Livia is a University Student in Florence and with the Germans invading Italy she joins the resistance movement. Isabella is a movie star who will do anything for the man she loves, even if that means befriending the Nazi elite. I enjoyed this book on the whole but I found Isabella to be very annoying she is so insecure and I found it grating. Her storyline did enable us to have insight into the Nazi high command in Italy during this time. The Italian resistance is not a perspective I have read before and so I enjoyed this unique aspect.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for my copy of this book to review.

Five wonderful stars for this excellent novel. Once again Debbie Rix has weaved an emotional and heartfelt story using true characters from history to produce an enthralling insight into life in World War 2 Italy. The story builds from page one to give us insight into the lives of the folk of Florence and Rome including the Resistance. There are heartbreaking moments and uplifting stories of true courage. Fantastic book.

Livia and Isabella are two characters I won’t forget soon. This is a story set in Italy, one of my favorite countries, dating from WW2 to present. Follow along with Livia as she revisits the past and how things came to be. Find your yourself enjoying her journey, both good and bad. Emotional but well worth the read.

I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by NetGalley.

The Italian Girls by Debbie Rix is a historical fiction novel that focuses upon Italy in the second world war. I have read a few stories based in Italy over the past few weeks. As I have stated in previous reviews Italy is not a country that I took notice of from the War, but I do wonder why? It wasn't just Hilter there was Mussolini side by side with him. He wasn't exactly a nice person either.
This story tell us of two women, Livia and Isabella. Livia is a student and Isabella is a famius actress. The both choose to fight Nazism and the oppression it causes when their lives are turned on their heads by the second world war. This is the first time I have read anything by Debbie Rix and I found that this book really rang true, maybe due to the fact Debbie has used true stories upon which her novel is based.
The two women are almost like chalk and cheese, but I liked them both for their different qualities throughout the story. Their connection is through one man, Vicenzo and as the story unfolds things begin to change.
I was struck by both womens bravery and determination in attempting to diminish the Fascist hold of Mussolini and the German occupation. They walk a fine line and I found I was on the edge of my seat at times.
This fine line the resistance and every person who helped during this time, did mean that sometimes the long term goal created more hardship in ths short term. A time when people did as they needed when faced with the worst atrocities they could imagine.
Another reflective book that had me considering many cause and effects of that time in history.Again I travelled to Italy to be with Livia and Isabella in my imagination and spent a fair few hours in Italy, surrounded by Nazis amd Fascists of the time.
thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for the copy of the book for my review today.

Isabella Belucci is a famous actress and Livia Moretti is a student. Both of their lives are turned upside down by the Second World War and they face danger and even death. Both women choose to fight the oppression of Nazism as well as expectations based on age, gender, class and career.
The Italian Girls is a powerful book. Once again, Debbie Rix has used real stories as the basis for her novel which gives it an authenticity and human spark that is often missing from historical novels. I felt that the use of historical characters added to the gravitas of the plot and I enjoyed researching these people to find out more about their real lives.
The plot is gripping as Livia and Isabella become embroiled in secret work to undermine Fascism and German occupation. This is fraught with danger for both women and made me feel very tense with anticipation and dread.
The two main characters are so different from each other and, although I initially warmed to Livia, by the end I felt equally involved with both leads. The women have a connection with the same man Vicenzo and the relationships change over the course of the book.
Through the eyes of Livia and Isabella, we see the best and worst of humanity. Brutality and murder are pitted against bravery and sacrifice. Perspective is also important as terrible acts are planned and carried out in the name of fighting oppression, yet these often lead to more suffering in the short term.
The Italian Girls is a thoughtful and thought-provoking book and I found myself immersed in 1940s Italy as the descriptions were so vivid and realistic.

Historical fiction is my favourite genre. Especially WW2. This book is a heart wrenching tale of two women, completely poles apart, yet intertwined by fates play. The story follows the German invasion and how the women fight for what they value the most. Incredibly well written, thoroughly enjoyed reading it.

