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Beneath the Sicilian Stars
A family divided by war… a promise forged beneath the Sicilian stars.
1941, Pittsburg, California. Sixteen-year-old Annalisa Aiello huddles around the radio with her family when a special announcement shatters her Pearl Harbor has been bombed – where her brother is stationed on the USS Arizona. After the United States declares war, Annalisa watches in horror as her father, a Sicilian fisherman, is arrested as an "enemy alien". Grappling with grief and harsh wartime restrictions, Annalisa is forced to undertake an unexpected journey across the country to find her father and uncover the sacrifices of the past.
Meanwhile, in war-torn Sicily, her cousin Alberto navigates bombing raids as ancient fishing traditions crumble around him. But the forces tearing this family apart began decades earlier with a desperate choice made on a Sicilian shore – a secret pact sealed beneath the stars that promised a brighter future across the sea.
As Annalisa searches for her father and Alberto seeks his place in a changing world, they both discover that even in the darkest times, hope for a better future can endure.
From an American internment camp to Sicily's bombed villages, Beneath the Sicilian Stars follows one family's fight for survival, identity, and hope during World War II. Perfect for readers of Kelly Rimmer, Rhys Bowen and Angela Petch.
1941, Pittsburg, California. Sixteen-year-old Annalisa Aiello huddles around the radio with her family when a special announcement shatters her Pearl Harbor has been bombed – where her brother is stationed on the USS Arizona. After the United States declares war, Annalisa watches in horror as her father, a Sicilian fisherman, is arrested as an "enemy alien". Grappling with grief and harsh wartime restrictions, Annalisa is forced to undertake an unexpected journey across the country to find her father and uncover the sacrifices of the past.
Meanwhile, in war-torn Sicily, her cousin Alberto navigates bombing raids as ancient fishing traditions crumble around him. But the forces tearing this family apart began decades earlier with a desperate choice made on a Sicilian shore – a secret pact sealed beneath the stars that promised a brighter future across the sea.
As Annalisa searches for her father and Alberto seeks his place in a changing world, they both discover that even in the darkest times, hope for a better future can endure.
From an American internment camp to Sicily's bombed villages, Beneath the Sicilian Stars follows one family's fight for survival, identity, and hope during World War II. Perfect for readers of Kelly Rimmer, Rhys Bowen and Angela Petch.
- GenresHistorical Fiction
402 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 8, 2025
158 people are currently reading
163 people want to read
About the author
Lindsay Marie Morris
2 books20 followersLindsay Marie Morris is a novelist and journalist. Based in Los Angeles, she brings a dynamic storytelling voice to every project, whether she's crafting historical fiction set in Italy or reporting on health, wellness, travel, and small business for modern readers.
A graduate of Marquette University with a B.A. in Communications, Lindsay began her editorial career in magazine publishing, serving as travel editor at Shape magazine before expanding into digital media, editorial project management, and non-profit marketing and communications. Her work has appeared in Forks Over Knives, The Chicago Tribune, and numerous other publications.
Inspired by her Sicilian-American roots, Lindsay's debut novel, The Last Letter from Sicily (Storm Publishing, January 2025), traces a World War II-era story of love, resilience, and family secrets across continents and generations. Her second novel, Beneath the Sicilian Stars (Storm Publishing, July 2025), returns to the same moment in history, following a new cast of characters whose lives are forever changed by a wartime promise, a buried truth, and the enduring pull of home.
When she's not writing fiction or journalism, Lindsay presents author talks, leads workshops on personal storytelling and historical fiction, and interviews Italian culture and history ambassadors about heritage, entrepreneurship, recipes, and hidden histories at lindsaymariemorris.com/blog.
A graduate of Marquette University with a B.A. in Communications, Lindsay began her editorial career in magazine publishing, serving as travel editor at Shape magazine before expanding into digital media, editorial project management, and non-profit marketing and communications. Her work has appeared in Forks Over Knives, The Chicago Tribune, and numerous other publications.
Inspired by her Sicilian-American roots, Lindsay's debut novel, The Last Letter from Sicily (Storm Publishing, January 2025), traces a World War II-era story of love, resilience, and family secrets across continents and generations. Her second novel, Beneath the Sicilian Stars (Storm Publishing, July 2025), returns to the same moment in history, following a new cast of characters whose lives are forever changed by a wartime promise, a buried truth, and the enduring pull of home.
When she's not writing fiction or journalism, Lindsay presents author talks, leads workshops on personal storytelling and historical fiction, and interviews Italian culture and history ambassadors about heritage, entrepreneurship, recipes, and hidden histories at lindsaymariemorris.com/blog.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
June 26, 2025
Pittsburgh, California. Annalisa Aiello is sixteen and she idolises her older brother Mario, she and her father Vincenzo can’t believe it when they announce Pearl Harbour has been attacked by the Japanese. The next day the United States declares war and her father is arrested for being an “enemy alien” and they still don’t know what happened to Mario and he was on the USS Arizona. Annalisa is left with her mother Maria, despite living in America for over two decades she only speaks Italian, nothing she does pleases her and she’s extremely religious.
Isola delle Femmine, Sicily. Alberto Cardinale is Annalisa's cousin and he decides to leave the fishing village and his parents Lorenzo and Vittoria and move to Palermo and work at the naval yard. His plan is to send money home and he has no idea that where he’s living and his job will be a target for bombing raids.
I received a copy of Beneath the Sicilian Stars by Lindsay Marie Morris from Storm Publishing and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I had no idea how badly Italian men were treated in America, the only mistake they made was not becoming citizens. Not only was Vincenzo worried about his family in the States he was also concerned for his relatives in Sicily and leaving his teenage daughter with his bitter wife Maria.
Four stars from me, and I didn’t see the big secret coming at the end and it was due to a 'promise forged beneath the Sicilian stars.' I admired Annalisa’s character, yes she made some silly choices and I had to remember she was a teenager and was the only one who could help her father. I've read the authors previous book The Last Letter from Sicily and both focus on family, being torn apart and separated by war and the consequences and the hardships they faced. No it's not flawlessly written but it's full of information and I found it interesting.
Isola delle Femmine, Sicily. Alberto Cardinale is Annalisa's cousin and he decides to leave the fishing village and his parents Lorenzo and Vittoria and move to Palermo and work at the naval yard. His plan is to send money home and he has no idea that where he’s living and his job will be a target for bombing raids.
I received a copy of Beneath the Sicilian Stars by Lindsay Marie Morris from Storm Publishing and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I had no idea how badly Italian men were treated in America, the only mistake they made was not becoming citizens. Not only was Vincenzo worried about his family in the States he was also concerned for his relatives in Sicily and leaving his teenage daughter with his bitter wife Maria.
