 100 of these dual PoV intergenerational WWII stories and I will eat it up every time like I’ve never seen it before.
That was fun and grounding and probably enthralling to write.
Was I editing a little bit as I read? Yes. But I was only taking away the dialogue cringe the rest I left I promise.
That was fun and grounding and probably enthralling to write.
Was I editing a little bit as I read? Yes. But I was only taking away the dialogue cringe the rest I left I promise.
October 16, 2025
Wow what a wild ride this book took you on. A dual timeline between WWII in Rome and in present day of a granddaughter/grandfather duo out to find a long lost sibling all due to a locket that was left behind all these years. Such a great story
December 10, 2025
Well I basically sobbed through the last 30 minutes. I really liked that this was a different aspect of WWII and think that the mystery and the queer history will be a draw for a lot of teen readers.
Jennifer Jill Araya and Jesse Vilinsky do a great job with the audiobook narration.
Jennifer Jill Araya and Jesse Vilinsky do a great job with the audiobook narration.
November 9, 2025
WOW!!! I just.....I have no words for how amazing this book was on family secrets, survival, reunions, hope and love! One of my favorite reads of the year!
August 17, 2025
idk, the writing style was not very polished. the lgbtq narrative seemed forced. I wanted to like it, but ended up having to force myself to finish it.
August 10, 2025
This book was beautiful and tragic. I love reading about all the different perspectives from WWII and this was so interesting told from a queer POV. The Rebel Girls of Rome is so timely and a wonderful story to truly show the affects war has on multiple generations.
August 6, 2025
SOBBING!!! I loved everything about this book!!!!
January 14, 2025
A gripping, dual-POV story about Lilah, an American teen who, with her grandfather, visits Italy to discover their family's story, and Bruna, a young queer Jewish woman living in Rome during the Holocaust. I appreciated that the book revolves around Jewish Holocaust stories that aren't Eastern European, but I also would have loved to see a bit more Jewish history/identity/culture throughout, especially as there is so much Jewish Italian history and culture that could have been integrated into the book.
Some of the pacing felt a bit off to me, particularly the romance set in the present-day—I think the author may have been trying to do too much in a relatively short book. But I largely enjoyed both the historical and contemporary plot lines, and I didn't want to put it down. 4 stars.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Some of the pacing felt a bit off to me, particularly the romance set in the present-day—I think the author may have been trying to do too much in a relatively short book. But I largely enjoyed both the historical and contemporary plot lines, and I didn't want to put it down. 4 stars.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
April 3, 2025
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
More Young adult than I had wanted for a middle school collection. I enjoyed it, though!
More Young adult than I had wanted for a middle school collection. I enjoyed it, though!
April 20, 2025
Title: The Rebel Girls of Rome
Author: Jordyn Taylor
Genre: Historical Mystery, LGBTQ+, with a bit of Romance
Format: 🎧
Narrators: Jennifer Jill Araya and Jesse Villinsky
Publisher: Harper Audio Children’s/Harper Collins
Pub Date: July 8, 2025
My Rating: 4.4 Stars
Pages: 320
Story is told from the POV of two girls
Bruna during WW2, and
Lilah- Present
Then: ~~Bruna is a nineteen year old Jewish young woman living Jewish quarter in Rome during the Holocaust which is under Nazi occupation. Then her greatest fear happens in that she is separated from her family.
She is able to join the underground rebellion.
Now: ~~~ Lilah is a Hamilton College student who is grieving the loss of her mother and wants to know more about her life. Her grandfather doesn’t want to talk about it.
Lilah gets an email from a student named Tommaso who lives in Rome and tells her that that while he was helping his grandmother sort out things after his grandfather died. He
found a locket hidden along with a note and it indicates it might be her lost family heirloom. He included photo as well as a picture of the note. She shows it to her grandfather and he immediately has tears in his teas. She asks him if he will accompany her to Rome to meet with the young man.
Lilah and her grandfather are in Rome in hopes of discovering their family's story.
Aww This was great- I totally enjoyed it. The audiobook narrators are awesome at perfuming the characters- in English as well as Italian.
My father’s family were born and raised in Italy. They moved to the States before he was born.
Most of the family settled in Philadelphia. My grandfather was a farmer so settled in a small
Pennsylvania farming community.
Additionally I also loved Ms. Taylor’s “Author’s Notes” where she tells us what parts of her story were fact and which parts she embellished.
She points out that when the chapters were about WWII, that Nazi wasn’t used but referred to as Germans. I never noticed that in other books but will now.
