Oh my goodness this was such a beautiful book. I loved every page. I just couldn't get enough of it. Vivid descriptions of the war and the characters. My thanks to netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

This dual timeline novel takes place in Sicily and the UK in the 1970s and during WWII. In the 1970s, it follows the story of Paige, a young woman coming to terms with the sudden death of the aunt who raised her. A mysterious pendant, a cryptic, coded message and a birth certificate with an unknown name listed as her mother lead Paige on an investigation into her past.

The WWII timeline follows Lady Joy, who escapes her oppressive home life to help crack codes for the war effort. There she meets Savio, a working class Italian-Englishman who is detained because of his ethnicity. His only way out of detention is volunteering to fight for the country that betrayed him.

This started a bit slowly for me, but once I got into the story I fully enjoyed it. The characters are rich and complex, and I enjoyed the locations between the UK and Sicily. It was rewarding to read how this story unwinds and secrets are revealed, and how the 1970s and 1940s stories dovetail. A recommended read

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy - all thoughts are my own.

This uses the World War 2 element perfectly and how well Angela Petch uses the historical setting to the stories advantage. It was written well and had that overall feel that I was hoping for from the description. I really felt for the characters and enjoyed going on this journey with the characters. Angela Petch has a great writing style and can't wait for more.

The Sicilian Secret is easily the best book that Angela Petch has written. It was definitely an engrossing page turner that I read in as few sittings as possible. It’s a dual timeline story set during World War Two and the more modern aspect is set in 1973. The book introduces the reader to Florence who has lived in Squirrels Cottage for many years. She is putting her affairs in order as she knows she hasn’t much time left. She is eager for her niece Paige to arrive as she lots that she wishes to share with her that she should perhaps have already told her. But better late than never as they say. As Florence walks to the local village shop she is hit by a van and is killed. The brief time she had left has been snatched from her. What ever Florence or Aunt Flo as Paige fondly calls her, had to share will remain a secret. Or will it?

This life changing event for Paige sets in motion a whole new chain of circumstances that lead her on a fascinating journey. When she returns after the funeral to the cottage to try and heal from the trauma of losing the woman who brought her up following the death of her parents she finds a piece of jewellery which has an unusual design and was definitely not made in England that Flo has left to her. A notebook is soon discovered where Flo had attempted to write down what she wished Paige to know but there is scant information within it. A birth certificate is located and the information Paige gleams from it turns her world upside down. The name on it is not one she would have expected and alongside the birth cert is a letter with a Sicilian postmark with details inside which Paige can’t decipher. Having so many unanswered questions and no one to offer the answers she so desperately wants she grabs at the merest of hints and sets out upon a quest to discover who was her mother and in fact her true family. She takes a sabbatical from work and regarding her fiancée Jeremy, well she finally deals with the niggles that have plagued her for some time and soon he is gone from her life. She is free to begin her journey and it takes her to several places and soon a fascinating, incredible and heart-breaking story starts to emerge.

From this point on the story moves seamlessly back and forth between the past and the present with the past having a more dominant focus which I really didn’t mind at all because it was completely gripping. At times I became so lost in the story of Savio and Joy that I forgot that Paige featured too and I found myself jolted back to her timeline. She was the conduit between the two timelines and a necessary part to the story but I found myself totally caught up with Joy and it was this aspect of the book that I preferred the most. That’s not to say that Paige didn’t go on a journey that was worthwhile. It most certainly was but the details of the war and the romance that emerged and what the characters went through at the time had my attention from beginning to end. Paige worked tirelessly to join the dots together to try and bring her life full circle and find out who she really was and reading about her piecing the puzzle together was very interesting.

