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In The Shadow of The Apennines
An American divorcée. An Italian shepherdess.
Separated by a century, united by common dreams.
The sleepy little Abruzzo mountain town of Marsicano seems about as far as Samantha can flee from her failed marriage and disastrous university career. Eager for a fresh start, Samantha begins to set down roots in her Italian mountain hideaway.
At first, the mountain retreat appears idyllic, but an outsider’s clumsy attempts at breaking into the closed mountain community are quickly thwarted when the residents discover Samantha’s snarky blog ridiculing the town and its inhabitants.
Increasingly isolated in her mountain cottage, Samantha discovers the letters and diaries of Elena, a past tenant and a survivor of the 1915 Pescina earthquake. Despite the century that separates the two women, Samantha feels increasingly drawn into Elena’s life, and discovers startling parallels with her own.
Separated by a century, united by common dreams.
The sleepy little Abruzzo mountain town of Marsicano seems about as far as Samantha can flee from her failed marriage and disastrous university career. Eager for a fresh start, Samantha begins to set down roots in her Italian mountain hideaway.
At first, the mountain retreat appears idyllic, but an outsider’s clumsy attempts at breaking into the closed mountain community are quickly thwarted when the residents discover Samantha’s snarky blog ridiculing the town and its inhabitants.
Increasingly isolated in her mountain cottage, Samantha discovers the letters and diaries of Elena, a past tenant and a survivor of the 1915 Pescina earthquake. Despite the century that separates the two women, Samantha feels increasingly drawn into Elena’s life, and discovers startling parallels with her own.
Paperback
Published October 21, 2022
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202 people want to read
About the author
Kimberly Sullivan
7 books132 followersI write the women’s fiction stories I love to read, both contemporary and historic tales of women and the rich lives they lead along their journeys of self-discovery. A lifetime admirer and longtime resident of Italy, I’m often guilty of sneaking the bel paese into my stories.
Award-winning author of five novels, one short story collection and coeditor of a historical fiction anthology. Proud member of the Women's Fiction Writers Association (WFWA), and the Historical Novel Society.
Please follow me on BookBub at: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/kimbe...
Award-winning author of five novels, one short story collection and coeditor of a historical fiction anthology. Proud member of the Women's Fiction Writers Association (WFWA), and the Historical Novel Society.
Please follow me on BookBub at: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/kimbe...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews
August 21, 2022
Fleeing New York and her ex-husband of 20 years, recently divorced Samantha stumbles across an old cabin at the edge of a small Italian town that she instantly purchases. She begins refurbishing her new home and promising herself that she’ll start writing again, while attempting to make new friends. Things are going well, though she still can’t seem to begin writing her novel. But she makes a mistake that ostracizes her from the village and then discovers two very significant things that will change her life forever.
The first 25% of this work relies heavily on flashbacks, which offers insights into why Samantha moved from New York to Italy. The next 20-30% focuses primarily on Samantha and her new life, then the remainder of the book dives heavily into the secondary plot of the historic journals. I understand why the author set up the work this way, but it made it difficult for me to connect with Samantha. It also means that she didn’t start the journals until the second third of the book, when I thought based off the book’s description that they were going to be the primary focus. I was a little disappointed that the historic journals took such a backseat.
To be honest, the parallelism between the primary and secondary plots was too cheesy for me. It made the last third of the book predictable and not as engaging as it could have been. I think part of the problem with this was that the journals were kept out of the story until the last third of the book, so the two stories didn’t really combine well or create any real emotional connection. Thankfully, I did enjoy the author’s writing style and the beautiful descriptions included throughout the work.
Samantha did undergo some good character growth throughout the work, while also having solid depth and development. She felt like a real person and made for a relatable protagonist, especially with the mistake she made relating to social media. The remaining characters weren’t as well developed, though since they hardly had any page time, I don’t think this was a huge deal.
Overall, this was a fine read although it wasn’t quite what I was expecting. It was still enjoyable though it was a little too “book club” for me. My thanks to NetGalley and Kimberly Sullivan for allowing me to read and review this novel, which will be published on October 21st, 2022. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.
The first 25% of this work relies heavily on flashbacks, which offers insights into why Samantha moved from New York to Italy. The next 20-30% focuses primarily on Samantha and her new life, then the remainder of the book dives heavily into the secondary plot of the historic journals. I understand why the author set up the work this way, but it made it difficult for me to connect with Samantha. It also means that she didn’t start the journals until the second third of the book, when I thought based off the book’s description that they were going to be the primary focus. I was a little disappointed that the historic journals took such a backseat.
To be honest, the parallelism between the primary and secondary plots was too cheesy for me. It made the last third of the book predictable and not as engaging as it could have been. I think part of the problem with this was that the journals were kept out of the story until the last third of the book, so the two stories didn’t really combine well or create any real emotional connection. Thankfully, I did enjoy the author’s writing style and the beautiful descriptions included throughout the work.
Samantha did undergo some good character growth throughout the work, while also having solid depth and development. She felt like a real person and made for a relatable protagonist, especially with the mistake she made relating to social media. The remaining characters weren’t as well developed, though since they hardly had any page time, I don’t think this was a huge deal.
Overall, this was a fine read although it wasn’t quite what I was expecting. It was still enjoyable though it was a little too “book club” for me. My thanks to NetGalley and Kimberly Sullivan for allowing me to read and review this novel, which will be published on October 21st, 2022. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.
November 23, 2022
Bailed at 41%. Finally got to the blog part after so long. Some moments of interesting reading, but many "character did this, then that" descriptions, and often long, seemingly out-of-the-blue ramblings on things that felt random. Also get a strong autobiographical vibe. Boring and not that interesting.
May 27, 2023
I enjoyed reading both stories that are intertwined in this book, even tho the second one came up somewhere around half of the book. It is great how Kimberly Sullivan gave us so vivid descriptions of the mountains. I also learned a lot about the Italian region, the history connected to the place, and its people... All in all the author gave us a nice story that had a nice ending.
Thank you to NetGalley and Kimberly Sullivan for an e-ARC of this book!
Thank you to NetGalley and Kimberly Sullivan for an e-ARC of this book!
August 6, 2022
A first-person narration (main narrator plus the journals discovered by her in the house she buys in an isolated Italian village) and essentially three timelines (present, how we got here, and the events of the 1910's) with a few twists mostly predictable but full of energy and with great characters all around.
The prestigious upstate NY college vibe and the genius academic whose wife dedicates all her energy to further his career only to be unceremoniously dumped when she gets into her forties for someone almost half her age sound all too familiar, while the small Italian village life really feels realistic and well done, but these are only a part of the novel's storyline which is ultimately about resilience and hope, so the book reads quite optimistic and not depressing as the above would indicate.
Like with most if not all first-person narrations, this novel lives or dies by its voice(s) and here it really worked for me, and somewhat to my surprise, I couldn't really put it down once I opened it. The blurb gives away a bit too much imho, so I definitely do not want to add more, just to encourage everyone to take a look at In the Shadow of the Apennines and see if it appeals.
Highly recommended and a top 25 of mine, while I definitely plan to try more of the author's books
The prestigious upstate NY college vibe and the genius academic whose wife dedicates all her energy to further his career only to be unceremoniously dumped when she gets into her forties for someone almost half her age sound all too familiar, while the small Italian village life really feels realistic and well done, but these are only a part of the novel's storyline which is ultimately about resilience and hope, so the book reads quite optimistic and not depressing as the above would indicate.
Like with most if not all first-person narrations, this novel lives or dies by its voice(s) and here it really worked for me, and somewhat to my surprise, I couldn't really put it down once I opened it. The blurb gives away a bit too much imho, so I definitely do not want to add more, just to encourage everyone to take a look at In the Shadow of the Apennines and see if it appeals.
Highly recommended and a top 25 of mine, while I definitely plan to try more of the author's books
May 23, 2025
An easy but uninspiring read. The protagonist escapes her past and flees to a picturesque Italian village. She unearths a diary written by an occupant of the Italian house in the early 1900s. The climax is pretty predictable. The novel's highlight is the lovely descriptions of the Italian countryside.
August 6, 2022
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
3.5 ⭐
I really enjoyed this story. The premise is excellent, and it promised a combination of an introspective narrative and historical fiction - both of which I thoroughly enjoyed.
