A great quick WWII historical fiction book told from a different perspective. I loved these characters. Love, loss, bravery,

Sally Brady's Italian Adventure by Christina Lynch

⭐⭐⭐⭐💫

#historicalfiction
#NetGalley #ARC published 6/13/23
#stmartinspress

This was a different take on WWII. It was from the POV of 3 people. Most ww2 books focus on Germany but this book focused on the Italian side of things. It was a refreshing take on the war. We saw things from a different perspective for a change. One of the POV's began with an 11 year old "orphan". She had been sent off to California to find work. AKA sent away so we have one less mouth to feed.

I hope that the research in the book was correct. Now I'm going to have to do some research on Mussolini to see how spot on the story is. I do know from reading the author's note in the back that she changed a date here and there. But for the rest, mentions of the war and Mussolini should be correct.

This is the second epic story of family that I have read in a row. I didn't realize it or I would have mixed it up more. But anyway, the last one felt like it took forever for time to progress. This one didn't. It moved along at a nice pace. Great characters. Great story. I will definitely book looking for more from this author!

#sallybradysitalianadventure
#christinalynch
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#ww2fiction
#bookstagram #bookreview #bookrecommendation #booknerdsbookreview #recommend #gottareadthisbook #lovedthisbook

I wanted to like this so much, unfortunately it just wasn’t for me!
Although this is great for someone who isn’t as picky when it comes to historical fiction as I am. This is very much a case of this just wasn’t for me, but the book itself is beautifully written

Sally is resilient as she grows up under dire circumstances and truly tries to embrace the American Dream. However, in order to do that she must first travel to Italy where she is swept off her feet by an Italian. Hers is a difficult life but one that shows determination and pluck. I did struggle with the pacing of the book and give it a three star rating as a result. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy.

Even though this novel got off to a very sad start, Sally, the main character, has a personality that makes it difficult for anyone to feel downhearted. Sally is abandoned by her family and living on the streets of Los Angeles when she crosses paths with Patsy Chen. Patsy is a movie star and decides to “adopt” Sally because she has taken a liking to her and also because she feels it will boost her image.

Sally has gone from a destitute child to one of privilege almost overnight. When Patsy’s husband leaves her, she decides to take Sally and go to Europe to get away from the Hollywood gossip. Ironically, Patsy gets a job writing a gossip column under a pseudonym, which quickly becomes Sally’s job.

Meanwhile there is another storyline in play where Lapo, a landowner and writer, is struggling to get his farm to be successful while raising three children with his American wife. His oldest son, Alessandro, is an outspoken anti-fascist and of draft age and Lapo worries about his future.

Soon Italy is drawn into the war and all the main characters in the book are struggling to keep themselves safe while being true to their beliefs. I liked how the author presented some serious situations in a way that was more lighthearted than one would expect. Even though the novel is about a difficult time, it came across as more of an adventure than a life or death situation.

I enjoyed this story even more than Christina Lynch’s first novel and found it to be quite an adventure that I looked forward to reading every night.

Many thanks to Net Galley and St. Martin’s Press for allowing me to read an advance copy. I am happy to recommend this to readers and offer my honest review.

This historical novel starts in 1931, when Sally Brady is an 11 year old sent away by her Dust Bowl, who makes her way to LA where she somehow manages to get adopted by an actress. As a teenager, she abs her adoptive mother journey to Europe where they write an anonymous gossip column about the rich and famous, and eventually she ends up in Italy during Mussolini’s rule, eventually getting stuck there during WWII. There are also chapters throughout from the perspective of Lapo, a landowner in the Italian countryside with an American wife, and his son Alessandro, through whose perspectives we see the changes to life in Italy, before their stories finally converge with Sally’s late in the book.

