What do you think?
Rate this book
I segreti della villa in collina
Un segreto del passato si nasconde tra le pagine ingiallite di un diario
Callie, una timida cameriera, è appena arrivata a Montevino, in Italia, dal Texas, in cerca di risposte sulla sua identità. Ha scoperto da poco di essere stata adottata e di aver ereditato dalla madre che non sapeva di avere la splendida villa in collina che ha davanti, e che la lascia decisamente senza fiato. Con le chiavi ancora strette tra le mani si prepara a varcare i cancelli arrugginiti, dove la aspetta un primo incontro con Tommaso, il custode del castello che sorge poco distante dalla villetta. Attraverso la sua vera madre, Callie entra in possesso anche di un taccuino di pelle color tortora, il diario di una donna di nome Elisa. Pagina dopo pagina, Callie viene travolta dalla storia d’amore di Elisa, scoprendo come abbia sposato in segreto il suo fidanzato d’infanzia prima di decidere di unirsi alla Resistenza. I due avevano giurato di ritrovarsi quando la guerra fosse finita, ma il destino decise diversamente. Callie è certa che la sua vita e quella di Elisa siano in qualche modo collegate, e che la verità sulla sua famiglia d’origine sia nascosta tra le pagine ingiallite del diario. Questo le dà il coraggio per iniziare a fare domande agli abitanti del paese, fino a quando sente che il suo cuore comincia finalmente ad aprirsi.
Callie, una timida cameriera, è appena arrivata a Montevino, in Italia, dal Texas, in cerca di risposte sulla sua identità. Ha scoperto da poco di essere stata adottata e di aver ereditato dalla madre che non sapeva di avere la splendida villa in collina che ha davanti, e che la lascia decisamente senza fiato. Con le chiavi ancora strette tra le mani si prepara a varcare i cancelli arrugginiti, dove la aspetta un primo incontro con Tommaso, il custode del castello che sorge poco distante dalla villetta. Attraverso la sua vera madre, Callie entra in possesso anche di un taccuino di pelle color tortora, il diario di una donna di nome Elisa. Pagina dopo pagina, Callie viene travolta dalla storia d’amore di Elisa, scoprendo come abbia sposato in segreto il suo fidanzato d’infanzia prima di decidere di unirsi alla Resistenza. I due avevano giurato di ritrovarsi quando la guerra fosse finita, ma il destino decise diversamente. Callie è certa che la sua vita e quella di Elisa siano in qualche modo collegate, e che la verità sulla sua famiglia d’origine sia nascosta tra le pagine ingiallite del diario. Questo le dà il coraggio per iniziare a fare domande agli abitanti del paese, fino a quando sente che il suo cuore comincia finalmente ad aprirsi.
250 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 12, 2020
4019 people are currently reading
2296 people want to read
About the author
Daniela Sacerdoti
34 books377 followersDaniela Sacerdoti is a mother and a writer. Born in Naples, but brought up in a small village in the Italian Alps, she lives near Glasgow with her husband and sons. She steals time to write when everyone has gone to bed, or before they wake up. She’s a Primary teacher, but she chose to be at home with her children. She loves being with her boys, reading anything she can get her hands on and chatting with her girlfriends. But she also adores being on her own, free to daydream and make up stories.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 301 reviews
February 16, 2020
I'm irritated right now. I have wasted my time reading this book that should have been advertised as a romance novel and I would have avoided it. Romance novels are NOT my genre and I am sure the author would have appreciated someone who likes the genre to review her work. Unfortunately for both of us, she got me.
I like a touch of believability in my books and this book has none. A young girl from the foster care system in San Antonio, Texas, about 21 inherits a house in Italy. She flies over immediately because all young waitresses have the money for air fare on hand. She speaks Italian fluently and can talk to everyone, read legal documents, and peruse an old diary. She meets a young man immediately who watches out for her.
She meets an aunt and discovers her genetic tree. She naturally likes living there and there are no surprises in this. If you don't see these situations happening then you must be young. Again, I say that this may work well in the romance genre but it just wasn't for me.
Thanks to Net Gallery for a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair review. I would like to add that it would be fairer to the reader and the author if the genre was clearly noted.
I like a touch of believability in my books and this book has none. A young girl from the foster care system in San Antonio, Texas, about 21 inherits a house in Italy. She flies over immediately because all young waitresses have the money for air fare on hand. She speaks Italian fluently and can talk to everyone, read legal documents, and peruse an old diary. She meets a young man immediately who watches out for her.
She meets an aunt and discovers her genetic tree. She naturally likes living there and there are no surprises in this. If you don't see these situations happening then you must be young. Again, I say that this may work well in the romance genre but it just wasn't for me.
Thanks to Net Gallery for a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair review. I would like to add that it would be fairer to the reader and the author if the genre was clearly noted.
September 26, 2021
Callie Di Giacomo parents died when she was ten, she grew up in foster care in Texas, a solicitor contacts her on her twenty first birthday, she’s shocked to discover she’s adopted, and she’s been left a house in Italy. Callie arrives in Montevino looking for answers, she’s given the keys to a villa, and it’s her inheritance from her birth mother. She expected a rundown property, the villa is clean and has been well looked after. She meets the grounds keeper Tommaso Carpentieri, she discovers she has an aunt Flora and she’s been taking care of the house.
Why did Callie inherited the villa and not her aunt, she finds a diary in a wardrobe, it belonged to a woman called Elisa, and she hopes to find some answers between the pages? It’s about life in Montevino during WW II, Italy was divided by those who supported Mussolini and and others who were involved in the local Italian resistance. Elisa was a doctor, she married her childhood sweetheart Leo Bordet and she’s Callie’s great-great-grandmother.
Montevino is a small place, they don’t forget what happened in the past and many people don't like Flora Stella? Callie’s aunt's a naturopath, she owns a business in town called Passiflora and she’s a rather prickly person. The only relative Callie has in the world, is a bitter and difficult woman. Slowly, Callie pieces together her mother’s past, she uncovers a shocking secret and it makes sense why Callie was born in America and put up for adoption.