Two main characters feature in the timeline set during the war. Savio is British by birth but his parents originally came from Sicily. They have set up a barber shop in London and work hard to make a living in the hopes of one day returning to their beloved island. Savio has been there on holiday and has a deep connection to the island but when war is declared and all Germans and Italians living in Britain are declared as enemy aliens things are not good for his family. Savio is tough, steadfast and loyal to his family but war sees them torn apart. They are sent to the Isle of Man where internment camps had been set up. I had recently read another book where this set up had also featured so I was familiar with the details but still I found it compelling to read about. A disaster sees Savio lose his parents and his fiery Italian spirit comes through which I couldn’t blame him for at all. He certainly had a temper about him and battled hard to control his emotions. His anger and energy was best corralled and centred into something else and he finds himself in trouble but if this had not occurred he would perhaps not have gone on to meet Joy under the circumstances in which he did.

I loved the way the chapters inter flowed between Savio and Joy. Theirs was a brief but intense union the circumstances of how they meet and what they go through I will not go into. Suffice to say they are involved in clandestine essential war work and sealed lips are mentioned for a reason. Savio was such a very well written and developed character that went through a lot of progression and development but getting revenge for the loss of his parents was at the forefront and doing his bit for his heritage and I suppose his true homeland was always at the centre of his mind. When the setting regarding Savio moved to Sicily the story came even more alive than it had already been. I felt I was there alongside him under the hot Italian sun as the tides of war were changing for the Italians. The setting was richly described and you could tell the author had been there and done her research and wanted to get everything down on paper so the reader would feel as if they had had the same experiences. I did have an inkling as to how things would turn out and what connections there were to the modern story and I was correct but it didn’t detract from my enjoyment of the story in any way at all. Without doubt Savio has been one of the best male characters that I have read about in this historical fiction genre in quite some time.

As for Joy she had a totally different upbringing and life experiences from Savio. Born to wealthy parents she resides at Somersby Hall with her mother. She lost her father several years previous to when we meet her and to say her relationship with her mother was not a loving and comfortable one would be an understatement. Her mother Cecelia is cold, uncaring and manipulative and further on in the story she shows her true colours. In fact, I found her to be truly despicable and a woman who should never have had a child. As Somersby Hall is to be requisitioned as a convalescent home for wounded soldiers Joy decides she needs to do her bit for the war effort. She feels guilty being stuck at the hall when everyone else is doing everything in their power to rid the world of Hitler and his army. Joy goes on a very emotional and intriguing journey which sees her put her talents to good use. Her war work was brilliant to read about and again the details given were well researched and helped bring the emotion and dedication of the time to life from the pages.

Through her time away from the hall she meets Savio and the intensity of their connection radiates from the pages. They are from two completely worlds but when together they are strong and powerful. Their time together leaves an indelible mark on each other and the consequences will be felt for some time. I felt desperately sorry for her in the later half of the book as she battled with emotions and a situation she had no control over. I know what outcome I wanted for her but how this would be achieved I was at pains to try and figure out. I thought she showed such strength, determination and loyalty at a time when all these feelings were called into question. But Angela Petch had everything so carefully plotted out and I felt the last quarter was magnificent as everything started to come together. I loved The Sicilian Secret from beginning to end and would highly recommend it. It’s a fabulous story expertly told and the author had me in her hands right from the opening chapters.

THE SICILIAN SECRET by Angela Petch is a captivating dual timeline historical fiction with protagonists in both the 1970’s and 1940’s that had me engrossed from beginning to end. This is a new-to-me author, and I will be checking out her back catalogue that I am surprised I have not read before.

In the 1940’s timeline, Lady Joy Harrison is determined to help in the war effort. When she trains for secret service, she meets an unlikely confidant. Savio is British born, but because of his Sicilian parents, they are gathered up and incarcerated. He is now training for service also. They fall in love but are separated without notice. Joy is sent to and works at Bletchley Park and Savio is sent to be a part of the invasion by the allies on Sicily.