The Italian Girls by Debbie Rix ,wow what a historical story this turned out to be! I love reading historical books,stories,and this was a really fantastic one. Two women, one same story, one man who ruined so many lives and never was punished! Old now, these monsters names comes back, the war comes back,WWII and the Nazis,the Resistance,the Fascist and all the destruction they did to their world. Follow the past,learn their story of what happened to their lives that stayed with them forever. True to life it's based on two women's lives. Exciting adventures and cruelty that only a war can bring.This story takes place in Italy under the control of two evil men. Starting in the present and looking to the past you will not be able to put the book down or even want to!! Received from Net Gallery!

I read this ARC for an honest review
All thoughts and opinions are mine

Loved this
Great storytelling

Wonderful

It’s funny how my book choices/tours seem to go in waves. For a while, the historical fiction novels I was reading were mostly about the French resistance. Then there were a few about Jewish people being hidden in different countries. Even a few about England.

But this is the third or fourth book in the past few weeks that has focused on Italy. I find it fascinating, because WWII is often remembered as Hitler’s War, but Mussolini was right in there with him,..at least for a while.

My love for learning through historical fiction is nothing new to anyone who has read past reviews. This time, I got the fascinating perspective of Italian cinema. It’s one of those little things that one never thinks about (who can think about movies while there’s a war going on?) but continue they did…at least for a while.

I thought that the author did a fantastic job of paralleling the stories of Livia and Isabella. Although their lives were completely opposite of each other (university student and actress), they had much in common. I also liked how their stories touched each other, but never fully intertwined.

Each of the women were brave, although one was more forthright and took action. The other was a reluctant hero who stayed naïve for far too long. By the time the latter person “woke up” she had even more difficult choices to make, which led to a complicated end-of-the-war time for her.

If anything, the author clearly wanted to get the point across that in a time of struggle, it is important to choose your side wisely; otherwise, it might be chosen for you and you’ll have to take whatever happens as a result.

What I thought was most interesting about this book was the period in which it takes place. Many people don’t realize that the Italians (in a strange way) were more protected under Mussolini – at least, several of them had become comfortable with the fascist government.

Once he was removed, however, there was a vacuum of leadership that allowed for the Germans to invade and take over. The author did a great job illustrating the depravity of the Germans, their defiance of societal norms, and the desperation they exhibited when they knew they were failing.

It was also a stark reminder of just how far the German occupation expanded before it was beat back by what seems like sheer will…at least in part. When I read books like this, I am reminded of how easy it was for them to grab their footholds, and how it can never be allowed to happen again.

This story of fortitude, bravery, and the compelling urge to do the right thing should be on the top of your reading list.

Isabella and Livia’s lives are inextricably linked.

I thoroughly enjoyed The Italian Girls because it is a sweeping, historical tale with credible, vibrant characters written by Debbie Rix with panache and authenticity.

I confess that I’m rather more hazy about Italy’s role in WW2 than I should be and what I so enjoyed about The Italian Girls was the level of historical detail and accuracy that truly brought the narrative to life. Here is a story that gives the reader a real insight into the lives of ordinary people like Livia and her family as well as the more glamorous aspects pertaining to Isabella, as Debbie Rix skilfully illustrates how everyone was affected by events and had a role to play. I found Isabella more difficult to empathise with and yet it was she who had my greatest sympathy in the closing pages of the novel. I found myself so drawn in to her story that my views and feelings were altered by my reading.

I think what is so powerful about The Italian Girls is that whilst there are Counts and officers, lawyers and doctors, housewives and students, each character, no matter how fleeting or important, feels like someone who could have existed. Several times I found myself wondering how I might have behaved had I found myself in their circumstances. This extra layer of interest was fascinating. I love a book that makes me question my own values and potential in the way The Italian Girls does.

I thoroughly appreciated the quality of the writing too. Whilst I’m not usually a fan of dual narratives, I thought the balance between Livia and Isabella, Florence and Rome was extremely well achieved so that the book flowed perfectly. The poetic nature of some of the descriptions and Debbie Rix’s ability to suggest some of the more cruel elements rather than giving all the gory details thoroughly appealed to my reader taste and I found the plot both captivating and exciting. There’s an intriguing sense of menace as well as hope as both Livia and Isabella strive to come to terms with the changes in their lives that I found captivating.