She tells us about her inspiration and how she did research to make is as accurate as possible. I am not big fan of reading WWII stories as it was such a terrible time.
The LGTB parts of the story were interesting as I am sure no other Historical Fiction I have read included it.
Thank you Ms. Taylor for an enjoyable read!
Want to thank NetGalley and Harper Audio Children’s/Harper Collins for this great audiobook.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for July 8, 2025
Author: Jordyn Taylor
Genre: Historical Mystery, LGBTQ+, with a bit of Romance
Format: 🎧
Narrators: Jennifer Jill Araya and Jesse Villinsky
Publisher: Harper Audio Children’s/Harper Collins
Pub Date: July 8, 2025
My Rating: 4.4 Stars
Pages: 320
Story is told from the POV of two girls
Bruna during WW2, and
Lilah- Present
Then: ~~Bruna is a nineteen year old Jewish young woman living Jewish quarter in Rome during the Holocaust which is under Nazi occupation. Then her greatest fear happens in that she is separated from her family.
She is able to join the underground rebellion.
Now: ~~~ Lilah is a Hamilton College student who is grieving the loss of her mother and wants to know more about her life. Her grandfather doesn’t want to talk about it.
Lilah gets an email from a student named Tommaso who lives in Rome and tells her that that while he was helping his grandmother sort out things after his grandfather died. He
found a locket hidden along with a note and it indicates it might be her lost family heirloom. He included photo as well as a picture of the note. She shows it to her grandfather and he immediately has tears in his teas. She asks him if he will accompany her to Rome to meet with the young man.
Lilah and her grandfather are in Rome in hopes of discovering their family's story.
Aww This was great- I totally enjoyed it. The audiobook narrators are awesome at perfuming the characters- in English as well as Italian.
My father’s family were born and raised in Italy. They moved to the States before he was born.
Most of the family settled in Philadelphia. My grandfather was a farmer so settled in a small
Pennsylvania farming community.
Additionally I also loved Ms. Taylor’s “Author’s Notes” where she tells us what parts of her story were fact and which parts she embellished.
She points out that when the chapters were about WWII, that Nazi wasn’t used but referred to as Germans. I never noticed that in other books but will now.
She tells us about her inspiration and how she did research to make is as accurate as possible. I am not big fan of reading WWII stories as it was such a terrible time.
The LGTB parts of the story were interesting as I am sure no other Historical Fiction I have read included it.
Thank you Ms. Taylor for an enjoyable read!
Want to thank NetGalley and Harper Audio Children’s/Harper Collins for this great audiobook.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for July 8, 2025
August 12, 2025
Initial Thoughts:
I don’t think I’ll ever tire of WWII stories, especially ones that offer fresh perspectives. Jordyn Taylor’s novel stands out by focusing on Jewish Italians—a rarely explored group in historical fiction. Through dual timelines, we follow Lilah in the present and her great-aunt Bruna in 1943. As Lilah uncovers her family's history in Rome as a gift to her late mother, Bruna’s story unfolds in real time during the Nazi occupation. I appreciated the setting, the emotional depth, and the way Taylor wove in themes of grief, identity, and queerness. It’s a powerful, layered story that adds something new to the genre.
Plot and Writing:
Taylor brings wartime and modern-day Rome vividly to life. The writing is immersive—you feel the fear in Bruna’s world and the wonder in Lilah’s. The pacing is quick thanks to the dual POVs, which kept both timelines equally compelling. Taylor clearly did their research, incorporating real historical events like Syndrome K and the October 16th raid. I only wish Lilah had explored more of Jewish Italy’s present-day culture beyond her grandfather’s old neighborhood.
Characters:
Lilah’s grief journey was deeply moving. She’s not just a history student chasing answers—she’s a granddaughter trying to understand a man who was kind to her but cold to her mother. Her budding relationship with Tommaso felt natural and sweet, helping her process her loss and grow.
Ralph, despite not having his own POV, is richly developed. Taylor skillfully reveals the trauma beneath his gruff exterior, slowly unveiling the boy who once had to hide to survive.
Bruna’s chapters were my favorite. Her arc—from survival to self-acceptance as a queer woman—was beautifully done. Her storyline packed in action, resistance missions, and a quiet, tender romance with Elsa. I only wish Taylor had given Bruna more page time or her own novel—the relationship felt slightly rushed.
Conclusion:
This is a standout historical novel about family, memory, and survival. Set in Italy during and after WWII, it sheds light on a lesser-known part of Jewish history. Through Lilah’s search for truth and Bruna’s fight to live fully, Taylor delivers a rich, emotional story that’s absolutely worth reading.