The book indeed delivered on both fronts. However, I found the pacing incredibly problematic. The novel is described as follows: Samantha, a writing professor reeling from a messy divorce, moves to a small village in the Apennines to escape her past. Once there, she is shunned by her neighbors and utterly alone. The only thing keeping her spirits up are old journals and letters that she accidentally finds in her home. They are written by and to Elena, a girl who lived in Samantha's new cottage more than a century earlier, and whose life eerily mirrors Samantha's own.
Now, I wouldn't have had a single problem with this description had it actually been accurate. Instead, Samantha starts reading these letters and journals somewhere at the 60% mark in the story. Before that, there is a single mention of them in the first chapter, before Samantha goes back in time and reminisces about moving to her new home.
This fact makes it seem like this book is actually made up of two entirely separate, smaller novels. We get Samantha's story first, and then Elena's. While the parallels are undeniable, they fall flat because the stories aren't intertwined. Rather, they are entirely too separate to actually evoke an emotional reaction in the reader.
Had the writer gone back and forth and given us tidbits of both stories at the same time, this book would have been a masterpiece. As it is, it was just two well-written stories that simply cannot be brought together, no matter how similar they are.
At first, I really hated the twist. However, I changed my mind later on, as I think it is a fitting conclusion to the story. And here, the issue I have already mentioned arises again: had we followed both Elena's and Samantha's story at the same time, this twist would have made perfect sense and I wouldn't have had to sit in my chair and stare at nothingness for twenty minutes after reading about it.
With all of that out of the way, the stories themselves were quite enjoyable. This book taught me a lot about this region in Italy, its rich history, and the perseverance of its people. I think the author did a wonderful job paying homage to them without falling prey to using any stereotypes. In addition, I loved the little bits in Italian, as they gave the book a much more intimate and believable feel.
All in all, I do not regret reading this. I wish it had better organization and pacing, but it is what it is. I loved the resolution, and even the fact that Samantha and Michael made up in the end. I do wish we had seen Trevor's reaction to meeting his daughter, but I'm glad he at least knows of her existence.
3.5 ⭐
I really enjoyed this story. The premise is excellent, and it promised a combination of an introspective narrative and historical fiction - both of which I thoroughly enjoyed.
The book indeed delivered on both fronts. However, I found the pacing incredibly problematic. The novel is described as follows: Samantha, a writing professor reeling from a messy divorce, moves to a small village in the Apennines to escape her past. Once there, she is shunned by her neighbors and utterly alone. The only thing keeping her spirits up are old journals and letters that she accidentally finds in her home. They are written by and to Elena, a girl who lived in Samantha's new cottage more than a century earlier, and whose life eerily mirrors Samantha's own.
Now, I wouldn't have had a single problem with this description had it actually been accurate. Instead, Samantha starts reading these letters and journals somewhere at the 60% mark in the story. Before that, there is a single mention of them in the first chapter, before Samantha goes back in time and reminisces about moving to her new home.
This fact makes it seem like this book is actually made up of two entirely separate, smaller novels. We get Samantha's story first, and then Elena's. While the parallels are undeniable, they fall flat because the stories aren't intertwined. Rather, they are entirely too separate to actually evoke an emotional reaction in the reader.
Had the writer gone back and forth and given us tidbits of both stories at the same time, this book would have been a masterpiece. As it is, it was just two well-written stories that simply cannot be brought together, no matter how similar they are.
At first, I really hated the twist. However, I changed my mind later on, as I think it is a fitting conclusion to the story. And here, the issue I have already mentioned arises again: had we followed both Elena's and Samantha's story at the same time, this twist would have made perfect sense and I wouldn't have had to sit in my chair and stare at nothingness for twenty minutes after reading about it.
With all of that out of the way, the stories themselves were quite enjoyable. This book taught me a lot about this region in Italy, its rich history, and the perseverance of its people. I think the author did a wonderful job paying homage to them without falling prey to using any stereotypes. In addition, I loved the little bits in Italian, as they gave the book a much more intimate and believable feel.
All in all, I do not regret reading this. I wish it had better organization and pacing, but it is what it is. I loved the resolution, and even the fact that Samantha and Michael made up in the end. I do wish we had seen Trevor's reaction to meeting his daughter, but I'm glad he at least knows of her existence.
October 17, 2022
{3.5 stars}
Samantha is recently divorced and quite bitter about it. Her husband convinced her to live the life he wanted for her and then left her for a younger woman. She reacts by moving to a small town in Abruzzo hoping for an Under the Tuscan Sun renaissance in her life. It doesn't exactly go as she planned... it's hard to run from yourself even in a beautiful mountain town. She gets some surprising news and finds the diary of a woman who lived in her house in 1914 and these things help her understand who she is and what she wants in life.
I have to admit the first half of this book or so, I wasn’t sure that it was for me. Samantha portrayed a lot of qualities that I just did not jive with. All of the decisions she was now second-guessing in her new life, were ones I would’ve never made in the first place… So I’ll admit I judged her. I was way more invested in Elena’s story when it began to be weaved into the narrative. My husband‘s family is from this region in Italy and I could just picture his Nonnie as she told her story. Growing up in a small village with no real chance at a future outside of the present she had now. I did like how the two stories came together in the end and how Samantha drew strength from Elena’s story.
Thanks to Kate Rock Book Tours for the gifted access to this one. All opinions above are my own.
Samantha is recently divorced and quite bitter about it. Her husband convinced her to live the life he wanted for her and then left her for a younger woman. She reacts by moving to a small town in Abruzzo hoping for an Under the Tuscan Sun renaissance in her life. It doesn't exactly go as she planned... it's hard to run from yourself even in a beautiful mountain town. She gets some surprising news and finds the diary of a woman who lived in her house in 1914 and these things help her understand who she is and what she wants in life.
I have to admit the first half of this book or so, I wasn’t sure that it was for me. Samantha portrayed a lot of qualities that I just did not jive with. All of the decisions she was now second-guessing in her new life, were ones I would’ve never made in the first place… So I’ll admit I judged her. I was way more invested in Elena’s story when it began to be weaved into the narrative. My husband‘s family is from this region in Italy and I could just picture his Nonnie as she told her story. Growing up in a small village with no real chance at a future outside of the present she had now. I did like how the two stories came together in the end and how Samantha drew strength from Elena’s story.
Thanks to Kate Rock Book Tours for the gifted access to this one. All opinions above are my own.
October 21, 2022
It’s a rare joy to be pulled into a book where I begin by disliking the protagonist. I was fascinated by the way Samantha Burke pushed my buttons.
Her personal and professional life are both failures. She’s fled to the seclusion of a remote Italian village because the isolation and simplicity it offers drew her there. She wants what they have. Yet she still publishes a blog that belittles the town and its residents.
Belittles them in favor of what? An acerbic, overeducated divorced woman whose life is such a wet firework she felt compelled to travel halfway around the world to escape it? Enduring a writing career that’s rewarded neither herself nor her sparse population of readers, perhaps she’d be better served aiming that rhetorical buckshot at herself and not at the neighbors she went far out of her own way to choose.
I was so put off by Samantha’s journaling I almost wanted to close the book and forget about her.
A two-fanged promise kept me reading IN THE SHADOW APENNINES, and this dyad was delivered with a joyful bite: the majestically vivid descriptions of the Marsicani mountains (how I’d now love to visit!) and the historical fun of meeting Elena, a teenager whose own century-old diary rocks Samantha’s world.
The power of human expression bridges time and space to unite two very distinct women living utterly different lives. The discovery of Elena’s antique journal kickstarts a much-needed process of self-reflection for Burke.
Reading deeply into Elena’s experience with a natural disaster and the trials of World War I, Samantha grows and at least one reader becomes grateful he stuck around for a wonderful, original story.
Her personal and professional life are both failures. She’s fled to the seclusion of a remote Italian village because the isolation and simplicity it offers drew her there. She wants what they have. Yet she still publishes a blog that belittles the town and its residents.
Belittles them in favor of what? An acerbic, overeducated divorced woman whose life is such a wet firework she felt compelled to travel halfway around the world to escape it? Enduring a writing career that’s rewarded neither herself nor her sparse population of readers, perhaps she’d be better served aiming that rhetorical buckshot at herself and not at the neighbors she went far out of her own way to choose.
I was so put off by Samantha’s journaling I almost wanted to close the book and forget about her.
A two-fanged promise kept me reading IN THE SHADOW APENNINES, and this dyad was delivered with a joyful bite: the majestically vivid descriptions of the Marsicani mountains (how I’d now love to visit!) and the historical fun of meeting Elena, a teenager whose own century-old diary rocks Samantha’s world.
