This book is a love letter to Sicily and I loved the references to Sicily’s small towns around Sciacca. The book is big and brash is style - I really liked the Serafina chapters of the book where the style was sparser and more to the point. The modern day chapters around Sara, I found over written and full of detail I didn’t care about. Towards the end of the book though, the historical facts about the hardships faced by Sicilian women was fascinating but the actual story ended quite abruptly without tying up any loose ends about the modern day characters. Do all in all, a mixed bag for me but with plenty of plot twists, it was still an engaging read.

Sometimes you pick up a book at the exact right moment and it just hits all the notes. Sara's life is falling apart. Her restaurant has closed, a marriage in shambles, and her favorite great aunt has passed. Rosalia left a mark on Sara. Now the favor is returned. Upon her death, Sara receives a letter for Rosalia sending her to Sicily to find out about an old family plot. A piece of land that could set Sara's life back on track. Aunt Rosie is convinced that her mother was murdered in her small village, she hopes Sara will get answers.

Flashbacks from Seraphina, Rosie's mother, and Sara's journey into the family history paint a tragic yet heartwarming tale of loss, joy, and new beginnings. Sara is put on a roller coaster of twists and turns that could lead her to the truth about her family's past.

This book was so good. The atmosphere and setting of this book is magic. Jo Piazza creates these beautiful scenes that make you feel like you're in the story. The women in this family are headstrong and devoted to becoming who they're meant to be, not who society deems them to me. Read this one. No questions, just do it. There's mystery, mafia, romance, and culture. Something for every reader.

Thank you Netgalley for the advanced copy of this book.

“The Sicilian Inheritance” by Jo Piazza was an unexpected delight and is moving onto my list of favorite books of 2023. It is the story of a young woman who is suffering through her own personal failures when she loses her beloved Sicilian great aunt. Her aunt leaves her a deed to plot of land in the village in Sicily where she was born and asks her to try and solve a family mystery that possibly took her great grandmother’s life. The story is about the strength and heroism of women supporting other women in a country and time where women had little value other than raising their children and making a home for their husbands. I was transported by this beautifully written novel feeling like I was part of the dual timelines of the story. This is a historical fiction based on the author’s own family history and a gripping mystery with an ending that I never saw coming. I loved this book!

Thank you NetGalley, PENGUIN GROUP Dutton, and the author for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This book was a good fast read. A young woman returns to SIciliy to find out about her family's history. I love reading stories set in different locations and this book fulfilled that expectation. For anyone looking for a good book to readfor the Fall weather, this is a perfect choice.

Loved the mystery of this duo storytelling, I couldn’t wait to see what happens. It was so delicious to read that i couldn’t put it down. 5 stars!

Wow! This book was beautiful. Loved going between the two main characters' timelines. Loved how messy all the characters were. The story is one that women are very familiar with but told in a new light. Can't wait for everyone to read this book.