I found the themes really engaging. Obviously war is at the forefront, driving the narrative, but its the exploration of loyalty and betrayal, trust and fear, love and passion, friends and family that makes The Italian Girls such a brilliant book. I was filled with admiration for Livia and her father particularly.

I haven’t read Debbie Rix before and I rather think I have been missing out if The Italian Girls is indicative of her atmospheric and engaging writing. I really, really enjoyed this book and recommend it most highly.

*** I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review ***

This is a very poignant novel about the interlacing of two Italian women's lives during WWII. I found this book slow to start, but it did get very engaging after the initial hump. I was hooked on the stories of these two women (Livia and Isabella) and their experiences with the Nazi and Fascist governments as they took over Rome and Florence. The Italian Girls tells the story of two very different women who are connected by a mutual friend, film director Vincenzo, who unintentionally ignites a set of events that impacts both women's lives forever. This is a story of torture, bravery, perseverance, love, friendship, and survival. This is the first novel by Debbie Rix that I have read and I enjoy her writing style, her description effortlessly place you in the scene. I think this story will stick with me for a while and I would like to read more novels by Debbie Rix in the future. I definitely recommend this book to anyone who loves the historical fiction genre and WWII stories.

My first piece of advice to anyone wanting to read this is; make sure your mind is free from distractions beforehand as the storyline requires your attention.

My second piece of advice is not to rush the book. There is a lot of to-ing and fro-ing between times and characters, and time is needed to appreciate those parts for what they are.

'The Italian Girls' is a WW2 novel set in Italy. I have read several historical fiction novels that have had Italy as their settings, so i was a little bit concerned about whether they would be similarities between the stories aside from the obvious influences of the war. Thankfully, Debbie Rix has a unique voice within her stories and that is what gave this particular book its own stance.

Livia was such an interesting, multi layered character who constantly surprised me. I loved getting to know her personality and finding out about her life. Its safe to say that she was my most favourite character in the novel.

Debbie Rix has written an atmospheric, heart rendering novel that just kept on giving. I love historical fiction and I am delighted to say that 'The Italian Girls' really didn't disappoint

"She kept their secrets. But someone was about to betray her"

I have read so many World War II books recently, each managing to keep me engaged and intrigued to varying degrees, with some imaginative and emotional storylines and excellent characterisations. The Italian Girls lifted just about every element of its storytelling up a notch to that next level, with the additional connection that the events were genuine and the characters were based on real people.

Author Debbie Rix, had obviously undertaken some meticulous research before putting pen to paper, where she then set about the process of fictionalising this important episode of world and social history, in such a sympathetic and empathetic way, that I became completely immersed and engaged, as if I had been transported back in time and had established a personal and tangible connection with the terrible unfolding events and the reluctant cast of heroes.

There was a real sense of theatre as Debbie set the backdrop and timeline for the story, with her characters bringing the scenes and action to life. Invaded, war torn Italy was described vividly and in great detail, whilst still offering that human connection around the physical and emotional needs of the people to maintain some continuity in everyday life, which made for a page turning story. The sense of a people pushed to desperation, a horrifying yet richly crafted atmosphere of fear, tension and impending doom. Keeping true to the facts, there was a gripping depth and range to the visually descriptive narrative and dialogue, as a beleaguered population chose their sides; fascist or communist, partisan or collaborator, hunter or hunted! Friends, neighbours, colleagues and family divided in the direction their aspirations for a better future for their country should take them. The aura of mistrust hanging heavy in the air, the unseen enemy of everyone. Desperately tragic, yet intensely compelling scenes of brutality, not only from the invading forces, but also between rival partisan factions, which evoked scenes of raw passion and pitted  countrymen against one another, were masterfully written with total authority, confidence and emotional perception, which rather than stall the story as they might so easily have done, kept the pace and fluidity of events at just the right level, effortlessly moving the action along towards its profoundly touching and heady climax.

