3 1/2 stars

I usually love Lisa Scottoline books, but I’ll be honest, this one was disappointing. While Loyalty touches on some interesting subjects and is somewhat informative, it seemed to rely on stereotypes: good brother vs. evil brother, simple man with a big secret, outcasts, wealthy vs. poor, child labor and abuse, lawyers, and false imprisonment. It also ignores the fact that Dante, a boy kidnapped as a young child was kept from the world and any education, or hardly anyone sane to talk to for fifteen years. It’s unbelievable that he would not know all that that child in this book knows as an adult: how to speak intelligently and compellingly, how to behave politely, how to ride a horse within moments of mounting. He moved into the “real” world as an adult with no fear of it, and he hardly even felt uneasy or awkward in the presence of strange people, wide-open spaces, or much of anything. I found all of that unbelievable.

The book covers many topics, perhaps too many. There’s, as I mentioned above, the concept of good over evil. That this happens in twin brothers is an interesting turn, especially as it touches on the jealousy between them as the foundation of the mafia in Sicily is created and set. It discusses superstition, concern over demons and dealing with the Devil, the idea that food can be enchanted to have healing properties. Then there are the characters. One character is an albino female who has only one minor health issue from the condition.

I especially found the character of Alfredo to be deficient. While I liked his character, especially the fact that he had goats he considered as his daughters, the fact that he was a Converso Jew was merely a detail. It really had little impact on his character until late in the story, and even then I felt that his character could have easily been left out of the book. I felt that he was a throwaway character included to create a small bit of diversity. He had no real purpose in the novel and the way that his story was tied up was contrived and less than satisfying.

There’s lots of killing in this book, for revenge, for financial gain, for no reason at all. Lots of lying and property destruction for the same reason. Apparently, life in Sicily at the time this book takes place was a lawless society.

The best thing about this book is it's look at the Sicily in that time. It highlights the countryside and the architecture, and, to some extent, the people. It sounds like a beautiful place.

While I think I learned some things from this book, it definitely isn’t my favorite by this author. I’ll happily give any of her future book a chance. I just think she could have done better with this book.

I received an advanced reader copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. I thank all involved for their generosity, but it had no effect on this review. All opinions in this review reflect my true and honest reactions to this book.

Loyalty, by Lisa Scottoline, is a novel about the beginnings of the Mafia in Sicily. Meticulously researched and constructed, it is filled with complex characters and heartbreaking twists and turns that are Scottoline's trademarks. For those who know this author only by her twisty Philadelphia legal thrillers, this is a masterful novel, but very different in terms of subject matter and tone. Yet, underneath it all, she still seeks to define justice. Far more complex that the Rosato novels that I adore, she tells the story through her incredibly memorable characters. As an author, Scottoline is a hero --a master who continues to grow and take loyal readers to new territory. Highly recommend. Thank you to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam Sons for the opportunity to read a digital ARC.

Loyalty-Historical Fiction
Author: Lisa Scottoline

The novel covers the rise of the Mafia in Sicily in 19th - century.
This saga covers the powers of corruption and courage, injustice and honor, family secrets, loyalty and love..
There are many characters in the novel. The first character we are introduced to is Dante who was kidnapped at the age of five, lured away from his mother during Palermo’s Festival of St. Rosalia in 1810 and imprisoned in the Ospizio di Santa Teresa. Gaetano, the lawyer who is trying to save kidnapped Dante, Franco Fiorvanti, the ambitious lemon-grove manager who arranged his kidnapping, dreams of starting his own orchard by purchasing some of the land he works from wealthy Baron Zito. He schemes with and sometimes against his twin brother, Roberto, to amass the necessary resources to achieve his goals. He eventually has a well-oiled protection racket.
Cheese maker Alfredo D’Antonio who struggles to hide his identity as the last Jew in Sicily, and Mafalda Pancari, whose newborn daughter, Lucia, is stigmatized as an albino.
Loyalty introduces readers to a cast of unforgettable characters whose lives intersect in unexpected and dramatic ways.
Lisa Scottoline brings nineteenth-century Sicily alive in this historical thriller.

Love this author. I was drawn into this historical fiction novel by the unique subjects and the many characters. Great title for this book about love, heartbreak and loyalty. The setting, Sicily is magical, I could almost smell the lemon grove. Have not read many books about the Mafia, so that was so interesting too.

