I haven't cried to a book like this one is a long time. The dual POVs really got to me man. Tears are still streaming down my face as I write this.

The way that all the characters are presented so authentically is what got to me the most. Like, they are brave sure, but they're also jaded and dreary. They too want the war to be over, however still fight for the love of people and country.

I'm still way to shaken up to write a proper review.

Thank you for the advanced copy!

This is a dual timeline story of two American soldiers (medics actually), and a little Jewish girl they save when the Nazis liquidate the Jewish ghetto in Rome.
While Court and Calla's stories are heart wrenching and heartwarming, the best part of this book for me was learning yet another little known facet of WWII. This is the first I have ever heard of the Fatebenefratelli Hospital and the friars from the adjoining church, San Giovanni Calibita and of the plan devised by hospital administrators and doctors to hep hide the Jewish refugees seeking sanctuary there. Reading that doctors such as Dr. Giovanni Borromeo along with several others really did devise and implemented they Syndrome K plan and learning it worked and they saved hundreds of refugees this way without ever being discovered by the Nazis. Now that is a story. This is why I love historical fiction so much, learning this wonderful story, reading about the heroic men and women who put their lives on the line to help complete strangers, these are the stories that restore faith in human nature, the tories that complement the good inside of people.
This is a beautifully written story about friendship,, family, love, hope and discovering who you really are and becoming all you were meant to be.
I give 5 stars and highly recommend this one to all, not only historical fiction fans, I believe everyone can benefit from this beautiful story.
Thank you to Thomas Nelson Fiction and to Net Galely for the free ARc, I am leaving my honest review in return.

3.5 stars rounded up.

I wanted to read The Italian Ballerina because:
:

1 I love historical fiction
2 I love ballet
3 I love Italy

There are so many stories to tell about WW2. I sometimes think they are overdone - perhaps they are - but then I pick up a book like this and learn something completely new that I want to research. What I learned here was about Syndrome K, a disease that doctors at a hospital in Rome made up to save Jews after an attack by the Gestapo on a Jewish neighborhood. They put the Jewish “patients” in “quarantine” so that when the Gestapo came to the hospital they would not want to get close to them. How brilliant!

At the heart of the story are Calla, who was a little girl when the attack happened, and Court, an American military medic who saved her and helped reunite her with her family. Their grandchildren are brought together in Rome to piece together their story. Told in several timelines, it got confusing and felt disjointed at times, and as usual I was drawn to some characters more than others.

It’s a touching story that overall I really enjoyed. Thank you to Netgalley and Thomas Nelson publishers for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

"So if God is behind something as small as an old suitcase coming to light, I could believe He’s looking for ways to heal us in our brokenness. And certainly to be there with us in our grief” (The Italian Ballerina, Kindle location 2583).



Brokenness and beauty.

Grace and grit.

Grief and growth.

Prodigal sons and an orphaned child.

Love willing to lay down its life for a stranger or a friend.



These are some of the central themes of the new World War II novel, The Italian Ballerina, by Kristy Cambron. This is a dual-timeline story, with the Italian ballerina of the title supplying the hinge connecting the two eras. This is a fun, sweet romance by a Christian author, but it is not preachy at all and should appeal to a general audience as well as the Christian book market. A literary vacation lies within its pages.



In the modern timeline, journalist “between pens” Delaney Coleman travels to Tivoli, near Rome, to deliver a child’s suitcase, mysteriously found among her recently deceased grandfather’s belongings, to an elderly ballerina who claims to be its rightful owner. The story of both the combat-medic grandfather and the ballerina unfolds in the World War II timeline. Love blooms in both. The unanswered questions and mysteries keep the pages turning; Cambron times the big reveals well to keep the reader guessing but not frustrated.



At the same time, the novel draws attention to a real historical rescue operation in which three hospital doctors and a priest in Rome invented a highly contagious terminal disease, Syndrome K, in order to rescue as many Jews as possible from the Holocaust. The city and hospital were occupied by Nazi troops, yet these brave men hid the rescued ones right under the soldiers’ noses. (Some of the discussions of masking and how contagious the disease struck me as ironic given the book’s pandemic publication.)



For me, the ballet parts of the tale were especially nostalgic. So many life lessons are learned through the arts, so many heartaches soothed. My dearest interests in childhood were books, ballet, and piano. If I wasn’t practicing ballet in the front hallway to my album of piano music for ballet practice, there was a good chance I was reading books about ballet and the history of ballet. In third grade I did a book report on a biography of English prima ballerina Margot Fonteyn and a yearlong project on Fonteyn and Native American prima ballerina Maria Tallchief. Consequently, the mentions of Sadler’s Wells, the Old Vic, and Covent Garden, and even the dropping of Dame Margot’s name, were lovely connections to my childhood. My mind’s eye can see how British ballerina Julia Bradbury and Calla Santini move because I lived in that world for a decade.



For my reading habits, this is not likely a book I will return to again and again, but it is a delightful (and clean) escape for readers who enjoy stories set in World War II, tales of courage real and fictional, the ballet, Christian romance, and classic films (especially Roman Holiday). (It also has the makings of a beautiful movie.) Books with a similar sensibility include The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, Before We Were Yours, and Eternal. There is some wartime violence described when necessary to the plot. If you, like me, can’t take a summer vacation (again), this novel might just be the cold glass of lemonade needed to cheer your soul.



Full disclosure: I received a complimentary NetGalley copy of this book prior to publication in exchange for an honest review.

This book releases July 12, 2022.

This was a surprisingly great book. She is a master story teller. This is the second book by this author I have read and I will be reading others.

Memories of the past locked away in a weathered black suitcase is gripped tightly by a little girl fighting for her life. Two soldiers realize her plight and risk their lives to save her. A ballerina about to have her dreams realized, life pirouettes in a different direction. Flash forward to present day when the past and present collide due after reading a letter that will bring Delaney to Italy. A soldier's kindness and a key worn around Nona's neck unlock secrets that opens doors for their generations' futures.

Thank you to #NetGalley and the publisher for the early edition of #TheItalianBallerina in exchange for an honest review. Kristy Cambron brilliantly weaves together the three storylines in her latest novel. Historical fiction is one of my favorite genres as it brings the past to life. Through characters' eyes, I'm swept back in time and fighting along with the protagonists. World War II stories are difficult to read but the bravery displayed creates a deeper connection to the characters and their plight.

Sometimes book descriptions don't paint an accurate description of the story. This one isn't wrong per se, but I feel like the description neglected the main character: Court Coleman, Delaney's grandfather. Both Julia and Delaney feel like secondary characters next to Court--I'd say about half the novel is from his viewpoint, and only a quarter each for Julia and Delaney. And I'm not positive the title refers to Julia--I'm more inclined to think it's about Calla, the little girl Court rescues, and who has a role in the present-day story.

I did really enjoy the novel. Kristy Cambron knows how to write a captivating story, and she incorporated a piece of history that offered a fresh perspective on WWII. But that said, I think the story would have been stronger if it had only followed Court. The contemporary timeline was fine, but it didn't add much, and I really wanted to delve more into the fascinating history of the Italian hospital and their Syndrome K. I had never heard about it before, and I'd have loved a deeper focus on it, especially through Court's eyes.

The timelines jump around a bit (Court's present, Court's past, Julia's timeline, and Delaney in the modern day). I didn't find it too difficult to follow, once I caught onto the rhythm, but it's a bit different from the norm. There was a significant plot twist I didn't see coming.

Thank you Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for the complimentary e-book. I was not required to write a positive review, and all opinions are my own.