The Italian Villa, is a dual timeline story, where family traditions and secrets have been kept due to complicated relationships, and what happened in Montevino during World War Two. I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, it's well written by Daniela Sacerdoti and five stars from me.
Why did Callie inherited the villa and not her aunt, she finds a diary in a wardrobe, it belonged to a woman called Elisa, and she hopes to find some answers between the pages? It’s about life in Montevino during WW II, Italy was divided by those who supported Mussolini and and others who were involved in the local Italian resistance. Elisa was a doctor, she married her childhood sweetheart Leo Bordet and she’s Callie’s great-great-grandmother.
Montevino is a small place, they don’t forget what happened in the past and many people don't like Flora Stella? Callie’s aunt's a naturopath, she owns a business in town called Passiflora and she’s a rather prickly person. The only relative Callie has in the world, is a bitter and difficult woman. Slowly, Callie pieces together her mother’s past, she uncovers a shocking secret and it makes sense why Callie was born in America and put up for adoption.
The Italian Villa, is a dual timeline story, where family traditions and secrets have been kept due to complicated relationships, and what happened in Montevino during World War Two. I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, it's well written by Daniela Sacerdoti and five stars from me.
January 6, 2020
I have read all of Daniela Sacerdoti’s previous books and was delighted to receive this ARC of her new book The Italian Villa.
On her twenty first birthday Callie is contacted by a law firm to tell her that she has inherited a house in Montevino, Italy. Callie has been saving up her money to go to college and decides to use it to travel to Italy and find out about the birth family that she never knew existed.
The Lawyer also gives her a box that contains a diary written by Elisa a doctor who lived in the village in 1938 during the war.
I really enjoyed this book and Callie’s journey.
Elisa’s story outlined the heartache and courage of the people who lived throughout the war years.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.
On her twenty first birthday Callie is contacted by a law firm to tell her that she has inherited a house in Montevino, Italy. Callie has been saving up her money to go to college and decides to use it to travel to Italy and find out about the birth family that she never knew existed.
The Lawyer also gives her a box that contains a diary written by Elisa a doctor who lived in the village in 1938 during the war.
I really enjoyed this book and Callie’s journey.
Elisa’s story outlined the heartache and courage of the people who lived throughout the war years.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.
February 9, 2020
Every time I read a Daniela Sacerdoti, it leaves a hollow in my chest where my heart used to be as her writing melts my heart completely. EVERY. SINGLE. TIME.
Callie in Texas came to know on her 21st birthday that she was adopted and her ancestry was as rich as the landscapes of Italy. A letter from her birth mother gave her the keys of the ancestral home, and a diary narrated by her Elise Stella, telling her the incidents of 1938, of a couple in love, trying to escape Mussolini's call to war.
Told in dual timelines, I loved the way the story unfurled so gently into the chambers of my heart, each showing me the beauty that was this author's writing. Emotions swayed in the gentle breeze to be carried away in the gust that blew into the yonder as I read this book from the comforts of my couch. History was never so rich as told in these pages, love was never so big, and hope never so loud.
The characters were strong as only women can be, their hearts encompassing their love and duty. I could feel the words of the diary in my heart and see it in front of the eyes as I continued reading. How she fought the circumstances of her life to become a doctor touched my heart especially.
Few questions and reactions felt off, but those were negligible. The stories of the women blew me away, they threw me into the tough times. They evolved all around me telling me about their secrets and romance, making me feel their emotions during times of strife.
Ah, a book with feels was this. A compelling read.
Callie in Texas came to know on her 21st birthday that she was adopted and her ancestry was as rich as the landscapes of Italy. A letter from her birth mother gave her the keys of the ancestral home, and a diary narrated by her Elise Stella, telling her the incidents of 1938, of a couple in love, trying to escape Mussolini's call to war.
Told in dual timelines, I loved the way the story unfurled so gently into the chambers of my heart, each showing me the beauty that was this author's writing. Emotions swayed in the gentle breeze to be carried away in the gust that blew into the yonder as I read this book from the comforts of my couch. History was never so rich as told in these pages, love was never so big, and hope never so loud.
The characters were strong as only women can be, their hearts encompassing their love and duty. I could feel the words of the diary in my heart and see it in front of the eyes as I continued reading. How she fought the circumstances of her life to become a doctor touched my heart especially.
Few questions and reactions felt off, but those were negligible. The stories of the women blew me away, they threw me into the tough times. They evolved all around me telling me about their secrets and romance, making me feel their emotions during times of strife.
Ah, a book with feels was this. A compelling read.
February 17, 2020
The Italian Villa by Daniela Sacerdoti follows Callie, a small-town waitress in the U.S who has had a difficult childhood. On her twenty-first birthday, Callie's former social worker gives her a letter that tells her two things: her biological parents were actually her adoptive parents, and she has inherited a house in Italy. Callie's world is shaken up and she decides to go to Italy to find out the truth about her birth family and why she has inherited this villa. In the villa she discovers a diary from WWII and starts reading it hoping to find some sort of family history.
What I loved:
I absolutely loved the Italian backdrop for this book. I was craving all the pasta and I really wish we got more of Callie being submerged in the Italian culture! I wanted more pasta making scenes! The mystery around Callie's birth parents was intriguing enough to keep reading and the romance in it was good. Predictable but I enjoyed it nonetheless.
What fell flat:
The dialogue was quite awkward at times and I knew the exact arguments that were going to happen each time. I really felt like there could have been more substance to them, especially the argument between Callie and Tommaso...it was too overly and unnecessarily dramatic. Like that conversation was just left me thinking..'okay why are we mad?". Also the final family twist was again predictable. I felt like I knew it from the very beginning. There was also the strangest character-Sofia (I think was her name)--like this girl just came out of nowhere and really had no purpose in the story. So this is marketed as a historical fiction. It included the diary in the novel and Callie would read it sometimes. It was odd though because the diary was not written like an actual diary entry, there were full on dialogues and character thoughts in there. It just would have made more sense to make it an actual story line rather than in diary format.
This one was just not for me.