I don’t think I’ll ever tire of WWII stories, especially ones that offer fresh perspectives. Jordyn Taylor’s novel stands out by focusing on Jewish Italians—a rarely explored group in historical fiction. Through dual timelines, we follow Lilah in the present and her great-aunt Bruna in 1943. As Lilah uncovers her family's history in Rome as a gift to her late mother, Bruna’s story unfolds in real time during the Nazi occupation. I appreciated the setting, the emotional depth, and the way Taylor wove in themes of grief, identity, and queerness. It’s a powerful, layered story that adds something new to the genre.
Plot and Writing:
Taylor brings wartime and modern-day Rome vividly to life. The writing is immersive—you feel the fear in Bruna’s world and the wonder in Lilah’s. The pacing is quick thanks to the dual POVs, which kept both timelines equally compelling. Taylor clearly did their research, incorporating real historical events like Syndrome K and the October 16th raid. I only wish Lilah had explored more of Jewish Italy’s present-day culture beyond her grandfather’s old neighborhood.
Characters:
Lilah’s grief journey was deeply moving. She’s not just a history student chasing answers—she’s a granddaughter trying to understand a man who was kind to her but cold to her mother. Her budding relationship with Tommaso felt natural and sweet, helping her process her loss and grow.
Ralph, despite not having his own POV, is richly developed. Taylor skillfully reveals the trauma beneath his gruff exterior, slowly unveiling the boy who once had to hide to survive.
Bruna’s chapters were my favorite. Her arc—from survival to self-acceptance as a queer woman—was beautifully done. Her storyline packed in action, resistance missions, and a quiet, tender romance with Elsa. I only wish Taylor had given Bruna more page time or her own novel—the relationship felt slightly rushed.
Conclusion:
This is a standout historical novel about family, memory, and survival. Set in Italy during and after WWII, it sheds light on a lesser-known part of Jewish history. Through Lilah’s search for truth and Bruna’s fight to live fully, Taylor delivers a rich, emotional story that’s absolutely worth reading.
June 8, 2025
The Rebel Girls of Rome by Jordyn Taylor is a heart-wrenching dual POV historical fiction novel. It transitions between the story of Lilah, a young college student who is searching for information about her grandfather’s past in Nazi occupied Rome and Bruna a nineteen year old queer Jewish woman who is separated from her family when the Nazi’s raid the Ghetto of Rome on October 16, 1943.
I received this audiobook ARC from NetGalley and Harper Audio Children’s in exchange for an honest review. I’m a huge fan of historical fiction, but hadn’t read any in the last year as I’ve been pursuing my school library media specialist degree. I’ve been searching for unique YA historical fiction for my school library, and this is definitely one I plan to order when it is released in July. The narration is beautiful, and Jennifer Jill Araya and Jesse Villinsky deliver a moving performance. Although I am not qualified to judge Italian accents, they sounded beautiful.
I’ve read countless novels about WWII, but this book caught my attention because it takes place in Italy after they surrendered to the Allied powers in 1943. Benito Mussolini had been ousted from power at this point, and within days of the surrender, Italy declared war on Germany. I haven’t read any books set during this period in Italian history and plan to search for some more. For those of you who are fans of history, the author’s note at the end discusses some of her research.
I was slightly frustrated during the first two chapters of the book. They weren’t slow, but I had already developed theories and was impatient to begin Bruna’s story. Because of my background as a history major, I found Bruna’s story and romantic relationship more compelling and interesting than Lilah’s. The timeline of Lilah and Tommaso’s relationship was rushed and didn’t feel authentic, although I liked both characters and did enjoy both POVs.
Overall, this was a captivating listen and one that I will order and recommend to my students. I like Taylor’s writing style and plan to move her novel, The Paper Girls of Paris, to the top of my TBR pile! I rate The Rebel Girls of Rome 4.25 stars.
I received this audiobook ARC from NetGalley and Harper Audio Children’s in exchange for an honest review. I’m a huge fan of historical fiction, but hadn’t read any in the last year as I’ve been pursuing my school library media specialist degree. I’ve been searching for unique YA historical fiction for my school library, and this is definitely one I plan to order when it is released in July. The narration is beautiful, and Jennifer Jill Araya and Jesse Villinsky deliver a moving performance. Although I am not qualified to judge Italian accents, they sounded beautiful.
