Under the Light of the Italian Moon is a gripping historical fiction novel that takes readers on an emotional and triumphant journey through the tumultuous period of Italy's history during the rise of fascism and the horrors of World War II. Jennifer Anton weaves a compelling tale based on true events, capturing the resilience and strength of one woman amidst the chaos and destruction that engulfed her country.

The story is set in Fonzaso, a rural Italian town caught between the two world wars. Anton skillfully paints a vivid picture of the characters' lives against the backdrop of a country in turmoil. As Mussolini's fascists exert control and Hitler's Nazis cast a shadow of terror, each day becomes a struggle for survival and maintaining one's humanity. The author's attention to detail brings the era to life, immersing readers in the sights, sounds, and emotions of the time.

Overall, Under the Light of the Italian Moon is a captivating historical fiction novel that explores the power of love and resilience in the face of unimaginable hardships. Jennifer Anton's masterful storytelling and her ability to evoke a range of emotions make this book a truly compelling read. It is a testament to the strength of the human spirit and a reminder of the indelible impact that historical events can have on individual lives.

Under the Light of the Italian Moon is a fabulous story of family, sacrifice, and life in small-town Italy during WWII. Based on a true story, Jennifer Anton weaves her heritage into an astounding novel! I truly enjoyed Nina’s and Adelaisa’s stories!

I was left with a couple questions as I did not feel the story came full circle. What happened to Elvira? Once she started throwing away Nina’s letters, she was not mentioned, although she was Nina’s sister. Did Nina’s brother make it home from war? Did I miss these conclusions in my reading?

Even left with a couple unanswered questions, I found Jennifer Anton’s debut novel one I could not put down and found myself thinking about the story for many days after I finished reading it. I look forward to much more from this upcoming author!

I love historical fiction but this one was a little tuff to get into and to connect with the characters.
I know you can’t love every book (wish I could) and just because this one wasn’t for me doesn’t mean someone else.
The concept was all there. The story line was okay. But it just didn’t hit the mark for me.

This is a historical fiction novel that spans two World Wars in a small village in Italy. It tells the story of Nina Argenta's family and about the hardships of everyday life, the role of women in that era, and the love of family. It was an enjoyable novel and it was good but it didn't really move me the way I thought it would. I was frustrated with some of the characters and in the end I felt like some strings were left untied. There were a lot of characters to keep track of which was hard and I was struggling to keep track of everyone which made it confusing at times Thanks to author Jennifer Anton, Amsterdam Publishers, and NetGalley for providing a copy of this book for a honest review.

What a sad, but ultimately beautiful story! This is the true story of the authors ancestors and their struggles in Italy. Their strength and determination astonishes me! I loved reading this story!

A fabulous historical fiction which takes place in Italy, one of my favorite places. A fantastic story of survival. I do wish the story had moved a bit more quickly.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to review this book.

I pretty much love any and all historical fiction. This moving story is no exception! If you’re looking for a book about strong women…this is the story for you.

An emotional historical novel set in Italy and America spanning many years over WW2 and beyond. I loved the story based on fact of Nina and Pietro really showing the strength of women in wartime especially in the small Italian villages where they really were of a different generation. Compelling read of love, strength, heartache and bravery

I really enjoyed reading this book, it was a great historical fiction read. The characters were great and I really enjoyed getting to go on this journey with them.

Under the Light of the Italian Moon by Jennifer Anton is an well researched historical fiction book which highlights the struggle of Italians under Mussolini. It spans more than two decades. Nina is the daughter of a well regarded midwife. She has an abiding love and respect for her mother. She makes a promise that will stretch her beyond measure to stay in Italy after many, including her own love (Pietro) and her brother depart for a better life in America.

The sacrifices Nina makes and the descriptions of her life are truly riveting. She has hopes, dreams, and goals that are in opposition to the traditional life of an Italian woman living in the small town of Fonzaso. But, circumstances conspire against her to crush her dreams, The rise of fascism is a heartbreaking and ever present reality for Nina. When she makes the choice to be separated from her true love Pietro you can not help for a happy ending but it is far from guaranteed and their separation becomes an inevitable consequence to her promise to her mother.