The power of human expression bridges time and space to unite two very distinct women living utterly different lives. The discovery of Elena’s antique journal kickstarts a much-needed process of self-reflection for Burke.
Reading deeply into Elena’s experience with a natural disaster and the trials of World War I, Samantha grows and at least one reader becomes grateful he stuck around for a wonderful, original story.
October 19, 2022
Thank you to NetGalley and Kimberly Sullivan for an e-ARC of this book!
What an absolutely beautiful story. This is a perfect book to curl up on the couch with and escape into. There were so many elements that made that easy for me- the author’s writing style, the frequent mentions of Italian cuisine, the cozy setting in the Apennine mountains. The story is told in dual timelines between Samantha in the present day and Elena in 1915 as they both navigate life in the Abruzzo region of Italy. Both characters were interesting and dynamic and I was surprised by how moved I felt by the end of the story.
This would’ve been an easy 5 star read for me, however the first half dragged a bit for me. We start with Samantha’s story about the end of her marriage and career in New York and learn how she lands in Marsicano for the first 1/3, then shift to Samantha’s rocky adjustment to the town for the next 1/3, then we meet Elena in the form of historic journals that Samantha finds. Elena’s story as a young shepherdess navigating love and loss during the unfolding of WWI was so captivating, and Samantha’s investment in her and subsequent growth was compelling and I wanted more of that! I understand why the book was structured in this way but I would’ve loved a little trimming down in the beginning and more breadth in the latter half, especially since the intersection of Samantha and Elena’s journeys are the main part of the story.
If you’re a fan of historical fiction, I highly recommend this book! I sometimes hesitate to read HF because I’m often left in an emotional puddle by the end but this story weaves in Italian history without shattering your heart and leaving you with a sense of hope.
What an absolutely beautiful story. This is a perfect book to curl up on the couch with and escape into. There were so many elements that made that easy for me- the author’s writing style, the frequent mentions of Italian cuisine, the cozy setting in the Apennine mountains. The story is told in dual timelines between Samantha in the present day and Elena in 1915 as they both navigate life in the Abruzzo region of Italy. Both characters were interesting and dynamic and I was surprised by how moved I felt by the end of the story.
This would’ve been an easy 5 star read for me, however the first half dragged a bit for me. We start with Samantha’s story about the end of her marriage and career in New York and learn how she lands in Marsicano for the first 1/3, then shift to Samantha’s rocky adjustment to the town for the next 1/3, then we meet Elena in the form of historic journals that Samantha finds. Elena’s story as a young shepherdess navigating love and loss during the unfolding of WWI was so captivating, and Samantha’s investment in her and subsequent growth was compelling and I wanted more of that! I understand why the book was structured in this way but I would’ve loved a little trimming down in the beginning and more breadth in the latter half, especially since the intersection of Samantha and Elena’s journeys are the main part of the story.
If you’re a fan of historical fiction, I highly recommend this book! I sometimes hesitate to read HF because I’m often left in an emotional puddle by the end but this story weaves in Italian history without shattering your heart and leaving you with a sense of hope.
November 24, 2022
I received an advance review copy for free and am leaving this review voluntarily. Thank you @KimberlyInRome and @KateRockBookTours for my #giftedbook!
I loved this book! What a beautiful story, it is engaging and fun to read. I have always wanted to go to Italy and after reading this book with its vivid descriptions, I am moving it up on my travel list.
The characters are interesting and complex which added a level of depth that I really enjoyed. The book flows nicely and I like the author's writing style. This author has a gift of weaving complex life situations in one moving book about coming of age and facing traumas head on.
I highly recommend this book and look forward to reading more from this author!
I loved this book! What a beautiful story, it is engaging and fun to read. I have always wanted to go to Italy and after reading this book with its vivid descriptions, I am moving it up on my travel list.
The characters are interesting and complex which added a level of depth that I really enjoyed. The book flows nicely and I like the author's writing style. This author has a gift of weaving complex life situations in one moving book about coming of age and facing traumas head on.
I highly recommend this book and look forward to reading more from this author!
November 3, 2022
A beautiful story about second chances and adventures in life with the backdrop.of a gorgeous Italian mountain village. While reading Kimberly Sullivan's detailed setting descriptions, I felt as I was walking or hiking alongside Samantha. With Elena's journals, history of the early 1900s is brought alive in this book and gave a great glimpse into a new to me culture. This story was so heartwarming and I have been thinking about both Samantha and Elena even when I cannot be with them and continuing their story. Thank you to Kimberly Sullivan and Kate Rock Book Tours for an advanced copy! All thoughts and opinions are my own!
October 22, 2022
Set in the rugged Apennine mountains of northern Italy, Kimberly Sullivan deftly weaves a dual timeline tale of an American woman's escape there after a soul-crushing divorce and an Italian shepherdess' struggle to survive love and loss after a devastating earthquake strikes the same town during WWI.
In the course of settling into her new home and life far from contemporary US academia, Samantha, the modern-day protagonist, stumbles across the diary of Elena, the young Italian woman who lived in her stone cottage a century earlier. The emotional journeys of the two women become increasingly parallel as Samantha discovers more and more about the events that shaped Elena’s life. Love and loss are just as joyous and heartbreaking regardless of the time period in which they are experienced.
I loved Samantha’s alternating feelings of belonging and anomie in her new home – Sullivan’s ability to pen Samantha uprooting herself from all she has known – felt absolutely spot-on. At the same time, Elena’s life during the ‘War on Snow and Ice’ period of Italian involvement in WWI appealed to my abiding interest in all things WWI. Definitely one to re-read when I need to escape my own life and revisit an Italian mountain village.
Thank you to Kimberly Sullivan and NetGalley for the opportunity to review In the Shadows of the Apennines.
In the course of settling into her new home and life far from contemporary US academia, Samantha, the modern-day protagonist, stumbles across the diary of Elena, the young Italian woman who lived in her stone cottage a century earlier. The emotional journeys of the two women become increasingly parallel as Samantha discovers more and more about the events that shaped Elena’s life. Love and loss are just as joyous and heartbreaking regardless of the time period in which they are experienced.
I loved Samantha’s alternating feelings of belonging and anomie in her new home – Sullivan’s ability to pen Samantha uprooting herself from all she has known – felt absolutely spot-on. At the same time, Elena’s life during the ‘War on Snow and Ice’ period of Italian involvement in WWI appealed to my abiding interest in all things WWI. Definitely one to re-read when I need to escape my own life and revisit an Italian mountain village.
Thank you to Kimberly Sullivan and NetGalley for the opportunity to review In the Shadows of the Apennines.
February 16, 2023
My favorite book yet from this author. I loved the two main women characters, and the (as yet unknown to me) setting in Abruzzo, in the eponymous Apennines in Italy. The historical story was seamlessly woven into the plot, and I found the ending very satisfying. Read the book to find out why! It definitely made me want to visit this region of Italy - earthquakes notwithstanding...
November 6, 2022
An American divorcée. An Italian shepherdess. Separated by a century, united by common dreams.
The sleepy little Abruzzo mountain town of Marsicano seems about as far as Samantha can flee from her failed marriage and disastrous university career. Eager for a fresh start, Samantha begins to set down roots in her Italian mountain hideaway.
Thus begins In the Shadow of the Apennines, a historical fiction, dual timeline story of Samantha in the present and Elena, in 1915 Abruzzo and a survivor of the 1915 earthquake that decimated her village. The first half of the book focuses solely on Samantha and relies heavily on flashbacks as we learn about her past and what brought her to Italy. She seems to have made a series of unwise choices, including her marriage to an egotistical college professor, and it took me a long time to warm up to her. The twist midway was easy to see coming and her blog posts demonstrated more unwise choices.
Fortunately, once we begin Elena's story and learn of her journals, the story picks up and is much more engaging. We learn about Elena's life in a small Italian village firmly under the control of a wealthy, aristocratic family. Families scrape by with what little work and farming they can find and the looming threat of WW I hangs over the entire community. Through the journals and Elena's story, Samantha begins to grow and gain confidence as she learns to overcome the barriers she created. She begins to feel like a real, more likable individual through the last half of the story.
The author's descriptions of the majestic Italian mountain range and the communities were breathtakingly beautiful and the horrors of the 1915 earthquake felt all too real. Overall, this is an interesting story with a unique focus and lovely setting. More like 3.5 stars for me.
