At first this seems an enjoyable romp through Siena in the 1950’s. With chapters organized by the Contrade, and set in a city so many of us know well and love, this begins as just a plain fun read. I had just finished a weighty biography of Eisenhower, so I was already immersed in the communist-fearing, sexually conservative mindset of the time, and found Michael and Scottie very believable.

But as we continue to read, the story becomes darker, and less of a romp. As Scottie says about her fellow Americans, "…they see only the happy, beautiful Italy they want to see, and that the Italians want them to see. The party. They don’t see the scars. The ongoing struggles. Why would they? They don’t see them at home, either.”

The Americani learn to love each other, and more nuanced view of both America and Italy.

… and I’m ridiculously jealous of Scottie’s window onto the Palio.

Michael and Scottie are young, attractive but naive newly weds who married after a whirlwind romance in 1956 and have moved to Siena in Italy where Michael is to sell tractors for Ford. Both carried secrets into the marriage and know very little about each other and it was delightful to watch their relationship unfold as they gradually discover who they are. Michael is also leading a double life trying to influence the local elections to prevent the spread of communism, although he really has very little idea of how to do this. Scottie finds herself left alone to organise their apartment, trying to communicate with workman who don't speak English and puzzling about what to do with their brand new American appliances that won't work in Italy. Scottie and Michael both get to know and befriend a friendly young boy called Robertino, Michael through his work and Scottie through hiring him to teach her Italian so when he goes missing Scottie makes it her personal mission to try and find him.

It was fascinating to see Siena depicted as it was in the 1950s, recovering from the war but still insular and following old traditions. Although Michael tries to promote the American way of living, Scottie very quickly falls in love with Siena, its inhabitants and especially its food. Although very naive, Scottie is very open to new ideas and soon embraces the Italian way of living in the moment. Her openness and easy way with people allows her to find out information that eludes Michael.

I liked the construction of the book with the famous, ancient horse race, the Palio at the centre and climax of the novel and each of the chapters named after one of the contrade or districts of Siena that are represented in the race. Although the novel is a lot of fun, watching an inept American couple bumble into a very traditional Italian society, it is also a commentary on the complex politics of the time and America's role in trying to prevent the rise of communism in Europe after WWII, but all told with a light touch.

American newlyweds, Scottie and Michael Messina arrive in Tuscany in 1956. Michael has come to sell Ford tractors to the Italians. On the surface they appear to be an attractive young couple. However, appearances are often deceiving and no one is who they seem to be.

This story has everything going for it. The characters are fascinating and well defined. Some are mysterious, some are intriguing and all are interesting. New relationships develop while existing ones change. Surprises are interjected into the well plotted story line when least expected and that is, perhaps, the power of the story.


I found this book to be engrossing and beautifully written. Highly recommended.

I received a complimentary copy of this book and the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

The Italian Party is a fun, enjoyable read. It's a madcap farce on American's spying in Italy during the 1950's when the focus was on keeping Communism in check around the world.. There is romance, spycraft, unusual marriages with secrets kept by both husbands and wives, the Italian countryside, the Palio horse race, and more. It's light and funny but don't look for depth.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2311686401?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1

Charming story about American newlyweds in 1956 who are sent to Italy. Michael and Scottie know almost nothing about each other and both feel that they have trapped the other into a marriage of convenience. The secrets keep coming and coming and the charm of Italy is apparent. I wasn't sure how they were going to get themselves out of their predicaments!
Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC in return for my review.

"I don't want to go save the world... I want to go home. What have I done?"

3.5 Stars for The Italian Party in Siena, Italy!

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Wow! I did not think The Italian Party was going to pack in all that drama!!!! Its like an episode of Big Little Lies, but based in the post WW II era in the 1950's. The book kept me captivated and entwined in these characters of how this plot was going to play out until the final page!

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I found the writing to be a bit choppy where you have to bridge the gap. I might be a bit used to more writing style that outlines everything for me, but it didn't take away from the story. I enjoyed the story I just didn't prefer the outlining and format of the ebook version that I read. The book switched POVs so that was a bit confusing in the beginning as you are learning the parts of the story.

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If you are interested in a romantic, gossip fueled, drama induced story pick this book up! It has a lot more pieces to this puzzling story that you don't even suspect!

Part historical fiction, part spy story, part romance, The Italian Party is a surprisingly pleasant read. Filled with humor and a glimpse into what Italy was like in the post-WWII era when communism was overtaking eastern Europe. A CIA agent has been dispatched to ensure that a non-communist is elected to office in the small town of Sienna. As expected, there are several twists & turns as the political storyline unfolds, but the real joy is in the relationship between Scottie & Michael and all the local characters in Sienna. Fun, engaging, and educational since this is an era rarely examined in historical fiction.