This was an interesting and different historical novel, and I loved it! Sally is a great character, filled with the kind of spunk and sharp humor of old Hollywood screwball comedies, and who also is brave and determined when things get more serious during the war, and somehow manages to keep a sense of humor too. The early parts of the book and the later parts are definitely different, but both are great. And while I have read a lot of WWII fiction, I haven’t read many set in Italy or about life under Mussolini, so that was very interesting.

The tone of this book was unique enough that I don’t even know what to compare it to - maybe Better Luck Next Time by Julia Claiborne Johnson for the early parts and Dear Mrs. Bird by AJ Pearce for the war parts? And I loved both of those, and Christina Lynch’s debut novel The Italian Party too, so no surprise I loved this one too. So if you like your historical fiction with a little bit of humor mixed in with the serious stuff and with a sassy heroine, give this one a try!

Sally Brady’s Italian Adventure is a powerfully strong story with charm and bravery thrown in about a young girl, discarded by her parents as a child not only who was able to thrive, sometimes by sheer luck, but also to make a name for herself, stand up to men during war, misfortune, poverty, fear and imprisonment only to come out the other side learning the importance of kindness, family and love.

In 1931 Sally Brady was told by her parents to go and make money. She was a child living on the streets of Los Angeles. She somehow even at that young age convinces a married movie star to take her in and let her live with them. Thus begins Sally’s adventure.

When things begin to fall apart in the United States, they move to Italy where Sally at the age of seventeen becomes an anonymous gossip columnist to the rich and famous. She attends lavish parties and lunches and hob nobs with the powerful men in government. Her life is a fairytale. Until it all falls apart and she finds herself alone again.

When Mussolini declares war on the United States her life turns from bad to worse as she is unable to get out of Italy in time and becomes hunted as many Americans were who lived there at that time.

While this is happening to Sally, there is a family living in a remote area whose life is also being disrupted. Lapo, an Italian writer, his wife Eleanor who is American and their son, Alessandro who is the ripe age for military service see what’s occurring. They are able to get Eleanor out, but Lapo worries that Alessandro will have to fight in Mussolini’s war. He makes an agreement to write a favorable made-up autobiography of Mussolini who wants to be portrayed as a powerful hero if they leave his son alone. He reluctantly agrees but of course they renege, and Alessandro must fight in a war in which he does not believe.

In the meantime, Sally is trying to avoid being arrested and imprisoned and is doing everything in her power to hide. But she is finally caught and put on house arrest where she meets an elderly woman who changes her life.

How does this all come together you may ask? Well, Sally finds herself free, but trapped in Italy and must hide from the army where she meets some wonderful and surprisingly horrible characters. She is tortured as are many at this time, but they fight to live and pray America will take down this crazy dictator. While all this is happening, she starts to think of her own family and feels the pull to see them when and if she is able

Sally Brady’s Italian Adventure is quite a journey! For Sally and for the reader! It’s full of people willing to help during crisis and those who want to ruin the lives of those who don’t believe in the war, but also how the love of family never leaves a person no matter how many years go by. Oh, and did I mention if you can believe it the story is very funny?

Thank you #NetGalley #St.Martin’sPress #ChristinaLynch #SallyBrady’sItalianAdventure for the advanced copy.

Avid readers will understand when I say, sometimes you just don’t know what you’re in the mood to read. Thriller? Romance? Fantasy? Well, I had no idea what I was getting into when I started Sally Brady’s Italian Adventure, but it was just what I was in the mood for.

I’d have a hard time classifying this book. It’s silly, it’s sad, it’s heart-warming, it’s got a little bit of everything, even historical fiction.

The story revolves around two characters, Sally Brady and Lapo. We first met Sally when she is being put on a train at just 11 years old in 1931, mainly because her family can’t afford another mouth to feed. Through a series of somewhat unbelievable events, she ends up being adopted by a movie star and begins a life of wealth and adventure, which is how she ends up in Italy.

Italy at the start of World War II. This brings us to Lapo, an Italian author who unfortunately finds himself in the position that he must write a very, very, very flattering biography of Mussolini.