Thank you NetGalley and author Kimberly Sullivan for my complimentary copy of the In the Shadow of the Apennines.
The sleepy little Abruzzo mountain town of Marsicano seems about as far as Samantha can flee from her failed marriage and disastrous university career. Eager for a fresh start, Samantha begins to set down roots in her Italian mountain hideaway.
Thus begins In the Shadow of the Apennines, a historical fiction, dual timeline story of Samantha in the present and Elena, in 1915 Abruzzo and a survivor of the 1915 earthquake that decimated her village. The first half of the book focuses solely on Samantha and relies heavily on flashbacks as we learn about her past and what brought her to Italy. She seems to have made a series of unwise choices, including her marriage to an egotistical college professor, and it took me a long time to warm up to her. The twist midway was easy to see coming and her blog posts demonstrated more unwise choices.
Fortunately, once we begin Elena's story and learn of her journals, the story picks up and is much more engaging. We learn about Elena's life in a small Italian village firmly under the control of a wealthy, aristocratic family. Families scrape by with what little work and farming they can find and the looming threat of WW I hangs over the entire community. Through the journals and Elena's story, Samantha begins to grow and gain confidence as she learns to overcome the barriers she created. She begins to feel like a real, more likable individual through the last half of the story.
The author's descriptions of the majestic Italian mountain range and the communities were breathtakingly beautiful and the horrors of the 1915 earthquake felt all too real. Overall, this is an interesting story with a unique focus and lovely setting. More like 3.5 stars for me.
Thank you NetGalley and author Kimberly Sullivan for my complimentary copy of the In the Shadow of the Apennines.
September 30, 2022
In the Shadow of the Apennines is a lovely lovely story. The present day story was a page turner, and both back stories were also compelling. There are similar themes to Under the Tuscan Sun, which doesn't hurt, but this pulls away from that story and reveals more complexity. I really loved the parallels of Samantha's story with Elena's from the WW1 era in the fictional Abruzzo town of Marsciano. Well done! Grazie Mille!
October 19, 2022
Highly recommend this book. I read it in a day and was completely engrossed. This is my third book by Kimberly Sullivan, and she has an amazing ability to immerse you in a different setting and ambiance and time period. This one takes you to an Italian mountain village nowadays and back in 1914.
January 22, 2023
This is an intriguing and absorbing story about how someone from the past rescues someone in the present. The opening paragraph is a stark and harrowing description of Samantha’s predicament. It is Christmas Eve and she is alone, in her newly renovated cottage in Abruzzo, Italy. A blizzard outside has caused a ‘whiteout.’ Strong winds could cause a snowdrift and the depth of falling snow trap her inside the house.
‘I know no-one will care if I die here alone. I fear I don’t have the strength to go on’
Samantha turns to the ghost in the cottage for help. Elena, a shepherdess who lived there over a century ago.
I think the reader feels tremendous pathos for Samantha, the central character and sorrow. Her choices in life were perhaps not the right ones. A less than loving relationship with her mother who we feel expected more from her daughter. A career which seems to be going nowhere and a sour marriage which subsequently ended in divorce from Michael, her husband. We feel that she is suffering from depression and the author expertly captures a sense of despair as her she struggles to cope with life’s challenges.
‘well-placed jogs allowed the rancour to seep away with physical exertion. To help me keep from losing control, to hold at bay the ever-present sense of disappointment, of failure’
When she discovers her husband is having an affair and wants to end the marriage, Samantha falls apart, she is broken and also loses her job. The author expertly captures her sense of despair in the way she describes her feelings and emotions during her suicide attempt.
‘It was one tiny effort to climb over the edge of the bridge. I was drawn to the idea of letting go. I thought it might put an end to my pain too.’
Samantha is saved by one of her students. She is not being tested simply to make life hard. Tests are in fact opportunities and one presents itself in the form of a chance to buy an old cottage in Abruzzo, Italy. The plan is to renovate it so the reader is given hope that as the cottage comes back to life after standing empty and abandoned for many years, so Samantha will reconstruct her own life.
There is an innate air of optimism as Samantha settles down to her new life, getting to know the locals, exploring the area and hoping that the door to creative thoughts will open, that she may summon an inner muse, breaking through her writer’s block to finding artistic inspiration. Sadly her writing takes the form of a personal blog which inadvertently mocks the local way of life and is derisive.
In her darkest moments, something happens and the house starts to reveal its secrets. Samantha discovers photographs, diaries and personal mementos of previous inhabitants. Elena Tranquilli, a ghost with an incredible story of love, and survival amid one of nature’s violent and abrupt tragedies. The author has clearly researched her story and the true facts of the 1915 devasting earthquake are cleverly woven into this narrative. One of the biggest earthquakes in Italian history shook the Marsica area in the Province of L’Aquila in Abruzzo. Initial reports did not mention serious damage, and not until later that night did the scale of the devastation become clear. Almost 30,000 inhabitants lost their lives. The epicentre was located in the town of Avezzano which was completely destroyed.
Elena and Samantha forge something unique, a connection, a common bond from their individual experiences of feeling like misfits and misplaced in their world.
“I began to think of Elena as a soulmate. I did not consider it a coincidence that it had been I who stumbled on her possessions. Her journals, simply waiting for me to discover them.”
For me, this is a sympathetically well-written part of the story. The reader is transported back in time to when life was extremely harsh for peasants most of whom lived in abject poverty. Elena’s story is raw and compelling.
Why I recommend this book
There are some lovely descriptive moments in the book.
The author’s knowledge of the area, its history and the slow pace of life adds to the authenticity of the story. For anyone who doesn’t know Abruzzo, it is a remote area of Italy and as a region, it stands alone in its culture, traditions and attitudes. There is a lovely anecdote of making homemade pasta with her new friend Elisabetta a local young student.
‘I savoured the oversized ravioli, the fresh creaminess of the ricotta cheese filling, so perfectly paired with the earthy pungent note of sage, the salty bite of the Parmigiano
The author mentions that Samantha’s reason for moving to Marsicano was to recreate ‘Under the Tuscan Sun’ from a new angle and I think she is right. The story has some unsettling undercurrents of a harsher reality than the one left behind. The idiom that ‘the grass is greener’ expresses the idea that people often think a different set of circumstances would bring them greater joy. The journey to fulfilment and peace in this story takes time to develop. Even with a newly renovated property, Samantha feels lonely and life is still missing essential elements, companionship, love and validation. All of this comes from such an unlikely source. I really like how a life in the present can be inextricably linked to a life in the past. Other perspectives matter, it helps us see the world from other people’s points of view, and give us a better sense of our connections to others. Elena’s story becomes Samantha’s story.
The past, writes poet Michael Donaghy, ‘falls open anywhere’, and it’s important that, when it does, we recognise and understand it.
‘I know no-one will care if I die here alone. I fear I don’t have the strength to go on’
Samantha turns to the ghost in the cottage for help. Elena, a shepherdess who lived there over a century ago.
I think the reader feels tremendous pathos for Samantha, the central character and sorrow. Her choices in life were perhaps not the right ones. A less than loving relationship with her mother who we feel expected more from her daughter. A career which seems to be going nowhere and a sour marriage which subsequently ended in divorce from Michael, her husband. We feel that she is suffering from depression and the author expertly captures a sense of despair as her she struggles to cope with life’s challenges.
‘well-placed jogs allowed the rancour to seep away with physical exertion. To help me keep from losing control, to hold at bay the ever-present sense of disappointment, of failure’
When she discovers her husband is having an affair and wants to end the marriage, Samantha falls apart, she is broken and also loses her job. The author expertly captures her sense of despair in the way she describes her feelings and emotions during her suicide attempt.
‘It was one tiny effort to climb over the edge of the bridge. I was drawn to the idea of letting go. I thought it might put an end to my pain too.’
Samantha is saved by one of her students. She is not being tested simply to make life hard. Tests are in fact opportunities and one presents itself in the form of a chance to buy an old cottage in Abruzzo, Italy. The plan is to renovate it so the reader is given hope that as the cottage comes back to life after standing empty and abandoned for many years, so Samantha will reconstruct her own life.
There is an innate air of optimism as Samantha settles down to her new life, getting to know the locals, exploring the area and hoping that the door to creative thoughts will open, that she may summon an inner muse, breaking through her writer’s block to finding artistic inspiration. Sadly her writing takes the form of a personal blog which inadvertently mocks the local way of life and is derisive.