Four stars from me, and I didn’t see the big secret coming at the end and it was due to a 'promise forged beneath the Sicilian stars.' I admired Annalisa’s character, yes she made some silly choices and I had to remember she was a teenager and was the only one who could help her father. I've read the authors previous book The Last Letter from Sicily and both focus on family, being torn apart and separated by war and the consequences and the hardships they faced. No it's not flawlessly written but it's full of information and I found it interesting.
June 20, 2025
I love learning as I read, perhaps that’s why I’m drawn to historical fiction.
This new-to-me author spotlights two families, one on each side of the Pacific Ocean, to show how wartime affected each differently. I read about the Aiellos in California and the Cardinales in Sicily and their struggle for identity, their sacrifice, their patriotism, and the secret promise that they made ‘under the Sicilian stars.’
I read in awe of the plight of the Sicilians and the injustices that resulted from the signing of Executive Order 9066. Many immigrants came seeking a new life, a better life and poured their heart and soul into making it happen. How sad to be treated so inhumanely by their adoptive country, that it resulted in Italian Americans remaining silent for generations.
You’ll see the power of love, the strength of family, the struggle for identity and the building of resistance as you power through this compelling read. I won’t forget Annalisa and Alberto’s story any time soon.
This is a must-read for historical fiction lovers!
I was gifted this copy and was under no obligation to provide a review.
This new-to-me author spotlights two families, one on each side of the Pacific Ocean, to show how wartime affected each differently. I read about the Aiellos in California and the Cardinales in Sicily and their struggle for identity, their sacrifice, their patriotism, and the secret promise that they made ‘under the Sicilian stars.’
I read in awe of the plight of the Sicilians and the injustices that resulted from the signing of Executive Order 9066. Many immigrants came seeking a new life, a better life and poured their heart and soul into making it happen. How sad to be treated so inhumanely by their adoptive country, that it resulted in Italian Americans remaining silent for generations.
You’ll see the power of love, the strength of family, the struggle for identity and the building of resistance as you power through this compelling read. I won’t forget Annalisa and Alberto’s story any time soon.
This is a must-read for historical fiction lovers!
I was gifted this copy and was under no obligation to provide a review.
July 24, 2025
Beneath the Sicilian Stars is a WWII story that tells the experience of 3 main characters, as they navigate their new reality amidst a world war.
In California, we have FMC Annalisa who is grappling with the loss of her brother and her father, both within just a day of each other. While her father is still alive, he has been taken into an internment camp for "enemy aliens" a term used for non-citizens deemed to be a possible "threat" at the time. When the story mentions that Annalisa's brother was on the USS Arizona, as a reader you know his fate is probably not good. We also follow along Annalisa's father Vincenzo, and his experience as he moves from one internment camp to the next.
In Italy, we follow MMC Alberto, Annalisa's cousin, and his experience living in an Italian city amidst the war, with air raids, and bombings. Alberto works at a shipping yard, which is a main target for the Allied powers in the war. Alberto is lucky as he finds love amidst the war, but also experiences heart break.
I did enjoy the fact that this story offers 3 very different perspectives of WWII, we have Annalisa, just a teenager living in the US having to get a job as a teen and deal with the emotional losses, then Vincenzo, one of the men taken for no other reason than that he was an Italian in the US, and Alberto an Italian in Italy, completely convinced that Mussolini was a good man and only doing what would benefit the people. I thought it was really interesting to read from all these different perspectives, and the different experiences they each had. While Annalisa and Alberto are cousins, they don't have any interaction in the story.
Annalisa had the hardest time I feel like, having to deal with coming into adulthood as a teenager, losing her brother at Pearl Harbor, losing her father to the internment camp, and then being left with her mother, who she didn't have as close of a relationship with as she did her dad. Of course she latched onto the "bad boy" and had her rebellious streak, I don't really blame her. I think she grew as a character though, and learned a lot about her own resilience.
Vincenzo, while ripped from his family, and taken to various states and internment camps, it over all didn't seem like he had that bad of a time. I do not know the historical accuracy of the camps, but the toll the camps took was more on his family than on Vincenzo himself. He even enjoyed the food and his leisure time and friends while there.
Alberto's story was a little boring for me, while he had to deal with actual air raids and bombings, hiding in bomb shelters or his bath tub, they were all really anti-climactic. I know that the time for people was very harsh, but again, for some reason I didn't find his story particularly interesting.
The big secret that was revealed at the end of the story, I also didn't find to be all that exciting. It was exciting for the family we were following I suppose, but as the reader, it kind of fell flat.
I think that this book has a lot of good parts, and that a lot of readers will thoroughly enjoy reading about this families experience in WWII, it just didn't resonate for me as much as I had hoped.
Thank you so much to Novel Tours and the author for a copy of this book.
In California, we have FMC Annalisa who is grappling with the loss of her brother and her father, both within just a day of each other. While her father is still alive, he has been taken into an internment camp for "enemy aliens" a term used for non-citizens deemed to be a possible "threat" at the time. When the story mentions that Annalisa's brother was on the USS Arizona, as a reader you know his fate is probably not good. We also follow along Annalisa's father Vincenzo, and his experience as he moves from one internment camp to the next.
In Italy, we follow MMC Alberto, Annalisa's cousin, and his experience living in an Italian city amidst the war, with air raids, and bombings. Alberto works at a shipping yard, which is a main target for the Allied powers in the war. Alberto is lucky as he finds love amidst the war, but also experiences heart break.
I did enjoy the fact that this story offers 3 very different perspectives of WWII, we have Annalisa, just a teenager living in the US having to get a job as a teen and deal with the emotional losses, then Vincenzo, one of the men taken for no other reason than that he was an Italian in the US, and Alberto an Italian in Italy, completely convinced that Mussolini was a good man and only doing what would benefit the people. I thought it was really interesting to read from all these different perspectives, and the different experiences they each had. While Annalisa and Alberto are cousins, they don't have any interaction in the story.
Annalisa had the hardest time I feel like, having to deal with coming into adulthood as a teenager, losing her brother at Pearl Harbor, losing her father to the internment camp, and then being left with her mother, who she didn't have as close of a relationship with as she did her dad. Of course she latched onto the "bad boy" and had her rebellious streak, I don't really blame her. I think she grew as a character though, and learned a lot about her own resilience.
Vincenzo, while ripped from his family, and taken to various states and internment camps, it over all didn't seem like he had that bad of a time. I do not know the historical accuracy of the camps, but the toll the camps took was more on his family than on Vincenzo himself. He even enjoyed the food and his leisure time and friends while there.
Alberto's story was a little boring for me, while he had to deal with actual air raids and bombings, hiding in bomb shelters or his bath tub, they were all really anti-climactic. I know that the time for people was very harsh, but again, for some reason I didn't find his story particularly interesting.
The big secret that was revealed at the end of the story, I also didn't find to be all that exciting. It was exciting for the family we were following I suppose, but as the reader, it kind of fell flat.