The author states that she was inspired by those 1930s screwball comedies with wise-cracking heroines, and I totally see that.

It’s at times over the top and at times painfully down to earth and I loved every bit of it!

While I wished I loved this one, I just didn’t. I struggled the entire time. Maybe It could of been a “me” problem with reading it, not sure?

I felt like it was just slower paced the entire time. But I loved how it gave me a new perspective to a WWII novel. Sometimes I wish it was just all in Sally’s perspective, she was great! There were quite a few characters to remember and I felt the other two POVs are what lost my interest. But then we got Sally’s chapters and I enjoyed them!

Overall, a good read!

Thank you to the publisher & netgalley for the eARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own!

This was not a story I was expecting to read. I was pretty confused for most of the story to tell the truth.
The story goes back and forth between three main characters.
Overall, a ok read but not one I would read again.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

I loved Sally and her whit, but sometimes I was nervous for her! This was a really unique story.

I received an advance copy. All thoughts are my own.

An American Socialite in WWII Italy

A refuge from the dust bowl, Sally Brady, is abandoned by her parents in California and forced to earn her own living. Luckily she is adopted by a movie star, but reverses in the star’s life have them moving to Italy. There the star becomes a gossip columnist. Eventually Sally takes over writing the column. This is all light and frothy, but dark times are coming.

After Pearl Harbor, Mussolini expels Americans from Italy. Sally is caught up in the exodus, but not allowed to leave immediately because she is identified as a spy. She eventually is granted exit be convincing the authorities that she she is a reporter. Almost free, Sally gives up her place to help a Jew escape. Now she’s on the run in Italy.

She receives help from many people including Laco and his son. Laco is a writer married to and American. His son is against the Mussolini government, but being a young man he is forced to serve in the military Their stories are featured in the second half of the book.

The early part of the book is all fun. Sally is bright and always ready for a joke. I enjoyed this part. It is the contrast with the latter chapters that save the book from being too light. The second half of the book brings home the horrors of wartime in Italy. I recommend this book. The contrast will make you think.

I received this book from St. Martin’s Press for this review.

Sally Brady is used to overcoming the odds. Her parents, having five children, sent Sally to California in 1931. After living on the streets for a while, Sally happens to jump into the car of a Hollywood movie star. That movie star decides to adopt Sally. When the movie star gets divorced, about five years after adopting Sally, she moves to Europe and takes Sally along. That is how Sally ended up in Italy when it closed its borders and detained any press/foreigners that remained. After helping a young Jewish girl escape, Sally is stranded in Italy. Will Sally be able to escape?

I am a sucker for a good World War II story and usually read everything I can about that war. So, when I saw that Sally Brady’s Italian Adventure was up for review, I knew I wanted to read it. And I am glad I did. This book was terrific.

Sally Brady’s Italian Adventure is a fast-paced book. The pacing of the storyline was perfect for this book. There was some lag towards the middle of the book (around when Sally was in prison), but it didn’t affect my enjoyment of this book.

Sally Brady’s Italian Adventure takes place mainly in Italy. But there are excursions to Prague, Switzerland, and the United States.

The main storyline of Sally Brady’s Italian Adventure is centered around Sally Brady and, you guessed it, her adventures in Italy (and in life). Sally was a larger-than-life character who could think fast and use her wits to keep herself alive in wartime Italy. This storyline captured and kept my attention.

The author featured two other storylines in Sally Brady’s Italian Adventure. They centered around Lapo, an Italian writer and farmer, and Alessandro, Lapo’s son and a soldier. These were the more serious of storylines, and they were the storylines that I enjoyed reading the most. The writer had Lapo and Alessandro witness the horrors of an unstable dictator and a war neither wanted to be involved in. Those two storylines were as well written as Sally’s.

The author told Sally Brady’s Italian Adventure through the 1st person POV of Sally and the 3rd person POV of Lapo and Alessandro. Usually, I’m not too fond of it when there is more than one POV and more than one storyline. But, in this case, I liked it.