What I loved:
I absolutely loved the Italian backdrop for this book. I was craving all the pasta and I really wish we got more of Callie being submerged in the Italian culture! I wanted more pasta making scenes! The mystery around Callie's birth parents was intriguing enough to keep reading and the romance in it was good. Predictable but I enjoyed it nonetheless.
What fell flat:
The dialogue was quite awkward at times and I knew the exact arguments that were going to happen each time. I really felt like there could have been more substance to them, especially the argument between Callie and Tommaso...it was too overly and unnecessarily dramatic. Like that conversation was just left me thinking..'okay why are we mad?". Also the final family twist was again predictable. I felt like I knew it from the very beginning. There was also the strangest character-Sofia (I think was her name)--like this girl just came out of nowhere and really had no purpose in the story. So this is marketed as a historical fiction. It included the diary in the novel and Callie would read it sometimes. It was odd though because the diary was not written like an actual diary entry, there were full on dialogues and character thoughts in there. It just would have made more sense to make it an actual story line rather than in diary format.
This one was just not for me.
February 17, 2020
A nice feel good story. I enjoyed the characters and had pretty much figured out a few things before Callie did.
Looking forward to more if this story line continues.
Thanks to Netgalley and Bookoutre for the early copy
Looking forward to more if this story line continues.
Thanks to Netgalley and Bookoutre for the early copy
April 5, 2020
I enjoyed this audible, I liked the setting, the food and wine that was described.
Dual time lines are really enjoyable and this is the first one that I have listened to and it worked well.
The narrator did a great job.
What a dreamy tale, but also had heartbreaking parts in it.
Dual time lines are really enjoyable and this is the first one that I have listened to and it worked well.
The narrator did a great job.
What a dreamy tale, but also had heartbreaking parts in it.
March 7, 2020
Straight away you get thrown into the middle of what sounds like war with a scene where Elisa Is hiding from the enemy during the war.
Cut to Callie a Texan teen in the present day struggling through life and feeling quite lonely on her birthday.....she has her best friend and a cat which isn't hers as her main company. We follow the journey of Callie as she realises all she has known before has shifted and is not as it seems. Her parents died when she was 10 and then she went into care, with no other family she had to grow up quickly. However a meeting with her old social worker not only creates upset and confusion, but opens up a possible new life for Callie also when she finds out she was adopted.
Off she goes to Italy to find who she is and for answers when she finds out she has inherited 'Firefly House' an Italian villa. Callie begins to read the diary of Eilsa after her birth mother leaves it for her. As she immerses herself in Eilsa's story she begins to feel how real it is when it mentions the Italian area where she is and feels a strong connection to Eilsa.
She received a warm welcome by most of the town including Tomasso who she grows close to. Can her heart open to him as she begins to find herself.
Kind of like a sliding doors moment as she could of been living a completely different life in a different country all along.
Enjoyed how the stories of Eilsa and Callie are woven together and keeps you hooked as you want to find out the link between the two women. Filled with romance, heart break with a gorgeous Italian back drop.
In honesty, I tend to find war stories a yawn fest - but not this one....up there with my firm favourites! Didn't want it to end and the characters were left me long after the story finished.
Cut to Callie a Texan teen in the present day struggling through life and feeling quite lonely on her birthday.....she has her best friend and a cat which isn't hers as her main company. We follow the journey of Callie as she realises all she has known before has shifted and is not as it seems. Her parents died when she was 10 and then she went into care, with no other family she had to grow up quickly. However a meeting with her old social worker not only creates upset and confusion, but opens up a possible new life for Callie also when she finds out she was adopted.
Off she goes to Italy to find who she is and for answers when she finds out she has inherited 'Firefly House' an Italian villa. Callie begins to read the diary of Eilsa after her birth mother leaves it for her. As she immerses herself in Eilsa's story she begins to feel how real it is when it mentions the Italian area where she is and feels a strong connection to Eilsa.
She received a warm welcome by most of the town including Tomasso who she grows close to. Can her heart open to him as she begins to find herself.
Kind of like a sliding doors moment as she could of been living a completely different life in a different country all along.
Enjoyed how the stories of Eilsa and Callie are woven together and keeps you hooked as you want to find out the link between the two women. Filled with romance, heart break with a gorgeous Italian back drop.
In honesty, I tend to find war stories a yawn fest - but not this one....up there with my firm favourites! Didn't want it to end and the characters were left me long after the story finished.
February 19, 2020
A story where the past and present collide in unexpected ways . . . . with romance at the heart of it all.
It is Callie Di Giacomo's twenty-first birthday when she learns she had been adopted and that her biological parents have left her a villa in Montevino, Italy. Callie, who thought all her family had died when her parents were killed, travels to discover if any of her family are still living there. Amongst the papers she has inherited is a diary which reveals events from the second world war. As she learns more about Elisa Stella she is intrigued by her story. Meanwhile, her reception in Montevino isn't as welcoming as she'd hoped and it is only through her persistence that she manages to unravel the truth behind her own past and find her biological family, help right a wrong and find romance.
This is an emotive family story from two different eras. As they differing threads are slowly untangled, a heartwarming, moving story emerges. It has fantastic characters and is a real page turner. I definitely didn't want to put it down until I'd finished it! The use of the diary to explain the past is used skilfully, linking current and historical events and bringing all the scenarios to life. Some of it is heartbreaking but love is at the heart of it and the ending is absolutely brilliant!
I requested and was gifted a copy of this book via NetGalley and, having chosen to read it, I have to say I have no hesitation in highly recommending it as it is an engaging read!
It is Callie Di Giacomo's twenty-first birthday when she learns she had been adopted and that her biological parents have left her a villa in Montevino, Italy. Callie, who thought all her family had died when her parents were killed, travels to discover if any of her family are still living there. Amongst the papers she has inherited is a diary which reveals events from the second world war. As she learns more about Elisa Stella she is intrigued by her story. Meanwhile, her reception in Montevino isn't as welcoming as she'd hoped and it is only through her persistence that she manages to unravel the truth behind her own past and find her biological family, help right a wrong and find romance.