In the 1970’s timeline, Paige is devastated when her Aunt Flo, the person who raised her, is killed in a traffic accident. As she is cleaning her aunt’s room, she discovers a box left for her with a mysterious amulet and an unfinished note telling her she has a secret to tell her, but it is unfinished. There is also a cryptic message in some sort of code and post marked from Sicily. After being shocked by what she learns at home in England, she is off to Sicily to hopefully discover more.

I loved this story so much even when I was crying. This author was able to emotionally connect me with all the protagonists in each timeline. I also liked that the plot was written in a way that was not only believable but also plausible. The research is obvious and extensive, from the internment camps on the Isle of Mann to the allied campaign in Sicily. All the plotlines intertwine and seamlessly reveal the plot secrets and heartbreaks. This is a historical fiction story that has everything I enjoy reading in this genre of book and it is beautifully written.

I highly recommend this beautiful and emotional historical fiction story.

Enjoyed it and would give the book 3.5 stars. I love how the book alternates between Joy and Savio in the 1940s and Paige in 1973. I enjoyed reading about Paige, but my favorite part of the book was Lady Joy's story. There were so many secrets. I wished Florence would have told Paige the truth about everything. Loved the mystery behind the letter Paige finds in Florence's cottage and the unknown identity of Lady Joy Harrison. I probably should have figured out who Lady Joy was, but I had no idea until Paige speaks with Peggy. I understand how Savio felt betrayed by England. He was born there, his brother died fighting for England and then they were treated as the enemy. Savio was held in a camp like a prisoner. I thought there might have been more about why Graziella showed up at the stone hut with the baby. What happened to bring her there? Savio and Joy's relationship escalated fairly quick. One minute they are getting beers, the next they are sneaking out again and are a couple. They stay at a guesthouse and pretend to be married. The next day they are engaged. Too bad Savio's puzzle wasn't figured out sooner.

I definitely recommend the book. I really enjoyed the story, characters and writing style. I look forward to reading more books by the author. Loved the cover of the book.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bookouture through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

A really lovely story that I was able to finish in one day. I was very excited when about a quarter of the way through the book, a little light bulb went off in my head and I worked something out. Despite knowing what I did, it didn’t ruin the rest of the book, only kept me reading more because I wanted to find out what happened. Lost loves, and a mysterious secret pendant and letter will keep you glued from the first page to the last. Thank you to NetGalley for letting me read this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

During WWII in Italy, a secret coded letter was written. In present day, Paige inherite her aunts cottage. She finds the note and a letter. She works and tries to read it. As I read this story I was drawn into the war and the cost of love.

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

Thanks to @Bookoture for my copy and for having me on this tour.

This is my initial encounter with this writer, and it certainly won't be the last. The way she crafts her storylines transports you into a cinematic experience. The dual timeline approach in this novel, set in the 1940s and 1970s, particularly fascinated me, especially the gradual unfolding of Joy and Savico's meeting. This book has broadened my perspective significantly, as I was previously unaware of the mistreatment of Italians by England during WWII following Italy's declaration of war against Britain. The Italians were placed in internment camps, a fact that I knew happened in the US but was surprised to learn also occurred in England. The characters and the vivid descriptions of Sicily during WWII were aspects that deeply resonated with me.

This is a dual timeline story spanning WWII Italy and England in the 70’s. Lady Joy is training to support the war effort during WWII when she meets a handsome young Sicilian born in England and falls in love. Paige loses the beloved aunt who raised and then she uncovers a mystery after she passes away.

This was an interesting story. I learned more about the Italian efforts during WWII. I didn’t realize that England had also treated the Italians horribly during WWII after Italy declared war against Britain. They were sent to internment camps. I know it was done in the US, but didn’t realize it was done in England as well. I loved the characters and descriptions of Sicily during WWII.
I’m looking forward to reading more by this author.