I think that this book has a lot of good parts, and that a lot of readers will thoroughly enjoy reading about this families experience in WWII, it just didn't resonate for me as much as I had hoped.
Thank you so much to Novel Tours and the author for a copy of this book.
July 2, 2025
A great novel! I found it interesting and uplifting to read a story about WWII not set in France or concentration camps! The novel is about a Sicilian family whose half decided to emigrate to the USA well before the war started. Through the storyline we get an insight into living as an immigrant: about their social status within the community for instance, family life still very close to the Sicilian ways. Particularly fascinating was the fact that they were considered enemy aliens when the war started. Men were interned, the rest of the family often having to move somewhere else. Meanwhile in Sicily, the rest of the family was striving to survive... This novel is also about the traditions of fishing in a small Sicilian village as well as California ... I loved reading about the lives of these very likeable characters! I particularly enjoyed the fact that no gruesome war details were depicted! A great novel about family ties and society at large during many years of hardship.
I received a digital copy of this novel from NetGalley and I have voluntarily written an honest review.
I received a digital copy of this novel from NetGalley and I have voluntarily written an honest review.
July 8, 2025
A Captivating Journey of Love and Redemption in Sicily
Beneath the Sicilian Stars is a beautifully written, emotionally rich story set against the sun-drenched backdrop of Sicily. With vivid descriptions and heartfelt characters, it captures the tension between past and present, love and loss, tradition and change. The setting comes alive with every page, and the romance is layered with secrets that slowly unfold. A perfect read for those who enjoy sweeping settings, family drama, and second chances. Atmospheric and moving. Thanks to NetGalley and to the publishers of this book for giving me a free advance copy of the book to preview and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Beneath the Sicilian Stars is a beautifully written, emotionally rich story set against the sun-drenched backdrop of Sicily. With vivid descriptions and heartfelt characters, it captures the tension between past and present, love and loss, tradition and change. The setting comes alive with every page, and the romance is layered with secrets that slowly unfold. A perfect read for those who enjoy sweeping settings, family drama, and second chances. Atmospheric and moving. Thanks to NetGalley and to the publishers of this book for giving me a free advance copy of the book to preview and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
September 17, 2025
The families of 2 brothers, living in different parts of the world, suffer the trials and hardships of WWII.
Annalisa Aiello and her family hear radio with a radio announcement that Pearl Harbor has been bombed – where her brother is stationed on the USS Arizona. After the United States enters the war, Annalisa's father, a Sicilian fisherman, is arrested as an "enemy alien". Grappling with grief and harsh wartime restrictions, Annalisa leaves home to find where her father is interred. In war-torn Sicily, her cousin Alberto does what he must to survive regular bombing raids as his fishing village crumbles around him. Unknown to him, his family made a secret pact decades earlier on a Sicilian shore beneath the stars, as half the family set off across the sea. As Annalisa searches for her father and Alberto seeks his place in a changing world, they both discover that even in the darkest times, hope for a better future can endure.
MY THOUGHTS
It's sobering to consider how 'enemy aliens' were treated during WWII and this story covers this sad and shameful part of history. While I understand it happened in many different parts of the world at that time, it is a terrible and heartbreaking story. Compounding the tragedy of this person's story is the fact that his son is fighting the war in the Pacific as a US soldier. @lindsaymariemorris also conveys the horror of war in Europe for those directly impacted by fighting and bombing raids.
A moving family saga about the plight and injustices of war, with a twist at the end that brings the final threads of the storyline together (which I didn't coming). I am fascinated by books set at this time in history and enjoyed this story so much! I recommend this to anyone who enjoys historical fiction.
Thank you @NetGalley and @stormbooks_co for the ability to read and review this book.
Annalisa Aiello and her family hear radio with a radio announcement that Pearl Harbor has been bombed – where her brother is stationed on the USS Arizona. After the United States enters the war, Annalisa's father, a Sicilian fisherman, is arrested as an "enemy alien". Grappling with grief and harsh wartime restrictions, Annalisa leaves home to find where her father is interred. In war-torn Sicily, her cousin Alberto does what he must to survive regular bombing raids as his fishing village crumbles around him. Unknown to him, his family made a secret pact decades earlier on a Sicilian shore beneath the stars, as half the family set off across the sea. As Annalisa searches for her father and Alberto seeks his place in a changing world, they both discover that even in the darkest times, hope for a better future can endure.
MY THOUGHTS
It's sobering to consider how 'enemy aliens' were treated during WWII and this story covers this sad and shameful part of history. While I understand it happened in many different parts of the world at that time, it is a terrible and heartbreaking story. Compounding the tragedy of this person's story is the fact that his son is fighting the war in the Pacific as a US soldier. @lindsaymariemorris also conveys the horror of war in Europe for those directly impacted by fighting and bombing raids.
A moving family saga about the plight and injustices of war, with a twist at the end that brings the final threads of the storyline together (which I didn't coming). I am fascinated by books set at this time in history and enjoyed this story so much! I recommend this to anyone who enjoys historical fiction.
Thank you @NetGalley and @stormbooks_co for the ability to read and review this book.
July 2, 2025
I read historical fiction so I can learn about the past and gain guidance on where to search for more. Beneath the Sicilian Stars taught me so much. The author created a story that I felt the story. I experienced so many emotions. I could only hope at least some of the characters made it through and found a ittle happiness.
The story takes place mostly in Isola Delle Feminine, Sicily and the California bay area. After World War One, Vincenzo took his wife and son to Pittsburg, California from Sicily leaving family behind. His daughter, Annalisa, will be the first American born in their family. None of that would matter when war came calling. The family left behind would see a different war through the eyes of Vincenzo's nephew, Alberto.
Through Annalisa's story the reader experiences the prejudice that blossomed with war. Her brother joins the navy and is stationed at Pearl Harbor on the Arizona. Her father is interned even though he had been in America for twenty-one years. A country of immigrants started calling others enemy aliens, stereotyping, and questioning everyone. World War Two changed so much for so many.
Alberto's story in Sicilly takes place during the same time as Annalisa's but that is where the simularity ends. Italy is at war as an ally with Germany. Bombs and bullets riddled the country. A lack of food, clothing, shelter and jobs will have Alberto leaving to work in the Palermo shipyards, trading safety in the country to the dangers of Palermo.
Thanks to Beneath the Sicillian Stars I was able to experience both sides of World War Two. The reader can get glimpses into how it affected family members on both war. Both struggled. Both lost. When the war ended they were still family, but what happened next?
The story takes place mostly in Isola Delle Feminine, Sicily and the California bay area. After World War One, Vincenzo took his wife and son to Pittsburg, California from Sicily leaving family behind. His daughter, Annalisa, will be the first American born in their family. None of that would matter when war came calling. The family left behind would see a different war through the eyes of Vincenzo's nephew, Alberto.