Nina and Pietro are forced to make choices to survive and defy the challenges that are consuming them. Their private personas are admirable and we learn more about the secret activities to merely survive are in the forefront. The mission of helping others, defying the preconceived notions, and the struggle to resist destruction at all costs was made real. These characters will become real to you, too.

Despite their many challenges they found ways to defy the societal bounds and face their tormentors with courage. They were not looking for glory, just a chance to do something that was decent and worthwhile. What a legacy they left, you will be better after reading it. Their strength and determination should not be forgotten. Learning more about how they are based on Anton’s own family history just made this story all the more powerful.

I was provided a free advance reader copy from Amsterdam Publishers in exchange for my honest review from Net Galley. The opinions shared in this review are my own.

Under the Light of the Italian Moon is a story about enduring love and the lengths women often have to go to to survive during wartime. Nina Argenta is determined to pursue her own destiny in the small town of Fonzaso, Italy, even if that is contrary to what is expected of her. When her brother emigrates to America, Nina promises her mother that she will stay with her always, but that is challenged when Nina falls in love with her childhood friend Pietro, who lives and works in America. Trying to balance her duty to her family and to her love, Nina and Pietro commit to sustaining their love across oceans and time. But when fascists take over Italy and plunge Nina and her family into the hardships of the second World War, communication between the two lovers is severed, and Nina must call on all her strength to help her and her family survive the devastation to come.
I really enjoyed Under the Light of the Italian Moon. We often hear so much about Germany and Japan during this time period (for good reason), but Italy during WW2 is not normally focused on as a setting in wartime historical fiction, which I thought was not only interesting to read about, but also made this book stand out from others in the genre. The setting of Northern Italy (especially in scenes before the war) was really transportive and gave the book a lovely sense of atmosphere. I think my favorite part of this book was the time period where Nina had to ensure her survival and her family's survival when the Nazis came through Northern Italy, and how she banded together with the other women of the village to do so and to resist, It is an inspiring story of family banding together to get through incomparable hardship. The only thing that I wasn't crazy about in this book was the way Pietro behaved when Nina was flirted with by another man. It seemed a little possessive and unfair to me, but thankfully that behavior wasn't commonplace in his character nor was it over the top. Under the Light of the Italian Moon is a story about bonds of love, blood and community, and how they can inspire resilience and ensure survival.

Wonderful tale that shows the strength women must show in time of war.
I loved this story especially the struggles of Nina to be who she wants to be yet tied to a promise made to her mother and married to a man she dearly loves who lives in America and she hardly ever sees. The Nazis invade her town and she must struggle to prtect and feed her children.
Wonderful, life like likeable characters and well written..
4 stars


Thank you to NetGalley and the Author and the publisher for a copy of this book. The Opinions expressed are my own.

It was good but it didn't really move me the way I thought it would. I was frustrated with some of the characters and in the end I felt like some strings were left untied. There were a lot of characters to keep track of which was
hard and I was struggling to keep track of everyone which made it confusing at times.
Overall I think it was good and I think it will move a lot of people.

Nina Argenta lives in Fonzaso a small remote mountain village in Italy, a group of young men are emigrating to American, her brother Antonio is one of them and Nina promises her mother Adelasia she will never leave.
Pietro Pante returns from America to visit his family in Fonzaso, after a quick courtship, he and Nina marry, Pietro buys a small house for his new bride and returns to America to work in the coal mines.
Pietro works really hard in American, saving and sending money home to Nina and his parents. Mussolini gains power, all Italian men must register for military service, and when Pietro visits his family in Italy, it’s risky and he returns to America.

Life in Italy changes, the fascist rule the country, during WW II the German’s invade Italy and the Italian people are cut off from the rest of the world. A desperate Pietro continues to write to Nina, he has no idea if she receives his letters and she doesn’t write back to him. For Nina life’s a daily struggle, food and necessities are scarce, she’s extremely worried about her daughter’s safety and the Germans start severely punishing people who help the local partisans. As the war years drag on, with still no word from her husband and Nina doesn’t think she will ever see him again.

Under The Light Of The Italian Moon is an historical saga, it’s based on a true story about Nina and Pietro Pante’s long distance relationship and it spans over twenty years. It’s a remarkable story about love, family, war, sacrifice, determination and incredible strength. Both Nina and Pietro were amazing people, an inspiring book to read and five stars from me.

This novel brings so much to the story. The overwhelming strength of women and the lost stories of how their strength has created so many historic events that are often lost. Written from the heart, in honor of the author's women of strength in her family an ode to her mother, grandmother, and back. These women whose stories are often untold have provided for so many opportunities that have changed families lives. These women and their sacrifice to the family is nice to see honored in this story.

Starting in 1914 we meet Nina Argenta, a young girl growing up in the small, rural town of Fonzaso, Italy. Her mother Adelasia is a strong figure in the family and the region’s mid-wife. The family survives WWI and many young men, including her brother, head to America to earn better wages to help their struggling families. Pietro Pante also heads to America after Nina finds herself falling in love with him. The subsequent rise of Mussolini followed by the Nazi occupation, threaten all of Fonzaso.. An engaging read, this is a meticulously researched story based on the author’s own family’s saga. The tale follows young Nina from WWI through the rising tensions of Mussolini’s totalitarianism into the fraught days of WWII. A promise made to her mother keeps Nina bound in tradition in rural Italy, and the evolution of her character as she grows hardened by life is authentically portrayed. I found this to be a moving read, eloquent, heartrending, and thoughtful. Even though I grew frustrated by the characters at times, their struggles and choices always felt authentic. This is an ode to Italy, to the bond between mothers and daughters, to the courage and resilience of women, and to the love that perseveres even through time and distance.

When I was pitched this book, what sold me was the sensational cover! The cover is a show stopper and so eye catching and promises something exotic and romantic. But then I read the description and I couldn’t wait to read it, especially since it was based on a true story.

While it is set during WWII, it’s not set in the traditional countries of France and England, but rather Italy as the title implies. I think Italy often gets overlooked in the WWII historical fiction genre so I was really excited to read about a familiar event in history through a unique pair of eyes.

Plus I was super excited to see that there was a romance in it. I love war time romances. The backdrop of the war adds so much tension and drama to war time romances so I was really looking forward to this one. I picked it up on the first day of spring break and devoured it in a matter of days! There was a lot to love in this one!

Summary
A promise keeps them apart until WW2 threatens to destroy their love forever

Fonzaso Italy, between two wars

Nina Argenta doesn’t want the traditional life of a rural Italian woman. The daughter of a strong-willed midwife, she is determined to define her own destiny. But when her brother emigrates to America, she promises her mother to never leave.

When childhood friend Pietro Pante briefly returns to their mountain town, passion between them ignites while Mussolini forces political tensions to rise. Just as their romance deepens, Pietro must leave again for work in the coal mines of America. Nina is torn between joining him and her commitment to Italy and her mother.

As Mussolini’s fascists throw the country into chaos and Hitler’s Nazis terrorise their town, each day becomes a struggle to survive greater atrocities. A future with Pietro seems impossible when they lose contact and Nina’s dreams of a life together are threatened by Nazi occupation and an enemy she must face alone…

A gripping historical fiction novel, based on a true story and heartbreaking real events.

Spanning over two decades, Under the Light of the Italian Moon is an epic, emotional and triumphant tale of one woman’s incredible resilience during the rise of fascism and Italy’s collapse into WWII. (summary from Goodreads)

Review
I think of the the things that surprised me about this one, was that it wasn’t published by a larger publishing house. The publisher specializes in holocaust memoirs (which I think is wonderful by the way) but it is still a smaller publisher and I was surprised that this one wasn’t published by a larger house as it has a lot to recommend itself to readers, especially fans of historical fiction. This is the author’s debut novel and I was throughly impressed by her writing ability as well as the historical research. I read in her author bio that she like rescuing forgotten women’s stories from history and she is starting with her own family! This book is based on true events within her own family which makes is even more special I think. The personal history in this book really made it shine.

While the history and real events are what made this book for me, the characters were also well developed and enjoyable. Probably because they are based on real people. I adored Nina and felt a genuine connection to her throughout the book, we get to go on this incredible journey with her and watch her strength and resilience shine. I simply love her journey and in this book we get the full scope of her life. It really made the book feel even more epic that it already was. I loved the relationship between Nina and Pietro and watching that grow and change over the years but for me this book was more about mothers and daughters than romance. Yes there was a strong romantic element but the story of mothers and daughters took center stage for me.

I also loved how much authenticity was woven in this one. I really felt like I was living in the region and experiencing everything Nina was. Not just the history but the culture as well. A a Catholic myself, I found familiarity in the pages of this one with all the Catholic references, not to mention the importance of family and all the local festivals. The descriptions of the area are also stunning. So for me the history and the setting/culture really shined in this one and then add in the love story of Nina and Pietro and you have a winning novel for me!

I would love to see this one garner more attention because it was well written, interesting and beautiful. I think readers will certainly enjoy it and feel a connection to Nina especially! If you love historical fiction that feels more epic in nature, then you will surely love this book as much as I did. It was a wonderful read and I am so happy I didn’t pass on it!

Book Info and Summary
Format396 pages, Paperback

PublishedMarch 8, 2021 by Amsterdam Publishers

ISBN9789493231009 (ISBN10: 9493231003)LanguageEnglish

Free review copy provided by author, in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and in no way influenced.

Rating: 4.5 stars

Genre: historical fiction, war romance

thanks to netgalley and the publisher for this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

i liked this book, but i just didn’t love it. the point of view of our main character here was an interesting narrative that often felt like i was being told what to feel. also a lot of telling and no showing. that being said, i guess it was just the style of writing and storytelling which just wasn’t my favorite but it wasn’t bad either. i loved the story being told here nonetheless and the perspective of world war ii we got here.

Under the Light of the Italian Moon by Jennifer Anton is historical fiction at its best. The book is set during and between WWI and WWII. I enjoyed the family interactions and the relationships between the mother, daughters, sisters and brothers as the story evolves. But this is also a heartbreaking story based on real-life events during the rise of Mussolini and WWII.

It takes place in Fonzaso, a rural town in northern Italy during the days of the author’s grandmother and great grandmother. We are introduced to Adelasia Dalla Santa Argenta, who is so devoted to her calling as a rural midwife and aptly nicknamed 'The Captain'. She passes her art of midwifery to her daughter, Nina (Ninetta).
Also, the Italians rely on the moon’s cycle for planting their crops and the birth of the babies. So the moon is mentioned often in this book. Jennifer Anton uses the moon to paint beautiful and majestic scenes and it is also a symbol of love. From Pietro to Ninetta.. “This is our moon. La nostra bella luna. It's the light there every night. You can count on it.”
I loved the author's prose, the Italian language and her beautiful descriptive scenes to make this book so authentic and captivating.

Adelasia and her daughter, Ninetta, bring life and care to local families. At the same time, Mussolini tries and is successful undoing so much of their work. Some of the babies they help deliver die by the hands of the Nazi murderers because of their leader’s zeal and quest for power. The love story between Ninetta and Pietro is so sweet. They sacrifice so much for love and their determination to be together after the war.

This is a story about courage, faith, pride, resilience, determination and love.

Such a beautiful story and I recommend this book highly.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review.

“ Heavens to Betsy “ give this author TEN STARS Please!!
This book is premised on the lives of some remarkable women who persevered through two wars! The true story of the Italian women in Argenta family were like no others. Nina’s mother was the number one midwife and Nina was on her way to become her the replacement! However, Nina wanted something else and it would be a great challenge and sacrifice for her, her husband and their children before it was to become a reality!

There is nothing to say about the book or the author or characters because they all work! I have only high praise for writing depth and the growth of the characters and the flow of the book. I kept flipping the pages and devouring each word!
I loved this book and would recommend this book to anyone looking for a fantabulous Read!

I received a free advanced copy from NetGalley and these are my willingly given thoughts and opinions.

Again, this is another one of these books from my current favorite genre, that I will push everyone I know to read! I was thrown into the story from the first page until the last. My husband actually ended up eating dinner on his own because I wouldn’t put it down. Yes, it is that well written in my opinion! This book is one that is emotional and memorable. One that stays with you long after you close the back cover.

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