Although historical fiction is my favorite genre, I hadn't read much about World War II in Italy. This book brought out the beauty of Tuscany, the lives and personalities of the Italians who lived there and so much about the fabulous art from the Uffizi Gallery, Having spent much time in Tuscany and in Florence, this book transported me right back there. Although the places that I stayed did not seem to be places of interest to the Germans, I could picture the rolling hills, the flowers, and the villas that dotted the area.
The main character was Stella, a preteen when she was sent to live with relatives while her mother stayed in Torino, working in a factory. Although she didn't know the family before living there, she was quickly given the duties of the other girls in the family. She attended the village school, where she was the oldest and newest child. Her aunt and uncle were storing some paintings for the Uffizi and guarding them while the owners of the villa returned to England as the war crept closer to Tuscany. Stella soon developed a friendship with Sandro, another child who was living there, and who shared a love of art. The story thus became a coming of age story set among the worst possible circumstances.
The villa became the home for many southern Italian refugees who escaped their homes with little more than the clothes on their backs. While they lived in the wine cellar, successive waves of German paratroopers, tankers, Kiwis and Indians lived there as well.
The descriptions of the various takeovers of the villa and the grounds, as well as the destruction and disregard for the family that was housing them were eye-opening.
Each chapter opened with a few sentences by Sandro Botticelli and captain Wallace Foster of the Monuments men. which reinforced the significance of the art that was saved from destruction.
I loved this book and the story it contained. Although I've visited the Uffizi, I found myself googling the masterpieces again to review the descriptions and the history included in the book. I am thankful for receiving the ARC of this book from NetGalley and HarperCollins Publishers, and am expressing my own opinions of it.

This is a real gem of a historical fiction read. I’ve read many a WW2 historical fiction, but this was my first from the POV of Italians. Beautifully set in a Tuscany villa, the story follows Stella as she comes of age while the war takes over the land and all in its way.

Morelli writes the scenery and each character so well you feel as though you are experiencing this moment in time right there with them. The art and the metaphor it serves; as well as the use of quotations from the artist and the monuments officer who reclaimed the artworks; alongside the Italian sayings and culture form a full experience that I highly recommend.

I loved Stella and Sandro and would love to see where their individual stories go. Zio Tino, and truly the whole cast of characters will find a place in your heart.

Thanks to NetGalley, Harper Collins and the author for a great ARC read, and Happy pub day eve to this book!

Give this book a full chance as it takes a little bit to catch its stride. I will be honest, it took me until about the 40% mark to really start turning the page and get invested with the story. The first half of the book had a lot of "slog" to it with details and narrative that I found to be unimportant to the overall story. Once I hit that certain point, The Keeper of Lost Art was an enjoyable read!

As a frequent reader of WWII HF, The Keeper of Lost Art provided a story that is a bit different than what is currently saturating the market. Laura Morelli offered something that is not often written about which resulted in a thoroughly researched book that had me side-googling images of the gorgeous paintings and settings she references. I love it when a book presents facts in such a way that it doesnt take away from the plot, but instead compliments it and leaves me as a reader wanting to know more. Well done in that regard!

Again, it is just that the pacing was off; I found myself skimming sentences and even paragraphs.

I've read a few books set in Italy during World War II but none quite like this. There is no pressure release valve of a dual timeline story here. This is just the life of Stella, a preteen girl who has been sent to live with her aunt, uncle and cousins in the country while her mother stays in Torino to work in an ammunitions factory. Stella is suddenly in a new place with new people and away from everyone and everything she has ever known. There is no reliable news source or communication outside the village and news is passed from person to person in rumors and whispers.

This was a poignant story of survival as Stella and her family focus on feeding an ever-growing group of houseguests - some welcome and some not as well as an assortment of occupiers. Stella really doesn't fully understand what is going on in the world around her she just knows she wants to survive it along with the people she cares about. Through everything is her friendship with Sandro and their love of the art that is occupying a portion of the villa they are all living in.

I thoroughly enjoyed this story and found it a bit different from other World War II Homefront stories. I did have a bit of trouble keeping up with who was who as there are a lot of side characters but the feeling of the book made up for that.