Through Annalisa's story the reader experiences the prejudice that blossomed with war. Her brother joins the navy and is stationed at Pearl Harbor on the Arizona. Her father is interned even though he had been in America for twenty-one years. A country of immigrants started calling others enemy aliens, stereotyping, and questioning everyone. World War Two changed so much for so many.
Alberto's story in Sicilly takes place during the same time as Annalisa's but that is where the simularity ends. Italy is at war as an ally with Germany. Bombs and bullets riddled the country. A lack of food, clothing, shelter and jobs will have Alberto leaving to work in the Palermo shipyards, trading safety in the country to the dangers of Palermo.
Thanks to Beneath the Sicillian Stars I was able to experience both sides of World War Two. The reader can get glimpses into how it affected family members on both war. Both struggled. Both lost. When the war ended they were still family, but what happened next?
June 20, 2025
One of the best things about World War II novels is that they always have a strong family dynamic. Although sometimes these families might have a different opinion of what is going on but in the end they realize that their relationship with each other is what matters. Beneath The Sicilian Stars by Lindsay Marie Morris does a wonderful job of portraying the importance of family during the second world war.
In California in 1941 we are introduced to Annalisa Aiello who is sixteen years old and has the most wonderful family. However that perfect family life soon becones torn apart when the Japanese attack pearl harbor where her brother is stationed. To make matters worse is that her father ends up getting arrested because of his Italian heritage. Annalisa soon realizes that she will get no where by just sitting around and waiting for something to happen. So she goes out of her comfort zone and goes on a journey to bring her father home.In Europe we are introduced to her cousin Alberto does his best to keep himself together as the war continues to destroy things. Will they find a solution to move forward or will questions of the past tear them apart.
Besides taking place during the second world war we are also introduced to tibets that took place during the first world war long before Annalisa was born. You have to admit some of the trials this family goes through are very hard but it seems they manage to pull through. Overall I really enjoyed this novel and I look forward to reading more from this author in the future.
I received an arc copy from Netgalley and all opinions are of my own.
In California in 1941 we are introduced to Annalisa Aiello who is sixteen years old and has the most wonderful family. However that perfect family life soon becones torn apart when the Japanese attack pearl harbor where her brother is stationed. To make matters worse is that her father ends up getting arrested because of his Italian heritage. Annalisa soon realizes that she will get no where by just sitting around and waiting for something to happen. So she goes out of her comfort zone and goes on a journey to bring her father home.In Europe we are introduced to her cousin Alberto does his best to keep himself together as the war continues to destroy things. Will they find a solution to move forward or will questions of the past tear them apart.
Besides taking place during the second world war we are also introduced to tibets that took place during the first world war long before Annalisa was born. You have to admit some of the trials this family goes through are very hard but it seems they manage to pull through. Overall I really enjoyed this novel and I look forward to reading more from this author in the future.
I received an arc copy from Netgalley and all opinions are of my own.
July 28, 2025
There are books you read. And then there are books you feel...that break into your bones, seep into your bloodstream, and leave something behind. Beneath the Sicilian Stars is that kind of book.
From the first chapter, I adapted myself, becoming Annalisa. Every tremble of fear, every pang of grief, every flicker of hope ...it was raw, real, and heartbreakingly human. When her father is arrested after Pearl Harbor, labeled an “enemy alien” in a country he helped build, her world shatters. And mine did too.
But this isn’t just a story of a girl trying to find her father. It’s a story of identity...of what it means to belong when the world decides you’re other. It’s a story of war, not from the frontlines, but from the quiet kitchens, cracked fields, crowded train cars, and broken hearts it left behind. Through Annalisa in America and Alberto in Sicily, Lindsay Marie Morris paints a haunting, beautifully layered portrait of love, loss, and legacy.
And let’s be honest...this isn’t just fiction. This is real history.
These are true stories, echoed through generations, hidden beneath headlines, fading photographs, and whispered memories. We grow up seeing bits and pieces of war in textbooks, art, or black-and-white images...but that’s not enough. Books like this are what make us understand the world we thought we knew.
Lindsay has clearly poured her entire heart into this novel. Every page pulses with research, reverence, and lived emotion. She hasn’t just written history...she has felt it, walked through it, and brought it back to life word by word.
As a reader...and a fellow writer...it’s deeply inspiring to witness such storytelling.
From the first chapter, I adapted myself, becoming Annalisa. Every tremble of fear, every pang of grief, every flicker of hope ...it was raw, real, and heartbreakingly human. When her father is arrested after Pearl Harbor, labeled an “enemy alien” in a country he helped build, her world shatters. And mine did too.
But this isn’t just a story of a girl trying to find her father. It’s a story of identity...of what it means to belong when the world decides you’re other. It’s a story of war, not from the frontlines, but from the quiet kitchens, cracked fields, crowded train cars, and broken hearts it left behind. Through Annalisa in America and Alberto in Sicily, Lindsay Marie Morris paints a haunting, beautifully layered portrait of love, loss, and legacy.
And let’s be honest...this isn’t just fiction. This is real history.
These are true stories, echoed through generations, hidden beneath headlines, fading photographs, and whispered memories. We grow up seeing bits and pieces of war in textbooks, art, or black-and-white images...but that’s not enough. Books like this are what make us understand the world we thought we knew.
Lindsay has clearly poured her entire heart into this novel. Every page pulses with research, reverence, and lived emotion. She hasn’t just written history...she has felt it, walked through it, and brought it back to life word by word.
As a reader...and a fellow writer...it’s deeply inspiring to witness such storytelling.
August 17, 2025
In this interesting World War II historical fiction novel, readers alternate between wartime Sicily and Pittsburg, California, where cousins Alberto and Annalisa Aiello live very different lives on opposite sides of World War II. When her brother dies at Pearl Harbor and her father, a Sicilian fisherman, is arrested as an enemy alien and sent to camps around the United States, Annalisa chooses to undertake a strange journey to find her father and discover the past sacrifices he made for her life. Alberto, on the other hand, navigates bombing raids and the loss of ancient fishing traditions as his family falls apart because of a choice made decades earlier. Powerful, emotional, and fascinating, readers will love this complex triple-perspective story about family, history, and connection during World War II. The characters are complex, well-written, and fascinating, and their relationships are really central to this story and to their character development. The different storylines do not overwhelm each other, and their unique elements and depth of detail really bring the historical settings to life. The book is immersive, packed with details, and emotional, and readers will struggle to put down this brilliant new World War II historical fiction book from Lindsay Marie Morris.
Thanks to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the advance copy.
Thanks to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the advance copy.
July 3, 2025
Having numerous stories related to World War II right at our fingertips, I'm always amazed when I learn something new. I feel like I missed out on a key piece of history, as I had no idea about the United States internment camps holding a large number of Italians during the war years. This was eye-opening. I feel like this was completely skipped over in my education, and I appreciate the research and effort that Lindsay Marie Morris put into this story.
