This book is a must read for anyone with an interest in Italian heritage. One of the more interesting books and storylines I have read in a while. A great mother/daughter read or for any book club. Something for everyone of all ages.

Sara Marsala is dealing with the loss of her business and marriage when her great Aunt Rosie passes away along with the trip to Italy. Not knowing her Aunt had bought the ticket for her and made all of the arrangements this way she can find her way back to herself. She also asks to look into one other item and that is her great-grandmother Serafina, who supposedly died in Sicily before she could come over with her children. Hence is the beginning of the story of finding what happened to Serafina. An interesting story that goes back and forth from past to present and once you get into it you do not want to stop. Well well-written and makes you wonder if we have come that far because it seems some men are still afraid of smart powerful women and want to take away things from them. A much different story than I was expecting.

I love a historical fiction novel with a spooky mystery and an examination of the Cosa Nostra, so I really enjoyed this one. I have qualms about the pacing--the story ends abruptly and lingers in places I didn't expect--and I wasn't sure how much Italian Sara actually understands/speaks throughout the book, which is a pet peeve of mine. But overall it's a quick read for fans of Jo Piazza's other books and those who want to read about Sicily's past and present.

A perfect beach read for the summer - beautiful scenery, interesting characters and a fast-paced story line. I loved it and will be highly recommending it!

You could not beat the setting of this book and it's the perfect summer/beach read. While I expected a thriller, I wasn't expecting a mob type thriller lol The book kept me engaged and I loved the female empowerment, but it was just ok for me.

I'd heard a lot of buzz about this one but wasn't planning on reading it until one of my book club's selected it for the month of June. And while it was an enjoyable read (and definitely made me wish I was in Italy, or at the very wanting to eat a LOT of Italian food), I found it a bit over the top. Some of the side characters felt a bit cartoonish and unbelievable, as did a couple aspects of how it all wrapped up. It's not a book that will stick with me, but I liked it enough while reading it and will try some of Piazza's other books (like Charlotte Walsh likes to win).

Title: The Sicilian Inheritance
Author: Jo Piazza
Genre: historical fiction
Rating: 4.50
Pub Date: April 2, 2024

I received a complimentary eARC from Penguin Group Dutton via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. #Gifted

T H R E E • W O R D S

Transporting • Empowering • Readable

📖 S Y N O P S I S

Sara Marsala barely knows who she is anymore after the failure of her business and marriage. On top of that, her beloved great-aunt Rosie passes away, leaving Sara bereft with grief. But Aunt Rosie's death also opens an escape from her life and a window into the past by way of a plane ticket to Sicily, a deed to a possibly valuable plot of land, and a bombshell family secret. Rosie believes Sara's great-grandmother Serafina, the family matriarch who was left behind while her husband worked in America, didn’t die of illness as family lore has it . . . she was murdered.

Thus begins a twist-filled adventure that takes Sara all over the picturesque Italian countryside as she races to solve a mystery and prove her birthright. Flashing back to the past, we meet Serafina, a feisty and headstrong young woman in the early 1900s thrust into motherhood in her teens, who fought for a better life not just for herself but for all the women of her small village. Unsurprisingly it isn’t long before a woman challenging the status quo finds herself in danger.

As Sara discovers more about Serafina she also realizes she is coming head-to-head with the same menacing forces that took down her great-grandmother.

💭 T H O U G H T S

I'd previously read two books co-authored by Jo Piazza and enjoyed them both, so it was easy to add The Sicilian Inheritance to my list of anticipated 2024 releases. Admittedly, I was drawn to the word 'inheritance' and the Italian setting really sealed the deal.

Inspired by the life of the author's great-great-grandmother, who was murdered in Sicily before she was able to join her husband in America, this novel part historical fiction, part murder mystery, part romance, and part family saga. The dual perspective and dual timeline narrative allowed the reader to get a rich history of Sicilian women and it's a beautiful portrait of women supporting women. Sara and Seraphina are equally complex and I was thoroughly intrigued by both of their storylines.

Sicily was already on my bucket list, but let's just say this book definitely moved it closer to the top. The scrumptious food descriptions had me salivating, while the rich architectural descriptions brought it all to life. Getting to learn about the history of the people was an added bonus.

What kept this from being a five-star read, was how everything wrapped up a little too quickly and nicely for my liking. It was a book to be savored (although I couldn't stop turning the pages) and that required patience, yet unfortunately the ending came across rushed.

Overall, The Sicilian Inheritnace was an enjoyable reading experience. It combined so many of my favourite elements - historical detail, dual timeline, food, adventure, travel, feminism, picturesque setting. It's easy to imagine this being turned into a movie or mini series down the road.

📚 R E A D • I F • Y O U • L I K E
• multigenerational stories
• genre bending novels
• strong female characters

⚠️ CW: murder, death, death of parent, grief, violence, domestic abuse, infidelity, sexism, animal death, animal cruelty, war, sexual assault, rape, alcohol, sexual content, religious bigotry, abortion, vomit, car accident, divorce, toxic relationship

🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S

"Maybe permanency was not the only metric of success. My marriage didn’t work out, but I got a wonderful daughter out of it. My restaurant was a great success, just not forever because forever is hard. Maybe I couldn’t do it all and be everything to everyone and that had to be OK."