Thank you to NetGalley.com and William Morrow for an advanced reader copy of this book. This is a coming of age story about a young girl (Stella) and boy (Sandro) living in a villa with relatives in Tuscany during WWII while war ravages the community around them. Stella's relatives have been entrusted to safeguard masterpieces, from the Uffizi Gallery, in a locked room of the villa. This is a story about two young people who build a deep friendship during these difficult times. I absolutely LOVED this story. It is captivating and I learned a lot about life in Italy during the war.

I loved reading The Stolen Lady in 2021!
I was so excited to have received a eARC of The Keeper of Lost Art by Laura Morelli. Which did not disappoint.
A moving coming-of-age story about the power of art in wartime, which is based on true events. I going to be so interesting.
This incredible, captivating story will take you on a journey full of art during the WWII!
A astounding journey into one of the darkest chapters of Italy’s history, highlighting the incredible courage of everyday people to protect some of the most important works of art in western civilization.
The Keeper of Lost Art is a brilliant, exhilarating and fascinating story will keep you hooked. Promise!

The Keeper of Lost Art by Laura Morelli is a captivating and beautifully crafted novel that hooked me from the start. Morelli’s writing is lush and evocative—reading it was like walking through a painting brought to life. I could sense the gravity of the hidden artworks, the suspense of protecting them, and the characters' emotional journeys amid the chaos of war.

The characters were incredibly engaging, and the historical backdrop of safeguarding priceless art during World War II added a compelling layer. The connection between Stella and Sandro, as they found comfort in the art concealed within the villa’s hidden chambers, was heartfelt and authentic. This book left a deep impression on me—it's powerful, immersive, and gorgeously written.

Laura Morelli's "The Keeper of Lost Art" is a beautifully crafted historical novel that transported me straight to the heart of wartime Tuscany. As a longtime admirer of Morelli's work, and particularly her ability to bring the Italian art world to life, I was thrilled to delve into this story. Her impeccable research and attention to detail are evident on every page, creating a vivid and immersive experience. Through the eyes of young Stella, we witness the resilience of the Italian people and their unwavering dedication to preserving their cultural heritage. The story is both a coming-of-age tale and a poignant exploration of art's power to sustain hope during the darkest of times. Morelli's writing is evocative and engaging, drawing me into Stella's world and making me feel her frustrations, joys, and growing passion for art. This is a novel I'll be recommending to everyone who loves historical fiction, art, and the enduring spirit of Italy.

Whether you are an art lover, lover of all things Italian, or a lover of both, reading Laura Morelli's latest novel set in the hills of Tuscany, this is a book you'll want to check out. Releasing this month (4/22) The Keeper of Lost Art is a fictional story, about a very real villa that was used to house some of the most famous paintings from the Uffizi Galleries. Stella, who was sent to her relatives in Tuscany while her mother continues to work in Torino and live underneath the city streets like many who remained during WWII, finds herself struggling to fit in, especially since her aunt doesn't seem to like her. Once the family starts taking in refugees, Stella meets Sandro, a talented young artist who is losing his sense of sight.

Thank you, Laura Morelli, William Morrow, and NetGalley for letting me review this book, in return for an honest review.

This book was amazing! I love historical fiction. Anytime I come along a book based on true events - I can’t wait to read it.

Could you imagine living in Europe (anywhere in Europe) during World War II? If you did, you are one amazing and strong person with everything that you had to go through.

I do not believe I would survive, let alone protect art from the German army. I would not have the strength or guts to do it. Loved this book!

I was able to envision and feel what Stella was feeling. I always feel like it would be hard to write a book from the perspective of a very young person, but the author was able to do it and I felt like I was a child again in the beginning, midst, and ending of a war. Her naivety and then finally growing up right in front of our eyes, was developed and delivered magnificently.

This book was definitely worth reading, and I recommend it to anyone who enjoys historical fiction centered around World War II.

The enchanting coming of age story of a young Italian girl whose family is tasked with keeping part of Florence’s treasures safe from bombs and the Nazi Art thieves. Though the paintings were never lost, a young girl and a boy find their way.

4.5 Stars – A Beautifully Rendered and Heartfelt Story

The Keeper of Lost Art by Laura Morelli is a stunning and evocative read that pulled me in from the very first page. Morelli’s prose is rich and immersive—reading this book felt like stepping into a painting. I could feel the weight of the hidden masterpieces, the tension of keeping them safe, and the emotions of the characters as they navigated wartime danger.

The characters were deeply compelling, and the way the book weaves in the history of hiding priceless art during World War II was fascinating. The connection between Stella and Sandro, as they find comfort in the treasures hidden in the villa’s secret rooms, felt incredibly real and moving. I truly felt this book in a way that’s rare—it’s emotional, atmospheric, and beautifully written.

The only reason I’m giving it 4.5 stars instead of 5 is that there were a few moments where the pacing slowed and felt a bit drawn out. Still, this is a book I would absolutely read again and recommend to anyone who loves art, history, and richly told stories.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy!

You often read of children being evacuated from the Blitz in London during World War II, but rarely in other countries. And The Keeper of Lost Art, young Stella Acosta is sent from Torino to relatives to the safety of relatives living in Tuscany. There is tension in the villa between Stella’s aunt and Stella as well as the refugees staying in the basement. The sublime descriptions of the great works of art, hidden in the villa are stark contrast to the desperation that builds as the threat of Germans soldiers descending upon the villa grows. The book is part coming of age story and part historical fiction based on a very real part of Italian history. The story is fully flushed out with interesting characters and beautiful scenery. Although the pace tends to slow at times, the description of the place and time enlivens the plot. Thank you to Netgalley for access to the book in exchange for my review.

This was an interesting story about WWII. Stella was a young girl of 12 when her mother sent her to Tuscany as she thought it was safer than in the city they lived in. Stella stayed there with her aunt and uncle and 2 cousins. Her aunt didn't seem to like her at all and it wasn't until later that she found out why The owners of the house escaped and were considered enemies of the state. Her uncle was the driver and his family stayed to take care of the estate. It was large and someone came and asked to keep a lot of masterpiece paintings to keep the Germans from burning them. Stella loved looking at them and though she was supposed to keep it a secret she let one of her new friends in to see them also.. He is a talented artist, but is a refugee like all the other people in the house..
It seemed the only good thing about the war for Stella is she met her father and discovered she wanted to go to school to learn how to restore paintings.

I got this book from Netgalley and am voluntarily leaving a review

For some reason I have read several books about art in World War II Italy. n The Keeper of Lost Art, author Laura Morelli writes about the hiding of art at risk during the bombing of several locations in Italy. And of course, German occupiers were notable for their efforts to steal art. The Keeper of Lost Art focuses on the need by the Uffizi Gallery in Florence to hide art in county villas, where the hope was the art would be safe from bombing and Germany. This villa at the center of The Keeper of Lost Art is also a refuge for people fleeing different parts of Italy. The gardens are plentiful and there is food to feed refugees. The family who lives in the villa are caretakers, who guard people in their wine cellar, including a wounded British flyer. And of course, they also guard the art. The most interesting aspect of The Keeper of Lost Art is the love for the art, both by the villa's caretaker and also his niece Stella, and her friend Sandro. The descriptions of the art are wonderfully written. I have been to the Uffizi Gallery in Florence and have seen this art. It is breathtaking.

The Keeper of Lost Art is interesting and the descriptions of art are beautifully descriptive. The Keeper of Lost Art is interesting but not compelling. The characters are secondary to the art. I loved the discussion of how important art is to teach history and to inspire those who gaze upon it. This art changes lives. Morelli explains how gazing at the art is to gaze upon beauty and develop empathy and caring for the people who live there.

Thank you to William Morrow publishers and to NetGalley for providing this ARC to read and review. The comments above are my honest thoughts about this novel. For people who know little about the hiding of art during World War II, this novel is especially educational. Look up the art mentioned by name.

4 stars

When I first saw the title, The Keeper of Lost Art, I thought it would be interesting to see how someone was saving art from Nazi Distruction. The story is so much more. The story of how the painting were brought to Villa Saita Lucia was very interesting, but the story is so much more. It is a very emotional, heartbreaking story.

To learn of how British citizens had to flee Tuscany for thier own safety and leave everything behind was a surprise. To realize that Italy took possession of such properties owned by enemies of the state was a bit of shock. No compensation. No concerns. I must admit I was clueless about how things were run. I did not expect curators to use them as a storage facility. I can't wait to delve deeper into the idea to see if it was true and how successful it was.

The story showed me how things could have been for the people. The workers at the Villa now had to not only feed themselves, but whatever army was in control at the moment. They had to accept the treatment of themselves and the property. I was amazing how the were able to protect the painting but not chairs and beds. I was shocked by how many different armies passed through.