This book was provided by Netgalley for an honest review.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Michael and Scottie are newlyweds in 1956. They land in Siena, Italy to start a life together. Michael is opening a tractor dealership for Ford and Scottie is a housewife. I love all the characters in this book and the Italian countryside. At first I was skeptical, because it does have political intrigue in it and thats not really my thing, but it's satirical throughout most of the book. It's a quick read and delightful. I give it 3.5.

Nothing is as it appears in THE ITALIAN PARTY, as a pair of newlyweds arrive in Italy, ostensibly for the husband to open a new Ford sales office. The couple met and married quickly, each for their own secretive reasons that they have withheld from their partner. Over the course of this book, these secrets will by turns cause them grief, worry and perhaps, a chance of happiness. The book takes place in the mid-1950s and the Cold War is in full force. A missing teenager sets a series of events in motion that swirl through the newlyweds’ lives and local politics against the backdrop of the rise of the Soviet Union. This is a warm and engaging book that is a delight to read. I received my copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

I was disappointed a bit. Going into the first few pages I thought this book was going to be humorous. It quickly became serious. I didn't like that these young newlyweds that were particularly strangers, started their lives together with secrets from each other. However, it redeemed itself and became a cute, quick pace and enjoyable read. Both trying to please the other and make the best partner. I enjoyed the atmospheric details. I could picture myself in Italy. The only thing I wasn't enjoying was the political portions.

A great big Thank You to Netgalley, St. Martin's Press and the Author for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Italian Party is the vacation you’ve needed for months but haven’t been able to take. Amidst an intimate feeling of Old Hollywood glamour and the lush landscapes of Tuscany, The Italian Party weaves a tapestry of intrigue, adventure, and romance.

Scottie believes that making their new Italian apartment the perfect home and facing each day with a perfectly pressed ensemble (matched with the just the right shade of lipstick) will lead to marital bliss. Michael also struggles to do his duty as the proverbial man of the house, to be strong, supportive, and to make his wife happy. They are both donning a mask of what is supposed to be for the benefit of the other.

But it’s not just the lack of understanding and the strained sense of unfamiliarity that strains this couple, it’s a tangled web of much larger lies. Lies that threaten to pull Scottie and Michael to their depths.

First, we learn Michael’s true reason for relocating to this ancient city in Northern Italy. One that involves government secrets, political motivations, and daring escapades into the local culture. Even Scottie is not the innocent young American woman she portrays…

What does it mean to truly love? Can you love something if you don’t know all of it? Not just the picture-perfect version, but the version that is honest and true? The version that is both good and bad and all that rests between?

Lynch beautifully composes this question through not only the discovery of her glamorous characters, but through the country where they newly reside. Is Italy just the postcard picture painted by the silver screen in romanticized films like Roman Holiday? Or does it too have a harsher reality, a more honest version of itself hiding around the corner from perfectly kept promenades or behind the locals’ small smiles?

The thread of self-discovery, one of confronting expectations with reality, is so beautifully developed from start to finish in The Italian Party and is composed of multiple layers, each one a joy to uncover with atmospheric writing and characters that become more real with each page.

WHAT WOULD YOU CHANGE?
Nothing. It’s a book you won’t be able to stop reading, yet one you won’t want to end.

THE BOTTOM LINE
If you cannot get to Italy by car, or train, or aeroplane, then why not by book? Grab yourself a scarf and your largest pair of sunglasses in true Hepburn style, find your way to a sunny spot, and book your passage. The Italian Party is perfect for a summer read by the pool, captivating and unputdownable.

VERDICT: BUY IT

This book was different from what I normally read but was still enjoyable. This book is about Michael and Scottie, two Americans who move to Italy about 11 years after WWII ended. They both arrive with a lot of secrets. You follow these two as they make lives in Italy and battle through their secrets. It was interesting to see what the 50s were like in Italy. Though both have lots of secrets from each other and from other people they are still interesting people to follow in this book and see how they get through everything.


*Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read this for my honest opinion*

The Italian Party is a blast from the past. Travel back to 1950’s Italy where the Tuscans are still rebuilding after WWII, and the Americans, British and Soviets are each making a play for world domination as the Cold War heats up.

While Christina Lynch’s book provides readers with a lot of interesting Cold War insight, The Italian Party is a fictional tale. It features newlyweds Michael and Scottie Messina, who rushed to the altar without knowing much about each other. Additionally, each has a few deep, dark secrets that have motivated them to marry. Through their trials and tribulations, the foundation of their marriage is shaken. I loved these two characters, and I wholly enjoyed reading of their escapades. Spirited, friendly Scottie easily wins over the townsfolk while her more serious husband works tirelessly to “sell Ford tractors to the local farmers”.