Thanks to @bookouture, @netgalley, and the author for the ARC of this story

The Sicilian Secret is another triumph from the hugely talented Angela Petch, a powerhouse in the world of historical fiction, always guaranteed to create a story that will evoke every emotion you possess

Three timelines, seemingly very separate are artfully entwined to create a saga that spans 1927, WWII and 1973. Told from multiple POV's and perspectives, The Sicilian Secret flows gracefully and articulately, sometimes plummeting to the ground only to rise up again, flocks and swarms, culminating into a single whole, all the pieces falling into place

I always enjoy a novel that will tell a hidden history, such as that of Italians n internment camps on the Isle of Man in WWII. THe extensive historical research expanding into the beautiful country and culture of Siciily, creating a chain to link the storylines to 1973

Beautifully written and an essential read if you enjoy historical fiction and striking, emotive love stories over time

Thank you to Netgalley, Bookouture and Angela Petch for this wonderful ARC. This review is given voluntarily and all opinions are my own

The Sicilian Secret by Angela Petch is a compelling and well written story!
This book is beautifully descriptive and I and I didn't want the story to end.

Thank You NetGalley and Bookouture for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

I have loved all of Angela Petch's excellent novels and was particularly looking forward to this one partially set in Sicily. 'The Sicilian Secret' has it all - secrets, an intriguing dual timeline where the author does not shy away from the horrors and heartbreak of war that impact on future generations. The reader is given an insight into the amazing bravery of people living at the time, not only those in active service but also civilians. The characterisation is superb. As a reader, you feel each character's every emotion and the unfairness of what they were going through. The link between the wartime and present-day stories is seamless with the unravelling of the secret skillfully and heartbreakingly done. The sense of place is strong taking me straight back to the beautiful island I fell in love with on my first visit. Not wanting the story to end, the characters and what they went through stayed with me long after reading the last page. A stunning story!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of the novel.

This novel is a testament to the power of historical fiction to bridge the past and present, revealing the unbreakable connections that shape our lives. It is a must-read for anyone who cherishes a well-told story that makes history feel immediate and real. With every page, The Sicilian Secret confirms Angela Petch's strengths as a storyteller, making this book a captivating read from start to finish.

Angela Petch's latest novel, The Sicilian Secret, intertwines the gripping narratives of a World War II romance and a family mystery discovered in the 1970s. I liked and became invested in the characters and felt compelled to read on as they navigated love, loss, and intrigue as the story unfolded.

The author's meticulous research shines through, enriching the narrative with immersive historical detail. The writing vividly captures the essence of war and the alluring charm of 1970s Sicily. The plot kept me engrossed from start to finish, though I wanted a little more insight into how things developed for the characters after the final chapter. (Perhaps I did not want to let the story go.)

The Sicilian Secret is a compelling, dual-timeline novel with an engaging blend of romance and mystery. I greatly enjoyed it.

Another bold, stunning and captivating read from Angela Petch! The Sicilian Secret is so well written that it just floats along like a dream. The novel is set in a few timelines: 1927, 1940s, 1973. The past helps to tell a tragic and tender story set during World War II that echoes injustice all the way to modern day 1973.

The novel opens in Suffolk 1973 with Florence who is minding the cold, looking forward to the approaching spring season and the hope it represents. Her thoughts are on the dog she misses and the debate with herself about revealing some important truth to her niece. Something that has been very hard for her to do. Memories come flooding back as she looks at a photo of her favourite person, Paige, and considers her physical features, different from her own. It is obvious Florence does not think highly of her own appearance. She is also annoyed with the mis-information provided in a new book about what went on during the war. This passage hints that Florence knows a fair bit about the inside activities.

In the past timeline, a couple named Joy and Savio meet during their training to be torn apart abruptly. Each come from very different backgrounds yet have had their own share of heart breaking trials. Savio’s story is an example of what happened to the Italians living in England during WW2. This part of the plot is quite jarring as Savio and his parents are rounded up and sent to the Isle of Man to a facility for holding. Some terrible things happen as a result. The restrictions test Savio’s patience and his hot temper gets him into strife on more than one occasion. He continues to plea his innocence. Eventually his knowledge of Sicily plays a part in setting him free from the internment.