I didn't think about all of Refugees stopping for assistance. How could they be turned away? A bigger question was how would the be fed and housed. Their conditions and attempts at survival had me in tears. My respect for those that helped during the war grew and grew with each thing I learned. If not for the kindness of others; things would have been so much worse.

I want to thank the author for opening my eyes. I need, we all need, to learn everything we can about the past or it will become our future. All the tears that flowed will never wash away what happened in the past. I don't want to cry them in the future.

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

The Keeper of Lost Art by Laura Morelli

Most readers have probably heard of the Monuments Men and Women who rounded up thousands of paintings and irreplaceable artwork hidden from destruction and theft from the Nazis in WWII. This is a fictional account of a family in Italy who became custodians of such treasures and what they endured during the war.

Young Stella is sent by her mother to the countryside to be with relatives she didn’t know. Refugees also ended up staying in the cellar of her aunt and uncle’s house. This is where she meets Sandro, a young artist who is loosing his eyesight.

It’s a nice story young readers would enjoy and learn from and the happy ending is a plus. Four stars.

I have always been fascinated by stories about the looting and destruction of art during war. Conquering nations understand that, as the author of The Keeper of Lost Art explains, homes, buildings and other trappings of everyday life can be rebuilt. But looting or harming art strikes deep at the heart of a nation’s culture and cannot easily be replaced. This book, based on a true story, tells the story of a family in the Tuscan countryside near Florence, Italy, who shelter both refugees and art treasures from the Uffizi Gallery during the WWII. As told by the 14-year-old Stella, we hear about the family’s struggles, privations and bravery as they hide refugees from German soldiers who have commandeered the villa. All the while, Stella and her friend Sandro, a budding artist, meet secretly in the room where the Uffizi paintings are hidden. Sandro teaches Stella about drawing as she teaches him to read.

Each chapter begins with fictional quotes from Botticelli and Wallace Foster, the character in the book who is a Monuments Man, part of the British and American team that rescued looted art after World War II. The Botticelli "quotes" (in reality, Botticelli left no writings to explain his work) paint a portrait (as it were) of an artist struggling through the process of creation. The Foster quotes speak of the importance of art and the reasons for saving it. The most significant portion of the book for me occurs when a conservator from the Uffizi arrives at the villa, and talks passionately about the meaning and importance of art. These devices, written as they were by an author who is not only well educated in art history, but a true lover of art, help the reader understand how art transforms individuals, communities and nations. Readers who come to this book to read a story about how ordinary people coped with a life under war will also get a lesson I hope they don't neglect.

We live in strange times, and historians are warning us to be aware of what’s happening and its relation to the past. Books like this help us understand. Many thanks to William Morris and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for this ARC. Stella has been sent from her home in Turino to her aunt and uncle's Tuscan villa in the midst of the war. Her uncle is the driver and caretaker of this villa under an Englishman who fled to Switzerland. Now living in the Villa, they become a home to several people fleeing other cities looking for shelter from the war. Stella, now settled, greets a curator from Florence who is looking for a safe place to store priceless works of art from the Germans. Sandro, a gifted artist and also the same age of Stella, seeks refuge in this locked room so he may be with the art. The Germans arrive, then the Australians and finally the Americans but the Italians have no idea who to trust. I enjoyed this book. It is based on a true story of a villa in the far reaches of Tuscany, a hard working family and the ability to save Italians treasures. #TheKeeperofLostArt #LauraMorelli #WilliamMorrow #April2025

I have been to Italy many times over the years, most recently spending 10 days just in Tuscany, so when I saw this book on NetGalley, I immediately requested it. I knew a little about the brave Italians who safeguarded priceless works of art, mostly from the Uffizi Museum in Florence, but I had not idea how expansive and involved that endeavor was. Laura Morelli crafts an interesting story with lots of history, and I enjoyed the story, except for some parts in the second half of the novel that seemed more like filler than adding more to the narrative.

I especially enjoyed the characters -- especially Stella and Sandro. Stella was sent to live with relatives in Tuscany because her mother thought she would be safer there, as WWII got more dangerous with the Germans present all over Italy. Little did Stella know the drama and danger would be in the villa where she made her new home!

I also enjoyed learning more about the masterpieces kept in the villa, most notably, Botticelli's beautiful Primavera.

I highly recommend this novel to fans of WWII, Italy, and Italian art.

Thank you to NetGalley, Harper Collins and the author for the opportunity to read and review this eARC.