Ms. Lynch’s book is provocative and fun. It blends the glamour of James Bond spy games and rural tourism.   The story tension mounts when Scottie’s Italian teacher goes missing and it is apparent that neither Scottie nor Michael should completely trust anyone. I was on the edge of my seat waiting for the “jig is up” scene. All the while, Ms. Lynch paints a beautiful picture of the Tuscan landscape, its people and cuisine. The avant-garde view of love and relationships is a bit ahead of its time. The politics, both local and worldwide, were icing on the cake, so to speak.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from St. Martin’s Press via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. For more reading recommendations, visit Book Junkie Reviews at https://abookjunkiereviews.wordpress.com

Scottie and Michael are newlyweds and have moved to Italy. Michael is starting a tractor business. And Scottie is just learning to survive in a strange country and with a strange husband. These two both have huge secrets they are keeping from each other. And when Scottie’s tutor goes missing..the story really takes off.

Scottie and Michael’s relationship starts out pretty odd. They each have secrets and the way they interact with each other to keep these secrets hidden is interesting. As a matter of fact…it’s down right funny the lengths they go to not to let the cat out of the bag.

But, there is something missing in this read. I was not a huge fan of Michael. I thought he was a little bit of a wuss. I wanted him to react differently in many situations. And believe me….when you find out ALL of Michael’s secrets…there are many situations.

I could just picture the lovely scenery in Italy. What a unique place to set a “sort of” spy novel. Yes this book has a little of everything…love, spies communist, and even a cute little dog!

I received this novel from the publisher to a honest review

Scottie is beautiful, broke and keeps a big secret about herself from her new husband. Michael is handsome, thought she had money and has a couple of very big secrets of his own that he keeps from his new wife. This would make a great movie as the truth slowly is revealed. Each believed the other was someone else. The reader becomes privy to the secrets early in the novel before these things are revealed to Scottie and Michael. How can this relationship survive? They are young and beautiful and have just moved to Italy and I suppose anything is possible in this place. My favorite thing about this book was Italy, a fabulous backdrop for this young couple - the food , the people and just the place. I want to go to Siena! I loved the names and the places and the food and the smattering of the beautiful language throughout.

It’s 1956 and the war is over, but the threat of communism looms over the country and in spite of this and the secrets that Scottie and Michael held, which were difficult things to deal with during those times, the lightness of the story overpowered the heavier, more serious things that were happening, especially towards the end of the novel. I can’t say that it wasn’t an enjoyable read; it was. I was engaged enough to want to know what happens with Scottie and Michael. However, it was not one that moved me enough to rate it more than three stars . I know a good number of people loved this so I may be an outlier, so I recommend those reviews.


I received an advanced copy of this book from St. Martin’s Press through NetGalley.

3 1/2 Stars
A unique and fun read! There were many aspects of this book that I really liked, but others that I didn't. The first scene was quite humorous, and I was hoping for more of that humor throughout, but it quickly turned dramatic. Scottie was perfect, a character that most will fall in love with! The equestrian segments were very well done and quite enjoyable. The story bogged down in places, and the political elements, while historical, were a bit repetitive and slightly boring. Secrets abound and as the story progresses, those secrets are revealed and Scottie and Michael give honesty a try and learn to work together to overcome the obstacles that they have created in their relationship. A fast and entertaining read!

4.5 Fantastico Stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟.5

Grande Successo! this book was an unexpected Gem for me....Siena,Italy 1956....Two Young newly married Americans.... full of secrets and hope....

Scottie and Michael are newly married.... both of them came to the marriage with many secrets and for different reasons.... Michael works for Ford selling tractors to the Italian farmers.... but he has a hidden agenda... he wants to bring the American Capitalistic ways to Italy and fight communism.....scottie is a girl that got herself in trouble and the only way she sees out is by marrying somebody and becoming the perfect wife.... so what happens when two people that hardly know each other move to a country where they don’t know anybody?

Michael and Scottie were very well-developed characters... I felt for both of them... they both really wanted to do the right thing but they both got themselves into some pretty tough situations..... situations that would not be a big deal today but this is 1956.... I really loved that this book was set during this timeperiod As well.... there are very few books that I have read set in the late 50s, and this is probably the only book I’ve read set in Italy during that time..... for me Italy itself is a character in any book I read that takes place there, it seems like such a colorful culture.... and all that delicious food!



This wasn’t a book filled with twists and turns, but it sure kept me turning the pages.... I was so invested in how Michael and Scottie were going to work this out.... how and when were secrets going to be revealed? How were people going to react? I also was fascinated with the Italian political culture at the time.... I am not a huge historical fiction person, but this was an absolutely compelling read....

Strongly recommend to fans of historical fiction or anybody who loves a good story....

*** thank you to the publisher and Net Galley for a copy of this book ***

The Italian Party by Christina Lynch was a fun, flirty, surprising, full of secrets, and charming spy novel. An interesting historical fiction taking place in the 1950's in Italy. As America was alarmed by a potential communist invasion around the world, it meddled with world politics and its elections, sending spies. This story of unexpected people in unusual circumstances was a great read. Thank you NetGalley, the publisher and author for this early edition copy for my honest review.