On a constructive note, I found it hard to get invested in the characters and felt deprived of key pieces of character development. I wanted more from Annalisa, Mario, Sam, Vincenzo and Maria, and I think they had a lot more of a story to tell. I wonder if, perhaps, it would have been better to simply focus on the Sicilian family that immigrated to the United States and their experience. Weaving in the family in Sicily felt too complex, in which I felt key points in the story were rushed and/or forced.
Thank you to Storm Publishing for the advanced digital copy via NetGalley. These opinions are entirely my own. I have to say. The author's note had many key pieces of information that eerily feels similar to current events. I would recommend reading the author's note first.
On a constructive note, I found it hard to get invested in the characters and felt deprived of key pieces of character development. I wanted more from Annalisa, Mario, Sam, Vincenzo and Maria, and I think they had a lot more of a story to tell. I wonder if, perhaps, it would have been better to simply focus on the Sicilian family that immigrated to the United States and their experience. Weaving in the family in Sicily felt too complex, in which I felt key points in the story were rushed and/or forced.
Thank you to Storm Publishing for the advanced digital copy via NetGalley. These opinions are entirely my own. I have to say. The author's note had many key pieces of information that eerily feels similar to current events. I would recommend reading the author's note first.
July 21, 2025
“There will always be people in this world who want nothing more than to make you feel small. But that's because they feel small themselves.”
“Beneath the Sicilian Stars” follows 16 year old Annalisa Aiello and her parents when Pearl Harbor is attacked, killing Annalisa’s brother. When the US joins the war, her father is arrested for being an Italian immigrant without citizenship, and being a possible “danger to the country” according to the FBI. The story also follows Annalisa’s cousin in Sicily, who is trying to survive and work while the area is torn apart by the war.
Believe it or not, this is my first WII historical fiction read that focuses on an Italian family. This story taught me a ton, which is part of why I love reading historical fiction so much. I learned a bit about the treatment of Japanese immigrants in the US during the war, but had no idea that Italians and Germans were also arrested and kept in camps. It was heartbreaking to read about the Aiellos being torn apart, especially knowing this inhumane treatment of immigrants is still happening today!
I’d like to thank the author for sending me a copy to review. This is a wonderful story about family and perseverance that I highly recommend to any historical fiction fans!
TW: arrests and internment of immigrants, death and injury caused by war.
“Beneath the Sicilian Stars” follows 16 year old Annalisa Aiello and her parents when Pearl Harbor is attacked, killing Annalisa’s brother. When the US joins the war, her father is arrested for being an Italian immigrant without citizenship, and being a possible “danger to the country” according to the FBI. The story also follows Annalisa’s cousin in Sicily, who is trying to survive and work while the area is torn apart by the war.
Believe it or not, this is my first WII historical fiction read that focuses on an Italian family. This story taught me a ton, which is part of why I love reading historical fiction so much. I learned a bit about the treatment of Japanese immigrants in the US during the war, but had no idea that Italians and Germans were also arrested and kept in camps. It was heartbreaking to read about the Aiellos being torn apart, especially knowing this inhumane treatment of immigrants is still happening today!
I’d like to thank the author for sending me a copy to review. This is a wonderful story about family and perseverance that I highly recommend to any historical fiction fans!
TW: arrests and internment of immigrants, death and injury caused by war.
July 1, 2025
Thank you to Net Galley for the opportunity to read and review this book. The story of two Sicilian families, the Aiello family in California, and the Cardinals family in Italy during World War II is an interesting, heartbreaking, story. This book mainly focuses on a young Annalisa Aiello who lives in California with her family, there is tragedy and heartbreak , trials and tribulations for this young woman and her family. The story also focuses on a young man, Alberto and his family in Italy , also experiencing tragedy and tribulations during the war. This story shows that family and love will ultimately prevail, there was an unexpected twist at the end of the story that I did not expect but now I understand why the father father , Vincenzo was so adamant about sending money to his family in Italy. I enjoyed this book, the characters were interesting, the details about interment camps in this country during the war was informative and thought provoking. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction with a focus on family relationships during that difficult time.,
August 5, 2025
In the middle of the night, US authorities bang on the door of an immigrant family This is a family who has been in the US for 22 years. His son is a US Navy hero. They take the father of this family and they detain him. They send him to a series of detention centers.
Is this a something ripped from the headlines? No, this is a World War II historical fiction novel.
Beneath the Sicilian Stars by Lindsey Marie Morris centers on two families during World War II – one in California and one in Sicily.
The one in California is the Aiello family. Vincenzo is the father and family and the main character is Annalisa. The Cardinale family in Sicily. They live in Sicily in Isola della Femmine. They’re a bit isolated, and they’re pretty much protected from the war. We see how both of these families respond and endure, and how each of them grow in both love and in understanding of what their country is really doing.
While Beneath the Sicilian Stars was not ripped from today’s headlines, it sure seemed to be. I highlighted like after a line after line: “By order of the President of the United States, you are under arrest.” This was so prescient. I’m just guessing the author is now feeling that she foretold the future by writing about the past.
I am so glad I read this book. This was an ARC. It actually was released July 8, but I couldn’t get it read and reviewed by that point I was given access to the digital copy by the author through NetGalley. And for the last part of the book, I also listened to some of the audiobook and it is good.
There are places—especially toward the beginning where I would’ve liked a little bit more from the characters—more depth—especially in the first quarter of the book. And more showing rather than telling in that section.
But I recommend this book. I am so glad I read it. I learned so much just throughout the book. And it is crystal clear that the author did such deep, deep research for the book. And it shines through without feeling heavy-handed.
Something else that doesn’t feel heavy-handed is the way that that faith is dealt with in the book. These characters are inspired by the Roman Catholic faith, and they are adherence to it. You know you see some questioning, as well. I never felt like this was done in a heavy-handed way.
There is one more quote that I think it worth mentioning. “The guard said that we will start with ‘Americanization classes’ tomorrow. ‘What does that mean,’ Ernesto asks, as he and the other Italian men silently claimed bunks and sit down. We’re supposed to start work on improving our English and learning the Constitution,’ Alrich explained. Ernesto chuckled and slapped his thigh. ‘The Constitution that allows the government to round up people in the middle of the night without fair trials?’”
I recommend Beneath the Sicilian Stars.
Is this a something ripped from the headlines? No, this is a World War II historical fiction novel.
Beneath the Sicilian Stars by Lindsey Marie Morris centers on two families during World War II – one in California and one in Sicily.
The one in California is the Aiello family. Vincenzo is the father and family and the main character is Annalisa. The Cardinale family in Sicily. They live in Sicily in Isola della Femmine. They’re a bit isolated, and they’re pretty much protected from the war. We see how both of these families respond and endure, and how each of them grow in both love and in understanding of what their country is really doing.
