It is just a coincidence that I decided to read this book that is set during WW2 in the region of Tuscany, when we should all have been celebrating 75 years since VE Day. I say should have as our nation is currently enveloped in the dreadful Coved 19 pandemic, which is also bringing heartache, fear and death to us all, much the same as I imagine those who lived through WW” experienced.

As I have come to expect with Dinah’s books the captivating atmosphere shines through as the region of Tuscany is vividly narrated.

Sophia and her husband Lorenzo are Italian gentry but this doesn’t exclude them from the horrors of war so just like everyone else they play their part in not only surviving but also caring and bearing the loss and grief of others.

I thought the women characters in this story to be bold and brave and at times ruthless as they protect their families, friends and country by assisting the Allies and the Partisans against the destructive murderous Germans.

There are tense moments in this story with harrowing scenes of death and destruction but they are also combined with relationships and love. The clear message I found throughout is hope, hope that they would all come out the other side with loved ones still there to cherish. How ironic that as I write this review it is what I am hoping for!

As ever I love books by this author, a beautiful sweeping tale that kept me hooked until the very end. 10/10

An amazingly researched book with incredible detail of the terrible ordeal which the Italian people went through during the occupation by the Nazis.

Sofia the Contessa lives in her peaceful Tuscan villa while her beloved husband Lorenzo travels away from home with his work. She did her best to help the local partisans when they wanted to store their radio and transmitting equipment in the castle tunnels to help the Allies.

Maxine, is an Italian American whose parents were from a small Italian village and emigrated to America many years before after a terrible tragedy befell them. She works for the Resistance.

These women were brought together during this time of uncertainty and fear and developed a strong bond.

I did find some parts a bit heavy going hence the 4* rating but otherwise a brilliant heartbreaking story of real life at that time with such strong brave characters.

I am grateful to netgalley for my copy in return for a review and hope this is satisfactory.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley to review. Thank you for the opportunity.

I really enjoyed this book. It was fast paced and full of action as you would expect a WWII novel to be but had the beneficial aspect of being focused on women, their bravery and roles during this time. There was a range of different women described in this novel from a variety of backgrounds so the book gave a more widespread view of the time, rather than being limited to one social class for example. One of the themes in the book is community and throughout the book, one sees this theme underlying the main events with both positive and negatives aspects demonstrated through the depiction of the various characters.
The book was set in Italy during 1944 when the tide was starting to turn but there was still a long way to go. I had not previously read a book set in this time period in this place and I enjoyed learning more about this time. The author cleverly used sudden shocking events, set against a background of constant tension with good pace to really show the atmosphere of the time. I found myself shocked at sudden revelations and information coming to light. I could tell that the author had researched her time period thoroughly as there was a suitable amount of details throughout the book to really highlight the time period.
The authors writing is crisp and good with her descriptions, particularly of the Italian countryside being extremely evocative and one of my favourite aspects of the book.
I would recommend this book to other people looking for a good, page turner of a novel.

The Tuscan Contessa is a wonderful read,I love all of Dinah Jeffries books she always writes with such knowledge and descriptions that make we the reader feel actually there.This book is set in Tuscany during the last years of WWII and tells the story of how it was for the Italians when the Germans invaded.A very powerful story,unbearably sad but also heartwarming and thrilling .A very enjoyable read I can't wait to read Dinah Jefferies next book .Many thanks to the Publisher the Author and NetGalley for my copy in return for an honest review .

This was a well written and well researched book as is always the case with Dinah Jefferies. The descriptive scenes really painted pictures that were easily visualised. Sofia de’Corsi is the main character and she often reminisced about what life was like before the war when food was plentiful and people were happy. Another woman who plays a major part is an American called Maxine. She has an Italian background and is now working undercover for the Allies. Maxine enjoyed the excitement of dangerous situations. Sofia’s husband, Lorenzo is often away, but they have a loving relationship. We gradually get to know more about there lives as Sofia looked back at her life. There were some very tense scenes and the fear was palpable and I often felt like I was on the edge of my seat, wondering what was going to happen next. There were moments of relief and some that had me in tears. I received a copy and have voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Dinah Jefferies is one of my ‘go to’ authors. I always know I’m going to be transported to another time and experience life alongside her characters.

In this story, I felt there was even more depth to her characters and they all evoked strong emotions in me for different reasons. Dinah Jefferies doesn’t hold back or shield us from the brutality during this time in history and the events made me feel raw and exposed (which is a good thing). I felt as if I was living on a knife edge throughout.

Not knowing who you can trust makes friendships really difficult. Out of necessity, there are times when Sofia and Maxine need to rely on each other, and it’s this gradual dependence and reliability that forges a bond. They are both women who have an underlying strength which we see in action as much when they are apart as when they are together.