I’ve read countless novels about WWII, but this book caught my attention because it takes place in Italy after they surrendered to the Allied powers in 1943. Benito Mussolini had been ousted from power at this point, and within days of the surrender, Italy declared war on Germany. I haven’t read any books set during this period in Italian history and plan to search for some more. For those of you who are fans of history, the author’s note at the end discusses some of her research.
I was slightly frustrated during the first two chapters of the book. They weren’t slow, but I had already developed theories and was impatient to begin Bruna’s story. Because of my background as a history major, I found Bruna’s story and romantic relationship more compelling and interesting than Lilah’s. The timeline of Lilah and Tommaso’s relationship was rushed and didn’t feel authentic, although I liked both characters and did enjoy both POVs.
Overall, this was a captivating listen and one that I will order and recommend to my students. I like Taylor’s writing style and plan to move her novel, The Paper Girls of Paris, to the top of my TBR pile! I rate The Rebel Girls of Rome 4.25 stars.
June 24, 2025
I loved The Paper Girls of Paris, so I was so excited to get my hands on this! It's a historical YA that utilizes dual point of view, going back and forth between modern day Lilah, a young college student who is reeling from the death of her mother & wanting to find out more about her distant grandfather and his Jewish heritage in Rome as a child, and Bruna, a queer, Jewish woman in the 1940s who escapes the Nazi roundup in the Jewish ghetto while trying to locate her lost younger brother and eventually joins the Italian Resistance. When Lilah gets an email from a Italian student claiming that he has found a lost locket in his grandmother's apartment in Romeo that he think belonged to Lilah's family, she convinces her grandfather to take a 3-week trip to Rome to see if they can figure out more about her grandfather's lost family, and particularly, his lost sister, Bruna.
I really enjoyed reading a queer perspective under Fascist rule in 1940s Italy and learned so much about the work of the partisans in Rome. I feel like so many WW2 books are set in France or Poland, so it was refreshing to read about an area that I wasn't as familiar with during the war. Bruna's story was captivating, and seeing Lilah and her grandfather come together as they learned more about what happened to her was satisfying. His survivor's guilt and Bruna's was realistic and understandable after all they had been through. While the romance between Lilah & Tomosso seemed more friendship-based than romance and not as swoony as other YA romances, I did appreciate that he seemed to see through her grief and challenged her to feel it rather than push it down. The budding love between their two grandparents was also cute! Many of my high school students will love this one, and I can't wait to add it to the collection!
Thank you to Harper Collins & Netgalley for the e-ARC. This one's out July 8th!
I really enjoyed reading a queer perspective under Fascist rule in 1940s Italy and learned so much about the work of the partisans in Rome. I feel like so many WW2 books are set in France or Poland, so it was refreshing to read about an area that I wasn't as familiar with during the war. Bruna's story was captivating, and seeing Lilah and her grandfather come together as they learned more about what happened to her was satisfying. His survivor's guilt and Bruna's was realistic and understandable after all they had been through. While the romance between Lilah & Tomosso seemed more friendship-based than romance and not as swoony as other YA romances, I did appreciate that he seemed to see through her grief and challenged her to feel it rather than push it down. The budding love between their two grandparents was also cute! Many of my high school students will love this one, and I can't wait to add it to the collection!
Thank you to Harper Collins & Netgalley for the e-ARC. This one's out July 8th!
July 23, 2025
College student Lilah is still grieving over the death of her mother. She tries to reconnect with her grandfather, who refuses to discuss his past. When she receives a mysterious letter from Italy, claiming to have found a family locket, everything Lilah's known is turned on its head. While in Italy, Lilah learns about her grandfather's missing sister and her part in the Italian resistance during WWII. This knowledge opens up her grandfather to face his tragic past, and for Lilah to learn more about her own family history.
What worked: Engaging, mystery of the truth behind a family heirloom during WWII. This story has two different timelines. There's the contemporary time with Lilah searching for the truth behind her grandfather's refusal to speak about his childhood, and in the process, to get closer to him. The second timeline is her grandfather's sister Bruna's story. As a Jewish teen, she avoids being rounded up by the Germans and ends up joining the resistance. Her story is one of hope, defiance, and resistance. It's also a story of being true to who you are, even when the world labels you as the enemy.
I found Bruna's story fascinating and was totally engaged. The LGBT romance part is tragic, but also has hope in it. During Mussolini's time in power, such relationships were not only frowned on, but it was also dangerous. Bruna was not only Jewish but queer.
Lilah's story was one of coming to terms with not only the death of her mother, but also reaching out to her distant grandfather. The reluctance to speak out about the war was very realistic. The only thing that took me out of this story was all the direct translations. Also, the backstory could have been woven throughout.
