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Lily of the Valley #1
Lily of the Valley
Book One of the #1 Amazon Bestseller series plunges you into a gripping tale of sex, murder and deceit set against the backdrop of one of history's darkest chapters.
Step into a world where loyalty is a weapon, deception is survival, and the truth is more dangerous than lies...
Germany, 1941. Seventeen-year-old Anna Goldberg finds herself confined to her home as the Nazi regime tightens its grip on her homeland.
When her father, Josef, learns of his impending arrest by the Gestapo, he fakes Anna's death and entrusts her to a mysterious friend who conceals her in the unlikeliest of places- right under the Nazis' noses.
As Anna navigates this perilous game of hide and seek, she must summon unparalleled courage to confront her enemies, armed only with the delicate yet deadly Lily of the Valley, whose sweet scent masks the poison within.
*****
Lily of the Valley is a gripping historical fiction novel that delves into themes of resilience, identity, and the extraordinary lengths one will go to survive.
(Goodreads)
*****
A hauntingly powerful tale of resilience and vengeance.
(Amazon)
Step into a world where loyalty is a weapon, deception is survival, and the truth is more dangerous than lies...
Germany, 1941. Seventeen-year-old Anna Goldberg finds herself confined to her home as the Nazi regime tightens its grip on her homeland.
When her father, Josef, learns of his impending arrest by the Gestapo, he fakes Anna's death and entrusts her to a mysterious friend who conceals her in the unlikeliest of places- right under the Nazis' noses.
As Anna navigates this perilous game of hide and seek, she must summon unparalleled courage to confront her enemies, armed only with the delicate yet deadly Lily of the Valley, whose sweet scent masks the poison within.
*****
Lily of the Valley is a gripping historical fiction novel that delves into themes of resilience, identity, and the extraordinary lengths one will go to survive.
(Goodreads)
*****
A hauntingly powerful tale of resilience and vengeance.
(Amazon)
- GenresHistorical Fiction
210 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 23, 2025
About the author
Vilma Di Nardo
12 books6 followersVilma Di Nardo hails from the vast State of Western Australia, a proud descendant of European origins. She has lived in England and Japan where she worked as an English language teacher.
‘History has always been a part of my DNA- both of my parents lived through the Second World War and I grew up with so many stories about the war that they soon became embedded into my subconscious.’
Vilma has a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Media Studies with a Minor in Writing and always wanted to combine her great love for history into a historical fiction novel.
Her debut novel, Lily of the Valley, released December 1 2024, being the first installment in the upcoming series, with its richly drawn eight character perspectives, has reached #1 Best Seller on Amazon in three categories in the United States and in her home country!
‘Let’s keep history alive by honouring those who sacrificed so much so we can live free from oppression.’
She currently resides in Perth, Western Australia.
‘History has always been a part of my DNA- both of my parents lived through the Second World War and I grew up with so many stories about the war that they soon became embedded into my subconscious.’
Vilma has a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Media Studies with a Minor in Writing and always wanted to combine her great love for history into a historical fiction novel.
Her debut novel, Lily of the Valley, released December 1 2024, being the first installment in the upcoming series, with its richly drawn eight character perspectives, has reached #1 Best Seller on Amazon in three categories in the United States and in her home country!
‘Let’s keep history alive by honouring those who sacrificed so much so we can live free from oppression.’
She currently resides in Perth, Western Australia.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
December 9, 2024
Fair warning...if you are offended by obscenities or sexual content, you may not want to read this book since a fair amount of the story is set in a brothel. There is also a graphic, brutal rape scene which was extremely difficult to read.
The story is told through multiple characters, both men and women with varied political affiliations, but it only covers a short period of the war. The pacing was fast, which I enjoyed, but the ending was abrupt. There is no indication that this is the beginning of a series, and it felt unfinished, with only one character's story coming to a conclusion even though World War II is far from over. After becoming invested in the characters, I would've liked to have known what happened to them.
The story is told through multiple characters, both men and women with varied political affiliations, but it only covers a short period of the war. The pacing was fast, which I enjoyed, but the ending was abrupt. There is no indication that this is the beginning of a series, and it felt unfinished, with only one character's story coming to a conclusion even though World War II is far from over. After becoming invested in the characters, I would've liked to have known what happened to them.
October 30, 2025
I’m a sucker for historical fiction and especially stories set in World War Two. I especially enjoy it when the author takes the time to research real events and intertwine these with fictitious events. Lily of the Valley is one such book.
The persecution of the Jewish people in World War Two alone will live forever in its infamy. It is a tough subject to tackle. Vilma Di Nardo has written a story which highlights the bravery of people – both Jewish and Gentile – in a time when innocents were being rounded up and sent to their death.
In Lily of the Valley, the protagonist Anna Goldberg is one such innocent. She is saved from the camp due to the bravery of her father and a family friend. Hidden in plain sight of the Nazis, she is forced to assume a new identity and a life that comes with its own risks. Even when you think you are safe, who can you really trust?
The writing style is quite simple, reminiscent of a diary entry, which adds to the tone of the period and the piece. There are various character viewpoints, but I did not find this a distraction. In fact, I appreciate being able to get into the mind of each character throughout the story. This was the author’s first book, and I think she has done an outstanding job.
There are quite a few tense moments throughout the story, as well as a scene of assault, which is hard to read, but to sugarcoat it would be to insult every woman who suffered during the war. Sometimes it is the right thing not to look away but to acknowledge the suffering. The event in this book may be fiction in the book, but it was another sad reality of wartime.
The message in this book is, no one was safe under the Nazi Occupation, but thanks to the bravery of ordinary people, lives were saved and evil was thwarted.
I don’t want to give too much away, so I encourage you to read the synopsis and then read Lily of the Valley with an open mind and an open heart. Because the other message in this book is Hope.
The persecution of the Jewish people in World War Two alone will live forever in its infamy. It is a tough subject to tackle. Vilma Di Nardo has written a story which highlights the bravery of people – both Jewish and Gentile – in a time when innocents were being rounded up and sent to their death.
In Lily of the Valley, the protagonist Anna Goldberg is one such innocent. She is saved from the camp due to the bravery of her father and a family friend. Hidden in plain sight of the Nazis, she is forced to assume a new identity and a life that comes with its own risks. Even when you think you are safe, who can you really trust?
The writing style is quite simple, reminiscent of a diary entry, which adds to the tone of the period and the piece. There are various character viewpoints, but I did not find this a distraction. In fact, I appreciate being able to get into the mind of each character throughout the story. This was the author’s first book, and I think she has done an outstanding job.
There are quite a few tense moments throughout the story, as well as a scene of assault, which is hard to read, but to sugarcoat it would be to insult every woman who suffered during the war. Sometimes it is the right thing not to look away but to acknowledge the suffering. The event in this book may be fiction in the book, but it was another sad reality of wartime.
The message in this book is, no one was safe under the Nazi Occupation, but thanks to the bravery of ordinary people, lives were saved and evil was thwarted.
I don’t want to give too much away, so I encourage you to read the synopsis and then read Lily of the Valley with an open mind and an open heart. Because the other message in this book is Hope.
July 24, 2025
great read
This was a exciting read AND sad. I could not put IT down and now I'm reading book 2. Very very Good book
This was a exciting read AND sad. I could not put IT down and now I'm reading book 2. Very very Good book
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews