This was an epic family saga covering many years in Italy and then America. This beautiful extended family endured so much through both of the world wars and so much love and loss. It is based on the author’s family history and is a magnificent story of strength, love and hope.

Italy, WW2 and strong woman on her own path. Love and dreams and independence, how to make a decision between the country your love and the independence and freedom you deserve.

Under the Light of the Italian Moon is the story of one woman's struggle for survival over the course of twenty years. Set in Italy , the book spans the rise of Fascism and the Second World War, and tells the story of Nina Argenta and her family. We first meet Nina as a young girl , capably taking care of her siblings while her mother works as the town midwife. We see her growing up and starting to fall for local boy Pietro , who is forced to emigrate to the USA in order to send money home to provide for his parents and numerous siblings. As the years pass Nina begins to train to be her mother's assistant , but when Pietro comes home and proposes marriage she finds herself torn between her love and her duty. The young couple marry but agree that Nina will stay in Italy and continue her work while he will return to the US and his work in the mines in order to save money so that she can follow him and they can finally set up home together. When war breaks out it seems like this dream will never come true, especially when Pietro's letters stop coming, but soon Nina will have more to worry about between Mussolini's fascist idealism and the arrival of an occupying Nazi force.
I found the description of Nina's daily life fascinating, and was intrigued by her role, and that of her mother as midwives, especially the ways in which they advocated for and helped women in tough situations. I also loved that that book was based on the true stories of some of the author's family, this extra little connection made me care about the characters.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publishers, all opinions are my own.

Amazing book based on the lives of the author’s family. I never knew about the partisan’s in Italy during WWII. Beautifully written love story that perseveres during the war, so much heartbreak but still the message of love conquers all. Wonderful characters, great storytelling. I learned so much about il Duce and his reign in Italy. Definitely recommend! *Received an ARC through NetGalley in exchange for a fair review.

Loved this story. A story of strength, love of family, and sacrifice. Nina makes a promise to her Mother, after her brother leaves Italy and goes to America. She will never leave her Mother. She will stay and work with her Mother as a midwife. She falls in love with Pietro, but Pietro must go to America and work in the coal mines. Italy becomes a country under siege by Mussolini and the Nazi's. A saga of how Nina survives, how her love for Pietro is tested and endures and her loyalty and love for her family. Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy.

Under the Light of the Italian Moon by Jennifer Anton feels like a cozy coffee drinking storytelling afternoon listening to your grandmother tell the family story. The book is the intimate portrait of the author’s family in the small mountainside town of Fonzaso, Italy starting in the 1910’s and spanning thru WWII and the aftermath of the war.

Well researched and beautifully written the book tells the story of Nina and her relationships with her mother, her sisters, her children but most importantly with her husband Pietro.

This is a book that salutes the strength of women, how they overcome every obstacle that life turns at them, being war, poverty, abandonment, fear, uncertainty. It si truly inspirational to read how by taking charge of their lives these women turn victorious and survive both World Wars.

I loved the passion of the love story between Nina and Pietro. How the love, passion and devotion for each other helped them survived the long years separated from each other, him in the United States and her in Italy. Despite the distance, the struggles their love continued and were rewarded at the end when they finally reunited.

The relationship between Nina and her children was never easy, after loosing her firstborn Teo as an infant, along came Lasia and a few years later Rita. Both went thru the war and their mother worrying about their safety. But with it came the bonding love of a mother for her children and the unconditional truth that she will do anything to keep her children safe.

I love the narrative of the book, it has everything, love, loss, family, passion, loyalty, fear, resilience, laughter, sadness, courage, the immigrants struggle in a new country, but most importantly the knowing that the story is based in real events and the author’s own family. That’s what makes this book so special.

What can be more beautiful to know that the moon you are seeing signals to your love one you are thinking of him/her.

This historical fiction book is a gem and will not disappoint you. I truly recommend it.

I received this book from the author Jennifer Anton in exchange of an honest review..

Set in 1930s-1940s Fonzaso, Italy, this book is based on a true story (see afterword in the back). Life before (and outside of) war is difficult enough but the horrors of war add a completely new dimension and suddenly mere survival is at the forefront. There are so many lovely and moving quotes to share from the book but one of the most poignant is simply, "Remember your mothers", a very important theme throughout.

Nina Argenta grows up with her parents and siblings in Fonzaso. She falls in love with Pietro but Pietro travels to America to follow his dream of earning a better living for himself. Though at first Nina shuns the very idea of becoming a midwife as her mother has, she goes to midwifery school and upon graduating, follows in her mother's footsteps. Since she was a little girl she saw the terrible hours her exhausted mother suffered through as well as its sorrows and its joys, and gained much experience. Pietro returns to Italy a few times but only short term as he makes much more money in America.

As I know Italy and enough Italian to get by, my heart felt an immediate connection as I pictured Padua, Italian mannerisms, glorious food...but also was engaged with the story and characters. Nina's passion for her home is understandable. A huge piece of her heart longs to be with Pietro in America but another piece cherishes Italy.

The story spans several years as we watch Nina become an adult and her interactions, relationships, family life and scrounging during the war. She witnesses unspeakable situations and live through sorrow, grief and heartache. However, the strength and perseverance she didn't know she had until she was tested really shone, such a testament to women in that era. To me the book is also about home and hope even during the darkest times.

Readers who especially enjoy Historical Fiction based on true stories and events, do read this. I cannot say it's fun and flowery but that is not reality. You will see the characters experience true joy as well. Really well worth reading.

My sincere thank you to Amsterdam Publishers and NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy of this beautiful book! Much appreciated.

What a huge, sweeping story. I’d never read a WWII novel from the Italian perspective, and that alone I found informative and enthralling. There’s a lot about this novel that kept me turning the pages, mostly the incredibly painful and long separation between the main character, Nina Argenta, and her husband Pietro.

That said, I liked this book, but I didn’t love it. There are a couple of reasons. First, the point of view was omniscient, so I often felt like I was being told the story by an Italian mamma shouting at me, “And then this happened, and this happened, and this happened!” I suppose this was the author’s way of layering multiple points of view. It distanced me from the hearts of the characters.

But I think the main reason I didn’t fall in love with the story as well as I’d have liked to was that even though the heroine Nina Argenta is based upon the author’s real-life relative—and I’m sure she was an endearing lady—she didn’t quite come across to me as endearing in the novel. I found her more difficult to like the older and “stronger” she got, especially when it came to her treatment (or neglect) of her children. I have five kids and seventeen grandkids, so maybe I’m sensitive that way. I imply “stronger” because I’m not sure I really found her to have gotten stronger, only harder.

I felt that Nina’s two daughters were the most likeable characters in the book and to be the most richly layered. I also thought the husband Pietro, absent for so many pages, was a pretty decent guy, though I couldn’t grasp his reasons for staying away as long as he did. Come on, dude. Stay home and be poor, or take the family with you and be poor in America. Or for heaven’s sake, lady, quit letting your mother (the family matriarch) decide your life for you. That’s what I wanted to tell Nina also.

Though they finally managed their happily-ever-after, it didn’t feel as bright and wonderful as it should have, but more of a last resort. Maybe the author wanted to keep it close to her family’s history, but it’s a novel, so I wanted my big finish with less feminist angst.

I love a good historical novel especially WWII ones, and even more when it deals with women's lives during it. I've done plenty of reviews of them here in the blog. This book can join the category in the the standard of a great one. I really enjoyed the characters and the small town characterizations in the story. It was raw, real and engaging. You felt the characters plight. Also the fact that it is a real life story just made me love it even more. I loved how they highlight untold stories, of those who stay behind, and especially the unsung heroes at war - the women who hold everything together in the meantime.
There was a lot of female empowerment in the book, which I am a big fan of. Especially I liked how the context of war lent itself to questions on the nature of women vs men and their impact in leadership. Very relevant for todays world. Here are some of my favorite quotes:
• It was Mary who gave birth to eternity and redemption. The strength of the world is in its women
• It's a circle women create, men destroy. We feed the beasts
• War is to man what maternity is to a woman
My parting pondering thought: the whole long distance marriage left me with so many questions. Crazy how such need and family ties can make a crazy preposition like that seem normal

It was definitely a combination of a beautiful cover, a lovely author so willing to engage with her readers, and the premise of a fascinating story that drew me to this novel. Thank you for the gift of this amazing advance reading copy, Jennifer Anton, Amsterdam Publishers and NetGalley. It’s more than a spectacular historical novel, it’s a lesson for us all; we are connected and the threads that unite us can be severed if we don’t actively support each other and learn to live together and reach for the greatness within.

You are about to embark on a journey back to northern Italy during the days of the author’s grandmother and great grandmother and bear witness to a beautiful love story, featuring the strength of women. Fonzaso holds in its history the love story of a woman, Adelasia Dalla Santa Argenta,, who, so devoted to her calling as a rural midwife, risked everything during Mussolini’s rise to power and welcomed thousands of babies into the world. As Adelasia and her young daughter, Ninetta, bring life and care for life, Musollini’s quest undoes much of their work; the babies they help deliver die by the hands of Nazis because of their leader’s quest for power. The second love story is between Ninetta and Pietro and features their sacrifices for love and the reward of faithfulness; the sweetness of togetherness after the war.

Although every case of love presented in the novel is different, what unites them all is the reaching out of one human being to another. In this story spanning two generations we see the reaching out of (1) a midwife to an expectant mother, to a nervous father, and to a newly birthed miracle (2) a mother to her hungry children who haven’t even met their father. (3) an older sibling to a younger sibling, (4) an auntie to her niece after the child’s mother dies and father has moved to another country (5) a nervous mother preparing meals for the enemy in her home and (6) a young wife, reaching out to her husband through letters as he spends the majority of their married life in another country toiling to provide for those he loves at home. Regardless of time and space, the Italian moon is always there. The same moon that we look upon every night during this pandemic is the same moon that those from Fonzaso looked upon during the rise of fascism and world war two. That same moon sees the joys and the disappointments. It connects us all.

The author shares that on the wall of the altar at Sant’Anna are the names of important women who the monument pays honour to and at the top of the list is Adelasia Dalla Santa Argenta under an inscription that simply states: Ricordante le vostre mamme = Remember your mothers.

“The strength of the world is in its women. The power of the world is within its women. Yet it is the women we erase. Some women are unwilling to be forgotten or to forget. Particularly if they are Italian.”

Let’s remember where we came from and where we are going. It would behoove us to radiate love along the journey.

This is a must have book. Circle March 8, 2021 on your calendar. It’s no coincidence that it’s to be published on International Women’s Day. Read it and celebrate all the strong women you know, work to build up those women in progress of becoming a strong woman and be an example to encourage those who feel weak to find their inner strength. We are all important. Our strength is needed. Now, more than ever.

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 that held my interest to the end. Thanks to author Jennifer Anton, Amsterdam Publishers, and NetGalley for providing a copy of this book for a honest review.

This book was received as an ARC from Amsterdam Publishers in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

I was in the mood for a good historical fiction novel and I haven't read many based on the reign of Mussolini. The connection and detail Jennifer Anton incorporated in the book made me feel like I was right there with Nina and Pietro feeling their struggle and Nina's commitment in staying in Italy with her mother and be by her side. Now with the Nazi's and the relationship Pietro and Nina growing stronger, Nina loses all she loves and has to face her battles alone providing the ultimate challenge. I could feel the heartbreak and was crying for Nina. It's always tough when you lose everything and everyone you love and it's not even your fault. However, this book was filled with so many historical facts that I learned a lot more than I did in my high school History class.

We will consider adding this title to our Historical Fiction collection at our library. That is why we give this book 5 stars.

Under the Light of the Italian Moon by Jennifer Anton is a heartbreaking story based on real-life events during the rise of Mussolini and WWII. It takes place in Fonzaso--a rural town in Italy.

