Thursday, December 21, 2023

The Italian Daughter Soraya Lane


 Italy, 1946. “Estee, I bought this ring years ago and have kept it safe ever since. You’re the only woman I’ve ever loved.” She reached for Felix’s hand and gently closed it over the box. “No,” she whispered. “I want you to propose only when you’re truly free.”


London, present day: Lily clutches a faded piece of paper in her hands, knowing that her life will never be the same again. Whilst grieving for her late father, she is told that her grandmother was born at Hope’s House, a home for unmarried mothers, the only clues to her past contained on a handwritten Italian recipe and an old theatre program.

Desperate for answers, Lily accepts a job on an Italian vineyard in the heart of picturesque Como – a dream her father once shared. Arriving at the palatial home of the Martinelli family, Lily is captivated by the acres of vines that surround her and instantly feels at home. She is also struck by their charming son Antonio and as they chat long into the night over a candlelit dinner, he offers to help Lily discover her family’s heritage.

As Lily unravels the truth of her own legacy, she begins to fall more in love with Italy and with Antonio. And tracing the recipe back to a bakery in a hilltop village, she soon unearths a tragic love story that changes everything…

But when Lily discovers who her grandmother really was, can she too have the courage to follow her heart and leave her old life behind? Or will her family’s heart-wrenching story force her home?

Pick up your copy here...


Soraya Lane graduated with a law degree before realizing that law wasn't the career for her and that her future was in writing. She is the author of historical and contemporary women's fiction, and her novel Wives of War was an Amazon Charts bestseller.

Soraya lives on a small farm in her native New Zealand with her husband, their two young sons and a collection of four legged friends. When she's not writing, she loves to be outside playing make-believe with her children or snuggled up inside reading.

For more information about Soraya, her books and her writing life, visit sorayalane.com or www.facebook.com/SorayaLaneAuthor, or follow her on twitter @Soraya_Lane. She would love to hear from you.


My Thoughts...
I fell in love with Italy this was such a moving, somewhat heartbreaking read. I loved this story of hope and family. This is not to be missed. I cannot wait until book two. Oh to find out where Lane will take us next.
The Mary Reader received this book from the publisher for review. A favorable review was not required, and all views expressed are our own.

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