While Beneath the Sicilian Stars was not ripped from today’s headlines, it sure seemed to be. I highlighted like after a line after line: “By order of the President of the United States, you are under arrest.” This was so prescient. I’m just guessing the author is now feeling that she foretold the future by writing about the past.
I am so glad I read this book. This was an ARC. It actually was released July 8, but I couldn’t get it read and reviewed by that point I was given access to the digital copy by the author through NetGalley. And for the last part of the book, I also listened to some of the audiobook and it is good.
There are places—especially toward the beginning where I would’ve liked a little bit more from the characters—more depth—especially in the first quarter of the book. And more showing rather than telling in that section.
But I recommend this book. I am so glad I read it. I learned so much just throughout the book. And it is crystal clear that the author did such deep, deep research for the book. And it shines through without feeling heavy-handed.
Something else that doesn’t feel heavy-handed is the way that that faith is dealt with in the book. These characters are inspired by the Roman Catholic faith, and they are adherence to it. You know you see some questioning, as well. I never felt like this was done in a heavy-handed way.
There is one more quote that I think it worth mentioning. “The guard said that we will start with ‘Americanization classes’ tomorrow. ‘What does that mean,’ Ernesto asks, as he and the other Italian men silently claimed bunks and sit down. We’re supposed to start work on improving our English and learning the Constitution,’ Alrich explained. Ernesto chuckled and slapped his thigh. ‘The Constitution that allows the government to round up people in the middle of the night without fair trials?’”
I recommend Beneath the Sicilian Stars.
July 19, 2025
This story was set between wartime California and Sicily. It is based on two sides of a family torn in two by history, secrets, and war.
Poor Annalisa’s world breaks apart when Pearl Harbour is attacked by the enemy. Her beloved brother was stationed there, and her father, a Sicilian fisherman, was also labelled an enemy of the state, despite living in the country he’s called home for twenty years.
I felt so sorry for Annalisa, the devastating news about her brother and then her father being arrested and taken away, as an enemy alien.
Despite her young age and all she had been through, she was so strong and brave.
Alberto, her cousin, has to survive the war back in Sicily, with bombs falling constantly. I imagine he'd be completely on edge all the time; I know I was reading the side of his story.
Despite being described as a war story, it hits the mark when the author writes about family, the scariness of being so far away from each other, and how family secrets can affect one another even though they are so far away.
I felt so emotional numerous times while reading this.
This is the second book I've read of Lindsays and I look forward to reading more.
Poor Annalisa’s world breaks apart when Pearl Harbour is attacked by the enemy. Her beloved brother was stationed there, and her father, a Sicilian fisherman, was also labelled an enemy of the state, despite living in the country he’s called home for twenty years.
I felt so sorry for Annalisa, the devastating news about her brother and then her father being arrested and taken away, as an enemy alien.
Despite her young age and all she had been through, she was so strong and brave.
Alberto, her cousin, has to survive the war back in Sicily, with bombs falling constantly. I imagine he'd be completely on edge all the time; I know I was reading the side of his story.
Despite being described as a war story, it hits the mark when the author writes about family, the scariness of being so far away from each other, and how family secrets can affect one another even though they are so far away.
I felt so emotional numerous times while reading this.
This is the second book I've read of Lindsays and I look forward to reading more.
September 23, 2025
The one thing I learned from this book is that the day after Pearl Harbor was bombed, Italians in America were arrested and put into detention camps.
I think part of why I didn't enjoy this book too much is that history is currently repeating itself and it disgusts me.
The other reason I didn't feel too attached to the story was the characters and their lack of depth. It felt like they were written without any emotions.
For example: Vittoria dies and Alberto sheds 1 tear and then 2 paragraphs later decides to move her family away from the port.
Example 2: Annalisa "happens upon" an old photo album in her parent's home and discovers that her brother was actually a twin and that her cousin in Sicily is actually her brother, and she and her mother exchange just a few words about it and then decide they'll travel back to Sicily to see him and sweep that life- altering secret under the rug because "there's no room in this life for regrets".
All of that happened in less than 3 pages! And then another 2 pages and the book is done. I feel like the build up to the big reveal could've been so much more dramatic, but instead it just flopped.
I think part of why I didn't enjoy this book too much is that history is currently repeating itself and it disgusts me.
The other reason I didn't feel too attached to the story was the characters and their lack of depth. It felt like they were written without any emotions.
For example: Vittoria dies and Alberto sheds 1 tear and then 2 paragraphs later decides to move her family away from the port.
Example 2: Annalisa "happens upon" an old photo album in her parent's home and discovers that her brother was actually a twin and that her cousin in Sicily is actually her brother, and she and her mother exchange just a few words about it and then decide they'll travel back to Sicily to see him and sweep that life- altering secret under the rug because "there's no room in this life for regrets".
All of that happened in less than 3 pages! And then another 2 pages and the book is done. I feel like the build up to the big reveal could've been so much more dramatic, but instead it just flopped.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 6, 2025
Beneath the Sicilian Stars shares the story of families ripped apart by war, uncertainty, separation and faith. The story is being told of families in Sicily, their way of life, air raids, ships being built only to be bombed and destroyed before they can leave the Port.
Rotating from one chapter to the next, sharing the stories of these families on the shores of Italy and the next chapter sharing the life story of Italians who settled in California.
When Pearl Harbor is attacked life for foreigners in California and across the United States changed. Suddenly the thought of enemies in our midst caused the military to place all men with questionable ties in internment camps. The lives of these men in these prisons or camps makes one consider what is happening now with the insecurity we are feeling with all the undocumented migrants in our country. It does cause one, me, to pause and consider what these often innocent people are going through.
Rotating from one chapter to the next, sharing the stories of these families on the shores of Italy and the next chapter sharing the life story of Italians who settled in California.
When Pearl Harbor is attacked life for foreigners in California and across the United States changed. Suddenly the thought of enemies in our midst caused the military to place all men with questionable ties in internment camps. The lives of these men in these prisons or camps makes one consider what is happening now with the insecurity we are feeling with all the undocumented migrants in our country. It does cause one, me, to pause and consider what these often innocent people are going through.
June 23, 2025
Wars are horrible and the impacts on ordinary people are severe. This story looks at the incarceration of foreigners in America in World War 2, and the consequences for his family. As well as, there is the impact on the Sicilian relations. For Annalise and Alberto, as young people at the start of the war, there is a lot of pain, uncertainty and growing up to do. The characters in this story were believable and courageous, and also showed the importance of family and the community. There is a delightful twist at the end. It is always worth reading about different aspects of war, and learn something new. This is the second book I have read by this author, and I thoroughly enjoyed both of them. Thanks to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for a chance to review this book.
June 26, 2025
Beneath the Sicilian Stars is a historical fiction novel that follows one Sicilian family before, during, and after World War 2.
Vincenzo, Maria, and their children Mario and Annalisa emigrate to America before World War 2.