The Holocaust story needs to be told, especially now with the growing number of those who deny it.
Moving story of resistance and survival in the face of evil.
Original post: https://yabookscentral.com/the-rebel-...
What worked: Engaging, mystery of the truth behind a family heirloom during WWII. This story has two different timelines. There's the contemporary time with Lilah searching for the truth behind her grandfather's refusal to speak about his childhood, and in the process, to get closer to him. The second timeline is her grandfather's sister Bruna's story. As a Jewish teen, she avoids being rounded up by the Germans and ends up joining the resistance. Her story is one of hope, defiance, and resistance. It's also a story of being true to who you are, even when the world labels you as the enemy.
I found Bruna's story fascinating and was totally engaged. The LGBT romance part is tragic, but also has hope in it. During Mussolini's time in power, such relationships were not only frowned on, but it was also dangerous. Bruna was not only Jewish but queer.
Lilah's story was one of coming to terms with not only the death of her mother, but also reaching out to her distant grandfather. The reluctance to speak out about the war was very realistic. The only thing that took me out of this story was all the direct translations. Also, the backstory could have been woven throughout.
The Holocaust story needs to be told, especially now with the growing number of those who deny it.
Moving story of resistance and survival in the face of evil.
Original post: https://yabookscentral.com/the-rebel-...
November 1, 2025
DNF. At the time when I saw this in my library, I was like, "This is the perfect book for me rn!" I like any contemporary book set in another country, and the cover was gorgeous. But when I got about 3/4 of the way through, I discovered something I didn't really like.
●♡ SUMMARY ♡●
Set in two different time periods, the Holocaust and present day Rome, Lilah is really trying to figure out her family's history: her grandfather has been secluded about it for many years, and Lilah's Mom died without getting any answers. Come to find out, her history directly interconnects with Tomasso, whose grandmother was only a baby during the events of the Holocaust. Meanwhile, in 1943, Bruna; Lilah's great aunt, is set on finding her brother (Lilah's grandfather) and restoring the Jewish religion for as long as she can. Two courageous girls, two different time periods!
●♡ OPINIONS ♡●
I really liked what I read of this! I'm not into historical fiction at all, so learning about something I really had no clue about, was interesting. The whole connection that Lilah and Tomasso's families have was at its peak, and I loved watching them figure out these mysteries as the book progressed. Also, the cover is gorgeous, and it's set in another country! Lol two aspects I love in a book. However, I was not a fan of the romance in this book, some of the scenes were just too much to even bother reading. If you're a fan of that type of thing, then you do you, but I personally am not. That's mainly what put me off of finishing this; I feel like if Jordyn Taylor had focused more on the plot and mysteries and less on the romance, I would've finished it! The cliffhangers were admirable though, and I give credit to any author willing to do that much research for a book. 3.5 stars 🌟
●♡ SUMMARY ♡●
Set in two different time periods, the Holocaust and present day Rome, Lilah is really trying to figure out her family's history: her grandfather has been secluded about it for many years, and Lilah's Mom died without getting any answers. Come to find out, her history directly interconnects with Tomasso, whose grandmother was only a baby during the events of the Holocaust. Meanwhile, in 1943, Bruna; Lilah's great aunt, is set on finding her brother (Lilah's grandfather) and restoring the Jewish religion for as long as she can. Two courageous girls, two different time periods!
●♡ OPINIONS ♡●
I really liked what I read of this! I'm not into historical fiction at all, so learning about something I really had no clue about, was interesting. The whole connection that Lilah and Tomasso's families have was at its peak, and I loved watching them figure out these mysteries as the book progressed. Also, the cover is gorgeous, and it's set in another country! Lol two aspects I love in a book. However, I was not a fan of the romance in this book, some of the scenes were just too much to even bother reading. If you're a fan of that type of thing, then you do you, but I personally am not. That's mainly what put me off of finishing this; I feel like if Jordyn Taylor had focused more on the plot and mysteries and less on the romance, I would've finished it! The cliffhangers were admirable though, and I give credit to any author willing to do that much research for a book. 3.5 stars 🌟
August 1, 2025
I received a free copy of this book from Goodreads back in May and its been killing me that I only had a chance to read it recently as I absolutely loved the Paper Girls of Paris. This story is definitely a quick read and has that same duel perpspectives from the past in WWII and present, similar to Taylor’s other novel Paper Girls of Paris.