A lovely emotional story of faith, hope, and resilience against the horrors of WWII. Moving between the present, when Delaney brings a suitcase owned by her grandfather back to Italy at the request of an elderly woman named Calla and WWII when Julia, a British ballerina finds herself on Timber Island where the doctors are hiding Jewish people. Things change for Julia when Court and AJ, American medics, arrive with young mute Calla in tow. As is sometimes the case with dual time line novels, the older time line is more compelling than the present one. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. It's a good read.

A beautiful and heart-stirring reminder of the impact one life can have upon so many.

Trapped in Nazi-held Italy, British ballerina Julia Bradbury finds herself drawn into a mysterious scheme to thwart the enemy and smuggle Italian Jews to safety. Decades later, Delaney Coleman journeys to Rome to uncover the secrets of her grandfather’s past—and to solve the mystery of a little girl’s suitcase that links them all.

Told in split-time and filled with fascinating historical details, Cambron’s writing reveals a depth of time, place, and character too rarely seen. Her novels never fail to be a fresh adventure in learning, in love, in the lessons of life.

The Italian Ballerina is a story that captures the best of us and the worst of us. It is a story of courage and grace. It is a story that needed to be told.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I started this book at 9 pm and I kept reading until way too late so I could finish it. But I was invested in Calla's story. This is a part of WWII that I haven't read as much about, and it was fascinating. It was also fun to read a book by a local author that showcased the area where we live in Indiana. Honestly, my only criticism is I felt like the Delaney/Matteo story was forced and then rushed. I have two other books by Kristy Cambron on my shelf and I am excited to read them as well in the (hopefully) near future. Be on the lookout for The Italian Ballerina, available on July 12. Thank you @NetGalley and @ThomasNelson for this gifted digital copy.

Someone tell me why I ever paused reading Kristy Cambron's books--because after finishing _The Italian Ballerina_, I honestly have no idea, haha! (I'm sure it has nothing whatsoever with being distracted by other new and shiny things, or an already extensive TBR pile. :D)

This book is stunning. Soooooo good. It sheds light on yet another aspect of WWII I didn't know about (a fact that always continues to amaze me, given the number of incredible books out there). It makes me want to go to Rome and the Spanish Steps. It makes me want to feel all the things and go all the places and eat all the food. And ultimately, bask in God's provision and the courage of some incredible people.

Cambron does an astounding job at weaving together multiple storylines (which at first threw me off, until I got sufficiently far enough into the book), as well as weaving in historical facts and persons. (The author's note and further-reading list are particularly informative and helpful.) Every time a storyline switched, I was a bit sad to make the shift, and by the time the book ended, I was _really_ sad to say goodbye, heh.

A stunner of a read, and one I highly recommend adding to your shelf. 5/5 stars.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This book was told with dual timelines. It moves back and forth giving us a glimpse of a young girl, the soldiers who try to find her family and the present day family who’s trying to understand it all.
This author is one of my favorites and a must read. I enjoyed the book and think all historical fiction fans will too.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the early copy

Kristy Cambron is one of the authors on my "If She Writes It, I Want to Read It" list. The Italian Ballerina just confirms that. The author tells the story of Courtney Coleman from his rebellious youth in Starlight, Indiana to the battlefields of Italy, to the quarantine wards of Rome's Fatebenefratelli Hospital. The stories of Julia, a British primo ballerina, A.J., Court's sergeant with the medics, Court, the prodigal son, and Calla, the Jewish child Court rescues, are woven into a heart wrenching tale of the cruelty of war and the beauty of human love and kindness.

It is a dual timeline story that has the grandchildren of Court and Calla searching for their story because neither grandparent has shared with their family what happened during the war. I do not give five stars lightly, but this book deserves them. It will touch your heart in a way few books do.

The Italian Ballerina by Kristy Cambron is a story that occurs during WWII. A gifted London ballerina wants to help serve her country during the war. She decides to join the women's service to help with translation services but instead finds herself being sent to R0me to perform. She is determined to help and finds herself being a nurse at a special German hospital. She also befriends her stepbrother and take him with her. Read this novel to see how secretly some of the nurses save the Jews without the Nazis knowledge. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this book before its publishing date.