Debbie had obviously studied her characters well and had a clear development plan for them, before committing their complex personalities and behaviours to paper, casting them into the storyline, then allowing them the freedom of narrative and dialogue to morph and transform to full maturity at their own pace, as the unfolding and ever evolving events and relationships dictated. This developed into a tangible division in this diverse character cast. There were those from the Moretti family and their 'grounded' community of friends and associates, whose genuine depth of feelings, deep seated and unshakeable beliefs, and profound integrity, made them so easy to invest in. The Bellucci family and their extended cast of film and media colleagues, liked to believe that the world thought they were doing the right thing, however so much of their rhetoric and so many of their actions, were openly superficial and false, that I found myself disconnected from them for most of the time.

There was a great supporting cast of characters, who were well portrayed and defined, arguably the most important of whom was Livia Moretti's father, Giacomo, a lawyer and steadfast, stalwart supporter of the Resistance. However, the primary focus of the story, were for me personally, the two female protagonists Livia and Isabella. One survived the war and occupation by using her wits, guile and intelligence, the other by means of her beauty, naivety and acting skills. One of them I could connect with, the other barely registered on my scale of importance, only as a nuisance. I guess that their different merits and traits countered one another to some degree, although they were destined to only meet once, and then not under very auspicious circumstances.

Livia is her father's daughter through and through. She is confident in her abilities and self-sufficiency; tenacious when she has a role or task to fulfil; loyal to her friends, family and everyone she is asked to help; honest to the cause of the Resistance, no matter the pain and suffering she is forced to endure at the hands of the enemy; and deeply devoted to the man she loves. Isabella could not be any more different in her approach to surviving the war. She has an occupation she selfishly doesn't want to give up because of the benefits it offers, even if that means sucking up to her Fascist backers; she is clearly very insecure and searching for a sense of belonging, which makes many of her actions appear superficial and half-hearted; she has an unhealthy obsession for her director, Vicenzo Lucchese, even when he has made it perfectly clear to her that his interests lie elsewhere; she is so very driven by her emotions and the need for revenge, that she puts many people in danger with her thoughtless words and actions.

However, not all the enemy are bad and not all friends are good and true, as the girls find out for themselves. To reveal the very satisfying end to this story, would be to give too much away. Let's just say that Debbie Rix has treated this with the same unhurried honesty and compassion she had shown throughout.

An enlightening, gripping story of two Itlaian women of opposing personalities in midst of World War II.
This book is the story of Livia Moretti and Isabella Belluci who find their worlds interwined amidst a war. The choices they make during the war would shape and change their lives drastically in the future. I loved reading about each of their roles to the war. Specifically I was more fascinated by Livia's devotion to the resistance and her work for a greater cause. Isabella, although Naive, really cared for the person she loved and sacrificed everything for him. The tenderness, rawness, love and sacrifices were potrayed amazingly by the Author.
Another great point of the book was how much effort the Writer took to mention the horrible consequences of a War torn country. As II Duce sends maximum under resourced Italian Troops to fight in Russia. It's only a matter of time when , ordinary men are called up to fight in the war. One of such example is Cosimo, Livia's boyfriend.
It shows Italian people's worries about losing their loved ones at war and subsequently suffering the painful death of their loved ones. Italian People not only endured the pain of losing their loved ones but also had to face a terrible famine and poverty. This book talks about the horrible consequences of war- the poverty, famine, loss of dear ones, sacrifices and other terrible miseries.
The realism the Author pointed is highly appreciated
I really loved her writing. I just didn't want this to end. I haven't felt like this after reading a book for a long time. I love this one so much. Truly deserves the 5 stars.

First thing first: I loved this book. I read it as fast as I could as I was fascinated by the mix of fiction and historical facts and characters.
The author is talented storyteller and deliver a tightly knitted and fascinating story told from the POV of Livia and Isabella. History will bring them together even if their background are totally different.
I loved Livia and I loved Isabella. Livia is strong willed and independent, Isabella is a bit more naive but she grew slowly on me.
The other characters are fleshed out and interesting and, in case of historical characters, reflect what the history tells about them.
But there’s something more: I’m Italian born and bred and my father and other relatives were involved in the Resistance. This means I grew up hearing their stories and I studied this historical period as I wanted to know more. This means I know the historical facts quite well.
I was astonished by the historical accuracy as facts, historical characters and descriptions of the historical background are correct. I read other historical books set in Italy during WWII but this is the best one for realism and accuracy.
I loved what I read and I loved this story. I will surely read it again because it talks about a part of history that was important and involved part of my family.
What they lived was different, Italian Resistance differs according to the geography, but they shared some of the ideas of the characters in this book.
It’s a poignant, engrossing and well told story that I strongly recommend.
Many thanks to Bookouture and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

Inspired by a true story this book despite its slow beginning draws you in. I love reading historical fiction and this doesn’t disappoint. It does start off slow but persevere because you are soon turning pages and reading into the night to find out what happens to the lives of the characters.
Set in a Italy in WWII the story alternates through the lives of Livia Moreton a young student who becomes involved with the resistance and Isabella Belluci a beautiful and famous film star. The two women’s lives are intrinsically linked by one man Count Vicenzo Lucchese a member of the aristocracy, a film director and a resistance member.
It is a story of love, betrayal, loyalty and hope.
Highly recommended.
Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for the copy.

The Italian Girls was my second Debbie Rix novel and definitely won’t be my last. I did find the first portion of the book slow and a bit hard to get into but I knew from Rix previous book that I needed to stick to it to get to the goods and it got good!!! Rix has a way of weaving two tales together that make a read so compelling you don’t want to put it down.

Based on real life stories of Italian women during WWII, Livia and Isabella portray the lives of several brave and courageous women that no doubt have shaped the future of their country today.

Livia- While her mother would prefer to keep her sheltered and living in the country Livia remains true to herself and starts university in Florence sharing the family apartment with her father who practices law there, When Livia realizes her dad is part of the PDA resistance group she begs to help out. She is willing to do what it takes to help with the fight and although at first her father is reluctant to involve her in any danger she slowly proves herself and gains more responsibilities with the PdA. The resistance part of the book was definitely the most interesting for me. It was very well researched and contained so many details of their resilience, dedication and creativity to do what needed to be done.


Isabella - A high profile movie star, Isabella Is living a fantasy life. She is naive when it comes to the happening of the world around her and doesn’t believe the things that are heard to be happening during the war. She is head over heels in love with a famous director friend, Vincenzo, who does not seem to reciprocate her feelings. When the Nazi’s arrive, she has to decide if she is going to save herself or risk everything for the man she loves.

Beautifully written and a must read for anyone interested in reading about the Resistance.
Thanks to Bookouture and Net Galley for the advanced copy.

In the last few weeks or so all the historical fiction books that I have read have been set in Italy during World War Two. Some were brilliant and some not so good but Debbie Rix’s new novel The Italian Girls was excellent from start to finish. Without question the research undertaken was impeccable and you could feel the genuine love and interest that Debbie had for her subject matter and themes coming through in the writing. Dare I admit it, but I was becoming slightly weary of reading about Italy during the war and was thinking this book will be quite similar to what I have recently read. Thankfully this wasn’t the case at all and instead of me becoming despondent reading of the same country and era with information I had already read in other books, the author brought a fresh new light to the subject matter combined with lots of secrets, mystery and collaboration. Whether it be for the good or the bad time would only tell the further I delved into the story.

The Italian Girls is based on the real life experiences of Italian women during the war when Italy was under the rule of Mussolini and his Fascist party and then in turn the Germans invaded and welded their power. The character of Livia is an amalgamation of two university students who worked for the resistance in Florence. The character of Isabella is based on the movie star Maria Denis who was caught between the Fascist authorities who ran the film industry in Rome and her devotion to film director and resistance member Luchino Viconti. Having finished the book, I now want to go and research/read more about these women and the work of women in general for the resistance.

Debbie has painted a fascinating picture of two women, worlds apart in terms of backgrounds and social positions yet there are innumerable tangible connections between the pair throughout the book. The two female main characters never ever physically meet. Yes, towards the very end there is a passing by or an intersecting of sorts but they never actually physically meet and sit down and talk to each other about their experiences. So there are two storylines running concurrently with similar themes but they run so well alongside each other offering two very different perspectives of the war in Italy from a woman’s viewpoint.

