The Sting of Love

by Janet Graber

Georgina is on a visit to her widowed father in England to celebrate his seventy-seventh birthday, decades after he fought in WWII. She is astonished when he asks if she will accompany him back to Trieste, in Northern Italy. He has always refused to set foot in Europe again. What changed? And why now?

Captain James Drummond survived the battlefields of North Africa and Italy. Instead of his anticipated return home to wife and four-year-old daughter whom he had yet to meet, he was assigned to the grim task of military occupation in Trieste.

On a summer patrol in 1945 in the disputed hills above Trieste, he encountered a group of Yugoslav partisans, bathing. When he glimpsed a woman emerging from the pool, water cascading down her body, a new conflict emerges with no clear lines, one he had to navigate alone. The war-weary Captain was faced with heart-wrenching choices.

Meanwhile, Georgina faces her own demons— a stale marriage, a secret affair, and her father's new revelations. Weaving historical facts with fictional characters, The Sting of Love moves seamlessly between Georgina's tumultuous life and that of her father in the aftermath of WWII, viewed through the lens of their several weeks together in Trieste.

Genres: Fiction

360 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2020

About the author

Janet Graber is an author who has received a McKnight Award given by the Minnesota Literary Loft. She lives in Minnesota.

Reviews

[Ruth Caleb-Landy]

I loved The Sting of Love . A page turner . The sense of place and time are so well captured . Coming from the North East of England , I could see and feel Newcastle Central station and the Theatre Royal in 1945 . A good read with surprises along the way . Time present and time past create a sound structural tension . At the heart of the novel is her relationship with her dad , secrets discovered and this is so relatable to. To finally gain some understanding of of who we and are parents really are . The Trieste sections conjure up 1945 , the war and the emotional impact on a young man and it's consequences . It's a beautifully written book .

[Aimée Bissonette · Rating 5 out of 5]

Janet Graber’s “The Sting of Love” is an exceptional read. The historical accounts of WWII and post-war Trieste are raw and rich. The characters are wonderfully human, imperfect, and so recognizable – they love deeply, make mistakes, stay accountable, and seek redemption. A fine work of historical fiction, “The Sting of Love” is, at its heart, a study of relationships. It is beautifully written, as is the case with all of Graber’s books, and highly recommended. Enjoy!

[Susan Latta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved Janet Graber’s “The Sting of Love.” A rich character study set in WWII alternating with more present day, it grabs you from the beginning with a tale of deep love, deep secrets, and complicated connections. The intergenerational relationships are both authentic and heartbreaking. A wonderful, captivating read filled with hope and courage. Highly recommend!

[Clare · Rating 5 out of 5]

I could hardly put this book down. The characters are so detailed and complex and their relationships are very relatable - the ones set back in post war Europe as well as the current day relationships. The post WWII Italy backdrop came to life for me in such a detailed way. Very engaging. I very much appreciate the careful research done on the post WWII era and throughout the book.

[Linda Wagner · Rating 5 out of 5]

I couldn’t put this page turner down. The Sting of Love pulled me along twists and turns throughout different times and locations, keeping me wondering how it would all tie together. Characters are emotionally real and well-defined. The history of Trieste, Italy, in the years after WWII is fascinating and in the 1990s, puzzling. I was pleased to read the satisfying ending.

[Louise M. Aamodt · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story seamlessly shifts between two time eras, each with their own page-turning story lines. The flawed yet endearing characters seemed so real to me, I even dreamed about them. I constantly saw my own family reflected on the pages. Gorgeous descriptions.