The Tuscan Secret: An absolutely gripping, emotional, World War 2 historical novel

This is one of the best books I have read in ages, and I read a lot of books. The subject matter was already the basis of a very good story, but Angela Petch artfully wove a many layered tale that went beyond the WWII romance that was at its core. All of the characters were an integral part of this rich story and dealt with the complexities of human emotion that resulted from the horrors of the war. It is a beautiful and touching story. Un tesoro!

I found the reference to dialect as odd because Toscani speak Florentine Italian, not any form of dialect. I also understand Genovese (oppressive dialect hinting of a French accent) as well a Trevisiano (Italian with a German nuance). The terms used were somewhat Southern Italian sounding in their pronunciation which annoyed me; yet, I did not allow it to detract from the story or the written word. It was a very good read! I enjoyed the parallel stories and the style in which the novel was written.

I loved everything about this book. The characters are richly drawn, the Italian village comes alive in your imagination and the description of the location, houses and local food/meals is exceptionally described. Having owned and operated a Bed and Breakfast, I especially appreciated the attention to detail of the amazing meals. I have long read historical fiction from this time period and this book made it's way to a top spot on my very favorites list. It describes in detail the struggles endured both in Italy and England during the war and the sacrifices made by so many. I look forward with much anticipation to reading the other books by this author. Solid five stars!

The Tuscan Secret: An absolutely gripping, emotional World War II historical novel is by Angela Petch. Although this is a fiction story, many of the things she talks about in this book really did happen. Many of the massacres she talks about are authentic. It is inspired by the stories of her Mother-in-law who fell in love and married an English soldier in 1944 in Italy. Angela also leaves a list of materials she used to create this story. Anna was at a crossroads in her life. She was without a job, without a boyfriend, and her mother had died. At the reading of the will, she had received fifty thousand pounds and a box of papers which would be delivered to her later. Her brother received the family home and her sister her mother’s jewelry. It seemed just right to her as she had always felt left out of the family. Her siblings were so much older than she was. Was she a mistake as her siblings had told her growing up or a special gift as her Mother told her? When she received the box, she found her Mother had left her life story for her. However, it was pieced together in journals, school notebooks, a pillow case and anything else she could write on. Part of it was in English; but the majority was in Italian. How was she to read this? It would take her forever to translate it. She decided to go to her mother’s hometown in Italy and try to learn more about her Italian background. Maybe she could get someone there to translate it. What would she find there? The book is fabulous and well-written. It is definitely one which should be read by those interested in history and love.

Such a beautiful story set in the hills of Tuscany. The laughs and the tears are felt through a mother's diary with its pains and the horror of war. The end, however, was a bit too nicely packaged with a bow for my liking as if the author ran out of time.... However, a book worth reading!

This book is about a woman’s journey into her mother’s roots/past in Italy. She was raised in England and the part of the life of how their parents met was never discussed. Her father suffered ptsd, and mom was not always a happy woman. She got her mom’s diaries when she died and in it tells their story, that she goes to Italy to follow and also get translated.

This story is written with such precise detail that it will captivate your senses. You can see and feel each scene, and you will feel pulled into the story. I could not put this book down. The stories from World War Two need to be told, and this was an example of how to tell them well.

I'd just finished another book about an English pilot whose plane went down near a village in the mountains of Tuscany near the end of WWII who'd also been hidden from the Germans by a local village girl. Several decades later a thirty-ish English woman had come to that village to solve the mystery of a letter left behind by her recently deceased father, the pilot. That book also contained vivid accounts of the horrors experienced by Tuscan villagers during the Occupation. Initially, "Secret" didn't grab me from the first page as the other book had. Although on the surface the plots are similar, the characters are not, and after a false start, this one became my favorite. Not certain I could handle more accounts of war time Italy, I'd put it down after the third chapter and switched to a 1920s English murder mystery instead. But those three chapters had piqued my curiosity, so I picked up "Secrets" again and couldn't put it down until I'd read the last word in the Epilogue. (Tissue alert.) Thank you, Angela!

This book is the classic story of wartime romance, which seems wonderful at the time but which can lead to tragic mistakes. I wonder how many of them truly happened and how many people today do not know the truth about their parents and their youth?

I disagree strongly with the bad reviews about this novel and agree wholeheartedly with the great reviews. I love a good history book and gravitate towards World War 2 stories. I could not put this book down. It will now be in my top 10 World War fiction favorites. Character development was fabulous. I fell in love with Anna and her mother Ines. But it wasn't just those two that I fell in love with. Her descriptions of Italy, the countryside and the historical landmarks were wonderful as well. Truly a captivating read. The anguish, pain and horror of the war tore at my heart. A very emotional read. I will definitely seek out more novels by Angela Petch. I am very happy I stumbled across this book and Ms Petch and I am very happy I ignored the bad reviews.

A beautiful, tragic story set in wartime Italy and the present day. When Anna's mother dies, she leaves her daughter a set of diaries she wrote when she was younger, with precious details of her life. Anna decides to go to Tuscany to retrace her mother's footsteps and find out more. The author leads us along shaded mountain paths, past abandoned villages decimated by German retaliation, lets us paddle in a cool, refreshing stream that can turn into a raging torrent in the blink of an eye, shelters with us in a decrepit old barn, until we finally reach the old mulino where Anna's mother grew up. Each detail is breathtakingly described, with every scene you are drawn further back into the past and the lives of the people who lived at that time. The two stories, both Anna's and Ines', are slowly revealed, peeling away layers until the bare core remains. There are tears, tragedy, and heartfelt moments that keep you enthralled right to the end. Highly recommend.

Having studied literature and history (particularly women’s history), Tuscan Roots combined two things that fascinate me; a well-crafted tale and an insight into a woman’s life who otherwise might have been forgotten from history. Tuscan Roots is, on one level, a tale of two love stories, set a generation apart, as we follow the lives of Anna and, through the letters and writings she has been left, Innes – Anna’s late mother. And yet it is also so much more. I soon found myself engaged in the lives of the lead characters, both past and present, English and Italian. The story was beautifully told, with emotive language describing the landscape, both in Tuscany and in post-war England, weaved into the narrative. Innes’ diaries are heartfelt and honest, giving an insight into her hopes and dreams, as well as the turmoil she ultimately finds herself in. To a modern audience, as to her daughter Anna, Innes’ decisions can seem frustrating at times. However, as you read her story, learn her motives and gain a greater understanding about the circumstances of the life she finds herself in, you cannot help but feel for her – and the men and women of her generation. While Anna’s journey through the novel is less dramatic than that of Innes’ it is a wonderful tale of self-discovery, of learning who she really is and of discovering the Tuscan Roots her mother ultimately got to share with her. A great read, with characters who will stay with you long after the book is closed.

a beautiful story which was diffixult to put down