To be honest it took me forever to get into the rhythm of this book. There are a lot of characters and the chapters are very, very short which made it hard to build momentum in the narrative. Super short chapters make it easy to put a book down because you are always at the end of a chapter.

Eventually, as the publication date came and went, I forced myself to just read for an hour uninterrupted. That's how I finally got deeper into the book. I liked the details Scottoline included about the architecture, the food, the way people lived in Sicily during that time period. I found it very interesting how ingrained it seemed to be in the culture to collude to force out people such as Alberto and his goats and Gaetano and his law practice. This seemed to make an environment ripe for a more organized mafia.

3.5 stars

*I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher and I am required to disclose that in my review in compliance with federal law.

This is a story with many characters, but because they were so different from each other it was easy to follow. Gaetano is a lawyer, who has made it his mission to find the children who have been kidnapped from Palermo. Dante is one of the children who was kidnapped and has been imprisoned in a madhouse. Lucia was born albino and is running from a town that feels she has brought a curse on the town. Franco dreams of owning his very own lemon grove one day, and he will go to any length for the power he feels he deserves. Alfredo is Jewish and is afraid of anyone finding out since the Jews were cast out of Sicily in 1492.

As with many books with so many characters, they all end up playing a role in each other's lives for a very satisfying read.

This book is being sold as a fictionized history of the mafia in Sicily as written by a woman. The premise sounded good to me, but that is not what this was and the nicest thing I can say about it is that I like the cover.

Two twin brothers start a violent gang. One retaliates against a slight from a nobleman. There are many, many characters with few distinguishing descriptions. Many separate storylines are pushed together, and it is so melodramatic- and not that much about the start of the mob. I liked the setting of Sicily but did not care about any of the characters and actually switched to audio to help keep them all straight. Unfortunately, this one was not for me. If you want a good mob story with a female slant, read The Family by Naomi Krupitsky instead because this one is a mess.

Thank you to Netgalley for the advance copy for review.

This was very good, but not great. There were a lot of characters to keep up with in the beginning but eventually you could settle in with each one. I kept waiting for the moment they would all collide but when it came it wasn’t what I expected. I wanted them to have more time together. The interactions between the characters within their own stories illustrated the theme perfectly. Lisa Scottoline definitely does the research which makes her historical fiction books so enjoyable. I especially enjoyed the historical aspects focused on the development of the mafia and how the omertà came to be. Overall definitely a book to read. I received an ARC of this book but missed the deadline to download it before it was archived. I wanted to read it so much that I purchased it on Amazon.

This was very different from my usual captivating Lisa Scottoline books. The writing was phenomenal but the storyline just didn't hold my interest well. I enjoyed getting lost I the book but it was hard to keep up with the storyline for me. I got lost with who the characters were and had to reread paragraphs a few times. It took me a long time to finish.

I anxiously awaits each of Lisa's novels. They never disappoint. The is the story of the rise of the mafia in Sicily. It is the story of power, corruption, vengeance, betrayal, family loyalty, honor, family secrets, the list goes on and on.. You are immediately drawn into the family with a love-hate relationship for the characters. Her descriptions of Sicily are spot on. You feel as if you are there . You won't be able to put this book down..

This is my first and certainly not last Lisa Scottoline read. The book is set in early 1800’s Sicily and the birth of the mafia among the lemon groves.

Synopsis: 5-year-old Dante is kidnapped at a festival and locked away in an insane asylum. His parents stay silent, wary of involving the police. Prior kidnappings for ransom have resulted in children never being returned. Why did Franco set up the kidnapping? While he is an ambitious lemon grove manager and subservient to his wealthy land-owning, Baron boss, why would he do such a thing to poor Dante?

This is a book filled with plot twists! This story has it all - intrigue, action, love and surprises! Loyalty is a story about the Sicilian mob and Italy.. It's a sweeping story with lots of characters, historical events and subplots that will keep you reading and reading until the end when everything wraps up.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Penguin Group Putnam for introducing me to Scotolline and making me want to cross the pond to visit Italy.