This is an emotive family story from two different eras. As they differing threads are slowly untangled, a heartwarming, moving story emerges. It has fantastic characters and is a real page turner. I definitely didn't want to put it down until I'd finished it! The use of the diary to explain the past is used skilfully, linking current and historical events and bringing all the scenarios to life. Some of it is heartbreaking but love is at the heart of it and the ending is absolutely brilliant!
I requested and was gifted a copy of this book via NetGalley and, having chosen to read it, I have to say I have no hesitation in highly recommending it as it is an engaging read!
February 22, 2020
Review coming soon on tour!
Merged review:
https://www.jerasjamboree.co.uk/histo...
I loved the timelines in The Italian Villa. Callie reading Elisa’s diary swept me back in time to experience Montevino at the time of WWII. I felt the same connection with Elisa and her life as I did with Callie in modern day.
I was eager to find out if Elisa’s dream for her career would manifest and the impact on her life. What I didn’t see coming was the Black Shirts, the resistance and the heartache that would bring …
Callie is indomitable. Used to fending for herself she doesn’t take no for an answer. Rivalries and secrets surface not long after her arrival in Montevino but her spirit of survival carries her through on her search to uncover the truth. I enjoyed seeing the connections she makes grow stronger and they filled my heart as much as they did for Callie.
I found it easy to get caught up in the life and rituals of this Italian village. A great way to experience a different culture. 🙂
The Italian Villa is atmospheric and full of intrigue. It’s a story about those invisible familial bonds that draw us close and give us our roots, a place to belong. Where love is a power that gives us the strength to make changes and sacrifice something of ourselves for others.
Recommended read!
Merged review:
https://www.jerasjamboree.co.uk/histo...
I loved the timelines in The Italian Villa. Callie reading Elisa’s diary swept me back in time to experience Montevino at the time of WWII. I felt the same connection with Elisa and her life as I did with Callie in modern day.
I was eager to find out if Elisa’s dream for her career would manifest and the impact on her life. What I didn’t see coming was the Black Shirts, the resistance and the heartache that would bring …
Callie is indomitable. Used to fending for herself she doesn’t take no for an answer. Rivalries and secrets surface not long after her arrival in Montevino but her spirit of survival carries her through on her search to uncover the truth. I enjoyed seeing the connections she makes grow stronger and they filled my heart as much as they did for Callie.
I found it easy to get caught up in the life and rituals of this Italian village. A great way to experience a different culture. 🙂
The Italian Villa is atmospheric and full of intrigue. It’s a story about those invisible familial bonds that draw us close and give us our roots, a place to belong. Where love is a power that gives us the strength to make changes and sacrifice something of ourselves for others.
Recommended read!
March 5, 2020
The moving story of Callie who grew up in the care system having been orphaned at the age of 10. She has a waitressing job, good friends and is saving to go to college but her life is turned upside down on her 21st birthday when she receives the news that she was adopted. At first she cannot believe the news but after reading a letter from her birth mother she decides to find out the truth. Her journey takes her to Montevino in Italy, she has inherited a beautiful villa, and she discovers her true family roots. A heartwarming, emotional story with wonderful descriptions of the Italian village and countryside, a story to get lost in.
February 19, 2020
The Italian Villa is the first book from Daniella Sacerdoti that she has written for Bookouture and what an absorbing and beautifully crafted read it was. This is a story that you will easily loose yourself in. It has just the right pace so as the reader can become accustomed to the setting, characters and main issues in the story but at the same everything is kept moving along nicely. I found it to be a quick read and was disappointed to find myself nearing the end as I was enjoying it so much. Prior to reading this book, I had only ever had one experience of the authors writing and found that book to be only ok but with this book it really felt that Daniella was writing about an area she loved so very much as the glorious descriptions of the Italian landscape, countryside and villages were just magnificent.The love and dedication for her subject matter came across very well right from the opening chapter.
In the end notes, I noticed that it mentioned that the author has settled in Italy and that the town which she based Montevino on is the one where she lives. They do say write about what you know and this proved very affective for the author as her knowledge and sense of time and place was just perfect throughout. I felt I was transported to Italy with Callie as she comes to terms with a new stage in her life and gets to grips with her heritage. This really is a book to take your time with and savour every moment (which unfortunately I just couldn't do) as a powerful tale is woven and you become engrossed and rooting for the two main characters. Two women separated by many years yet a unique and satisfying connection is developed between the pair.
The prologue and the opening few chapters were very well written and informative. There was no messing about providing us with surplus information in order to fill a few pages instead we were more or less immediately taken to the heart of the story and this made it much easier and quicker to relate to the characters and get a feeling for what they were going through. I instantly wanted to know who was it hiding in a cabin in the High Woods above the Italian village of Montevino in August of 1945? Why was the person hiding? How are they coping now that their life have been torn apart? We then move forward to Texas in the present day and straight away I wanted to know what was going to bring Callie from Texas to Italy? I mean its a major change and something big must occur in order for this to take place.
Callie is a character you feel like you have known her for such a long time right from the minute she is introduced. She is vulnerable and has been unable to establish firm roots since the tragic death of her parents in a house fire. She had been moved around from foster home to foster home, never been treated badly but still the traumatic events of her childhood linger long in her mind. On the day of her 21st birthday she is working as usual in the Windmill Cafe where she has some friends and is saving as much as she can to attend college. Although what she wants to do in college and with the rest of her life is a mystery to her. But on this most special of birthdays a monumental life change occurs and its whether she chooses to go on the path that she will be lead down and whether she will seek the answers, solve the mysteries and accept what is in store for her that provide us with the many themes, issues and emotions explored throughout the remainder of the novel.
Callie receives a call from her social worker whom she has not seen for some time. When she meets her she is instructed to go to a solicitor to retrieve a letter and a box containing a diary. She discovers that she had been adopted and her world is turned upside down. Whats more she has now inherited a villa in Montevino Italy and this is what sets Callie on a path to discover her true self and find the missing pieces which really deep down have always niggled away at her although she has never truly known what this feeling was up until now. She needs to know about her past before she can look to the future and by knowing the whole truth only will she be able to do this. The loss, bewilderment and isolation felt by Callie radiates from the pages but as she touches down on Italian soil it's like the minute she does so that changes begin almost like she knows with time she may discover who she truly is and this in turn will allow her to make rational, sensible and positive long term decisions.