Lady Joy Harrison has her own battles with her cruel, uncaring mother. She misses her late father and draws strength from the memory of his love and acceptance. Joy then plans her escape from the restrictions and expectations imposed on her. She decides to enlist to do her part in fighting the war. It gives her some space and a chance to grow. It is during this time she meets Savio and they become close.

Modern day (1973) introduces us to Paige, niece of Florence/Flo—the lady we meet at the start of the novel. Paige is going through a rough time missing her aunt who tragically died in an accident. She is also struggling with her fiancé, his controlling mother and their upcoming wedding. Is Paige ready for this next step? The loss of her aunt has jolted her into reconsidering her accepted path. Will she be happy? She confides in her best friend who helps her come to the decision she must make. Then a strange half written letter from her aunt, a coded message from Sicily, an unusual piece of jewellery and an odd birth certificate shake her identity. Is everything she has known about her life been a lie? What truth was Flo going to reveal before her tragic death? Paige must make a journey to solve the mystery and discover her father.

Paige’s trip to Sicily is an intriguing one. I was transported to this gorgeous setting through the author’s divine descriptions. Angela Petch’s personal experience of the region is clearly noted and utilised. There was a familiarity about the environment as I followed the characters into both beautiful and frightening terrain. Even though I have never been to Sicily, I felt as if I had. Angela has a knack for drawing emotion out of you through her atmospheric scenes, believable characters and complex plots.

This novel moved me to tears numerous times. It is a beautiful, though tragic story in many ways. The perspectives are presented through various characters so it helped me connect to them in a very personal way. I felt I had walked a mile in their shoes.

The ending is well delivered and contains healing, understanding and copious tears. The questions are answered, the mystery is solved and a reunion is established. Plus, a new love is born. I highly recommend this powerful WW2 and modern day love story that left me sighing and pondering the many ingenius parallels in the two timelines. An absolute must read! 5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thanks to Bookouture and Netgalley for the review copy.

A lovely story that moves between the 1970s and WWII, when Lady Joy and Savio meet and fall in love. This plays off the seldom explored round up of Italians in the UK and the war in Italy, especially Sicily. Paige's discovery of a coded letter leads to a surprise family secret and a new appreciation for the women in her family. No spoilers from me. Great atmospherics. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. It's a good read.

Joy is a Lady. Savio is an immigrant. What could these two have in common?
A lot it turns out.

In the 1970’s, a girl named Paige finds a letter. Addressed to a Joy and full of numbers and codes. What in the world is this.?

And so begins a story of love, danger and sacrifice. A tear-jerker. I used so many tissues and it was wonderful!


NetGalley/ Bookouture April 23, 2024

Having read some of Angela Petch’s other books, I was keen to get my hands on this one. As always, her writing is rich and atmospheric, giving an immersive sense of place and both periods featured in this dual timeline. Her characters are complex and interesting, and even if I didn’t altogether agree with some of their actions I found them entirely plausible and understandable, given the detailed context set up through the story.
All in all, this book is highly recommended for anyone interested in some of the less well-known aspects of WWII. For me it was a 4.5 star read.

This story is told in dual time, and I learned things I never knew about WWII.
I've known of the internment camps in the States, but not in England. Very sad, and yet, out of these comes a great read.
We travel from England to Italy, Sicily, and meet some great characters, from totally different backgrounds. Lady Joy, she comes from an aristocratic life, and Savio, a man born in England of immigrant parents. What do these two have in common, well we are there to see their relationship bloom.
We flash forward to the 1970's and a young woman named Paige gets devastating news, and we wonder how she plays into this story.
I loved how the author wove this read together, full of facts and danger, but you really don't know whom is the enemy.
A different WWII story, and I'll be looking for more by Angela Petch!
I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Bookouture, and was not required to give a positive review.