Of the two historical fiction books that I have had the pleasure of reading by Lisa Scottoline I was allowed to learn about a time period in history that I was not familiar with, immerse myself among well developed characters and enjoy a well plotted story. Loyalty was no exception. It was a gripping and powerful novel that took place during the 19th century in Sicily, Italy. Loyalty exposed the reader to the vivid and sometimes disturbing and violent details of this time period. Lisa Scottoline brilliantly captured and described the birth of the Sicilian Mafia, the corrupt and terrifying way mental institutions were operated, the way Sicilians treated, feared and discriminated against those that were different from themselves either in appearance or how they lived their lives, the corruption that existed in Sicily’s law enforcement system, the very distinct caste system that existed in Sicily and the banishment of Jewish people from Sicily years before. Her beautiful prose enabled me to mentally visualize the Sicilian culture and geography and what it must have looked like back then. Lisa Scottoline also made it easy to picture and even smell the fragrant scent of the lemon groves of Palermo and the inviting smells of all the food that was described throughout her book.

Sicily was a very beautiful city but it was also quite violent during the 19th century. Loyalty described the planned and successful kidnapping of a young six year old boy named Dante during a public festival. Dante, a very frightened child, was brought to the madhouse in Palermo and remained there for many, many years. He was subjected to things that no young boy should ever have seen or heard. When the kidnapping became known, a very determined, resourceful and respected lawyer named Gaetano focused all his attention on delivering justice and finding the kidnapped boy. Gaetano was met with indifference from the law enforcement authorities. They had all but turned their backs on doing anything to help find the boy. Gaetano took matters into his own hands and started to search everywhere he could for the child. He used every resource he could think of to find out what happened to this child. At the same time, twin brothers, Franco and Roberto, who worked as managers for the lemon groves owned by Baron Zito started to get frustrated with the power and influence the Baron held. The twin brothers were set on bringing down Baron Zito and gaining power and nobility for themselves. They would use any means necessary to gain power and acquire the nobility they so desperately wanted and felt that they deserved. Around the same time Franco and Roberto were fighting for the power they sought, a wife named Mafalda Pancari was finally blessed with a child. It had taken Mafalda a long time to conceive but she finally gave birth to a daughter who she named Lucia. There was a problem, though. Lucia did not look like the people in her village. She had been born an albino but in those days the villagers thought she was just bad luck, a devil and not at all human. Mafalda and Lucia were ousted from their village and made to live in the wild. In the mountains of central Sicily, lived a cheese maker named Alfredo. He harbored a secret and because of that secret he was forced to keep it to himself and live quietly in the mountain town of Mussomeli with his goats. Alfredo lived a secluded life so that no one would suspect that he was Jewish. Back in 1492, when the Edict of Expulsion was declared, Jews were forced to leave Sicily. At one time there had been 30,000 Jews in Sicily but not anymore. Alfredo’s family did not want to leave Sicily. They loved living in Sicily and were proud to be Sicilians so they practiced their religion in secrecy. Alfredo and the members of his family had kept their religion a secret from others for many generations.

Lisa Scottoline masterfully wove the lives and actions of these characters separately at first and then brought them together in the flawless fashion she has become known for. There were many characters and at first it was a little difficult to keep track of all of them but their connections were made clear not too far into the book. I found Lisa Scottoline’s research impressive and impeccable. Loyalty was not my all time favorite book of hers but I did enjoy it. Eternal still remains my favorite book of hers. It definitely kept me guessing. Loyalty was about family, faith, secrets, power, taking vengeance, corruption, betrayal, love and allegiance or loyalty. I learned a lot about the city of Sicily during this time period. Without any hesitation, I highly recommend this book.

Thank you to G. P. Putnam’s Sons Publishers/Penguin Random House LLC for allowing me to read Loyalty by Lisa Scottoline through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This powerful change of pace for Scottoline's novels did not disappoint. A fascinating story about the origin of the mafia set in Sicily, this read was just as engaging as it was educational. With themes of law and justice, family, loyalty, and honor, there's something for everyone in this historical novel told through several different points of view.



Many thanks to G.P. Putnam’s Sons and NetGalley for a complimentary ARC.

Any book about the mob/mafia and I'm all in. Lisa Scottoline does a fantastic job bringing these characters and the setting to life, so much that I felt like I was walking the streets of Sicily with them and could smell the lemons. There are a lot of characters and storylines, but I had absolute faith in Ms. Scottoline that she would pull it off and boy did she ever!

All the research was fantastic for the novel and these are characters that will stay with me for a very long time. I'm even hoping for a sequel.

I've been a Lisa Scottoline fan for a long time, but have her thrillers. I've yet to read a historical fiction novel by her and am beyond thrilled the first one was Loyalty. This sweeping saga follows the early beginnings of the Mafia in Sicily, along with multiple other family stories and how they all intertwine. There were points I wasn't sure how Scottoline was going to tie the entire story together (don't worry, it's still phenomenal even at these points) but the ending was so incredibly strong. I honestly could not put Loyalty down. I completely devoured it.