The author did an excellent job in meticulous research, which you can totally see as the story of Nina, Pietro, and their families develop. Nina was both strong and weak. She grew up in a super traditional family, and I thought, at times she had trouble expressing herself and doing what she truly wanted vs what her mom or others said. But, who's to blame her? She barely had a childhood, and just as soon as she married the man of her life, Pietro, he left for the U.S. to work in mining so that he could send money back to her and his parents. Talk about having a long-distance relationship! Nina and Pietro win! The war soon sets in and all their long-term dreams go out the door. They already didn't have it good, and with the war, things really go south.

Read the rest of the review at www.higoandmiel.com

Thank you to NetGalley and the author, Jennifer Anton, for sending me an ARC of Under The Light Of The Italian Moon. This is a beautiful story based in a small mountainside town called Fonzaso, Italy. The story begins in 1914 and spans decades following the Argenta family.

The events that take place in this book are based on the authors very own relatives. The story beautifully captures the strength of family, the unbreakable bond between lovers and the importance of faith.

Nina Argenta is our main protagonist. At the beginning of the story Nina is a young girl with a big crush on her neighbour, Pietro Pante. Pietro heads to America to work in the coal mines but as the years pass by, their love for each other never fades. They promise that to each other, they are the moon - even when they are on opposite sides of the world, they stare up at the same moon and think of each other. They have an unconventional yet truly incredible love story.

You can feel how personal this story is to the author as she writes about her own ancestors. It's a fascinating story about unwavering love between family, lovers, country and God.

The story details the rise of Mussolini in Italy and how WWII had been brewing under the surface for years. I learned a lot about Italy's role on the world stage at that time. Did you know women were awarded based on the number of children they gave birth to? They were given a medal and higher social standing if they gave birth to 14 children! Count me out...

I loved this book an highly recommend it. It's a moving story based on a real Italian family who never lost faith, hope or love.

Historical fiction at its finest. Not only based on the authors family history, the historical details are superb. You are immediately drawn into the characters and find yourself rooting for them throughout.
The strength of the world is in its women, what a fantastic premise for a great read. The author includes Italian vocabulary and history clearly demonstrating a great knowledge of Italian culture.
A book when it finished it wanted more.
Thank you for this copy to read and review

“Receiving the wafer, she gave the sign of the cross and stood to head back to her seat. The taste of creamy paper stuck to the roof of her mouth and she contemplated why God would want children to have sore knees and numb bottoms to get into Heaven.”

When I read that sentence and laughed to myself, I knew I had found a talented author! This book is a true story, a family saga that spans decades of life before, during, and after WWII in a village in Italy. The characters are so well developed, that no matter what events are happening in the story, you can’t stop reading. The first third of the book felt a little short on events, even though it was big on emotion and heart. But as the war starts, the plot really picks up. My heart broke a few times during the story, and there were just as many moments where you cheer for the characters.

I’m so thankful I got to read this book ahead of publication through an ARC from NetGalley. I hope this isn’t the only book the author writes!

There is something about a historical fiction based in fact, especially when the fact is family history, that hits even deeper. Under the Light of the Italian Moon is one of those books. I’ve read many historical fiction books set during and between WW1 and WW2 but this was a new perspective for me. I enjoyed the family interactions and following the stories of the different sisters and brothers as well as the description of the town which is a character in itself. When the end came I wanted more!

This book disappeared from my approved shelf, I have no idea why. It was gone before I had a chance to download it and now it’s under “archived”. I don’t understand what happened.

It was a good book that starts before the war and carries through it. It’s also a love story about a couple living apart and enduring many hardships. I enjoyed the story and think historical fiction fans will too.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the early copy

I love historical fiction and especially books that are based on the true stories of families. “Under the Light of the Italian Moon” is based on Jennifer Anton’s Italian heritage and is well researched and such a great read.
It is the story of the life of Nina, a young Italian woman who is caught between the love of her life and the love of her family. Her husband Pietro is thousands of miles away in America and Nina must raise her children and learn to live without him. The struggles that war brings to her village; famine, death and day to day survival become her life while she waits for news of her husband. The book displays the strength of women who live through unimaginable times.

“Under the Light of the Italian Moon” is primarily a book about love and family but it portrays how brave women are, their courage, determination and resilience. A must read if you like historical fiction. A definite 5/5