Enjoyable dual timeline WWII story set in Italy during the occupation of Rome. A complex plot, requiring keeping note of the dates and characters at different ages, an American medic, a British ballerina, and a modern-day American woman looking for her family from the past. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advance digital galley.

I will not be reviewing this book because of a prolonged illness. Have lost interest because of time loss.

Anyone who is a fan of historical fiction, this is the book for you! This captivating, heartfelt, amazing story got my attention right from the start. Part of it takes place during the Nazi occupation in Rome during the early 1940s. A five-year old Jewish girl, who speaks only Italian was found by two American Allied medics, standing in a pool of blood, likely the blood of her dead parents, holding a suitcase that she will not part with. She doesn’t tell them her name, so they call her Calla.

With the Nazis occupying the streets of Rome, Julie Bradbury, a British ballerina, who speaks Italian, takes refuge at a hospital where the two American medics, Court and AJ are now posing as doctors. Julie teams up with them, taking on the role of a nurse who also gives ballet lessons to Calla, who dreams of becoming a ballerina.

An imaginary, deadly disease , known as Syndrome K, has necessitated the creation of a quarantined unit to place all those infected. It is actually a secure place to hide the Jews until they can be transported to a safe location. That is where the two American medics, the pretend nurse and Calla stay. While they are rescuing Jews, the Nazis stay clear of them fearful of getting the disease.

Going forward to the present day, Delaney (Del) Coleman is mourning the loss of her beloved grandfather, Dr. Courtney Coleman, when a letter arrives from an attorney in Italy representing the Santini family claiming Dr. Coleman has property that belongs to them. Del logs into a preplanned video call with Matteo Santini and learns they are interested in obtaining their “family heirloom.” the old suitcase the child Calla would not part with. Matteo offers Del a paid flight to Italy to bring them the suitcase, which has never been opened because it has been locked for the past 80 years. Calla, the child who had been rescued by Del’s grandfather is Matteo Santini’s grandmother.

Del, along with the old suitcase is on the way to Italy, hoping to uncover secrets of her grandfather’s past and also learn what is inside the locked suitcase.

The extensive research that obviously went into this absolutely fascinating story is impressive. I loved that is this beautiful, sometimes heart-wrenching story encompassed the value of faith as well as forgiveness.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson Publishing and NetGalley. All comments and opinions are my own.

This one sat on my NetGalley shelf for ages because I was patiently waiting for the luxury of a whole day off to enjoy it. You can imagine my disappointment when I began reading and discovered that despite loving Kristy Cambron’s books and appreciating her gift, this one was not for me.

Why?

1) I struggled to connect with the characters.
2) The story was too busy with subplots and a multitude of characters
3) The dual timelines didn’t mesh well and jumped around too much.

Roughly 75% of the novels I read are historical fiction. I love dual timelines and I’m eager to learn from an author’s meticulous research. I also appreciate a unique story. I had a day off, a bottle of wine with my name on it, amazing chocolate set aside to nibble on as I read, and a fully charged KIndle. Knowing all this, I should have loved this story. It had all the right ingredients.

I was gifted this advance copy by Kristy Cambron, Thomas Nelson, and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

This is a most beautiful story, told with such feeling!
Told in dual timeline down the years spanning the families of Delaney and Mattel. As the title infers we follow the story of two ballerinas, one the teacher with the other being the pupil.
Describing the saving of Jews when Syndrome K was invented to keep the SS soldiers in the dark as to what was happening behind the scenes in the hospital. It is truly fascinating.
History repeats itself again through strong characters. My own personal favourites being Court and Julia.

I've enjoyed books by this author in the past but this one was hard to grasp. The jumping around from one timeframe to another with different characters was annoying. I liked learning about the fake Syndrome K disease and the ingenious plot to save the Jewish people. Also enjoyed the author's note.