Mario enlists in the U.S. military instead of becoming a fisherman like his father. Shortly after enlisting, Mario is sent to Hawaii on the U.S.S. Arizona.
Vincenzo is sent to an internment camp shortly after the rise of Mussolini.
Maria and Annalisa are left behind to sort things out and hold on to what’s left of the family.
In Sicily, Annalisa’s cousin Alberto struggles to hold his family together.
World War 2 tears this family apart and brings it back together in surprising ways!
Do not miss this beautiful story about family, survival, and love!
Vincenzo, Maria, and their children Mario and Annalisa emigrate to America before World War 2.
Mario enlists in the U.S. military instead of becoming a fisherman like his father. Shortly after enlisting, Mario is sent to Hawaii on the U.S.S. Arizona.
Vincenzo is sent to an internment camp shortly after the rise of Mussolini.
Maria and Annalisa are left behind to sort things out and hold on to what’s left of the family.
In Sicily, Annalisa’s cousin Alberto struggles to hold his family together.
World War 2 tears this family apart and brings it back together in surprising ways!
Do not miss this beautiful story about family, survival, and love!
July 21, 2025
Thank you author Lindsay Marie Morris and Storm Books for the gifted digital copy! The book flows an Italian family divided by WWII. One branch of the family is in America. The other branch is in Italy. Both families encounter devastating consequences of the war.
This story pulled me right in and I flew through it! There’s family drama, the hardship and devastation of the war, determination, and love. This is an atmospheric and well researched historical fiction novel. It definitely tugged at my heartstrings. The story unfolds through alternating chapters set in the U.S. and Italy and has a steady pace.
Definitely pick this one up if you’re looking for an emotional journey of resilience, family, and love.
This story pulled me right in and I flew through it! There’s family drama, the hardship and devastation of the war, determination, and love. This is an atmospheric and well researched historical fiction novel. It definitely tugged at my heartstrings. The story unfolds through alternating chapters set in the U.S. and Italy and has a steady pace.
Definitely pick this one up if you’re looking for an emotional journey of resilience, family, and love.
July 11, 2025
I picked up this title due to my own Sicilian heritage. Little did I know, reading it would feel as if I was reading stories from my own grandparents and great-relatives.
It is written as if passed down by family, and balances encompassing the Sicilian culture we know about, with the WWII hardships we didn't.
This historical fiction title weaves us through how the experiences of one can impact our entire family, even across the ocean. Romance, hardships, mother/daughter relationships, war, grief, and perseverance all are represented in this book.
I enjoyed it incredibly, and recommend it to anyone who enjoys WWII fiction, or is interested in their own Sicilian heritage.
It is written as if passed down by family, and balances encompassing the Sicilian culture we know about, with the WWII hardships we didn't.
This historical fiction title weaves us through how the experiences of one can impact our entire family, even across the ocean. Romance, hardships, mother/daughter relationships, war, grief, and perseverance all are represented in this book.
I enjoyed it incredibly, and recommend it to anyone who enjoys WWII fiction, or is interested in their own Sicilian heritage.
June 20, 2025
This book was an emotional rollercoaster. It follows Annalisa Aiello and her family's fight for survival and hope during World War II.
I read this in a day! I absolutely devoured it. The story and the characters are written with such emotional depth. It will have your heart racing from chapter one. I highly recommend this book!
5🌟
📚I was able to read an advanced copy of title thanks to NetGalley, Lindsay Marie Morris and Storm Publishing📚
📚All reviews and opinions are entirely my own📚
I read this in a day! I absolutely devoured it. The story and the characters are written with such emotional depth. It will have your heart racing from chapter one. I highly recommend this book!
5🌟
📚I was able to read an advanced copy of title thanks to NetGalley, Lindsay Marie Morris and Storm Publishing📚
📚All reviews and opinions are entirely my own📚
July 7, 2025
A story of choice, hope, loss, determination, and the enduring Italian spirit of familia. As an Italian American and Bay Area native, I felt deeply connected to this novel. I loved recognizing the cities mentioned and resonated with the immigrant experience—it reminded me of my own grandparents, who grew up in a time when being Italian in California wasn’t easy. Beneath the Sicilian Stars beautifully captures the unwavering love within Italian families and the devastation World War II brought to both countries, all within the framework of a powerful coming-of-age story.
July 20, 2025
Beneath the Sicilian Stars by Lindsay Marie Morris was a historical fiction novel set during WWII. The story is told about two families that lived across the ocean from each other. The story is told from the eyes of Annalisa who lives in CA and Alberto who lives in Sicily.
After WWI, Vincenzo Aiello moved his wife and son to California from Italy and left behind family. Annalisa is born to the family upon moving to CA. Her brother is stationed at Pearl Harbor when it is attacked and the next day the U.S declares war. The family has no idea if their son is alive after the attack. Vincenzo is arrested because of his Italian heritage even though he had done no wrong and has lived in the U.S. for more than 20 years. He was labeled as an 'enemy alien.' He is sent to an internment camp and transferred to different locations throughout his imprisonment. Annalisa is left at home with her mother, who is very bitter. Annalisa sets out on a journey to bring her father home.
Alberto Cardinal is in Italy and war is taking place. His family are fishers by trade, but Alberto seeks a different life and moves to a new city where he finds a job. His current job is a target for the bombing that is happening during the war.
I liked the character of Annalisa, who showed strength in adverse times. I learned about a topic in history that I did not know. What happens to Vincenzo? Is Annalisa's brother alive after the bombing of Pearl Harbor? Why is her mother bitter? What happens to Alberto? How does the story of Alberto and Annalisa tie together?
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. I enjoyed the story.
After WWI, Vincenzo Aiello moved his wife and son to California from Italy and left behind family. Annalisa is born to the family upon moving to CA. Her brother is stationed at Pearl Harbor when it is attacked and the next day the U.S declares war. The family has no idea if their son is alive after the attack. Vincenzo is arrested because of his Italian heritage even though he had done no wrong and has lived in the U.S. for more than 20 years. He was labeled as an 'enemy alien.' He is sent to an internment camp and transferred to different locations throughout his imprisonment. Annalisa is left at home with her mother, who is very bitter. Annalisa sets out on a journey to bring her father home.
Alberto Cardinal is in Italy and war is taking place. His family are fishers by trade, but Alberto seeks a different life and moves to a new city where he finds a job. His current job is a target for the bombing that is happening during the war.
I liked the character of Annalisa, who showed strength in adverse times. I learned about a topic in history that I did not know. What happens to Vincenzo? Is Annalisa's brother alive after the bombing of Pearl Harbor? Why is her mother bitter? What happens to Alberto? How does the story of Alberto and Annalisa tie together?
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. I enjoyed the story.
July 8, 2025
This is a must-read for historical fiction fans! Learning more about history is one of the reasons I enjoy this genre so much. Highly recommend! Thank you, NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
July 14, 2025
During WWII, Pearl Harbor has been bombed. A wonderful romance. I wasn’t able to put it down. Lindsay Marie Morris is a new author for me.
