“We will carry the sorrow and the guilt forever. It will always be there. But I hope we don’t let it take over everything.”
Jill Santopolo, Stars in an Italian Sky
Title: Stars in an Italian Sky
Author: Jill Santopolo
Genres: Historical Fiction, Romance
Pages: 336 (ebook)
Publish Date: February 28th, 2023
My Rating: ★★★★½
Read: 2/17/2023 – 2/24/2023
Happy publication day!
Review:
Admittedly, it took me a little while to warm up to this story, but by the end, I had tears in my eyes. Yet again, a gorgeous cover drew me in. Of course, anything set in or around Italy is also going to pique my interest immediately.
With a duel timeline, we follow Giovanna and Vincenzo’s 1940s love story and the struggles that go along with it. We also get to know Giovanna’s family, her sister Faustina a constant presence in her life. In 2017, newly engaged Cass and Luca find a common bond through their grandparents, uncovering long-buried secrets.
It took me a little while to get into the plot but it picked up a lot by the middle. Usually I tend to enjoy the historical timeline the most, but this was a case where I enjoyed the modern one the most. It was an enjoyable switch. I loved Cass’ character especially as well as the Italian backdrop.
Thanks to NetGalley and Putnam for sending me a free digital ARC to read and review!
Likes & Dislikes:
What I liked:
- The storyline with Giovanna and Vincenzo.
- Giovanna and Faustina’s relationship.
- The incorporation of the characters’ faiths/sampling of different prayers.
What I didn’t like:
- Slow to build.
- Though the modern timeline did need the context of the historical timeline, I wish it had been either one timeline (or linear with large time jumps) or in Giovanna and Vincenzo’s points of view.
Afterthoughts:
It’s always nice to end up liking a book more than you thought you were going to in the beginning. I’m glad this was an ARC, otherwise, it might have been a temporary DNF. It was worth sticking with it.