From then on the story moved back and forth between Callie in present day Montevino but also interspersed throughout were diary entries ( which Callie reads from the notebook left to her) written by Elisa who lived in Firefly House during the time of the war. Usually I prefer when reading a dual time line story for the sections set in the past to be told by the person in chapter format rather than quick snippets of diary entries but here it worked perfectly as the writing was so good, so atmospheric and rich in both detail and emotion. I really got a sense of how Elisa's life was changing with the arrival of war and how her hopes for becoming a doctor were thrown into doubt. But Elisa was a spirited person and persistent and she was not going to let anything get in the way of her achieving her goals and dreams.
Elisa's story was very interesting and at its centre is heartbreak and some very surprising revelations which really did throw a spanner in the works but I loved how the author worked all out and very much turned a positive into a negative. As Callie reads extracts from the diary at various points in her own journey to uncover the past it's as if the veil to the past is being lifted and unfolding before her eyes but still she does try to make sense of certain things. There is always an air of mystery and secrets pervading throughout the story which only encourages you to keep reading on and on.
Callie's wish to not be alone in the world might just come true as she settles into Firefly House and meets Tomasso who has been the caretaker of the grounds for many years but she also meets Flora and soon discovers a family connection. Flora was very secretive and had created a wall around herself and one she wasn't willing to break down in a hurry. She was full of self loathing and hatred and I wanted to know what was she hiding that was making her feel and act this way?She seemed to have enemies in the village but was it with good reason? It was like the tables were turned in that Callie became the strong one and was able to cope with everything she was learning and experiencing but Flora was the one beginning to crumble.
As for Tomasso he too had his own painful past and I desperately wanted Callie to get through to him and see what was evidently troubling him. As the village of Montevino was small there were lots of connections between all the characters in the present and those of the past which slowly become apparent but the author wove a delicate tapestry with said contacts and networks revealing themselves bit by bit at the most pivotal of times. It made me realise that every character was there for a reason and not surplus to requirements and that forgiveness and belonging were two of the major themes being explored and this exploration was written in a stunning way that made for an extremely good read.
The Italian Villa was a real impressive read and I hope Daniella Sacerdoti writes more books set in Italy in the future. As elements of the story were drawn from her own grandmothers memories you could tell that she wrote the story with such respect, love and gratitude for her subject matter and throughout it a brilliant mystery packed full of emotion and depth unfolds. Both Callie and Elisa are inspirational women, both looking for their direction in life. But do they find it? Does Flora transform or stay all closed up?Will all the questions find answers? Well that remains for readers to discover but I suggest you do buy this book as soon as you can. It is a wonderful, heartfelt and captivating read which the cover alone should make you pick up but you will be pleasantly surprised by the imaginative, honest and at times intense story that awaits you inside. I'm already looking forward to more like this in the future from Daniella Sacerdoti.
In the end notes, I noticed that it mentioned that the author has settled in Italy and that the town which she based Montevino on is the one where she lives. They do say write about what you know and this proved very affective for the author as her knowledge and sense of time and place was just perfect throughout. I felt I was transported to Italy with Callie as she comes to terms with a new stage in her life and gets to grips with her heritage. This really is a book to take your time with and savour every moment (which unfortunately I just couldn't do) as a powerful tale is woven and you become engrossed and rooting for the two main characters. Two women separated by many years yet a unique and satisfying connection is developed between the pair.
The prologue and the opening few chapters were very well written and informative. There was no messing about providing us with surplus information in order to fill a few pages instead we were more or less immediately taken to the heart of the story and this made it much easier and quicker to relate to the characters and get a feeling for what they were going through. I instantly wanted to know who was it hiding in a cabin in the High Woods above the Italian village of Montevino in August of 1945? Why was the person hiding? How are they coping now that their life have been torn apart? We then move forward to Texas in the present day and straight away I wanted to know what was going to bring Callie from Texas to Italy? I mean its a major change and something big must occur in order for this to take place.
Callie is a character you feel like you have known her for such a long time right from the minute she is introduced. She is vulnerable and has been unable to establish firm roots since the tragic death of her parents in a house fire. She had been moved around from foster home to foster home, never been treated badly but still the traumatic events of her childhood linger long in her mind. On the day of her 21st birthday she is working as usual in the Windmill Cafe where she has some friends and is saving as much as she can to attend college. Although what she wants to do in college and with the rest of her life is a mystery to her. But on this most special of birthdays a monumental life change occurs and its whether she chooses to go on the path that she will be lead down and whether she will seek the answers, solve the mysteries and accept what is in store for her that provide us with the many themes, issues and emotions explored throughout the remainder of the novel.
Callie receives a call from her social worker whom she has not seen for some time. When she meets her she is instructed to go to a solicitor to retrieve a letter and a box containing a diary. She discovers that she had been adopted and her world is turned upside down. Whats more she has now inherited a villa in Montevino Italy and this is what sets Callie on a path to discover her true self and find the missing pieces which really deep down have always niggled away at her although she has never truly known what this feeling was up until now. She needs to know about her past before she can look to the future and by knowing the whole truth only will she be able to do this. The loss, bewilderment and isolation felt by Callie radiates from the pages but as she touches down on Italian soil it's like the minute she does so that changes begin almost like she knows with time she may discover who she truly is and this in turn will allow her to make rational, sensible and positive long term decisions.
From then on the story moved back and forth between Callie in present day Montevino but also interspersed throughout were diary entries ( which Callie reads from the notebook left to her) written by Elisa who lived in Firefly House during the time of the war. Usually I prefer when reading a dual time line story for the sections set in the past to be told by the person in chapter format rather than quick snippets of diary entries but here it worked perfectly as the writing was so good, so atmospheric and rich in both detail and emotion. I really got a sense of how Elisa's life was changing with the arrival of war and how her hopes for becoming a doctor were thrown into doubt. But Elisa was a spirited person and persistent and she was not going to let anything get in the way of her achieving her goals and dreams.