"It is more a way of life, a spirit, a story we pass down, a way of reminding ourselves that the only way for a woman to survive in this world is to help other women."

This dual timeline historical novel is a crowd pleaser! Inspired by the real story of author Jo Piazza's great great grandmother, who was murdered in Sicily a century ago right before she was supposed to join her husband in America (he’d immigrated there to work and send money back to his family). Piazza heard this story over and over at various family gatherings over the years before deciding to write about it, including many of the rumors she'd heard about the story along the way. In present day, Sara Marsala inherits a plane ticket to Sicily, the deed to a plot of land there, and the instructions to take this journey to figure out what’s going on with the land and her own life from her Aunt Rosie. In Sicily in the early 1900's, we follow Serafina (the character based on Piazza’s great great grandmother) as she tries to break out of the mold of the traditional Sicilian wife while her husband is in America, which eventually puts her in danger. The mystery in this multigenerational family story (what happened to Serafina) keeps the pages turning, but the real star for me was the world of Sicily in the 1920's. A large chunk of the working aged men went to the United States to work in factories or mines, and the women were left to run the town (the only working age men left in Sicily were mafia, which made for interesting dynamics in this VERY patriarchal society. The Sicilian setting was incredibly lush and felt like summer!

Overall, I did enjoy this. I do wish I got to learn more about Sara’s backstory, and I found myself a bit confused with the family tree at times, but I was very invested in both Sara and Seraphina. That being said, I feel as though the melodramatic “thriller-esque” elements toward the end of the book did not fit in with the rest of the story. It felt a bit cheesy to the point that it took me out of the book. I still enjoyed the writing style of the book, and was very captivated by how the writer brought me to Sicily.

"The Sicilian Inheritance" is a captivating tale that intertwines the past and present, drawing readers into the heart of Sara Marsala's journey of self-discovery amidst familial secrets and Italian landscapes. From the depths of grief to the heights of courage, the novel navigates the complexities of love, loss, and the resilience of women across generations. With its twist-filled plot and vivid descriptions, it's an immersive read that leaves a lasting impression.

I enjoyed this multigenerational story! A solid mystery mixed with a story of personal growth.

I received an advance copy. All thoughts are my own

I loved this book! It was a wonderful mix of mystery, thriller, adventure, romance, travel, and history. Plus it somehow managed to be funny even when dealing with heavy topics. Highly recommend.

This was an incredible book about a woman who goes on a journey to a small town in Sicily to learn about her roots. Her aunt Rosie just passed, and she gave her this trip to gain the land that is rightfully theirs. She will have a big fight on her hands, though.

excellent book. was so excited to receive this ARC. it became one of my top favorite reads. cannot wait to read more from this author.

Really enjoyed this one! I often find that books with historic/modern split timelines that I end up preferring one and slogging through the other, but enjoyed both in this book. What I liked most is that this was a really fun read, some of the characters and plot points are a little BIG, but that's the point. An escapist read that still has substance, and especially enjoyed knowing that this was based on the authors own family history and lore.

I loved this book! The beautiful narratives of 2 strong women tied together over a century was amazing and so lovely to read. Serafina's story was so heartbreaking and I truly did not see the twist at the end coming (no spoilers!). Can't wait for whatever Jo Piazza has coming next!

Title: The Sicilian Inheritance
Author: Jo Piazza
Genre: Historical fiction
Rating: 4.0 out of 5

Sara Marsala barely knows who she is anymore after the failure of her business and marriage. On top of that, her beloved great-aunt Rosie passes away, leaving Sara bereft with grief. But Aunt Rosie's death also opens an escape from her life and a window into the past by way of a plane ticket to Sicily, a deed to a possibly valuable plot of land, and a bombshell family secret. Rosie believes Sara's great-grandmother Serafina, the family matriarch who was left behind while her husband worked in America, didn’t die of illness as family lore has it . . . she was murdered.

Thus begins a twist-filled adventure that takes Sara all over the picturesque Italian countryside as she races to solve a mystery and prove her birthright. Flashing back to the past, we meet Serafina, a feisty and headstrong young woman in the early 1900s thrust into motherhood in her teens, who fought for a better life not just for herself but for all the women of her small village. Unsurprisingly it isn’t long before a woman challenging the status quo finds herself in danger.

As Sara discovers more about Serafina she also realizes she is coming head-to-head with the same menacing forces that took down her great-grandmother.

This was a pretty solid read, although Sara was the only character I really liked. I was suspicious of everyone else, including Serafina. I honestly didn’t feel much of a connection to any of the characters, but the writing was solid, and the setting was appealing.

Jo Piazza lives in Philadelphia. The Sicilian Inheritance is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Penguin Group Dutton in exchange for an honest review.)

(Blog link live 5/7).

I love this book for so many reasons, first I absolutely love Sicily, second love the author and I love a book that showcases badass strong women! This book is book has all three! The author does a great jon showcasing grief as well. Highly recommend!

This was okay. I think I just came into it expecting a travel rom com witha mystery twist and I got a mob crime book with one chapter of romance instead, I’m not sure if it’s my fault or the marketing. I liked it enough to finish though I skimmed the last bit.

this was a nice and fun historical fiction/thriller combo, I think it would be a great beach or poolside read this summer, but really any time of the year. interesting connection to the author's heritage.