The story follows Lilah who gets contacted by a college age Italian boy when finds a locket in his grandmother’s belongings that link to Lilah’s own taciturn grandfather Ralph. Ralph escaped Italy after the war as a young orphan and had always been reticent in explaining his past and indeed bonding with his family. When Lilah mentions the locket she was contacted about, she is shocked to find that her grandfather is willing to open up to her and travel to Italy with her to discover more about the locket and its connections between Ralph and his eldest sister Bruna who he believed died in a concentration camp. The other perspective follows Ralph’s sister Bruna who indeed miss the round up of Jews in Italy and joined the resistance.
I loved the duel perpsectives and I liked learning about Italy during WWII as its not often a setting I read in WWII novels. Learning about how that country was affected first by fascism and then by Hitler was interesting and learning more about the partisan resistance group was also interesting, even though Bruna herself is a made up character.
The one somewhat negative thing that stood out for me was the language between Lilah and Tommaso. They are both college age teens and the way they speak and act with each other seemed very… fanciful to me. To me it came across as how I would want a cute Italian boy to speak to me- all earnest and polite and sweet- and not how they would actually act and speak. To me it just didn’t seem like a natural way teens talk together but I am in my thirties so what do I know? I’m basing these thoughts to my own interactions at that age so who’s to say really.
Overall I did enjoy this book. I wish the connection between Tommaso and Lilah’s family- the locket- had a little more substance to it but overall it was a quick and fun read. Definitely not up to the standards of Paper Girls of Paris but I did still enjoy this.
The story follows Lilah who gets contacted by a college age Italian boy when finds a locket in his grandmother’s belongings that link to Lilah’s own taciturn grandfather Ralph. Ralph escaped Italy after the war as a young orphan and had always been reticent in explaining his past and indeed bonding with his family. When Lilah mentions the locket she was contacted about, she is shocked to find that her grandfather is willing to open up to her and travel to Italy with her to discover more about the locket and its connections between Ralph and his eldest sister Bruna who he believed died in a concentration camp. The other perspective follows Ralph’s sister Bruna who indeed miss the round up of Jews in Italy and joined the resistance.
I loved the duel perpsectives and I liked learning about Italy during WWII as its not often a setting I read in WWII novels. Learning about how that country was affected first by fascism and then by Hitler was interesting and learning more about the partisan resistance group was also interesting, even though Bruna herself is a made up character.
The one somewhat negative thing that stood out for me was the language between Lilah and Tommaso. They are both college age teens and the way they speak and act with each other seemed very… fanciful to me. To me it came across as how I would want a cute Italian boy to speak to me- all earnest and polite and sweet- and not how they would actually act and speak. To me it just didn’t seem like a natural way teens talk together but I am in my thirties so what do I know? I’m basing these thoughts to my own interactions at that age so who’s to say really.
Overall I did enjoy this book. I wish the connection between Tommaso and Lilah’s family- the locket- had a little more substance to it but overall it was a quick and fun read. Definitely not up to the standards of Paper Girls of Paris but I did still enjoy this.
September 4, 2025
In the 1940s Nazi-occupied Rome, 19-year-old Bruna Mosseri narrowly escaped when her family was sent to Auschwitz. Feeling guilt over leaving them, Bruna joined the resistance, where she discovered not only a new purpose, but a rekindled bond with a childhood crush. In the present time, American college student Lilah Tepper longs to connect with her grandfather Ralph, Lilah, has just recently lost her mother to cancer. When she gets a message from a student in Italy asking about a family heirloom she knows she has to consult her grandfather, Ralph. Her grandfather is very closed off especially when it comes to his past so when they’re in Rome he does shut down conversations quickly as if he isn’t ready to face them. We learn more about his past, it’s also important to note that the heirloom is a locket that belongs to Bruna Lilah and her grandfather meet Tommaso, whom found the locket. Tommaso’s grandmother has history with Bruna and she’s also secretive but it’s understandable because both were survivors of the holocaust. Bruna’s and Lilah’s stories mirror one another—both young women cope with grief and must find the courage to pursue love after loss
The author has written a novel that is well written..The novel tells the story of family history, trauma, and healing. It engaged me so that I wanted to know what would happen next. The Holocaust story needs to be told, especially now with the growing number of those who deny it.
Disclaimer: I received an arc of this book from the author/publisher from Netgalley. I wasn’t obligated to write a favorable review. The opinions expressed are strictly my own.
March 4, 2025
This book absolutely lived up to the Paper Girls of Paris, and I’m so glad I requested it as soon as I saw it on NetGalley. In similar fashion to Paper Girls, this book has two POVs—one from during WW2, and one from the current times. It was great to see the mystery of how everything happened pan out, as well as the characters from both times.