In her darkest moments, something happens and the house starts to reveal its secrets. Samantha discovers photographs, diaries and personal mementos of previous inhabitants. Elena Tranquilli, a ghost with an incredible story of love, and survival amid one of nature’s violent and abrupt tragedies. The author has clearly researched her story and the true facts of the 1915 devasting earthquake are cleverly woven into this narrative. One of the biggest earthquakes in Italian history shook the Marsica area in the Province of L’Aquila in Abruzzo. Initial reports did not mention serious damage, and not until later that night did the scale of the devastation become clear. Almost 30,000 inhabitants lost their lives. The epicentre was located in the town of Avezzano which was completely destroyed.
Elena and Samantha forge something unique, a connection, a common bond from their individual experiences of feeling like misfits and misplaced in their world.
“I began to think of Elena as a soulmate. I did not consider it a coincidence that it had been I who stumbled on her possessions. Her journals, simply waiting for me to discover them.”
For me, this is a sympathetically well-written part of the story. The reader is transported back in time to when life was extremely harsh for peasants most of whom lived in abject poverty. Elena’s story is raw and compelling.
Why I recommend this book
There are some lovely descriptive moments in the book.
The author’s knowledge of the area, its history and the slow pace of life adds to the authenticity of the story. For anyone who doesn’t know Abruzzo, it is a remote area of Italy and as a region, it stands alone in its culture, traditions and attitudes. There is a lovely anecdote of making homemade pasta with her new friend Elisabetta a local young student.
‘I savoured the oversized ravioli, the fresh creaminess of the ricotta cheese filling, so perfectly paired with the earthy pungent note of sage, the salty bite of the Parmigiano
The author mentions that Samantha’s reason for moving to Marsicano was to recreate ‘Under the Tuscan Sun’ from a new angle and I think she is right. The story has some unsettling undercurrents of a harsher reality than the one left behind. The idiom that ‘the grass is greener’ expresses the idea that people often think a different set of circumstances would bring them greater joy. The journey to fulfilment and peace in this story takes time to develop. Even with a newly renovated property, Samantha feels lonely and life is still missing essential elements, companionship, love and validation. All of this comes from such an unlikely source. I really like how a life in the present can be inextricably linked to a life in the past. Other perspectives matter, it helps us see the world from other people’s points of view, and give us a better sense of our connections to others. Elena’s story becomes Samantha’s story.
The past, writes poet Michael Donaghy, ‘falls open anywhere’, and it’s important that, when it does, we recognise and understand it.
August 28, 2022
Five stars! Italy, NY, starting a new life, finding a century old journal, being transported into the journal all lead to this amazing book. She has rich descriptions interwoven with captivating dialogue. I highly recommend this book! Thank you to NetGalley for the copy to read.
August 8, 2022
I highly enjoyed this read. The writing flows beautifully and the ending solidified the love that I have for the romantic Italian story. I hope to follow the next books from this writer, they have captured my heart.
January 16, 2023
Samantha chooses the small town of Marsicano almost on a whim. She is trying to run from a failed marriage, and escape the people that were once in her life, so moving to Italy seems the furthest away she can get to seclude herself in a new life. But, Marsicano is a very close-knit community, and an American inviting herself in doesn’t necessarily mean she is welcome.
In an attempt to keep her writing going while she has no novel ideas, Samantha begins writing a travel blog, and it just so happens that the most popular posts are the ones where Samantha makes fun of the inhabitants of Marsicano. When everyone finds out about it, Samantha is ostracised even more than she was already. Now avoiding the people in her new life, as well as her old, Samantha finds herself utterly alone. That is, until she comes across some diaries, hidden within her new house, belonging to one of the owners of the house in the early 1900s. Samantha finds her only friend in Elena, and spends many hours reading about the woman, and how she survived the 1915 Pescina earthquake.
Samantha is a character I couldn’t decide whether I liked or not. She makes a lot of mistakes and upsets the people around her, but she also goes through a lot and struggles to get by on her own. I sympathised with her, but I couldn’t excuse a lot of the things she did. As she spends more time reading about Elena’s life, she starts to grow more sure of herself, and she becomes a lot easier to like. She finds herself learning she can live by herself, that she needn't be dependent on others to be happy. Elena certainly brings out the best side of Samantha.
The setting of this book is described absolutely beautifully. I have always wanted to go to Italy, but have, in the meantime, resorted to visiting through novels. This book didn’t disappoint with the stunning scenery, and the author clearly knows the area’s geography and history well, and it came across clearly in the writing. The terror of the 1915 earthquake, and the destruction it caused, comes across in both Elena’s story, as she witnesses it first-hand, and Samantha’s, as she looks back at the history. I can only imagine what it must’ve been like, and I truly felt for Elena as the events unfolded before her.
I absolutely adored Elena and her story. She is young and naive, but she loves with all her heart. She struggles with life, working hard to tend to the sheep while falling in love with a boy she has been forbidden to see. Elena is such a strong character, and I adored reading about her. Just through her written words, she gives Samantha courage, and she is truly an inspiration to read about. She lives through losing her family and close friends to the 1915 earthquake, and the build-up to the Great War, and somehow still finds the strength to keep going. Once this book reached Elena’s story, I found it next to impossible to put down. The second half of this book is truly amazing, and I loved reading it.
The way this book is laid out confused me a bit. There is a lot of jumping back and forth between the past and the present, and several storylines that I felt were entirely unnecessary, such as Samantha’s mother’s backstory. From the way the blurb described this book, I expected Elena’s story to run alongside Samantha’s, but we actually don’t learn anything about Elena’s diaries until well over halfway through the book. The parallels between Samantha and Elena’s lives are not as clear as they could be, had their lives played out alongside each other. The story picks up a lot once you reach Elena, but it does, unfortunately, take a while before you get to her.
I am not entirely sure whether the author has written a book that is entirely a historical novel, but if not, they should seriously consider doing so. The historical aspects of this novel were written wonderfully. While Samantha’s story was interesting to follow, Elena’s was absolutely fabulous. I couldn’t tear myself away from it. It is a small section of the book, but it really completed the story, and I loved reading it.
If you are a fan of books set in Italy and have a historical sub-plot, you will more than likely enjoy this book. As mentioned, the first half is a little slower, it does take a while to properly get into the book, but once you reach the mid-point, you will not be able to put it down.
In an attempt to keep her writing going while she has no novel ideas, Samantha begins writing a travel blog, and it just so happens that the most popular posts are the ones where Samantha makes fun of the inhabitants of Marsicano. When everyone finds out about it, Samantha is ostracised even more than she was already. Now avoiding the people in her new life, as well as her old, Samantha finds herself utterly alone. That is, until she comes across some diaries, hidden within her new house, belonging to one of the owners of the house in the early 1900s. Samantha finds her only friend in Elena, and spends many hours reading about the woman, and how she survived the 1915 Pescina earthquake.
Samantha is a character I couldn’t decide whether I liked or not. She makes a lot of mistakes and upsets the people around her, but she also goes through a lot and struggles to get by on her own. I sympathised with her, but I couldn’t excuse a lot of the things she did. As she spends more time reading about Elena’s life, she starts to grow more sure of herself, and she becomes a lot easier to like. She finds herself learning she can live by herself, that she needn't be dependent on others to be happy. Elena certainly brings out the best side of Samantha.
The setting of this book is described absolutely beautifully. I have always wanted to go to Italy, but have, in the meantime, resorted to visiting through novels. This book didn’t disappoint with the stunning scenery, and the author clearly knows the area’s geography and history well, and it came across clearly in the writing. The terror of the 1915 earthquake, and the destruction it caused, comes across in both Elena’s story, as she witnesses it first-hand, and Samantha’s, as she looks back at the history. I can only imagine what it must’ve been like, and I truly felt for Elena as the events unfolded before her.
I absolutely adored Elena and her story. She is young and naive, but she loves with all her heart. She struggles with life, working hard to tend to the sheep while falling in love with a boy she has been forbidden to see. Elena is such a strong character, and I adored reading about her. Just through her written words, she gives Samantha courage, and she is truly an inspiration to read about. She lives through losing her family and close friends to the 1915 earthquake, and the build-up to the Great War, and somehow still finds the strength to keep going. Once this book reached Elena’s story, I found it next to impossible to put down. The second half of this book is truly amazing, and I loved reading it.