If you historical fiction fan, add Loyalty to your list. It's not to be missed.

Thank you Putnam Books and NetGalley for the gifted eARC!

I am a huge fan of Lisa Scottoline, so I was very excited to get to read the story of the rise of the Mafia in Sicily. In this saga, Scottoline strays from her normal storylines and introduces multiple characters that are sometimes hard to keep up with and difficult to know how they connect to the story.
Unfortunately, I can’t recommend this one.
Thank you Edelweiss and Netgally for my ARC.

Loyalty by Lisa Scottoline is the fictionalized story of the mafia’s roots in Italy. It was simple enough: a dissatisfied worker decided to take things into his own hands. Over a period of time it became obvious that loyalty only went as far as it was good for the person being loyal. It was a good story, a story of families, and of love. The characters were excellent, good or bad and each had his or her own agenda. Loyalty

The book was essentially the story of Franco Fiorvanti, who started off a the manager of a lemon grove outside Palermo. He wanted more for himself so he did “errands” for his boss. One such errand was to kidnap a young boy and kill him. Even Franco could not be so cold so he delivered the boy to an insane asylum where, somehow, he managed to stay sane until he was rescued some years later. He fell in love and he was loved back but his beloved decided Franco’s life was too rough for her so she absconded to a nunnery. When he confronted her, he believed her and lived the rest of his life without her. But his ambition never dimmed and he, through underhanded and often violent means, got everything he’d ever wanted. Sadly, he ended up paying for it all, as did his brother.

I was invited to read a free e-ARC of Loyalty by Penguin Group Putnam, through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #PenguinGroupPutnam #LisaScottoline #Loyalty

I’ve long been a fan of this author’s legal thrillers, but Lisa Scottoline’s new historical fiction blew me away. A lover of historical fiction, the market is so saturated with WWII dramas, which I love but needed a break. Gladly jumped at the chance to read book…because of the beautiful cover, jacket description and, of course, favorite author. This well written, beautifully descriptive book is set with a dual timeline in Sicily, 1810 and 15 years later, detailing the start of the Mafia family. Scottoline’s research is detailed in her Authors Note. I knew absolutely nothing of this time frame so was excited to jump in. It didn’t disappoint.

There is a cast of characters listed at the beginning which is usually a red flag for me, meaning too many storylines and hard time keeping track of all involved. I’m happy to report I did not need this guideline at all. The author did a great job of keeping the stories separate, and bringing them together slowly at appropriate times, until the satisfying conclusion. Filled with descriptive scenery and the problems of the time period. Graphic, raw, heartbreaking scenarios add to the story. Do not let the book’s length scare you off, it’s a fairly quick read due to the shorter chapters and name players.

Thanks to Penguin Group Putnam and NetGalley for this ARC. Opinion is mine alone.

Wow, not what I expected from Lisa Scottoline... was a very interesting story set in the 19th century, Sicily. The beginning of what today is the mafia. Thank you to Net Galley, the Publishers and Author for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Scottoline always delivers. This delicious novel is set in Sicily in the 1800’s.

Dive into the rise of the Mafia!
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This story has many characters, so don’t get distracted. Franco is trying to protect his lemon growing industry on the island. Several children are kidnapped and an attorney who will risk everything to get them back. More characters to discover with their own story. Read this rich novel to find out how this story comes together.
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You can tell Scottoline’s heritage is important to her and this novel is incredible rich and detailed. Family secrets, tragedy and the importance of love and loyalty as a family is relevant.
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Thank you Netgalley, G.P Putnam & sons and author Lisa Scottoline for the advanced copy. I purchased a copy as well. Out now as of March 28, 2023.Scottoline always delivers. This delicious novel is set in Sicily in the 1800’s.

Dive into the rise of the Mafia!
🍋
This story has many characters, so don’t get distracted. Franco is trying to protect his lemon growing industry on the island. Several children are kidnapped and an attorney who will risk everything to get them back. More characters to discover with their own story. Read this rich novel to find out how this story comes together.
🍋
You can tell Scottoline’s heritage is important to her and this novel is incredible rich and detailed. Family secrets, tragedy and the importance of love and loyalty as a family is relevant.
🍋
Thank you Netgalley, G.P Putnam & sons and author Lisa Scottoline for the advanced copy. I purchased a copy as well. Out now as of March 28, 2023.