Elisa's story was very interesting and at its centre is heartbreak and some very surprising revelations which really did throw a spanner in the works but I loved how the author worked all out and very much turned a positive into a negative. As Callie reads extracts from the diary at various points in her own journey to uncover the past it's as if the veil to the past is being lifted and unfolding before her eyes but still she does try to make sense of certain things. There is always an air of mystery and secrets pervading throughout the story which only encourages you to keep reading on and on.
Callie's wish to not be alone in the world might just come true as she settles into Firefly House and meets Tomasso who has been the caretaker of the grounds for many years but she also meets Flora and soon discovers a family connection. Flora was very secretive and had created a wall around herself and one she wasn't willing to break down in a hurry. She was full of self loathing and hatred and I wanted to know what was she hiding that was making her feel and act this way?She seemed to have enemies in the village but was it with good reason? It was like the tables were turned in that Callie became the strong one and was able to cope with everything she was learning and experiencing but Flora was the one beginning to crumble.
As for Tomasso he too had his own painful past and I desperately wanted Callie to get through to him and see what was evidently troubling him. As the village of Montevino was small there were lots of connections between all the characters in the present and those of the past which slowly become apparent but the author wove a delicate tapestry with said contacts and networks revealing themselves bit by bit at the most pivotal of times. It made me realise that every character was there for a reason and not surplus to requirements and that forgiveness and belonging were two of the major themes being explored and this exploration was written in a stunning way that made for an extremely good read.
The Italian Villa was a real impressive read and I hope Daniella Sacerdoti writes more books set in Italy in the future. As elements of the story were drawn from her own grandmothers memories you could tell that she wrote the story with such respect, love and gratitude for her subject matter and throughout it a brilliant mystery packed full of emotion and depth unfolds. Both Callie and Elisa are inspirational women, both looking for their direction in life. But do they find it? Does Flora transform or stay all closed up?Will all the questions find answers? Well that remains for readers to discover but I suggest you do buy this book as soon as you can. It is a wonderful, heartfelt and captivating read which the cover alone should make you pick up but you will be pleasantly surprised by the imaginative, honest and at times intense story that awaits you inside. I'm already looking forward to more like this in the future from Daniella Sacerdoti.
March 12, 2021
Simo_Mica - per RFS
.
La storia di Callie parla delle donne della famiglia Stella: Elisa, Malva, Flora, anime impavide che hanno lottato e vinto, ognuna a suo modo, le battaglie della loro vita, e hanno tratto la loro forza dalle radici profondamente ancorate a un paesino di montagna Piemontese. Come dice anche la stessa autrice, lei adora “scrivere di donne in circostanze avverse – perché non si arrendono mai”. Proprio come Callie, che lavora e risparmia per realizzare il suo sogno: inscriversi all’università; ed Elisa, che prima della Seconda guerra mondiale riesce a raggiungere l’obiettivo della sua vita, diventare medico.
I segreti della villa in collina sono i segreti di un paese, di una generazione, di una famiglia, di una vita. La casa delle Lucciole, tenuta ereditata dalla ragazza, è il luogo dove poco per volta i misteri si rivelano, e Callie ritrova la strada di casa da Texas a Montevino. Le storie di Elisa e Callie hanno il loro inizio e la loro fine proprio in quella abitazione, all’ombra di un castello in un paesaggio spettacolare, intrecciate da un diario del passato.
Il diario di Elisa porta Callie “in un giardino segreto, in un luogo incantato e senza tempo” (Cit.), dove trova Tommaso, la famiglia e la felicità. Per lei “la speranza è ingannevole, ma talvolta mantiene le promesse fatte”. (Cit)
La storia di Callie è ambientata ai giorni nostri, mentre quella di Elisa è ambientata prima, durante e dopo la Seconda guerra mondiale. Il passaggio da oggi a ieri mantiene vivo l’interesse del lettore e sembra in sintonia con i sentimenti delle protagoniste.
Mi è piacito tanto lo stile dell’autrice, la scrittura è molto scorrevole e il racconto molto bello. Ho praticamente divorato questo libro in meno di un giorno ed è stato facile immedesimarsi in Callie.
" Ogni attimo di tristezza, di paura, di solitudine, di confusione, ogni scelta che avevo compiuto, ogni volta che mi ero fatta coraggio ed ero andata avanti, o che avevo corso il rischio di scoprire luoghi e persone di cui non sapevo niente… Tutto questo mi aveva portato fino a qui. "
Penso che questa riflessione di Callie si addica a tante persone e caratterizzi molti di noi.
Finisco con un bellissimo pensiero che emerge da questo libro.
" È possibile stare al mondo in un modo diverso: esistere, semplicemente, lasciandosi guidare dall’istinto di sopravvivenza. "
A noi la scelta.
.
La storia di Callie parla delle donne della famiglia Stella: Elisa, Malva, Flora, anime impavide che hanno lottato e vinto, ognuna a suo modo, le battaglie della loro vita, e hanno tratto la loro forza dalle radici profondamente ancorate a un paesino di montagna Piemontese. Come dice anche la stessa autrice, lei adora “scrivere di donne in circostanze avverse – perché non si arrendono mai”. Proprio come Callie, che lavora e risparmia per realizzare il suo sogno: inscriversi all’università; ed Elisa, che prima della Seconda guerra mondiale riesce a raggiungere l’obiettivo della sua vita, diventare medico.
I segreti della villa in collina sono i segreti di un paese, di una generazione, di una famiglia, di una vita. La casa delle Lucciole, tenuta ereditata dalla ragazza, è il luogo dove poco per volta i misteri si rivelano, e Callie ritrova la strada di casa da Texas a Montevino. Le storie di Elisa e Callie hanno il loro inizio e la loro fine proprio in quella abitazione, all’ombra di un castello in un paesaggio spettacolare, intrecciate da un diario del passato.