October 1, 2025
The story is heartbreaking and mesmerizing. The author's prose is rich without being convoluted. This book really spoke to me.
December 13, 2025
Like Lindsay Marie Morris, my family heritage is Sicilian so it was a given that I was going to pick up a book with such a title and such a premise. Based on true events, new to me author, and an era in American (and World) History, I appreciate in historical fiction, Beneath the Sicilian Stars tempted me greatly even before I cracked open the book.
Told in three voices, Beneath the Sicilian Stars opens about the time the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor and sixteen-year-old teen, Annalisa is given a two-punch shock. Her brother, Mario, was stationed aboard the USS Arizona (queue ominous music) and then her dad, Vincenzo, gets picked up and put in an internment camp as an enemy to America simply for being first generation Italian.
Meanwhile, across the world in Sicily with the half of the family that stayed behind, Annalisa’s never-before-met cousin, Alberto moved to Palermo taking a job in the naval yard to earn his keep and help take care of the family back in his small fishing village while doing his part to support his hero Mussolini was a heroic thing- then the bombings from the Allies happen.
While I entered Beneath the Sicilian Stars really wanting the story of Vincenzo in the internment camp, but it turned out that Annalisa’s situation was the most compelling to me. First, her brother is gone after Pearl Harbor, then her dad- the parent she is closest to and relies on- is taken away, but her remaining parent, Maria, is the bitter mother who doesn’t even speak English after years immigrated to the States, nothing makes her happy, and her strict religious morals make Annalisa chaff living with her. Her father is more worried about her than himself because of Maria. At the camp, he’s safe though helpless to be there for his remaining child and support the family. Annalisa cracks a bit under the pressure and makes some poor decisions about a guy she starts seeing.
Alberto’s story wasn’t as compelling as hers, but I did find it an interesting juxtaposition to have members of the same family divided in their loyalties during the war and getting their different perspectives. The details like the family coming from a small fishing village and part of it immigrating was the same as my own family who came from a Sicilian fishing village, came to America, and settled on the Northern California coast, part fought in the war like Mario and part were interned like Vincenzo.
In the end, Annalisa and her family get a shocking surprise to wrap things up. I found Beneath the Sicilian Stars a well-researched fascinating slice of America at War on the home front from an ‘enemy aliens’ perspective and an Italian living in Mussolini’s fascist Italy. Definitely recommend to WWII Fiction lovers and those who like lesser-known historical fiction stories.
I rec'd an eARC from Netgalley to read in exchange for an honest review.
My full review will post at the Caffeinated Reviewer 11.28.25.
Told in three voices, Beneath the Sicilian Stars opens about the time the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor and sixteen-year-old teen, Annalisa is given a two-punch shock. Her brother, Mario, was stationed aboard the USS Arizona (queue ominous music) and then her dad, Vincenzo, gets picked up and put in an internment camp as an enemy to America simply for being first generation Italian.
Meanwhile, across the world in Sicily with the half of the family that stayed behind, Annalisa’s never-before-met cousin, Alberto moved to Palermo taking a job in the naval yard to earn his keep and help take care of the family back in his small fishing village while doing his part to support his hero Mussolini was a heroic thing- then the bombings from the Allies happen.
While I entered Beneath the Sicilian Stars really wanting the story of Vincenzo in the internment camp, but it turned out that Annalisa’s situation was the most compelling to me. First, her brother is gone after Pearl Harbor, then her dad- the parent she is closest to and relies on- is taken away, but her remaining parent, Maria, is the bitter mother who doesn’t even speak English after years immigrated to the States, nothing makes her happy, and her strict religious morals make Annalisa chaff living with her. Her father is more worried about her than himself because of Maria. At the camp, he’s safe though helpless to be there for his remaining child and support the family. Annalisa cracks a bit under the pressure and makes some poor decisions about a guy she starts seeing.
Alberto’s story wasn’t as compelling as hers, but I did find it an interesting juxtaposition to have members of the same family divided in their loyalties during the war and getting their different perspectives. The details like the family coming from a small fishing village and part of it immigrating was the same as my own family who came from a Sicilian fishing village, came to America, and settled on the Northern California coast, part fought in the war like Mario and part were interned like Vincenzo.
In the end, Annalisa and her family get a shocking surprise to wrap things up. I found Beneath the Sicilian Stars a well-researched fascinating slice of America at War on the home front from an ‘enemy aliens’ perspective and an Italian living in Mussolini’s fascist Italy. Definitely recommend to WWII Fiction lovers and those who like lesser-known historical fiction stories.
I rec'd an eARC from Netgalley to read in exchange for an honest review.
My full review will post at the Caffeinated Reviewer 11.28.25.
October 14, 2025
insightful Italian and Italian-American historical fiction.
Weaves two families on two continents on two sides of WWII.
Enjoyed learning so much history of what it meant to be first generation Italian during the 1940’s. Personalizing events through individuals made this a good read.
I recommend this book. My book club loved discussing it.
Weaves two families on two continents on two sides of WWII.
Enjoyed learning so much history of what it meant to be first generation Italian during the 1940’s. Personalizing events through individuals made this a good read.
I recommend this book. My book club loved discussing it.
November 8, 2025
Set against the backdrop of World War II, this tale traces three connected yet distinct lives. In California, Annalisa struggles with the grief of losing her brother dead on the USS Arizona and coping with her father Vincenzo’s imprisonment as an "enemy alien" due to his Italian heritage. In wartime Italy, Annalisa’s cousin Alberto confronts air strikes and bombings while employed at a strategically important shipyard. His storyline felt less compelling and somewhat muted.
The narrative’s only strength lies in its varied viewpoints: Annalisa, a mourning adolescent forced into maturity; Vincenzo, enduring wrongful confinement yet finding pockets of resilience; and Alberto, living under Mussolini’s regime with firm allegiance.
While their paths do not directly cross, the differing experiences add depth to the story.
The revelation of a family secret near the end felt somewhat anticlimactic to me, although it may strike a chord with others.
The book does provide some poignant moments and thoughtful insights into this family’s WWII struggles, but it didn’t quite resonate as profoundly as I anticipated, feeling like it followed a well-known recipe.
A KU read
The narrative’s only strength lies in its varied viewpoints: Annalisa, a mourning adolescent forced into maturity; Vincenzo, enduring wrongful confinement yet finding pockets of resilience; and Alberto, living under Mussolini’s regime with firm allegiance.
While their paths do not directly cross, the differing experiences add depth to the story.
The revelation of a family secret near the end felt somewhat anticlimactic to me, although it may strike a chord with others.
The book does provide some poignant moments and thoughtful insights into this family’s WWII struggles, but it didn’t quite resonate as profoundly as I anticipated, feeling like it followed a well-known recipe.
A KU read
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