The themes of loss, acceptance and healing that this author writes about so well are very much evident in The Tuscan Contessa. Amidst the harshness and depravity there are glimmers of hope. I cried for the loss and I cried for the hope.

In my opinion, this is Dinah Jefferies best story yet.

After Maxine had arrived from the US, she was recruited in London, trained for a few short weeks then airlifted to Tuscany to engage with the resistance, passing on information via a radio operator back to London. Her job was a dangerous one, but so was everyone’s in that time in the 1940s when the Germans were flexing their muscles and their cruelty. When Maxine arrived at the home of Contessa Sofia de’Corsi and her husband Lorenzo, she found a house of mainly women. Seventeen-year-old Aldo, Carla’s son, was the only male while Lorenzo was absent, and that was often. When a wounded airman arrived on their doorstep, Sofia tended to him until they could remove him to the care of the nuns. The risks were great, but worth it.

Over time, the partisans won some skirmishes and lost some; men were lost with reprisals by the Germans swift. Maxine continued with her work, meeting many loyal men, Marco being one of them. The games they all played at outwitting the Germans sometimes cut close to the bone – would this war ever end? And with all the losses they had endured, would their loved ones survive?

The Tuscan Contessa by Dinah Jefferies was a heartbreaking story of a certain period in WWII when the Germans advanced on Tuscany, while decimating Paris and Florence, all places where Sofia and other characters had loved ones. Well written, beautifully described, this author has the ability to paint verbal pictures that are easy to visualize. Hope, love, determination and loyalty fill The Tuscan Contessa and I have no hesitation in recommending it highly to fans of the genre.

With thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House UK for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.

I've always enjoyed Dinah Jefferies' books. I love how she can conjure up the sights, sounds and smells of a place and you can imagine yourself there which all adds to the good storytelling. I always look forward to her next book.

I'm afraid I was just a bit disappointed with The Tuscan Contessa. It might be that stories of World War II heroism and sacrifice are just not my thing. There is nothing wrong with the writing but I simply found it hard to empathise with some of the main characters and didn't really care what might happen to them. Now that could be me rather than the writing. (Despite being retired, with no pressing worries about income, no childcare obligations, and all the time in the world to read, during the lockdown due to coronavirus, I've had difficulty concentrating and am easily distracted! It takes me at least twice as long to finish a book).

The Tuscan Contessa is set in wartime Italy. There's danger, romance, tragedy, loss, betrayal -
all the elements of a good read - and yet for me, something was missing. I think I missed the more exotic locations of the earlier novels.

I almost gave up halfway through but I carried on and finished the book simply because I enjoyed Dinah's previous books. I'm afraid this time there was no reading into the wee small hours to find out what happens next. Sorry.

The Tuscan Contessa is set in Tuscany, Italy during World War II, from 1943 to 1945 and tells the story of the brave men and women who fought against fascism. The story revolves around two women Sofia the Countess who is married to Lorenzo and Maxine an American Italian who is working for the resistance. The two women form an uneasy friendship but as there work for the resistance increases they become true life long friends.
Life in the Tuscan village changes from a peaceful existence to one fraught with danger, fear and death.

A well written and researched story that evokes a time in Italy’s history that should not be forgotten.

A really well written and interesting book that kept me hooked and rooting for the characters.
The book is well researched and it describes very well the historical situation of the time.
The characters are well drawn and interesting, I loved them and loved how they are developed.
It was an excellent read that I strongly recommend.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this arc, all opinions are mine.

This book was such a disappointment, I don’t know where to start. I’m a huge Dinah Jeffries fan and have thoroughly enjoyed all her novels set in the Far East. She has a wonderful gift for transporting you to a time and place and bringing everything to life with detail and colour. Her characters are authentic and likeable and her storytelling wonderful. I’m sad to say that, for me, The Tuscan Contessa failed on almost all counts.

I have great respect for the meticulous research that Jeffries undertakes to bring authenticity to her stories. In this case, though, I felt that the research ended up inhibiting the storytelling. In other words, the narrative was driven by the historical events, rather than those events serving as a setting for the story. As a result, the narrative seemed forced and stilted, with neither focus nor momentum.

I also found it hard to warm to any of the characters. Maxine, the American/Italian spy was particularly unconvincing. If Jeffries was trying to portray her as a kind of Mata Hari, then she didn’t pull it off.

I think it inevitable that The Tuscan Contessa will be compared with Kristin Hannah’s The Nightingale, and not favorably, I’m afraid. And I hope that future novels by Jeffries will return to the Far East, where she is undoubtedly the queen of storytellers.

My thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

I was given a copy of The Tuscan Contessa by Dinah Jefferies by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I Have read several of Dinah Jefferies books so was looking forward to this book. Set dur8ng World War 2 it tells the story of Sofia the Contessa and Maxine. Sofia is keeping a secret from her husband, helping those in need. Maxine arrives from America to help the resistance.
Another good story from a great author.