Il diario di Elisa porta Callie “in un giardino segreto, in un luogo incantato e senza tempo” (Cit.), dove trova Tommaso, la famiglia e la felicità. Per lei “la speranza è ingannevole, ma talvolta mantiene le promesse fatte”. (Cit)
La storia di Callie è ambientata ai giorni nostri, mentre quella di Elisa è ambientata prima, durante e dopo la Seconda guerra mondiale. Il passaggio da oggi a ieri mantiene vivo l’interesse del lettore e sembra in sintonia con i sentimenti delle protagoniste.
Mi è piacito tanto lo stile dell’autrice, la scrittura è molto scorrevole e il racconto molto bello. Ho praticamente divorato questo libro in meno di un giorno ed è stato facile immedesimarsi in Callie.
" Ogni attimo di tristezza, di paura, di solitudine, di confusione, ogni scelta che avevo compiuto, ogni volta che mi ero fatta coraggio ed ero andata avanti, o che avevo corso il rischio di scoprire luoghi e persone di cui non sapevo niente… Tutto questo mi aveva portato fino a qui. "
Penso che questa riflessione di Callie si addica a tante persone e caratterizzi molti di noi.
Finisco con un bellissimo pensiero che emerge da questo libro.
" È possibile stare al mondo in un modo diverso: esistere, semplicemente, lasciandosi guidare dall’istinto di sopravvivenza. "
A noi la scelta.
January 10, 2020
From the moment I opened this book I was hooked. This is a beautifully written story with characters that tug at your heartstrings from the second they’re introduced. You can’t help but fall in love with them and the tiny village in Italy where it takes place. The author is so descriptive you feel as though you’re really there, as if you can smell the fresh air of the Italian mountains, the taste of fresh pesto and chocolate. I devoured this book in no time I was that drawn in. I’d love to see this story continue as it was so easy to become invested in the lives of these characters!
This story follows Callie, who on her 21st birthday receives the shock of a lifetime. She not only finds out she’s adopted but that she’s inherited a house in Italy. This sets her out on a quest of self discovery. She wants to know who she is, who her family was and where they came from. Armed with a diary that once belonged to her great great grandmother, she discovers she comes from a long line of healers and their strength got them through the darkest of times. Secrets, lies and love run through this story beautifully and with such angst you can’t wait to turn the page to find out what happens next...which is why I finished this book at 3 in the morning!
Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture and Daniela Sacerdoti for the advanced copy! It truly was a pleasure to read!
This story follows Callie, who on her 21st birthday receives the shock of a lifetime. She not only finds out she’s adopted but that she’s inherited a house in Italy. This sets her out on a quest of self discovery. She wants to know who she is, who her family was and where they came from. Armed with a diary that once belonged to her great great grandmother, she discovers she comes from a long line of healers and their strength got them through the darkest of times. Secrets, lies and love run through this story beautifully and with such angst you can’t wait to turn the page to find out what happens next...which is why I finished this book at 3 in the morning!
Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture and Daniela Sacerdoti for the advanced copy! It truly was a pleasure to read!
April 2, 2020
An excellent read.
Callie turns twenty one, and receives a letter which will change her life.
This consequently leads to a trip to Northern Italy where through a series of letters, her past and family history are revealed.
A well written story set during World War II, and the present day; I can highly recommend this excellent read.
Callie turns twenty one, and receives a letter which will change her life.
This consequently leads to a trip to Northern Italy where through a series of letters, her past and family history are revealed.
A well written story set during World War II, and the present day; I can highly recommend this excellent read.
September 25, 2020
Take a break from your busy day: pour yourself a cappuccino, grab The Italian Villa and soak up some hilltop village vibes. It’s often been said that the Italian lifestyle teaches one to appreciate life more, and this WWII historical romance from Daniela Sacerdoti is case in point. If you are expecting a fast paced quick read, then have an espresso and zip off on your Vespa because this read isn’t for you.
This dual timeline oozes the slow relaxed charm of life in Italy told by two strong women emboldened by their courage to search for the light in a dark world. Callie has had a difficult start to life. Her parents passed away when she was young and she became a ward of the state. As the story opens, Callie is contacted by her former social worker in Texas who is eager to wish her a happy 21st birthday and deliver a letter and a heirloom box from a law firm. Callie’s life is about to change; she discovers that she’s adopted and her birth family have left her the keys to a home in Italy. Callie’s uneventful life makes her realize that dipping into her college fund and jet-setting off to Italy might just be what she needs so she heads off to find out about her birth family and check out the house. Before long, the story has pulled at your heartstrings and you’ll willingly follow Callie on her journey to find family, home and love. The author deftly engages her readers with her inviting, emotion-filled, descriptive style. Her story is not just read, it’s felt.
Remember the heirloom box? Well, it contained a yellowed with age, tear stained diary. As Callie reads the diary entries, you’ll travel back in time to 1938 with Elisa. Alive with emotion-filled diary entries in war-ravaged Montevino, this dedicated doctor will inspire you with the lengths she goes to protect love, family and life.
Sacerdoti pulls from her own experience and this is what makes this an exceptional read. She was born in Naples and now lives with her family in a little hilltop village where everyone knows each other. In fact, Montevino is based on her own village of Caravino. The WWII accounts she heard first hand from her nonna. This book makes me want to experience la dolce vita with the author. I’d love to sip wine and savour chocolates as Sacerdoti tells me more about Montevino.
This dual timeline oozes the slow relaxed charm of life in Italy told by two strong women emboldened by their courage to search for the light in a dark world. Callie has had a difficult start to life. Her parents passed away when she was young and she became a ward of the state. As the story opens, Callie is contacted by her former social worker in Texas who is eager to wish her a happy 21st birthday and deliver a letter and a heirloom box from a law firm. Callie’s life is about to change; she discovers that she’s adopted and her birth family have left her the keys to a home in Italy. Callie’s uneventful life makes her realize that dipping into her college fund and jet-setting off to Italy might just be what she needs so she heads off to find out about her birth family and check out the house. Before long, the story has pulled at your heartstrings and you’ll willingly follow Callie on her journey to find family, home and love. The author deftly engages her readers with her inviting, emotion-filled, descriptive style. Her story is not just read, it’s felt.