The way this book is laid out confused me a bit. There is a lot of jumping back and forth between the past and the present, and several storylines that I felt were entirely unnecessary, such as Samantha’s mother’s backstory. From the way the blurb described this book, I expected Elena’s story to run alongside Samantha’s, but we actually don’t learn anything about Elena’s diaries until well over halfway through the book. The parallels between Samantha and Elena’s lives are not as clear as they could be, had their lives played out alongside each other. The story picks up a lot once you reach Elena, but it does, unfortunately, take a while before you get to her.
I am not entirely sure whether the author has written a book that is entirely a historical novel, but if not, they should seriously consider doing so. The historical aspects of this novel were written wonderfully. While Samantha’s story was interesting to follow, Elena’s was absolutely fabulous. I couldn’t tear myself away from it. It is a small section of the book, but it really completed the story, and I loved reading it.
If you are a fan of books set in Italy and have a historical sub-plot, you will more than likely enjoy this book. As mentioned, the first half is a little slower, it does take a while to properly get into the book, but once you reach the mid-point, you will not be able to put it down.
November 4, 2022
"Always know your own worth. Don't ever let anyone allow you to doubt just how special you are."
"Love makes liars of us all. Even the most honest and best intentioned of us will eventually resort to deception to see the one we pine for."
Trigger Warnings: Infidelity, Sexual Assault, Mention of Abortion, Infertility, Suicide Attempt (All briefly mentioned)
The sleepy Abruzzo mountain town of Marsicano seems about as far as Samantha can flee from her failed marriage and university career. Eager for a new start she begins to set down roots in her Italian mountain hideaway. Her new home at first appears idyllic, but her clumsy attempts to join the closed community are quickly thwarted when the residents discover her blog ridiculing the town and its inhabitants. Increasingly isolated in her cottage, Samantha discovers the letters and diaries of Elena, a past tenant and survivor of the 1915 Pescina earthquake. Despite the century that separates them, Samantha is increasingly drawn to Elena's life, and discovers parallels with her own.
This book begins in the middle of the story providing just enough information to set the tone. It then goes back in time and fills us in on the events that led to Samantha residing in this town and a world away from friends and family. The first half of the novel shows Samantha very retrospective of her life and contemplating all the what ifs. Sullivan does a marvelous job of drawing the reader into Samantha's world and it quickly becomes possible to empathize with her. Samantha is seeking to start over again and do something for herself after being in a relationship where she lost herself for her husband.
I will admit that at first I felt the story was dragging but I didn't even care because the author managed to paint a wonderful narrative. I could visualize all the things she was discussing with no problem. I found myself completely immersed in the story and wanting more. And once Samantha discovered Elena's letters and diaries, I was so enthralled I could not put the book down. The author does an amazing job of creating a parallel between 16 year old Elena's life and Samantha's. Elena's journal entries were engaging and her story so fascinating that I just wanted more of it the whole time. The story is written so well that you are instantly transported to 1914 with Elena. Sullivan has created a marvelous story showcasing two amazing women. You will not regret reading this one.
"Love makes liars of us all. Even the most honest and best intentioned of us will eventually resort to deception to see the one we pine for."
Trigger Warnings: Infidelity, Sexual Assault, Mention of Abortion, Infertility, Suicide Attempt (All briefly mentioned)
The sleepy Abruzzo mountain town of Marsicano seems about as far as Samantha can flee from her failed marriage and university career. Eager for a new start she begins to set down roots in her Italian mountain hideaway. Her new home at first appears idyllic, but her clumsy attempts to join the closed community are quickly thwarted when the residents discover her blog ridiculing the town and its inhabitants. Increasingly isolated in her cottage, Samantha discovers the letters and diaries of Elena, a past tenant and survivor of the 1915 Pescina earthquake. Despite the century that separates them, Samantha is increasingly drawn to Elena's life, and discovers parallels with her own.
This book begins in the middle of the story providing just enough information to set the tone. It then goes back in time and fills us in on the events that led to Samantha residing in this town and a world away from friends and family. The first half of the novel shows Samantha very retrospective of her life and contemplating all the what ifs. Sullivan does a marvelous job of drawing the reader into Samantha's world and it quickly becomes possible to empathize with her. Samantha is seeking to start over again and do something for herself after being in a relationship where she lost herself for her husband.
I will admit that at first I felt the story was dragging but I didn't even care because the author managed to paint a wonderful narrative. I could visualize all the things she was discussing with no problem. I found myself completely immersed in the story and wanting more. And once Samantha discovered Elena's letters and diaries, I was so enthralled I could not put the book down. The author does an amazing job of creating a parallel between 16 year old Elena's life and Samantha's. Elena's journal entries were engaging and her story so fascinating that I just wanted more of it the whole time. The story is written so well that you are instantly transported to 1914 with Elena. Sullivan has created a marvelous story showcasing two amazing women. You will not regret reading this one.
December 8, 2022
“In The Shadow of The Apennines” is an emotional but hopeful women’s fictional story by Kimberly Sullivan that follows Samantha Burke, a recently divorced American woman whose husband of 20 years had left her for a younger woman and who had also lost her job in a university. In a bid to seek solace and heal from her painful and humiliating past, she purchases an old cottage home in the jagged Apennine Mountains in North Italy with part of her divorce settlement money.
Samantha’s troubled effort to connect with her neighbors bears little fruit. Her eagerness to begin writing sees her write a blog that mistakenly gets her shunned by the villagers, and she resolves to live a life of solitude. One day, she stumbles upon a diary written by Elena, an Italian shepherdess who lived in the same cottage a hundred years ago, recounting her effort to overcome love and loss as a ruinous earthquake hit the same town in 1915, during the First World War. This discovery proves to bring much-needed healing and self-reflection for Samantha and possibly a fresh trajectory to follow in her life.
Sullivan has done a remarkable job by bringing a duality between two different women who lived at different periods. Their emotional journeys become progressively aligned, interspersing the modern and historical. She presents a protagonist that is easy to understand, root for, and cheer on by allowing a keen panorama of her emotions and anxiety. The book’s pitch-perfect prose also serves the purpose of elevating it by allowing Samantha to tell her story to the reader in ordinary language.
The text’s rich and vivid descriptions of Italian culture, cuisine, and traditions and sizzling these with some Italian vocabulary across the pages, not only make the story appear real but also serve to unearth escapist entertainment in equal measure. At turns, poignant and at other times fairly pleasant, “In The Shadow of The Apennines” is a story that refreshingly focuses on courage and endurance in times of hardship and misfortune.
Geared towards encouraging its readers to find the courage to move on and embrace new tidings, this book has a few predictable twists with a slow pace at the beginning, but gathers momentum as it progresses. Nevertheless, “In The Shadow of The Apennines” by Kimberly Sullivan is an ode with a luxurious heft and scope and a suitable candidate to pore over with a warm cup of tea in the afternoon.
Samantha’s troubled effort to connect with her neighbors bears little fruit. Her eagerness to begin writing sees her write a blog that mistakenly gets her shunned by the villagers, and she resolves to live a life of solitude. One day, she stumbles upon a diary written by Elena, an Italian shepherdess who lived in the same cottage a hundred years ago, recounting her effort to overcome love and loss as a ruinous earthquake hit the same town in 1915, during the First World War. This discovery proves to bring much-needed healing and self-reflection for Samantha and possibly a fresh trajectory to follow in her life.
Sullivan has done a remarkable job by bringing a duality between two different women who lived at different periods. Their emotional journeys become progressively aligned, interspersing the modern and historical. She presents a protagonist that is easy to understand, root for, and cheer on by allowing a keen panorama of her emotions and anxiety. The book’s pitch-perfect prose also serves the purpose of elevating it by allowing Samantha to tell her story to the reader in ordinary language.
The text’s rich and vivid descriptions of Italian culture, cuisine, and traditions and sizzling these with some Italian vocabulary across the pages, not only make the story appear real but also serve to unearth escapist entertainment in equal measure. At turns, poignant and at other times fairly pleasant, “In The Shadow of The Apennines” is a story that refreshingly focuses on courage and endurance in times of hardship and misfortune.
Geared towards encouraging its readers to find the courage to move on and embrace new tidings, this book has a few predictable twists with a slow pace at the beginning, but gathers momentum as it progresses. Nevertheless, “In The Shadow of The Apennines” by Kimberly Sullivan is an ode with a luxurious heft and scope and a suitable candidate to pore over with a warm cup of tea in the afternoon.