I liked Sally. The author did write her, at first, as a silly young girl who didn’t take life seriously. But, as the book went on, I saw glimpses of a more serious Sally. It wasn’t until she met Clio and helped Clio’s granddaughter escape that Sally’s true nature showed through. She was one of the bravest characters in the book.

I liked Lapo. As a parent, I understood why he did what he did. I would do anything to ensure the safety of my children too. I felt awful every time I read his chapters because I could see his prison being more and more constricted by Mussolini.

Alessandro had the most exciting storyline, in my eyes. He was anti-Fascist but had to swallow his beliefs while in the military. Alessandro couldn’t understand, at first, why Lapo was kissing Mussolini’s butt, which made him angry (I would have been too). His time in the military almost destroyed him. The scene where he finally meets Sally is pivotal because it shows how low he was.

The end of Sally Brady’s Italian Adventure was interesting. I felt awful for Sally when she finally went home to her family. Her father was a piece of freaking work, that’s for sure. There was a twist at the end of the book that surprised me. I was with Sally when I thought a certain someone had died. To have him pop up like that had me react as Sally did.

I recommend Sally Brady’s Italian Adventure to anyone over 16. There is mild language, fade to black sexual situations, and moderate to graphic violence.

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press, NetGalley, and Christina Lynch for allowing me to read and review Sally Brady’s Italian Adventure.

in 1931, at the age of eleven, Sally, a dust bowl refugee from Iowa abandoned by her parents, is “adopted” by Hollywood actress Patsy Chen. Some years later, following her divorce Patsy leaves her flailing career for Europe, working as a gossip columnist for the Hearst syndicate, while also looking for her next, preferably rich husband – a venture she encourages Sally to also embark on. Sally helps Patsy in her assignments, attending parties, hobnobbing with the rich and famous, picking up scoop on the dalliances, and scandals and reporting on them under a nom de plum. In 1941, after a selfless act leaves her stranded in Mussolini’s Italy with no papers Sally is left to fend for herself and gets a close look at what it is like to live amid a fascist regime. Her story intersects with that of Lapo , a writer and farmer from Siena, who is chosen by Mussolini to ghostwrite a glowing biography and Lapo’s anti-fascist son, Alessandro, who despite his father’s best efforts is unable to avoid being drafted into Mussolini’s army, and eventually stationed in Prague.

The author masterfully weaves the three threads of this story together to give us a remarkable story. However, it did take a while to fully engage in the narrative. I felt the segment about Sally’s experiences as a gossip columnist was a tad too much and should have been condensed. But after the initial twenty-five percent of the novel, the story does pick up and I thoroughly enjoyed following the narrative, eager to see where the story would take us. There is an element of farfetchedness in certain aspects of the story, but this does not detract from the reading experience.

The author gives us an insightful look into the historical and political backdrop and the impact of the horrors of war and fascism and its aftermath. The author describes the contrasting worlds of the glitz and glamor of the lifestyles of the affluent with their parties and dalliances, almost clueless to the fact that Europe was on the brink of war and the plight of civilians trapped in the Fascist regime, many of whom were not supporters of the ideology being propagated at the time, such as Alessandro, a pacifist conscripted to fight in a war that he did not support, defending a regime and a leader he believed represented evil.

Alessandro's internal conflict between his beliefs and principles and his duties is excellently depicted as is Lapo’s struggles to keep himself and his family safe, forced to follow the dictates of the regime while loathing what they represent, even being forced to house political prisoners on the orders of the local officials. The author injects a healthy dose of humor and satire (the salient points of Il Duce’s biography had me laughing out loud) into the narrative. I loved how we see Sally evolve from a shallow person (though we cannot blame her for this, given that she was nurtured to develop her persona) into a strong, resilient woman, willing to take risks to help those in need of assistance. Sally’s sassy attitude and upbeat spirit might often come across as misplaced or a tad unbelievable at times but you can’t help but admire how her indomitable spirit and ability to use humor to cope in difficult situations, often manipulating said situation in her favor. In that I found Sally to be an endearing character.