Remember the heirloom box? Well, it contained a yellowed with age, tear stained diary. As Callie reads the diary entries, you’ll travel back in time to 1938 with Elisa. Alive with emotion-filled diary entries in war-ravaged Montevino, this dedicated doctor will inspire you with the lengths she goes to protect love, family and life.
Sacerdoti pulls from her own experience and this is what makes this an exceptional read. She was born in Naples and now lives with her family in a little hilltop village where everyone knows each other. In fact, Montevino is based on her own village of Caravino. The WWII accounts she heard first hand from her nonna. This book makes me want to experience la dolce vita with the author. I’d love to sip wine and savour chocolates as Sacerdoti tells me more about Montevino.
January 4, 2020
I fell in love with this book! It was beautiful and captivating from start to finish. I loved Callie right from the beginning and she is such a relatable character. You laughed with her and cried for her throughout and I loved when she would read from Elisas diary and you’d go on another adventure. Elisa was another character that you couldn’t help but love for her passion and determination. And I loved how Callie’s thoughts would pop through the diary entries and how things from the past would end up connecting in the future. Absolutely loved this entire book! I’ll definitely be seeking out this authors work.
December 13, 2020
Any book I finish gets at least three stars but this one was difficult to rate. I felt it could have used a lot more editing for repetitive use of certain words and anachronisms. I found it highly unbelievable that a young woman from the US would be able to understand the complex dialogue in conversations in Italian. It was not a horrible book but definitely more in the romance genre than historical fiction.
June 2, 2020
Never let a bookclub friend pick a book based on algorithms
September 11, 2020
Lovely setting but way too predictable for me. Also, I expected more of a historical novel rather than a romance novel.
September 4, 2022
There were so many things that didn't work with this book. There was very little character development, the reader was just supposed to believe that within a few days Callie and Tommasseo were be in love. Also I had a really hard time understanding why Callie was so involved with Elisa's story. And we were just supposed to believe that all was forgiven between Callie and Flora when there could have been so much more details within the book. this book should have been intertwined Elisa's, Flora's and Callie's stories. I just had a hard time liking Callie, she just expected everyone to like her when she arrived in Italy instead of having to dig through and gain people's trust. the book also didn't say how/why Malva had Elisa's diary.
September 28, 2023
Daniela Sacerdoti transports us us to Northern Italy. Her words are magical, her characters quickly grow dear to our hearts. We follow the two storylines with ease, the diary entries create an easy switch between the now and then and the story remains seamless. There are twists and turns that create intrigue but are so well embedded in the story that the rhythm never changes.
The ending, I thought, was a little abrupt, I wanted to keep on reading and follow the lives of Callie and her family, wanted to see how their lives turned out. The atmosphere was so inviting, so warm and cosy, I didn’t want the story to end just yet.
Wonderful. Heartwarming. A warm hug.
The ending, I thought, was a little abrupt, I wanted to keep on reading and follow the lives of Callie and her family, wanted to see how their lives turned out. The atmosphere was so inviting, so warm and cosy, I didn’t want the story to end just yet.
Wonderful. Heartwarming. A warm hug.
December 13, 2021
I'd wanted to read this book for quite some time! I loved it. Sacerdoti runs with her grandmother's memories and reality-inspired adventures of the time. Callie, a young woman who discovers long after the death of her parents that she was actually adopted, finds herself in Montevino, Italy in search of answers. I enjoyed how an old discovered diary relays the story of WWII days, connecting Callie to her past and to her unknown family.
March 13, 2020
The Italian Villa is told in dual time frames – the present and during the Second World War (using diary entries). It is a tale of romance and family secrets and I loved the descriptions of the glorious Italian countryside, the village of Montevino and life in an Italian village. This was an entertaining, light and easy listen, though perhaps a bit too much romance for me!
July 5, 2021
La trama è abbastanza banale, ci sono tutti gli elementi classici: storia di due donne in parallelo (di cui una durante la guerra) che poi si scoprono essere parenti, casa "misteriosa" in eredità, le scoperte tirate inutilmente in lungo perchè i personaggi non si parlano tra loro, il colpo di scena che però si capisce a metà libro, ecc. Nonostante ciò, devo dire che il libro mi è abbastanza piaciuto. La storia è scritta bene, l'ambientazione diversa dalle solite. Credevo in una qualche rivelazione sui rapporti con il conte e con la famiglia di origine del padre, che però non avviene (in realtà, comunque, non se n'è sentita la mancanza). Nel complesso, mi ha soddisfatta.
December 29, 2024
A historical fiction about an Italian girl who trained to be a doctor during WWII and her ties to a young Texan server.
I enjoyed how fast paced the book was, but it definitely felt unbelievable and a little corny at times. The characters were a bit flat, but I really enjoyed the story.
I enjoyed how fast paced the book was, but it definitely felt unbelievable and a little corny at times. The characters were a bit flat, but I really enjoyed the story.
March 15, 2020
A dual time frame novel set during the 1930's and the present. Callie living in Texas discovers her past is not what she thought and travels to Italy to discover the truth. With a diary belonging to the mysterious Elisa can she discover the truth and will the locals tell her what they know.
The writing brought to life the town and villa, painting a picture of the setting and some of the food (which sounded delicious). A story of secrets, heartbreak and romance it was an easy listen which swept you along with the story.
The writing brought to life the town and villa, painting a picture of the setting and some of the food (which sounded delicious). A story of secrets, heartbreak and romance it was an easy listen which swept you along with the story.
April 28, 2021
Donne forti che, in epoche e luoghi diversi, hanno combattuto le loro battaglie fisiche e psicologiche. Un romanzo sull’importanza delle radici famigliari, e sulla resilienza e forza delle donne
June 26, 2021
I really enjoyed this book, so descriptive that I could imagine it all. I loved learning all about Callie and her family history. I also found it so interesting reading the diary entries and letters from relatives Callie never got to meet.
I wasn't expecting it to end the way it did but I won't say anymore to spoil it for others.
Will certainly read more form this author ad this is the first book of hers I have read . A worthwhile read.
I wasn't expecting it to end the way it did but I won't say anymore to spoil it for others.
Will certainly read more form this author ad this is the first book of hers I have read . A worthwhile read.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 301 reviews