I’m always a little bit hesitant when it comes to dual POVs like this, but I loved both characters and their stories. I also loved the very sweet romance that bloomed in both times, especially from Bruna’s POV. I think her perspective, as a Jewish queer person during WW2 is not one seen often, especially with the background of Italy and not a more typical country for this era of historical fiction.
I also loved Lilah, and the the other characters from the present times. They all had something to work through caused by the scars from Bruna’s time, but they found their happiness and resolution by the end. Although the premise for bringing them together was their family’s mysterious connection, I loved how Lilah and Tommaso’s relationship really bloomed and they formed their connection, and really found out just how much they had in common.
This is a great book for anyone who loves historical fiction, but also if you want something different from the typical historical fiction books, with just POVs in the past.
Thank you to HarperCollins Children’s Books and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!
I’m always a little bit hesitant when it comes to dual POVs like this, but I loved both characters and their stories. I also loved the very sweet romance that bloomed in both times, especially from Bruna’s POV. I think her perspective, as a Jewish queer person during WW2 is not one seen often, especially with the background of Italy and not a more typical country for this era of historical fiction.
I also loved Lilah, and the the other characters from the present times. They all had something to work through caused by the scars from Bruna’s time, but they found their happiness and resolution by the end. Although the premise for bringing them together was their family’s mysterious connection, I loved how Lilah and Tommaso’s relationship really bloomed and they formed their connection, and really found out just how much they had in common.
This is a great book for anyone who loves historical fiction, but also if you want something different from the typical historical fiction books, with just POVs in the past.
Thank you to HarperCollins Children’s Books and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!
August 5, 2025
This book features one of the most obnoxious main characters I've ever had the displeasure of reading about. She's extremely shallow, and definitely one of those "not-like-other-girls" "quirky/awkward" characters, her dialogue is PAINFUL.
The author uses the work "moaning" when the protagonist eats Italian food. It lowkey makes me uncomfortable.
Generally it seems that the flashback chapters are better-written.
Favorite line: "She is known for shouting ominous prophecies at anyone who will listen."
It's not meant to be ironic, but it made me laugh.
The author seems to know a little bit about Italian food, but definitely has an american perspective on Italian drink. Italians have small amounts of wine with most dinners, but dinner wine is not to get drunk. The Italian characters in this book don't seem to understand this.
The author did get it right about men wearing short shorts.
Also, this book was suprisingly preachy about LGBT issues. I definitely agree with the inclusive message, but the main character's monologue about LGBT rights sounds stilted, and didn't fit into the story very well.
The book is written in a style that initially made me believe it was meant for a younger audience (and the cover style is quite youthful), but it's pretty spicy, probably better for post-high school readers.
The only reason I finished the book was because the WW2 flashbacks were really intriguing.
The author uses the work "moaning" when the protagonist eats Italian food. It lowkey makes me uncomfortable.
Generally it seems that the flashback chapters are better-written.
Favorite line: "She is known for shouting ominous prophecies at anyone who will listen."
It's not meant to be ironic, but it made me laugh.
The author seems to know a little bit about Italian food, but definitely has an american perspective on Italian drink. Italians have small amounts of wine with most dinners, but dinner wine is not to get drunk. The Italian characters in this book don't seem to understand this.
The author did get it right about men wearing short shorts.
Also, this book was suprisingly preachy about LGBT issues. I definitely agree with the inclusive message, but the main character's monologue about LGBT rights sounds stilted, and didn't fit into the story very well.
The book is written in a style that initially made me believe it was meant for a younger audience (and the cover style is quite youthful), but it's pretty spicy, probably better for post-high school readers.
The only reason I finished the book was because the WW2 flashbacks were really intriguing.
July 21, 2025
My heart! I had no idea what this book was about going into it, but as soon as I started reading I knew I was going to love it. The writing was incredible, the different POV’s were done so well and the storyline had me invested.
The Rebel Girls of Rome by Jordyn Taylor brings the stories of two young women, Lilah and Bruna. Lilah’s story takes place in the present day. Lilah is a college student whose mother has recently passed and she is hoping to uncover her grandfather’s mysterious past— a past her mother never got to know. Bruna’s story takes place in 1943. Bruna is a nineteen-year-old queer Jewish woman who joins the resistance during World War II after dreadfully being separated from the rest of her family.
The exciting mystery and action of the story, wrapped up with Lilah and Bruna’s romance stories in their respective POV’s make this an exciting read.