Overall, I enjoyed Sally Brady’s Italian Adventure by Christina Lynch. Many thanks to St.Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the digital review copy of this novel. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Sally Brady's Italian Adventure is the first book I've read by Christina Lynch, and I will definitely be on the lookout for new releases from her. When I started to read this book, I thought the lead character and storyline were rather shallow. But I kept reading anyway...and soon it was just about impossible to put it down and walk away!

In 1931, Sally's father sent her from the dust bowl to Los Angeles to find work and send money home to her family. Never mind that she was only a child of 11; she was set loose on her own in the world. Desperate and hungry, she jumps into a car with movie star Patsy Chen, who ends up adopting her. Well, not officially, but close enough. Sally and Patsy attend glamorous parties all across Europe. Patsy becomes a gossip columnist known as the Bon Vivant, but Sally takes over the job from her; she was doing all the work anyway. Patsy eventually heads elsewhere, while Sally remains in Tuscany, Italy. But then war comes to Italy, Sally can't get an exit visa, and she becomes a prisoner. What's a young woman armed with lipstick and gossip skills to do?

The story is told from three different viewpoints: Sally, Lapo (an Italian writer turned farmer) and Alessandro (Lapo's son, an antifascist who is forced to serve in the Italian army). Sally is impossibly cheery and takes things as they come. At first her humor and actions made her seem like a flibbertigibbet and insubstantial. Did she take anything seriously? However, as the plot moved along, she truly became a likable young woman of strong character. When she was being released from prison, she chose to stay behind so a friend could be released in her place. She faced hardships with a smile. Sally went from being a lightweight character to someone I liked and respected. Lapo was a wonderful character. He married a woman from the US and had three children. He and his wife were working on their estate in Tuscany, trying to bring it back to life. He was a writer, but didn't have much time to write. He sent his wife and two daughters to Chicago to keep them safe during the rise of fascism. His son Alessandro stayed behind with him, until he was forced to joint the Italian army. Mussolini wanted someone to write his "autobiography", and he chose Lapo to do so, because he loved a book that Lapo wrote. Which, actually, he didn't. But he used the "invitation" to write to have his son stationed with the Italian army in Prague, where he thought Alessandro would be safe. Lapo struggled to combine his horror of fascism with what he must do to keep his son safe. My heart broke for Alessandro, who absolutely hated fascism and what it was doing to his home. He was sent to Prague and had to deal with moral ambiguity; what was right and what was wrong wasn't always clear. He was a gentle soul stuck in a world beyond his comprehension. Supporting characters were all terrific; some turned out surprisingly different from what they first appeared. Most WWII stories focused on Hitler's campaign, so it was eye-opening to learn more of what Italy's place was in the scheme of things. Don't let the slow beginning and Sally's apparent thoughts and actions stop you from reading. Keep with it and you will be greatly rewarded.

I received an ARC of this book courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley. I received no compensation for my review, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are entirely my own.

SALLY BRADY’S ITLAIAN ADVENTURE by Christina Lynch is a sweeping and emotional story mainly set in wartime Italy as the rise of Mussolini and fascism reaches a dangerous peak. In 1931, eleven-year-old Sally Brady is sent off by her parents in Iowa to find work in California. All alone and starving on the streets of Los Angeles, a chance encounter with a Hollywood movie star leads to Sally being adopted by the star and taken on a whirlwind adventure in Europe. By the time she is twenty, Sally is making the rounds of the European party scene, secretly sending gossip about Europe’s rich and famous, back to a US news organization. You would never know the hardship and tragedy this young woman has faced by her witty and charming persona. The story is told from three perspectives, Sally’s, and those of Lapo, an Italian man with an American wife, three children and a dilapidated estate in Tuscany and Alessandro, Lapo’s son, who gets conscripted into the Fascist army. Although the story is full of wit and often even humor, the atrocities of fascism and World War II are clearly relayed by all the characters. The story is well-plotted and engaging and speaks to many themes that are still timely today. I really enjoyed Sally’s character and the relationships she developed with those around her. I highly recommend this unique and interesting twist on a World War II story. Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the chance to read and review an early copy.