Normally if there are two characters in a book that you feel are destined to meet, you are just desperately hoping you quickly get to that point where the meeting can occur and you can move forward and then other plots can develop. But I didn’t feel like that at all with this book and I mean that in the very best and most positive ways. It wasn’t a negative at all that Livia and Isabella never connected with each other, I found it incredible that both storylines were so expertly executed. That neither never lost pace or that one was more dominant than the other or that one became dull and boring whilst the other steamed ahead with action. It takes a skilled author to make this happen but Debbie Rix pulled it off to perfection. She takes you on an exhilarating, stressful journey where danger lurks behind every corner and one false move can see you left for dead.

Livia Moretti is in her 90’s and every day she follows the same routine as she finds her way to her local café and takes out her magnifying glass to sit and read the paper. But one day she sees a headline of an obituary for a woman and this sparks many memories. This was the prologue to the story and by the time we reached the end we return to Livia in the present day I had even forgotten the book had started this way as I became so caught up in everything that was happening back in the past but I loved how the beginning and end connected together.

The book is then split into four parts and they really did feel distinct from each other. Livia lives in Florence with her parents and is a university student. Her father is a liberal lawyer who is an anti fascist and always wants to do his best to help anyone in need especially as the authorities are enacting even more laws and ridiculous rules against those who have done nothing at all. War is raging on and Italy is not faring so well. Livia’s fellow university student Cosimo has gone away to fight in Russia and she worries about him. The reader can see from the outset that there is a connection between the pair but what will become of it I wasn’t that sure. Livia is left with her best friend Elena and life continues on as best it can but when Livia hears what her father has been participating in she is determined to help and do her bit for the war and so her work for the resistance begins.

I loved Livia as a character, I thought she was strong, feisty and determined. Time and time again she put herself out there and in danger but she did so willingly and selflessly as she tried to maintain such strength and concentration to do any resistance work that she felt would benefit the overall cause. I thought it was great that she went against her mother and didn’t stay stuck in the countryside outside the city with her. Instead she remained in the city doing work with her father. The details of their underground network were well researched and I thought it was just so fascinating that people could be so creative with so little and that anything they had they gave up in order to help those in need. The resistance as a whole in Italy, and as shown here in Florence and Rome, were brave and worthy people. Livia was never one cut out for the homemaker life she always yearned for challenges, danger and excitement and with everything that unfolded she certainly got that. I definitely preferred Livia as a character as opposed to Isabella. She’s always prepared to give her life for what she believes in. I’ve mentioned up above how both storylines as a whole were excellent with one not better than the other but I didn’t feel that way about the characters.

Isabella is a movie star at the top of her game. She lives at Villa Rosa with her mother, Giovanna who had come from poverty in Argentina. Isabella’s career provides all the income and as the industry is controlled by the Fascist government she finds herself attending parties and gatherings where she must be on her best behaviour and engage with them wherever possible and the Germans too when they make a stronger arrival on the scene. But to be honest I think she enjoyed all this interaction and hobnobbing and attention with and from the elite as she was so accustomed to it. Her associations/relations with the Fascist authorities were a necessary evil but this really meant that she stopped seeing the world through other people’s eyes. It was like she was immune from the suffering that ordinary people were experiencing and also how the Jews were being persecuted. Isabella’s naivety, and in some instances I would say her stupidity, really started to irritate me. How could she continue to live in this gilded film star world that she couldn’t see was crumbling around her and one where she didn’t comprehend the extent of what the Germans were doing? She was like a puppy wanting to do everything right when it came to film director Vincenzo. Her infatuation with him knew no bounds but I thought he was using her and this love would not be reciprocated.

It’s only in the last two parts that I saw any sort of turn around for Isabella as it’s like the wool is pulled from her eyes and finally she wakes up and starts doing her bit. Things don’t always go her way even though all that silliness I thought surrounded her in the beginning had disappeared and she does put herself out there and on the line. She uses her connections well but still there was that one event that she instigated through jealousy that I never agreed with which only led to repercussions for someone else. It never sat right with me. Isabella finds herself trapped in more than ways than one in a powerful struggle and she does start to step outside of her comfort zone yet it is a fine line she is threading. Will it all backfire on her? Can the work that both Livia and Isabella undertake pay off or will it all be futile?

I really enjoyed The Italian Girls and think many readers of historical fiction that have a particular interest in World War Two will do so aswell.The fact it is inspired by true events only adds more depth and flavour to it . This is a gripping and beautiful read and one I am glad I took the time to sit and enjoy it.

