Thank you to @NetGalley for an advanced review copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

In this dual timeline novel, we meet our young heroine in 1943 occupied Tuscany at her family's estate vineyard. Gianna quickly shows her courage through her involvement in the Italian Resistance where she helps her father hide and move Jewish families and children to safety.

In modern day, Gianna is 83, living in the U.S. as a retired art teacher who frequently spends time with her grandkids, teaching them to paint. One day, an article is the impetus of her mad dash across the ocean back to her home town. As Gianna reflects back on the war years, the part she played, the love she found and lost, she begins her personal journey to healing the past. When her daughter catches up with her, they travel the Italian countryside visiting places that played a signficant role in her life Gianna opens up and shares stories of the struggles, pain, loss, and heroism the young Gianna experienced.

Hlad created beautiful characters that demonstrate complexities and depth of emotion. He weaves a colorful tapestry that allows Gianna's experiences to unfold throughout the story. I highly recommend this book for anyone who loves historical fiction.

#ASecretinTuscany #NetGalley #historicalfiction #womenheroes #ItalianResistance #WWII

This was my first time reading Alan Hlad’s work, and I really enjoyed it. Storylines set against the timeline of one or both of the World War’s are my favorite, and Alan paints an imagery that is both memorable and beautiful. The main character, Gianna, is a force to be reckoned with, and I loved her determination during her quest to find answers from her past in Italy. I highly recommend A Secret in Tuscany to everyone, especially those who adore stories about lost loves and the heartache that comes with it.

Historical fiction author Alan Hlad writes to illustrate the lasting repercussions of past choices.

At 83 years old, Gianna Farro is still lamenting over the consequences of things she did and didn’t do during her wartime years in Italy. When she sees something in the paper about a metal detectorist unearthing wartime correspondence, she drops everything and heads to Italy.

Gianna was a partisan aiding Jewish refugees when she met OSS agent Tasio Napoli. He’d parachuted into German-occupied territory to aid the Resistance. Hlad writes to show that with a focus on the present and their lives on the line, people involved in the war effort found it difficult to imagine how they could have a life together until the war was over. Difficult choices had to be made with the present in mind and a focus on freedom rather than pursuing romance. Gianna and Tazio fought hard against this realization.

They learned to “catch the moment” and embrace the reality of a fragile life, realizing that what they created could be taken away at any moment.

Do you ever stop loving someone when your romance is cut short due to something that’s out of your control? Do you ever stop thinking about them? Wondering if they survived? Married?

What is this secret in Tuscany? You must find out. You won’t be disappointed.

I was gifted this copy and was under no obligation to provide a review.