September 29, 2022
Thanks to NetGalley and Kimberly Sullivan for an e-ARC of this book.
3.75 / 5
In the Shadow of The Apennines is a fast-paced, cozy historical fiction novel that is set in the mountains of the Italian country-side (so idyllic compared to the 100 degree swampy weather I am writing this from). Seriously, the cozy Italian mountain town vibes might want to have you add this to your Fall TBR.
There were some issues I had with this book. The main, and most important one, is that this book is about two parallel stories of Samantha and Elena as they navigate their lives in the Abruzzo region of Italiy. Elena is discovered through her diaries from her time in 1914, as Italy prepares to join World War II, while Samantha is in present day. That being the main plot of this book, I was disappointed to note that the first time Elena appears was 58% of the book. The set up for Samantha's character arc was just far too long in my opinion, considering Elena was by far my favorite part of the story.
I only note this as a large disappointment because of how gripping I found Elena's story. I wish there was more of her! As soon as Samantha discovers her, I could not put the book down, and I wish a larger portion of the book had been exploring the two character's lives.
My other minor issues are the fact that Samantha's love interest (if you can call him that? There is a romance side-plot, but it is very minor) was dropped in unannounced at about 45% of the book. I think he could have been introduced sooner. Also Samatha's personal story arc didn't end up adding a lot for me to the book, and honestly I think could have been cut in favor of MORE ELENA. (Did I mention how much I love Elena?)
Truly though, aside from the story issues I outlined above, I completely devoured this novel in one sitting. The writing is fast paced enough to hold your attention through the story set-up, and the setting of the novel is so beautiful it will make you want to book a vacation there. I really think this is a great cozy book for fall, especially if you like historical fiction.
Content Warnings:
Major:
- Rape
- Suicide (attempt & ideation)
- Death
- Child Death
Minor:
- Abortion
- Student Teacher relationship
3.75 / 5
In the Shadow of The Apennines is a fast-paced, cozy historical fiction novel that is set in the mountains of the Italian country-side (so idyllic compared to the 100 degree swampy weather I am writing this from). Seriously, the cozy Italian mountain town vibes might want to have you add this to your Fall TBR.
There were some issues I had with this book. The main, and most important one, is that this book is about two parallel stories of Samantha and Elena as they navigate their lives in the Abruzzo region of Italiy. Elena is discovered through her diaries from her time in 1914, as Italy prepares to join World War II, while Samantha is in present day. That being the main plot of this book, I was disappointed to note that the first time Elena appears was 58% of the book. The set up for Samantha's character arc was just far too long in my opinion, considering Elena was by far my favorite part of the story.
I only note this as a large disappointment because of how gripping I found Elena's story. I wish there was more of her! As soon as Samantha discovers her, I could not put the book down, and I wish a larger portion of the book had been exploring the two character's lives.
My other minor issues are the fact that Samantha's love interest (if you can call him that? There is a romance side-plot, but it is very minor) was dropped in unannounced at about 45% of the book. I think he could have been introduced sooner. Also Samatha's personal story arc didn't end up adding a lot for me to the book, and honestly I think could have been cut in favor of MORE ELENA. (Did I mention how much I love Elena?)
Truly though, aside from the story issues I outlined above, I completely devoured this novel in one sitting. The writing is fast paced enough to hold your attention through the story set-up, and the setting of the novel is so beautiful it will make you want to book a vacation there. I really think this is a great cozy book for fall, especially if you like historical fiction.
Content Warnings:
Major:
- Rape
- Suicide (attempt & ideation)
- Death
- Child Death
Minor:
- Abortion
- Student Teacher relationship
January 4, 2023
Absolutely riveting story! I read it from cover to cover in one sitting.
In The Shadow of the Apennines, the new novel by Kimberly Sullivan, is the wonderfully mesmerizing story of a woman coming to terms with her life and future as everything around her implodes. Samantha Burke Thorpe is a believable and sympathetic character who makes some understandable and human mistakes when her life goes off the rails.
This poor woman is hit with a double whammy; her professor husband of 24 years leaves her for one of his Ph.D. students, and she loses the job she loves all in the space of months. Either of these events would be devastating enough, and I ached for this woman. Samantha isn't weathering these blows from a position of power, either. She's pretty much subjugated her own dreams and personality to reflect her successful husband's glory, so there is an introspective look at her past and how she got to where she is as the novel opens. She has regrets and doubts and questions how things would have turned out if she'd made other choices in her life. Then the surprises start, and plot twists keep coming.The story is that of two women, Samantha in the present day and Elena, a prior occupant of the cottage, at the start of World War I. Elena's story is revealed to Samantha through her discovery of Elena's journals. I loved the parallels between the two women's lives (and the similarities between their mothers' experiences.) The details and tidbits of the area's history and time period were fascinating.
Set in the fictional village of Marsicano in the Apennine Mountains of Italy, you can almost breathe the mountain air, much like each newcomer to the area notes. The descriptions of the village, the mountains, and some of the locations Samantha visits had me wanting to plan a vacation right away. The story was even set at the same time of year when I was reading it (Christmas, winter), making it that much easier to visualize the locations. There are some great supporting characters, many of whom the main character alienates when she comes under the spell of social media success.With an exceptionally relatable main character, an exciting and compelling setting, and an absorbing dual timeline plot, I recommend IN THE SHADOW OF THE APENNINES to readers of contemporary and historical women's fiction.
I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy from the author through Goddess Fish Promotions Book Tours.
October 22, 2022
A truly heartfelt thank you to Kimberly and to Kate Rock with Kate Rock Book Tours for having me on the tour and for this AMAZING story!
Samantha, our main character flees from her failed marriage and lost job in New York. She runs to an Italian Mountain to seek refuge and start again. Her plans are to begin writing again after years of not being able to. Things begin great but, take a detour when the towns residents discover Samantha’s blog about them, which isn’t too kind. After being outed, she discovers a hidden trunk and in it are some very old diaries. Diaries that keep her interested, curious and reveal some very sad and wonderful words. The diaries of Elena’s refresh Samantha’s life and she feels connected to Elena, even after being separated by an entire century!
I devoured and craved this book and thoroughly enjoyed this story! The way these two womens lives were intertwined was a breath of fresh air. I loved the way the past was included in the present. The stories, the hardships, the tragicness. It was beautiful and it kept my attention, in fact, I actually want more like this. I love the idea of being able to intersect the past with the present, secret diaries that hold so much truth and love and sadness. The ability to learn and change our current lives based off of history is a wonderful thing. Kimberly did a truly awesome job of writing this, the creativity is there and in your face. The setting sounds breathtaking and makes me want to fly to Italy now! I’ve always been interested in small towns that have rich histories. This is a definite highly recommended read! Five stars!!
Samantha, our main character flees from her failed marriage and lost job in New York. She runs to an Italian Mountain to seek refuge and start again. Her plans are to begin writing again after years of not being able to. Things begin great but, take a detour when the towns residents discover Samantha’s blog about them, which isn’t too kind. After being outed, she discovers a hidden trunk and in it are some very old diaries. Diaries that keep her interested, curious and reveal some very sad and wonderful words. The diaries of Elena’s refresh Samantha’s life and she feels connected to Elena, even after being separated by an entire century!
I devoured and craved this book and thoroughly enjoyed this story! The way these two womens lives were intertwined was a breath of fresh air. I loved the way the past was included in the present. The stories, the hardships, the tragicness. It was beautiful and it kept my attention, in fact, I actually want more like this. I love the idea of being able to intersect the past with the present, secret diaries that hold so much truth and love and sadness. The ability to learn and change our current lives based off of history is a wonderful thing. Kimberly did a truly awesome job of writing this, the creativity is there and in your face. The setting sounds breathtaking and makes me want to fly to Italy now! I’ve always been interested in small towns that have rich histories. This is a definite highly recommended read! Five stars!!
December 13, 2022
IN THE SHADOW OF THE APENNINES is a beautiful story embracing the theme of women helping women, and author Kimberly Sullivan gives the theme an inventive twist by creating the emotional connection across time.
In present-day Italy, a newly divorced woman. Samantha, travels to a remote Italian mountainside village to take stock of her mistakes and attempt to find a fresh start. In blind pursuit of a new future, she falters and sabotages herself. Alone, desperate, she discovers the forgotten journal of a young Italian girl, Elena, two generations into the past, and through its pages forms a connection.