I think I’ve rediscovered my love of historical fiction – and as stories go, I think you’ll struggle to find anything much better than this one. War-torn Italy, the Fascist-owned Italian film industry, the struggle of the partisans, the constant threat of the Nazi presence, the bravery of some of the individuals involved – with two wonderfully drawn characters I took to my heart, there wasn’t much chance I wasn’t going to love this one really, was there?

Of the two, Isabella’s perhaps the more difficult to like – living in her “world of make-believe” she’s extraordinarily naive about the realities of war, pursuing her complete infatuation with film director (and partisan) Vicenzo, endangering others as she continues to move in the highest Nazi and fascist circles. I love a book that has you breaking off to explore Google – but I’d already learned a lot from the book about the pre-war Italian film history, the origins of Cinecitta (Mussolini – who knew?) and the telefoni bianchi. The wartime Rome backdrop is quite wonderfully drawn – you can both see it and feel it, and the way the author uses her research to bring it all to life is extraordinary. And although Isabella’s unsympathetic at the start, my feelings certainly turned full circle as her story unfolded.

Livia is considerably more sympathetic from outset – moving to Florence to begin her studies, living with her liberal lawyer father and protective mother (both also excellent characters), slowly becoming more involved in the work of the resistance through Partito d’Azione, showing the most exceptional bravery inspired by her strong sense of right and wrong and her love for her country. But she’s also never less than real – she has her doubts and worries, she feels fear, she sometimes acts impetuously, and I really couldn’t help loving everything about her.

I really, really liked the way the story was constructed. It begins with Livia as an old woman with failing sight visiting her favourite cafe, as she does every day – and the book is rounded off in the same way, with one of those perfect uplifting endings. But in between, we follow both women’s stories – they don’t meet, but their lives do intersect a little. That dual thread is maintained quite perfectly throughout, no discomfort at all with the transitions, both stories equally compelling and emotionally engaging.

There’s a real feeling of historical authenticity through it all – real-life figures combined with the author’s creations based on real people – and I enjoyed every moment. You’re left in no doubt about the acts of cruelty, the constant threat and danger – but the author never uses cardboard villains, every key player is fully rounded and given depth and character. The sense of place and living through a chapter of history is wonderful – both Rome and Florence before and during the Nazi occupation. There’s a nice touch of romance too – for Livia real and believable, while Isabella’s is perhaps just a little more one-sided. The themes are strong too – loyalty, betrayal, friendship, the bonds of family and so much more.

This isn’t a book you simply read, it’s a book you really feel – and I thought it was quite wonderful. I can’t believe it took me so long to try Debbie Rix’s writing once more: I’d recommend this book really highly.

(Review copied to Amazon UK, but link not yet available.)

The two Italian girls who feature so strongly in this WW2 novel couldn't be more different in both lifestyle and personality, and yet in the throes of war these two brave young women will see their lives overlap in a way which neither of them could ever have imagined.

Livia Moretti is a university student in Florence when the disastrous events of Italy's involvement in WW2 start to have dreadful repercussions for those who are trying their best to live a normal sort of existence, but life is incredibly hard, with food shortages and constant bombardment, plus Livia's knowledge that her beloved father is caught up in some clandestine activity makes it extremely dangerous for the whole family. Isabella Bellucci is the darling of the silver screen, a feted young actress, blessed with beauty and adored by her public but her connection with powerful men will lead her into grave danger.

I've really enjoyed stepping back in time with this story, learning about life under a fascist regime and observing, through the lives of these fascinating young women, just what it was like to go about life in constant fear. Beautifully written, with such an authentic historical feel to the novel that I felt as if I was walking alongside both Livia and Isabella, and found both their, very different, stories equally fascinating. The rich, and often decadent, lifestyle of Isabella's movie star contacts is juxtaposed against Livia's worry for her family and friends, particularly as food shortages hit them hard and the war encroaches on everything they once held dear.

Empathic, emotional and filled with wonderful historical detail, The Italian Girls is a beautifully written WW2 novel of danger, bravery, betrayal and eventually, hope against adversity.