I have never read historical fiction and never thought I’d be interested, but Jordyn Taylor does it so well for YA readers. I definitely want to read her book, The Paper Girls of Paris, next.
This was a great read with great writing, and I would highly recommend. I am also a sucker for happy endings, and The Rebel Girls of Rome certainly delivered. The location and history in this book were also exciting to learn about.
The Rebel Girls of Rome by Jordyn Taylor brings the stories of two young women, Lilah and Bruna. Lilah’s story takes place in the present day. Lilah is a college student whose mother has recently passed and she is hoping to uncover her grandfather’s mysterious past— a past her mother never got to know. Bruna’s story takes place in 1943. Bruna is a nineteen-year-old queer Jewish woman who joins the resistance during World War II after dreadfully being separated from the rest of her family.
The exciting mystery and action of the story, wrapped up with Lilah and Bruna’s romance stories in their respective POV’s make this an exciting read.
I have never read historical fiction and never thought I’d be interested, but Jordyn Taylor does it so well for YA readers. I definitely want to read her book, The Paper Girls of Paris, next.
This was a great read with great writing, and I would highly recommend. I am also a sucker for happy endings, and The Rebel Girls of Rome certainly delivered. The location and history in this book were also exciting to learn about.
February 18, 2025
I absolutely loved The Rebel Girls of Rome! This historical fiction novel pulls you in with its split perspective—one following a young woman searching for the truth about her aunt’s past, and the other bringing that past to life during WWII. The way these two timelines weave together makes for a compelling and emotional read.
One of the things that stood out to me was how immersive the writing is. I felt completely transported, whether I was walking through modern-day Rome or experiencing the fear and resilience of the Jewish community during the war. The book also sheds light on a lesser-known part of WWII history—the Jewish experience in Italy—and the lasting impact on families today. It’s both eye-opening and deeply moving.
If you love historical fiction that’s rich in detail, full of heart, and beautifully written, this is a must-read. Highly recommend! Thank you to netgalley for the free ARC in exchange for my honest review.
One of the things that stood out to me was how immersive the writing is. I felt completely transported, whether I was walking through modern-day Rome or experiencing the fear and resilience of the Jewish community during the war. The book also sheds light on a lesser-known part of WWII history—the Jewish experience in Italy—and the lasting impact on families today. It’s both eye-opening and deeply moving.
If you love historical fiction that’s rich in detail, full of heart, and beautifully written, this is a must-read. Highly recommend! Thank you to netgalley for the free ARC in exchange for my honest review.
November 13, 2025
Stories of grief and WWII should not be considered "cozy" but this one was. It's a heart-warming tale of Lilah, just finished freshman year in college and grieving the loss of her mother to cancer, who receives a mysterious email from a college student in Rome. Tommoso sends her pictures of a locket that is tied to her family. So, Lilah and her 80-something-year-old grandfather take a 3-week trip to Rome to figure it out.
In 1943, Bruna's story unfolds. She is the older sister of Lilah's grandfather, and the family of Jews is swept up in the racial roundup of the Jewish Quarter by the Nazi's and the Italian Fascists. Five-year-old Ralph escapes and makes his way to America.
Tying these two timelines together is the cozy mystery part. The atrocities during the war are real, but so is the love that unfolds through both timelines.
A heartwarming story, from the author of Paper Girls of Paris (which I adored!)
In 1943, Bruna's story unfolds. She is the older sister of Lilah's grandfather, and the family of Jews is swept up in the racial roundup of the Jewish Quarter by the Nazi's and the Italian Fascists. Five-year-old Ralph escapes and makes his way to America.
Tying these two timelines together is the cozy mystery part. The atrocities during the war are real, but so is the love that unfolds through both timelines.
A heartwarming story, from the author of Paper Girls of Paris (which I adored!)
July 20, 2025
[Closer to a 2.5 than a 3. I might round down.] Alright, the instagram ads got to me. All I could think about this book is that it didn't hit the same as the first book. I found myself slimming and waiting for other characters to show up in the story. Both Lilah (and Bruna, I'm sorry) didn't hold my interest, but I was invested in Carla and Ralph's story. I think the author tried to do a bit too much with this story, leaving a lot to fall short. The tonal whiplash was so much. wdym Bruna is out here suffering, and then the next chapter it was spicy chocolate gelato with Tommaso. at least people were interested when I described the story, but the journey wasn't fun for me. still a page turner, in the quick read sense, though. and I did tear up. I just wished it was better !
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