Sally Brady was quite a surprise. I expected a light summer read. The Italian Adventure was quite a bit more! Sally Brady bounces from opportunity to opportunity. She leaves her small midwestern town in 1931 when her family runs out of money and the means to support her. She travels to Hollywood, and lands in the lap of a movie star who finds a place for her to work. When the two find themselves traveling around Europe reporting on the lives of the rich and famous, Sally Brady is determined to find a husband with a castle to support her. Her basic integrity and sense of humor take her down some curious paths as she navigates wartime Italy on her way to a happily ever after.

Sally Brady's Italian Adventure is a great book to immerse yourself in on a long hot summer's day.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Abandoned by her parents at the age of eleven, a girl from the dust bowl finds herself in California. There she is adopted by Patsy Chen, a movie star, who names her Sally. When Patsy’s marriage fails and movie roles dry up, she and Sally head to Europe. Through her connections, Patsy is hired as a gossip columnist. As a teenager Sally is rarely noticed by guests at social events, making it easy to observe and report to Patsy. She eventually takes over writing the column. Sally falls in love with Italy, but Hitler and Mussolini are coming to power and the social scene is changing. After Pearl Harbor Mussolini orders the expulsion of Americans from Italy. For some reason Sally is denied the required exit visa and her life changes from parties to a a true adventure of survival.

Christina Lynch alternate’s Sally’s story with the story of Lapo, a writer and the owner of an Italian estate who is married to an American. Lapo’s farm is struggling and his son Alessandro is facing mandatory military service as the country goes to war. He has no choice but to work with the fascists if he is to survive and and care for the workers on his property.

Sally faces life with a smile and a joke. She has associated with royalty and the cream of society. When she is imprisoned as a foreign national and possible spy, she uses those connections to secure her release. After convincing authorities that she is a correspondent she is imprisoned with the other correspondents, who are to be expelled. She sacrifices her place on the train out to help a Jewish refugee. Hiding from the authorities she learns to survive on the run. She also discovers that she is not alone and people are willing to help her. Clio, a woman in her nineties, shows her the beauties of Siena. Sergente Favagrossa is charmed by Sally and helps her escape. Lapo and his son will also help her on her journey and help her discover the importance of family. Sally is a wonderful character who will make you laugh. Her story is also a lesson in history that will bring you to tears. When Sally’s adventure ends her story will stay with you for a long time. I would like to thank NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing this book for my review.

All I've got to say is wow! Well, actually, there is more than that... If you're tempted to bail anytime in the first half, let me assure you, you will not regret continuing on. The first half for me was slow with just enough interesting bits here and there to keep me going. This was like a roller coaster.... The long, boring, slow, steep, climb to the summit, and then you are plunged with rapid speed into this story on a roller coaster ride of an adventure with so many ups and downs, twists in turns and is worth slogging through every second of the slow beginning. This story starts in the US with 11 year old Sally. Through some incredible circumstances, Sally ends up in Italy with her adoptive mom. Her brains bravery, and wit serve her well when she finds herself embroiled with a cast of interesting characters, including Mussolini in the middle of the war. This is not a true story or a memoir, but the character of Sally is based on a compilation of strong women and in one amazing story!

This book started out kinda sad with Sally being sent away to find a job . She was only 11, who does that to a family member?! It has dual timelines and I found Sally’s story much more interesting, even tho it read like one big party for most of the book. I’m just not sure what to think about this book.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the early copy