Time dissolves as Samantha and Elena share common life circumstances: Their young innocence and naivety have been taken advantage of by a man’s manipulation. They are both isolated and lonely and yearn for something better. Their physical settings interweave too, such as when Samantha visits the archeological sites where Elena once lived. These parallels engross Samantha in Elena’s story – for if Elena overcame her mistakes, perhaps she will too. The reader gets caught caring for both women’s stories to resolve happily.
In addition to the emotional story, I enjoyed Sullivan’s vivid descriptions of the gorgeous Appenine Mountain vistas. She also deftly weaves in past historical events—like the 1915 earthquake that destroyed Pescina, a mountain town, as well as the beginning of WWI and Italy’s vacillation on whether to join the war—to give the reader a window on Italy’s worldview at that time. Sullivan delivers a novel as a wonderful reflection of how the past can burst to life in the present.
In present-day Italy, a newly divorced woman. Samantha, travels to a remote Italian mountainside village to take stock of her mistakes and attempt to find a fresh start. In blind pursuit of a new future, she falters and sabotages herself. Alone, desperate, she discovers the forgotten journal of a young Italian girl, Elena, two generations into the past, and through its pages forms a connection.
Time dissolves as Samantha and Elena share common life circumstances: Their young innocence and naivety have been taken advantage of by a man’s manipulation. They are both isolated and lonely and yearn for something better. Their physical settings interweave too, such as when Samantha visits the archeological sites where Elena once lived. These parallels engross Samantha in Elena’s story – for if Elena overcame her mistakes, perhaps she will too. The reader gets caught caring for both women’s stories to resolve happily.
In addition to the emotional story, I enjoyed Sullivan’s vivid descriptions of the gorgeous Appenine Mountain vistas. She also deftly weaves in past historical events—like the 1915 earthquake that destroyed Pescina, a mountain town, as well as the beginning of WWI and Italy’s vacillation on whether to join the war—to give the reader a window on Italy’s worldview at that time. Sullivan delivers a novel as a wonderful reflection of how the past can burst to life in the present.
October 21, 2022
In the Shadow of the Apennines transported me straight to village life in Abruzzo, Italy and made me feel like I had known the characters all my life. I became quickly invested in their stories and that feeling only increased the more I read! The book follows Samantha, who has just lost her university job and her husband of 25 years (to a younger woman). In hopes of healing her heartbreak and re-igniting her writing career, she moves to a small town in Abruzzo, Italy and tries to settle into rural village life while still haunted by her past. After running afoul of the locals, she is effectively shunned and secluded in her small mountain cottage. It’s then that she finds the hidden journals of Elena, a 16 year old peasant girl navigating the harsh rural life and struggling with poverty on the eve of World War I. Samantha becomes fully engrossed in Elena’s story (I did too!), which although separated by a century, has shocking similarities to her own.
Beware that the book’s synopsis is quite deceiving, as it focuses on Samantha finding Elena’s journals, which doesn’t happen until past the halfway mark. This can leave you trying to speed through to get to “the crux” of the story, but that does a huge disservice to the first half of the book, as the flashbacks of Samantha’s life and marriage and the chapters of her settling into village life and meeting the local cast of characters are great and integral to the story.
P.s. I’m hoping for a sequel!
Beware that the book’s synopsis is quite deceiving, as it focuses on Samantha finding Elena’s journals, which doesn’t happen until past the halfway mark. This can leave you trying to speed through to get to “the crux” of the story, but that does a huge disservice to the first half of the book, as the flashbacks of Samantha’s life and marriage and the chapters of her settling into village life and meeting the local cast of characters are great and integral to the story.
P.s. I’m hoping for a sequel!
June 23, 2023
Set in a small Italian mountain village, this story brings the reader vividly into the beauty and complexity of a small community where tradition and history have a long reach. Samantha, an American woman who has distanced herself from a difficult divorce, precipitously purchases a house in a place where she has no connections and proceeds to renovate the structure and establish connections with the townspeople. At first, all goes well, but an unwise posting on a blog inadvertently broadcasts disdain for the place she is, a sobering jolt that isolates her at a time when she most needs help. She is sustained in this lonely condition by the happenstance discovery of the diaries and the letters of a previous resident of her house, whose life uncannily mirrors her own.
Kimberly Sullivan’s well-paced plot engages the reader immediately, and we experience with Samantha her distress over her grievous error and her struggles to overcome the offense she caused. As she renovates her new house, she reevaluates the decisions that led her to the Italian mountains. At the same time, she discovers that she has brought an unexpected complication into her own life. As her renovations come to completion and she tries to repair her fractured friendships, she moves towards reconciliation with both her past and her present.
Kimberly Sullivan’s well-paced plot engages the reader immediately, and we experience with Samantha her distress over her grievous error and her struggles to overcome the offense she caused. As she renovates her new house, she reevaluates the decisions that led her to the Italian mountains. At the same time, she discovers that she has brought an unexpected complication into her own life. As her renovations come to completion and she tries to repair her fractured friendships, she moves towards reconciliation with both her past and her present.
October 27, 2022
I picked up this delightful book on a lazy Sunday afternoon and I was instantly transported into beautiful Italy!
When Samantha, an American divorcee, flees from her failed marriage and ruined career, she decides to start a new life in Italy. She purchases a stone cottage, starts renovations, and totally immerses herself into village life as she awaits inspiration for her writing. Soon however, she needs money and she resorts to writing a sarcastic blog poking fun at the people who live in the village. When everyone turns their backs on Samantha she is forced into isolation. She finds a diary that once belonged to a young woman who lived in the cottage over 100 years ago. Samantha reads the diary and soon becomes totally engrossed in another world as she discovers that the writer of the diary was on a similar path!
I really enjoyed this author’s writing style. I loved the descriptions of Italy, the food, and the people. The main character, Samantha, mourned the loss of her marriage, her career, and family relationships. It took her awhile to work through her pain and move forward. I always enjoy an introspective story where issues get resolved! Read this if you enjoy women’s fiction, travel stories, or ‘starting over’ stories.
Thank you
@KimberlyInRome @KateRockBookTours for my #gifted digital copy. My thoughts are my own.
When Samantha, an American divorcee, flees from her failed marriage and ruined career, she decides to start a new life in Italy. She purchases a stone cottage, starts renovations, and totally immerses herself into village life as she awaits inspiration for her writing. Soon however, she needs money and she resorts to writing a sarcastic blog poking fun at the people who live in the village. When everyone turns their backs on Samantha she is forced into isolation. She finds a diary that once belonged to a young woman who lived in the cottage over 100 years ago. Samantha reads the diary and soon becomes totally engrossed in another world as she discovers that the writer of the diary was on a similar path!
I really enjoyed this author’s writing style. I loved the descriptions of Italy, the food, and the people. The main character, Samantha, mourned the loss of her marriage, her career, and family relationships. It took her awhile to work through her pain and move forward. I always enjoy an introspective story where issues get resolved! Read this if you enjoy women’s fiction, travel stories, or ‘starting over’ stories.
Thank you
@KimberlyInRome @KateRockBookTours for my #gifted digital copy. My thoughts are my own.
October 30, 2022
In the Shadow of the Apennines tells the story of Samantha, an American divorcee starting over in the small fictional mountain town of Marsicano Italy. Samantha struggles to rebuild her life and finds herself on the outside of the community and feels utterly alone until she finds abandon journals in a wardrobe of her new house. The journals tell the story of a young Elena and her journey shares eerie similarities with Samantha’s own present day journey. As Samantha becomes connected to the journals, she begins to heal and find herself again and the strength to start anew.
This story is told in three time frames. The first two thirds of the book is told via present day and flashbacks to how Samantha’s life reached that point. The last third of the book primarily tells the story of Elena via the journals and how they tie into Samantha’s current situation. For me it took a bit to warm up to Samantha but once she stopped being so down and hard on herself I was able to connect better with her. I feel like the ending wrapped up rather quickly but I do really appreciate the epilogue and the closure it gave Samantha.
This story is told in three time frames. The first two thirds of the book is told via present day and flashbacks to how Samantha’s life reached that point. The last third of the book primarily tells the story of Elena via the journals and how they tie into Samantha’s current situation. For me it took a bit to warm up to Samantha but once she stopped being so down and hard on herself I was able to connect better with her. I feel like the ending wrapped up rather quickly but I do really appreciate the epilogue and the closure it gave Samantha.
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