At the heart of this book are the fates of Sofia, the contessa and Maxine the Italian American who has come to Italy to help the partisans. We see these women as they do many daring, dangerous things to support the cause. There are many sad moments along the way.

I've loved all of the books by Dinah Jefferies and this is no exception. Utterly moving and gripping. Absolutely loved it.

Life has changed drastically for Contessa Sofia de Corsi when German soldiers take over her beloved Tuscan home. She and her husband are both secretly helping the allies, unbeknownst to each other. Sofia begins an alliance with American Maxine, also working for the Resistance. Together, the two women try to navigate a world of espionage that could easily end in their deaths. I love Jefferies, and this story that looks at the lives of those who were trapped on the wrong side of history, caused by nothing other than the place they were born

Thanks to NetGalley, Penguin Books UK and Dinah Jefferies for my copy of The Tuscan Contessa.

In 1940s Tuscany, Contessa Sofia de' Corsi's lives in a beautiful medieval villa with her husband Lorenzo near the village of Castello and she’s dreading the arrival of the retreating German army. For years Italy has been in turmoil, currently the fascists support the German’s and the Italian resistance or partisans support the approaching Allies. Lorenzo leaves home to work secretly for the Allies in Rome, Sofia is left to run the estate with the help of her loyal cook Carla and she’s fights back as best as she can against the German oppression.
After Lorenzo leaves for Rome, Sofia meets Maxine and she’s a spy for the Allies. Maxine grew up in New York, her parents came from a little village called Caprioni in Italy and she can speak fluent Italian and unlike a man she can move more freely around the country and not look as suspicions. Her job is to gather as much information as she can; she passes it on to the resistance and the British army. The Allies are getting close to liberating all of Italy but due to the weather its slow going, Sofia is praying they arrive very soon because the Germans are ruthless, they kill anyone who helps the resistance and everyone is starving.
I enjoyed reading The Tuscan Contessa; it’s a book about sacrifice, espionage, intrigue, duty, loyalty and love. Both Sofia and Maxine are very strong determined women, they proved to be too much for the Germans to handle and I gave the book four stars.

I have been a fan of Dinah Jefferies since she published her first book, ‘The Separation’ in 2013. Her books, set in Asia, are spiked with the realism of someone who really knows the places she’s writing about. Coupled with her meticulous research, and the characters she draws for her readers, Jefferies’s books are a pure delight. Part of the reason that she knows Asia so well is that she lived there as a child; enabling her to get under the skin of the countries she writes about. This latest book, The Tuscan Contessa, is set in Italy during the second world war, and it didn’t pull me in as much.

The titular Contessa - Sofia de' Corsi – has the peace of her home in Tuscany rent asunder by the arrival of Nazis. Desperate to fight back against the invaders, she provides shelter, medical aid and whatever other help she can. She keeps her activities secret from her husband, Lorenzo – who is, himself, passing information to the Allies. When Maxine, an Italian-American working for the resistance, arrives on Sofia's doorstep, the pair forge an uneasy alliance. Practical, no-nonsense Maxine promised herself never to fall in love. But when she meets a young partisan named Marco, she realizes it's a promise she can't keep. Before long, the two women find themselves entangled in a dangerous game with the Nazis, which sees Sofia forge an unlikely almost-friendship with one of their officers.

While clearly well-researched, I didn’t feel that ‘The Tuscan Contessa’ conjured up the environment as well as her other books. Nor did I feel much sympathy for any of the main characters. That said, it might just be that I was expecting this book to be as good as all the ones that preceded it, and that has clouded my judgement. In fairness, this is a good novel – just not up to Dinah Jefferies’s usual standards.

Another great book from Dinah Jefferies and for me probably the best. The stage is set of WW2 and the scene is Italy. We follow the lives of 2 women their journey leading up to the Allied Victory and arrival of the British in Italy. Great historical factual scenes and great Italian story telling in this fiction book. Thanks Dinah, Penguin and NetGalley.

Dinah Jefferies never disappoints and this book is no exception.
A well researched historical novel based on actual events surrounding Tuscany during the Second World War were brave women and men fought not only against Germany but Facist soldiers as well.
A turbulent time when one never knew who they could trust.
This is a story of love and bravery on levels one could never imagine intertwined with hope and heat ache..
In these troubled times it is one of those books that can inspire and generate hope
Can’t recommend it enough

I enjoyed this book. It took me a few chapters to get into the story but then I couldn’t put it down. I love a historical novel, and this is a really intriguing story. I didn’t know much about Italy during the Second World War but there is a handy little guide at the start so you know where the novel fits into what was happening at that time. I particularly enjoyed the part set in Florence as I visited a long time ago. I loved reading this so much that it makes me long to go back to Italy one day.